Introduction/Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Positive Vibes for the opportunity to review the VooDoo Dual Driver Automatic Noise Canceling (ANC) over ear headphones. I am not affiliated with PV in any way. A factory blem sample was sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. They are currently $89 US on Amazon. Here is a link to purchase:
VooDoo ANC Headphones Amazon
Positive Vibes Website
My Background and Sound Preference:
Don’t consider myself an audiophile. Just a music lover. One of the first sets of headphones I owned was a set of Koss Porta Pros. Didn’t know it at the time, but the Porta Pros were a well liked set of HPs by the Head-Fi community. Don’t have the Porta Pros anymore. The best set of HPs I own at the moment would be the Audeze Sine on-ears followed by the Monoprice M1060s. Sound preference is a slight “v” shape FR. Preferred genres are EDM, classic and progressive rock.
Specs and Accessories:
From Positive Vibe’s website:
Available in 2 colors: Red/Black and Blue/White
Voodoo Noise Cancelling Headphones Features:
PATENTED DUAL DRIVERS!
Up to 25 decibels of active noise reduction
Volume control on headset
Protective storage/travel zippered case
Ultra luxurious leatherette wrapped ear cups & padded headband
Gold plated 1/4th inch stereo pin
Gold plated 1/8th in. to 1/4th in. adapter
Gold plated dual-pin airline adapter
Two AAA batteries included
Compatible with: iPod / iPad/ MP3, CD, DVD players / android/ laptop computers / desktop computers
Limited one-year warranty
FAA compliant
Detachable connecting cable
Detachable in-line microphone cable
Specifications:
Active Noise Cancellation - Up to 25dB between 125-250Hz
Total Noise Cancellation > 94%
Driver Units: Low Frequency: 40mm Neodymium Rare Earth (2)
Driver Units High Frequency: 30mm Neodymium Rare Earth (2)
Normal Impedance - 32OHMS +/- 15% at 1000Hz
Frequency Response - 15-23,000Hz
Distortion: 1% Maximum at 1 KHz/1mW
Right/Left Output Difference: <3dB at 1KHZ/1mW
Output Sound Pressure Level: 108 +/- 3dB at 1KHz
Noise Cancelling On Output SPL: 105 +/- 3dB at 1 KHz
Power Rating: Normal 10mW
Maximum Input Power - 30mW (24 hours)
Cord Length Approx 1.5m
Adapter Plug: 3.5mm - 6.3mm
Battery 1.5v x 2 (Alkaline)
Weight Approx 227g
Build Quality and Accessories:
The headphones came in a sturdy cardboard box with an outer thin cardboard slip cover. Inside, the headphones and accessories are all packaged up in a nice hardshell case.
The included cables are on the thin/cheap side be are acceptable. One has an inline mic, the other does not. The in-line mic cable has an angled jack at the DAP/phone connection. The other cable has straight plugs on both ends. Good news is, if one or both cables fail, they can easily be replaced.
The headphones are very light and have good padding on the band and on the ear cups. Comfort is very important to me and these win in that department. Please note that although these are described as over ear, part of the ear actually touches the padding. The padding is very, very soft though so it doesn’t cause discomfort.
The construction seems to be all plastic on the ear cups and ear cup brackets. The inner head band is metal. I think the plastic saves on weight and it's typical for headphones in this price range or even more expensive (e.g. Bose, Audio Technica, etc.). The volume and ANC control switches are plastic and are accessible while wearing the HPs. Overall build quality reminds me of the Creative Aurvana Live!.
The volume control is a nice feature. It is nice to be able to adjust the volume on the headset instead of fishing out the DAP or phone out of a pocket.
Sound Quality:
With ANC turned on:
Again, I’m not an audiophile, but I’m guessing an audiophile would be happy with how these sound in ANC mode. To my ear, they seem fairly neutral across the spectrum. Perhaps with a little elevated bass. Clarity and details are very good for an ANC headphone. Vocals are clear and smooth. Sound stage isn't particularly wide or deep but acceptable. Everything seems close to and in your head rather than outside. The overall sound quality is very, very good straight out of a phone. Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories sounds phenomenal. Switching over to a DAP (Cowon Plenue D) yields similar results.
With ANC turned off:
Forget about it! Take a cheapo speaker, poke some holes through the driver and throw a couple of wet quilts over it and you get the picture of the sound (well maybe I’m exaggerating a little). Definitely not recommended for music or anything else for that matter in this mode.
ANC Functionality:
Regarding the previous paragraph, one doesn't buy ANC headphones to listen to them with ANC turned off. The ANC capability of the Voodoo is quite good. I compared them to Audio Technica’s flagship noise cancelers the ATH-ANC9s and they did well. I would rate them 85 to 90 percent of the ANC9s. I’ve never had a Bose ANC headphone but the ANC9 is supposed to be close to Bose level of ANC. I’ve used the Voodoos in noisy environments with no issues. Like most other ANCs, all the sound isn't 100% blocked out. However, when music (or movie volume) is turned up to a moderate level, you don’t notice outside noise.
Phone Calls:
Vocal quality for phone calls is good (both ways). Didn't experience any static or complaints from others during phone calls.
Conclusion:
Overall, I think the Voodoos are a great ANC headphone. They offer great ANC performance with even better sound quality. Bassheads need not apply.
Notes:
This review was performed using a Samsung Galaxy S6 and Cowon Plenue D on Rock setting. Google Play Music was used to play various genre tracks (e.g. EDM, classical, classic rock, etc.) on the S6. Listening level were moderate to moderately loud.
I would like to thank Positive Vibes for the opportunity to review the VooDoo Dual Driver Automatic Noise Canceling (ANC) over ear headphones. I am not affiliated with PV in any way. A factory blem sample was sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion. They are currently $89 US on Amazon. Here is a link to purchase:
VooDoo ANC Headphones Amazon
Positive Vibes Website
My Background and Sound Preference:
Don’t consider myself an audiophile. Just a music lover. One of the first sets of headphones I owned was a set of Koss Porta Pros. Didn’t know it at the time, but the Porta Pros were a well liked set of HPs by the Head-Fi community. Don’t have the Porta Pros anymore. The best set of HPs I own at the moment would be the Audeze Sine on-ears followed by the Monoprice M1060s. Sound preference is a slight “v” shape FR. Preferred genres are EDM, classic and progressive rock.
Specs and Accessories:
From Positive Vibe’s website:
Available in 2 colors: Red/Black and Blue/White
Voodoo Noise Cancelling Headphones Features:
PATENTED DUAL DRIVERS!
Up to 25 decibels of active noise reduction
Volume control on headset
Protective storage/travel zippered case
Ultra luxurious leatherette wrapped ear cups & padded headband
Gold plated 1/4th inch stereo pin
Gold plated 1/8th in. to 1/4th in. adapter
Gold plated dual-pin airline adapter
Two AAA batteries included
Compatible with: iPod / iPad/ MP3, CD, DVD players / android/ laptop computers / desktop computers
Limited one-year warranty
FAA compliant
Detachable connecting cable
Detachable in-line microphone cable
Specifications:
Active Noise Cancellation - Up to 25dB between 125-250Hz
Total Noise Cancellation > 94%
Driver Units: Low Frequency: 40mm Neodymium Rare Earth (2)
Driver Units High Frequency: 30mm Neodymium Rare Earth (2)
Normal Impedance - 32OHMS +/- 15% at 1000Hz
Frequency Response - 15-23,000Hz
Distortion: 1% Maximum at 1 KHz/1mW
Right/Left Output Difference: <3dB at 1KHZ/1mW
Output Sound Pressure Level: 108 +/- 3dB at 1KHz
Noise Cancelling On Output SPL: 105 +/- 3dB at 1 KHz
Power Rating: Normal 10mW
Maximum Input Power - 30mW (24 hours)
Cord Length Approx 1.5m
Adapter Plug: 3.5mm - 6.3mm
Battery 1.5v x 2 (Alkaline)
Weight Approx 227g
Build Quality and Accessories:
The headphones came in a sturdy cardboard box with an outer thin cardboard slip cover. Inside, the headphones and accessories are all packaged up in a nice hardshell case.
The included cables are on the thin/cheap side be are acceptable. One has an inline mic, the other does not. The in-line mic cable has an angled jack at the DAP/phone connection. The other cable has straight plugs on both ends. Good news is, if one or both cables fail, they can easily be replaced.
The headphones are very light and have good padding on the band and on the ear cups. Comfort is very important to me and these win in that department. Please note that although these are described as over ear, part of the ear actually touches the padding. The padding is very, very soft though so it doesn’t cause discomfort.
The construction seems to be all plastic on the ear cups and ear cup brackets. The inner head band is metal. I think the plastic saves on weight and it's typical for headphones in this price range or even more expensive (e.g. Bose, Audio Technica, etc.). The volume and ANC control switches are plastic and are accessible while wearing the HPs. Overall build quality reminds me of the Creative Aurvana Live!.
The volume control is a nice feature. It is nice to be able to adjust the volume on the headset instead of fishing out the DAP or phone out of a pocket.
Sound Quality:
With ANC turned on:
Again, I’m not an audiophile, but I’m guessing an audiophile would be happy with how these sound in ANC mode. To my ear, they seem fairly neutral across the spectrum. Perhaps with a little elevated bass. Clarity and details are very good for an ANC headphone. Vocals are clear and smooth. Sound stage isn't particularly wide or deep but acceptable. Everything seems close to and in your head rather than outside. The overall sound quality is very, very good straight out of a phone. Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories sounds phenomenal. Switching over to a DAP (Cowon Plenue D) yields similar results.
With ANC turned off:
Forget about it! Take a cheapo speaker, poke some holes through the driver and throw a couple of wet quilts over it and you get the picture of the sound (well maybe I’m exaggerating a little). Definitely not recommended for music or anything else for that matter in this mode.
ANC Functionality:
Regarding the previous paragraph, one doesn't buy ANC headphones to listen to them with ANC turned off. The ANC capability of the Voodoo is quite good. I compared them to Audio Technica’s flagship noise cancelers the ATH-ANC9s and they did well. I would rate them 85 to 90 percent of the ANC9s. I’ve never had a Bose ANC headphone but the ANC9 is supposed to be close to Bose level of ANC. I’ve used the Voodoos in noisy environments with no issues. Like most other ANCs, all the sound isn't 100% blocked out. However, when music (or movie volume) is turned up to a moderate level, you don’t notice outside noise.
Phone Calls:
Vocal quality for phone calls is good (both ways). Didn't experience any static or complaints from others during phone calls.
Conclusion:
Overall, I think the Voodoos are a great ANC headphone. They offer great ANC performance with even better sound quality. Bassheads need not apply.
Notes:
This review was performed using a Samsung Galaxy S6 and Cowon Plenue D on Rock setting. Google Play Music was used to play various genre tracks (e.g. EDM, classical, classic rock, etc.) on the S6. Listening level were moderate to moderately loud.
