[tinyman392]

From what to what? I wonder if I can just upgrade from my iPad to get things working in full.

Read my edits. It doesn't look like it see's what version your headphones are on, just shows what's most recent (1.5). I don't remember what they were on before though. I'd assume 1.5, but I could be wrong. But after updating I could update again if I wanted to.

 

[meringo]

Just got it all working. If the initial setup fails or doesn't work at all, try the following. This process got the headphones to play nice on my S21 Ultra:

1. Reset headphones by holding both volume buttons until audible tone
2. Unpair headphones from phone if currently paired
3. Install app, run app
4. At this point, you should be in the app and able to control everything -- but your phone still might not send audio there. Go to the bluetooth menu and pair/connect.

I had to do this twice. IDK why, but thrilled it works now @V-MODA @V-MODA Team Member

 

[tinyman392]

After further testing, I can confirm that either ANC is canceling out nearly 0 dB of noise or it's not running (compared to passive isolation). No changes in background noise whatsoever whether the headphones are on or off. Whether it's the air purifier next to me or a TV next to me, neither get attenuated when I power on and off the headphones. ANC slider does nothing. Passthrough works very well though, minimizes volume and actually uses the mics to passthrough sound.

 

[Maukey]

After further testing, I can confirm that either ANC is canceling out nearly 0 dB of noise or it's not running (compared to passive isolation). No changes in background noise whatsoever whether the headphones are on or off. Whether it's the air purifier next to me or a TV next to me, neither get attenuated when I power on and off the headphones. ANC slider does nothing. Passthrough works very well though, minimizes volume and actually uses the mics to passthrough sound.

Oh wow. Not good. I’m glued to my phone waiting on your initial sound impressions. I’m like a kid anxiously awaiting Christmas LOL.

 

[meringo]

After further testing, I can confirm that either ANC is canceling out nearly 0 dB of noise or it's not running (compared to passive isolation). No changes in background noise whatsoever whether the headphones are on or off. Whether it's the air purifier next to me or a TV next to me, neither get attenuated when I power on and off the headphones. ANC slider does nothing. Passthrough works very well though, minimizes volume and actually uses the mics to passthrough sound.

Push and hold the ANC button on the right earcup. It took me a min to figure out that I just wasn't holding it long enough.

Lol edit: I have no idea what's going on. Now it's working with a simple click. Inconsistent behavior. Let's hope firmware v1.6 comes soon.

 

[tinyman392]

Push and hold the ANC button on the right earcup. It took me a min to figure out that I just wasn't holding it long enough.

Lol edit: I have no idea what's going on. Now it's working with a simple click. Inconsistent behavior. Let's hope firmware v1.6 comes soon.

Maybe I should read the instruction manual... OK, that is totally user error XD Thanks, got it working now. ANC works now. There is an inward-facing microphone (I saw it when I removed the ear pads ) that blocks out microphonics which is awesome. ANC works decent to drown out some, but it struggles at higher frequencies, even stuff my AirPods Max will filter out. I'm not sure if it would be super effective outdoors. I always found the M-100 barely good enough for commutes with its passive isolation, so this should help with other stuff too.

The inward facing microphone has my voice echo at certain frequencies.

Edit: ANC has minimal effect on sound signature, there is a slight bass reduction (like 1-2 dB) with ANC on.

Edit 2: oddly enough, if I blink hard enough, I hear myself blink

Edit 3: weird ANC echo disappears when I use the passthrough function, so it's the ANC itself that is causing the echo. Everything sounds natural and good if I'm running passthrough with ANC on.

Edit 4: I think my left ear may be brushing up and interfering with the ANC mic. Technically I feel like both my ears do, but my left more than my right.

Edit 5: Figured it out (I think). The echo I'm hearing is the echo that naturally occurs when ANC is off. When ANC is on, it's much clearer to hear

 

[tinyman392]

Oh wow. Not good. I’m glued to my phone waiting on your initial sound impressions. I’m like a kid anxiously awaiting Christmas LOL.

Sound quality is on the same tier with the APM IMO, it may have a slight edge. The bass quantity is about the same (edit: maybe a dB or two heavier), but it's thicker and seems like it decays a little slower, this helps with bass texturing and adds in bass presence. Upper midrange has a larger focus vs the APM that focused on the lower midrange. Vocals have more energy and presence with the M-200 ANC, but the APM has audible air in comparison; sibilance isn't an issue with the M-200. Right now the APM's treble seems softer than the M-200 with a little more detailing; M-200 is more energetic. Though the APM's treble kind of started out worse than the M-200.

___ Edit 1 ___

Comfort in terms of clamping force is very close to one another. No hotspots on the top of the head that I can feel; though V-Moda never really has had this issue in the past to begin with. Cups don't swivel though, so your fit may not work nearly as well. The APM can fit a smaller head than the V-Moda, my head is barely large enough to work comfortably (I knew this coming in from past V-Moda headphones). Pads run hotter in comparison and seem less spacious (internally) than the APM.

___ Edit 2 ___

Keep in mind initial impressions are likely to change with time.

Edit: Upon further listening I should probably volume match the headphones better

 

[tinyman392]

Push and hold the ANC button on the right earcup. It took me a min to figure out that I just wasn't holding it long enough.

Lol edit: I have no idea what's going on. Now it's working with a simple click. Inconsistent behavior. Let's hope firmware v1.6 comes soon.

I think I know why you have to hold the button for a short period to turn it on or off... Button is much easier to press than the other buttons on the headphone. While the other buttons are slightly recessed into the housing, the ANC button sticks out every so slightly.

 

[Maukey]

Sound quality is on the same tier with the APM IMO, it may have a slight edge. The bass quantity is about the same (edit: maybe a dB or two heavier), but it's thicker and seems like it decays a little slower, this helps with bass texturing and adds in bass presence. Upper midrange has a larger focus vs the APM that focused on the lower midrange. Vocals have more energy and presence with the M-200 ANC, but the APM has audible air in comparison; sibilance isn't an issue with the M-200. Right now the APM's treble seems softer than the M-200 with a little more detailing; M-200 is more energetic. Though the APM's treble kind of started out worse than the M-200.

___ Edit 1 ___

Comfort in terms of clamping force is very close to one another. No hotspots on the top of the head that I can feel; though V-Moda never really has had this issue in the past to begin with. Cups don't swivel though, so your fit may not work nearly as well. The APM can fit a smaller head than the V-Moda, my head is barely large enough to work comfortably (I knew this coming in from past V-Moda headphones). Pads run hotter in comparison and seem less spacious (internally) than the APM.

___ Edit 2 ___

Keep in mind initial impressions are likely to change with time.

Edit: Upon further listening I should probably volume match the headphones better

I totally get that initial impressions are just that and they can change. I’m someone who’s gone back and forth on headphones and what I prefer over and over so I get it. I just appreciate you sharing in the journey.

 

[tkddans]

*awaits impatiently for more impressions and comparisons*

 

[iamkornholio]

Thanks to all for posting initial thoughts. For those that have received already, any of you order from Amazon? Or VModa? Mine (from Amazon) still haven’t shipped but a delivery date of Saturday...that date is from January pre-order. Have shown out of stock for weeks though.

 

[tinyman392]

Thanks to all for posting initial thoughts. For those that have received already, any of you order from Amazon? Or VModa? Mine (from Amazon) still haven’t shipped but a delivery date of Saturday...that date is from January pre-order. Have shown out of stock for weeks though.

Mine was ordered through V-Moda.

 

[meringo]

Ok... here are my initial sound impressions:

Bass -- Extremely well done. Extends well, almost like a planar. Lots of texture that doesn't seem to muddy up in more complex situations. I always felt the M100's bass hit the wrong place, this issue has been fully corrected. IDK if they could have aligned the M200 ANC release and Daft Punk breakup any better. These two events were made for each other.
Mids -- More forward than I was expecting, likely to limit/overcome bass bleed? the mids provide incredibly clean, detailed vocals. Some might find things sounding a little thin towards the top end of the spectrum, as there's something going on at 2k making things sound a bit more open/airy. If you don't like this effect, it can be EQ'd out with ease. I personally like this timbre, especially since I will be using this headset for multimedia and gaming.
Treble -- Resolving for sure, but not the focus. M200 ANC seems engineered with more energy towards the top end of the mids.
ANC -- As explained in a previous comment, these are excellent at removing bass frequencies but struggle with treble. Certainly not bad ANC, but not at the top either. With that being said, there doesn't seem to be much of a change in sound when activated -- a huge incentive for many.

Without a doubt, this is in the right price bracket based on the sonic characteristics alone. Add in the value of being the most comfortable V-Moda product on the market and an uber competitive feature set, V-moda seems to have a real winner. Without even caring how the ANC stacks up to competition, I believe a bunch of you will want this set on your radar.

I'll be posting a full review at some point.

 

[meringo]

Update: Just requested a swap. The drivers aren't matched, after testing @ audiocheck.net and getting some uneven sounds in the mid frequencies. The buttons are also mushy and having odd behavior issues. I'm hoping this is just a defective-first-run type of incident. Review will likely be delayed

 

[tinyman392]

Update: Just requested a swap. The drivers aren't matched, after testing @ audiocheck.net and getting some uneven sounds in the mid frequencies. The buttons are also mushy and having odd behavior issues. I'm hoping this is just a defective-first-run type of incident. Review will likely be delayed

How bad is the driver matching? Judging by a lot of the measurements of V-Moda headphones I've seen, many of them don't seem to have great driver matching; a lot of these would likely be press samples too.