Moshi Vortex Pro

I started with Moshi Mythril  headphones, which really impressed me for its sub $40 price point.  I took the plunge on these because I was curious how much better they would sound, plus I have an iPhone 6s plus,  and I wanted a good pair of buds with microphone and controls.
 
 
 
SOUND
 
I was expecting an upgrade and I was not disappointed.  I did notice that burning them in for 40 hours did improve the sound in a major way.  It seemed to open the soundstage quite a lot and removed any slight muddiness to the sound.  After burn in , these buds are very clear with impressive instrument separation and powerful bass.  One important note on the bass:  For best results you need an airtight fit in your ear.  Personally, I found the bass was lacking in the foam earpieces, but the rubber pieces provided a more airtight seal that gives the bass MUCH added intensity (I have large ear canals so I use the largest ear pieces)  .  They do come with an assortment of  4 different ear pieces that attempt to fit all ear sizes.  The sturdy closed design is almost like wearing earplugs, so outside noise is greatly diminished.   I compared them against a Sennheiser 580 and felt the sound quality was on an equal playing field, however the bass seemed stronger on the Vortex Pro and of course greater noise reduction also.   
 
 
BUILD 
 
The cord does tangle easily, but fortunately it comes with a stylish and protective case that allows you to wrap the cord and fix the headphones in place.  There are inline controls on the microphone unit that allow you to adjust the volume, pause playback or skip to the next track, which is quite handy.   I do wish they put a more robust cabling on it, as it is not removable like other quality earbuds.  They are the heaviest earbuds I've tried, but I don't mind the weight.
 
CONCLUSION
 
For a single driver in each ear, I can't imagine better earbuds at this price point.   Of course, it is likely that earbuds with 2 or more drivers will be better than this, but those buds are at least double the price.  These give bass drops the  full throated rumble they deserve, while not neglecting the mid range vocals.  Each instrument is can be clearly heard spatially with precision.   The only downside is don't play these with maximum volume for any tracks that have high treble, like cymbal clashes, because they become more pronounced , distorted and annoying than they should be.  Again, if you play it at 75-80% max volume, this is not an issue.   In my opinion , I prefer the sound of these to the over ear headphones that I have tried.

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The Moshi Vortex Pro:
 
http://www.moshi.com/audio-earbuds-vortex-pro-mic#silver
 

 
~ All Photos Taken By Me, No Stock Material From the Manufacture Were Used for this review ~
 
 
 
 
*Packaging*
 
For a $150 earphone, the box and presentation is decently designed.


 
 
 
*Accessories*
 
- 2 Pairs of Extra Small and Large Silicon tips (Medium Size Installed On Vortex Pro)
- 1 Pair of Medium size foam tips
- Rubber Triangle Carrying Case
 
The Vortex comes with a total of 4 pairs of ear tips, 3 sets of Silicon (S,M,L) and 1 Set of Foam.  The Foam tips are not Comply, but are still soft and work well with the Vortex Pro.
 
The Carrying Case is something uniquely special.  It is quite heavy and on the larger side, but it is quite different.  While the cord is wrapped around the case, the backs of both earphones do remain exposed, though still protected with rubber.
 

 

 
 
 
 
*Build*

The housing of the Vortex Pro are made out a heavy, sintered steel alloy.  The earbuds is on the smaller size, but they seem well built and tough.  The steel housing is very smooth and carries a distinctive design.
 
The Cable is braided and on the thinner side.  Unfortunately, I found myself fighting with the cable quite a bit.  Due to the cable cover, I found that it was very prone to tangling and kinking.  Also, though my pair was brand new, I noticed that the braided cable was already starting to fray.
 
Strain relief is more than sufficient at the split and the 3.5mm plug.  All steal materials are made very well and have a premium fell.
 

 

 
 
 
*Fit*
 
The small, heavy and smooth housings look fantastic, but can be slightly problematic when inserting into your ear.  They are hard to get a good grip on, even with my small, dainty fingers making getting them to seat well a bit of a challenge.  Once inserted they are quite comfortable, though the weight of the earphone does seem to have gravity against it as its heaviness can make them feel like they want to fall out of your ears.  A simple solution and what Moshi recommends is to run the cable over and behind your ear, though the cable itself is not a fan of staying over the ear.  With the multitude of silicon and foam ear tips, I found a good seal can be made.
 

 
 
 
*Function*

The Vortex Pro comes standard with an in-line control and microphone.  I found all aspects of this control to be well laid out and function well.  Callers were able to hear me loud and clear with minimal distortion, even when I was outside with some wind noise.  Unfortunately, being an Android user, I was unable to use the control functions.  Luckily my wife and daughter both have Apple products (an iPhone and an iPad), so I was able to test the Vortex Pro with both those devices and it worked wonderfully.   Moshi clearly states on their website that the Vortex Pro’s controls were designed for Apple products.
 
Moshi provides is a Burning Tool App (Android, Apple).  Inside the App you will find a specialized burn in sequence for all of the Moshi Products.  Just select your model and hit burn in.  It should be noted that you are responsible for the volume of the burn in, so make sure that you have it set a reasonable level before you start.
 

 
 
 
*Sound*
 
Bass – Right away I noticed the lows were very controlled, while still having presence.  Sub-bass could be heard from a distance, yet I could feel them.  I noticed this is the start to a very neutral sound signature.
 
Mids – Continuing with neutrality here, the mids stay in place very well.  A great tonal balance can be found right in the middle.  Vocals are pronounced well and are presented with great clarity. 
 
Highs – I could quickly hear that the highs extended well into the up range, though without being overly bright.  Up at the highs is where I could really hear the great tuning that Moshi did with the Vortex Pro.  
 
Isolation – With the housings built like tanks and a closed design.  The Vortex Pro isolates very well.
 
Soundstage – I was surprised to notice a hint of airiness from these earphones.  Being closed off like fort Knox I was not really expecting any sort of distance, but I was wrong.  Instrument separation can be clearly heard throughout the range, it is quite impressive.

Sound signature – As mentioned before, there is a real feel of neutrality the Vortex Pro produces.  The whole range is controlled and clear, never overly bright or harsh. 
 

 
 
 
*Overall Thoughts*
 
The Vortex Pro is a great sounding earphone.  Music is represented in tonal balance.  Build quality and design is top notch.  Issues arise with the cable and housing.  The cable is unfortunately prone to kinking and tangling due to the braided materials used.  The housing itself is beautiful and strong, but because of its smoothness and size, can cause so problems when inserting into the ear.
 
Though there are a few footnotes to be made of the Vortex Pro, it must be said overall that this is still a great earphone.  A clear, neutral earphone can be hard to find, a great job by Moshi tuning these so well.
 

 
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