MOSHI Vortex

IMPORTANT:
this review must be read from the top till you reach the bottom of this thread.
the review is made with updates, certain changes due to mental and iem burn in.
please bear some time to understand the feelings and the experience WE want to share.
may we find happiness to this journey.







most of my reviews are all the same...
i know you all guys find it kinda boring.
ill try to do it differently this time...


INTRODUCTION:
imagine this....
think of your p3k.
and think of an iem in price range of p3k.
think of a brand.
think of all the good stuff in it.
think of the sound.
the look.
the build.

i always thought that a good iem built like tank with a good set of accessories thrown in the box, plus the nicest silicon rubber case i ever lay my hands on should always be pricey...
well, im wrong.
these are the cheapest iem in metal with all the good stuffs.

priced at p3k in DIGITAL WALKER AND DIGITAL HUB.



MOSHI.
Moshi is a popular brand.
if you are an apple user, then you know this company thru their APPLE accessories: from macbook pro, ipod, ipad covers, screen cleaning cloths, screen protectors...everything about apple, they have it.
now, they are also invading the in ears, like the MONSTER audio and video cables.
http://store.moshimonde.com/vortex.html



IMPRESSION:

now, lets see in the box.
it says "VORTEX, dive deeper into music"
the packaging is made of metallic paint, like the one you see in your silver ipod classic.


here are its features:
RIGIDBODY steel alloy construction delivers deep, clean bass.
HIGH definition neodymium drivers with extended range (10Hz-20kHz / 10dB@1kHz)
Braided ultra light weight cable with integrated MEMS microphone.
Custom silicon carrying case.



HERE's WHAT I THINK:
well, this iem is really made of steel.
its like SUPERMAN's iem.
and its closer to the PANASONIC HJE900's sturdiness.
although, they are not exactly the same material...
this iem is made of pure alloy.
and the hje900 is made of zirconians.
by looking at its shape...its kinda familiar right?
its like a sennheiser ie8 and a MONSTER's LADY GAGA IEM.
its weird.



THE SOUND:
the sound is surprisingly good.
to sum it all up, here is the mixture that i find to be distinct to many of the iems ive heard...or familiar with.

HIGHS.
the highs is similar and distinct to the highs of klipsch s4.
sweet. just the right amount of it, not overly done like the pannys. 
it is never sibilant. very similar to the klipsch s4's presentation of highs.
very sweet...almost the same.


MIDS.
lush and super liquid.
the mids is close to the pannys.
but this is a lot liquid and lush than the pannys, 
but the pannys presentation of mids is grainy because it is full of micro details.
Liquid and lush, but not smooth mids.


LOWS.
ive heard the lows of this before in the meets. similar to the presentation of the sennheiser ie8, monster copper and klipsch s4s.
big. heavy. strong. and fun.
youll have to be deaf to say this has weak lows.
this is where it helps me feel like the presentation of music is big.
its like above-my-head-feel.


DETAILS.
i think the panny is still superior here.
rich BUT sibilant at times.
here, you get the right amount of details.
its right there.
but not as smacking your face with it.
if i were to measure it... 
pannys details is 100%, this iem...is 80%.






WHY ITS WORTH IT:
well, for its price...p3k.
youll have a STEEL iem.
very very rare to any iems at its price range.
youll get "almost similar and distinct"  
BUT NOT PERFECTLY THE SAME to the 3 iems ive mentioned above.
the mixture of this is like having all 3 iems in one package.
imagine the price of those 3 iems:
ie8 is p15-20k, the pannys is $200+ and the klipsch s4 is p3,500.
the resolution here is not as great as the pannys (micro details) but its already more than descent of its price.

i love the case. 
its really unique in all iems ive had. 
very soft and sturdy.
its like a luxury case...youll feel special.

the build is great. metal. the shape is good. i can use it in my sleep.

the included silicon tips is very SONY-like-silicon tips.


and there is a free olive tips too, similar also to the SHURE's.

you get a built in mic.
and a controller for your music.
very NEAT!


what i like most is that MIDS.
very very liquid. 
its like flowing and oozing with quality.




WHAT I HATE ABOUT IT:
im afraid of the wires...this is my first iem with braided wires.
i dont know if this will last with abuse.



GOOD for ROCKS, POP, CLASSICAL.
 
 
 
FINAL CONCLUSION:
i say, this iem is of premium quality.
the build is just great.
looking at the accessories and the best IEM CASE EVER.
 
the sq of this is not the best among all iems, but at its price range it is more than descent.
 
if you want an upgrade to your earbud (stock) earbud, this maybe it.
 
LUSH and LIQUID midrange is where this iem excel in sound quality.

i really dont know how to explain this but, this iem is not engaging that will make you thump and dance on your music.
its a little similar to the panny's dreamy signature, yet more liquid and lush.

i dont believe this is warm nor cold.
but...the details is presented as one.
it has no micro details as the pannys but, the liquidness is enough to be something worth owning.
 
 
i dont recommend this for those who owns a hi end iem already.
this is NOT an upgrade to your gears.

BUT perhaps consider this as a back up iem.

consider this if you dont have enough money to experience the quality of the hi end.
well, if you want to short cut the route to ie8, copper, or the panasonic hje900, this iem is worth the try.


like i said in my review, this iem is similar to the sq of the above mentioned iems.
similar but not perfectly the same.


having this iem will make you feel appreciated. special. its like having a premium gear in your hand..all for p3k.
what more can you ask for in a p3k iem?

a special silicon case.
a good set of almost perfect silicon tips.
a perfect build iem -steel.
good sound, lush and liquid mids.
 
 
 
 
 
 
im starting to smile now...
because this is almost fully burned in...the resolution now is very close to the refinement of the panasonic hje900.
i think, if moshi use the zirconia as the material here, moshi and panny may share the same sq.

panny is very good in strings and pianos.
here, almost...almost the same now.


updated--------

the sound here is big.
bigger when it hits the bass.
what it lacks here is the space for air to move well.
there are certain tracks where its like a bit congested at tracks with many instruments.

but there is no perfect iem it seems. 



and another update again-----


this iem is a bit power-hungry.
it needs more volume to sound fuller.
it needs 80% of ipod's volume.
what i like here also is the sound.
so FULL.
like i mentioned before in the review...it sounds as one.

there is a better depth and height.
thats why i call it BIG.
the room for instrument separation is lacking.
i cant say its closer to the pannys, it doesnt belong to me anymore for some time, and i have no right to compare it from memory here...i cant remember.
 
 
 
THE MIDRANGE

at first listen...
you will be welcomed by this mids.
its like inviting you to come in.
very friendly to the ears...even to some who is new into this hobby.

the sound here is really captivating. a little addictive.
ive had the same experience before with the pannys.
the airiness, the ILLUSION of being surrounded by the lush music/mid is here.

to give you an example, ive been playing since yesterday all of the familiar tracks of REGINE VELASQUEZ, youve known her voice right?
the lips, on how she say a word...its all dramatic here. the mids helps a lot...to make the music more like youre under the illusion of her spell.


i wonder if it felt the same with the MILES davis, my dream iem....

in pannys, you experience the same...the echo feel.
but with the graininess of micro details plus the sibilance of some tracks.
here, no sibilance, and no graininess, only the lush and liquid midrange (forward).

it is like the same feeling in the klipsch s4.
the experience here is worth the price of the iem.
the klipsch s4 is also priced at p3k, but this has better build...and better accessories too!

i find this to be a problem to certain tracks...mostly to more energetic tracks with lots of loud instruments and vocals.


this is a mid-level iem, but like the pannys, they both perform like the HI END BIG BOYS.


THE BUILD:

i believe the BUILD contributes a lot to the sound.
like what is said in the box, it helps in resonance.
i dont know how to explain this but....this iem is worth the try.

the build is really something worth mentioning.
why?
because most iem with build like this is found among the top tiers...
MONSTERS. PANASONIC. FINAL AUDIO.
and cost a lot.

well, for p3k iem..
in internet, its $80...
its still exceptionally cheap.

by looking at all the included accessories, i cant believe they were priced only like that.
 
 
 
some photos...to share with you what it looked like.
the box
the black metal iem with a black ipod

the case and the iem

the accessories

the vortex case

what youll get


the mic and controller

charcoal metal









the wire




[size=0.85em] « Last Edit: 01 February 2011, 07:10:53 by mbc0528 »[/size]
 
 
 
 
 
added more pics:






 
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The thing is that I love Vortex, I do! I am a big fan and this is the reason that I got them 3 times in a year!
No, I am not using a different pair for each music-player-device but they got damaged extremely easy, you don't have to do anything than use them! I have to admit that the customer service was OK when I contacted them about the first pair. I had to send back (Taipei) the box with the faulty earphones in order to send me a new one. After a month I received the package and then...what I saw was painful! The steel part of the earphones was oxidized to death. It was like they have been exposed to radioactive moisture. Anyway, I used them for two months and guess what! They stopped working as well, YEAH! I went through the same procedure again (I didn't have to wait for a month but only a week) and what I received was extremely awkward. I received a brand new display cleaning cloth in a proper box and a pair of Vortex squashed in the the package wrapped with a piece of plastic in really bad condition. You could cry at the view of the cable (which is sensitive anyway). No box, no case, no papers, no earbuds! I have contacted customer service again but....nothing yet.
So, it seems that Moshi has done a major step towards quality-commercial sound but they need to understand that design doesn't give you function and essential quality. Due to my occupation, I know that these earphones want to be perfect but they can't. The way they have built them is annoying. You can't just put a piece of the thinnest fabricated-cable -kind of- inserted in a piece of metal. It won't last, it's obvious. Other manufacturers have done similar mistakes just to make their products consumable and replaceable! Maybe they should see what Shure had done with SE series.
So, I would say go for it, spend $80-$90 to get Vortex and you will be amazed by their performance! They can support almost every kind of music, except opera, I 'd say. They are little devils and they fit quite well. I even tried to run with them and they were right there! The bass is deadly even though you know is not real. I like the fact that the annoying 1KZ is quite discreet and highs always come when you need them. For this price...hmmm...there are not many high quality in-earphones so...why not?
Beware though, my experience may not be unique, who knows?

hi pinoyman,
can't agree more with your reviews on the vortex. just bought mine after testing a couple of iems at a local store (including using Audio-Technica's ATH-M50 as a bench mark) and am really happy with my purchase. I am surprised at the poor reviews on amazon.
The vortex is really worth every single cent paid for (considering its relatively low price).
 
For the rest of the guys reading this:
Lows:
really like the lows here..if you like heavy bass, you should really consider this. the moonrock is a little more muddy in comparison to the vortex for my liking. while the vortex pro, in comparison, has a more defined highs, but rolled off lows. (if moshi can provide the freq graphs would be great).
 
Low Mids:
The low mids sounded pretty good as well.. not too much to make it sound muffled on overall sound.
 
High Mids:
good in this range too. you can hear the details especially for acoustic guitar sounds, but not too much till the vocals sound like mickey mouse.
 
Highs:
not as defined as i would like.. but "hi-fi" enough for me.
 
Cheers!
 
note: be warned on the foam earbuds- they tend to come off easily from the stem that holds onto the earphones. this happened to me too. read from another review page that it appears Moshi is aware about it and am ready to replace it with new/updated earbuds. i had to go back to the vendor for replacement; only to be told that they will contact the local supplier that will in turn contact Moshi. the vendor temporarily replaced mine with 'new' ones (same make that came with the earphones). was really glad that they acknowledged that it was a manufacturer's fault.
 
latest update: wrote to moshi about the foam tips about 2 weeks ago and just received the new foam tips. they seem to have made them easier to take off from the ear-piece but added a stronger/more glue to keep the foam attached to the holder stem. Anyway, just glad that they responded by giving me new ones. btw: they also gave an additional pair of silicone eartips.