V-Moda wants you to ditch earbuds for these extra-portable XS headphones
I've long been a fan of V-Moda's headphones. They're well made, customizable with engraved plates and, most importantly, they sound great. If anything has stopped me from wearing the company's over-ears consistently, though, it's that they're a tad too bulky for on-the-go use. That's where V-Moda's new XS cans come in -- as the name implies, these over-ears are slim and portable. The "CliqFold" hinge lets you collapse the headphones into a small carrying case, but even without folding them they are small enough to fit into a briefcase, smallish bag or even a particularly deep jacket pocket. Speaking of deep pockets, the XS costs $212 (including customizable plates), which is $100 less than the over-ear M-100s, but still not exactly cheap. In any case, I've spent the last few weeks wearing the XS in the office, on long-haul flights and during commutes. Head past the break for a closer look.
The XS are quite comfortable, with foam cushions and a form-fitting headband. Music sounds clear and rich, even if bass is weak compared to sound on the M-100. Val Kolton, V-Moda's perfectionist CEO, told me he's hoping to convert those who favor in-ear buds with this latest set. Sure, the XS is still significantly bigger than Apple's EarPods and the like, but the payoff is superior sound quality thanks to 40mm dual-diaphragm drivers (with an inside and outside ring) and a promised sound variance of no more than 1dB. There's noise isolation instead of cancellation, as with V-Moda's other products, but it works well enough that you'll have to take the cans off to hear the flight attendant. Of course, there's also the fashion draw; these headphones look sharp in either matte black or (the admittedly very feminine) white silver. V-Moda ships the XS with the customary exoskeleton case, but it's sized down to match the new headphones' leaner profile. You can nab the XS for yourself via the source link below. The XS will also be available on Amazon and other sites for $200, excluding the customizable plates.
Update: The product page is currently showing a very inaccurate price point, but that should be fixed within the hour.
