Reviewed Nov 2009
Details:Metal-shelled earphone from V-Moda
Current Price: N/A (discontinued) (MSRP: $119.99)
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: N/A | Sens: N/A | Freq: 12-22k Hz | Cable: 3.8’ 45°-plug
Nozzle Size: 5mm | Preferred tips: Stock Single-flanges
Wear Style: Over-the-ear or straight down
Accessories (4/5) – Two sets of silicone single-flange tips (4 sizes each) in clear and black, over-the-ear cable guides, and soft leather carrying case
Build Quality (4/5) – Housings are made of what feels like steel. Cables are thick and wrapped in cloth but tend to tangle and knot. Combined with the metal mic and remote, the whole construction weighs too much. Left/Right markings are printed in silver (on the silver shells) on the inside of the housing, under the edge of the tip, and are absolutely impossible to see , though there is a microphone on the right-side cable to aid in identifying the right channel
Isolation (3/5) – Quite good for a straight-barrel dynamic IEM
Microphonics (3.5/5) – The cloth cable transmits quite a lot of cable noise unless they are worn over-the-ear. The included cable guides are a nice touch
Comfort (2.5/5) – Too heavy. I can’t wear them cord-down because of the weight of the earphones. Wearing them cable up works better but is impractical due to the mic
Sound (5.6/10) – These are, to be quite honest, what I expected originally from the Monster Turbines. They are bass-centric and start rolling off pretty much right after the upper midrange. The bass is strong and smooth, but lacking in definition and control, which is surprising because the Turbines actually have more of it. They are also lacking slightly in detail and instrumental separation across the range. Clarity is not quite on-par with the Turbines or Klipsch S4s either. The midrange is smooth and well-positioned while the treble is slightly recessed and a little too laid back for my liking. They do sound quite dynamic, not unlike the UE MetroFi 220s, and can be extremely fun at times, but I wish they had a tighter low end.
Value (6/10) – The V-Moda Vibe II are another one for the bass lover. With their unique styling and rock-solid construction they definitely stand out in a crowded market segment, but it seems that in the pursuit of originality V-Moda left sound quality on the sidelines. They don’t sound half bad by any means – on a scale set by some of the best universal IEMs in existence they place respectably. There are just too many lower-priced IEMs that set aside all the crowd-pleasing gimmicks and shoot straight for sq.
Pros: Solid build, fun sound signature
Cons: Tangle/kink-prone cabling, heavy, lack low-end control, treble roll-off
