With the iPhone's headset port in mind, V-Moda adds a microphone to their popular Vibe headphones. Will we toss the white buds at last?
Review summary of the V-Moda Vibe Duo:
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 The V-Moda Vibe Duos would fit best into a lineup of good iPhone headphones. If you were choosing between a too-accurate, dry sounding set of earbuds and a cheap, poorly designed set, the Duos would be the best choice for many listeners. Unfortunately, the Vibe Duos are one of, if not the only set of headphones specifically made to fit the iPhone's port, and they aren't the right choice for everyone. Bass fans will obviously be happy with these buds, though the profile affects the sound quality on calls in a way that is more tolerable than ideal. The lack of a hardware button on the mic means it might be worth while to wait for the next generation, but if you're absolutely sick of wearing those white iPod buds for music and calling, the Vibe Duos have a lot to offer, and may be the only choice in town. Release: July 2007. Price: $100.
Pros: Very good sound quality during music. Specific sound profile will fit some users listening habits perfectly. Well designed.
Cons: No microphone button . . . yet. Calls sounded bass-heavy, made some voices difficult to understand.
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Full review of the V-Moda Vibe Duo:
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Editor's note: V-Moda Vibe Duo now offers an upgraded version, which includes a control button.
When V-Moda spoke to us about their Vibe Duo headphones, they made it clear that the first generation of the buds, released concurrently with Apple's iPhone, were designed and brought to market in very little time. In fact, the deadline was imposed by Apple, who recognized the popularity of the Vibe headphones in their own stores, and asked V-Moda to design something specifically for the iPhone. Because of the short design schedule, there is no button or control of any kind for the microphone, as you'll find on the bundled iPhone headphones. Those buds have a single button which answers and ends calls, and can also pause and fast-forward through music tracks. A button on the Vibe Duo is forthcoming, the company tells us, so if that enhancement is worth it, you may want to wait a short while.
Design - Very good
V-Moda takes a different tack when it comes to earbud design. This is a good thing, because they look great. The earbuds themselves have a glossy black shell banded by shiny, textured metal. V-Moda provides a wealth of earpiece options, including three sizes and two colors. That means you get six pairs of earpieces overall, which is better than most companies provide (try losing one earpiece from the Sony MDR-EX70s, for instance). The cord on the headphones is very long, able to reach easily into the lowest pocket on our cargo shorts. Instead of plastic tubing, the wiring is wrapped entirely in cloth, making the wire feel more like a rope lanyard than headphone wires. While it's definitely classy, we're not sure it helped keep them from getting tangled.
We're fans of the in-ear headphone design, so we loved the fit of the V-Moda Vibe Duos. They fit snugly into our ear canals and blocked out plenty of external noise, like the loud air conditioner and office chatter, even before we turned the music on. Like most in-earphones, they're a bit Dangerous for walking around in traffic, perhaps, but great for keeping the volume a bit lower.
Calling - Good
It's not sound quality that is keeping these headphones from a higher score in this category. Sound quality during calls was good, in line with what we'd expect if you added a microphone to a pair of Vibe headphones. Though we take V-Moda at their word in their explanation for the lack of a hardware button, we're still disappointed that the first generation of these headphones lacks any way to control calls. The iPhone's power management and proximity sensor turn the screen off during calls, so ending calls is not a one-step process. Answering calls is even worse, requiring a finger swipe. So, while listening to music, when you receive a call, you have to take the iPhone out and swipe it to answer. While it requires only one extra step, it's still not quite as easy as pressing a button (not to mention the button does not require digging into a pocket/purse to retrieve your phone). We also lamented the lack of music controls that the iPhone's bundled buds included. We'd like to see that feature make its way to the Vibe Duo.
Sound - Very good
Much like the Vibe, the Vibe Duo headphones have a very specific sound profile. The bass is heavy, mid-range is warm and clean and the highs hit hard, with a sharp smack. For dance and most upbeat music, this profile works very well. For ruminating, mellow tunes, the profile tends to muddy the sound a bit. For instance, Mike Jones, whose hip-hop tracks lend themselves to bass-heavy buzz, pump and move exactly as they should. The lush, mellow tracks on Common's newest album, however, felt more restrained, as they relied less on bass thumps than layered choral samples. We were surprised to find Tom Waits spring to life on the Vibe Duos. Ditties like "Trouble's Braids," consisting of mostly heavy percussion and growled vocals, came through cleanly. The vocals seemed to bubble up miraculously clear through the muddy mid-range. This isn't a quality issue, this is a deliberate choice on the part of V-Moda, and if your musical taste matches the sound profile of the Vibe Duos, you will love their sound.
For calling, the Vibe Duo sounded exactly as you'd expect. As a calling accessory, the Vibe sound profile doesn't exactly work. Since you won't be calling a dance party (or, we suspect, Tom Waits), the deep, throbbing bass these headphones provide tends to make some voices harder to hear, especially pre-recorded messages. Humans fared better, and callers reported no trouble hearing us. Most callers told us we sounded similar with or without the Vibe Duos attached. The microphone had a habit of picking up a bit more noise than we were used to, but the extra feedback was helpful while listening to ourselves during calls.
Odds and ends
The Vibe Duo headphones come with six pairs of earpieces in three sizes, as well as a small carrying case with a spring-closed mouth. The earphones do not come with the little plastic cord-wrap that accompanied the V-Moda Vibe. Perhaps the microphone doesn't wrap well around the plastic, but we still miss the cable management. In designing the headphone jack, V-Moda seems to have taken our criticism of the Vibe to heart. The jack itself, which used to be tapered and slippery, now flares to a comfortable grip for removing the headphones. The cable, which came loose from the jack on our Vibes, is not fitted with tiny rubber grommets at every junction. In our test time, we've seen no visible wear and tear on these phones.
Price and availability
The V-Moda Vibe Duo will start selling for $100 () in July 2007.
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