Wednesday, March 26th 2014
V-MODA Announces the XS Foldable Headphones
V-MODA, maker of the world's finest high-fidelity headphones trusted by pros and savvy consumers alike, is thrilled to announce the latest addition to their award-wining M-Class Series - the XS. Designed for ultimate comfort and sleek ergonomic fit, the XS reflects V-MODA's commitment to fashion-forward wearable technology, combining professional-grade quality and a personalized style.
Sleek Ergonomix for Better Sound
The angles and sleek headband design of the XS "mind the gap" by minimizing the unsightly space between the headband and your head. The result is a superior fit, added comfort, grander sound and a compact profile. 5+ years of R&D resulted in a wind-tunnel worthy design that contours evenly to the shape of your head, with angles that frame facial features. Enjoy long listening sessions comfortably with supple memory foam cushions that naturally adapt to your ears for faster "burn-in" and better noise isolation. The result of the meticulous design process behind the XS is a fashionable form-fitting design that elevates your listening experience; discover why "the fit is the sound."
Case Study of Style
"For nearly 10 years I have studied global fashion trends and paid close attention to individuals who wear and don't wear headphones including the different shapes and sizes," says Val Kolton, CEO of V-MODA. "While on- and over-ear headphones have gained popularity due to substantial mainstream marketing, I found that many consumers are conscious of their silhouette and don't like wearing bulky headphones. For instance, in quadrilatero della moda (quadrilateral of fashion) in Milano where V-MODA's design studio is located, it is a rarity to see anyone wearing headphones. Until now, there have been no viable headphone options for the fashion-conscious music lover."
"One Milanese woman I interviewed claimed she 'looked like a helicopter pilot' after she regrettably bought a set of plastic on-ear headphones," says Kolton. "In my eyes, the finest wearable technology should be engineered with a core of metal materials yet blend with the user through human feature-fitting industrial design and minimal branding."
Über Portability
The XS model is one of the smallest in its category, because it features the patent-pending CliqFold Hinge that precisely folds the headphones into an impossibly small exoskeleton case. The headphones and case are so small that many users in focus groups decided to replace their usual in-ear headphones with XS.
XS Features
In order to achieve the greatest sound for the greatest amount of people, extreme quality control standards over speaker driver variance functioned as the driving force in the release of XS.
"Headphone components are very small and unlike larger speakers even the smallest drop of glue can cause wild fluctuations from unit to unit. Each set must be carefully controlled to make every product virtually identical in sound," says Kolton. "We not only apply QC procedures in line with leading technology manufacturers… we even have conducted research on wine making to understand an even deeper approach to constant quality. That means that I actually listen to and sign off on each batch," Kolton added. "The end result is an exquisitely balanced and unique sound signature characterized by its addictive deep yet clean bass, vibrant mids, and extended highs."
Renaissance Versatility
V-MODA designs its products to be versatile, adapting to different uses and looks thanks to a wide range of accessories. We call them "Renaissance headphones." They are put through the tests of demanding consumers, modern audiophiles, athletes, musicians, travelers and even gamers.
Sharing & Dual Inputs
Dual inputs let you share the music with others, or function as a virtual on-the-go mixer. The patent-pending V-CORK seals allow discerning listeners to perfectly balance the audio. An optional BoomPro microphone instantly transforms the XS into the ideal headset for gamers, podcasters and broadcast professionals.
Military Durability
As with all of V-MODA's Crossfade family, durability and exquisite material selection were paramount in the design of XS. The masterful combination of steel and metal materials stands up to military-level standards of the MIL-STD-810G testing guidelines.
Sleek Ergonomix for Better Sound
The angles and sleek headband design of the XS "mind the gap" by minimizing the unsightly space between the headband and your head. The result is a superior fit, added comfort, grander sound and a compact profile. 5+ years of R&D resulted in a wind-tunnel worthy design that contours evenly to the shape of your head, with angles that frame facial features. Enjoy long listening sessions comfortably with supple memory foam cushions that naturally adapt to your ears for faster "burn-in" and better noise isolation. The result of the meticulous design process behind the XS is a fashionable form-fitting design that elevates your listening experience; discover why "the fit is the sound."
"For nearly 10 years I have studied global fashion trends and paid close attention to individuals who wear and don't wear headphones including the different shapes and sizes," says Val Kolton, CEO of V-MODA. "While on- and over-ear headphones have gained popularity due to substantial mainstream marketing, I found that many consumers are conscious of their silhouette and don't like wearing bulky headphones. For instance, in quadrilatero della moda (quadrilateral of fashion) in Milano where V-MODA's design studio is located, it is a rarity to see anyone wearing headphones. Until now, there have been no viable headphone options for the fashion-conscious music lover."
"One Milanese woman I interviewed claimed she 'looked like a helicopter pilot' after she regrettably bought a set of plastic on-ear headphones," says Kolton. "In my eyes, the finest wearable technology should be engineered with a core of metal materials yet blend with the user through human feature-fitting industrial design and minimal branding."
Über Portability
The XS model is one of the smallest in its category, because it features the patent-pending CliqFold Hinge that precisely folds the headphones into an impossibly small exoskeleton case. The headphones and case are so small that many users in focus groups decided to replace their usual in-ear headphones with XS.
XS Features
- 40 mm Dual-Diaphragm Drivers (patent-pending)
- No batteries or artificial sound processing
- CliqFold folding hinge (patent-pending)
- Dual Inputs and SharePlay with V-CORK seals (patent-pending)
- Exoskeleton case
- Kevlar-reinforced universal SpeakEasy microphone cable for Apple iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows devices
- 2-Year Premier Warranty, lifetime 50% immortal life program and V-MODA Six Star Service
In order to achieve the greatest sound for the greatest amount of people, extreme quality control standards over speaker driver variance functioned as the driving force in the release of XS.
"Headphone components are very small and unlike larger speakers even the smallest drop of glue can cause wild fluctuations from unit to unit. Each set must be carefully controlled to make every product virtually identical in sound," says Kolton. "We not only apply QC procedures in line with leading technology manufacturers… we even have conducted research on wine making to understand an even deeper approach to constant quality. That means that I actually listen to and sign off on each batch," Kolton added. "The end result is an exquisitely balanced and unique sound signature characterized by its addictive deep yet clean bass, vibrant mids, and extended highs."
Renaissance Versatility
V-MODA designs its products to be versatile, adapting to different uses and looks thanks to a wide range of accessories. We call them "Renaissance headphones." They are put through the tests of demanding consumers, modern audiophiles, athletes, musicians, travelers and even gamers.
Sharing & Dual Inputs
Dual inputs let you share the music with others, or function as a virtual on-the-go mixer. The patent-pending V-CORK seals allow discerning listeners to perfectly balance the audio. An optional BoomPro microphone instantly transforms the XS into the ideal headset for gamers, podcasters and broadcast professionals.
Military Durability
As with all of V-MODA's Crossfade family, durability and exquisite material selection were paramount in the design of XS. The masterful combination of steel and metal materials stands up to military-level standards of the MIL-STD-810G testing guidelines.
- Survives up to 60 drops on concrete
- Virtually indestructible SteelFlex Headband
- Minimal sound variance from unit to unit, checked along six parts of the sound curve versus 10-30dB+ of inferior products
- Kevlar-reinforced detachable cables and 45-degree plug strain relief can each bend more than 1 million times, over 100x industry standard
- MIL-STD-810G environmental tests including high and low temperatures, humidity, salt spray and UV exposure
6 Comments on V-MODA Announces the XS Foldable Headphones
In any case, I really hope these cans sound as good as they look.
However, $212...yeah...no. Get something like that sub $50 and then we'll talk.
Cheaper good listening cans are ATH-M50's they run ~$120.
My only gripes are that their max size extension isn't that large while their minimum size is laughably small (infant-sized). That and the ear cups don't swivel, which with on-ear headphones can sometimes cause slight ear fatigue/pain with prolonged use. The headband is made of spring steel though, so that helps alleviate the lack of swivel adjustment.
But, the sound is great, and they don't look half bad. If you're handy with Photoshop or GIMP or find some nice royalty-free, unlicensed art online, you can send them the picture and they'll laser-etch your design into the metal shields on the earcups for you for no extra cost (if you buy from their website, which for some reason is cheaper than from Amazon even though you can't customize when you buy from Amazon...).
I also have the Audio-Technica ATH-M50, and those are better for audio monitoring and isolation. They're a lot bulkier and heavier though. Both headphones are built like tanks. ATH-M50's have a more flat/slightly V-shaped sound signature (fairly neutral, some emphasis on bass, noticeable emphasis on treble) while the Crossfade M80's lean toward the mids and bass a little bit, though highs are still accurate, as is the sound overall.
About the XS though...honestly it seems to me like the regular M80 would be easier to carry around. It comes with a hard case too, so you can toss it in your backpack with stuff. The XS hard case looks thicker than the M80 hard case, so even if you can fold the headphones, it won't be as easy to fit when you actually carry it around folded up.
Shot of my customized M80's :) Valkyrie is the name of my rig.
(60D + 50mm f/1.8 @ f/1.8, 1/60, ISO 400)
They still run and sound good.
:)