Michael Johnston
July 25th, 2007, 09:59 PM
<img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_thumb.jpg" align="right" />
Apple says that the iPhone incorporates the best iPod they've ever made, and I tend to agree with them. Although the iPhone is extremely easy to use, audio quality is just as important to the overall experience. So when I heard about V-Moda's Vibe Duo, which is made specifically for the iPhone, I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I've been using the Vibe Duos for a while now, and I'm fairly impressed. <!--break-->
The first thing you'll notice about the Vibe Duos is their unique design. Except for the cable, these babies are made entirely of metal, which is obviously quite durable, but also very stylish. The cable is covered with fabric, not plastic, which makes it light weight and very durable. On the right side cable you'll find a microphone for taking calls while listening to music. The cable also comes with a clip on the side to keep the right earbud in your ear in case your left ear needs to be free to listen for other things. Along with the headset, you'll also get a leather pouch for storage and six pairs of interchangeable silicon fittings.
<center><a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_accessories.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_accessories-small.jpg" /></a></center>
After listening to music with them for a couple of minutes, my initial impression was less than amazing. Initially, all I could think about was how muffled the bass sounded. The high-end audio wasn't that great either and had a "mushy" sound to it. Although the mid-range didn't have any distinguishable distortion, it was a little too quiet for my taste. This lack of balance led me to turn the volume up to compensate. Doing this, of course, blew me away when the other levels got too high. Not as great as I had initially hoped they would be. Fortunately, as soon as I stopped trying to liken them to a pair of $500 earbuds, everything seemed to sound much better. After a while, going back to the included Apple earbuds seemed impossible. You just can't compare them.
One of the greatest advantages of in-ear canalphones is that they offer a moderate level of sound isolation, which means they're perfect in noisy situations. This is especially good when commuting on noisy trains or buses, and the Vibe Duos certainly handle this task well. Normally, when listening with the Apple earbuds, you would have to turn up the volume when moving to a noisier environment. Because the Vibe Duos keep most of the noise out, adjusting the volume in these situations is unnecessary.
<center><a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_layout.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_layout-small.jpg" /></a></center>
The Duos' microphone is obviously the most significant feature it has to offer. The microphone's quality is actually quite good and offers much louder audio than the included iPhone earbuds. The only drawback to a sensitive mic is that it's nearly impossible to use in noisy environments. When using the microphone in a car traveling down the highway, you pick up quite a lot of wind noise, far too much for comfortable use. My other complaint about the microphone is that it has no button. One of the most convenient features of iPhone is the ability to answer calls and pause your music using the button embedded in the microphone. The Vibe Duos, on the other hand, lack this important feature.
So what's my conclusion? Although the audio isn't stellar, it's not bad either. For the price, it's quite an excellent buy. The microphone works great, and it's an extremely handy feature to have. The only real drawback is that it lacks a button for answering calls and controlling the iPod.
All in all, I recommend the Vibe Duo's to anyone looking for a high quality alternative to the stock earbuds, who doesn't want to break the bank. Of course, if you're an audiophile and price is no object, there are obviously better choices out there.
The V-Moda VIBE Duo is available for $99.99, in Nero (black) and Chrome, at Apple Retail Stores, <a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=DB77FAB5&nplm=TN543LL/A" target="_blank">Apple.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.v-moda.com/collection/modaphones/vibe%20duo.aspx" target="_blank">V-Moda.com</a>.
Apple says that the iPhone incorporates the best iPod they've ever made, and I tend to agree with them. Although the iPhone is extremely easy to use, audio quality is just as important to the overall experience. So when I heard about V-Moda's Vibe Duo, which is made specifically for the iPhone, I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. I've been using the Vibe Duos for a while now, and I'm fairly impressed. <!--break-->
The first thing you'll notice about the Vibe Duos is their unique design. Except for the cable, these babies are made entirely of metal, which is obviously quite durable, but also very stylish. The cable is covered with fabric, not plastic, which makes it light weight and very durable. On the right side cable you'll find a microphone for taking calls while listening to music. The cable also comes with a clip on the side to keep the right earbud in your ear in case your left ear needs to be free to listen for other things. Along with the headset, you'll also get a leather pouch for storage and six pairs of interchangeable silicon fittings.
<center><a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_accessories.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_accessories-small.jpg" /></a></center>
After listening to music with them for a couple of minutes, my initial impression was less than amazing. Initially, all I could think about was how muffled the bass sounded. The high-end audio wasn't that great either and had a "mushy" sound to it. Although the mid-range didn't have any distinguishable distortion, it was a little too quiet for my taste. This lack of balance led me to turn the volume up to compensate. Doing this, of course, blew me away when the other levels got too high. Not as great as I had initially hoped they would be. Fortunately, as soon as I stopped trying to liken them to a pair of $500 earbuds, everything seemed to sound much better. After a while, going back to the included Apple earbuds seemed impossible. You just can't compare them.
One of the greatest advantages of in-ear canalphones is that they offer a moderate level of sound isolation, which means they're perfect in noisy situations. This is especially good when commuting on noisy trains or buses, and the Vibe Duos certainly handle this task well. Normally, when listening with the Apple earbuds, you would have to turn up the volume when moving to a noisier environment. Because the Vibe Duos keep most of the noise out, adjusting the volume in these situations is unnecessary.
<center><a href="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_layout.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.iphonealley.com/images/reviewimages/vmoda/vibeduo_layout-small.jpg" /></a></center>
The Duos' microphone is obviously the most significant feature it has to offer. The microphone's quality is actually quite good and offers much louder audio than the included iPhone earbuds. The only drawback to a sensitive mic is that it's nearly impossible to use in noisy environments. When using the microphone in a car traveling down the highway, you pick up quite a lot of wind noise, far too much for comfortable use. My other complaint about the microphone is that it has no button. One of the most convenient features of iPhone is the ability to answer calls and pause your music using the button embedded in the microphone. The Vibe Duos, on the other hand, lack this important feature.
So what's my conclusion? Although the audio isn't stellar, it's not bad either. For the price, it's quite an excellent buy. The microphone works great, and it's an extremely handy feature to have. The only real drawback is that it lacks a button for answering calls and controlling the iPod.
All in all, I recommend the Vibe Duo's to anyone looking for a high quality alternative to the stock earbuds, who doesn't want to break the bank. Of course, if you're an audiophile and price is no object, there are obviously better choices out there.
The V-Moda VIBE Duo is available for $99.99, in Nero (black) and Chrome, at Apple Retail Stores, <a href="http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=DB77FAB5&nplm=TN543LL/A" target="_blank">Apple.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.v-moda.com/collection/modaphones/vibe%20duo.aspx" target="_blank">V-Moda.com</a>.