V-Moda forza Metallo Wireless In-Ear Headphones - Gunmetal Black, One Size

Sources: iPhone7-plus, iPod Touch, iPad Pro Mini, Macbook 12-inch.I love technology. Hardly a year (scratch that, month) goes by without a new milestone reached or barrier breached. Well, this isn't Earth-shattering, but when I finally find an IEM (ear-canal earphone) that sounds as good as the Sennheiser IE800 I had, but costs a fraction of what it did - that's reason enough for celebration. Note that reviews of this V-MODA Forza Metallo Wireless (ForzaMW from here on) IEM will vary a lot in how the reviewers perceive them, and I already know the deal - eartips, eartips, eartips. V-MODA supplies 8 pairs, and I decided on the next-to-largest set, the orange (underneath the white exterior) set. The bass is strong and tight - not the easiest thing to find in a good headphone or earphone. While treble varies a lot among IEM users because of the vagaries of ear canals, the bass you hear should be very much the same as what I hear, if you get the proper eartip fit.Final word on the bass (read more in the music samples below): The ForzaMW bass does not seem to have the overall power of the V-MODA Wireless2 bass, at least with the eartips I selected, and while I've heard IEM's that approach that level of bass, they don't do it cleanly unless they use multiple drivers (more on that below). That said, if there are any doubts about the ForzaMW's ability to play deep bass convincingly with a clean weighty impact, have a listen to the track by Hecq that I listed below - it will dispel all doubt.Midrange: I make EQ test curves as I go when doing a review, and I didn't change anything for the ForzaMW, in other words, uncolored and crystal clear. Treble: All of the in-ears (IEM's) I've reviewed have sounded slightly bright to me, and the ForzaMW sounds like the best of those, examples being the Dita Answer/Truth, Final Audio FI-BA-SS, RHA T20i, Sennheiser IE800, and V-MODA's Forza Metallo wired edition. My best guess is that the ForzaMW will sound right to most users, with the correct treble balance, and even though this is a Bluetooth IEM, the sound quality with the Qualcomm aptX codec is as good as it gets.I don't want to get into anything controversial here, but it's worth mentioning that multi-driver IEM's generally sound different from single-driver types. The rule, based on what I hear, is the multi-driver IEM's sound "bigger", probably due to phase anomalies between the various drivers in those earphones. Single driver IEM's sound "purer", with no acoustic interference from other drivers, and even if they don't sound as "big", the soundstage is still likely to be spectacular if they're tuned correctly. This ForzaMW sounds just right.Another area of possible controversy is whether or how much a Bluetooth codec (in the ForzaMW's electronics) would reduce the resolution compared to a wired earphone such as the Forza Metallo original wired version. In my opinion this wireless version is superior because 1) The tuning is better, and correct tuning (for accurate tonality) outweighs a minor reduction in absolute resolution, and 2) The Bluetooth codec here is Qualcomm aptX - the latest and best hi-fi codec. If you listen to very well recorded and refined music in a very quiet relaxed situation, you can hear a difference between a wired connection and the aptX Bluetooth connection, if you're a critical listener, audiophile, etc. If your music isn't that level of quality, if you're listening in a non-ideal setting (noisy, not relaxed, etc.), or if you don't have experience in detecting those kinds of differences, then the point is moot. When I need critically perfect sound, I use a wired headphone, but that's only for at-home listening.Isolation with the ForzaMW is good, but not a high isolation. That is, good enough for most outdoor use, but it may or may not be enough for the bus or the tube, depending on the ear-canal seal you get. Leakage is so low that even when playing the ForzaMW in a very quiet office or library at audiophile volume levels, people sitting next to you won't hear anything, unless they press right up to your ears. The ForzaMW is extremely light - less than one ounce total, and the wires going to the earpieces are thin, but V-MODA says these are very strong and they have strain-reliefs, so not a worry thing. This is my first Bluetooth IEM, so the configuration is all new to me. Basically, the very small strip containing the electronics goes behind the neck, the thicker cables going down to the control boxes sit on the sides of the neck, and then the thinner wires go from the control boxes to the earpieces. Remember that the entire weight is less than an ounce.Standard issue with the ForzaMW are 8 sets of eartips in 4 sizes, 3 sets of in-ear stabilizers ("Sport Fins") in 3 sizes, a cloth bag, some small O-rings that work with the optional 3D-printed customization earpiece caps, and the usual literature and warranty. I've had quite a bit of experience with earphone users on audio forums who purchased cloned or fake (fugazi) earphones, and it rarely has a good outcome. Be sure to get the genuine Forza Metallo Wireless.In previous reviews I've included music examples with comments about how the headphones sound with each track. My suggestion is instead of reading each one as an absolute unto itself, you could compare my notes here to other reviews and see how the ForzaMW compares to other headphones with each track. Note that the ForzaMW was evaluated above and below without tone controls or equalization.Above & Beyond - We're All We Need (feat. Zoe Johnston): A very nice tight but impactful bass with crystal clear vocals - the ForzaMW plays this with great ambiance.Anamanaguchi - Planet: A complex mix of percussion sounds and hummed vocals. The bells and other high-frequency percussion are highly detailed, the bass line has a moderate impact, and the bass detail is surprisingly good.Armin van Buuren - J'ai Envie de Toi (Orig Mix feat Gaia): Decent bass impacts, breathy vocals, lots of fun noise - the ForzaMW makes this sound real.Avicii - Feeling Good: Classic female vocal in movie-theme style - the ForzaMW brings this to life like few other earphones I've heard.Carl Kennedy-Tommy Trash ft Rosie Henshaw - Blackwater (Original Master): Nice strong tight bass impacts, female vocal, rendered delectably by the ForzaMW.Crystal Castles - Wrath of God: Atmospheric tune with vocal sound effects and strong bass line, plus some interesting treble percussion sounds. The ForzaMW brings these unique sounds to life.Digitalism - Pogo: A driving beat with a detailed bass synth and great vocals ("There's something in the air...") - the ForzaMW makes this very enjoyable.Dino Lenny-Lino Di Meglio - We Will Make It: Atmospheric tune with mixed vocals and a good beat - the female vocal is a special treat with the ForzaMW.DJ Shadow - Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt: High-pitched tones and strong deep piano chords with a hummed female vocal - ultra-cool with the ForzaMW.Fairmont - Poble Sec: Awesome detailed bass impacts with some nifty pingy guitar/synth effects. I discovered this tune at the time I purchased my 3rd M100 - the ForzaMW renders this perfectly.Giuseppe Ottaviani - Lost for Words (On Air Mix feat Amba Shepherd): Strong bass impacts behind a female voice - a large-scale sweeping sonic image reminiscent of epic adventures in an exotic land. The ForzaMW is playing on a whole new level here.Hecq - Enceladus (With Skyence): Prodigious deep bass and clean at that. This tune's melody is more abstract than most of the others here, but the ForzaMW makes it a real adventure.Katy B - Crying For No Reason (Tom Shorterz Remix): Oh myyyyy, I love Katy B. The vocal mix here is awesome and the bass is solid. This is the ForzaMW at its best.Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch: I first heard this in The September Issue film and soundtrack, as the backdrop for the opening catwalk (watch Andre grinning at 1:51 - all you need to know) - the ForzaMW plays this amazing tune perfectly.Lee and Malinda - Truth Will Set You Free (V-Moda Mix): Lee Kalt is the master, this is the masterpiece. The drum (or tom-tom) hits here have a very realistic skin-tone, the female vocal is seamlessly integrated into the driving beat, and the synth effects also blend well - the ForzaMW just owns this.Markus Schulz - Mainstage: The granddaddy of bass is in this track, and the ForzaMW plays it smooth and clean.

Update: I must reduce my ratings for these headphones a few months after my initial review. They have issues where for no apparent reason, the volume will either fade to zero, or rise to max. Incredibly annoying and makes them unusable. I have seen other reviewers with the issue so clearly not an isolated case. Disappointing for less than a year of use.------------------------------The comfort and design of these headphones is exceptional.The earbuds and wires are incredibly small and light. When I first unboxed them I was a bit shocked at how small they were, but I can see why now. They can just sit in your ears all day with no fatigue or discomfort at all. Even the most comfortable headphones I have used before these started feeling uncomfortable after a few hours, but that is not the case with these.The wires are very long. This can be a little annoying and get in the way sometimes, and I imagine they would be inconvenient for using in the gym (not something I have ever used them for). But the long wires do serve a purpose. You can move and turn your head and never feel a single tug from the wires.The design is sleek, and I feel like I can wear them anywhere without them feeling out of place or over the top. The neckband fits perfectly under a shirt collar, so they are fairly subtle for all day wear at work.Battery life is good. I have seen some criticism of the battery life, but for a low profile neckband pair of earbuds like this, 10 hours is really good.Bluetooth connectivity is fairly good. Not quite as much range as others (especially over ear headphones) but still able to wear them around most of the house while keeping good signal. Pretty much no interruption when I have my phone in my pocket.Sound- I am not an audiophile by any means so not really going to dwell on sound. There is a bit of bass but not overkill like some others. They sound really good to me.Overall these are just really comfortable, sleek headphones. The V Moda marketing suggests they designed these headphones for all day wear and use, and they have certainly achieved that. I would probably look for other options if you want a pair of headphones for the gym / running, due to the long wires. But for everything else (listening at work / around the hours / when walking) these are superb.

I have owned 3 pairs of these and none have lasted longer than a year.These cost nearly £200. The sound quality is excellent, they're very comfortable and they last a long time. However, after only a very short period (in one case as short as 3 months), they break. I therefore cannot recommend them. Much too unreliable which is not what I would expect from V Moda. I've owned their M100 over-ear headphones which have lasted me 8 years. Build quality badly needs to be improved, otherwise these are a waste.

Stuck in some weird loop where it will connect and then instantly disconnect from any device. battery is fine, tried resetting and re-pairing many times. Worked flawless up until this point, shame.

C'est du matériel de haut de gamme. Très satisfait.

Let me state first that I unfortunately had to return these due to connection issues (as far as i can tell, due to a bad item)I will regret returning them, they are amazing headphones on their own.As for the review itself, the only "negative" I can give these is that the cables are a little long but that's fixed with a little tape.Connection wise, they're very good if you have a phone with good bluetooth connectivity, the battery is amazing and the earbuds are very low profile, if you put a set offoam earbuds instead of silicon, they block sound amazingly well AND fit inside any motorcycle helmet. Great for motorcyclist that want to block out wind noise and hear a bit of music while still being able to hear better than any other car on the road.I've tested these on my own motorcycle and until I had issues, they never dropped or even skipped on the freeway.The controls are intuitive and easy to learn.The sound profile: I used to be an audiophile and these are very pleasing, aside from being very comfortable to wear, at the lowest volume you can still feel the beats of your music, nothing is drowned out and everything is clear imo.If I see these on sale, used I will definitely pick it up again.

Awesome headphones but THE worst customer service ever.Real shame because they talk about 6 star service in their promotion materials but give 1 star service if you do not live in the USA.This my recommendation is avoid for now, there are so many great headphones around.. Give your money to a manufacturer that gives a damn about helping when there are issues.

After months of online research to find the best pairing of a wireless headphone set for my new Pixel xl2, I finally decided on this, the V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless. I am glad that I did.The set itself is well packaged, easy to set up and easier to install on my phone. It is fast to charge, so comfortable to wear, simple to operate, holds a charge like no other and the sound is second to none! I was expecting nothing less from V-Moda and I am not disappointed.The price point from Amazon.ca was crazy... less in Canadian dollars than the USD price direct from V-Moda.... and free shipping too. It was out of stock when I ordered it so had to wait a few weeks but the wait was well worth it.Get it while you can. I have tried others but based on comfort, sound and technical specs, the V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless cannot be beat.