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V-moda Vibe (flashback chrome)

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CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating

Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 33 reviews
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Product summary

The good: The stylish V-moda Vibe headphones amplify the audio from the sound source, and they come with several fun or useful accessories. Overall sound quality is very good.

The bad: The V-moda Vibe headphones are a bit overpowering on the low-end; may be uncomfortable for some users.

The bottom line: The V-moda Vibe headphones are a great option for style-conscious bass-addicts looking for some worthy portable headphones.

Specifications: Product type: Headphones ; Design: Ear-bud ; Color: Flashback chrome ; See full specs

Price range: $41.99 - $79.95 check prices

See all products in the V-moda Vibe series

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by:
Jasmine France
Reviewed on: 11/27/2006

Headphone maker V-moda may be a newcomer in the digital audio domain, but you wouldn't realize it listening to the company's products. Both the Remix M-Class and Bass Freq earphones garnered positive critiques from the tech press, including CNET. V-moda is continuing its brand proliferation with the premium Vibe in-ear headphones ($101), another fashion-forward set that offers rich, if a bit bass-heavy, audio response.

The V-moda Vibe earphones offer the most understated design of all of the company's headphones: each pair offers a simple, black cable (approximately 48 inches long) with metallic accenting designated by the model. You can choose from gunmetal black, flashback chrome, or la mocha (not yet available at press time). The earpieces are small and stylish with an almost jewelry-like appearance, thanks to the shiny finish. The cable is quite thin, but seems durable, and V-moda includes a Modawrap in the package to help prevent tangles. You also get several sets of silicon fittings in three sizes, which should let most users create an effective seal with the ear. Comfort also should not be an issue for those with average-sized ears, but this small-eared reviewer found that the eartips put pressure on the inner ear cartilage causing some soreness after about an hour of use. The squishy foam fittings that come with Shure's E4cs are much more comfortable.

Although V-moda doesn't advertise the Vibe earphones as sound-isolating, the earbuds do a great job of keeping out ambient noise. They also include a small leather pouch, making them ideal for travel. V-moda throws in a card that gives you free membership to the company's VIP service. Benefits include event invites, product previews, and free podcasts of music mixed by selected DJs.

We put the Vibes to the test with our in-house Creative Zen V Plus, and we were not disappointed. The earbuds provided rich, warm audio with excellent range and clarity. But it must be said that the Vibe headphones are geared toward bass addicts. The low-end might be overpowering for some listeners on bass-heavy tracks. We tended to like the enveloping feeling of such a full low-end, but audio purists could disagree. Also, there was one song where the extreme bass caused some unpleasant vibration, but as it was a single occurrence, it wasn't particularly problematic. We rather appreciate the Vibes' ability to amplify audio coming from the sound source--by a lot. We were able to listen to music at about half the volume than we normally would, which will probably conserve an MP3 player battery more than usual--always a plus.

See more CNET content tagged:: V-MODA,; headphones,; earphone,; earbud

User reviews

Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 33 reviews
My rating: 0 stars Write review

Showing 3 of 33 user reviewsSee all 33 user reviews
5.0 stars

10 out of 10 people found this review helpful

"Rocks the other Shure/Etymotics if you want big sound"

by mcmatt21 on November 29, 2006

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4.0 stars

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful

"Very pleased for the price"

by Kennibthe1 on December 11, 2006

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4.0 stars

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

"Good overall earphones"

by dmac03 on January 2, 2007

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See all 33 user reviews Write review

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V-moda Vibe (flashback chrome)

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Where to buy

V-moda Vibe (flashback chrome): $41.99 - $79.95

store	price	in stock?	rating
	$54.95	Yes
	$59.95	Yes
	$79.95	Yes
	$59.99	Yes
	$59.99	Yes

see prices from 7 stores

Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

alaTest.com

Editors' rating: 83

Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 481 reviews of V-moda Vibe from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 83/100 and users 75/100. Comparing these reviews to 93060 other Headphones reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 83/100 = Very Good.
mobiletechreview.com

Editors' rating: 100

Summary: The Vibe earphones are constructed solely of metal and have no plastic in their actual audio mechanism. Available in "flashback chrome" and "gunmetal black" colors, the Vibe might be described as "shallow in-ear earphones" - although they do enter ...

Read full review
applesource.com.au

Summary: We rather appreciate the Vibes' ability to amplify audio coming from the sound source -- by a lot. We were able to listen to music at about half the volume than we normally would, which will probably conserve an MP3 player battery more than usual -- ...

Read full review