I was one of the lucky few who received the M-100 back in September as part of a Head-Fi.org promotion, so I've had ample time listening, wandering, traveling, subwaying and airplaning these heaphones. I've also had some time to compare the M-100 to my other pair of V-MODA headphones, the V-80, as well as to other headphones I've managed to play with at various retailers in New York City such as the Apple Store and B&H Photo.
 
My video review is located at the bottom of this text.
 
Form and Function:[size=small]
The photos of the M-100, especially the one gracing the front of its box, are misleading. It is indeed as aesthetically pleasing in person as the pictures suggest (and possibly more so) but is surprisingly much smaller than it appears. On my head, which is medium/large, it is form fitting and doesn't protrude out on the sides unlike other headphones I've tried, such as the V-MODA V-80, or the ubiquitous Beats by Dre Studio. Folded up it is about the size of a grapefruit.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Also included is an amazingly well thought out case that is as beautiful as it is utilitarian. Besides protecting your headphones in snug, rubberized shell, the case also contains straps to hold your audio cables, a 1/4-inch headphone adapter, a memory stick and even a pair of V-MODA Faders(earplugs).[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
The M-100, like the V-80, is mostly made of metal and feels solid. Solid enough to break you out of a rickety building should that situation arise. There are many plastic based headphones out there, Bose, Beats, Skullcandy, Sony, that feel as though an accidental meeting with one's posterior would result in a snapped headband. Not so with these. I have sat on them, dropped them onto hard tile, walked through the rain and had my audio cable snag and get ripped out of the port. All is in working order with nary a scratch to show for it.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
The hinge is a patented V-MODA design and it has a satisfying "click" upon opening and closing and I have yet to see any wear and tear on the joints.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
My one complaint about build quality is the audio cables which tend to kink or get twisted when wandering about. They're also prone to fraying. I use mine nearly everyday on the streets of New York City and the cables are starting to resemble the fingertips on wool gloves. They also cause some unavoidable microphonics which was a problem I didn't notice as much with the red, one-button cable that came with my V-80s. The red V-80 cable also didn't fray as much.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Build: 5/5[size=small][/size]
Portability: 4.75/5[size=small][/size]
Case: 5/5[size=small][/size]
Cables: 4/5[size=small][/size]
Weather the Weather: 4.5/5[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Comfort:[size=small][/size]
First off, I must mention that I wear glasses and that these do pinch my earhooks slightly. It's not bothersome, but it's noticeable and requires adjustments every now and then. The earcups fit around my entire ear and the soft pleather pads feel plush against my head without putting too much pressure on any one area. The same goes for the headband. I've been able to wear these for 3-hour stretches before feeling the need to take them off. When worn around-the-neck, either for bling-ability or during a performance of the National Anthem or whatever, the earcups are a little too big and end up limiting head movement. Since it's wintertime they double as fantastic earmuffs, but I think summertime use will be a sweaty, steamy affair.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Cranial Embrace: 4.25/5[size=small][/size]
Necking: 3/5[size=small][/size]
Earmuffiness: 4.5/5[size=small][/size]
Heat Retention: 4/5[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Isolation:[size=small][/size]
I have used these on flights and they block out the ambient noise pretty well, although not as well in in-ear monitors or noise-cancelling headphones. I also use these daily on the subway and they are fine in most situations. Random events, such as breakdancers, crazy preachers, panhandlers, and just plain obnoxious people still manage to seep into your sound space, but I find it beneficial to be aware of these people for safety concerns. At really high volumes these do leak a good amount of sound, although you shouldn't be listening to it that loudly. At normal listening volumes, leakage isn't a problem.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
"Excuse me? Can you hear me? Hello?": 4/5[size=small][/size]
"CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?!": 3/5[size=small][/size]
"While I like 'Mambo No.5' I'm trying to study here.": 3.5/5[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Sound:[size=small][/size]
The most prominent frequency of the M-100 is its punchy, deep, and sometimes rumbling bass. Val Kolton, V-MODA's CEO calls this deep rumble "purring." On certain songs, if you turn up the music loud enough and hold the M-100 with both the earcups aligned and touching each other, you can feel the entire headphone vibrate in your hand. The sub-bass on the M-100 is among the best I've heard(felt) and shows up in songs where lesser headphones often fail. For those of you who are into dubstep, EDM, and hip hop these will give you all the bass punch you need to groove to your music. But none of this lower-end oomph is at the expense of the other frequencies. The bass is there when it's called for, but backs off when the song doesn't require it.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Vocals on the M-100 are intimate, clear and lively. They are a small step behind the V-80 in terms of mid-range presence. The V-80 provides a more forward mid-range, but the M-100 provides more clarity and detail retrieval than its smaller sibling despite its more laid-back nature. A better way to illustrate what I'm saying is that the M-100 sounds like you're sitting near the stage at a concert while the V-80 is more like sitting on stage directly in front of the singer.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Part of Val Kolton's sound philosophy involves the reduction and prevention of hearing loss. Hearing loss is one of the fastest growing problems among young people in this post-iPod era and, because of the low isolation and low sound quality of pack-in earbuds, most people listen to their music at dangerously loud volumes. Out of all the sound frequencies treble is the most damaging especially when you're exposed to it at high volumes for prolonged periods of time. Therefore, the treble on the M-100, while greatly improved over the V-80 in terms of extension and sparkle, is still slightly rolled off. For treble heads, this may not provide enough sparkle or crunch, especially if you have experience with Sennheiser or Grado headphones. However, the benefit of the M-100's treble is that there is little to no sibilance and the sound signature is less fatiguing during marathon listening sessions.[size=small][/size]
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The soundstage has both good depth and width, though not quite on par with open headphones, and you genuinely get a 3D effect of being in a club with speakers pumping sound all around you. Action movies also sound very immersive especially during actions scenes involving shoot outs and explosions. They are relatively easy to drive and can provide plenty of volume straight out of a laptop or a cell phone/MP3 player, and they respond extremely well to eq'ing. Although an amp isn't necessary, they do benefit from amping and, when paired with my cMoyBB v.2.03 with bass boost turned on, can provide face melting levels of thump.[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Bass: 5/5[size=small][/size]
Mids: 4.5/5[size=small][/size]
Highs: 4.25/5[size=small][/size]
Soundstage: 3.75[size=small][/size]
Instrument Separation: 4.25[size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
Music I used to compare include:[size=small][/size]
Adele - Rolling in the Deep, Set Fire to the Rain[size=small][/size]
Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe[size=small][/size]
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow[size=small][/size]
Girls' Generation - Genie (Tell Me Your Wish), Gee, Run Devil Run[size=small][/size]
George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue[size=small][/size]
Fun - Some Nights[size=small][/size]
Shinee - Lucifer, Juliette[size=small][/size]
Maroon 5 - This Love, Misery, Payphone[size=small][/size]
Skrillex - Bangarang[size=small][/size]
Bassnectar - Ping Pong[/size]
 

The M-100s are seriously THE BEST headphone I have ever owned. I can't fault these things in any way at all. They have held up significantly well with a lot of wear and the occasional tug on the cord or drop (owned them for just under a year now).

They are essentially a ridiculously good looking tank that sits around your ears. Ok so they have great looks and build quality, that must mean the sound takes a hit and isn't as good. Well...I only left the best to last, the bass is perfect, just prominent enough to give you that oomph without sacrificing the mids or highs.
If electronic music would be the majority of music you listen to these cans are for you. And if you don't listen to that much EDM, than I still would recommend them over anything else. I have no problems when I listen to Tool or indie rock. Seriously, these are the best purchase I have ever made out of my entire life of purchasing. 6 out of 5 stars!

Oh wait, I do have one issue about them...It's that I don't have a second pair in the white. Soon...soon...

M-100 is a very easy to drive headphones.  Before that I am using M-80s on-ear, and really do not belive any headphones can replace it.  As the M-80 can deliver very high quality audio even with bare iPhone 4S with lossless music tracks!  With an headamp the sound is just bigger and better a little bit but it is not 'day and night＇difference.
 
The first hour I tried M-100 I found the bass a bit too much, maybe I have used to M-80 sound.  But after a few tracks I feel that all music becoming more rich and help me to get higher involvement.  And to my surprise that almost every types of music I like including classical music can deliver same nice feeling.  I always think that classical music should be lean and I always use Senn HD800 for classical.  Now I know that it is not a correct approach, v-moda + classical = BIG SOUND.
 
And of course, for pop music, v-moda is a sure winner, my recent flavor is Adele's "someone like you", it is live version "live at the royal albert hall", the part that everyone is singing together with Adele, it is reallllly shocking!

I think they're five stars at the price I paid. I might have to trim a piece of a star at the MSRP. My two references are the Sennheiser 650 and the Ultrasone Pro 900's, but these are preferable for portable applications and have virtues of their own.  They have an "immediacy" that I assign to their efficiency, I am encouraged to listen at lower levels on these 'phones rather than turning them up to try to get them to "enunciate" or bloom.  It's an unexpected virtue.  The Pro 900's hit me more like ear "speakers".  The 650's are where I get the most "reference" bang for my buck.  (I vacillate between it and my 600's, which I've had over a decade.  To not sound identical, they both certainly are seductive.) So many Headphones, so little time.  (And cash.....)  Appearances (outside of not looking "cheap") aren't of great importance to me.  I'm definitely a "function" over "form" person.  Nobody likes "plug ugly", but if they're thoughtfully designed and executed I'm pretty easy to please.

I bought these to replace a pair of Pioneer HDJ-500 headphones which I mainly used for DJing and everyday music listening. The HDJ's were awesome in terms of sound, but broke in half after less than a year of normal use and hurt my ears if I wore them for too long. So for my next pair I decided I wanted something:
 
a) with good sound
b) comfortable to wear for long periods of time
c) durable
 
The M100's in my opinion nail all three of these pints, plus they look very nice. They also come with a very nice case that you can attach to your dj bag, making them very handy to carry around for gigs. Another plus is the cable which is wrapped with a kevlar enforced fabric making it very durable. 
 
I would deffinitely recommed these headphones for someone who is looking for a good pair that will last. The only thing I don't like using the m100's for is music production. I use a pair of KRK studio monitors during the day, but at night I sometimes resort to my heaphones. The overpowering bass makes mixing confusing with these, which is fair since they are not meant to be studio headphones. I just placed an order for AKG K240's to use with my DAW.  Ill let you guys know how they are.
 
Hope this helps, and if you have a chance please checkout some of our music
 
https://www.soundcloud.com/adaltadc
 
cheers
 
AdAlta

I purchased these headphones about 6 months ago.  The first thing I noticed was not the sound, it was the amount of pressure on my ears.  Within 15 minutes, my ears were sore from wearing them.  A quick look around found that many people had the same problem, and that the answer was to purchase the larger pads and replace the default set.  I did so, but still had issues with the amount of pressure that was now around my ears instead.  It took months to find out that the headband was meant to be bent little bits at a time to set the head size.  Stretching it out a couple times resolved most of the remaining comfort issues without making them loose.  As a result, I can no longer use the nice hard case they came with, because the case forms them back to the original size and shape every time I put them away.
 
On to the sound, these headphones can be driven by just about anything, but will definitely see a marked improvement using a good amp.  I have used them with standard on-board computer sound cards and cell phones and they sound better than your average headphone by far.  Connected to an Asus Xonar STX, they're noticeably improved.  I now have them connected to a Schiit Bifrost/Asgard 2 combo, and it's again a big improvement over the Xonar.  When idle, I would estimate they drown out 75-80% of the surrounding noise.  When playing, they drown out 99%+.  Bass is good with an ordinary amp, almost too hot with a good amp.  Running the "ultimate headphone test" at http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php demonstrates a clearly audible 10Hz tone.  5Hz sine wave is nearly undetectable, but I suspect that is as much about human hearing as it is about product.  High frequency test, I hear tones starting at 18KHz (Update/edit: I found out after writing this that 18KHz is the highest I can hear, your mileage may vary).  Using the sweep tones, I do notice a couple of drops in volume both going into and leaving the "mid" extremities as it passes each crossover, but they are not large drops, and are well within the abilities of an equalizer to fix should one want to.
 
It is true that when driven hard and when a lot of bass is in the source material, the drivers can generate a little heat, but I have not experienced a scenario where the amount generated was uncomfortable.  Outbound sound leakage is almost non-existent.  If you put your ear up to the outside plate of them, you can hear it, but not without doing so.  Friends stopping in have repeatedly noted this to be true, that they can never tell if I'm actually listening to anything or not when they walk in if I don't tell them.
 
In summary, and with the caveats above that require some listener knowledge of the product to make them ideal, I would recommend these, especially to someone just starting out in headphone audio, as they make a very good stepping stone while you're still deciding on your equipment.

Will be doing a re-review soon, I've had so much time with these cans, and I've learned a lot in the time since I had these. Many parts of this review will be slimmed and observations will be changed. Stay tuned for the time being. -Programmar
 
 

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I. Introduction - Plenty Of Pictures

 

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II. Impressions

 

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I have to say, I was struggling between the Sony MDRXB950BT in blue or red, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBL Professional Studio Monitor Headphones, the Sennheiser HD 598 Special Edition Over-Ear Headphones, and the Phantom Chrome V-MODA Crossfade M-100s. Ultimately, I am pretty happy with my purchase of the V-MODA Crossfade M-100 in Phantom Chrome.
 

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III. Unboxing

 

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I am really impressed with the new cover design, more so the color scheme of it. A very unique unboxing experience.
 
   

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EXTRA: COMPARISON WITH THE WHITE SILVER CROSSFADE M-100 BOX

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PACKAGING:

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Now once you open the box, here’s what you get:

1. V-MODA User Manual
2. Letter From CEO Val Kolton + Immortal Life Activation  
3. V-MODA Sticker
4. V-MODA Accessory Handbook
5. ¼’’ [6.3mm] Pro Plug-In Adapter
6. New Magnetic Exagonal Screwdriver w/ Grip
7. 2 V-Corks [Used to cover-up unused ports]
8. 12 Black Screws
9. An Extra Shield - Chrome
10. Crossfade M-100 Hard Exoskeleton Case - Black w/ Black Carabiner Clip and V-STRAP to organize your cables

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EXOSKELETON CASE

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Now once you open the Exoskeleton case, which is a deep black color, both outside and inside, that is accompanied with the orange "V-MODA" text on the bottom of it. Nothing too fancy.
 

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INSIDE EXOSKELETON CASE:

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Here’s what you get:

1. Phantom Chrome Crossfade M-100

 

1. Share-Play Kevlar Black Cable,
2. 45 Degree 3.5mm Plug, 24k Gold
3. [79" / 200cm in length]

 

1. One Button Speak-Easy Black Kevlar Cable
2. 45 Degree 3.5mm Plug, 24k Gold
3. [52” / 132 cm in length] [Universal Compatibility]

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IV. The Headphones

 

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A. Value - $249.99 USD - Compared to other brands that offer what the M-100’s offer at this price point. You get more here then you get with any other brand. Good value-to-price ratio.
 
You can even find these headphones for as low as $220, keep a lookout for this or similar prices.
 

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B. Headband - Supposedly the STEELFLEX headband is virtually indestructible. What's present is a nice black color with slightly slanted V-MODA text on top. Headband is capable of bending in any direction, and 10 flat bends. [Not Recommended]
 
Left and Right are also labeled in plain sight. But if you need help remembering which ever port you want to use only, use the V-CORK's provided to cover up the unused port.
 

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C. Shields - The headphones come with 2 shields black and chrome. [The chrome shields are a major fingerprint magnet, but the black shields are less noticeably so]

 

1. With the new Exagonal Screwdriver, you’ll scratch the shields less, meaning more precision when taking out the screws.
2. The screwdriver is also magnetic so the black screws won’t be lost so easily.
3. After taking off the shield, you are treated to the M-100’s V-PORT V3 Airflow system. DON’T TAKE THE TAPE OFF!

 

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D. Cushions - Memory Cushions - Provides a very good seal for very good sound isolation. Not recommended with glasses, because it will ruin the isolation and it will hurt your head. These headphones get really uncomfortable with the standard cushion, I’d recommend a paper towel mod, adjusting the ear cups slightly higher than normal, or just buy the XL-Ear pads.
 
These headphones became comfortable after 2 weeks of almost nonstop use, but honestly, I shouldn't wait 2 weeks to have a comfortable pair of cans. My score for comfort will still stand.
 

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Crossfade M-100 BLISS Memory Cushions [Included] [Colored Black] [$15 USD]: 2 pads made from Ergosoft Memory Foam.

 

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Included BLISS Memory Cushion within the hours:

1. 0-15 Minutes: Very comfortable [2 WEEK BURN-IN] Very comfortable actually, no pain when I first put it on.
2. 15-30 Minutes: Little force can be felt on the ear, light compression. [2 WEEK BURN-IN] No compression can be felt, still comfortable.
3. 30-60 Minutes: Some force can be felt on the ear, slight pain ensues. Even more compression. [2 WEEK BURN-IN] No compression still, but heat starts to build up.
4. 60-120 Minutes: Noticeable stronger compression can be felt. [Recommended to take a 10-15  minute break.] [2 WEEK BURN-IN] Still no compression. Heat still continues to build up.
5. 120+ Minutes: Ears become numb, ear becomes hot, ears turn red, and pain comes on in full force after you take the headset off. [Recommended 30-60+ minute break.] [2 WEEK BURN-IN] Still comfortable, could honestly go for a few more hours. Ear becomes very hot, and only light pain.

 

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XL Cushions [$20 USD] [Recommended with purchase of Crossfade M-100]: I had previously bought these with the White Silver M-100s about 8-9 months ago, so they had plenty of usage time. I was also told by fellow Head-Fi'ers that these are not memory cushions.

 

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XL Cushions within the hours:

1. 0-15 Minutes: Very comfortable
2. 15-30 Minutes: Very comfortable still
3. 30-60* Minutes: Comfortable with very light compression.
4. 60-120* Minutes: Cushions begins to compress even more.
5. 120+* Minutes: Ears begin to feel some pain, any longer would make me want to take a break.

 

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*=The XL-Pads will lose its original structure, after 8-9 months of constant use, the cushions will lose that very comfortable feel within that 30-120 minute marks.
 

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E. Dual Inputs -  The inputs have a nice locking mechanism in it, but it will lose its locking mechanism quite fast, and the cables will pop out easily. So be weary of that.
 
[2 WEEK BURN-IN] I was right, the locking became much more loose and the cables will detach more easily. This is only when good amount of force is applied, light pulls won't take the cables out so easily, but accidental pulls will.
 

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1. This headphone will allows you to daisy chain up to 2 headphones with SharePlay cable. This means you can share your music with others, its feature that's there if you need it.

1. You can plug in the SpeakEasy cable either side of the headphone inputs and it will work. Make sure you plug in the cable with the 45 Degree jack on the audio source or else the SpeakEasy cable won’t work.

1. The entry is so narrow and deep that many cables won't be able to fit in it
2. Use the V-Corks to cover up the unused ports.

 

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F. Cable Quality - The reinforced Kevlar cable for the SpeakEasy cable and SharePlay cable is amazing on paper, but in person, it's absolutely annoying.
 
The cables will fray within 2-3 weeks, and the cable will twist/kink in certain spots and will put unnecessary stress on the cable, but don't worry about the cables fraying to the point where you will see the internal wiring. I have used these cables for almost a year already with my other M-100s and they still hold strong. They just fray alot.
 
The button on the SpeakEasy cable is serviceable, just make sure to not press the button on the cable too hard, or else it will get stuck and become useless.
 
UPDATE: The black SpeakEasy/SharePlay cable DOES NOT, I repeat, does not fray within 2 weeks of use, still doing further stress tests. Be weary though, it will still twist in many directions. 
 
What I recommend to do if the cable kinks/twist, is to remove the cable from your headphones, or audio source, and unkink/untwist the cable themselves. It will prevent further stress on the cable, help it retain its shape, and quite possibly keep it from fraying.
 

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G. Weight - Very lightweight for me, this will weigh around 280 grams, and won’t feel heavy on your head at all.
 
But I do have to mention the noticeable down force on the headphones. Sometimes it hurts the top of my head, but it goes away after adjusting the headphones on my head.
 
[2 WEEKS OF USE] No noticeable down-force anymore within an hour of listening. It will begin to creep up after the 1 1/2 - 2+ hour mark.
 

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H. Design - I love the CLIQFOLD hinge mechanism, it is pure genius. Making the headphone comically small for easy storage, it is a no brainer!
 
I also love the “no-gaps” design of the headphones, gives the headphone some sense of style and sleekness to it. Its suppose to align with the features on your face.
 
The build quality is superb might I add, metal material in all the right places. And I have treated these headphones like @#$% without the case!
 
 
NOTE: The Phantom Chrome variant of the M-100 is a fingerprint magnet, not very noticeable, but look well enough and you can see the finger prints.
 

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V. Sound Quality - This is based on information given from V-MODA themselves, fellow Head-Fi users, and myself.

 

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A. Impedance and Sensitivity - 32 Ohms and 103 dB - The Crossfade M-100 falls near the average for impedance and would not require an amp for the regular listening. But if you want, I would recommend the FiiO E6. Its cheap, it works, and it will give you some bass boost features if you want it.
 

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B. Frequency Response - 5 Hz - 30 kHz- The Crossfade M-100 frequency range of is a little excessive. Given the low bass frequencies, this pair of headphones is a great set of headphones for bass heavy music.
 

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C. Diaphragm - 50mm Dual-Diaphragm Driver - Inner and outer rings separate the bass from bleeding into the mids and highs. The Crossfade M-100 diaphragm diameter is 1.90 inches, which is a bit higher than the average of 1.60 inches for other over-ear headphones. This makes it slightly better for bass.
 

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E. Noise Isolation - Analog Noise Isolation: I used these at school and in car rides and they block out the outside noise pretty well, but not as well in in-ear headsets or noise-cancelling headsets. But I find the pretty well isolation to be beneficial, because it makes me aware of my surroundings.
 
At obviously really high volumes these do leak a good amount of sound, it also puts unnecessary stress on the drivers. You shouldn't even be listening that loudly in the first place. At normal listening volumes, leakage is nonexistent.
 
The V-PORT V3 Air Flow System vents on the earcups, allows air to flow through the drivers. This will likely decreases noise isolation, and as a result there is some sound leakage, but it's very minimal.
 
It shouldn't be a problem to people sitting next to you in a quiet classroom or library.
 

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F. Sound Signature - U/V-Shaped - There is a defining sound signature of these headphones. Overall the headphones had a somewhat of a U/V-Shaped signature. The M-100s is really more prominent in the bass and slight forwardness in the trebles.
 
But the mids are somewhat more neutral/flat however due to the characteristics of the bass and trebles.
 
The U/V-Shaped signature is very desirable for me, but probably not for others.
 

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G. Sound stage - The sound stage is beautifully textured, the sound stage also has both good depth and width. The sound stage feels large, though not quite on par with open headphones, you will genuinely get a 3D effect of being in a club.
 
Action movies also sound very immersive especially during actions scenes involving weapons discharging and explosions.
 
These factors also make the instrument separation noticeable and increases the ability to focus on instrumental details. This is something you will yearn for when you listen to other types of headphones, different types of music,different types of movies, or playing different types of games.
 

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H. Vocals - Vocals on the M-100 are intimate, clear and lively. The M-100 provides plenty of clarity and details. A way to illustrate the M-100 sounds; its like you're sitting near the stage at a concert.
 

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I. Bass -  The bass rendering is the most prominent feature in the M-100's. This was the trait I fell in love with, because honestly I am a bass head.
 
The bass on the M-100 has demonstrated to reached deep [I mean really deep] bass, yet it is well controlled. On tracks that do emphasize on bass, there is this beautiful 3-Dimensional bass rendering that is oh-so crystal clear, high quality and reverberating. The M-100's bass traits have attuned to me on how to appreciate high quality bass. Very tight bass I might add.
 
It has resulted me actively searching for new bass-oriented tracks that excels in this quality. [Especially Trap music, with hard hitting bass]
 
Where as other headphones attempt to reach that deep in these cans, ultimately resulted in boomy fart cannons or bleeding bass into the mids.  
 
I did some more testing and found out that the bass can be quite over powering in some chaotic games, such as Battlefield.
 

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J. Treble* - The trebles is just above neutral. This in itself is a positive trait. I found the trebles have been creeping up to be a little more above neutral and I'm appreciating it a lot more the longer I use it. It's airy, transparency and micro-detail, is a treat to my ears. Not too sharp or shallow.
 
In more complex/intensive music the treble can become painfully ear piercing, an example can be trap/EDM hybrid music.
 
*=Do some more research on this bit, every person hears things a little differently.
 

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K. Mids - To my ears the mids are somewhat restraint, it seems to be neutral/flat. For me, I’m alright with this. Because the bass is controlled and doesn't bleed into the mids, my ears can focus pretty well on it if I wanted to and there is clarity and detail to be heard in the mids.
 
The recessed mids can be considered a con for some people.

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NEVER PUT A SOFTWARE EQ ON THIS HEADPHONE, IT WILL JARBLE UP THE SOUND QUALITY!* 

*=This is from personal experience.
 

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VI. Video Game Sound Quality:

 

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For this sound quality test, I will be using a PC equipped with an High Definition sound card with Nivida HD sound drivers.
 

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Counter Strike: Global Offensive - Weapons sound great, especially the AWP. Footsteps are very audible, which is crucial for a game like this. Get the V-MODA BoomPro gaming mic if you want to use the M-100 as a chat headset, or some other detachable microphone.
 

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Battlefield 3: Multiplayer - Weapons sound amazing, great sound design. Dialogue from allied and hostile players sound good for tactical play.Vehicles sound pretty good, but the T-90/M1 Abrams sound very bassy. Overall, distant sounds and explosions sound great and you'll be very immersed. 
 

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Grand Theft Auto V: Single Player - Vehicles sound great, not too bassy when in first person view. Weapons sound good I guess, but I'd recommend a mod that changes the weapon sounds. Character dialogue sounds very good and well done. The radio and ambient soundtrack sounds very good the M-100s.
 

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Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege: Single Player - Footsteps and speech is very audible and gives you a very good sense of how close or far away they are. Echoing while stepping on certain surfaces sound good and accurate. Weapons sound great and heavy, and pack a serious punch too. 
 

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VI. Audio Test - FLAC's & 320KPS MP3's

 

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VIII. Final Verdict + Scores

 

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Wrapping up this whole experience, it has been one of the most, if not the most, interesting experiences I have ever experienced.[WOW] Especially the unboxing. The M-100 was developed for the purpose of fulfilling the needs of "Modern audiophiles". For me, the M-100's are the best on-the-go, or stay-at-home headphone I have ever laid my hands upon and so they have a high sentimental value to me.The M-100 provides a mostly balanced sound for my multiple genres of music. The Crossfade M-100 really is the perfect all-around headphones, easily. In comparison, other headphones I've tried can only somewhat meet, but not exceed these standards. These are not analytical, flat headphones, no. These are high quality portable headphones with a sleek look, and exquisitely detailed sound. Seriously, these blow the previous brands I have owned right out of the water.
 

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PROS: High Quality Bass, U/V-Shaped Sound Signature, Industrial looks, and bang for your buck!

 

CONS: Uncomfortable for long listening sessions w/ Regular Pads or XL-Pads.

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Audio Quality: 9 

                          8 With more intensive music.

 

Comfort: 6 w/ Regular Pads

                7.5  w/ XL-Pads

 

Design:  9

 

Value:  9

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PRICE: [ $220 - $270 ]*
 
*=Be sure to compensate for sales tax and purchase of accessories.
 

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"A unique unboxing experience, tasteful industrial look, and unique sound with high quality bass is guaranteed!" -Programmer

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I got these headphones off of V-moda's site and i have to say from the second i opened the box to this very moment (i am listening to them as i write this review) i have been very impressed by their over all design and sound quality. I have tested these headphones with all sorts of music and they do perform well across the music spectrum. The bass is very "club-like" so to speak and provides a nice warm feel to most music. The mids are good and the highs flow well with a comfortable and pleasant bass background. I have experienced no distortion at high volumes. In fact, i compared these m100's with my friend's ath-m50's and both sounded very similar with the bass being the major difference (the V-moda's are a little more loose while the audio technicas are more tight). The ear pads are soft and fit well around my ears while doing a spectacular job at isolating outside noise. The accessories the headphones came with include a convenient and cool looking carrying case, extra shields, a mic/button cable and an extra share cable all of which very well made. I am very happy with this product and i highly recommend these headphones to anyone looking for a great looking, great sounding, well built solid headphones with a few extra convenient accessories.

The V-Moda M100 is a headphone that will please the average consumer but not please audiophiles.
 
(Note:This is my review from someone who has had only a few other headphones.)
 
The V-Moda come with vivid highs and lows with tame but detailed bass.The Mid's could use some work but are not muffled or drowned out and can have this fixed with a simple equalizer. These headphones are not very painful to listen to. Example:when you hear very sharp tss and sis. These headphones come with replaceable shields that you can buy at V-Modas website for 45$ and 20$ replacement ear pads for comfort improvement. This Headphone in my eyes are a good headphone with little or no problems and for the average person this will be a good upgrade and since headphone listening experiences are different for every person because of point of view but to a modern audiophile another good portable headphone but not that great as a home headphone 
 
What the M100s come with
 
*Share play cable
 
*One button cable with mic
 
*M100
 
*2 year warranty 
 
*1/4 millimeter jack
 
*Case
 
*V-Corks

So I've been doing some research for the past few months and finally decided that I'd make the jump to truly hi-fi audio with these cans and simply put am amazed. First impressions of these cans with the stock cups weren't all that great, but putting on the XL earcups (I highly reccomend buying the extra large earcups for these if you're buying these) they were comfortable. Now after I dealt with switching the earcups (the right one was stuck, so that was fun getting it out) I plugged it into my phone (HTC M8) and played some FLAC EDM and was blown away with what I heard. Lows were kicking, but without overpowering anything else, mids were present (although a bit repressed), and highs sounded perfect. If you're a basshead I would highly reccomend these, especially since they can be driven reltively properly by things like ipods and phones.

These are not flat or analytical sounding cans, but they are a pretty good slice of the sonic cake for portables. I'm crowning these cans as Electronic Dance Music (EDM) king contenders for sure.

First off, let me say that I love Head-Fi, and I enjoy reading so many impressions of so many pieces of gear. I've learned so much about portable sound over the years thanks to this place and Head-fi has cost me a lot of money (in a good way) too! Thanks to Head-Fi again, I discovered 2 more treasures to add to my growing collection (V-Moda V80 and M100). I typically read way more than I post, but I felt like giving back a bit and offering my impression of the M100 cans I recently bought.

I was really after a portable headphone that offered an overall sound arrangement that was fun, clean, non-fatiguing, yet not lacking in detail so much as to sound muddy or overly veiled in the mids. I had trouble finding what I was looking for until I stumbled upon the M100, which gave me everything I was looking for.


Bass:

The M100 does NOT have overbearing and fatiguing bass that destroys the rest of your music like Beats do (tried & compared Mixr). The M100's have deep, clean, and plentiful bass WITHOUT over-delivering. I did not find mids and highs getting crushed in the aftermath of bass punch, which was epic relief to me since I like bass, but not the absolutely dominating and overbearing amounts that kill any hope of hearing the rest of your music. I never felt like I was having a sonic tug of war like I did with Beats Mixr headphones, where I know my music well, and I had to struggle to hear subtle pieces I know are supposed to be there. Also here, you get good sub-bass, which is more felt than heard. I absolutely love how these drivers deliver bass frequencies and volume. This bass is not as tight and punchy as the M80, but this is my preference.


Mids:

I'm enjoying the arrangement of the mid emphasis where it is, which seems to be upper mids, with slightly lowered lower mids. I tried the Sony MDR-1R, which sounded horribly forward in the mids, and artificial IMO. I don't feel frustrated trying to discern anything in the lower mids in this arrangement either, but as others pointed out before me, female vocals really stand out with emphasis to upper mids nicely here. Overall, I love the articulation here and clean presentation that lets me effortlessly pick up inflection and great nuances in female vocals, especially.


Highs:

Highs on the M100s are about perfect for a portable, and is rolled off at a sweet spot that still gives me a good taste of effects and instruments in the upper spectrum without the fatigue. I think they got this right for a portable setup, and I love listening to these for hours on end without my ears feeling like they have to throw in the towel.


Value Assessment:

What is interesting about these cans is that I resented paying 300 for them at first, until I discovered that there aren't many other portable choices that offer a combination of competing sound, style, portability, comfort and build quality. These are very good quality cans on the go. I really couldn't find a better pair that offered the same combinations, and I love the inline mic and control buttons on the cable!


Summary:

These are not analytical, flat cans, no. These are high quality portables with warm, clean, adequately detailed and non-fatiguing sound. Seriously, these are what Beats really should have been in my opinion. And to offer more context to my impressions, it should be noted that I listened to Electronic Dance Music (EDM) extensively, contemporary R&B, soul, reggae, some alternative, rock, and some metal. I like so much music (except most country), but EDM is my favorite, and it sounds amazing on these. I use Neutron as my music player on a Samsung GS4 (hence the desire for portable cans), EQ off, dithering on. I rip my own CDs with Exact Audio Copy to 320 CBR using lame as the encoder. The stock Samsung music player sucks and adds noticeable distortion to the sound.

Finally, I was surprised to hear some people feel that the bass was too heavy... These cans never crushed upper frequencies with bass and the bass is not overwhelming either - it's perfect in my opinion since it has good sub-bass and decent punch, and no distortion on anything I put through them, even at max volume.

My first ever 'good' headphones which I bought off ebay for £170. Or in other words, better-than-apple-earbuds-and-better-than-skullcandy's, so I can't write much of a review.
Really fantastic. I'm not a basshead but these are pretty damn good for bass but I use these to listen to all sorts of pop, alternative and classical. If you're in a quiet space then the sound really is very sharp and the audio-imaging (closest i can describe it) is so huge, it genuinely blew me away; played my music in a completely different light.
Not so great for anything active, like walking for more than 30 mins straight or sports etc (duh, they're not sports headphones ;D) but really, the pads do warm up your head and ears quite a lot, which kinda causes a little discomfort and sometimes, even after adjusting, the headphones can feel like they clamp a little, but nothing major.
 
All in all, a great pair of headphones and a good price. (especially for the price I got them for ^^)

(Note - XL ear pads are installed. The sound will be judged based on that.)
 
These headphones are absolutely fantastic! They have a futuristic look to them that makes any person, in my opinion, look unique. The design and build of these headphones was all made possible by the by the design team of V-MODA, and the vision aspects of CEO Val Kolton. The M100s have a mostly metal construction, mainly in the headband, and the Y- shape connector that is connecting the headband to the earcups. They have plastic built into them, which i assume is to cut down on weight and cost, but it is still very high quality, and i do not see these breaking any time soon. The cables you get are extremely high quality. They are made out of kevlar, and one of them has your one button remote for apple and android devices, while the other one has a built in splitter so you and a friend can listen to the same music source at once. 
 
The headphones come with a very nicely molded hard shell carrying case that has two little pockets inside that you can slide your cables into.
 
In terms of comfort, these are absolutely fantastic when the XL pads are installed. The earcups completely go around my ears, and they kind of conform to my head shape.
 
For a portable around ear headphone, these are really great. The bass quality of these is absolutely fantastic. I was actually shocked when i put the XL pads on and heard the bass. I was able to hear an immediate difference between the XL and stock pads. It is like night and day, for me anyway. The headphones overall have an emphasis on the bass and treble, and the mids take a backseat to those particular frequencies, but it is not to a point where the midrange is nonexistent. They have a slight fullness to them that makes you get lost in your own little realm. Talking about the treble, it is not a bright headphone by any means. V-MODA did not want this headphone to be bright in any way, but the treble gives life to rock music and others that have treble forward sounds. It is very rich and crisp, to my ears, and the rest of the frequencies kind of make the headphone worth the $310 or $299 price tag.
 
Overall, if you are anywhere from, let's say 14 to 35 years old, you will love these headphones. I also highly recommend replacing the stock pads with the XL pads. Thank you for checking out this review!

First off, I should clarify that I own a number of V-Moda gear, including IEMs, on-ear, over-ear and cables.  I have found that their customer service is really outstanding and if you buy a number of different headphones, you know how important this is.  I own gear from other manufacturers, including Westone, Audio-Technica, Klipsch, Etamonics and at one point or another, I have had service issues that may require several calls or emails.  Not with V-Moda, they get me from my first contact and everything flows just as smoothly from there.
 
On to the Crossfades M-100, here are a few thoughts:
*     Excellent sound presentation, with bass being a little forward but not overly dominant.
*     Very easy to drive and sound great without an DAC/Amp and modulate well with EQ settings
*     Non-tangle cord, which is wrapped in cloth to insure microphonics and are comfortable when rubbing against you as you move around.
*     Comes with "dual" splitter cord that allows you to plug two headphones into one source.
*     Allows for plug on the headphones that also allow you to plug in two headphones in and listen to the same source.
*     Works for multiple types of music
*     Great build quality
*    Amazing value when you compare sound, quality, build and look.
 
Drawbacks, every headphone has them:
*     The pads, they are not awful, just not optimal.  However, I am picky on pads and have switched a lot of my pads out on various headphones I own.
*     Mids are slightly recessed, but I prefer them this way.
 
Overall, I feel they are oustanding for sound and value, something I find in most of the V-Moda line.  I cannot think of a company that gives you more bang for the buck and their customer service is certainly another factor to consider in any purchase.

 

 

V-Moda M-100 Unboxing Picture Post

 
Warning: Picture Heavy
 
Today I received a production version of the V-Moda M-100. As I was not a part of the pre-release run these aren't the VTF-100s with additional accessories, etc. As such there are no pictures of the additional accessories. This is the retail on-the-shelf stock package.
 
I also have to thank you very much to the V-Moda team (Val, Gavin, Bill), and to VentureCraft (Hamada-san) for making this happen for me. I feel very privileged to be able to get these in my hands so early post production. I deeply and truly appreciate this gesture by them.
 
As mentioned in other posts in other M-100 threads, I won't be giving a sonic review in this post. I'll make one after the M-100 has been run in overnight at least. As a end-user, I personally do believe in burn-in, some headphones required more than others, some longer than others too. But at least in the past V-Moda headphones I've owned, I gather the M-100 will be similar to them where most of the changes are within the first few hours and thereafter, the improvements taper off over time (diminishing returns).
 
Along the picture post, though, I will be giving my thoughts about the construction, fit, comfort, etc. in note form.
 
Packaging
 
As can be seen, V-Moda has pretty much kept to the similar concept & design of the packaging as with their other models. The exception is the colour now is orange rather than deep blood red. As always the product is packaged with style.
 

 

 

 
The Clamshell Case & Contents
 
The carry case now has more clamshell design since the M-100 can collapse. As with the other cases for other models, it's a reasonably hardshell. Aesthetically it looks really clean and classy. The zipper slider is now seamless and the zipper tab (at least for this white M-100) is the same as the white M-80 zipper tab - note that the M-80 shadow case, the zipper tab was more normal. V-Moda has added more style to their packaging.
 

 

 
With the clamshell open, included (aside from the headphones of course), are 2 cables - a 1 button SpeakEasy cable, and a SharePlay audio cable. Also included is a 1/8"->1/4" 24k gold pro adapter. And of course a carrying spring clip.
 

 

 
I'd like to add a quick note about the cables. Not microphonic!! I wonder if this is the reason the material weaving pattern had changed from the M-80's.
 

 
The Headphones
 
The Hinges
The way the M-100 collapses is unique and well thought of.
 

 
These hinges are heavy duty. I remember when I first saw these at the Tokyo Fujiya Spring Festival, I mentioned in the forums that I thought they looked chunky and they don't seem to flow with the V-Moda lines. However I look at them now and they don't stick out like a sore thumb the way I first thought. It's probably as simple as their colour blending into the headbands and fork.
 

 

 

 
A close up of where the headband forks attach to the cups. I think these have remained the same as the other V-Moda headphones :-
 


The Headband
Having seen a few different M-100 prototypes, this is one component where I've seen it changed back 'n forth. In the May '12 Fujiya Spring Festival, the M-100 had an LP2-styled wider headband. Whereas in June '12 with Val & Gavin's visit to Tokyo the M-100 prototype then had a more M-80 slimmer styled headband. This final white production version has gone back to the LP2-styled headband. I know that the M-100 will be offered in Shadow too and I'm wondering if that will have the M-80 slimmer styled headband or not.
 

 
The Cups
At least with the thee white M-100s, the cups have a satin white texture. They do seem to be quite durable ABS too (ABS??). Although I'm not about to try any destruction tests on my first day of having them in my hands.
 

 
The face plates are vented with the standard 3-V ports (sorry, not peeling off the skin protector yet).
 

 
Now really the important side of the cup. Here's your 50mm driver protected by a thin diaphragm porous material (sorry, at this stage I'm out of technical jargon ...I'm tired). The foam memory cushions seem to be the same as the LP2 (Val to confirm?).
 
I'm sure readers will ask about isolation and for I would rate their isolation as average (as with LP2 and M-80). In later planned reviews when I compare the M-100 with other competing headphones, I can give an isolation comparison too. The clamping force is strong and I may need to adjust it for my head size.
 
As for fit, to me these are true circumaural and my ears fit inside the cups. However I'd say that it's a just perfect fit. i.e. if you do have large ears, then your ears may not necessarily fit inside the cup. This however is true for the LP/LP2s too.
 

 
The other features which I've glanced through but not talked much about is the dual headphone jack port, one per cup. I've tried switching back 'n forth but I have not attempted to have both plugged into different sources. That may be an interesting test later.
 
Pictorial Conclusion
 
I think V-Moda has given the M-100 a lot of thought into every detail from functionality to styling. All else, the M-100 has followed the trend of it's predecessors and sister models of aesthetics, durability and comfort.
 
However I feel competing products are quickly learning from V-Moda's design and aesthetic philosophies and stepping up to the challenge very quickly. It would be interesting to see what V-Moda comes up with next to stay ahead of the challenge.
 

 
Next Post Review - SQ
 
But after I've burnt in and given the M-100 a good listen. And so the burn-in begins.
 

 
P.S. Please let me know if any inaccuracies, inconsistencies, or clarification. I'd be happy to fix this post.

Edit #1: Added circumaural fit comment.
M-100 Sonic Review
 
The M-100 is probably one of the most long awaited headphones this year. Ever since it's announcement a year ago, Val has kept his customers and e-audience updated and involved throughout the entire development process of this headphone. This frequent interaction is a risky and daring move as it leaves very little room for the product to fail and still expected to impress upon delivery. And has he pulled it off? Now as the early-bird VTF-100/M-100s are being delivered on customer doorsteps throughout the world, I believe he has!
 
Disclaimer: My M-100 review has been based on my personal sonic capabilities, and in addition, my sonic preferences based on the genre of music I like.
 

Headphone Fit

 
I have an average headsize and the M-100 fits quite well on me. The ear cup-size is just the perfect fit for my ears. There's little room to play though which means that if you have large ears, then it may be a tight fit. The headband and clamping was initially tight however as advised by Val, flexing the headband and wearing the headphones regularly, the pads eventually mould to one's head shape. This not only makes the headphone more comfortable but by having a proper seal, also improves sonically. After 2 weeks of having the headphones this was an accurate advice.
 
When I'm home I wear my glasses and the M-100s don't cause any discomfort even them on. The arms of my glasses also arch out a little (i.e. they don't sit flush on the sides of my face) but I'm still fine with the M-100s sitting on them.
 
I find the isolation on the M-100 to be on par with the LP2s. They're quite decent but using it on the trains, some higher frequency ambient noise leaks in enough to be distracting. However there's very little leakage out. The person sitting next to me can hear "noise" from my headphones but not identify what kind of music I'm listening to.
 

Sound Signature

 
By far the strongest sonic trait of the M-100 is it's rendering of its bass. At least to my ears, this is the defining signature of these headphones. Before getting into the nitty gritty details, overall I felt the headphones had a somewhat U-shaped signature. In my conversations with Val, it's really more the prominence of the bass and slight forwardness in the trebles give this perception. The mids are somewhat more neutral/flat however due to the characteristics of the bass and trebles, the perception appears U-shaped.

Bass
 
As mentioned previously, the bass rendering is the most prominent feature I picked up in the M-100's sonics. This was the same trait I personally fell in love with even on the June M-100 prototype. I can't say honestly if it's the same then as now or if it's improved (my sonic memory can't go back that far) but I can say that it wow-ed me then and continues to wow me now in the production model. I won't call myself a bass head but the M-100's bass traits have enlightened me on how to appreciate good quality bass. It has resulted in an addiction that has led me scouring for new tracks that emphasise on this quality.

The bass on the M-100 to me has done something few headphones have achieved before. It's reached deep (and I mean really deep!) yet extremely well controlled. Where other headphones attempt to reach that deep resulting in boomy or bleeding bass into the mids, the M-100 maintains a tight control of the bass. However it doesn't end there and only gets better. On tracks that do emphasise on bass, there is this beautiful 3D rendering that's fluid and reverberating. I've called it the "rumble" but Val has more accurately described it as "purr". 
 
Mids
 
To my ears the mids are somewhat pulled back and as mentioned above Val describes it to be neutral/flat which I can see where he's coming from. For me, I find this particular signature less ideal for strong vocal tracks but good for more modern R&B, Hip Hop, and Electronic genre. Because of the bass are well controlled and doesn't bleed into the mids, my ears still can focus on it and there's clarity and detail in the mids. However, for my personal sonic preferences this factor has made my M-100s to be more genre specific.

Trebles
 
The trebles make a comeback but just above neutral. Back to my conversations with Val, he confirmed my opinions. It's approx 1-1.5dB but nothing like the other treble-forward competing brands out there. This in itself is a positive trait especially for those who are sensitive to sibilance. From around 8kHz onwards it peaks up and mostly flattens. I would state that in my early days of listening to the production M-100, I felt I wasn't getting enough treble however, over time I don't know if the earpad moulding, the burning in, or me getting used to it's signature I found the trebles have been creeping up to be a little more forward and I'm appreciating it a lot more than 2 weeks ago. It's airy, transparent and micro-detail.
 
Soundstage & Imaging Presentation
 
When I first heard the soundstage I felt it was large but nothing to be impressed about. After getting my hands on a few more headphones that are in competition to the M-100, I realised I was wrong! I had merely been used to very high end headphones. The soundstage actually feels quite large by comparison to other closed headphones around the same category. In addition, primarily due to the bass 3D rendering, the imaging is beautifully textured. The combination of these two factors make the instrument separation (and therefore ability to focus on instrument detail). The way I'd summarise the soundstage and imaging to my ears is that some of the other headphones sound like a big gig in a small pub/bar but the M-100 sounds like a gig in a concert with you sitting around the 5th row from the front.
 

Other Non-Sonic Features

 
Do I really need to comment on the durability? If not known already, the V-Moda headphones are extremely durable and V-Moda spends a lot of time on testing these headphones to ensure they meet their tight standards prior to production. Even with the new collapsing hinges, they feel extremely rugged and durable. When you hold a the M-100, it doesn't rattle, it doesn't shake, and it doesn't convey any sense of flimsiness. It's like German engineering with an Italian design.

Another special feature is the dual headphone jack. Val & I actually tried plugging in two different sources - each into each earcup. WIth the right kinds of source, you can actually mix if you wanted to! It's quite a surreal experience.
 

Conclusion for Now

I have to say, to my ears I'd still classify the M-100s to be somewhat coloured, and for my personal use, not reference headphones since I feel for my sonic preferences the M-100s are genre specific. I've mentioned this to Val and he understands. However this coloured-ness in itself is an extremely positive feature and in fact a great selling point for this headphone. As mentioned before, the strong deep bass is so well controlled and rendered that it's made me (and others I'm sure) wanting to find new music tracks to exploit this feature.
 
Combined with the ruggedness and compactness, and low profile of headphones, I do find myself grabbing the M-100s more when I go out and about the city. If I just want to enjoy music these are the headphones I'll grab.
 
Sample music I enjoy with the M-100's :-
 
TRON Legacy (check out the C.L.U track!)
Sting's Brand New Day (More specifically A Thousand Years track)
Bond's Viva!/Wintersun & Born
Vanessa-Mae's Art Of War
Alex Gaudino's Destination Calabria (ok I admit, I do like the video a lot too)
Il Divo Il Divo (makes my hair at the back of my neck stand!!)
The Postal Service Give Up (Such Great Heights track)
Jamiroquai A Funk Odyssey
Akon Freedom
Ne-Yo Year of the Gentleman
Sean Kingston
 

Where can the M-100 improve?
 

In my mind, the M-100 is the top in its class of which I wouldn't hesitate in recommending. However, it's also reaching up to the next level and category. There's potential for the M-100 to come close to competing with some of the higher end headphones. In my honest opinion, the next few features for V-Moda to focus on for the future would be (aside from the M-100s current features), are further detail and increased resolution.
 

A Little Durability Update

 
This morning, in attempting to take some extreme pictures of the V-Moda M-100, it decided to take a swim in an almost frozen lake. The headphone surprisingly still works but naturally sonics are affected.
 
 

 

My First problem that I ran into with these headphones is the comfort factor. The clamping force made it a little uncomfortable, but that is easily fixed with a five second bend. The earcups are also a bit shallow but I am fine with that, since I have small ears. Another problem is that sometimes the bass can be too overpowering, and one cannot hear everything else as clearly. My final problem I had with these, was getting everything to fit in the case, this is not to hard, but if you're in a rush, it is hard to fit your headphones back down into their original shape when they have been stretched out. 
 
Those problems are minor compared to how awesome they are! They look amazing, they are cooler than beats, and I have had my fair collection of beats! They sound amazing! The soundstage is incredible each instrument has its own little place. I have heard things in my music that I have never heard before because of these! They are good in practically any genre! The BASS, THE BASS IS AMAZINNNGGGGGGGG! BOOOOOM! (a little example) the mids are very good, but are sometimes covered up by the bass. They fold up super small, but sometimes I have trouble getting them into their case. There is nothing really to say besides they are awesome!

 
Wow. It’s been awhile, a long time of wait, development, etc. Quite the journey, but three weeks back, I finally got my hands on these. V-Moda’s latest entry to their Crossfade series, the Crossfade M-100. As anyone here can attest, Val Kolton’s latest piece de resistance has been nurtured for quite some time under his perfectionist eye, and man, these cans are simply delectable. Shall we continue?
 
Design
 
V-Moda is one of the pioneers of the fashionable headphone, and these have the design of stealthy, sleek elegance. For those of you feeling that your headphone collection is feeling a bit too black, you also have the option of selecting the fabulous white-silver edition. For me though, the matte black edition was just calling to me. Sleek, stylish with an industrial, almost cyberpunk quality, these headphones are simply excellent. In spite of its stylistic choices to stand out such as its V-wings, the sheer elegance of an all black design goes well with anything I throw with it.
 
Size wise, I was always under the impression based on photos that these would be sizeable headphones. Just as with the M-80’s, however, the M-100’s are much smaller than expected. When receiving the box, I was almost flabberghasted at how small the box was. In its case, the M-100’s are no larger than a softball! Or a grapefruit. Whatever obloid-shaped object happens to be within your grasps that fits in your hand.
 
Build Quality
 
As expected by V-Moda’s build quality, the cans I have in my hand are top notch pieces of work. The curiosity buzzing around the M-100’s is the hinge and whether it’ll stand the test of time or not. Mr. Kolton has taken care to be sure that the hinge not only stands the test of time but has the feel that it will stand any amount of folding you throw at it. Describing it as a “German Car Feel” by its maker, every fold is accompanied by a *click* sound that is satisfying to fold and unfold.
 
The rest? Fine cloth on the headband, plastic a bit, particularly for the cups (which is fine unless you want to be weighed down by the sheer weight of metal on your shoulders). Overall, the build is metal, and demonstrating to friends the durability brings some star struck faces. The screws for the shields are initially the worst screws ever to deal with (I think the shield change took me somewhere around an hour to finish. But seeing as I’ve got four sets to fiddle around with, I perservered, and now it takes me a little less than 15 minutes to do a shield change.
 
And for the curious amongst some build problems in the first batch, I’ve had no problems. These things have stood up to Sandy, an early November nor’easter, and being handled by my brother, a professional with the midus touch, if midus broke everything in sight.
 
Packaging/Extras
 
Your standard package comes with: case, (for matte black) a black shareplay cable (5ish feet, have yet to measure it formally), an orange one-button cable (4 feet or so), stickers! And a 1/4” -1/8” adapter. As with the M-80’s, the one button cable is *just* the right length for me. It somewhat irks me why V-Moda has the audio only cable and the shareplay cable (both the same length) be longer when the one button cable is fabulous. But the orange of the one button cable works excellently and exquisitely with the matte black design.
 
Along with those are preorder extras. Faders (excellent for keeping out noise when I need earplugs such as crashing at my friends’ place with a rather rambunctious heater) and the Boom Pro mic cable, which I have yet to test out due to lack of a VOIP adapter.
 
Comfort
 
Short and simple for me, these headphones are excellent. I could (and have been) wearing these things for hours on end with no sight of fatigue. I understand that for some fellow members of head-fi that there are comfort issues based on the shallowness of the cups and the tendency of the plush to compress after a period of time, but I’ve been all set in that department. For the most part for other people, it has been the same (we must all have small ears! Read below) Twisting/flattening the headphones decreases clamping force if that’s a problem for you.
 
Sound Quality
 
Alright, let’s get down to the real reason why we’re here. How do they sound? That is the main reason why we’re shooting $310 for a new, unreleased headphone, no?
 
Bass
 
*Bam* *Purr* *Growl*
 
Bass is the star of the show on these cans. But think not of these cans as basshead level cans. The bass here is controlled, detailed, and makes these cans lively as can be. They really purr and growl, and it is simply a visceral experience to listen to bass through these cans. Catbread by Deadmau5  really grooves well as the first top of my head example.
 
Mids
As a fan of forward mids, it is a bit of a change for me to have the mids a tad laid back in comparison to the heavily forward Beyerdynamic DT1350’s. But the mid presentation is well within what I would consider acceptable for me. No bass bleed, and they stand well, if at least a bit behind the rest of the spectrum.
 
Treble
Extension is superior to the M80’s, and that’s excellent. They stand a bit more forward than the mids, but of course in comparison to the Alessandro MS-1’s, they seem to be missing just a wee bit at the top, but I’d say that’s acceptable, especially considering that the grado sound (a treble emphasis that can at points be too sibilant) is not what V-Moda is aiming at.
 
Soundstage
For a “semi-closed” phone? Pretty darn good. I believe miceblue has posted the inner workings of the vents, showing some foam below where the shields are and some sort of second layer of foam beneath that one, which makes it questionable how much the v-port vents actually play a role in the sound, but it is a pretty wide sound for closed-back. Not concert hall, mind you, but perhaps something of a club sort of sound as anak-chan alludes to when he describes the soundstage.
 
Instrumentation
The spectrum layout alludes to this, but there are certain things that don’t stand out as well as I’d like. Cymbals don’t crash as nicely, and string-emphasized pieces, while not presented in a bad way, are not presented in the most accurate way in my opinion. Listening to a variety of pieces over these three weeks, My breakdown as to genre matching with these headphones would go like this:
 
Electronic>R&B>Pop>Hip-Hop>Rock>Bossa Nova>Jazz>Classical
 
By no means is classical bottom-of-the-barrel stuff, simply that the M-100’s would not be my preferred headphone for the selection. Rock is a bit of a mixed bag. Some songs are *okay* while others (Roundabout by Yes comes to mind) are superb, so I’d say that’s where things start turning the tide. It’s a wellrounded phone, but it’s a bit genre specific in the sense that some songs are adequate while others absolutely shine.
 
Multi Review
 
When writing a review, I’d like to keep in mind the perspective of the maker. What is the objective of their designs? Mr. Kolton has kept this design philosophy in mind: “Greatest sound for the greatest number of people.” Has he achieved that goal? Let’s find out.
 
Friend #1: 20 years old female, wore bose because she liked the comfort, less concerned about sound quality.
“Ooh! These are so comfy!”
*ten minutes later*
“Yeah you’re not getting these back for awhile”
“I like these way more than your other ones! (DT1350’s”
 
Friend #2: 20 year old male, actually head-fi member kagelou!
“Yep, these are pretty good.”
“They’re smaller than I thought they’d be”
Overall his impression was that they beat out the M-80’s, and the comfort easily wins compared to the M-100’s due to A) the pads being less stiff and B) the difference in circumaural vs supraaural headphoens
 
Friend #3: 18 Year old male, M-50 owner for a few months, new audiophile!
“Wow. Darn it! I’m going to go home and be like, I wish I had robble’s headphones! It won’t be the same!”
“Some stuff sounds great! But I’m not sure if I’d prefer these over the M50’s by much for some genres”
“I love how Val has been able to marry great sound with great aesthetic design! I wish the TMA-1’s had the sound quality of these”
 
Positive feedback, no? Yes, these three are aged 18-20 and are college students, so this is a bit more of a youth sound, but these are just people that stuck out in my mind in particular.
 
In closing
 
Headphones? Fashion statement? Personal statement? These are all qualities of the Crossfade M-100. But all those man hours and late nights tweaking have led to something really extraordinary. Many will note from Tyll's review that these are not measured well, and they are by far not the most neutral headphones around. But measurements can only tell so much, and these are by far the headphones that rock my music the most! A community semi-open sourced headphone taking the positives of the M80’s and the critiques of audiophiles, the tuning is truly excellent. A wonderful sound for a huge range of people.
 
 

 
Rock on.

Great for all types of music specially with bass.
 
If you use an iPod, iPhone or any iDevice, set the Music Setting EQ to Electronic...!!! Perfect sound! Try it to believe.
You can play with the sound by EQ-ing it depending on the type of sound output you like.
This is one of the best thing about the M100, sound output can be adjusted from Equalizer of your music player if you want a different warm smooth sound.
 
Default sound signature for me is a bit high on Midrange...which I find a bit harsh on my ears however when you try EQ-ing according to your sound preference which for me is "Electronic", The best sound so farrrrr....better than the Sennheiser Momentums Over ear.
 
You can also choose the headphone 3 classy colors and since I have big ears, changed the original earpads to XL.....Whewww!! blew me away. Comfort, Sound, Foldable, Durable Design (cannot go out of style)
What else could you ask for.... whether DJ-ing or quality music listening, perfecto!
 
But nothing is better than trying every headphone unit first before buying...choose well!

This is a quite controversial pair of headphones. You hate it or you love it.


 


People who love it usually come from the crowd with Beats and Apple earphones. These people are very enthusiastic about the M-100s, saying they have never heard this much detail and controlled bass without overshadowing other frequencies.

 "Audiophiles", who prefer high-end opened back hp-s, won't like the M100 too much.  Most of them will complain about the narrow soundstage and bass quantity. They are looking for a natural, lifelike presentation, as they usually listen to acoustic instrumental music like classical or jazz, and for those genres M-100 is not a good choice. Buy a good pair of opened back headphone with a good amp for that purpose. (HD600, etc.)


 

 
M-100 was made for contemporary music, especially for music with any kind of electronic part in it. Not just house or EDM, but ambient, chill, pop. These genres and type of music just sound awesome on these. This kind of music sounds better on the M-100 than it sounds on the HD600 with a good amp. A pair of opened dynamic headphones will never be able to give back as punchy and strong bass as a good closed headphone is able to do.
 The M100 is not the best headphones in the world, but for the above mentioned purposes these are a very good choice for the money.
You also get a very good quality and small carrying case, and 2 very good cables with the M100.

If you want to hear lifelike string instruments or the changed voice of a jazz singer due to a recent flu, than look further.

If you want to enjoy your EDM, and this is your budget, you have found your headphones. (Just make sure you buy a pair of XL pads too.)

So called audiophiles complain about the bass. Well then use the EQ. Audiophiles buy expensive amplifier and they they don't use the EQ. That's what is for... I rather have headphones that can handle plenty of bass than a headphone that cannot handle songs with heavy deep bass (like the M-80) and would simply make a crack up sound. I rather have a headphone that doesn't make CRACK sound with heavy deep bass songs. These headphones are for fun sounding which is a good looking headphones SHOULD BE.