Review: V-Moda Vibe II Earphones With Microphone (Verdict: Tasty Ear-Candy With A Purpose)

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Vibe 2 cover  31

Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem.

According to Wikipedia, which is where I’ve learned 92 percent of the useless stuff I know, the phrase in Latin above means something along the lines of “don’t make things more complicated than they should be, dumbass.”

The V-Moda Vibe II with Microphone fits this explanation so exquisitely, you might well see them being whipped out as a teaching aid by your Latin instructor when the above phrase comes up.

Carpe diem. (Seize the day. Best way would be by clicking on the link for the rest of the review.)

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[xrr rating=4/5]
Company: V-Moda

Model: Vibe II with Microphone

List Price: $119.99

Compatible: All iPod and iPhone variants.

Buy Now: The V-Moda Vibe II With Microphone are available from Amazon for $119.99.

Frankly, I’m not a huge fan of Bluetooth headsets. Until somebody comes along with one that doesn’t look like Lieutenant Uhuru’s earpiece or make me sound like I’m at the bottom of a well, I’ll probably be reaching for a pair of microphone-equipped headphones when calls come in.

V-Moda’s Vibe IIs are a perfect example of why: The microphone is positioned well enough that listeners on the other end — and voice control on the iPhone 3GS — can hear me fairly easily; a single rubberized button handles call answering, play/pause and track forward/reverese; and the eartips do a stellar job of sealing out noise so I can hear voices — in glorious stereo — on the other side.

Music through the phones sounds satisfyingly rich, with the familiar deep, bassy tone and slightly dulled high-end that the previous version of the Vibes are known for.

Unfortunately, the previous Vibes were also known for the “swishy” sound they made when the cable casing rubbed against clothing. The Vibe IIs robust, Kevlar-reinforced cables do the same thing.

However, in keeping with the simple-solutions-are-best theme, Vmoda provided a little cable clip to keep the cable from moving around — viola, no irritating swishy sound. Until you lose the clip; which, if you’re as clumsy as me, will happen about four minutes after you’ve opened the package. Still, the noise isn’t really bothersome unless I’m engaged in an activity where I’m moving around quite a bit, like running.

Finally, V-Moda crafted the button casing, microphone and earpieces out of a stainless steel alloy that gives the whole set a feel of quality and solidness; but again, this makes the Vibe IIs somewhat more cumbersome to be active with.

All-in-all, a superior, striking iPhone accessory. Just don’t move around too much.

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Metal-bodied action button and microphone.
Even the packaging is flash.
Even the packaging is flash.
The Vibe IIs come with a cornucopia of extras: six sets of silicone eartips (three each in black and clear); case; sport earhooks; and the V-Moda VIP card that...well, I have no clue.
The Vibe IIs come with a cornucopia of extras: six sets of silicone eartips (three each in black and clear); case; sport earhooks; and the V-Moda VIP card (VIP card not tested).

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