I was at a gadget trade show the other day and got to try out a lot of cool stuff including these V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones, the headphones looked great and sounded as good as they could in a room booming with sounds. Luckily we were able to take a pair away to give them a thorough test in a few different settings.
This is the first in new line of headphones from a company that has previously specialised in in-ear earphones. Depending on what you read some people say the Crossfade LP headphones have been in development for 4 years. When we spoke with the PR team and the guys from V-Moda they said it was more like seven (three years on paper and four years in the field), either way they have taken their time, consulted professional users and come out with a product that rivals the more expensive Monster Dr.Dre Beats range.
In the box
The first thing you will notice is the packaging is perfection; it looks almost as good as the headphones themselves. Once you open the box you find a hard shell case formed around the headphones, this is a neat travel case that protects the headphones in transit.
You also get two cables, one for use at home and one that includes volume and track control buttons which is perfect for when you’re on the move. Both cables are wrapped in fabric which not only looks cool but also prevents the cables from becoming tangled. One of the cables is a straight 3.5mm jack and the other is 45 degrees, V-Moda also include a ¼ inch gold plated adaptor, ideal for travelling DJ’s.
Design
The V-Moda LP’s are made of from a combination of metal, leather and plastic. Our review headphones came in an eye catching Rouge with stainless steel mounts and black leather headband. The chrome detailing is a finger print central but is a necessary evil as it does look great when clean (kind of like a black car).
The headband and ear cushions are filled with a soft but firm memory foam material; the result is a headphone that molds to your head and ears making them very comfortable to wear even over long periods of time. The ear piece’s can each be adjusted for size and work well with a range of head sizes (we have all shapes and sizes here).
Sound
Sound is obviously the most important factor when buying headphones; the V-Moda Crossfade’s are aimed at users who like bass and deep sounds. If vocals and high notes are your thing then these are probably not the headphones for you. The trebles and mids are good but the bass is better, the techies worked with the world’s best DJ’s to make sure these headphones work perfectly with dance, trance, R n B and hip-hop. Basically if you like music with bass the LP’s will float your boat.
Outside noise and interference is kept out by the ear cushions and you can crank up the volume pretty high before disturbing anyone in the room, I tried them out on the train without any complaints from fellow passengers.
We had no problem using them with the iPhone, iPad and iPod with the built in volume and seek buttons working well. We tried the built in microphone and found it worked well enough to be heard but is no substitute for the actual handset or a dedicated Bluetooth headset but that’s not the point, the mic is there purely for convenience.
Final verdict
At £189 these are certainly an expensive investment but one where you certainly get what you pay for. You could spend an extra £50-£80 on the Dre Beats but you won’t be getting more for your money. The V-Moda LP crossfade headphones have the look and sound of modern times, if you like modern music full of bass then these should be on your list to try. Get to a good shop and give them a go, you won’t be disappointed.
