[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif So to those are keep saying the Vibes are "hyped", No, they're not hyped, you're just expecting too much from IEMs at this price level.

If they're not "hyped" as you say, then what are we to make of being let down after the claims of the Vibes being "better than UM2s" or "godsends"?

They were definitely hyped IMO.. people were describing them as something they were not, with all this colorful advertisement-like language that I just didn't find in the sound.

 

[stewtheking]

They look pretty and seem solidly built, but are simply comsumer-fi. Nothing more.

 

[scrypt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by souperman /img/forum/go_quote.gif lol. i'm guessing we shouldn't expect anything out of gear we just spent over 60 bucks on?

Actually, it's best not to expect too much out of fashion-centric earphones. Whinemeal, a pair of black ER-6i cost $68 from Erwin Co. They fill their narrow niche splendidly (some of the best isolation to be found at any price; recessed highs compensated for with detail: relatively tinnitus-safe in public situations).

Besides, I despise "fun" headphones. The very word fun suffuses me with more anguish than a barium wangtail unless it is succeeded by phrases such as parlor, rest home echolaliacs, Rosicrucian mummies, tourettic interrogators, sex guillotines, projectile pep rally pregnancies and action figure genocide.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

How embarrassing...I looked up "sex guillotines" and found nothing on Wikipedia or Google.

And I agree with scrypt; why waste your money on something that is far from what it should at least sound like?

(scrypt, correct me if I'm wrong on my assumption of your view)

 

[electro house]

Within one month, my Vibe cable developed a loose connection at the micro-plug, and one channel started dropping connection.

A week later, both sides were dead.

I'm pretty careful with my equipment. I've never had something like this happen, even on my cheaper equipment.

Their reps say "the cables have less than .01% failure rate" (or something like that - that number is probably off). I believe that is wrong. This forum is full of people with Vibe cable faiulures.

Whatever you do, don't buy one of the Vibes that has the full metal microplug jacket with no reinforcement (ie: I'd avoid the black/silver Vibes).

 

[thesupreme1]

I just used duct tape to keep the cable nice and safe =). They broke last time so this time I took a precaution.

 

[dawalsh]

There's something wrong with bass. I liked it at first and then I bought Grado.

Problem begins so I gave it to my girlfriend. She loves it thogh.

 

[jamato8]

I have read that the JBL reference are better but I have both and they are just different, to my ear. I have the UM2's but do not like the extreme isolation of the UM's. I have found that for some reason the sound quality of the Vibes has changed in reference to my UM2's and the JBL's and that they are not as open as they were (sounding). I do not know why but I do find that if I play them on the louder end of the spectrum they sound pretty good. If I play them at a lower level the sound becomes thicker and not as enjoyable. I have stated they are better than the UM2's, in sound quality, but with the changes in sound that I hear from the Vibes at what I would call more normal listening levels, though the higher volume required for the Vibes is still within a normal range but at the higher end, I feel I would retract this statement. I do think there is more work to be done on the Vibes and have stated this to Val of V-moda.

 

[souperman]

basically...stick to something else unless you're into looks which normally head-fi people aren't. we're wearing huge headphones on our head for god sakes!

 

[certainshadeofal]

the upper bass low mid hump on the sound signature is too overpowering sometimes

 

[justhavingfun]

Unfortunately I bought this Vibe phone at full retail price. And it is wwwway over priced just like typical Bose products. They are better than standard ibuds that comes free but no way near the audiophile quality. However it is what it is. It looks pretty and goes well with other pretty MP3 players. My son is the new owner of this phone and he loves it. No question about it, I bought this phone due to the all the hypes I read here but no regrets. That's part of being head-fi hobby. You win sometimes and loose sometimes.

 

[penguindude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by certainshadeofal /img/forum/go_quote.gif the upper bass low mid hump on the sound signature is too overpowering sometimes

You are right on.

 

[cooperpwc]

This is the anti-Vibes thread which makes for a good counterpoint to the lengthy pro-Vibes thread. So long as our less knowledgeable reader's understand that everyone posting in here is an incorrigible crank.

But somewhat more seriously, there is no way that the Vibes can compete with my home kit but... for sitting on a bus, aware of my surroundings, with a huge soundstage and pretty damn good sound for rock and roll, I think that they're great. Fitting is a huge issue and I only really got the best that the Vibes had to offer when I bought third party biflanges. And yes, suddenly everyone and his uncle is now releasing ported dynamic neodymium magnet driver IEMs and some of those may prove to be as good or better and cost less. (Although to me $100 isn't expensive and the Vibes sound good and are very well made - with the caveat that you should shrink wrap the plug to be safe.) Competition. It's a good thing. Thanks to V-Moda who, as an early mover, really got this going.

Okay, flame away. Oh, and be sure to mention how you listened to a friend's pair and decided that a certain instrument didn't sound right. Then when you fail to get a reaction, spiral into OCD and crap continuously into at least ten different threads over the next few months. Just kidding, of course!

 

[penguindude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooperpwc /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is the anti-Vibes thread which makes for a good counterpoint to the lengthy pro-Vibes thread. So long as our less knowledgeable reader's understand that everyone posting in here is an incorrigible crank. But somewhat more seriously, there is no way that the Vibes can compete with my home kit but... for sitting on a bus, aware of my surroundings, with a huge soundstage and pretty damn good sound for rock and roll, I think that they're great. Fitting is a huge issue and I only really got the best that the Vibes had to offer when I bought third party biflanges. And yes, suddenly everyone and his uncle is now releasing ported dynamic neodymium magnet driver IEMs and some of those may prove to be as good or better and cost less. (Although to me $100 isn't expensive and the Vibes sound good and are very well made - with the caveat that you should shrink wrap the plug to be safe.) Competition. It's a good thing. Thanks to V-Moda who, as an early mover, really got this going. Okay, flame away. Oh, and be sure to mention how you listened to a friend's pair and decided that a certain instrument didn't sound right. Then when you fail to get a reaction, spiral into OCD and crap continuously into at least ten different threads over the next few months. Just kidding, of course!

My thoughts echo yours. Again, if vibe-haters cannot acknowledge the fact that most vibes' reviewers had indeed stated plain and simple not to expect a neutral or referencing sound from the vibes, they have not read the opinions very carefully. That is also what i meant by "having too high of an expectation." I do not think the "hypers" can be blamed when you have not grasped the conclusion from the hyped reviews. Almost all of the decent length reviews make reference to the fact that the vibes indeed have a warm signature and that it has a mid-emphasized and recessed highs. If you say other similarly priced IEMs are "better", then it simply means that you like other sound signatures. While i agree the vibes are a bit over-priced, but in reality, that is the similar price tag for most entry-level IEMs.

 

[lui_boy]

I bought my Vibe brand new. When I first opened up the box, the left ear piece came apart on me. Looks like the factory didn't glue it together properly. I tried a silicone based glue and it eventually flaked off, so now it's being held by tape. This really sucks since when you buy something brand new at near retail price, you expect it to not have these simple problem. Simple solution is to glue it myself, but that's not my job. The right side is glued properly. However, I really feel like sending it back to them just to have them glue it, but I hate to waste postage on their mistake. So, I just walk around sponsoring my ghetto taped up Vibe.

However, I actually like the sound of my Vibe, it makes lower quality recordings enjoyable. It does all types of recordings/music pretty well. The bass extension is just amazing. Works well without an amp as well. However, the fit isn't the greatest so, you'll need to play around with it. Getting too tight of a seal will create very boomy bass where the mids-highs get all mushed up and no soundstage. Getting too light of a seal, you won't hear much of the bass at all. You need to get it just right, which is a task in itself. I sometimes use it with foams since it feels a little bit more airy with a decent seal and the mids-highs aren't as mushed up, but still get some decent bass.

I would buy it again, but considering it came apart on me while I was taking it out of the box, fit issues, price point, I probably won't. I recommend the PK2 at this price.