V-Moda Vibrato (Black/Chrome) review: V-Moda Vibrato (Black/Chrome)

8.0

V-Moda Vibrato (Black/Chrome)

The Good

The V-Moda Remix Remote earphones feature a stylish durable design, fit securely, and offer lots of bass. They include an integrated mic and remote for the iPhone and iPod, and the call answer button works with Android devices as well.

The Bad

The V-Moda Vibrato Remote earphones may not be comfortable for everyone, they're quite heavy for earbuds, and audio is not particularly balanced with its heavy emphasis on the low-end.

The Bottom Line

The V-Moda Vibrato Remote earphones provide plenty of bass and a stylish, durable design with a handy built-in remote for iPhones and iPods; even Android users can benefit from the integrated call answer button.

Photo gallery:
V-Moda Vibrato Remote earphones

V-Moda has gained quite a reputation for its stylish, low-profile earbuds. The good word has been helped along by the fact that these 'phones offer plenty of low-end thump for those who have only experienced the anemic bass offered by stock earbuds. The latest model to be pumped out of the V-Moda factory, the Vibrato Remote, is no exception. This $129 pair offers plenty of thump, a slick and durable design with a built-in mic and remote for use with the iPhone and iPod, and a unique plug housing that's designed to withstand wear and tear. Better yet, overall sound quality is solid, and the call answer button works with Android devices as well. Just don't get these if you prefer a more recessed low-end.

V-moda really excels in the design department, and the Vibrato Remote earphones are a perfect example of this. The set starts with a standard gold-plated plug, which is encased in a modified L-shaped rubberized housing--it's reminiscent of a hose spray nozzle and seems more rugged than that of previous competitors. This is followed by 34 inches of cloth-coated cable, which splits at a hefty chrome-plated accent piece into an additional 13 inches of Y-cable that leads to the two tiny earbuds. Along the way to the right 'bud, you'll find a shirt clip as well as a module containing volume controls and a call answer button that also serves as playback controls for the iPhone and iPod.

The earpieces themselves are a testament to V-Moda's commitment to stylish-yet-durable design. They're constructed from zinc alloy using a die-casting metal technology that not only gives them a geometric, jewelry-like style, but also makes them much sturdier than plastic 'buds. Further, the fabric around the cord is woven Kevlar, which gives us high hopes for the staying power of these earphones.

However, one thing about all this durability is that it makes the Vibrato Remote earphones rather heavy on the whole. We could feel a slight pull at the earpieces from the cable and accent piece, so using the included shirt clip isn't exactly optional. Beyond the weight, we found the set to be quite comfortable for at least an hour, thanks largely to the small overall size of the earpieces. Plus, V-Moda includes eight sets of color-coded silicone tips ranging from XS to L in size, so most people should find a good fit. The package also contains a leather pouch and a pair of "active flex" sport earhooks to keep the earphones secure during workouts.

Provided you can get a good seal with the ear, the Vibrato Remote will reward you with excellent audio quality and impressive sound isolation. Also, V-Moda seems to have decreased the cable noise issue found in some previous models, as the cord rubbing against clothing is no longer as distracting (perhaps the Kevlar helped with this as well).

More importantly, music sounds great through the Vibrato earphones. As we've come to expect from V-Moda-branded headphones, these provide a deep, thumping low-end. Better yet, the bass in this case doesn't overshadow the other sounds, but gives a satisfying heft to tracks across genres. Meanwhile, mids are rich and warm without being overly forward, and the highs sparkle. There's definitely an emphasis on the lows, though, so those looking for strictly balanced audio may not prefer the sound here. That said, the Vibratos performed to our tastes across every genre we threw at them, with a particular knack for dance, rock, pop, electronic, and hip-hop.

We also tested the remote functionality of the Vibrato and it worked flawlessly with our fourth-gen iPod Touch. The play, pause, and call answer function also served its purpose for an Android device we had on hand. As such, these earphones are a great option for music-loving iPhone and Android users.