Disclosure: A pair of V-Moda Crossfade M-100 headphones and Boom Pro Mic attachment were provided by V-Moda for the purpose of this review. The headphones retail for $249 on Amazon.
The Crossfade M-100 are V-Moda’s flagship headphones. They cost as much as other premium headphones on the market and, thanks to their distinctive style, manage to stand out among the crowd.
The M-100s are designed as closed over-ear headphones that are relatively light, designed to allow music listeners and gamers alike to wear them for extended sessions.
Like other products from V-Moda, the headphones have a rugged build quality. The headband is steel-reinforced and the memory-foam ear cushions designed to be replaceable. My only qualm with the ear cushions is that they’re covered in faux leather, which in humid environments can and will deteriorate in time. Given the quality of the rest of the headphone, I would have preferred if V-Moda used real leather.
The pressure on the ear cups can feel a little tight at first, but I’ve either gotten used to their seal or they’ve loosened over 100+ hours of use. Regardless, I did not find them to cause discomfort even after using them for long sessions.
The cables they come with are Kevlar-reinforced with a 3.5mm plug at each end, which can connect to either ear cup. The purpose of this is to allow a friend with a separate pair of headphones to listen in on your sound. There’s a tiny plug covering the unused hole to prevent dirt from getting into it. Try not to lose it.
I received a separate accessory with my review unit—the Boom Pro mic. It converts the M-100 into a proper headset for gamers. The sound from the microphone is pretty high quality, but it doesn’t compare to a professional microphone like the Apogee MiC, which isn’t really a problem as the two devices are not even remotely within the same price range. Expect quality that sounds way better than what you’re used to with gaming headsets, but don’t expect it to sound as good as a professional microphone.
The M-100 is by no means a barebones package. It comes with a hard shell carry case and a gold-plated 6.3mm adaptor for hifi use.
As I mentioned earlier in the review, the quality of the sound is stellar and should appeal to any audiophile. These aren’t Beats by Dre—the M-100 sounds better. With sizable 50mm cups, the headphones offer a good soundstage with rich and clear sound topped by solid bass response.
When I tested them, the M-100s sounded especially good with EDM and dubstep. I listened to my favorite Monstercat albums while playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and both the music and sounds of the game came through loud and clear with great detail.
I didn’t need to plug them into my RSA Predator portable headphone amp to get the most out of them, either—an iPhone can very easily power the M-100s.
V-Moda has created quite the headphones with the M-100s. Not only do they look cool, but they also sound good compared to other headphones I’ve worn, including the similarly priced Beyerdynamic DT990. The M-100s offer lively, detailed sound coupled with a punchy bass that sounds great and plays well with video games.
