V-Moda's Vibe Duo are the most stylish-looking headphones around; the metal earbuds come in several color schemes (ours was a hip black-and-chrome), and the black plastic inline mic (with a Call/Music button) is very low-key. The slim cables are covered in fabric, so they don't tangle easily, and they end in an iPhone-compatible gold-plated plug. The silicone tips block out some noise, but you don't get tomb-like silence. The tips come off easily, so expect to need extras, despite the three included sets (small, medium, and large). The only other accessory is a small pleather carrying bag.
Music quality was solid. Bass-heads will love the heavy low end, though our favorite Caetano Veloso track ("Triste Bahia") was a little less snappy than we'd like. But with all that thump, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Primus were pretty headbang-worthy, and Jay-Z's American Gangster sounded fierce.
When we made calls, voices sounded somewhat muddy on the other end but were still easily intelligible. Our own voice sounded very clear and full, but with background noise we had a difficult time being heard. Hipsters and bass freaks should check these out first--just don't try to talk on the phone with buses going by.
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