V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless Headphones Review

V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless Pros&Cons

V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless Specs

• Impedance: 32Ω
• Driver size: 50mm dual-diaphragm
• Frequency response: 5 Hz ~ 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 100dB (1 mW @ 1 kHz)
• Battery life: Up to 14 hours
• Weight: 292g

Packaging 

V-Moda certainly goes the extra mile with their packaging. The Crossfade II Wireless comes in near identical hexagonal packaging to that of many of V-Moda’s other products
The dual-layer design consist of an outer-sleeve which displays much of the graphics and specs, along with the main protective packaging which features a pleather handle. The front of the outer-sleeve shows an image of the Crossfade II Wireless, along with logos to boast about the headphones’ Hi-Res certification and AptX functionality. The rear showcases a number of design elements, whereas the sides are reserved for a few key-specs and features, as well a testimonial from Wired.
This black and orange colour scheme surely is quite eye-caching, but not in an obnoxious manner.

What’s in the box?

• Crossfade II Wireless
• Storage case
• 3.5mm cable
• Micro-USB charging cable
• Hook and loop cable management strip
• 1/4” adapter
• User manual
• Quick start guide
• Accessory booklet
• Registration / welcome card
• V-Moda sticker

 Read: V-Moda Wireless Review

Accessories 

The included hard case is quite interesting. V-Moda calls it an Exoskeleton case, which seems rather appropriate. The entire design is so that the case perfectly fits the contours of the Crossfade II Wireless.

This creates a more compact package, allowing the case to take up less space when packing it onto a travel bag. However, despite this exceptionally compact size, the case is still just large enough to accommodate the 3.5mm stereo cable, micro-USB charging cable, and 1/4” adapter with relative ease. Clearly V-Moda have put sufficient thought into the design of the case. Kudos!

The charging cable is particularly nice, as it is a flat tangle-free design.

Design

V-Moda have picked a design, and they’re sticking with it. The Crossfade 2 Wireless shares a near-identical design with that of the first Crossfade Wireless, as well as the very popular Crossfade M-100. In fact, the Crossfade 2 Wireless is a combination of the first Crossfade Wireless and the M-100. Where the M-100 doesn’t have wireless functionality but is fully collapsible, the exact opposite is true for the first Crossfade Wireless. So, with the Crossfade 2 Wireless you obviously get wireless functionality, but you now also get a fully collapsible design. Great!

The rest of the Crossfade 2 Wireless’ design is very much in line with the rest of V-Moda’s line-up; hexagonal earcups, leather earpads, and Steelflex headband. Overall V-Moda have conjured up a pretty stylish design, without making it too rugged nor feminine either. The only real eyesore (personally) seems to be the exposed hinges for the collapsible frame.

They really don’t look any more refined than a door-hinge. Perhaps this was done for cost and/or simplicity reasons, but hopefully V-Moda will find a way to make this little detail a bit more pleasing to the eye in its next iteration.

Read: V-moda ZN In Ear Earphones Review

Sound

Test Setup
Source: Hidizs AP60
DAC/Amp: IFI Micro iDSD Black Label

V-Moda have been in the game for quite some time now, and have enjoyed a very successful run with their M100 headphones. Essentially, the Crossfade 2 Wireless sounds very similar to the M100, so if you’re a fan of the M100’s sound, you’ll love the sound and added features of the Crossfade 2 Wireless as well.

However, if you’re accustomed to more neutral or brighter sounding headphones, the Crossfade 2 Wireless is going to come across as quite a dark and warm sounding set of headphones. There is a difference between using it in wired vs wireless mode, though.

Wireless
In wireless mode the Crossfade 2 Wireless performs admirably. Wireless range is indeed very good, but the claimed 14 hours of battery life seems to be a bit of a stretch.
As far as sound quality is concerned, as mentioned the Crossfade 2 Wireless still features a darker and warmer than neutral sound signature. Bass impact is especially noticeable, enough to make it feel like the headphones are about to start rumbling on your head. This is great for bassheads, but less so for those of use who prefer a more neutral and detailed signature.

Wired
Thankfully, things do improve in wired mode. Using the Hidizs AP60 as the source for both wired and wireless modes proved to be a very convenient device for this comparison. Both the AP60 as well as the Crossfade 2 Wireless offer Apt-X functionality, which in theory is supposed to improve the sound quality of wireless streaming. However, even with that Apt-X goodness, there’s no denying that the Crossfade 2 Wireless sounds better in wired configuration, suggesting that the DAC and Amp modules in the AP60 are superior to those found in the Crossfade 2 Wireless. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise, though, as a wired configuration almost always sounds better than a wireless configuration. In wired mode the Crossfade 2 Wireless simply didn’t sound quite as dark and congested as it did in wireless mode. Listening to Melissa Menago‘s Little Crimes proved to be a good test for how well the Crossfade 2 Wireless was able to portray the sound of falling rain in the background. In wireless mode, it was rather difficult to hear this detail, whereas in wired mode this somewhat subtle detail came across more clearly and realistically.
Macklemore‘s Downtown is my usual go to test for that initial deep bass line. The Crossfade 2 Wireless seems to actually be reasonably well in control of the bass frequencies, but again in wired configuration this particular bass-line just felt a it less boomy and bloated.

Read: Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless Headphones Review

Value 

The value of the Crossfade 2 Wireless is largely going to come down to a person’s personal preference with regards to style and sound signature. If you’re into a well-designed (if somewhat leaning towards the “fashionable” end of the spectrum), and find yourself favouring genres such as hip-hop, RnB, or EDM, then the Crossfade 2 Wireless might be right up your alley.
However, if you could afford to spend around $70 or so more, you could also opt for something like the Sennheiser PXC 550, which throws in far more useful features such as active noise-cancellation and a much longer battery-life, not to mention a more balanced and detailed sound signature.

Rating

The TECH MERIT rating system is designed to take as many aspects of the device into account as possible. As such, we have a basic rating, as well as a final rating. The basic rating rates the product purely as a high quality portable audio device, and is generally a good indicator of how it stacks up to its rivals in terms of standard features and specs. The final rating, however, grants bonus points for any extra features and specs that aren’t quite as common, and is a great way to judge the product as a complete package.

Packaging
Look and feel: 9 / 10

Included Accessories
Protective case: YES

Build
Quality control: 9 / 10
Seems durable: YES
Microphonics: 8 / 10
Comfort: 9 / 10

Sound
Relatively balanced signature: –
Soundstage: 7 / 10
Detail retrieval: 8 / 10
Sibilance: 9 / 10
Instrument separation: 7 / 10
Isolation: 8 / 10
Hiss: 9 / 10

Portability
Small size: 7 / 10
Relatively low power required: 8 / 10
Weight: 9 / 10

Value
Competitive price-point: –
Relative value: 7 / 10

Basic Rating: 8.1

 

Bonus points
Removable cables: YES
Number of cables included: 1
Premium cables: –
How premium the case looks and feels: 10 / 10
Battery life above 8 hours: YES
Bluetooth: YES
Apt-X: YES
Volume/remote controls: YES
Metal body: Metal frame
Premium look and feel: YES
Use of exotic materials: –
Bluetooth connection quality: 9 / 10
1/4” adapter included: YES
Cable management: YES
Aircraft adapter: –
Extra earpads: –

Final Rating: 9.1 

 

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