V-Moda's line of 'Forza' earbuds is meant for workouts
There are three different models, including a wireless one.
If you're familiar with V-Moda, you know that the brand is mostly known for making premium over-the-ear headphones. While it does have earbuds in its portfolio, that's never been the company's main focus. Today, however, V-Moda is introducing the Forza Series, a trio of in-ear headphones designed for people who love to work out on a regular basis. It's an interesting move for the company, which seems to be taking on Beats' fitness-oriented products, like the PowerBeats and upcoming BeatsX.
For starters, there's the entry-level Forza Sport Hybrid, which features Hi-Res Audio and 5.8mm drivers enclosed in a plastic housing. According to V-Moda, it's the first sport set to support high-resolution audio files, yet it's only going to cost $100. Meanwhile, the Forza Metallo comes with the same size drivers as the Sport Hybrid but in a metal housing, as well as Hi-Res Audio. That's the model pictured above, which also has a tangle-free, Kevlar-reinforced cable. The Metallo is slightly more expensive, at $130.
It's worth noting that both of those two models have a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you'll need a dongle if you own an iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus or another "courageous" smartphone. If you don't want to deal with any of that, V-Moda has a higher-end wireless option. Aptly named Forza Metallo Wireless, these $170 earphones also sport 5.8mm drivers, though they lack the Hi-Res Audio feature from the wired models. The neckband, for its part, is made out of titanium and designed to lock comfortably around your neck for better stability. Battery life is rated at up to 10 hours -- two more than what you'd get with the BeatsX, for reference. And, thanks to fast-charging tech, a 30-minute charge gives you two hours of use.
As you might expect, since V-Moda's Forza line is intended for an active crowd, all three options are sweat and water resistant. Unfortunately, I couldn't test the audio quality when V-Moda showed me the Forza Metallo V-Moda in a recent demo, as the unit I saw was merely a prototype. Still, the company claims the they are tuned with "the V-Moda standard," which means you should expect your tracks to sound clean, crisp and not so bass-heavy most of the time.
