V-MODA Crossfade M-80

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hey guys, here's my review of the m-80 from a consumer standpoint. I'm not an expert on sound description but hopefully this review could be helpful for someone like me (not an audiophile, but enjoys good sound quality).
I don't consider myself an audiophile by any means as I don't really do any critical listening. I usually listen to my music on the go (train, bus, walking), at work, at the gym and at home while doing other stuff.
My sources are my 2nd gen iPod Touch (out of a fiio e6, as the audio jack doesn't work anymore), Sansa clip+ (mostly for the gym and running), Sony Ericsson Xperia arc and out of my Dell laptop. Almost all of my files are 320kbps. I value looks, sound and durability. I mostly listen to EDM, a lot of NIN, some rock and some hip hop, plus the occasional movie/tv episodes on the laptop.
 
I just got into this hobby (since September of last year) and I've returned or sold the following headphones in the past 6 months or so:
- Sennheiser hd428: returned, first foray into "good quality" headphones, I didn't use an amp, so they sounded pretty weak out of my iPod. Plus the cable seemed pretty flimsy.
- Sennheiser HD-25 Adidas Originals: Returned, didn't like the plastic build and the look, the sound was pretty good though. Clamping force was a bit too strong for long session listening.
- Sony MDR-XB500: First basshead headphones, liked the comfort and bass, but hated the noise leak, lack of isolation, and the slow nature of the sound. Returned.
- V-Moda Crossfade LP: Second basshead headphones, liked the build quality, packaging and bass but had some problems with the fit (the shape of my ears made them akward to obtain a good seal and they got uncomfortable after 30 min-1h = sweat building up in the back of my ears), the weight (nice materials but i felt they were heavy on my head) and the sound signature didn't go well with some of my NIN. Sold.
- Skullcandy Mix Master: I based this purchase based on Tyll's review over at innerfidelity. Loved their sound (good bass, mostly a DJ oriented sound, sounded a bit closed in, good for electronic music but not as much for other genres) and design but didn't like the glossy plastic, the mostly plastic build and the skullcandy logos made them look cheap. For 340$ (that's with taxes), I didn't feel like they were worth it. Returned.
 
Here's what I currently have:
- Koss Portapro: great headphones, had them for 2 years, I just can't use them on the go as they're open headphones.
- Shure SE215: first iem, had them for 2 months. Great for the train commute, although i hate fiddling with them when putting them on. The fit isn't as secure in my ears (I tried all the tips included) and I have to push them back in now and then. I still use them for the great isolation though.
- Sennheiser PMX680: My sports headphones. I used them mainly for running but I recently stopped using them as I don't like the headband design (clamps too much). Decent SQ when running (the bass is what you'll hear most when running).
 
As you see, I'm pretty picky! I was looking for something portable, that sounded great unamped, closed but not completely noise isolating (need to hear my surroundings for safety reasons and at the office, if my phone rings or someone talks to me), that is well built and durable. Having owned a v-moda product before, I followed the progress of the m-80 closely in the past few months and they seemed to meet most of my needs so I ordered a pair last week. It took them 4 days to get to Canada. Very fast delivery time. Unfortunately, I had to pay full price as there were no coupons at the time, so they cost me 249$ with the 20$ shipping costs. They luckily included a 3rd audio cable (no mic, no buttons) which was the only one compatible with my cellphone. I listened to them for about 10 hours. No noticeable burn-in (my ears are perhaps not well trained to notice the difference).
 
Sound wise, these are fairly balanced and flat compared to some of the headphones I previously owned. I usually prefer a more "consumer friendly" V-shaped sound. The bass is punchy, tight, clean and doesn't bleed a lot into the midrange. They won't satisfy the bassheads out there though. The problem here might be that the bass is not boomy and isn't always present compared to basshead cans like the XB500 or the LP. These weren't marketed as basshead cans so I was expecting this. For long listening sessions, this is great as you won't get tired of being constantly punched in the face by bass. I still think they're good for EDM. They do respond easily to EQing but with my cheap fiio e6, all it really does is boost the volume. I usually prefer keeping the EQ flat. The mids are very good. Vocals on trance songs sound lush, smooth and quite inviting. The highs are on the warmer side which is a good thing as I plan on listening with these for long sessions and a bright can can get tiring. Tracks like "Not so pretty now" leave you wanting more in terms of the brightness of the hi-hats/cymbals but detail is quite good from such a small pair of headphones. Again, you can EQ them. Instrument separation is decent and soundstage is okay/good for a small closed can. This might be due to the v-port vents. They can cause sound leakage at high volume. Isolation is decent with music playing but at low volumes (at the office, for example) you can hear background noises such as people talking and phones ringing, and, disappointingly, there is some microphonics. The rubbing of the cable on my shirt collar is quite noticeable at low volumes. Finally, I used them for interval runs on the treadmill and they stay on quite well, although I'd recommend using earbuds for longer runs as your ears won't sweat as much.
 
EDIT (18/03/2012): I've since returned them because of comfort issues. My ears are a bit bigger than average and they got warm after 30 min, This can be attributed to the on-ear design. I've always had comfort issues with this type of design (same issue I had with the Hd-25 Originals). I still recommend them to anyone looking for a fun, close to audiophile sounding headphone. The 60 days test drive is plenty enough to decide whether to keep them or not. 

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

This review is part of the V-moda M80 voyage program, started in the thread: 'V-moda crossfade m80 audio-voyage reviewers wanted' and I was lucky enough to be selected to receive one M80 and be part of a group of discussion, and finally post my review here. We were asked to make an honest and free of prejudice review (as expected) so here is mine. Consequently this is my opinion but hopefully I managed to be objectively enough.
 

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V-Moda M80 on ear portable headphone​

 
 

 
First things first: If you just want the straight-to-the-point review and no blabbering, read only the blue bits.

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Build quality:
Two things come to my mind, tough and flexible. Headband flexes like few, I’ve manage to set it flat or twist it to the other side and cross the cups far from what seems normal.
 
 
The hinges that holds the cup is metal. And its hold with four screws per cup, the cup shell is plastic with a metal back plate.
The headband is some sort of fiber with a soft felt in the part where it touches the head. It looks very durable, but only time will tell.
The cables look well built, I have 3 cables in my package, one audio only (grey, 2 meters) , one with volume +/- and play/pause keys (black, 1.5 meters), and the other with mic (red, 1.5 meters), the audio only one soft and docile, the others two tend to become stiffy specially when twisted. The plig housing in all cables are minimalist, stylish, rubbery and flexible.
 
Physically, the attention to details by V-moda is remarkable. and I can throw this around with confidence, it can take the abuse, even more if you store it in the case, but I've been just trowing it inside my backpack, no case, no cover.
 
The good: flexibility in the headband, solid build, replaceable back plates. Detachable cord and you can use almost any cable extension (slightly jack only the massive plugs wont fit). It can take a lot of abuse.
The nitpicks:  the cable from the cups to the headband could be held to the hinge to avoid it to pop up (the sony V6 prevent this with a clamp in the hinge holding the cable). 2 of the 3 the cables gets stiff and even more when twisted.
The bad: none.

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Look:
Definitely stylish, not your standard rugged plain black headphone, but it doesn’t go as far as being pretentious either.
Body is mainly black (glossy or matte) with red bits here and there.
 
 

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Accesories:
3 cables, an excellent hard carrying case known as exoskeleton, a clip to hel carry the bag, 3 cables and ¼ to 1/8 inches adapter. All this in a fancy hard cardboard box.
 
The good: exoskeleton case is awesome. More cables than you’d need.
The nitpicks:  none.
The bad: none. V-moda does not fool around in accessories.
 
 
Cables and plugs.

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Comfort:
The headband is well padded and the clamping force is low, additionally the earpads are soft. All this sums up to have a very comfortable headphone. I can wear this for long listening sessions without a single problem.
After a while I forget the headphones are on, which is hard to achieve with an on ear headphone.
 
The good: top notch comfort.
The nitpicks: none.
The bad: none.

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Isolation:
Not the best, fair less than the Sennheiser HD25. I believe it might be due to the shape of the cups, oval shaped (hexagon) and the fact that they have vents in the back. It manage to block the high frequencies but creates some sort of tunnel like sound with the lower frequencies. I wouldn’t use it in a noisy environment, tried it at a football stadium and got distracted by the exterior’s noise every now and then.
 
It confuses me how V-moda advertises this in their website as “Noise isolating” and at the same time advertize the V-port technology. 
Where sound/air goes out, sound/air comes in.
 
Edit: From V-Moda we got the fact that this are semi-closed headphones, and it was made to gain some soundstage and bass, and it really works in that matter, covering the vents will end up in a different sound. at the end it was a good choice, at expenses of some isolation, you lose some you win some, right?
 
The good: block some noise.
The bad: Isolation could be better, not on par with HD25 and DT1350.
 

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Sound:
Is you are expecting the M80 to sound the typical bass heavy fashion headphone, you’re in for a surprise, the midrange was the first thing that caught my attention.
I used this headphone right out of my Zune120, ipod classic and clip+, also used iBasso D3  ¿and Mini3 as amps but felt that the M80s doesn need the amplifier, it does well from the headphone out alone.
 
Bass:
Not prominent, not loose and neither boomy, it isn’t as tight and detailed as other headphones like the DT1350 either, but enough as to know that the M80’s does not lack bass.
Extension is good enough as to perceive subbass when the track demands it.
They have punch, don’t hit as hard as the HD25, but definitely more punch and kick then the DT1350.
 
Mids:
This is my favorite of the three. Very articulated, clear, fairly detailed and liquid. They make the HD25 mids sound recessed.
I’ve also being using the M80s to watch movies and listening poscasts, something I wouldn’t do with a headphone without articulated mids. These are responsible to make the M80 sound slightly bright, even at the lack of sparkling highs, maybe because the bump in the mid-high section of the FR graph.
 
Highs:
From the three ranges this is the one in the third place. See it this way, if you were to categorize the clearness, detail and how loud each range is, the highs would be in the background. I can safely say the highs feels tamed and lacks sparkle, without sounding dark.
This could be seen as an advantage considering that piercing and sibilance are out of the equation.
 
Sound signature:
I’d say it’s a fun signature but not V shaped (oddly enough since V-moda seems to like to put a V in everything they made  ) bass is not the priority, but you certain have decent amount of bass. Bassheads, you’ve been warned. The liquid, open and clear mids makes this headphone what it is, a pleasant non fatiguing portable headphone.
 
 
Soundstage:
The M80 offer more soundstage than one would expect from an ‘on ear portable’ as a Grado fanboy I have very little acknowledge about soundstage ha!. I often gets amazed at soundstage and how my beloved Grados lacks it. The M80 space doesn’t feel so cramped as the Sennheiser HD25, for my listening sessions, I’d compare the soundstage with the Beyerdynamic DT1350, at least.
 
Separation and Details:
I find it to be very good, channel separation is very noticeable, which gives out a larger soundstage feeling, instrumental separation with heavy, faster and technical music (progressive metal) was good enough as not to feel cramped and neither lacking details.
 
Sound summary:
With the mids in the front row, the bass in the second and the highs behind them, the M80 offers a very different option from the two better known competitors, Sennheiser HD25 and Beyerdynamic DT1350.
I really enjoy the M80s, I like the fun yet different sound it makes, most fun headphones tend to be bassy and sparkly or recessed mids, the M80 defies that and the results are quite exciting. It was a pleasant surprise and I plan to use them a lot from now on, at expenses of the beyer DT1350, which was already getting little use next to the senn HD25.
A very welcome new option for those of us who believes that portable-fi should be about fun and comfort, after all I don’t want a clinical signature to analyze the music in a 30 minute trip or a 15 minute relax in between classes, I want to have fun and enjoy the music. The M80 does that for me, and plenty more, I’ve used this at the office for 2.5 hours straight without feeling tired at the sound or my ears hurt.
 
The good: Clear, liquid and articulated mids. Over average level of details, good soundstage, not overpowering bass. does not require amplification.
The nitpicks: None.
The bad: lack of sparkle, lack of extension in the upper levels.

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Value:
I got this for free and perhaps that and the fact that I like it makes me put a higher value rate.
But thinking as a potential customer, the actual MSPR from V-moda is $230, do I think its worth it?  no, but rarely a headphone worth its list price, none that I remember, and that is why street prices exist. I believe I could handle $180 for the M80 and be happy, but what do I know about prices, I am only a customer. 
Here’s the thing, it is a whole package, clas A buld quality, very good sound, and the accessories, including the excellent exoskeleton case, it all sums up for a great portable.  
 
Technical specs:

1. Type: Supraaural (on-ear)
2. Speaker Drivers:  40mm.
3. Impedance: 28.5 Ohms
4. Frequency Response: 5 - 30,000 Hz
5. Sound Pressure Level: 105 dB
6. Weight: 180g (headphone only)

 

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Size comparison:
 
 
Cup size comparison with the beyerdynamic DT1350
 
More and larger photos in this album
Hope this was useful to someone.

 
 

 
 
When it comes to describing the sound of the V-Moda Crossfade M-80 on-ear headphones, two words come to mind:
 
Smooth and Full-Bodied
 
I think that it also bears mentioning that this review is coming from someone who does not have much prior experience with OE headphones. Most of my most recent experience has been more involved with IEs of differing brands and sorts, and styles. But I am one of the ten contestants who was fortunate enough to have been selected for the this Voyager group. And so, having spent a few weeks now with this set, I have formulated a few impressions I would like to share here with others of you who might be interested in these.
 
Please take note, before I proceed that, in no way do I consider myself an expert in any conceivable manner or means when it comes to rating or reviewing audio gear. All I can do is share my impressions with you. Ultimately, you will have to make the final (informed decision), yourself, as to whether to purchase a set for yourself, or not. Please also keep in mind that there have been nine others of us in this group. And although we have all had the opportunity to discuss these headphones together at great length (in a private forum setting here at Head-Fi), we may not all necessarily agree with each other about every single aspect regarding these M-80s. So, just a few things for you to keep in mind as you read.
 
For my own personal testing and overall impressions, I have been primarily using two different MP3 players, neither one of which has been amped or ‘Rockboxed’ (but I do adjust the EQ settings quite a bit).  These two sources of mine have been a Sony Walkman NWZ-E354, and a Sansa Clip+. And my music files have all been in WAV format (lossless). The music I have been listening to throughout my time of testing has varied quite a bit. It has actually run the whole entire gamut, from Christian Alternative Rock (bands such as Thousand Foot Krutch, Switchfoot, Skillet, etc), as well as some Classic Rock from the ‘60s. ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s (Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, The Moody Blues, CCR, The Rolling Stones, The Cars, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, Heart, Journey, Boston, etc).
 
I would like to break my review down into 3 primary groups:  Build Quality, Comfort, and then finally, Sound Quality. First let me say though, for the record that, although it is my desire to be as concise as I possibly can here, however it is entirely possible that I might miss something, or leave out an important detail or two. Allow me to apologize for this right here and now, in advance if it turns out to be the case that I miss anything important. And of course, don’t forget. . .there are nine others of us as well. So, by all means please read their reviews also, because what I might miss, someone else might do a wonderful job discussing with impeccable detail (and of course, vice versa).
 
I’ll begin with a word about build quality. I really have to admit, I am very impressed. The designer(s) of these phones have obviously put some creative thought into the build quality and design. They seem very sturdy to me, constructed of very durable materials. I would venture to guess that these phones should be able to handle whatever abuse that the average user might administer, without caving in so easily to the day to day pressures of wear and tear that so many other (less durable) OEs out there might tend give in to. From the steelflex headband (protected by a stain-resistant suede-padded covering), to the v-angle steel acier, to the brushed metal shields which are placed over the outer walls of the earcups, these phones are not only Military-Grade durable, but also rather stylish and classy-looking as well. You can even have your own brushed metal plates customized with your own personalized logo or design, or even monogrammed with your initials --- all with laser-engraved precision, on either black, red, graphite or blue-colored brushed metal plates. Not too shabby, indeed, if I do say so (and I do)!!
 
Next, a word on the overall comfort of these phones. Let me first say that I am an eyeglass wearer. And this being the case, I have tried a few OEs in the very recent past, one in particular, the Pioneer HDK-2000, only to have to get rid of them not long after receiving them (as a gift from a friend). They pushed too tightly against the frames of my eyeglasses and my ears, and therefore became very uncomfortable after just a very short period of time. However, I must say that with these M-80s, I have had none of that. These are super-comfy --- even after wearing them for long periods of time. The suede-padding which covers the headband, along with the ergonomic (soft) memory foam on the earcups both combine to make for an extremely comfortable listening experience, even for the long haul. I believe I could wear these for hours, and not get tired of having them on. This is definitely a real plus, especially when you consider that these are designed to be used on the “Go”. And while I don’t think that these would be awkward to wear in public places (actually, quite the contrary since after all, they ARE a fashion statement, are they not?????), however I can’t really say that they offer the best isolation from the outside world.
 
And so this brings to the final segment, essentially, and in my opinion the most important one also, sound quality. In the final estimation, I really do like the sound of these phones. These are a rather fun set of headphones. They are a very durable set which can be used with many different types and genres of music, and are really great for day to day use. Although I might say a few things about these headphones which might sound like a complaint, please don’t misinterpret this to mean that I don’t like these headphones. I actually do like them. A lot. And I plan on using them on a regular basis. I am enjoying the sound of them more and more each day. But like anything else in life, they are not perfect. There could be some fine tuning or tweaking down the road which could (and would) make them even a better set of phones. But this does not mean that I don’t like them. I honestly do. Having said that, lets move on, shall we. . .
 
During the time of my testing, my initial impressions after I first received these was that they seemed to be very well suited for a harder type of music genre, such as Alternative Rock (which, if you don’t know is typified by a bit of a harsher sound, maybe more of a Metal sound, perhaps). But then, after quite a bit of use (and a good solid break-in time), I started realizing that they are actually very well suited to quite a few different types of music (including Alternative Rock, but many others also). The following is a brief breakdown of how each of the main frequencies seem to respond with these M-80s.
 
BASS 
 
First, the bass. The bass is very solid, and hard-hitting. It packs a very good punch, and has decent ‘attack’. But, then for some strange reason, I don’t feel like the bass extends very well beyond this initial punch. What I am hearing is what sounds like a very quick roll-off --- at times too quick. The initial punch is certainly there, but then the decay or roll-off seems to come a little too quickly. But this does vary quite a bit from genre to genre. Not every music type reacts this way. But for the most part, this is what I experienced with these. Which, at times could be rather frustrating. Now, I for one am not really a ‘basshead’ in the true sense of the word. But when there IS bass in a track, I don’t just want to hear it; I want to feel it, too. And you certainly DO feel it, as a matter of fact with MOST music types you can feel it (if you have your EQ turned up high enough). But after that initial attack, it seems to roll off too soon for my tastes. As a result, I would not necessarily classify these as a ‘bass-lover’s headphone’. But on the other hand, it could certainly be said that the bass does hit hard, and is NOT muddy at all.
 
 
MID-RANGE
 
If I had to say that there was one overall strength (for lack of a better word) of this sound signature, it would have to be the mid-range. Right out of the box I noticed this with these. The mid-range is spiked. It was spiked quite a lot right out of the box (too much for my tastes), but did become a bit tamed after a good bit of use. However, I do still hear what sounds like an emphasized amount of it. And for me personally, this doesn’t tend to be my favorite part of a song. So for my customized EQ settings on both of my DAPs, I have had to reduce the mids quite a bit (and boost both the bass and treble --- or the lows and the high-end frequencies). Now this is not necessarily a bad thing. I mean, if you like vocals, then they will come shining through with these M-80s. But the mid-range can be rather overpowering for some (like myself). Which is why I prefer to reduce this part of the frequency range on my player(s).
 
 
TREBLE
 
I think I can say without any hesitation that the treble is the most difficult and complex part of the sound signature to come to terms with, regarding these M-80 headphones. And I don’t believe that I am alone in this view, either. I know that there are others in our Voyager group who feel the same way. The treble is a bit perplexing. It is an enigma, of sorts. What made the treble so difficult to come to terms with is, because for the longest time whenever I would hear it, although I knew something was wrong or missing. But for the life of me, I just couldn’t put my finger on what exactly that missing piece of the puzzle really was. It wasn’t actually until another member of our group (Armaegis) was able to properly articulate this point, that I was able to realize and understand what was really going on here with the treble. As Armaegis so tactfully put it:
 
 
 “. . .I think my expression of treble is might also be what others would consider upper mids. I feel like it has some sort of echo or resonance that blurs it. Cymbals and finger snaps just don't sound crisp enough, like they're coming through a veil. I can hear the initial ring, but it doesn't catch your attention. It's especially fuzzy when there's a lot of other music layers. . .”
 
And, he also goes on to say (regarding the LOW end this time). . .
 
“. . .Conversely, the low low end (<50Hz) to me feels like the initial impulse is too strong and it loses shape after that. Well, I can't say for certain that it's the impulse... low notes feel very strong and have plenty of "punch", but the actual tone itself doesn't quite feel right, with it getting looser the deeper we go. . .”
 
 
I want to thank Armaegis for this. I really like the way he put this. He was able to put into words what (perhaps) many of us in the group felt, but just could not communicate properly. You see, the treble (or high-end) to me seems to be lacking a certain luster or shimmer to it (or perhaps the right word here would be SPARKLE). As Armaegis said, it doesn’t sound crisp enough, and I agree with him. It may be that V-Moda was trying too hard to compensate for sibilance, and perhaps they overcompensated a little too much. I can’t really say for sure. But you do get the point though. So, if you're looking for something that has a crisp, clear high-end sparkle and luster remeniscent of the RE0, then you'll want to keep looking. Consequently, I personally feel that this is one of the biggest downfalls and disappointments of the M-80 (but even still, all is not lost. They are still a very nice-sounding set of phones. They could just be a tad bit better, in my opinion).
 
In closing, all in all I think its fair to say (as I’ve already said before) that I really like these headphones a lot. They are a fun set of phones. I am very thankful to have been selected as one of the Voyagers in this group, and I’m thankful to have been given this set of headphones. So, I would easily recommend these M-80s. To me, the sound signature is very full-bodied and smooth. It works well with a lot of different types of music. Additionally, the stage is nice too, open, airy, and 3-dimensional. There is a great deal of width and depth, and as a result I never feel claustrophobic listening to these (I never had the sense like I was inside of a sardine can, as I have had with other OEs --- and even with a few IEs which I have tried in the past).
 
And so while I can most definitely recommend these phones, I am also going to be very hopeful that any improvements in terms of future-generation editions down the road will be even better, and will hopefully remedy the things which are lacking in this first generation edition.
 
V-Moda, you have a lot to be proud of here. Not a bad first effort at all. Keep up the great work, and thank you once again for this opportunity! 

I was lucky enough to be a part of the V-Moda M80 discussion group, I would like to thank V-Moda for allowing me to review this set of magnificent headphones and wish them great success in the future...
 
 
So nice to see an American brand produce a portable Titan worthy of going toe to toe with all of the best on ear portables out there.  The M80 is truly worth every penny you'll end up paying for it.  I don't think anyone will feel disappointed after listening to this set.  
 
The M80 comes packed with some really nice goodies that only sweeten the deal beyond its excellent sonic qualities.  Inside the gorgeous box you are greeting with some paper work and a splendid zipper hard case.  Inside, the M80 lay patiently, tucked snugly and neatly surrounded by a stunning red velvetish material.  I was stunned V-Moda cared enough to offer THREE different cables, two shorter cables, roughly 4ft long with volume/mic controls in a darker Kevlar reinforced material ( not some typical rubber casing we often see ) and another longer cable absent the controls that is just a little longer than the others.  The cable quality is excellent, however the only con in the Kevlar material choice that I foresee is knotting.  All three cables are prone to getting stuck in small looped knots, it takes a bit of force to get it undone and the cable is noticeably harmed and twisted in that area from that point onward, forever maimed.  Despite that, all the cables sound the same and have low microphonics, the M80 cables are really nice and leave all of its competitors in the dust.  Thankfully, you have the option of using your own 3.5mm cable, pretty much anything should fit into it except the giant, super thick plugs out there.  Detachable cables FOR THE WIN!
 
It also comes with a belt clip and in my case ( as well as all the Reviewers selected for this discussion group ) A sexy personalized set of outer shields.  For a little extra, V-Moda allows you to customize your own name plates that replace the stock plates of the M80.  Kind of awesome, if you ask me.  There is no question now that this M80 is mine! All mine! Thankfully if there are problems or if I wish to customize more plates or perhaps re-install the stock blank plates I can do so easily with the included tools provided by V-Moda.  
 
As for the overall build quality, I would give it a solid 8.5/10.  The headband is extremely flexible but very strong at the same time.  The user should easily be able to bend and shape the band to needed specifications if need be, one can force clamping issues away ( or the lack there of ) very quickly with a gentle bending at the top and center of the band itself.  You'll never have to worry about potential snapping.  
 
 
 
The earcups are solid, not quiet as solid feeling as the Beyerdynamic DT 1350 IMO.  I would rate the DT 1350 at only slightly better at a 9/10, I still have yet to see a truly rugged and supremely built portable set of headphones in this price tier that I am willing to say earns a 10/10 in build qualities. Despite that, I am deprived of any feelings that invoke poor build quality in any way.  The set has just enough weight to it to make me feel comfortable saying it is a solid piece of work.  Build Quality is still in the excellent range all around.  
 
I am not too happy about the lack of padding on the earpads.  The set is by no means uncomfortable, quite the opposite, actually.  I think on ear sets should always have more padding than they do, having to rest on the sensitive parts of my ear for potentially hours every day?  Well, I prefer more padding and the M80s earpads lack enough foam to rate them highly. I think they could have stuck more padding in there to make it a bit more comfy and less likely to squish all the way down to the flat area over the driver, becoming totally level with it.  If you have a giant mutant head, odds are good you will experience this.
 
 
 
 
Well, where to begin?  Lets start with the lows.  Bass is strong, deep and satisfying.  Pretty much everything I want in a portable set.  I find it neither super special nor lacking in the slightest. It gets the job done, the M80 is very fun to listen to Dubstep or anything bass heavy.  It has a ton more bass than the DT 1350 which left me sad every time I used it, always wanting more bass.   Not at all the case with the M80, its very satisfying, well colored, large and on the boarder of thick sounding but never overly boomy.  It can be boomy on some tracks with super high bass, it can also distort at these levels but then again everything  in this price range would distort with really high levels of bass. I would really have preferred a cleaner bass experience, for my tastes it is on the thick side but I wouldnt go as far as saying its muddy.  It makes for an immensely fun experience. 
 
The mids are excellent.  Vocals are immensely engaging, smooth and textured.  I am absolutely stunned an on ear set of headphones like this can sound great with vocals from jazz artists or even big band.  From Michael Buble' to Seth MacFarlanes new old school Sinatra-ish Album, right down to classic Rock vocals this set performs on an immensely satisfying level.  Forward and broad, excellent placement.  Impressive to say the least.  
 
Highs are smooth and clean, the problem here is that they are not engaging at all.  I am left with a bit of a lacking sense during classical tracks and especially so in Fusion/Metal Guitar.  Highs are not sparkled and do not extend high, but guess what...thats how V-Moda designed it to be.  They wanted it to be smooth and not make your ears bleed.  Highs are still satisfying enough to use the set on a daily basis, I just wish they were a bit more engaging...wish they had a more bite to it...ya know?
 
 
The set is immensely well rounded, I cannot find any one genre that sounds bad on it.  The Soundstage is for the lack of a better word....AMAZING ( for an on ear set ).  It outshines the DT 1350 which itself has perhaps the largest sound stage in the on ear world that I am aware of.  Height, Width and overall Depth are all very nice and odds are good the first time you listen to them your thoughts will be "WHAT!? I did not expect this set to sound this large"  Truly impressive soundstage for an on ear set of headphones.  Excellent in every way, not overly spacious but also not congested.  It still sounds like a closed set of headphones, it does lack an airy sense to it.  Despite that, the stage is well beyond satisfying.  Hard to believe an on ear set can sound good with classical?  Well, it does.  It sounds every bit as good for classical and big band stuff as it does fusion and rock.  
 
Isolation is a quality all the reviewers in this group had mixed feelings with.  I found it to isolate nicely, others found it to not isolate well.  V-Moda DID IN FACT DESIGN IT TO BE AN ISOLATING HEADPHONE...at least somewhat.  Depending on the shape and size of your ears, it may or may not isolate well for you.  If you are looking for good isolation, I would look elsewhere and avoid the possibility of being let down by the shield shaped pads and earcups vs something circular and known to isolate well like the HD 25 ii or the DT 1350.
 
 
I find no need for amping at all with the M80 beyond just my Cowan J3 or Desktop PC.  It is very efficient and sound excellent right out of a decent source.  Just my opinion, you might want to check in with other reviews for their experiences with amplification and how it affected the sound of the M80.  My pico slim does absolutely nothing for it beyond changing the coloration to something more metallic, made it worse in a lot of ways including sound stage qualities and overall kick factor.  The set is not too punchy but has a fair amount of that snap to it without being at all harsh, just enough to consider it very engaging and fun. I am not at all sure the Tube sound will mesh well with the M80.  
 
Overall, I am rating this set a solid 4/5.  It is immensely well rounded, well built and fun to listen to.  This is by no means a neutral set of headphones, this baby is geared to rock out with a nice forward presentation that is not overly warm but also no where near neutral.  The M80 has more pros than cons, personally I want yet more clarity and a cleaner bass experience, maybe even some sparkled highs, but for what its worth the M80 is a winner.  I think the future of V-Moda looks very bright.  
 
I'm sold and I think most others will be, too.  Great Job V-Moda, Val is a genius...nuff said
 
-Mike
 
 
 
 

I like these headphones, I really do! Good mids, I hear things I have never heard before (Brand new - Gasoline) but I don't hear highs like my klipsch speakers. I know that isn't fair to headphones but I heard it it with Bose Airport and those are sopposedly a scam.I paid much lower then any Grado set, so I like 'em. They are portable and I feel like laughing at people who bought anything beats... But...these are not as high fidelety as I'd like. I may not have burn them in enough... but the highs are just not there.
If you're considering beats ... don't, these are better at cheaper price. If you are looking for a replacement to a king headphone setup, the m-80 will let you down... the highs cannot match the big boys

[size=medium]I would like to thank VModa for including me in their VModa Crossfade M80 voyage.[/size]
 
[size=medium]OK when I opened my package from Vmoda I was surprised at how small the retail packaging was. Then as I opened it up I was pleasantly surprised at the high quality custom moulded case inside. It was solid and very posh. When[/size][size=medium] I opened up the case my breath was actually taken away for a second or to by how beautiful the headphones were. I had decided to go with red custom shield and man do they ever look good. I unfortunately gave to complex a picture to VModa when sending in everything and consequently only have my initials on the headphone but they still look soooooo nice. [/size]
 
[size=medium]I then turned my attention to the cables that came in the case and box and with the package. They were all high quality cloth covered cables that look very strong and durable. But I do have to say they are quite bulky when using with my iPhone in my pocket and I have to be careful I don’t kink the iPhone cable. But over all I have to give VModa props for making well-built cables.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Over all I have to actually give VModa props for everything they have done from an appearance level. These headphones simply exude class and craftsmanship.[/size]
 
[size=medium]I then put them on and had my first moment of trepidation. Well actually I had been having that trepidation all along because I wear glasses and every on-ear headphone I have tried has been a pain to my ears physically. Unfortunately that trepidation was initially warranted as they did cause my ears to hurt. But as I wore them I did notice they started to feel softer and after a while the pain disappeared completely in one ear and was only very minor in the other. But I did and up bending out the headband as they show in the VModa video which has helped them become even more comfortable without becoming too loose. OVERALL I would say they are the most comfortable on ear headphone I have tried.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Also up front I will say that I tried these while on the train and found they were OK, but just OK in regards to blocking out enough sound without cranking up the volume. So if you’re using an IEM for your commutes and wanting to switch to headphone, these may not be quite isolating enough, but it will depend on the volume level you’re used to listening at. On the other hand aside from strong winds (they don’t handle wind to well) I did find these very nice for walking on the street as they did allow enough sound in to allow me to be aware of traffic and my surroundings better.[/size]
 
[size=medium]OK so enough with all the fluff and stuff, HOW DO THEY SOUND![/size]
 
[size=medium]My initial impression was actually pretty positive as I took them out with me for a walk with my dog. I even had a moment where I busted a move in the middle of the street listening to Cold Hearted Man by AC/DC. I worked my way through a choral and violin piece, both which sounded nicely detailed and full. [/size]
 
[size=medium]But when I got home and hooked this up to my small desktop amp and my home computer with Little Dot DAC and started to try some other songs I did notice the bass was quite a bit more than I was used to from my GR07 IEM’s and even my Denon D7000 to a degree. Plus they had the dreaded cavern effect (echo-ee sounding)!  This effect was not as bad some small headphones I have heard like the Denon A100 but it was a bit disconcerting. Some may like this effect but I find it’s a poor alternative to a real sound stage. [/size]
 
[size=medium]I then threw on my trusted burn-in files and left the headphones to cook over night.[/size]
[size=medium]The next day I took the headphone with me to work and tried using these on the train with mixed but ultimately unsatisfying results. I turned up the volume to a bit more than I like and then they drowned out enough of the train sound that I was able to enjoy some music. But this ultimately left my ears feeling a bit fatigued at the end of the train ride.[/size]
[size=medium]Once at the office I used them when possible as I worked throughout the day. The first thing I noticed was most of the cavern effect I had heard the night before was mostly gone much to my relief. But as I used them I felt I still had to turn the volume up a bit more than I like to hit the sweet spot dynamically speaking where the music sounded right. I do think some of that may have been from my train ride though and my initial ear fatigue which then was extended by my turning up the volume at work. Later that night I was starting to hear some of the dynamic sound I like at lower volumes.[/size]
 
[size=medium]I then left them to burn-in again for the 2^{[size=small]nd[/size]} night.[/size]
 
[size=medium]The next day I took them with me to work but used my GR07 on the train as I decided I preferred the better isolation and lower volume levels. This allowed me to then just use them at work without any ear fatigue. Between the lack of ear fatigue and the continued maturation of the headphone I noticed a marked improvement in the dynamics of the headphone as everything just sounded and felt more vibrant. The bass had also lost all of the cavern effect and while being much heavier than I am used to was starting to sound very nice.[/size]
 
[size=medium]I have since then let these burn in for another 40-50hrs plus head time and feel they have started to stabilize. I imagine there will still be small changes but they are now very close to what VModa designed them to sound like.[/size]
 
[size=medium]So where do they fit in sound wise? [/size]
 
[size=medium]My hope for these was that they would be a portable alternative to my VSonic GR07 IEM and my full-size Denon D7000 Headphones. Both the GR07 and the D7000 have many similar characteristics such as full deep bass without a midbass hump, clean mids that are not affected by the bass, and nice detailed treble extension (the treble on both is often considered sibilant by other head-fi members but is exactly how I like my treble). Finally the GR07 (and the D7000 to a slightly lesser degree) have an amazing transparency allowing me to hear emotional component or grit of my music. [/size]
 
[size=medium]The M80 unfortunately has the dreaded (for me) mid-bass hump.  The hump is not as heavy as some products I have owned such as my Sennheiser IE8 but it’s more than I personally like and it also encroached on the midrange a bit making them warmer than I prefer. The midrange, aside from being warmer than I like on the other hand is fully present and enjoyable for vocals and is very nice for vocals. I would say the midrange is more forward than the GR07 and a lot more forward than the recessed mids of theD7000. The treble is unfortunately as much of a challenge for me as the bass. Without using a lot of technical jargon, I find cymbals have more emphasis on the crash than on the shimmer and decay. This has the tendency to make these a bit harsher than I like for some of the music I listen to as it over emphasizes that part of the music and any music that is in the same sonic range. Finally in order to get some of the transparency and emotional content I like I find I have to turn up the M80 louder than I would like.[/size]
 
[size=medium]But as I said that was my hope. So now that my agenda is OUTED. How do these sound on their own without my motives in the way? [/size]
 
[size=medium]Here is a list of music I used while testing. I have decided to only listen to these songs with the M80 and give my thoughts on just them alone. I may occasionally give a comment about another headphone that I feel does something better or show how I like the M80 better but intend to keep such comments to a minimum.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Celtic Music[/size]
 
[size=medium]Loreena McKennit – Stolen Child – female Celtic music : This song has strong female vocals from Loreena that are beautifully rendered by the M80. They are slightly warmer than some of the headphones I own but this added warmth does make music like this sound even richer. I also like how the bass line of the song is portrayed as it is a huge part of the atmosphere of the song. The various bells and chimes used in the song also sound very clear well rendered.[/size]
 
[size=medium][size=medium]Loreena McKennit - Lullaby – Thunderstorm at the beginning tests sound stage plus Shakespearean speech in middle is nice as a vocal test :[/size] The thunderstorm sounded very good with the M80 capturing the sense of expanse a thunderstorm has in real life with good crashes and rumbling. The speech also has an authoritative quality to it due to the added warmth. This song also has an echo quality to the speech which on many headphones can sound hissy versus an echo, the M80 manages to carry the echo off well.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Elemental – Carrighfergus – A male sung Celtic song : The warmth of the midrange again adds a nice weight to the male singing.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Overall I really like how Celtic music sounds on the M80. The M80 seems to be built for this type of music.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Jazz[/size]
 
[size=medium]Patricia Barber – Miss Otis Regrets – female jazz singing, jazz guitar, and cymbals, I look for strong emotional conveyance in this song : The singing is much like what I heard with the Celtic music but I do notice slightly less emotional response in the singing than I get from my GR07. The bass of the song is also a bit too strong for my liking as I again prefer the GR07 or the D7000. Cymbals are a bit to subdued for my liking as well losing to much of their shimmer.[/size]
 
[size=medium]I think Jazz will be a hit and miss for this headphone depending on whether the bass and the treble suit a person’s preference. In my case I want slightly less bass and more treble. I do not have a lot of experience with Jazz though so do think others with a Jazz back ground will be a better judge of the genre and the M80.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Hardrock[/size]
 
[size=medium]AC/DC – Cold Hearted Man – Hard Rock with some grit : Guitars sound very good with lots of growl, the male vocals also sound warm and authoritative but loose some of the grit I like in this song. The cymbals are not as crisp as I like but also never come across as too harsh or over power the guitars. The bass sounds deep but not quite as crisp as I like.[/size]
 
[size=medium]AC/DC – Let There be Rock – Hard rock with grit and a quite busy sound : The speed of the song is managed by the M80 but only just barely and for those who love busy sounding music I suspect you would find the song to be a bit too muddy for you especially at the end.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Heart – Magic Man – Classic Rock with a heavy beat : The bass is close to perfect for this song and the guitars again sound very nice. The cymbals of this song also sound clear and right for this song as any more shimmer would come across as too much. I also like placement of the instruments on the sound stage of this song.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Over all I think the M80 does this genre pretty well. Only falling down on very fast paced songs and needing a bit tighter bass for some music.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Classical Rock[/size]
[size=medium]Eagles – Hotel California : The bass guitar sounds full without being over bearing. Background cymbals are a bit lacking in clarity. Singing comes across nicely. This song is a hard one for most headphones to sound right, the Sennheiser IE8 for example sound hollow for this song in my opinion. The M80 while not nailing it does a good job with this song.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Kansas – Closet Chronicles : The vocals come through clearly as does the cymbals and the electronic sound this band was famous for. This is another song hard to get right, often coming across as fake sounding (think cheap Casio keyboard quality). The M80 actually does this band’s music justice.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Supertramp – Rudy : Railroad tracks sound very good and atmospheric. The piano sounds very good in the song as does the vocals. I like the bassier sections as well. The overall atmosphere of the song is well portrayed and is on the same scale as my D7000. [/size]
 
[size=medium]The M80 actually does a VERY good job with classical 70’s rock. I think it’s one of this headphones strongest genre’s.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Classical Music[/size]
 
[size=medium]Arvo Pärt - Summa: Summa for Strings –Classical Strings : The texture and vibrancy of the cellos in this song are very present and wonderfully rendered by the M80. I also love how it does the violins. The overall atmosphere of the song is also well done pulling you into the song.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Arvo Pärt - The Woman with the Alabaster Box – Classical Choral : Choral vocals are very clean and atmospheric with a string ethereal quality. [/size]
 
[size=medium]The Red Violin - III. Oxford - Pope's Gypsy Cadenza : The violins sound clean but to polite losing the raw energy the song has in the movie. While pleasant to listen to, it just misses the emotion of the music.[/size]
 
[size=medium]The Cleveland Orchestra & Pierre Boulez - Petrouchka - Scene 1: First Tableau – Classical Orchestra : While I cannot speak from a technical perspective in regards to instrument placing in regards to orchestra’s I did like how the instruments came across as being place throughout the sound stage. I also liked the instrument separation and over sound.[/size]
 
[size=medium]I think the M80 does well with this genre except when there is a raw energy required for the song, then it’s politeness takes away from it.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Some final comments:[/size]
 
[size=medium]In general I think the M80 is an excellent entry in the portable headphone market. They are well built and definitely offer a full warm sounding headphone that will meet a lot of people’s musical tastes. They are not perfect though, but then again I haven’t found a portable headphone that is as of yet.[/size]
 
[size=medium]If you like a warm sound with strong bass, a forward midrange, and treble that is a bit on the polite side, and a nice big sound stage then I would say the M80 may be just right for you. I also think this headphone will lend itself well to being EQ’d since you would be reducing most areas versus feelinga  need to increase the sound.[/size]
 
[size=medium]If on the other hand you prefer subdued bass and a much stronger emphasis place on the treble and detail then I would look closer at the Beyer Dynamic DT1350.[/size]
 
[size=medium]If you don’t mind a headphone that is larger (actually over ear) that has a more classic V shaped sound, then the Denon HP700 may be more to your liking.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Personally I prefer the M80 myself as it fit's most of my music genre's well enough for me and the ones it doesn't are not the ones I listen to the most and I do have other alternative headphones as well.[/size]
[size=medium][/size]

Here is my comparison/review vs several other popular headphones in the portable closed genre:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/574617/review-comparison-beyerdynamic-dt1350-t50p-sennheiser-hd25-1-ii-hd25-13-ii-pioneer-hdj-2000-v-moda-m80-aiaiai-tma-1

I am not really an audio expert so I'm not going to try and go into details of which I don't fully understand also these are my opinions I may like my music to sound different to how you like it, so let's crack on
 
  First impressions with this product are very impressive, the box is beautifully styled with great visuals, snake skin handle and a ribbon you have to cut to open it. This definitely a box I want to keep lying around. Once you get inside you are greeted by a very complete package; along with the headphones (obviously) you get a hard shell carrying case, 3 cables (Apple, Android & regular), a 3.5mm to 1/4 inch adapter, stickers and leaflets. V-Moda also threw in a pair of their Faders which are earplugs used to block out sound at a concerts/ crowds/planes. So I am already impressed at the quality of this without even trying the headphones yet, and all this comes with a 2 year warranty plus V-Moda's Immortal Life Program. V-moda are certainly a very generous company.
 
On to the actual headphones now. V-Moda advertise these as nearly indestructible, and they certainly are. You can feel how solid they are and you can literally bend them in any direction without strain. You could throw these headphones around and they'll be perfectly fine, so they're good for rough users. Kevlar lined cables are also a pretty nice feature, even though they include 3 of them I can never see myself using them.
The headphone fit on my head nicely the side adjust with a satisfying click and the cushions rest on my ears comfortably with their memory foam padding. The only problem here is when I wear them for periods of 30 mins+. The pads really start to hurt my ears so I do have to take them off for a while before going back to wearing them, this might just be me though as I have heard other reports that they are very comfortable headphones that you can wear for hours.
 
   Right, the sound. Firstly I am admittedly quite the bass head, the music I listen to mostly consists of Hip-hop, Dance, Dubstep, R&B... Now this doesn't mean I don't know quality, this is just my preference of music I do listen to other genre's too and I have quite a wide library. Now having said that when I chose these headphones I was expecting them to deliver quite a punch judging by reviews of V-moda's other headphones and the DJ styling of these. However the M-80's just don't sliver the bass I'm looking for. You might like to  say they are just too perfect haha. I think V-moda has marketed these to the wrong audience really, they have too much of an audiophile signature for a headphone of this look. Ignoring my fondness for bass, this is a perfect headphone, the sound is just amazing so don't be put off by me if you like other genre's of music. There is some good bass, i just like a bit more of a kick like I was expecting there to be. I just find myself having to turn the bass boost up on everything.
 
 So to finish up. Great pair of headphones for someone looking for style and quality. Not really recommended for bass heads, but if you're like for a pair of audiophile quality headphones that you can wear on the streets without looking like a bit of a weirdo these are the perfect choice for you.
 
Thank you for reading
- George

I made this review a long time ago, before I knew a lot about audio. I have removed the bulk of the text to avoid misleading anyone. In short summary, these are good. Decently well balanced, boosted bass, polite treble. A good all-rounder and very durable. Everything I could say has been said.