V-Moda Vibe Earbuds (Red Roxx)

Pros:
1. Phenomenal bass response. It doesnt have the "please make me deaf" kind of "super bass", but has a rich uniform bass - much better than the Shure and Creative buds.
2. Mid range and highs are also great and crisp
3. The fit and maintenance are both super easy. No clogging, not 'ear wax cleaning tools' etc
4. The "seal" is also great - and importantly, consistent. Also, the seal pretty much isolates most sound. So you definitely want to be careful when wearing these. (For example - I couldnt hear the tap running when I was in my kitchen. I couldnt even hear my phone ringing right in front of me)
5. Fits right, no slipping even when you are walking or running

Cons:
None really. The packaging, presentation etc could be better. The "leather" bag it comes with looks kinda cheap, etc. But all of this, in my opinion is purely incidental and immaterial. I mean, do you buy earbuds for the sound or for the way its packaged/accessories?

Another suggestion:
When using the iPod, I found the "Rock" EQ setting gave me the best response on the buds. Try listening to "Stairway to Heaven" and you can hear Jimmy Page's (I think) fingers brush against the strings of the lead guitar as he plucks away. Beat that Shure! Creative, just roll over! :)

Sound Quality/Noise Reduction:
Very Good. I own Bose QC2 and QC3 and tested the v-moda against them just for fun. These earphones are a tad bass-heavy, but it is not unpleasant. I would describe it as a warm and full sound, suitable for most modern popular music (tested with Kanye West and Coldplay against the Bose). Definitely not as impressive for classical (use Barber's Adagio for Strings) or Jazz.

Note that these earphones do not insert very deeply into the ear canal, which compromises sound isolation somewhat. However, I feel these are more comfortable for the average earphone user. You don't have to jam them deep into your ear, and does not have the annoying vacuum popping effect when you remove.

Build Quality:
My primary concern when buying earphones is durability (namely, cord tearing and tangling). If you only care about sound quality, then you should look for a more expensive and likely less durable pair of studio monitors. The cords are relatively thick and inflexible, which decreases the incidence of tangling. The buds themselves are metal and sturdy, yet lightweight. The earphones come with a leather case, but I feel these are sturdy enough to throw into the backpack without it.

Lastly, these are the most attractive earphones on the market, by far. Stylish without being overly ostentatious. Good stuff.

Overall I like these earbuds a lot. They do have a very strong bass bias, so if that is what you are looking for great, if that bothers you then you should definitely look elsewhere. Any of the preset equalizers with heavy bass on my MP3 player are basically unusable with these earbuds because it will drown out the other ranges. But a flat or treble-biased equalizer sounds great because the bass is still available, along with rich mids and clear treble. The range on these earbuds is also noticeably larger, especially on the low end, than other headphones I've used.

These are great earbuds if you want to listen to music in a loud environment, such as a crowded office, bus, or even airplane, without having to crank up the volume. Because of the seal these make in your ear canal they block out most environment background noise so all you hear is the music. These work so well that I actually play tracks at about half the volume as I did with regular earbuds, and as a result I've even noticed improvement in the battery life of my MP3 player.

The only fault I've had with these is that about 8-9 months after purchasing these the sound in the left earbud started to cut out. The problem was the wire connecting to that earbud seemed to be slipping loose and cutting off the sound. Luckily I was within the 1-year warranty and they shipped me another pair, but I was distressed that such an expensive pair of headphones would go out after several months. The problem is likely in the design: since the metalic earbuds fit within your ears there is natural tendency to pull them out by the base of the wires when removing them from the ear. This probably loosened the mount over several months and resulting in it wearing out. So if you get these definitely pull them out by the bud itself, not the wire.

Pros:
+ good rich sound if you don't mind the bass
+ stylish, catchy colors (I have the metalic red), goes well with ipods if you are sick of white wires
+ wires are less prone to tangling
+ great blocking of environmental noise, especially in noisy environments. benefits of noise canceling headphones with the batteries or the bulk.

Cons:
- Several reviews note having to return them to fix problems with the wires.

I purchased my first pair of headphones about a year ago for use with my iPod. The fit/finish of the product impressed me. The sound quality, though not as refined as high end (and more expensive) headphones, was a significant improvement from iPod OEM headphones. As someone who prefers in-ear headphones, especially for use while working out and traveling, I appreciated the customizable options available with the included multiple ear buds. It was easy to find a great fit.

Unfortunately, after a few months, the sound quality became muddy and attenuated. The return policy was simple and straightforward and I received a replacement set within a few weeks. Recently, however, my second set failed too, exhibiting poor sound quality and the failure of one side of the headphones. Although I'm returning these as well, I've now embarked on a new search for a more reliable brand of headhphones.

Really enjoyed these because they sounded great, but didn't last more than 3 months. The coating around the wires started to peel away at both the earbuds and the jack. Really disappointing considering the price. Won't buy these again.