The following is the review I wrote for the V-MODA Forza Sport Hybrid In-Ear IEM, and I will leave it here as much of it applies to the tee for the Forza Metallo as well. After I picked up the Forza Sport, upon loving them so much, I decided to get the Forza Metallo as well and make the family complete. While I use the Forza Sport for working out, I use the Metallo to wear with my suits and other attire on the go. Below I have gone over the fit, comfort and SQ of both -- the only differences between the Sport and Metallo is that the Metallo's housing is metal (as you might tell by the name) and it comes with a great anti-tangle cable. Other difference is the leatherette case that comes with the Metallo. Can't wait to pick up some of the customizable housings to go with them -- I especially love the look of the old-school microphone. Badass, classic and fashionable. Also V-MODA is the only brand I have heard of to do this. Quite fun and innovative Anyway, for the price point, these are great and the biggest plus to me is the comfort and stability. I have always been more of a headphone person because I couldn't wear other IEMs every day -- these I can wear just about every day without any discomfort and throughout the day. Kudos to V-MODA.
'I have been in the market for a pair of workout IEMs for a while now. When I heard that V-MODA was going to come out with these, my interest was piqued, especially when I saw their design with the FINS. Have always wanted to try an IEM with this as I know it is said to improve comfort and stability. In the past with the IEMs I have owned (I come from owning Etys, Panasonics, UE, and my V-MODA Zn), fit and seal have never been quite perfect for me. Either it was not stable or comfortable.
I am happy to report that after owning these for the past couple of weeks, the Forza is by far, hands down, the most comfortable and stable IEM I have worn to date. I believe this is not only because of the fins (which come in three sizes, S, M or L -- I prefer M personally) but because of combination of the size of the ear-housing and tips. The comfort is out of this world -- to the point where I can happily forget I have them on and just enjoy the SQ. Speaking of the sound ---
DYNAMIC, PUNCHY BASSY GOODNESS. So the other thing that took me aback was that these sound way better than I expected. Going by V-MODA's reputation, I knew these were going to be built like a tank, which they are and that it'd be perfect for what they'll be used for -- working out, taking a beating, being sweat/water resistant. But being that this was a workout IEM, I thought perhaps SQ was going to take a backseat. But boy am I wrong -- they are a lot better than I anticipated. The Forza come very close to the V-MODA Zn in SQ and even with the smaller driver, there are no compromises made to the SQ. The bass is very rich, defined, punchy, textured and extends to very low. I can hear the deepest bass notes and it's nicely separated. The upper bass is a bit punchy and ever-so-slightly bloated, if you are more of a neutral-head. I tend to like different sound signatures depending on the mood and for what the Forza is made for, the extra body in the bass is called for. The mids are silky smooth and I don't feel they are recessed. They fall very much in line with the bass. Vocals sounds full and beautiful. The highs are softened, not sparkly, but not missing much information either. I think this is a good thing since we tend to blast our music during workouts or in loud settings like on the commute, and so the fact that highs are not sharp makes me feel comfortable turning up the volume a bit and not worrying about hurting my hearing. No sibilance to boot but still plenty of air and detail.
I will also note that these IEMs are great with phone calls. The mic does not pick up a lot of external sounds and so my fiancee has been able to hear me quite clearly on the other end, even while walking through loud NYC streets. Isolation is also impressive on these -- while much ambient noise is blocked out, like a loud trains and traffic, I still can hear some higher frequencies -- enough to be aware of traffic and my surrounds. A great balance. Many times I have encountered IEMs that either don't block out enough noise or it's too much isolation and I have to leave one ear out.
These days, because of the comfort, convenience, and SQ these have been getting more ear time even over a lot of my higher-end portable headphones. I don't feel like I am missing out on SQ and these are just damn fun with any genre I throw at them. The bass rumbles, the mids are beautiful, present and smooth, and highs have a pleasant softness to them.
Overall, the Forza far exceeded my expectations. I got these, initially thinking, these are gonna be awesome beaters for working out and general phone call use --- I think these IEMs may end up just about replacing a lot of my collection. I have been a V-MODA fan for a while and judging by this product especially, I feel they only make products they themselves would use. You can especially tell by the quality of the product as a whole - from the SQ, comfort to the accessories (the mesh case for example, is a great breathable case that is perfect as it lets the IEMs breathe and air out while still being an enclose protective case -- love it, wish more IEMs would come with this kind of case), different size fins and tips, etc. They think of everything from the user's perspective and I think that's what sets them apart. On top of that, these are a steal at $100. Perfect gift for yourself or others. Glad I picked them up for myself, will most likely pick up a couple more pairs for Holiday gifts for loved ones.'
'I have been in the market for a pair of workout IEMs for a while now. When I heard that V-MODA was going to come out with these, my interest was piqued, especially when I saw their design with the FINS. Have always wanted to try an IEM with this as I know it is said to improve comfort and stability. In the past with the IEMs I have owned (I come from owning Etys, Panasonics, UE, and my V-MODA Zn), fit and seal have never been quite perfect for me. Either it was not stable or comfortable.
I am happy to report that after owning these for the past couple of weeks, the Forza is by far, hands down, the most comfortable and stable IEM I have worn to date. I believe this is not only because of the fins (which come in three sizes, S, M or L -- I prefer M personally) but because of combination of the size of the ear-housing and tips. The comfort is out of this world -- to the point where I can happily forget I have them on and just enjoy the SQ. Speaking of the sound ---
DYNAMIC, PUNCHY BASSY GOODNESS. So the other thing that took me aback was that these sound way better than I expected. Going by V-MODA's reputation, I knew these were going to be built like a tank, which they are and that it'd be perfect for what they'll be used for -- working out, taking a beating, being sweat/water resistant. But being that this was a workout IEM, I thought perhaps SQ was going to take a backseat. But boy am I wrong -- they are a lot better than I anticipated. The Forza come very close to the V-MODA Zn in SQ and even with the smaller driver, there are no compromises made to the SQ. The bass is very rich, defined, punchy, textured and extends to very low. I can hear the deepest bass notes and it's nicely separated. The upper bass is a bit punchy and ever-so-slightly bloated, if you are more of a neutral-head. I tend to like different sound signatures depending on the mood and for what the Forza is made for, the extra body in the bass is called for. The mids are silky smooth and I don't feel they are recessed. They fall very much in line with the bass. Vocals sounds full and beautiful. The highs are softened, not sparkly, but not missing much information either. I think this is a good thing since we tend to blast our music during workouts or in loud settings like on the commute, and so the fact that highs are not sharp makes me feel comfortable turning up the volume a bit and not worrying about hurting my hearing. No sibilance to boot but still plenty of air and detail.
I will also note that these IEMs are great with phone calls. The mic does not pick up a lot of external sounds and so my fiancee has been able to hear me quite clearly on the other end, even while walking through loud NYC streets. Isolation is also impressive on these -- while much ambient noise is blocked out, like a loud trains and traffic, I still can hear some higher frequencies -- enough to be aware of traffic and my surrounds. A great balance. Many times I have encountered IEMs that either don't block out enough noise or it's too much isolation and I have to leave one ear out.
These days, because of the comfort, convenience, and SQ these have been getting more ear time even over a lot of my higher-end portable headphones. I don't feel like I am missing out on SQ and these are just damn fun with any genre I throw at them. The bass rumbles, the mids are beautiful, present and smooth, and highs have a pleasant softness to them.
Overall, the Forza far exceeded my expectations. I got these, initially thinking, these are gonna be awesome beaters for working out and general phone call use --- I think these IEMs may end up just about replacing a lot of my collection. I have been a V-MODA fan for a while and judging by this product especially, I feel they only make products they themselves would use. You can especially tell by the quality of the product as a whole - from the SQ, comfort to the accessories (the mesh case for example, is a great breathable case that is perfect as it lets the IEMs breathe and air out while still being an enclose protective case -- love it, wish more IEMs would come with this kind of case), different size fins and tips, etc. They think of everything from the user's perspective and I think that's what sets them apart. On top of that, these are a steal at $100. Perfect gift for yourself or others. Glad I picked them up for myself, will most likely pick up a couple more pairs for Holiday gifts for loved ones.'
