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iPod Accessory Reviews: headphones v-moda Remix and Bass Freq Headphones
Discuss this product Review post September, 2006 by Jacob Spindel, Chief iPod Correspondent True high-end in-ear earphones: they can produce incredible levels of sound clarity, bass, and overall audio quality. Unfortunately, they can also be very expensive and potentially hazardous to your hearing, and in some cases the foam tips can even detach and become lodged in your ear canals - I wish that were just a "creative intro," but this actually happened to me recently. So is there any compromise between these high-end expensive models and those low-end earphones that only produce run-of-the-mill sound? Two new earphone models from v-moda aim to accomplish exactly that. Choose Your Moda The first model, called the v-moda Remix, has the traditional shape for standard (not in-ear) earphones, consisting of two buds with virtually flat circular surfaces. The buds thankfully have "L" and "R" labels, and they are available in three colors. All three of the available color schemes are vibrant and shiny, making the Remix models more visually appealing than most earbuds.
Meanwhile, the diacritically bizarre Bass Fréq is closer to an in-ear design, although it doesn't reach nearly as deeply into your ear canals as most high-end in-ear models, which may be more comfortable for some people while limiting audio quality for others. As their name implies, the Bass Fréq earphones seek to output an optimal level of bass output intended to surpass the competition. Eight color schemes are available, including mostly lighter pastel colors that are not quite as shiny or reflective as the Remix models.
Head To Head I compared the two v-moda earphone models directly on each of the following music categories, using the same test song for each genre of music while also considering my experiences with other brands of earphones in the past. Podcast/voice Remix: With podcasts, the Remix earphones demonstrated impressive clarity as well as balance between spoken word sections and musical cues. |
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Pop/rock Remix: The Remix earphones reproduced pop music with a strong bass and good clarity and separation, keeping the individual aspects of the song noticeable. A cappella/vocal Remix: The Remix's clarity was helpful here as well, providing emphasis to each of the individual performers and how they contributed to the overall sound. Hip-hop/Rap Remix: Since hip-hop/rap is the category where bass is most important, the Remix clearly lost in this category, albeit by a much smaller margin (to my perception) than I would have guessed. |
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Country Remix: The Remix earphones fared well with country music, bringing out the subtleties of the singer's voice without washing out the backup music. Classical Remix: With many different instruments and small nuances to notice, classical music is the genre where clarity is the most important. The Remix performed exceptionally here, with virtually all of the individual aspects remaining noticeable and balanced. Fréq Out, or Pick the Remix? Or Neither? Overall, I found that both the Bass Fréq and the Remix achieved the goal of creating a compromise between high-end earphones and super-cheap models. Neither model had quite the level of sound quality heard on models like XtremeMac's FS1, but both were superior to Apple's iPod earphones and other common inexpensive models. The Bass Fréq won out over the Remix in terms of bass, but the Remix had stronger clarity and was more comfortable to wear, in my opinion. Ultimately, I found the Remix to be the better of the two. Remix Editor's rating (1-5): Pros: Strong clarity level; comfortable to wear; visually attractive; good bass output. Bas Fréq Editor's rating (1-5): Pros: Stronger bass levels than the Remix; overall sound quality higher than average.
Price: Both the Remix and Bas Fréq sell for $49.99 Web Site: www.v-moda.com Comparison Shopping: Where to Buy (Remix)
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