V-MODA Crossfade M-80

Let me start off by saying these are the first "audiophile" cans I've ever purchased. Before then, it's always been Philips or Sony store bought for under $100. I did my research and decided on the M-80s. I listen to electronic music such as Ephixa, classic rock from Ozzy to ELO, metal such as Slipknot/Volbeat/SOAD, and progressive rock like Karnivool/Tool/Dropshard/APC.
I've owned this pair for about 4 years now, and have been impressed since day one. The sound quality was great out of the box, but after leaving them on overnight...they just sounded amazing. The bass is tight. Not overpowering, but definitely there. Mids are an absolute enjoyment, especially with some "expert" EQ tuning . Highs...while they don't blow you away with presence, they don't disappoint either. Crisp is the only word I can think of. No hissing or sharpness, it's really quite nice. The separation of the different ranges is nice as well. I LOVE bass. I run Poweramp on a Galaxy S5 Active, with the Creative Sound Blaster E1 as a USB DAC/AMP. I can crank the bass to its limit and it feels like I have two 12" subs strapped to my head, yet the high and midrange stay crystal clear.
Great soundstage as well, tho not as wide as I would like...not bad enough to really complain tho.
 
As for build quality, V-Moda has truly outdone themselves. The headband is very durable, withstanding years of abuse without weakening. I can still to this day bend it into a corkscrew, make it flat, all while popping right back to its original position and holding comfortably onto my head lol. The ear pads are nice and cozy, but the band cushion could have used more attention. At first, it feels great. After a few hours however, it starts to get achy and I have to reposition it. That being said, I tend to be fairly tender headed, so...please, give them a try for yourself! I truly believe they are worth every penny.
 
Hope this isn't bad for my first revue, I'm sure I'll be able to provide more insightful revues after I experience more

It has a solid build that if you want to break them, you should do something extreme to them. Still it comes with 2 years of warranty and if you do break these, you can get a new one at %50 discount. In terms of desing i really like the look of this headphone. There isnt much headphones that sounds good and look well at the same time so it is a good choice if you care about design but still use it for listening music. In terms of comfort, i am bad with all kinds of supra-aural headphones so, after 1 hour usage it gives me ear pain. As terms of sound quality, Bass that this headphones has is amazing. It still can be better but it really gives very qualitied Bass for me. As for the mids they are sounding well too, but not well as Bass does. Highs was bad in terms of engaging but after 50+ hours of burn in they gotten better, still engaging quality of this isnt that great but decent. About noise cancelling they are not very good. People will start hearing you if you listen them at high voice, and you cant hear people only if you are listening them at high voice.
 
Final Thoughts: They are good choice for portable players, sounds good for Electronic, Pop, Hip-Hop. Not very good for use in public.

Note:  The entire original review has been mostly deleted and overhauled.  These were the first at-least-somewhat-good headphones I ever purchased, and I was way too hyped and knew way too little when I wrote this review.
 
I bought a pair of these used for $70 (months later, I sold them for my roommate for $50), and for that price and being on-ear they are good headphones.  Here's a breakdown of their different aspects:
 
Build:  These are ridiculously well-built.  Pretty much all metal construction, and tested under ridiculous conditions.  They can apparently even be stepped on, repeatedly, and often still be okay (not that I ever tried that).  Based on how sturdy they look and feel, that is seriously believabvle.  They are like some kind of armored-headphone.

Oh, and the cables are apparently tested for being able to work after a million bend-cycles.  I've been heavily using the second cable from the headphones as an input to my car stereo for over a year, and it still works well.
 
Design:  In my opinion, these things look really cool!  The all-metal construction and their shape is very "stylish utilitarian" looking, I would say.  Moreover, the covers on the enclosures can be customized with a number of V-Moda's own designs, as well as with any user-submitted design!  I never went as far as ordering the custom plates, but it's a very cool option.
 
Comfort:  For me there were some issues here.  On my head, they at first seemed to pinch a little bit at the top of my head.  However, the excellent build-quality makes it easy and safe to slightly bend the headband outward a few times before each time putting them on.  After a few days of use, they adjusted to my head and were comfortable.
 
Sound and Isolation:  These do not isolate very well, of course, being on-ears.  But they isolate well for what they are (although not as well as the most isolating on-ears).  With the music at a decent volume, most reasonable outside noise is not audible.  These will not isolate from somewhat-louder noises like a well-isolated closed over-ear will.
 
--Bass:  These have boosted bass.  For how my tastes developed over time, it eventually seemed a bit much.  I would almost consider V-Moda's headphones to be basshead headphones, to be honest; if you're a basshead looking for a cheap super-portable and sturdy on-ear, a pair of these bought used is great to consider.

The boost seems to be centered somewhere around 80 to 110 or 120 Hz, to my (not super-precise) ears. 
 
However, like with many on-ears, the bass does break-up (distort) to some audible extent at high volumes (for me, borderline-painful or downright painful).  Even at the loudest volumes I like to comfortably listen to (loud end of moderate volume), the sub-bass (on tracks with lots of sub-bass rumble, and with test tones) does sound a bit "muddy."
 
But overall, the bass does have an impact to it that can be very nice.  I imagine people who love bass will enjoy it a lot for this price.
 
--Mids:  Can't hear any distortion in the mids.  They sound pretty nice, but a bit congested.  Also, the mids don't seem flat, but rather seem to favor the low-mids, so that overall these headphones are definitely quite warm--another bonus point for these for all the bassheads out there!
 
--Treble:  Sounds about the same level as the upper mids, to me.  They have a peak at the 10 or 11khz band, which gives these good sparkle.
 
--Clarity and Detail:  Somewhat impeded by the congested sound of these.  This is very common for on-ears, especially in this price-range.  The detail is pretty good.  Micro-details are, as expected, smoothed-out though, sometimes inaudible.
 
--Dynamics:  These have quite good dynamic impact, actually.
 
--Soundstage and imaging:  The soundstage is pretty good actually in terms of width and depth!  But, the directional imaging for spatial-separation between elements is slightly "blurred," in correlation of course with the overall congestion of the sound.
 
 
Value:  Honestly I do not like the sound very much given the resources that V-Moda put into this headphone, as I know for a fact it is possible to get a clearer and less-congested sound in on-ears, especially for the original price of these (over $200, actually) when they first came out.  However, this is largely because I am a clarity-junkie.  For those who want plenty of bass-slam and warmth with flat mids and treble, with a bit of extra upper-end sparkle, and like good levels of detail but aren't after levels where they listen analytically/clinically, then these headphones are great.  Especially for the price they now go for used (in the $70 to $80 range)!  I highly anticipate that used M-80's which still work, will continue working fine for years (I bought mine used and it still works over a year later) in the majority of cases, due to the amazing build-quality.    For this reason, I give the M-80 a high rating for its value.
 

Overall:  I give these four stars.  I don't like the sound much myself, due to the bass becoming boomy and breaking-up in the sub-bass.  I also prefer more clarity and soundstage with less congestion, which is possible in on-ears at this price.  However, they have a very good value now used, and unbelievably good build.  Also, they look awesome!  So, four stars.  I would put the sound at 3.5 stars (to my ears and preferences) with the value at 4.5 stars, and the build and design at 5 stars.  To me the sound is the biggest part, and that's what brings these down to a four-star rating.

Very nice looking small, durable, very detailed I listened them for hours the first day I had them so they're fairly comfortable as well. But I listened to my noontecs and they had deeper base, they just sounded better all around they were more comfortable. I would get noontec zoros for half to a quarter the price. Only problem is they wont be nearly as durable as the m80s.

The M80 is a famed headphone for being exceptionally good despite its very small stature. 
 
Well, it's true. 
 
The M80 follows V-Moda's classic styling, but smaller. 
 


V-Moda has a reputation for building extremely durable on-ear and over-ear headphones that utilize a variety of high quality and rugged materials. The M80 features a stainless steel frame that's sure to last. Some outer parts are made of a gloss-finished plastic that also feels solidly built. 
The headband also has a metal frame, and is covered with a soft fabric, on which the V-Moda logo is printed. 
The cable is a V-Moda tradition. Bulletproof Kevlar reinforced, 45° jack, and great strain reliefs. 
Everything about this headphone is built to last. 

Even the case it comes with is very sturdy. With V-Moda's hard clamshell finish, the headphones are sure to be protected extremely well while inside.
 
Sound - The M80 has a few sonic characteristics that truly make it amazing. It's bass heavy but retains a high amount of clarity and detail. Plus it's good at soundstaging. Basically, the M80 is an overall high-quality, refined sonic experience that I wasn't ready to expect in something in its size. 
 
As stated, this is a bass heavy headphone. It's punchy, heavy, and just plain powerful. No bleed whatsoever, though. This contributes to the overall clarity of the sound. With rock music, the bass is warm and full. Hip hop, rap, and electronic, it's very impactful. This is because of the m80's small size. There is, however, a slight boomy property to the headphone because of its much accentuated upper bass. 
 
The M80's warm and excellent mids are a significant reason as to its popularity. Every song sounds full and enjoyable due to this. Rock and electronic are most benefited by this, in my opinion. 
 
The M80's treble isn't something that's a standout feature. Both literally and figuratively. Treble is laid back and smooth. I had originally thought that this wouldn't be too enjoyable for me, as I like bright-ish treble, but I was (more than thankfully) wrong. The treble is extremely detailed, complimentary, and just plain nice to listen to. This goes for all genres. 
 
Soundstage - Despite the small cups of the headphone and its on-ear wear style, the M80 is, surprisingly, not congested. I've heard better from small headphones like this when it comes to spacious sound, however. Example would be the Phiaton Fusion MS400. That's not to say that the M80 does a bad job in this realm, though, because it doesn't. 
 
Overall - The M80 is a great choice for the portable anything. Audiophile, consumer, teen, adult, you name it. Now at a pretty low price due to the release of the XS, it can be had on a budget. And with its extremely capable and durable build, even reckless people (like myself) can use them without worry of breakage. You can't go wrong with this. 

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
THESE CANS ROCK.
THEY CAN OUT POWER ANY HEADPHONES.MADE.
EXEPT THERE BIG BROTHER M100.BECAUSE OF THE BASS. THEY CAN REPRODUCE.(M100).
M80 ARE SMALL OVER THE EAR HEADPHONES.TAT SOUND WAY BETTER THAN OTHER OVERTHE EAR HEADPHONES.
CLEAR MIDRANGE. BETTER BASS.

Introduction
The V-Moda M-80 is seen as one of V-Moda's all time great headphones; the great style, portability, comfort and sound made it a big hit for the audiophile who wanted great sound on the move. In this review I will look at build quality, comfort, sound and then finally conclude.
 
Build Quality
The build of these headphones is fantastic, V-Moda have not gone cheap at all with any part of this headphone. Using a metal flexible headband, with metal braces holding the ears cups to the headband, then metal shields on the sides of the ear cups which can be customised for a small fee of $25. The only part that is plastic is the ear cup housing but even there the plastic is not cheap plastic. Overall the build quality here is fantastic, couple that with the included carry case then these headphones will last many years.
 
Comfort
Now this is the part where I am going to be slightly negative because even though I like the comfort of these headphones, once you pass the 1 hour listening period mark these headphones can start to apply a lot of pressure and can cause quite a bit of discomfort. Apart from this the comfort of these headphones is average.
 
Sound Quality
Finally to the main event and here I am not going to be splitting this into song descriptions as I really want to touch on a serious point, which is these are SOURCE DEPENDENT. Meaning that if you play a bad source with these they will sound bad but if you feed it with a good source they sound great.
 
So firstly let's start with the iPod Classic 6th gen and 5.5th gen. Now both of these iPod's have a 5 ohm output impedance, this means the iPod will start to alter the frequency response of these headphones which can be noticed. On both iPod's the bass tends to be quite shy and the mids recessed with the highs being flat. But on the iPod Classic 6th gen we find the sound to be noisy, which a very opaque background with quite a bit of background noise, the bass is muddy which leaks into the mids and the highs are very flat. Now on the iPod 5.5th gen the mids start to come forward and the highs become a bit more bright. The bass though is still a bit shy here, if not more but the soundstage is a lot better on the 5.5th gen than the 6th gen due to the Wolfson DAC found in the iPod 5.5th gen.
 
Now we move onto the Asus Xonar Essence STX, here we have an output impedance of 10 ohms which means we get a massively changed frequency response. To the point where the bass seems really recessed but the mids and highs are a lot better through this sound card plus the soundstage is even more open but it's that bass.
 
Finally the iBasso DX50, which has an output impedance of <0.5 ohms which is pretty much perfect and you can hear the results. The bass is amazing which great sub bass with no leaks into the mid, the mid is really forward bringing out vocals and the highs are bright but even here the highs can be a bit too bright. So even though this is a pretty much perfect pairing there is still a slight issues with the bright highs
 

 
Conclusion
Overall I would recommend these to anybody looking for a pair of portable headphones that sound and look great. But I would persuade people to pair with a decent source otherwise the sound is going to distorted and overall it will not sound as it should.

Nothing more to say. I am not an audiophile, but I wanted to be a part of the community. So, I started with getting the M-80, and boy am I happy I did. It looks extremely good, the packaging was perfect, the sound is outstanding, the build quality is fantastic, and it is comfortable at the same time. I was surprised at how compact it is due to it's excellent case design. The #1 reason I got these is because of it being the first in on-ear headphones on head-fi. I found this website almost 3-4 weeks ago, and I am happy that there is such a community. Anyways back to the headphones, these are exactly what you would expect to get from paying $160. All in all, if you have the money go buy it right now you will be amazed.

This won't be an in depth review, just a few short impressions. Scored these for $90 at Radioshack. I always wanted to try a V-Moda headphone that wasn't too bass heavy.
 
Since all my portable players were dead I used my O2+Modi (transparent IMO). The low mids were shoved in my bass and these were too bassy. Well guess what? The cause was my powered USB hub crapping up the sound and with the amp/dac and these headphones I was able to detect it. Problem fixed!
 
They have a slight mid-bass emphasis and I was surprised that the low bass extension is very good. The mids are no longer shoved in my face. These actually don't sound dark at all and managed to have very smooth treble.
 
None of my music seemed  colored. The sound was pretty crystal clear too. With most headphones under $150 or so they can often sound fairly muffled or too dark. I actually had just returned an HD-380 and these sound WAY more balanced. I couldn't detect any recession in the mids at all.
 
Unfortunately the deal killer for me is that they were painful to wear. It seems like the design is incompatible with my head. I don't have a horse shaped head or one that's too big. I had to fully expand the headband. They hurt the tips of my ears and feel like a giant claw is grabbing at my head and trying to pull up. I think it's due to the Beyerdynamic style of metal headband. I did try to stretch them out over night but couldn't even take 10 minutes of them. I guess i'm the rare exception.
 
I hope V-Moda reads this because I'd really love a neutral sounding M80 that's over ear. I think the M100 has way too much bass for me probably.
 
So overall, loved the sound quality but hated the comfort. Ended up returning them. Kind of hard to do.
 
I still think the DJ100 with M50 pads sounds better but those are too hard to drive and too picky with gear.
 
M80 actually sounds more balanced than the SRH-840, K240, M50 and definitely the KRK KNS-8400/6400. The low bass is as extended and as present as the DJ100 and KRK KNS-8400. My DJ100 has a little more treble, more forward upper mids and maybe a tiny bit less bass.
 
Almost forgot..the soundstage with the O2+Modi was actually pretty impressive for such a tiny headphone.
 
NOTE: The audio quality rating is for closed headphones in the $100-$200 price range. I'd say they're comparable in sound to the M50, KRKs, SRH-840/940, DJ100, K240 Studio and a few others. Obviously they all have different signatures.

Got M-80 and becomes my every day headphone since early this year.
 
I don't like the stock cable with phone control buttons so I make a custom OFC cable, sound is a little bit improved and become smooth.
 
Most of the time I am playing 40% pop, 30% jazz and 30% classical, not so many dance music.
 
Today I brought an album "Random Access Memories" by Daft Punk, this is the number one album recently on many charts.  I know why, the sound is so rich and dynamics with M-80 , make me rock with music, and I never think M-80 can deliver this level of sound at its compact size.
 
Highly recommend M-80, it is all rounder everyone knows, it even works on electronics dance music!

Great headphones, however going back as look too stupid on me to wear in public.

The headphones have an angular side band which leaves a huge gap on each side my medium-narrow face (with short-medium hair). Tried on my wifes face and look fantastic on her as sit into her hair, look sexy which is not fair :mad: At home sound comes first and would not care what they looked like, but these are for public and so a fail for me.

Their is some clamping which you remain aware of, but can live with and would expect to weaken over time.

Sound fun, lively and engaging from an ipod, even more so with my Amp. For the size have a good soundtage too. Good punchy bass, not deep subbass but for a portable is lovely. Will get your foot tapping and face nodding.

When running off ipod at 80% volume In a quiet living room, wife has advised that can hear a bit of leakage but not an issue- so would be fine to use at work etcwhere a bit of ambient noise would mean not heard at all.

But gone back as would not get used, I have a closed headphone for home (dt770) which would always be prefered as more isolation, naturally wider soundstage and longer cable.

If v-moda come up with a different design then would buy as like the sound signature, Will probably try out the m-100 at some point.

 
 
Introduction
 
V-MODA is a Hollywood based headphones company, which was founded back in 2004 by Val Kolton, a DJ & a music producer, with some help from the designer Joseph Bucknall. The company put them self as a target to make good sounding headphones that are well designed too, a thing which was quite rare back at that time. About a year ago, the company has released the M80s, their first on-ear headphones, and also the first headphones from their "Modiophile" line, a line which is designated for the modern-audiophile. Since then, the M80s have been raved everywhere, and they were called by some "the best portable headphones". I wanted to review these headphones for a long time, and now I finally have the chance to do so.
 
Here are the technical specifications of the V-MODA M80s:
 

1. Type: Supra-aural (on-ear)

1. Speaker Drivers: 40mm patented Dual-Diaphragm High-Fidelity Driver
2. Impedance: 28.5 Ohms
3. Frequency Response: 5 – 30,000 Hz
4. Sound Pressure Level: 105 dB
5. Plug: 45 degree, 24k gold-plated 3.5 mm (1/8") stereo plug
6. Weight: 200g

 
 
 
 
 
Building Quality & Design: The M80s have a stunning design, they look amazing. They come in two color schemes, "Shadow" (black with red touches and features black brushed-aluminum plates, my set is a shadow one) & "White Pearl" (which is mainly white colored with some gray touches and features chrome plates), both are quite flashy and look great. The plates (aka shields) can be replaced with custom-designed shields, which can be purchased separately through V-MODA's website. I love the fact that the company lets you to customize your headphones easily. The M80's size surprised me when I first took them out of box; seeing their pictures on the internet, I thought that they were around the size of my AKG K518s or AiAiAi TMA-1s, but when comparing them, I realized that the M80s are a lot smaller than these two headphones. Moving on, I wasn't only impressed by their design, but by their building quality too. The M80s are probably one of the best built and toughest headphones, rivaling against the mentioned-before TMA-1s; honestly, these are built like a tank. They can stand every kind of abusing that they'll experience; from falling or strongly bending the headband to even sitting on them, it seems that nothing can overwhelm these. The hexagonal-shaped ear-cups are built from an integration of solid and sturdy plastic on their frame & tough metal, which the plates are made-of.
 
 
Each one of the semi-open plates is screwed to its place by 6 solid looking screws, while the ear-cups themselves are strongly-fixed to a metal-axis's with four screws per cup. The very flexible headband is a metal-made one, coated with microfiber-suede on its outer-side, while its inner side is coated with a softer material. It can easily bend to about every direction without showing any sign of breakage.
 
 
 
 
Comfort & Fit: The M80s offer a quite good comfort. Their clamping force is pretty low, a lot lower than the K518s' one, the headband is well padded with a layer of soft fabric and the small memory-foam pads sit nicely on the ears. The headband can be adjusted to be more or less clamping by bending the headband in or out, so even if you find the fit loose or uncomfortable at first, you can easily adjust it to your own preference. On the other hand, fitting the cups to your ears in order to get a good seal might be a bit tricky at first because of the small pads, but after getting used to it, you'll be able to easily achieve a good seal. The weight of the headphones, about 200 grams is nicely divided, so it isn't too felt. A thing you should note is that the headphones might be a bit uncomfortable straight out of the box, but after about 10 hours of use, the pads and the headbands "brake in", and the headphones become very comfortable.  The rating is 9/10.   
 
Isolation: The M80's isolation is mediocre for a set of portable on-ear headphones, and it cannot compete with the AiAiAi TMA-1 and the AKG K518 in this section, due to 2 main factors, which differ it from both of these headphones: The ear-cups are semi-open, each one of them has three small V-shaped vents and in addition to it, their clamping force is fairly lower than the one found in the two headphones that were mentioned above. Overall, the M80s don't isolate well enough in order to use them while riding the train & the bus, but they would be ok for walking in the street, for example. The rating is 7/10.
 
Sound Quality: Prior to the review, the M80s were given about 80 hours of burn-in, no noticeable changes were detected.
The 40mm sized dual-diaphragm which are utilized by the M80s produce a warm, smooth, fun and a quite spike-less sound-signature, which is both consumer-friendly and audiophile pleasing. None of the frequencies over-shadows each other, they're all quite in-line.Achieving a good fit is very important in order to get these headphones to produce their best sound, as a bad fit would usually cause a bad seal that makes the lows sound weak and the whole sound muddy and un-detailed.
 
 
The Bass: It is quite impactful, powerful, has a great rumble and is there in a nice quantity. The M80s' bass extends very low, a bit lower than the TMA-1s. It has a good clarity and resolution in most of its parts, apart from its lowest registers, which lack a bit resolution, clarity and cleanness. It's very punchy and tight; it never feels bloated or inflated at all but it does lack a bit of texture. Its speed is decent, a bit more of it would've not hurt. The mid-bass is a bit more emphasized than the sub-bass, but both sound great. There's no bass bleed to the mids at all, it's very well controlled.        
 
The Midrange: The quite forward mids of these headphones are just great, they do almost not lack in anything at all. The vocals are warm, smooth, airy, quite thick, very clean and clear. The midrange is pretty detailed, though, the instruments are better detailed than the vocals. Talking about the instruments, they sound great; the timbre is very good and they're quite dynamic and energetic. Vocals on poorly recorded tracks sound quite bad; the M80s' midrange isn't a "forgiving" one. 
 
The Treble: The highs are a bit more relaxed and laid-back than the other frequencies (treble-heads would probably not like the M80s), and they roll-off a bit too early, while their extension is good enough. As the midrange, also the treble is very smooth, but a bit less detailed.  
 
Sound-Stage & Imaging: The M80s have a quite large & airy sound-stage for such a small on-ear set of headphones. Imaging and positioning are pretty good. Instruments separation is decent; it's better than the TMA-1 in that section, but it cannot compete with the SoundMagic HP100.
 
The rating for the "Sound Quality" section is 8.5/10. It is given in ratio to the headphones' price-tag at the time of writing this review.
Final Conclusions
 
The M80s are a huge "W" for V-MODA.  Not only they look good and they're comfortable, but they're very well built and good-sounding too. The M80s are headphones that are easy to like, and both the average-consumer and the audiophile that spends thousands of dollars on audio-gear would probably find it enjoyable. The isolation is their only real-weakness, and it's not too bad either. Some might claim that the relaxed and laid-back treble is another weak point of these, but I find it good enough and not lacking. The M80s are a great better sounding (and in my opinion, better looking too) alternative to the notorious "Beats by Dre" headphones in the "designed-headphones market" and I hope to see more people doing the right move and choosing the M80s instead of them. The overall rating is 9/10.
 
 
Where to Buy? The M80's MSRP is $230, but it can be found for around $150 when buying through various dealers such as Amazon, for example. It can also be purchased through V-MODA's official web-store and their verified resellers, which a list of can be found here.
 
This review was reposted from my website "It's A Headphones Thing". Check it out for some more IEM and Headphones reviews, here. http://iahpt.wordpress.com/

After become reacquainted with portable audio with the PX100, I decided that I wanted to invest more in my portable headphones in order to bridge the gap between my pleasurable, but humble, portable rig and my much more capable full sized desktop rig. The V-moda M80 looked like a pretty prime candidate, generating quite a bit of hype on Head-fi, and having a glowing recommendation from the well respected Tyl Hertsens of Innerfidelity. I happened to be browsing on Amazon, and they were priced down to $148, so I decided to pounce.
 
2 weeks later, my headphones arrived and here is what I found;
 
Normally, I wouldn't mention or even think about the packaging of a headphone. Packaging really doesn't mean much to me, it should really only appeal to impulse buyers who judge a headphone by how nice it looks on the shelf, rather than by doing any actual research. But, I have to give credit where credit is due. These are the most well packaged headphones, and possibly the most well packaged thing I've bought before. Not only does the cardboard box look excellent, complete with glamour shots of the headphone and all sorts of product info, but it's an outstandingly sturdy box. Something would have to go disastrously wrong in shipping for your M80s to sustain any sort of damage. On the top of the box there's a small ribbon seal that you cut to get access to the goodies inside, and there's also a little faux snake skin button seal, too. It's all very nice. Once inside you'll find all your usual papers, and the hard travel case.
 
The M80 is very well accessorised. The carry case not only looks awesome, but it's very sturdy; perfect for it's intended use. Upon opening the case, you'll be greeted by the headphones themselves, and the two cables. A single button cable for Android and other smartphones, and a 3 button cable for Apple devices. As an android user, it's great to see a headphone manufacturer smart enough not to completely alienate me by only catering to the Apple users. The Android audience is massive, and it's simple stupidity to ignore us. Both cables are great quality, complete with sleeving and a sleek 45 degree jack. 
 
Moving on to the headphones themselves, these things are some of the coolest looking headphones out there. I think these headphones strike a good balance between subtlety and flashiness. Countless headphones on the market today try to be good looking by being as gaudy and tasteless as possible. Some others (usually these belong more to the audiophile crowd) go for a mature, minimal look such as the Sennheiser Momentum and Bowers & Wilkins P5. The M80s are very much like a sports car. They're flashy to an extent, but refined. I think it's flashiness mitigated with the sensibilities of taste. The sort of looks that will get you compliments but won't make you feel like a 14 year old. They're all black with subtle red accenting. I especially like the brushed aluminium shields. I love brushed alu in general, and this is no exception. The hexagonal shape of the cups is quite unique, very eye catching. 
 
But, don't think for a second that these headphones sacrifice build quality for their looks. These things are built pretty darn well. The basic frame of the headphone has a nice solid rigidity to it, it feels very strong. My sister accidentally half-way sat on them briefly, and I think her rear end came off worse. They're strong. The plastic you'll find on the headphone is quality stuff, very solid. the materials used on the padding are also good quality. The pleather on the earpads is possibly the nicest pleather I've encountered. It's lightyears ahead of that utter garbage I got with the Ultrasone HFI-580. The microfibre on the top of the headband, and the fabric weave on the bottom are both quality materials. The entire headphone is simply spot on, build wise.
 
It just gets better. On top of great looks and build quality, these headphones are also very well featured! Obviously, you've got a removable cable feature which is very welcome for replacing broken cables, but allows you to easily get aftermarket cables since the input on the headphone is 3.5mm. The headband has the impressive feature of being ultra flexible. You can bend it all sorts of ways and it just springs into shape again. This is great for durability, but also useful for adjusting the headphone to the shape of your head.The other major (and very popular) feature is the replaceable, customisable shields. There's a good variety of colours to choose from, and you can get an image engraved onto it for an extra fee. "Endorse yourself" as it were. A cool idea.
 
But it doesn't stop there, unlike most headphones with such fashion and accessory bragging rights, these also sound good. I'd describe the sound as slightly dark, surprisingly spacious and quite rich. The bass is very satisfying to me, I really love it. It has good authority, though I've not once found it overbearing. It can be potent when it needs to be, though. It remains quite clean and controlled, though I think there's a hint of looseness in the lowest reaches, but it's minor to be sure. This bass is definitely able to perform with the likes of electronic, pop and hip hop, and perform well! And, most impressively, for a headphones with such bass capabilities, the mids are just as good. They sound thick (in a good way) and well separated from the bass, with good definition and placement. Where the M80s might not be that impressive to some is the treble. As I said, it's a slightly dark sounding headphone, so the treble takes a little bit of a backseat, however it's quite smooth and not fatiguing at all. The quality is respectable, but isn't as good as the mids or bass. The sparkle and crisp definition isn't there to the extent that some will be wanting, and the way some genres demand. Genres I find these satisfying for are Electronic, Pop, Ambient, Progressive Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz, Folk and some Soundtracks. I thought they didn't sound particularly impressive with Classical, and for Metal that's fast or aggressive at all, they just sounds too congested and a bit muddled. But all things taken into account, I think they sound wonderful!
 
Unfortunately this headphone isn't perfect (what is?). The first problem with this headphone I came across very shortly after using them for the first time. I'm using a Samsung Galaxy S, and the M80s cables are not compatible my device. When plugged in normally, the sound is quietened and distorted, but when you hold down the inline button, the sound returns to the correct volume and clarity. This wasn't a cable problem either, because the cables worked flawlessly with a Blackberry and iPod Touch. It's also not a problem with my device since other inline control headphones work fine. I'm not the only person with a SGS to have this problem with the M80, this is just a compatibility issue it seems. Quite disappointing since it says on the box that it's compatible with Android devices. 
 
Luckily, V-Moda's wise design and their excellent service help remedy this. A simple reversing of the cable allows for the sound to come through loud and clear, since it bypasses the controls and microphone. Whilst this works, I still have to sacrifice the convenience of being able to press a button to stop my music, I have to pull my phone out to pause. That, and I also lose the benefits of the 45 degree angle jack. I expressed my woes to V-Moda and asked them to send me an audio only cable, and to my surprise, they agreed! Their communication was great (they tried to help me solve my cable issue) and they were nice enough to send me a free cable. I've slammed Grado's service before and I'll do it again. Grado, pull your finger out and take note from V-Moda. This is how you treat customers! Not to mention the 2 year warranty (which they still honour if you buy from Amazon, which is a lot cheaper than buying it from them) and the immortal life program. Just brilliant!
 
I also have noise and isolation issues with these headphones. The cables make a noticeable amount of noise when they brush against clothing. It's very much there at low volumes, and even at higher volumes it's still a bit irritating because you can always JUST hear it. Aftermarket cables could remedy this I imagine, but I think it's a case of V-Moda going for looks over functionality. As for isolation, in and of itself it's actually fine for me. It's not super effective, it won't completely isolate you from everything, but I don't really like total isolation. It makes me feel uncomfortable that I have no situational awareness. They'll block enough noise for your music to be satisfying, but still let you hear important noises around you. My isolation issue comes from the wind noise. If you're out with these in windy weather there will be a noticeable wooshing noise. This is a nitpick or a dealbreaker depending on how much you're actually going to be walking around out with them. My portable needs are more for chilling on the couch with my phone, or sitting in a car or train or bus on a long trip, so for me it's not a bid deal. But, be warned all the same.
 
 


I've since sold the headphones due to the comfort, for the reasons stated above. I tried for a long time to make them feel comfortable, but they just weren't.

Great headphones! Of course everybody can have own comfort/audio/sound preferences (and expectations) - but with its quality, sound, design and included hard case - one of the best deals on market. But the most important thing: can be "upgradable". Maybe factory cable is "military" but it sounds like (old military) telephone. I'm using Oyaide HPC headphones cable and Acoustic Revive QR-8 Quartz Resonators inside. Effect? Deep and fast bass but with much better control, more "air", sweeter treble, more realistic mid-range.  Sound kicked on the another level - still with almost perfectly build headphones.

I got these headphones about 5 months ago now, and they've had at least 40 hours of use, probably more, so they're certainly burned in.
They cost 160$ new at the time of purchase, so nothing too bad, but I didn't get them on a good sale, that was for sure.
 
 
Build Quality-
I was just amazed with these when I opened the box. All of the hype about how well made they are? It's certainly true. I feel as if I could throw these off a building and they'd be fine. So far I've dropped them onto concrete countless times, and off tables. They have but 2 scratches on them from all that.
 
Accessories-
Ample, the 2 different cables is a nice touch, as is the carrying case. Now I can't imagine anyone wearing the case on a belt loop like they say you can, that's a bit silly, but it works just fine on a backpack or bag of some sort. The cables are rather microphonic, but not too much of a problem if you're just walking or sitting.
 
Isolation-
Very unimpressed here. It hardly blocks any outside noise, and using these on a bus or in a noisy place just isn't that enjoyable. You have to turn the volume up way too much to block out any outside noise.
 
Sound-
Honestly, I don't understand all the hype about how these cans sound. Maybe it's just because it's not the sound I'm used to, coming from AKGs, but they do not sound all that great to me.
There's a large mid-bass hump that bleeds a bit into the lower mids and muddies things up, the bass doesn't extend very low, and the treble is very rolled off. To the point of being just downright dull on some songs to me. 
I'd describe these as dark and muddy. The soundstage is average, nothing to write home about, but it's not terrible at least.
 
 
Overall-
I'm not impressed. I've tried them straight off an iPod, Galaxy Player, amped with a Fiio E6 and with a Fiio E10 off my computer, and they really don't improve that much. Sound-wise, these do not sound like 160$ cans to me. Build quality wise though, these are excellent, come with some decent accessories, and are comfortable to wear. 
 
 
 
 
 

Introduction/Disclaimer

In addition to being a newbie audiophile, I don't really have much experience with listening to supra-aural or on ear headphones, therefore you should take my review with a fistful of salt. My purpose for buying the M-80 was to replace my TF10s as my part of my portable setup for use during traveling to and fro from work, via bus and train, which is what I have based my opinion of the M-80 on, as a portable/travel headphone. I have had the M-80s for about a 4 months now, and have been using it almost everyday while commuting, without an amp straight out of my Cowon J3.
 
What I like...
 
Design and Build:
The biggest draw for me to these headphones were not the rave impressions about it's sound but rather it's striking looks. The headphone design is incredibly stylish to me and is one of the few headphones that I love wearing out in public. The white ones I got look stunning and goes well with most of my outfits.
 
There's little to say about the build quality that hasn't been already highlighted. The headphones feel very durable and haven't shown any signs of wear after the months of abuse I've put it through. The shields still look great and my custom logo design is still unscratched (even after running my fingernail across the thinner parts of my logo to try to scratch it off). Replaceable shields and detachable wires are a big pluses.
 
Sound Quality:
Definitely much better then I expected when I first tried them. The standout for me was probably the soundstage, which was unexpected for a supra-aural. Rather spacious with good separation, almost felt like a mini-open back headphone (which perhaps it is due to it's vents).
 
I normally don't like headphones with strong bass emphasis, but the M-80 pulls it off rather well, without being muddy and detracting from the lower mids. In fact, the strong bass on the M-80 is advantageous for traveling, which is usually drowned out by the background noise. The impact really helps keep the music enjoyable in noisier environments. The treble isn't too bad albeit a bit too rolled off for my tastes. Detail and speed are fairly good but nothing too impressive.
 
All this might sound very average but it's really not. It's surprising that V-moda managed to fit this much level of sound quality into portable headphones, so much so it seems comparable to some full sized headphones. Overall a pleasant listening experience.
 
What I dislike...
 
Isolation:
The biggest reason I have actively advised some of my friends who have showed interest not to buy the M-80. The isolation on the M-80 makes me question it's usability as a portable headphone. Lower frequency noises are basically untouched by headphone's passive noise cancellation and makes listening to music on the bus/train, by the roadside or in crowded places extremely frustrating. Admittedly, I do not like listening at high volumes, therefore my biggest complaint about these headphones are, because of their poor isolation, I have a tendency to turn up the volume in order to retrieve details/mid-range frequencies when listening to music, due to them being drowned out and masked by background noise.
 
Comfort:
An inherent problem of all on ears imo, is that they can't be used for long periods without my ears aching, the M-80 is no exception. After months of use, I have gotten used to the headphone and it has formed an appropriate clamping force on my head. I do however wish they had visible notches on the sides of the headphone to show how long each side is so I can adjust each side equally without the use of any measuring tool and allow me to quickly readjust the headband to my preferable size if they have been changed. The headband on the M-80 is also noticeable when they are on your head and they don't "disappear" like many comfortable headphones do. I also remember the headphones to be quite uncomfortable when I first got them, but they are much better after a period of usage.
 
Overall impressions:
I personally find that the M-80 has very little practical usage. The poor isolation seems to defeat the purpose of making them portable headphones. On the move and in noisier environments, I find IEMs to provide a much better listening experience despite having poorer performance at this price range; and as for home or office usage, full sized headphones give much better performance and scalability. Furthermore with full-sized portable noise-cancelling headphones like the UE6000 and UE9000 (neither of which I have heard), it's even harder to give the M-80s a recommendation. Maybe if you only have a short commute to work and you worked at a place with a quiet environment which required you to be mobile (like a librarian maybe?), these headphones might be suitable. The poor isolation also allows for higher situational awareness, making crossing roads safer (although it's still highly advisable to remove them before crossing), but is made at the cost of not being able to fully enjoy your music in noisier environments.
 
Overall, these headphones seem more like a fashion accessory then a portable headphone solution. They look and sound great but aren't really suited for travel, at least not in my case. In no way a bad headphone, just situation specific.

[size=small]After much research, I decided to purchase new headphones. I had been looking for good headphones for about 6 months, until I finally decided to purchase the V-Moda Crossfade M-80s. At first I was more inclined to in-ear headphones, particularly Klipsch S4s or Bose IE2. Then, I started law school and saw several classmates wearing Beats Solo and Beats Studios, apart from all the kids on the street. I started researching on which headphones I should get since I mostly listen to Rock and Jazz music. I was amazed about all the info I found. I started freaking out when I saw headphones on the 500$ area and I started to determine a budget. On or around $150.00 was the sweet spot. I was going to wait until Black Friday to see if I could get the Beats Solo, but after reading several reviews I started realizing what everyone was saying. Beats Solos are for bass enthusiasts, which is not bad, but I particularly wanted a rounder more sophisticated sound that didn't overwhelm the guitars on my rock tracks. I also wanted something that would make the mids sound good on my jazz tracks. I wanted something to help me study, not give me a headache.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]I'm kind of new to the whole audiophile experience, so don't be quick to judge. I first came across V-Modas while window shopping at the mall. They were displayed at the Microsoft Store right next to the Beats. The price, of course, was the MSRP. So I went home and researched more to see what they were about. I logged into review sites like CNET, Engadget, etc. It wasn't until I reached Head-Fi.org that I was convinced.[/size][size=small][/size]
[size=small][/size]
[size=small]The reviews there were very helpful, describing the aspects that I was particularly interested in. I also liked the comments posted by the CEO of V-Moda, Van Kolton. Finally, I decided to read the reviews here. I must say, I was debating between buying the Crossfade LPs, LP2 or the M-80. Black Friday weekend came around and the LPs dropped to an unbelievable 80$. However, I wasn't sure if I wanted so much bass in my headphones. After much debating and looking at my wallet and my needs, I decided to get the M-80s.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]When I got them in the mail, first thing I did was open them and plug 'em to my phone (Samsung Galaxy S2). I have a couple of songs in there, especially a couple of albums on FLAC. I am amazed. My 30$ Skullcandy headphones are worth nothing to me right now. I am hearing things I've never heard before with these headphones. The sound is more sophisticated. A rounder bass that doesn't overpowers the rest of the instruments. But sound isn't everything. These things are very well made. They look much stronger than my dad's Bose QC3, and I paid half of that here in Amazon. The headphones are also a visual wonder. They loko very stylish. The case is very sturdy too. You can toss it around and put stuff on top of it (books), without having to worry that the heaphones could get squished. One thing that particularly called my attention was the warranty that V-Moda is offering on these babies.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]I also recommend that you buy them directly from Amazon or V-Moda and not a reseller/ebay. Apparently there are a lot of fakes out there and V-Moda won't honor the warranty. You should check out V-Moda's website for more details about this. If you have any questions, drop me a reply so I can elaborate on the matter. I must confess I still haven't burnt them in. Hopefully I'll get more out of them in a couple of days.[/size][size=small][/size]
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[size=small]Edit: Can anyone point me in the direction of a decent portable AMP? Something in the $50-$100 area?[/size]

V-MODA has never disappointed me now that I finally had the chance to try these.
 
Value: You can't go wrong with them being $156 on amazon I'd be willing to pay more for these.
 
Audio Quality: Very detailed sound. Clear mids along with a deep bass is what got my attention, these headphones are everything V-Moda described them to be they also offer a fun sound signature.
 
Design: Great looking.
 
Comfort: Kind of uncomfortable for me it might just be because I have a big head.
 
Noise Isolation: Block out a good amount of noise with passive isolation.
 
Durability: Built like a tank.

Got these babies as a present for my birthday half a year ago.
I was looking to get audiophile-quality closed-back versatile headphones for everyday use.
Please note: I tend to desribe deficiencies to further extent than the pros. Factor this in when reading the review below.
 
My use cases:
 
Listening to wide variety of music - mostly FLAC and 256-320kbps MP3. Sources: Laptop Realtek HD soundcard, workstation Asus Essence STI soundcard, Nokia n900 mobile, Samsung S3 mobile.
 
Amateur film production - on-set use for recording, mixing and monitoring. Use as reference editing monitors for final-cut sound mixing and editing. My other "studio" speakers are 3-way self-built monitors made of top-line Morel components circa 2006.
 
DJing - small private parties, usually with amateur/semi-pro grade rented gear.
 
Pre-buy Considerations:
Design is what made me overlook these several times... Sorry, vampires are not my cup of tea.
I was considering the usual suspects in this category - Senheisers HD25, Audio Technica ATH-ESW9, Bayerdynamics....
Eventually what got me considering these are the great Head-Fi reviews of the sound quality and the evident durability. I hate it when I buy products for everyday use that require such delicate handling that i constantly have to worry about them (i.e. Galaxy S3). Also, I always look for value, so 200$ price tag was a pleasant surprise for me! In this case bang-for-buck is probably the best in category.
 
What you get -
First impression, at least kit-wise, are great! You don't just get headphones, you get a "Head Phone System" complete with magnificent carying case, extra cable, shakle for hanging the case of your backpack and even cable clip to reduce noise from cable brushing on your clothes while you walk!
Not many manufacturers invest so much attention to detail as V-moda when it comes to kit and that is too bad!
 
Sound -
To tell you the truth, I was very disappointed with the sound the first time I listened. I frantically tried to find a music genre that would sound right and I failed. The sound was very intense, unnatural and synthetic. Bass and mid-bass were great out of the box but everything else felt "compressed" and tiring.... Well, break-in it is then. 48 hrs of white-noise at medium-high volume.... still same ****ty sound. Highs got a bit clearer and less tedious, but overall balance was still pretty annoying to my ear. I was frustrated but didn't give up and boy am I happy about that!
 
About 5 months later I have what I consider the best sounding closed-back headphones of my life (so far). With this build quality I will probably inherit them to my future son in a decade or so Tonal balance is great. Mids stick out a bit resulting in amazingly clear vocals, highs "muffled out" a bit allowing for much less tiring sound, bass stayed awesome, maybe a tad less hollowish-punchy than what it was. Tonal separation and sound stage improved considerably. I must admit that the fact that after 5 months I found the sound better balanced is probably due to both: me getting used to the peculiarities of M-80 and them having a long period to burn in.
 
The sound stage is clearly defined, "sticking out" about 10-15 cm out from each cup. I find it very spatious for closed headphones. Closing my eyes while listening to well mastered music it's very easy to locate every instrument and the source of vocals. Sometimes I find myself pleasantly surprised when some rarely played instrument located at the far edges of the stage is played and I discover that the stage is much wider than first thought.
 
Comfortability -
Probably the weakest point of these headphones.
 
I confess, I have a pretty big head and above average sized ears. Plus I wear glasses. At first, listening to M-80s anything above 45min would result in pain without fail. The "grip" on the head is very tight. That's great if you need to sprint for a departing bus or for getting punched in the face, but not very comfortable otherwise. So I used moderate force to bend the arc and left the headphones to strech out several nights on a maneken head I happen to have. This helped, but still, listening to these in hot climate and for extended periods of time is hard for me. 2-3hrs is not a problem at all. Longer than that - I feel the need to take a break. Glasses definitely don't help with this. Maybe it will be less of an issue for people with moderately sized heads
 
Another point that might be important if you wear these outside, is the wind noise. M-80s have small "ports" on the cups. These ports capture wind when it's windy or even when you are walking fast. The noise is very audible and somewhat annoying, but nothing I can't live with.
 
All in all - your ONLY reasons not to buy these are: the newly released M-100s and if you have couple more hundred bucks to shell out for something better
 
Highly recommended!
 
EDIT: added disclaimer, added clarification regarding burn-in, added a paragraph describing the sound stage, added comfortability section and reference to wind noise issues