XS

Being a travelling Audio Visual Technician, the most important headphone attributes to me are durability, compactness, professional features & a reliably true representation of sound. I took months deciding which new headphones would best suit me & the V-Moda XS appears to balance all these needs in equal measure. I’d prefer writing a 6-month review but am so impressed after just 2 days that I couldn’t wait to shout about this great find. Subjectively, this review won’t be music to everyone’s ears but from my perspective it already feels like V-Moda have eliminated every single issue I’ve encountered over a 15-year career working with portable monitoring headphones & crafted the XS’s just for me, in one awesome looking package to boot: bonus. Delivered to my local collection point at the time promised & in a sturdy, attractive product box. The included zip-up travel case, which snugly holds folded headphones & cable, fits in the palm of my hand & seems solid enough for a kick-about at Twickenham. It’s hard, contoured design minimises wasted space & benefits from the natural structural integrity of the clam shell it resembles. I’ve removed the mini carabiner supplied but it could easily clip onto bag, belt-loop or bike if that’s how you roll. The headphones themselves are very compact, folded or unfolded. Their strikingly unique design is aggressively modern with a nod to retro-aviation, while the engineering & quality displayed by the all-metal framework, hinges & screws exceeds high-end equivalents at twice the price from long-established manufactures. The hinges make a reassuringly satisfying metallic click when opened or closed, which sounds pure class & lets you know they’re ready for business. There’s a good amount of padding on the headband which fits my small head well with arms fully retracted. Each arm extends about an inch so all but the most boffin-sized noggins should be off to the races. While the headband lies evenly across my head without gaps, it’s not particularly grippy so not suited to sports use but listening on the bus/at home/work/studio should pose no problems. The on-ear cups fit perfectly & snugly over my wee ears but the larger over-ear V-Moda headphones may be more comfortable for prolonged listening periods if overall size isn’t an issue for you. There’s enough flex & memory in the headband for DJ’s to use off-the-neck, though the cups themselves don’t swivel on left/right axis – only up/down ensuring a good seal with ears. I’m no DJ so personal preference is advised. Overall weight & bulk are surprisingly low considering all that lovely aluminium, giving comfort in use or at rest around the neck. Although bass-heads may prefer a louder headphone with bias towards a fuller low-end drive, this wasn’t important to me & I found the bass clean, punchy & well defined without interference to other frequencies or vice versa. My reference audio files have never sounded better & I’m able to pick out all the small nuances that give me a kick from song to song, though I’ve only had other on-ear headphones for comparison. Incoming & outgoing noise isolation through the closed-back cups is good enough for me but not 100% so use in extremely noisy or silent environments may be semi-problematic to some. A medium length & highly visible orange braided cable is included, which features in-line mic & call button for use with phones + natty 45degree angled jack at source end – bit of a gimmick but one of several USP’s which represent the attention to detail breathed over every inch of this product. Some have mentioned cable sends noise through mic when rubbed on clothing but personally untested nor relevant to how I’ll use these headphones so either way I couldn’t give a monkey’s myself. The cable is fully detachable/replaceable (essential for pro cans) but what makes this model stand out are the twin inputs on left & right cups, meaning you can choose which side to plumb into: sounds like another gimmick but in reality, I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve been distracted in the past by a cable trailing across my ever-changing workspaces & sound desks. It’s also good having the back-up port if one fails outside warranty. Equally impressive is the option to use the second port as a pick-up for your BFF’s cans too if you feel like sharing, or at a push send a monitored feed from your desk if running short on outputs. The ports can be blanked-off with small plastic bungs, which are fiddly for large fingers but worth having & using all the same. I’m a huge fan of the standard jacks supplied, which firmly push-in/pull-out without needing a twist – I’ve found locking cables a weak point on other headphones & a frustration when cables can’t be interchanged nor quickly uncoupled for moving about the studio. I’m surprised no ¼ inch jack adapter supplied & would prefer inclusion of longer coiled cable option as standard but these are my only negatives, which I’m happy to accept if helps keep unit cost of such thoughtfully produced kit this low. The fixed cable linking left & right cups, although fully braided itself, is partly exposed either end between headband & cups so needs a certain amount of respect (i.e., zipped away during storage or in transit). Spare cables, ear pads & other accessories are available as options, as are personalised side plates which look seriously tempting but may not be easily available in the UK. The slightly cheaper silver & white XS option will look good to the Mrs or out on the street but my industry is black all the way & mine are proper, full-on stealth-bomber black. 2-year warranty + Immortal Life guarantee tells me this product is built to last & that V-Moda is a serious audio player I want to do business with. It’s no surprise design, style & engineering come from California, Italy & Japan respectively, though I note final assembly (whatever that stretches to) occurs in China. Pretty standard I guess but still disappointed my hard-earned is funding a kleptocracy. You can buy cheaper, smaller headphones that are basic, ugly, tinny & will fall apart or plush, all singing, all dancing studio cans at the expense of valuable space & cost. The V-Moda XS seems to take the best from all these worlds & is like nothing else I’ve seen. Great sound & features, ridiculously portable, beautiful design & build quality that genuinely raises the bar. In an ideal world, headphones would last me 5 years plus: This is the first set I’ve owned that look like they could actually deliver that small slice of utopia. I commend V-Moda for producing a set of headphones absolutely unique to the market at a price I’m happy to pay…I’d probably pay a little more if I knew production took place alongside design or engineering. Very much looking forward to using in anger at a sound desk or video camera near you all soon… UPDATE: Used for a few weeks now & these cans just keep making me happier! Absolutely no ear pain experienced even after 3+ hours constant use. The headband makes contact across the width of my cranium, which disperses weight well. Great sound quality across the board. Small solid case fits any nook & cranny in bag & kept headphones in perfect condition on working road trip across Europe. I can confirm the cable does send noise to cans/mic during calls when rubbed on clothing but I think this is a trait of all braided cables - I still prefer braided for durability & this doesn't bother; if it did I would just swap out the cable. I've tested these with other jack to jack cables & they all work fine. Phones are comfortable around neck & cable easy to plug-in whilst wearing. Even at full volume I've found little distortion to sound. I don't use for pleasure listening - If I did I'd definitely want louder drivers & would opt for larger over-ear model. UPDATE 2: A couple of months of professional use have exposed an issue. Cups started to wobble, on closer inspection 7 of the 8 hinge screws were very loose, the 8th was missing completely. Ordered replacement screws (M1.6 x 3mm) from auction site then tightened with allen key (1.5mm) using threadlock. 2 further weeks of use & threadlock is doing its job well - cups feel firm once more. Problem rectified & still in love with these cans, just sad & surprised to find a major fault so soon after purchase.

Durability: This is one sturdy pair of headphones. The headband and forks are solid steel, and the cups have steel plates on the outside. Everything clicks and snaps into place with a solid click. On top of everything, they come with a rigid protection case which looks very reliable. Comfort: First of all, they're light. Had a bit of trouble with them pressing on my tragus out of the box and becoming uncomfortable after a while (only on my left year, strangely, right was feeling ok). What I did is spread them over my PC tower overnight. Problem gone, I can wear them now for hours on end without a worry. My tower is about 18cm/7" wide, you can also use a stack of books instead. One night should do the trick, what you're doing is basically cold-setting the steel band. Careful not to go overboard and make the clamping too weak (although I imagine you can do the trick in reverse to tighten them). The pads are soft enough and they're made from memory foam so they should adjust to the angle of your ears after a while. The height can be adjusted with a series of clicks up and down. The band itself is not round, it's oval, V-Moda claims it makes for a more confortable fit on top of your head. I have no problem with that claim, they certainly fit nicely. The band has a nice padding underneath. Features: There's very little included in the box, but the cable that comes with them is truly excellent. It has an inline mic and controls, separated from each other which is a nice touch. This also means that the plug is 3-phase, so you can use them to answer and control your phone; on the downside, the plug on some appliances might have a problem with that, for instance the headphone plug on the front of my PC doesn't make a good contact and will sound very bad. The cable has a very nice covering in a nice orange color (for the black version). Best of all, it's a removable cable with standard 3.5mm jack at the cans, none of that proprietary plug nonsense. Even better, both cans have a plug, not just left, so you can switch the cable to where you want it. Both can plugs can be used at the same time, which means that your SO can chain her headphones into yours and you can both listen to the same thing! If you're looking to make them into a headset for Skype or gaming, V-Moda also sells the V-MODA BoomPro Gaming/VoIP Headphone with Microphone - Black cable, which has an excellent boom mic instead of inline. Portability: they are small and unobtrusive and I'd consider them to be good headphones to wear on the bus, train or plane. The cable length is just right, not too long and not too short, perfect for both the desk and on the move. The isolation is not perfect I'm afraid, which means that going past 50-70% loudness is where people next to you are going to start to hear it. It also works in reverse, and will allow you to hear platform announcements and street noises, which is a good or bad thing depending on how you take it. If you want more isolation look at the M-100 model. The XS also packs incredibly small, because the forks and cans can be flexed inside the band space. They get so small you can carry them in a jacket pocket, and would certainly be no trouble on travels. The only downside to their small size is that wearing them around the neck feels is a bit cramped, they fit too snugly. Then again I'm a big guy, they should be ok for a woman or teenager. Sound: Now to the most important part. I consider this a very nice pair for the budding audiophile, because it will emphasize music in a fun way. The bass is slightly boosted, which will make for some great dubstep or sludge/stoner, but it's not exaggerated. The mids have also been enhanced for warmth, which puts a positive oomph on pretty much every music genre out there. The highs are slightly recessed which means they won't be ideal for classical or jazz, but you can still enjoy those genres on them; you may even appreciate the fact that you're extremely unlikely to experience treble fatigue, I certainly do. So yeah, these are not neutral headphones, but the changes to the sound make them warm and a lot of fun for all kinds of music. They're closed, so the soundstage will not compare to open headphones in the same price range, but it certainly beats the pants off 30 quid headphones. Bottom line: durable, portable, comfortable headphones with a very fun sound and nice features. If you've been using 30£ headphones and are curious what the next level has to offer, look no further.

I have bought a pair of these and was blown away by the clarity. They're purchased mainly for DJing at home and possibly out in the future. Firstly the positives. Sound clarity is amazing. I am comparing these to the V moda M100 and the Sennheiser HD25 which i am also using and they sound much clearer than those. Perhaps the mids are slightly heightened but when i am listening to 2 tracks on top of each other it is incredibly clear in comparison to most that i've tried. Notably the over ear M100's which are very bassey to the point they drown out mids especially. They are comfortable and light and incredibly compact. Which makes them perfect for travel (when we can!) and general listening. The v-moda click system is great. Some slight negatives. Sound staging on these is not as good as some other headphones they lack some depth compared to others that i've tried. So some reference tracks that i listen to that on other cans i get the staging of the instruments is less on these. As some other reviewers have mentioned they are comfortable however they don't really sit on my head very well. I found them sliding off which could get really annoying. I may try some alternative ear pads to see if that helps. But obviously everyone's heads are different so this may just be me! In addition I think it's a frustration that the cable ports are smaller than on the m100. So I tried putting the coil cable into these but that didn't work. Ideally they'd be the same. Sure that'd be cheaper for vmoda as well! All in all a fantastic on ear headphone that for the money is second to none. With the V-moda guarantee and generally robust build quality these will be a keeper for me for a long time both in the home and out and about!

I really love the sound signature of these headphones, and they are just the right amount of immersive for me (I can enjoy my music, but still remain aware of what's happening around me). HOWEVER, the build is a huge issue for me. There are several tiny screws holding the caps of the headphones to the headband. One of these fell out after a few months of usage, and I could not locate it, so I was forced to send the headphones in for warranty repair (covering packaging and postage from the UK to the US myself). They repaired them and sent them back and all was well. However, a screw's now fallen out AGAIN. The frustrating thing about this is that this would be a ludicrously easy repair job to do myself, but V-Moda don't sell replacement screws on their website. I guess I am going to have to find a suitable screw on eBay or something and try and DIY it, because I am not paying for packaging and postage from the UK to the US AGAIN when I could pay a couple of quid for some screws and sort it out myself. I'm giving these headphones 3.5 stars because while the sound is 5-star quality, the build issues have been irksome enough to permanently put me off buying another pair from this brand.

They are quite simply amazing. They look great and are comfortable for extended use. They're built like a tank and the detachable cord has saved me a lot of bother when getting it caught on door handles. When I first listened to them I was underwhelmed, but like most good headphones that's because they require a 'burn in' period. After 30 hours of listening they're now the best sounding headphones I've ever owned. Better than a pair if Grados I had that cost considerably more. They're also very efficient; they can be driven to high volumes easily on an iPod or smartphone. The only device they couldn't be used at a decent volume on was the Pure Move 2500, but that's because their implementation of AVLS is excessive. I haven't had the same problem with the Roberts sportsDAB 2 I exchanged the Move for.

Great headphones. Would if received too mark. But broke after 40 days and now need to claim through company. So not replaced.

These wired headphones scream quality, and the sound quality is superb, they are a perfect portable size for me, not the lightest to wear, they feel substantial, the travel case is completely protective and lightweight. The look is very stylish and encourage headphone envy amongst other crew members!

These are outstanding headphones. My biggest problem has always been finding durable, mobile headphones with good quality and nice design and these tick all the boxes. I listen to music close to everyday, easily for a few hours at a time and these have delivered a brilliant sound and incredibly comfortable fit. If in any doubt just check out the company's main website and their range and information presented their are just an example of the quality the company brings to the table. You will not regret buying these.

Sonido balanceado, pero con mucho detalle. Se aprecian detalles que jamás habías escuchado en tus canciones. Los altos son brillantes y detallados, los medios son presentes y sólidos, los graves son muy presentes, pero no empañan el resto de las frecuencias. Las voces son un placer escucharlas, son tan claras que sientes que eres tu el que canta. Pros: -Diseño único, son plegables y permite disminuir el tamaño del audífono y caja de transporte (incluida) -Sonido con detalle, en cualquier género y películas especialmente las de acción y suspenso. -Materiales de construcción como ningún otro audífono, son parcialmente metal y las partes de plástico son muy duras. -Personalizables. -Soporte al cliente de 6 estrellas, garantía de 2 años, si presentan algún problema; ya sea defecto de fabrica, algún accidente como romperlos o problemas estéticos, te piden que los destruyas y te mandan otro sin más preguntas, o enviarlos y te mandan unos nuevos. Cons: -El cuero sintetico se puede desprender en lugares calurosos, pero me los cambiaron sin problemas. -Poca variedad de accesorios, cable, funda(caja) de transporte y carabina para colgarla. Los LP incluyen más. En conclusión son un 10/10. Mientras no busques audífonos llenos de graves, pero buscas audífonos con mucho detalle y sonido flexible para cualquier género sin graves de más ni menos estos audífonos son para ti. PD: Los audífonos pueden dar BASTANTE bajo si se los pides con un equalizador etc.

I am an standard consumer, and bought this product as an upgrade from a pair of klipsch s4i that I previously used for commuting. After my klipsch failing multiple times due to probably poor durability (of course, I treat my gear with care), I decided to try these rugged looking on-ear headphones in hopes of a more durable option. I realize that a on-ear headphone is not a complete replacement for an in-ear, and will be looking to replace my in-ear soon, but I wanted to test to see how an on-ear headphone fares as replacement for the roles of an in-ear (which I believe the owner of the v-moda, Val Kolton, originally intended these to be). If all goes well, I intend to make these my primary commuting headphones and keep an in-ear as secondary. I am also new to v-moda and was excited to try them out from the amount of praise I heard. I do not collect headphones or have much experience with many, but I do a fair amount of research before I make a significant purchase, so hopefully my review will give a first-timer's insight into the V-moda XS. -Sound- I listen to mostly EDM, D&B, trance, dubsteb, etc. the bass heavy music, as well as alternative and rock. Again, I am not an audiophile so I do not really obsess over 100% sound reproduction. That being said, the sound is impressive coming from such a tiny device. In comparison to the ATH-M50s or the klipsch s4i (only headphones I own as you might have guessed), these are up to par, and if not, better. In a quiet environment, the sound is clear, crisp, vibrant, and I can feel the gentle waves pulsating through my cranium. As for more in-depth comparison, I think others have done a better review on sound. There is not really much more that can be described better than as experienced in person. -Build- This was one of the main points I looked at when looking for headphones to replace my earbuds. I still think earbuds are awesome, but their durability will always be surpassed by headphones of similar quality range. I wanted something to last me for a while, and provide me with access to good quality tunes for hours of daily use. The V-Moda XS is constructed of metal hinges, kevlar covered wires, and a very flexible leather headband; all components feel like it will last for years to come with proper care. They also have beyond military-level MIL-STD-810G quality standards according to their website. I have no idea what this means, but this is exactly what I want when I am using these daily, in danger of bending or pulling the cord, dropping the headphones on concrete, or zip-lining down a building on fire using the headphones and cables while blasting some Hans Zimmer. -Comfort- Priced at $200, I expect these to be the most comfortable thing to put on my head, and they are. I had used and unused? headphones many times before because they began to hurt my ears after an hour of wear. These come nowhere close. I used these headphones for approximately 4 hours straight, listening to music, and my ears were fine. I believe this is where most of the resources were spent on trying to get the clamping force and cushioning just right in perfect equilibrium, and I believe they have achieved it. I consider my head to be average, and these cans felt natural on my head right out of the box. I have yet to find how long it will take for my ears to begin feeling discomfort, but at this pace, I may never reach that point. -Size- These things are tiny. The case fits into my average size palms, and the cans are cute (lost all my man cred here). I can comfortably throw these in my backpack, not adding any bulk or fearing it will break. They conform to my head very well and does not make me look like a Cyberman. I knew that they would be small from the reviews and descriptions, but I was still surprised when I received them. -Noise Isolation- The only complaint I have about the V-moda XS is noise isolation. I knew beforehand what I would be sacrificing isolation for comfort and durability, but I do miss the isolation of my in-ears. As expected of on-ear headphones, the noise isolation is not as good, and although on the average side of on-ears, I wish the XS somehow had better isolation. They seemed to keep the "v-vents" in the design which apparently improves the sound stage, but if it were up to me, I would rather sacrifice the sound stage for isolation. At 50% iPhone volume, I still hear mainly music, but noises such as the rumbles of the bus still penetrate. I was also concerned for the sound leakage as I get very irritated by people who ignorantly blast their music for the world to hear, and I also hate being a hypocrite. There is a good test video on this on youtube by UrAvgConsumer, but from my personal tests, up to 50% seemed like a safe level with a good seal, while more than 50% starts to leak quite a bit, so 50%-75% should be used accordingly to the environment, and well, just never go to 100% unless you're looking to get stares on the bus. In positive light, I will be less likely to miss a bus stop or get ran over. -Price- As of now, the XS runs around $200, and I figure it will for quite some time. It is a lot of dough for such a tiny thing, but considering the amount of research that must have gone into perfecting the comfort, and the quality (both build and sound) of the overall product justifies the price. They also provide a very nice hard shell case which includes a v-strap for holding cords. -Miscellaneous- -Trivial problem, but I wish the cord had a volume rocker. -I love the color orange, but I still wish the cord had been black, since they are going with the low profile/stealth theme anyway -The sliders and the cliqfold hinge clicks. I love clicks. -Would have been nice if the cord plugs could click lock. Did I mention I love clicks? -Matte finish resists fingerprints! -OVERALL- I would rate these at 4.5. Excellent build and sound quality, superb compact form, and indestructible, -0.5 for isolation, so I rounded up and gave it a 5. From reading forums, it seems like v-moda listens to a lot of its fans' opinions, so I am excited for their next iteration. As for now, although still testing, I think these will be my primary commuting headphones. TL;DR: These headphones have amazing sound and build quality and a very compact size. I wish noise isolation was a bit better. Would highly recommend.

No Bass! Cheap sound.

Słuchawki mają świetną jakość wykonania jak i brzmienie

Seit rund 1,5 Jahren verwende ich diese Kopfhörer mit einem V-Moda Boom Pro Mikrofon und einem JSaux USB auf 3.5 Klinke Adapter 40 Stunden täglich zum Arbeiten als Headset. Der Tragekomfort ist im Vergleich zu anderen professionellen Headsets um Klassen besser. Außerdem könnte man es Dank der Faltbarkeit und der Tragetasche täglich von und zur Arbeit tragen, falls man es nicht am Tisch liegen lassen will am Abend. Einfach zuverlässige Spitzenklasse.