Do the vPulse In-Ear Headphones deliver the goods?
Read on
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| The vPulse In-Ear Headphones |
Usually earbuds are included in the
price of devices that require them. The
key word is usually. High end mobile
phones can ship without them, and an increasing number have stopped including
them. Those that include them are
certainly not offering “the best of breed.”
To
enjoy a fully realized sound, one has to look at a third party. Velodyne, makers of extremely high end
subwoofers, have created the vPulse In-Ear Headphones as their solution to providing
high quality sound in a small portable package.
For
those only familiar with the standard issue ear headphones that accompany
assorted devices that play music, e.g., mp3 players, smartphones and some
ebooks, it could be difficult to conceive that there are profound differences
between the various types on the market.
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| The vPulse container |
The
difference between bargain basement earbuds and higher end models available not
fully comprehended until you literally do “the taste test.” Listening is truly believing here.
To provide
some perspective, I had used the standard issue headphones that came with my
high end smart phone for a long time. I
had also used the earbuds that came with my mp3 player. I thought they were acceptable.
When my
mp3 player’s ear buds suffered from a severed chord, I decided to replace them
with “seriously discounted” ear buds. At
the time, I thought there would be no difference in sound quality. I swiftly learned that there is a huge
difference.
The
sound from my replacement was thin, muffled and simply put, awful. There was no range and no bass. What came out was unacceptable by any
standard. Then, when I compared my earbuds that came
with my smart phone and mp3 player to the Velodyne offering, the results was
nothing short of amazing.
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| The flat wire, no tangles |
Using
the vPulse was a revelation. The sound
was reminiscent of the quality I had with using headphones, rich and fully
bodied. It was hard to believe that in
ear headphones were capable of this type of depth of sound.
10 mm
drivers and quality materials are part of the reason why Velodyn’s offering is
superior. However, all of the stats and
high end materials mean nothing without great sound.
To be
expected from a company known for its subwoofers, the vPulse delivers rich
bass. Neither overblown nor understated,
the sound is pure and certainly not muffled.
A
serious down side with ear-buds that boast powerful low sounds is that they may
cripple middle and higher range ones.
Using poorly made earphones, the base can become so obnoxious that it stampedes
everything near it.
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| The volume and mic |
This is where the vPulse truly
shines. It can handle a broad range of sounds.
The bass is deep, but it does not stomp out the subtlety of other
sounds. This is particularly important
when a prominent baseline is featured in music.
The
reality for listeners is that they enjoy a spectrum of music. Even if confined to one genre, there are
still ranges to be found within a category.
In order for earphones of any kind to be successful, they should be
capable of handling a variety of music.
If they can’t, then they should be labeled as such.
To see just
how capable an in-ear headphone can be is by testing it with a variety of
music. It is the area of music that the
vPulse truly excels.
Listening
to Judy Collins sing “Michael from Mountains,” one could hear the power of the
orchestra while at the same time hearing the vocals with clarity. Old school soul fared exceptionally
well. James Brown’s unique sound communicated
potency. There was a vibrancy and grace
that created a rich fully flavored sound.
At no point was the sound muddy.
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| The container |
Hip
hop, jazz, classical, pop, rock, alternative and nearly every hybrid I could
think of, the vPulse was adept at handling whatever category of music it was
given. It is range that is a very good
indicator of quality.
An
interesting point was when using these in-ear headphones with beats equipped systems. The smartphone I was using featured beats
audio. It is an enhancement that boosts the base. On lesser quality of earbuds, this feature
can result in better sound. That was
not the case with the vPulse.
The beats audio simply muffled the
sound. Higher ranges were truncated. The nuances of music were drowned out for the
sake of booming sound. When the beats
feature was turned off, the result was the vPulse producing rich distinct
sound. Where beats could only offer up
volume, the vPulse could provide support for a wide range of sounds without
losing lower tones.
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| The clean look |
A point
that distinguishes quality centric ear headphones from bargain basement ones
are the accessories. Comfort is a
crucial ingredient in ear buds. If they
do not fit properly, sound is sacrificed.
If something is not comfortable, the chances are very good it won’t be
around for long. Helping to make their
earbuds practical to a broad range of consumers, there are 16 extra buds
included.
Solid
construction translates into a longer life span. Aluminum construction is certainly a positive. In sharp contrast to my totally plastic ear-buds of days past, the construction of these ear headphones felt solid, not
flimsy. Attention to materials makes a difference.
Like
other higher end ear-buds, the chords that connect are linguini shaped. This configuration eliminates the annoying
problem of twisted wires. That aggravation
is effectively gone.
Included
with this particular package are a cable clip and shoestring carrying
pouch.
Although
designed with Apple products in mind, the In-Line controls are compatible with iPod 3rd generation and newer,
iPhone 3Gs, 4, 4s, 5, and iPads only.
With that said, the mic and headphones work with Android smartphones,
just the inline controls are not available.
This, for me, is not a deal breaker.
Summation
Good design, solid construction
and a nice set of accessories are a given with ear-buds in this category. What is expected, anticipated and desired is
the one essential ingredient that matters most, great sound. When it comes to that fundamental quality,
the vPulse is a graceful performer. As
an upgrade, this is certainly a substantial one. Even if you are happy with average earphones,
there is a huge difference in quality that earphones like this can provide. If
you really want to enjoy music, not simply hear it, then the vPluse is a must
have. At $ 99.00 this is a real value, and
it represents the best of the breed.
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