Ok....24 hours of burn-in down, so here is the update:
First, I was in the area so I stopped by the apple store and picked up the splitter cable for the iPhone. I figure I'm gonna be flying soon and I'd prefer the fuller isolation of the E4C's on the plane, plus the bennie of being able to do a direct sound-sound comparison between different headsets. So, here we go.
1. Burn-in: Oh yeah, it is definitely not hype. Popped the v-moda's into the iphone, queued up a playlist, and it was a rather different sound profile. The bass somewhat settled down, and wasn't as boomy as it was in the beginning. The midrange and high range opened up...the muted-ness was much lessened, and I liked the profile more. You could still notice a bit of loss in the high range, but nothing beyond what was to be expected from this level of headphones.
2. Microhonics. Well, after being out and about with them for some time today, I have to say I was surprised that it just wasn't all that noticeable. I honestly expected it to be worse than it was. Now, I have to say I think the v-moda design would benefit from a thicker, more isolating cable, but as it is it is very acceptable. The only caveat I'd say is if you absolutely cannot stand microphonics in any way, shape, or form, then I'd say take it into consideration.
3. Match-up: Well, I ran these puppies against both my Shure E4C's and my E3C's...I didn't bother to do a comp between the stock iPhone buds because a) they don't fit my damn ears so it wouldn't be fair, and b) even if they fit they would come in dead last. My process (as scientifically asinine as it is) was simple: plug each set into the splitter, spend about a minute going back and forth with one on mute and one on sound, then spend the next minute with both playing to see the difference. Did this on a variety of different sound types (rock, rap, techno, pop, orchaestral, etc).
So, first comp I did was against the E4Cs. Honestly, not much of a contest. E4's are more open, with noticeably better mids and highs. The bass (not something the E4's are known for) was surprisingly close but not as good as the v-moda's. When played together, you could notice that the sound detail was more clear and the soundstage felt more open on the E4's. Now, this is not to say the v-moda's sounded bad....to my mind, considering the design, the target audience, and the price, the v-moda's did an admirable job. To try and number it....if the E4Cs rated an 8 of 10, the v-moda's to my mind would be in the 6.5-7 range.
Next, the E3C. This was a fun test, mostly because it was pretty damn tough. The only thing to me that really differentiated the two was that the bass response on the v-moda's were fuller. Aside from that, when playing the two of them together, it was really tough to tell them apart. Considering the only reason I ditched the E3's for the E4 was that the right earpiece came off the wire (ie - I was extremely pleased with them), this again speaks very, very highly of the v-moda's. Bass was much better on the v-moda's, and I'd have to say the clarity in the mid/high range was similar to the point that when I was focusing on it with both playing, it felt/sounded to me like I just had one headset on. In truth, if push came to shove, and I had to chose between the v-moda's and a "version" of the E3C with it's own built in mic/control unit, I'd pick the v-moda's over the E3Cs.
Phone use - Sound clarity was very good, and I didn't get any complaints from people I talked to regarding how I sounded, including a call or two made outdoors. The switch works exactly as it should, and I especially like the solid tacticle feel of it.
Comfort - I actually find them to be a bit more comfortable than the Shure's. Granted I'd put that more up to me using the triple-flange insert for the Shure's, but after a few hours with them in I'd end up with sore ears, whereas the v-moda's only left a very mild discomfort.
Bottom line.....anybody wanna buy a Shure MPA adapter? Also, if anyone has any questions or wants to me to try listening to them with a particular piece of music, just post it up and I'll oblige ya.
$67 shipped!
