V-Moda XS On Ear Headphone Review. After loving the V-Moda M-100 over the ear headphones we’re back to bring you our review of the V-Moda XS On Ear Headphones. The XS is built with the same sturdy military grade MIL-STD-810G standard construction for the ultimate in durability and also brings with it excellent sound in a compact design.
The V-Moda XS features M-Class 40mm Dual Diaphram Drivers operating at 5Hz-30kHz at less than 1dB of variance for exceptional sound quality. They were developed with the same painstaking research that V-Moda implements in their product development. 5 years of feedback during development from audiophiles, producers, DJs and editors worldwide has paid off, they sound amazing.
In the box you’ll find the XS Exocase with carabiner, Kevlar reinforced SpeakEasy Microphone control cable, 2 V-Corks and XS Headphones. You also get a shiny V-Moda sticker and V-Moda’s Six Star service.
Fit and Finish
The XS headphones have the same fit and finish that the M-100’s do. The build quality is excellent with an attention to detail that is hard to miss. They can fold up into a compact size and fit nicely into the carry case. Think miniature as they mimic the exact style and design of the larger M-100.
The sturdy Steelflex band also fits much more closely and hugs the contour of your head a bit more for a more precise and comfortable fit. The CliqFold Hinge gives a comforting click when locked in either open or folded position. It’s just another detail to make the unit feel solid, like the metal design, reinforced plug ends and bends, mesh wrapped exposed wiring tested to military-level MIL-STD-810G quality standards. You can even personalize your headphones with different color and finish earphone plates which you can also have custom laser engraved with the design of your choice.
The on ear V-Moda XS on ear headphones fit wonderfully though if you put them on backwards you will notice as they are slightly angled forward for fit. The M-100’s I can put on either way and by feel alone, I can’t really tell which side I have on which. The XS will also hang around your neck much more comfortably than the M-100’s, a bit better suited for traveling without the added size. I’m not a big user of On Ear style headphones. That said, I love the low profile stature, don’t like to jam an in ear bud into my head and don’t want to sacrifice the immersive sound of an over-the-ear headphone. The V-Moda XS does those things for me and more.
Sound Experience
The sound experience is excellent and on relative par with any of the V-Moda line of headphone equipment. The on ear form factor gives you more of the full sound without gouging your ear canal with in ear headphones.
The XS’s still utilize the passive noise cancellation design and even though they won’t completely cover your ears like the M-100, they still benefit from the same great sound isolation benefits, keeping outside noise out and inside noise in, just not as efficiently as the M-100 over-the-ear headphones do.
The V-Moda XS On Ear headphones offer excellent base output for the size. They offer a vibrance in sound packed into a small low profile package. There’s clean sound in vocals and balanced mids are clear enough but overall balanced to sound good. You can always utilize the EQ on your output device if you’d like to tweak your sound a bit more, though they sound great as is. I am able to produce some distortion at the high end of the volume knob but your sound file quality will affect the output quality as well so always try to use higher bit rate or lossless audio files when possible for the best sound experience.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to step up your headphone game but can’t deal with the bulky over-the-ear form factor the V-Moda XS On Ear Headphones are worth a buy. They are produced with a quality that is hard to find these days and military-level MIL-STD-810G ensures that they are battle tested and ready for you to abuse. They come with a 2 year warranty, offer a 60 day test drive guarantee and the Immortal Life Program which gives you 50% off a replacement set should your XS headphones get destroyed somehow.
V-Moda XS On Ear Headphones available for $99.99
from www.v-moda.com/xs
