[BRSxIgnition]

I - like many here, also avoided them based on the fashion-first stigma, but after hearing about the surprisingly good m80's, I got interested in these.


.... Now we just need actual facts, info, and preorders for these! All of my other possible choices are out already, I need to see how bad these can blow me away before I go and make a mistake, and get the wrong headphone.

Come on Val, at least let us know how preorders will happen and when? Pretty please?

 

[roma101]

...I must admit, after (mostly) lurking in this thread for the past week and reading most of it I'm damn impressed/intrigued.  Honestly, I've never considered V-MODA as an option due to the "fashion-first" stigma.  I skimmed articles containing their offerings to gain a level of insight, but the prospect of having two bass cannons connected by a faux-alligator headband posed no appeal to me.  That was until I read Tyll's M-80 writeup that not only showed promising evolution in sound, but a glimpse at company tenets.

Here, we have a thread about an unreleased headphone that has ballooned to a few hundred pages.  As its growth accelerated, I stayed away.  "Nothing but hype," I thought.  What compelled me to peek I cant say, but I concede that I was absolutely wrong.  The driving force behind the activity is 99.9% due to the direct engagement of THE man behind the company.  The level of community involvement... the dedication to making an extremely refined product... the sentiment that "it ships when it's finished." (always a definitive sign of quality)  Truthfully, what's happening within this thread is one of the most encouraging instances of the manufacturer-consumer dynamic I've witnessed on Head-Fi or elsewhere.

And then, I read the final wooing declaration:


I have zero reasons to not give these headphones a fair chance.  Heck, even though the aesthetics are a bit loud for my tastes (they would most likely be used exclusively at home anyway, mind you) I find the option of having an understated matte black finish appealing enough.  If the content of this thread is to be believed, the M-100 will be "correcting" the few described personal sonic turnoffs that the M-80 is stated to have. (I've never tried them... nor any V-MODA headphone)

Even if these don't perform to my specific needs, you can consider me a convert.  After seeing Mr. Kolton's values put into practice I'm now a V-MODA fan despite having zero first-hand experience with their products.  Moving forward, I WILL be paying attention to what this company is doing.  Put me down for a "Matte Black Metal" M-100 and thanks to both Val and the dedicated contributors to this thread for showing me the light. 

I couldn't have said that any better. Well done and I agree 100%.

 

[Craigster75]

Dude, TMI
 

 

[Craigster75]

At this point, I have decided to move on with my life under the assumption that the M-100 will be out sometime in 2013.  This way, I can be pleasantly surprised if they come out sooner.  I just ordered a pair of ATH-PRO700MKIIs and am waiting for some more reviews on the Denon AH-D600 which is now readily available as well as the upcoming AH-D400 which is being released 8/27.

 

[Leon Dota]

Quote:

At this point, I have decided to move on with my life under the assumption that the M-100 will be out sometime in 2013.  This way, I can be pleasantly surprised if they come out sooner.  I just ordered a pair of ATH-PRO700MKIIs and am waiting for some more reviews on the Denon AH-D600 which is now readily available as well as the upcoming AH-D400 which is being released 8/27.

 
I have a pair of ATH-PRO700MKIIANV's and they are just like heaven.

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

 
I have a pair of ATH-PRO700MKIIANV's and they are just like heaven.

Great to hear.  I bought them at Buydig yesterday for $104 so maybe I can save $200 on my next pair of goto cans.

 

[HappyScrappy]

Quote:

Great to hear.  I bought them at Buydig yesterday for $104 so maybe I can save $200 on my next pair of goto cans.

Good deal, I'll have to pick up a pair, been looking for something new to try.

 

[Curly21029]

Quote:

I was like you, I avoided V-Moda because they seemed a little too fashion oriented to be taken seriously.

 
Aye, but I really should know better by now.  Forming a blanketed bias based on a small sampling or selective attributes has proved foolish time and again... whether it be an audio-related purchase or otherwise.  I don't mean to drag this thread further off topic, but years ago I was looking to segue from a gas-guzzling SUV to a more economical/practical vehicle.  I test drove several sedans, coops, and hatchbacks coming away unsatisfied with all of them.  They all felt very confined and uncomfortable to me.  I then found myself at a Toyota dealership after closing looking at Camrys.  Sitting next to one was a Scion XB, a car that I always thought looked "stupid" and was "for kids."  I don't know why, but I decided to pull on the door handle anyway and it was open.  I sat inside and was immediately stunned by the headroom and upright seating position.  I shut the door, grabbed the steering wheel, and it just felt right.  The next morning, I took one for a test drive and immediately signed on the line when I got back.  30K miles later and I still love my car... and I see more grandmas than teenagers driving them.
 
Point being, putting the blinders on due to (baseless) initial turnoffs is an idiot's game.  Aesthetically, I've already stated that the M-100 and V-MODA's general approach to design doesn't hold much appeal to me.  Still, while I have a tendency to prefer low-key to stylized, I have to admit that I am warming to what they have to offer in the physical sense.  I've already stated my appreciation for a matte black option as I find it both more elegant and functional (i.e. not a fingerprint magnet) than gloss, but the hexagonal pad design is actually pretty damn smart.  Not only does it set their products apart from the competition in an immediately recognizable way, but it's also akin to oval pads that I find to be more intuitive and hassle-free than completely round designs.  With a phone that has large circular pads like my K550, there's a lot of leeway on how I can wear them and my ears' positioning within the pads directly correlates to driver placement relative to my ear canals.  Different positioning affects the sound to a degree.  When the pads are smaller and shaped more closely to conform with the ear, the guess work is at least somewhat taken out of the equation.  Furthermore, and this is a very personal note, there's a part of me that does enjoy the "industrial" look of these.  After all, Einstürzende Neubauten (Silence is Sexy, in particular) is the band that I credit for first filling my ears/head with something wholly new thereby sparking my musical interest/passion.  Damn... I just realized that was over a decade ago.

 

[A Ham Sandwich]

.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

This is pathetic. 
 
I will come back once I see that Val has actually given us valid information and measurements. I'm not going to sit around, waiting for more:
 

1. We MIGHT do this..
2. We're THINKING about doing this...
3. It'll be around [Insert Date Here] or [Insert Date Here]...
4. Keep your eyes posted on [Insert event or site here]...

 
We need actual dates, measurements, pricing, specs, charts, etc etc. Not teasing and possible color options. I don't mean for this to be taken the wrong way, but please Val. If we're that close to release, and they already have the manuals made, can't you tell the world how good these headphones will be, by actually, you know - showing the specifications and such - instead of teasing and making promises?
 
We only have 5 people or so here that have actually tried them, so when do the rest of us get to try out these headphones? You know we're dying to do just that. 

 

[DaBomb77766]

omg guys stop complaining, he will post this stuff when he's ready. If he hasn't posted it yet it means they aren't ready. It's pretty much as simple as that. It's not like they've forgotten us or anything.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Quote:

omg guys stop complaining, he will post this stuff when he's ready. If he hasn't posted it yet it means they aren't ready. It's pretty much as simple as that. It's not like they've forgotten us or anything.

Thing is - the information is ready. He's told us the manuals are done, the specifications are set, but we don't know them.
 
I just want some actual factual information, instead of speculation and promises. I like to know things in advance, that's just how I am. I apologize, but other companies would provide 5x the information at this stage of development and release.
 
Again, it's not that I'm not expecting them to be great - it's just that usually, the information would be out at this point.
 
Apologies for the outburst - I should have just left it at "I'll wait for more info." - either way, we're waiting and we can't make it go faster. 

 

[Craigster75]

Quote:

Thing is - the information is ready. He's told us the manuals are done, the specifications are set, but we don't know them.
 
I just want some actual factual information, instead of speculation and promises. I like to know things in advance, that's just how I am. I apologize, but other companies would provide 5x the information at this stage of development and release.
 
Again, it's not that I'm not expecting them to be great - it's just that usually, the information would be out at this point.
 
Apologies for the outburst - I should have just left it at "I'll wait for more info." - either way, we're waiting and we can't make it go faster. 

I agree with much of what you are saying, but I have chosen to let go and move on.  Just as most companies could learn a great deal from Val regarding communicating with their hardcore customer base, Val could learn a great deal from Denon regarding how to handle a new product launch.

 

[Currawong]

Guys, I've removed some quite offensive discussion. Please keep the discussion family suitable in future.

 

[Curly21029]

Posted a week ago:
 

Quote:

 
It's ready when I'd use it myself, having said that its going to be between 9-24th of August shipping.
 

 
It seems that the release of the new Denons has made the natives restless.  However, look at the mixed impressions in that thread and the forming sentiment that they missed the mark of making the D600 as "flat" as their marketing stated.  Getting things right takes time.  Getting EVERYTHING right takes even more time, and there's a heck of a lot of ambition behind the M-100.  Add to that the fact that other V-MODA products are currently in development (updated VAMP) and the planned launch of several retail locations.  Also, remember that they do not have the manpower of a sheer manufacturer like Denon.
 
V-MODA cannot count on Head-Fi alone for sustainability.  There's little doubt that maintaining and building lucrative relationships eats up a large part of Val's time, so expecting him to post daily updates is unrealistic.  Despite this, I feel that I am much better informed of the intentions behind and potential performance of these headphones prior to release than any others in recent memory and a mere week between updates directly from the CEO is especially forgivable considering the amount of community interaction we've become accustomed to from other manufacturers... which is to say little to none.
 
Let's pump our brakes and rein in the restless off-topic posting for the benefit of all, m'kay?