StarTreker
500+ Head-Fier
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V-Moda Crossfade LP2 Headphones Full Review
2nd level cans, for those who want to be on their level like Wiz Khalifa!
2nd level cans, for those who want to be on their level like Wiz Khalifa!
Box: If V-Moda’s intention was to get my undivided attention, they succeeded! Picture it, your on a quest through caves in ancient ruins, in search, for the ultimate bass canon’s. (JVC SZ series used to be the ultimate, but their in piles of broken dreams now, hinges snapped, just like the personalities who run the company) You feel that you are close, your heart beats faster and faster. And just before you have a heart attack, there appears before you, the V-moda box, on a pedestal with smoke coming off of it. And like Indiana Jones, you grab the box, the trap is sprung. Put the cans on, play On My Level, and get outta there.
Case: No, the case is not part of Batman’s stealth suit, though it should be! We wanna see our favorite crime fighter kicking criminal arse all the way into the bass track, rocking it to his V-moda cans! Hardshell case molded to the shape of the headphones, a place to store accessories, and a strong zipper to seal the deal.
Look & Feel: When you open the case, you immediately get presented by V-moda’s signature style. The stealthy black look, with the chrome accent, the classic V, and the words V-moda on the headband. And when you feel that 90% all metal construction in your hand, you realize these are built like a tank, though I wouldn’t run it over with one, probably wouldn’t survive. Much of the ear cup casing, hinge, and headband, are made of metal. V-moda likes to call the metal that is in their headband, memory steal. They act as if they patented the material, when in reality, it is spring steal, which has been around since the med-evil ages, for use in the making of European swords.
Size: The V-Moda’s are a very slim can for being over the ear. If you bring a portable amp with you, these would be a great option for portable use. One of the things that I didn’t like about my JVC’s, is that they were huge! The ear cups extended at least 5-inches off my head and I looked like an ATC officer lol. The weight of the V-moda Crossfade LP2 cans, are 260-grams, which is nearly half the weight of the JVC SZ1000 can’s, which weighed 450-grams. Wearing the JVC SZ1000 can’s all day, was like a basic training endurance test in military bootcamp. I felt like if I dropped my JVC’s, it be like dropping the 30-pound ammo box, and the drill sergeant is about to smoke my arse.
Headband: While the V-moda LP2’s may not feel like an endurance test in the weight, they are however in the headband. Holy crack a lack Vmoda, what were you thinking! These can’s were clearly designed for children with small heads in mind. I got the headband fully extended to 12 clicks, and it barely fits my head. I wear these things for an hour, and my head is already hurting from the headband. So V-moda, your all about styling but no padding, message received.
Pads: Again Vmoda, what the heck? This is a 150 dollar headphone, yet it has pads like a 20-dollar headphone. When you watch video reviews for these can’s, they always talk about how comfortable the stock pads are. And then when you look down at the video description, you see their affiliate link for the can’s. Hmm, someone’s been padding the pads there a bit don’t you think? These pads allow my ears to rest on the driver. Nobody wants to rest their ear lobes on cold steal. (Unless thats a fetish of yours, hey, I’m not judging) So if your wondering if you should order those V-moda XL black memory cushions, the answer is absolutely yes.
AMP: I am powering these can’s through a Fiio A5 amp, capable of 1-W at 16-OHMS, and 800-MW at 32-OHMS, which is all the power these babies need.
Equalizer: I am running the audio signal to the amp from a vintage Realistic 12-band equalizer, that would put any software EQ APP to shame without breaking a sweat. That transformer has enough power to pop these drivers like sweet Misty’s cherry, so we gotta drop that gain power down low as she can go.
Sound: When I listened to a few tracks on my computer, I felt the highs were muffled, I like my highs crisp like nacho chips, I don’t like them so flat its like listening through a marsh mellow. (Suddenly I just got an urge to eat marsh mellows, weird) I razed the 5K, 9K, and 16K to +8DB. I razed the lower high range, 1.7K and 3K to +4DB. Now that my highs have been crispy-fried, its time to move onto the sub-bass levels. I have the 36HZ and 63HZ set to +10DB. What does all that mean? Prepare to pop a nut is all I’m saying.
I loaded up my favorite bass track, Wiz Khalifa On My Level – BASS BOOSTED! I was really surprised that a 50mm dual diaphragm driver, was able to pound my head just as hard, as my old JVC SZ1000’s, which had 55mm Kelton Nanotube drivers! I don’t know what magic this is, but I freaking love it. I just cranked it up and let the bass God’s take my soul! Ohhh, I’m on my level alright…
The next thing I wanted to test was the mid-range, no better way to do that, then to watch a video where men are speaking. Incase you didn’t know, most men’s voices are audible in the 80HZ to 180HZ range. Stock out of the box, these can’s made men’s voices sound like their grapes were shriveled up, that just aint right! So I razed the 110Hz and 190Hz to +4DB, that instantly fixed it, they sound like men again.
General Sound Comparison: While the sub bass range of the V-moda’s match up with the JVC SZ’s for the most part, the V-Moda’s seem to hit the beats harder in most cases. The sound signature of the V-Moda’s, most certainly are different then the JVC’s, in the mid-range. The sound stage is a bit more open as well. As the can’s go through the break-in period, they are opening up more and hit harder.
7D Test: If you search Youtube for Check Your Headphones 7D Virtual Experience, there is a 7D test video, featuring a couple of Italian gangsta barbers who will put a bag on your head while the other plays the guitar. Its a pretty strange video, but it demonstrates headphone resolution and imaging quite well, using a new type of recording technology called binaural recording. This is a great way to test resolution/imaging, and weather or not your can’s are capable of simulating proper surround sound.
My consensus is that the stereo separation is actually pretty good, but I don’t think its the best with the stock pads. I’m sure there are some open-end Sennheisers that can smoke these can’s in that area lol. As far as surround sound, I got to be honest, it wasn’t quite reaching to the level that I would call full surround sound. Lets just say these can’s have limited surround sound. LOL
UHT: If you search Youtube for Ultimate Headphone Test, this is a great test to see what frequencies your can’s are able to actually produce. Now keep in mind, these V-moda Crossfade LP2’s have a frequency response rating between 5-hertz to 30K. I ran the test to see how high these could go, and they actually topped out about 15K, (Could be my hearing though) not quite their rated 30K, but most humans can’t hear in the 20K to 30K range anyway. Then I wanted to test how low I could still hear sound from these cans, and I was able to hear sub bass at levels down to 10HZ before the sound dropped out.
Sound Stage: Sound stage is OK, but I don’t believe its anywhere near what you would get from a 500 to 5,000 dollar pair of high end, open-end, set of can’s. These can’s are meant to be bass canon’s, not bring John William’s 200 person orchestra to life. However, after modding the can’s using the V-Moda XL pads, the sound stage opens up considerably, and there is better separation.
Isolation: Isolation in these cans is just OK, its no where near as good as other over ear can’s, such as my old JVC’s. You are going to hear more noise from the background of the room enter the can’s. A lot of this is due to the fact that the stock pads don’t seal around the ears properly, due to their small size. Modding the can’s with the V-Moda XL pads, will increase the isolation, but its still not as good as a pair of JVC’s using Brainwaves HM5 Sheepskin pads. Additionally, if you turn these can’s up too loud, another person in the room will be able to hear them, if it is quite in the room.
Modding: I wasn’t even going to touch the low quality aux cable that came with the can’s, its low rated like Chipotle and their awful E-coli chicken. I’m using the Ivanky 8’aux cable with 24K gold-plated 3.5mm connectors, that delivers all the power that my cans need. I have upgraded these can’s, using the official V-Moda XL black pads. Not only does this make these can’s much more comfortable to wear, they improve the sound-stage, they improve bass accuracy, and increases vocal clarity.
Conclusion: I can’t stop thinking about Batman kicking a bad guy in the face everytime the beats hit. HEHE! So, what are these can’s best suited for? As with all bass canon’s, these are best for Hip Hop, Rap, Dubstep, RNB, Rock, Reggae. And forget listening to Classical, Country, Folk, or any sort of soft rock or pop, look elsewhere if thats all you listen to.
A lot of DJ’s use these can’s, they like them. I’d like to see these can’s sold with the XL pads, instead of offering it as an option. I’d like to see some actual padding on the headband! I like that these can’s use a detachable cable, that gives us options, and its good that the pads are replaceable too. I like that these are real bass canon’s, they should satisfy any basshead out there. Just remember to amp them and EQ them well. I love the durable metal construction with military grade certification!
4 out of 5 stars is my rating...Recommended!
at the CEO lol. Thats why I put that bit in my review, I figured some would get that lol.
So I tried the stock pads for a week and a half, hated them with a passion. I then upgraded to the V-Moda XL pads, and my ears thanked me. With increases to bass accuracy, vocal clarity, sound-stage, they also presented me with a bit of sibilence, and a slight reduction in the low end. I used those pads for 2-weeks, and I was so ready for something new. A whole month, and approximately 340-listening hours later...
