It wasn’t too long ago when standard headphones were considered to be nothing more than just plain audio equipment. You use them when you want to listen to music in private, making them more functional rather than fashionable. Today, manufacturers such as V-MODA are working towards changing the way people look at headphones, turning the often under-appreciated audio accessory into an iconic symbol of modern society’s forward-thinking culture and innovative lifestyle.
About VModa Earphones
The high performance audio technology company was founded in 2004 by professional DJ and producer Val Kolton. Back then, the company’s focus was on technological innovation and creating new designs in order to develop a line of fashion headphones, which was called Kolton Technology. After two years of research and searching for design inspiration in Milan and Venice Italy, the company launched several successful product lines. The company changed its name to V-MODA, and became one of the first high-fidelity fashion headphone manufacturers in the world, and sold 33,000 units in 11 distinct styles and colors in 2006. A year later, V-MODA teamed up with Apple Inc. and released a new product line designed for use on the iPod and other Apple devices called the Vibe Duo. The partnership soon became an overwhelming success, and a major milestone in V-MODA’s corporate development. The Vibe Duo product line also became the first third-party headphones designed specifically for the iPhone. Incidentally, the iPhone and the Vibe Duo were launched on the same day, and the partnership remains harmonious to this very day. The name V-MODA was inspired by Kolton’s frequent research visits to Milan and Venice, Italy. One day, while gazing at the Duomo cathedral, he noticed how the second-largest church in Italy was designed with countless features shaped like the letter V. Kolton incorporated the V-shape design with the Italian word for fashion, moda, and the idea for V-MODA was born. It became the perfect representation of the company’s vision of fusing high fidelity with high fashion. Today, V-MODA is one of the world’s most successful manufacturers of chic mobile audio equipment. Its diverse product line includes headphones, portable amplifiers, protection ear plugs, and various other audio accessories. The company continues to create ideas that seamlessly combine modern fashion with high performance audio equipment, transforming the functional and giving it a more fashionable appeal.
Products
V-MODA’s product line consists of a wide range of audio equipment such as headphones and amplifiers, as well as cables, ear plugs, amplifier cases, and other accessories. The company also offers custom over-ear and on-ear headphone shields. The service allows you to personalize your headphones with laser engraved aluminum shields and 3D printed metal, to show off your own style and personality. If you want to avail of V-MODA’s customization services, you may visit the official website, submit your design, and order online.
In 2010, V-MODA started producing over-ear headphones. The groundbreaking Crossfade LP headphones feature a lightweight metal design and outstanding sound quality delivered by 50-mm dual-diaphragm high definition drivers. It sold by the thousands during its initial outing, and is now one of the company’s best and most sought-after products, alongside its contemporary line of high quality earphones.
Delivering deep and well-defined low-frequency tones that you don’t typically hear from similarly priced in-ears, the Bass Freq Metal series proves that it can be as powerful as its name suggests. Its clever BLISS, or Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicone ear tips provide a snug and comfortable fit that seals out ambient noise, allowing it to deliver clear audio with remarkably powerful bass tones. Its ear buds and cables come in a variety of bright colors and chrome accents that go well with not only with your personal fashion sense but also with some of today’s trendiest audio devices. The volume on the Bass Freq Metal is surprisingly loud for something so small, especially if the silicone tips completely seal the ear canal and create a sound barrier against outside noise. In order to accommodate ears of different sizes, VModa Earphones included three sizes of medical-grade silicone tips inside the box. You also get the handy Modawrap cable management tool, which prevents your audio cables from tangling while in storage. The Bass Freq Metal is also fitted with an inline 3-button microphone that works well with the latest generation iPods and other Apple devices. Retailing for less than $30, the Bass Freq makes for the perfect on-the-go earphones for people who like listening to deep and bass-heavy tunes.
Hearing loss is a concern that people who are often exposed to loud noise seriously dread, which is why products such as the Faders VIP Tuned Metal Earplugs have become increasingly popular. The Faders VIP removes as much as 12 decibels of environmental noise, without totally blocking it out. This results in a softer, much quieter sound that is not at all muted or muffled. The box contains the earplugs, a detachable lanyard, a pendant case, and four sizes of BLISS, or Base Level Isolating Soft Silicone fittings that suit ears of all sizes. The pendant case is a convenient little plastic housing that can be worn around the neck when you want to keep your earplugs close by. The Faders VIP is perfect for going to clubs and partying in loud environments, as they provide a substantial amount of hearing protection without completely cutting you off from the outside world. You get to enjoy the loud music without risking any potential damage to your hearing. For around $20, the Faders VIP are a significant step up from conventional foam earplugs that offer very little hearing protection. You’ll want to have a pair of these handy whenever you want to go out and have fun in places where loud music is blasted through huge speakers. It pays to have hearing protection, and your ears will thank you for it in the long run.
The company has become known for its line of stylish and low-profile earphones, and the Vibe Duo is no exception. It was introduced in 2007, the same year Apple’s iPhone was launched, and the combination of the two products have since been described as a partnership made in heaven. It was the first third-party headphones made specifically for the iPhone, although newer models now work with select Blackberry phones as well. The Vibe Duo also exemplifies the company’s flair for intelligent design, with its sleek ear buds and tangle-proof audio cord demonstrating how high performance earphones should look. Furthermore, it backs up its innovative design with superb sound and impressive low frequency response. As with the other VModa Earphones lineup, the Vibe Duo also delivers a loud sound volume, so make sure you are aware of this before you hit play. And despite not having a call-answer button, the Vibe Duo does a fairly decent job when taking and making phone calls. In-call audio is clear and audible, although the mic does tend to pick up some background noise every now and then. Overall, the Vibe Duo makes for an ideal replacement for the standard Apple earphones. They are a bit pricey, though, retailing for just under $150, but between its clear, bass-heavy audio and comfortable noise isolating design, the Vibe Duo definitely gives you your money’s worth.
Featuring metal earpiece housings, a kevlar-reinforced audio cable, and a solidly built construction, the Remix Remote is one of the most durable earphones on the market today. V-MODA then complements that durability with audio performance that puts the Remix Remote at the top of its category. Delivering high definition, full-range audio and an excellent sound profile, the Remix Remote is hands down your best option if you want high performance earphones that go for less than a hundred bucks. The Remix Remote also does a great job of blocking out ambient noise, and are comfortable enough that you will want to listen with to your music for hours. It has a 3-button remote situated at the Y-junction, right where the cables going to the left and right earbuds adjoin. It is worth noting that this is a better remote placement because other earphones have them halfway down the audio cord to the right earpiece, a configuration that results in an unbalanced weight distribution. This might seem insignificant at first, but you’ll appreciate the remote placement if you wear earphones for extended periods of time, and your right ear starts feeling sore. The Remix Remote is not only considered to be the best pair of earphones in its price range because of its outstanding sound quality, but also because of its solid design and comfortability. Retailing for around $80, the Remix Remote offers the best sound for your money, as well as a level of attention and responsiveness that customers have come to expect from VModa Earphones.
