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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Review updated Sep 08, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:22 am
V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Picture
6.1
Mixed Usage
7.2
Neutral Sound
5.9
Commute/Travel
6.2
Sports/Fitness
6.0
Office
5.1
Wireless Gaming
6.9
Wired Gaming
6.0
Phone Call

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are stylish and customizable headphones, with an above-average sound for critical listening. They have a durable build quality and a stable, comfortable fit. However, they feel slightly tight on your head and they struggle in loud environments. They don't block noise well and leak quite a bit at higher volumes.

Our Verdict

6.1 Mixed Usage

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are decent headphones for everyday casual use. They have a tough, durable build quality and an above-average sound quality. Unfortunately, they're not versatile enough for all use cases. They leak quite a bit and don't isolate well in loud environments.

Pros
  • Good audio reproduction.
  • Comfortable and stable fit.
  • Sturdy and durable design.
Cons
  • Poor noise isolation.
  • Leaky at high volumes.
7.2 Neutral Sound

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are above-average for neutral listening. They're a bit tight but comfortable enough for long listening sessions. They deliver decent sound quality with good bass, relatively well-balanced instruments and vocals, and a competent soundstage despite their closed-back design.

5.9 Commute/Travel

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are subpar for commuting. They poorly prevent ambient noise from entering your audio, which isn't ideal for noisy flights or for commuting via public transit.

6.2 Sports/Fitness

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are decent for sports. They're tight, and the ear cups are relatively flat on your ears which prevents them from swaying if used while running or exercising. However, they're a bit bulky and will get a little hot and steamy during intense workouts, especially if you sweat a lot. Their control scheme is also not the best.

6.0 Office

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are mediocre for office use. They won't isolate you very well from the chatter of a lively office, and they're also a bit leaky at high volumes.

6.9 Wired Gaming
  • 6.1 Mixed Usage
  • 7.2 Neutral Sound
  • 5.9 Commute/Travel
  • 6.2 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.0 Office
  • 5.1 Wireless Gaming
  • 6.9 Wired Gaming
  • 6.0 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
  5. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  6. Updated Mar 01, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
  7. Updated Sep 08, 2016: Review published.
  8. Updated Sep 06, 2016: Our testers have started testing this product.
  9. Updated Aug 09, 2016: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

See our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones, the best wired headphones, and the best studio headphones.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are better headphones than the V-MODA Crossfade M-100. The Audio-Technica are more comfortable and have a better sound quality, which makes them better for critical listening. On the other hand, the V-MODA feel sturdier thanks to their metal frame. They also have an in-line microphone for calls, which the Audio-Technica lack. Overall, the Audio-Technica will be a better option since they offer better value than the V-MODA.

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless No
Transducer Dynamic

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 have an industrial yet modern aesthetic that looks good but won't work for everyone. They come in a variety of colors, and you can customize the backplate with a personal logo or insignia. These headphones will stick out in public with their eye-catching and unique design which, depending on your personal taste, could be a good or a bad thing.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.62 lbs
Clamping Force
1.12 lbs

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are decently comfortable headphones that are a bit tight on the head. The ear cups are large and will fit around most listeners' ears. However, the cups are a little shallow, and the headband is a bit tight. Thanks to the decently cushioned ear cups, the tension of these headphones isn't too noticeable but might cause slight discomfort over long listening sessions.

5.3
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Mediocre
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control No
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons No

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 have a mediocre control scheme. The standard audio cable that comes with them only has one button and a mic. The button provides call/music and track skipping, but no volume controls. It's also a bit too rubberized, which doesn't deliver good tactile feedback. However, V-MODA offers more optional cables like a three-button mic cable, as well as the BoomPro mic dongle and CoilPro coiled audio cable with in-line controls.

6.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 6.5 °C

They get moderately hot if you have them on for more than 30 minutes. It's not super uncomfortable, but you feel a noticeable difference that might keep you from listening to your audio for extended periods. Furthermore, they won't be the ideal headphones to take to the gym due to their closed-back design and leather-like padding, preventing a lot of air flow within the ear cups.

6.1
Design
Portability
L 5.25"
W 5.38"
H 3.38"
Volume 95.47 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 are decently portable. They're mid-sized over-ear headphones that fold into a very compact format that'll fit into smaller bags and purses. Unfortunately, they're too big to fit in larger jacket pockets, so they'll be a bit of a hassle to carry around on your person without a bag.

8.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 6"
W 5.5"
H 4"
Volume 132 in³

They come with one of the best cases we've tested. The hard case is compact and will protect them from scratches, water damage, and falls. It's a tough, durable case that's also quite portable.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 have a good build quality. The headband has a lightweight, metal frame that feels sturdy, and flexible enough to handle a decent amount of physical stress. The ear cups are made of a dense plastic that won't easily break from a few falls. However, the customizable metal plate attached to the ear cups may get scratched through regular wear and tear. The cable that links the two ear cups is also somewhat exposed and could get damaged easier than the rest of the build.

7.5
Design
Stability

These headphones are quite stable. The tight headband and flat ear cups apply decent pressure around the ear and don't sway during exercise. These aren't sports headphones, but their design is stable enough to use while running or jogging. However, they're still a little too bulky and cumbersome to use at the gym or while doing strenuous physical activity.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • V-MODA Crossfade M-100 headphones
  • Carrying case
  • 1/4" to 1/8" adapter
  • Audio cable
  • SharePlay Audio Cable
  • Manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
0.96 dB
Treble Amount
-3.18 dB
6.9
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.64 dB
Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.8
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.12 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
2.52 dB
Mid-Bass
3.17 dB
High-Bass
4.23 dB
8.1
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.56 dB
Low-Mid
-1.75 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.47 dB
High-Mid
2.39 dB
6.8
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.46 dB
Low-Treble
-0.09 dB
Mid-Treble
-4.61 dB
High-Treble
-6.07 dB
6.6
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.18 dB
Dips
2.01 dB
7.9
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.31
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.74
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.05
Weighted Phase Mismatch
5.91
5.8
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.33 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
4.61 dB
PRTF Distance
7.86 dB
Openness
4.9
Acoustic Space Excitation
4.2
7.8
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.175
WHD @ 100
0.141
Isolation
4.9
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-11.91 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-0.17 dB
Mid
-9.18 dB
Treble
-27.12 dB

These headphones have poor isolation. They don't have active noise cancellation and perform as expected. The passive isolation starts to kick in at around 400Hz, and reaching its maximum at around 3kHz. However, the amount of isolation provided in the mid-range is quite poor, and the isolation achieved in the treble range is only decent.

6.7
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
41.49 dB

These headphones have poor leakage. They leak a bit more than most closed-back over-ears. The significant portion of leakage is between 300Hz and 6kHz, which is rather broad. However, the overall level of leakage is low.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes
6.0
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
479.46 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
1.68 dB
HFE
2,215.77 Hz
Weighted THD
0.176
Gain
22.09 dB
6.5
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
17.54 dB
Active Features
not tested
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
N/A
Continuous Battery Life
N/A
Additional Charges
N/A
Total Battery Life
N/A
Charge Time
N/A
Power Saving Feature
N/A
Audio While Charging
N/A
Passive Playback
N/A
Charging Port N/A
0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

These headphones have no compatible app.

Connectivity
0
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
N/A
Multi-Device Pairing
N/A
NFC Pairing
N/A
Line of Sight Range
N/A
Default Latency
N/A
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.33 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS
Wired Latency
0 ms
Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A