V-Moda M100 preview at Engadget

[HiWire]

It looks like Engadget has the scoop (Head-Fi hype aside) on these cans:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/11/v-moda-m-100-audiophile-headphones-hands-on-interview-val-kolton/

I wonder how they'll compare to my brother's new Beyerdynamic DT 1350's.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I'm going to try out the V-moda tomorrow (well, today, but after I wake up) and see. I've heard a lot of good things about the M80, but don't recall being thrilled with those last year at RMAF (although my listening session was cut short).

I tried the DT-1350 again today, but think that they are overpriced considering the colorations that they have. And they are less comfortable than an HD25. I'm looking for a closed budget travel phones that isolates somewhat, and tried the MadDog Fostex but thought they sounded more similar to the Beyer than to a T50RP. I'm not all that pleased with my HD25-1 II, which I have misplaced and can't seem to find (how does one lose a mid-sized headphone). My SRH-840 are not bad, but the screen over the baffles rub my ears the wrong way, and they still leave me wishing for better. And the Shure are just too big to travel with, especially with that stupid coiled cable.

So, if the M100 are good enough, I'll be buying a pair.

[shellylh]

Agreed that the Shures are too big (and they were quite uncomfortable to me) but you can get a straight cable for them now.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O8UAV6/?tag=hyprod-20&hvadid=15474686139&hvpos=1o3&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1546381471718560536&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&ref=asc_df_B001O8UAV6

[HeadphoneAddict]

Thanks for the cable link! I'll post about the M100 after I try them out.

[mrarroyo]

Larry, have you tried the Head Direct HE300? At $250 new I find them very good sounding.

[HiWire]

My brother really liked the B&W P5 when he tried them – he's not an audiophile at all. He liked the sound, the style, and the comfort. The only thing that kept him from buying the P5 was Tyll's review on Inner Fidelity and the lack of isolation – he's mostly listening to them on the subway and at his desk at work. The Sennheiser Amperior didn't sound like his cup of tea. I heard the Shures briefly and I also found them lacking.

Edited October 13, 2012 by HiWire

[HeadphoneAddict]

Larry, have you tried the Head Direct HE300? At $250 new I find them very good sounding.

Sorry, I guess didn't make it clear that I'm looking for a small mid-priced closed phone with decent isolation, with a sound quality that is better than my ATH-ANC7, ATH-A900, SRH-840 or HD25-1 II. Only the last two on that list isolate enough for what I want. I want the isolation to keep noise out as much as to keep the music in. I have the HE-300, which sound kinda like a marriage between an HD600 and a Grado MS-1 (yeah, how is that possible), but they are open headphones.

I now have a loaner M-100 to review, and will be buying a pair when they are available again en masse in December. But based on my listening at RMAF I may also be buying a Sennheiser Momentum, and then keep the ones I prefer the most. The M-100 are the warmer, bassier, more laid back of the two, while the Momentum are a little crisper and detailed without the emphasized bass but less "fun" factor. The M-100 are to the HD650 what the Momentum are to the HD600, in terms of overall flavor - dark vs light.

The DT-1350 in comparison were a little more colored in the upper mids than either the M-100, MDR1 or Momentum, but closer to the Momentum's end of the spectrum in terms of tone or brightness. I think that someone who really likes the DT-1350 would probably like the Momentum more than M-100, both of which are more comfortable than the 1350. But someone who prefers the HD650 over the HD600 may prefer the M-100 over the others. They don't have the greatest detail and sparkle, but they do disappear nicely with a good source and amp, with a wide variety of genre, and can pummel your ears into oblivion if you like loud music with bass.

[mrarroyo]

I love the sound from the Creative Live Aurvana and at $100 a good deal. Want to try something really cheap? The Samson SR850 from eBay.

[recstar24]

Shouldn't your comparison be:

M100 is to the momentum what the 650 is to the 600?

[robm321]

Why not just get the Amperior and call it a day?

[Tyll Hertsens]

I really like the M-100 so far.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Shouldn't your comparison be:

M100 is to the momentum what the 650 is to the 600?

Yes, thanks, but I think it still works both ways, but yours is better.

Why not just get the Amperior and call it a day?

I didn't like the Amperior as much as the Momentum. Todd didn't have any Momentum for sale yet, and I want to send business his way.

Edited October 16, 2012 by HeadphoneAddict

[robm321]

Are the M100s dark sounding (rolled highs, excess bass)? I own the M80s. They are good and all but pretty boring without sparkle in the highs or microdetail. I mainly use them as beater phones for movies.

I don't even know why I'm asking. I'm not in the market just curious to see how the competition unfolds in this suddenly crowded price range.

Edited October 16, 2012 by robm321

[HeadphoneAddict]

Are the M100s dark sounding (rolled highs, excess bass)? I own the M80s. They are good and all but pretty boring without sparkle in the highs or microdetail. I mainly use them as beater phones for movies.

I don't even know why I'm asking. I'm not in the market just curious to see how the competition unfolds in this suddenly crowded price range.

They are maybe what I would call "semi-dark", in that some sparkle is there but not emphasized and could be a little more. These do sound like cousins to the M-80. But they are fun and I wouldn't call them boring, and with audiophile sources and program material they sound pretty good. In some material there is some excess mid and upper-bass, but the emphasis could be worse. If you're comparing them to a high end phone like LCD-2 or HE-500 as your baseline, then it would be disappointing. The Momentum and Amperior would be a more neutral phone in this price range, but I'm afraid they'd be more fatiguing with the wrong source/material or at higher volumes.

EDIT - If I use the iTunes EQ to remove 2dB at 125Hz and 3dB at 250Hz they sound a lot more balanced, without needing to boost the highs. However, adding 3-6 dB at 16Khz is still a little nicer. I don't have to touch the 8Khz slider. I do have 50 year old ears that roll off after 12.5Khz and can still detect 16Khz if it's boosted.

Edited October 16, 2012 by HeadphoneAddict

[HiWire]

Review from Sound + Vision Magazine: http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article/review-v-moda-crossfade-m-100-headphone

[robm321]

Thanks for the impressions Larry.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Well, Mea Culpa. I'm discovering that the M-100 are more sensitive to a high output impedance than my LCD-2 and HE-500. So when I was using them on my CEntrance DACmini (10 ohm) or Nuforce DAC-100 (15 ohm) that was causing the need for a little EQ in the upper bass/lower mids. The DACmini is one of my favorite sub-$1000 amps for the HE-500 and LCD-2 and I assumed this was going to be a good choice here. The DAC-100 is usually my favorite SS amp for HD800.

This sound with M-100 was different from what I was hearing at RMAF when I was using an iPod Nano > Pico Slim or iPhone 5 headphone jack. So I went looking to see what the problem was. With my Woo WA6 and it's lower output impedance the sound is just what I remember hearing at RMAF, and the M-100 doesn't need EQ now. Going back the the iPod Nano > Slim or the iPhone 5 headphone out made everything normal again as well.

So, my appraisal a couple of posts above needs a caveat, and that is that you get better results with a low output impedance.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Okay, after more listening tonight I find that the M-100 also play nice with my MBP retina headphone out, and the HiFiMan EF5 amp via Stello DA100 DAC. I'm going on 5 hours total tonight with the M-100 and I'm not fatigued or uncomfortable yet.

[HiWire]

Thanks for the impressions, Larry.

What we all need to know is: how does the M100 sound with the VAMP? It is completely logical that someone will run out and buy an iPhone 4S to complete the look.

Edited October 19, 2012 by HiWire

[robm321]

I don't think I'd be interested in the M100. Liked the DT1350, liked the Amperior more. Would like to hear the Momentum. I'm not a fan of the dark. Love highs and sparkle. I like Val and think he's doing the right thing by making bass heavy phones. That's what the kiddies like and where the $ is at. No manufacturer that wants to make a profit should cater to my 42 year old preferences anyway.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I don't think I'd be interested in the M100. Liked the DT1350, liked the Amperior more. Would like to hear the Momentum. I'm not a fan of the dark. Love highs and sparkle. I like Val and think he's doing the right thing by making bass heavy phones. That's what the kiddies like and where the $ is at. No manufacturer that wants to make a profit should cater to my 42 year old preferences anyway.

I liked the Momentum as a more neutral "audiophile" closed phone, so I'd bet you'd like it. I'll probably still get that to play with too.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Thanks for the impressions, Larry.

What we all need to know is: how does the M100 sound with the VAMP? It is completely logical that someone will run out and buy an iPhone 4S to complete the look.

It was pretty good with that too. They are working on a new VAMP for the iPhone 5, but I'm not sure I want a big fat iPhone in my pocket. The wrong person might think I was happy to see them. I liked that the amp case covered the corners of the phone to protect it better.