Don't buy Vmoda's vibes

[Makowb]

Edit: First and foremost, before the jack failed on me, I thoroughly enjoyed these headphones. The title should read "warning about the vibes" or "things you should know about the vibes" but I was hasty in the name of the title and am unable to change it as of now.



I've had the vibes for about a month or so...and they're already broken. I recently bought a pair of the vibes and up until today, they had been working perfectly. I have only had them for a month and keep fairly good care of the cord, but now whenever the cord is in a certain position (closer to the headphone jack) the right earbud stops working. I tried this out on several different devices as well as speakers, so it's not my specific ipod that has the problem, it's the headphones. They are very good headphones, except for the fact that the jack is vertical instead of angled. This causes problems like mine to happen. I am attempting to get my money back from the company I bought them from, but I will not buy from v-moda again until this problem is fixed.

I highly recommend others who keep their ipods anywhere but in their hands, do not buy these headphones. If the cord is bent for very long problems like mine will probably happen.

Edit2: Both Vmoda and the company I bought them from, Earphonesolutions.com, have both offered to take care of me. Both have stupendous customer service and I highly recommend earphonesolutions if you are looking for high quality earphones.

[bobb-mini]

I have seen this prob b4r from people with other phones, it's not the Vibes. But general, I will tend to agree, if u wear your Pod in such a way that u put pressure on the headphone's jack alot, save for example, yer wide in the middle but u like to clip the Pod on your belt, yer advised to purchase a pairs of phones with an ANGLED plug, or purchase an adapter.

[Signal to Noise]

I've had this problem with both my Shures and UEs, both have angled jacks. I tried the phones on other iPod models and they were fine. So this case it's my iPod. There is a known issue that with some phone jacks if they come in contact with the metal of the iPod around the jack hole it will short out the signal and/or cause the iPod to pause. Very annoying but as long as they is know sudden movement or twisting of the plug then everything is fine.

[Makowb]

It's definately not my ipod, i tried it on a zen and my computer speakers as well. I'm actually quite fit, i just keep my ipod in my pocket, although i never put it in there upside down. If you examine the jack you can't even find any damage done to the cable.

[Jackonicko]

I'm sorry.

You issue a dire public warning about a product which you may have broken through your own fault (you admit to taking only 'fairly good care' of earphones), and then issue a warning to others 'not to buy' without having given the company chance to respond to your problem and replace the kit.

That seems unfair whatever company you're criticising, let alone one which has a reasonably good record for customer care.

Now if the problem is widespread, and if the company don't address your concerns, that's fine, of course, and you'd be doing users a favour by highlighting a real problem.

[Makowb]

Taking fairly good care in my opinion means:

1. not stuffing them anywhere
2. not putting the ipod in a position where the headphone jack will be bent
3. not tugging on the cord at all
4. pretty much just short of treating them like they were made of diamonds.

I didn't say "perfect care" because if I were perfect with them I would never let them; hang around my neck, sit out anywhere but a case (like my desk), etc.

Now since you already put words in my mouth of criticizing a company (which I never did, I was simply criticizing their product design), I'll quote myself:

"They are very good headphones, except for the fact that the jack is vertical instead of angled."

Now for those of you who are too lazy too read (*cough* jackonicko *cough*) I also said quote:

"I highly recommend others who keep their ipods anywhere but in their hands, do not buy these headphones. If the cord is bent for very long problems like mine will probably happen."

I say this strictly because after one month of using the headphones (and research) I have come to the understanding that anyone who puts the ipod in their pocket, backpack, or whatever, will at some point throughout their day put pressure on the jack. This may or may not be a lot of pressure, but it will definately shorten the lifespan of the headphones.

Again, about the customer care, lets read my post again...done? Did I say anything about vmoda in there at all? No, I didn't, because I haven't dealt with them yet and won't post anything about them until I have. I said I won't buy from them until they change the design, but I never said they have poor customer care. I also do not want them to "replace the kit" exactly because the problem will probably happen again. I want headphones for 100$ that will last more than a month. Yes, they come with a one year warranty, but I'd like to use them for the entirety of that year without having to wait for a replacement kit, not to mention I'd expect for 100$ a little longevity out of them.

And with highlighting a "real problem." I believe that since the majority of the posts I've read on this board point directly to vmoda's vibes, which failed me after one month, I am highlighting a problem.

[Jackonicko]

I'm not going to sit here and defend either V-Moda nor its headphones. I'm merely saying that I haven't read of the same problem affecting anyone else (here or on HeadFi) - nor indeed of any other concerns about 'longevity' - leading me to suspect that this is an isolated problem.

I also think that it's unfair to post this kind of general and categoric "Do not buy X, Y or Z" warning without giving the manufacturer the opportunity to comment on or rectify what may be either an atypical problem or even a user-induced failure.

[Bob]

Plug 'issue' -
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=218931

[Jackonicko]

Interesting. The plug seems very rugged to me, and I wonder whether the OP's problem is with the gunmetal or the chrome - which have quite different cables. I'm betting gunmetal, which have the thinner black cords.

[Makowb]

To clarify for informational purposes, I have the chrome ones. I have the option of exchanging them to the shop I bought them from for a pair of equal or lesser value. I was honestly going to give the vibes one more shot, but after seeing that others thread, I'm not so sure.