crossfade

V-Moda bestows celebrity status with personalized Crossfade headphones

Last year we awarded the V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones high marks for their durable construction, stylish looks, and aural affinity for DJs and fans of dance music, but at the time they were only offered in three colors: gunmetal black, phantom chrome, and white pearl.

Today, V-Moda adds more colors and the option to personalize your design with embellishments that (according to the press release) were "previously only available to select celebrities."

It seems like everything can be customized online--custom dress shirts, custom bicycles, and now custom headphones, thanks to V-Moda.

The company's Crossfade LP active … Read more

Djay for iPad fulfills your mixmaster fantasies

I'm not a musician, nor am I a DJ. I do fantasize about it, though, hence my obsession with DJ Hero, and my amateur songcrafting in GarageBand. I'd never buy a full-fledged turntable, nor would I know what to do with it. However, I'm a big fan of what's been accomplished on Djay, a new turntable app for the iPad.

Algoriddim's Djay app isn't cheap--at $20, it's in the high end of the App Store economy--but what it does matches what you'd expect from a regular PC/Mac application. In fact, it'… Read more

Super stylish V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones

V-Moda has gained quite a reputation for its stylish, low-profile earbuds, so it's not terribly surprising that the company has decided to dip its toes into the full-size headphone waters. As would be expected, V-Moda's entry into the space is every bit as stylish as its ultraportable siblings.

The Crossfade LP headphones run about $250 and feature top-notch construction, plenty of features, and a comfy fit. Unfortunately, sound quality is not on par with the price point, so if that's your chief concern, these aren't the best option.

Read the V-Moda Crossfade LP review.

Crossfade TV: Orgone, Foals, Gutter Twins

What's up this week on Crossfade TV? Find out what Mike, Anngie, and Kurt have to say about soul-funk group Orgone (a "no-brainer," says Mike, for fans of Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse), Oxford dance-pop group Foals, and the dark, moody new Gutter Twins project, featuring former grunge gods Greg Dulli (of Afghan Whigs) and Mark Lanegan (of Screaming Trees).

Crossfade TV is a joint production of CNET TV and Download Music. Tune in each week for the lowdown on our favorite new bands.

Crossfade TV: The Best of SXSW 2008

In case you haven't noticed, the Download Music crew is back in San Francisco after a massive week of music at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. We've been posting like crazy to Crossfade about some of our favorite shows; we picked a handful of top artists for our Best of SXSW playlist; and we cut a special SXSW episode of our weekly music show Crossfade TV as well, highlighting great performances by the likes of Duffy, Lou Reed, Ice Cube, Explorer's Club, These Are Powers, Enslaved, and Guilty Simpson.

Slide on over to CNET TV for … Read more

Crossfade TV: Best of 2007

Later this week we'll post a brand-new Crossfade TV episode, featuring three artists who are already making a big splash in 2008. In the meantime, and before '07 fades entirely into memory, have a look at our end-of-the-season video special highlighting faves from last year's crop, including Spoon, LCD Soundsystem, Kanye West, and Richard Hawley.

Best new music: Common, Liars, and Porter Wagoner

It's a funny thing, television: no matter how many of our friends claim they'd rather read than watch, it turns out that most really do. Watch, I mean. At least, that's how it is with our weekly Download Music video report--the one where we sit in front of the cameras and ramble on about what we've been listening to lately. OK, we don't really ramble too much--the show's pretty short--but it is a chance for us to pass along tips on songs and albums that have been grabbing us lately. Personal favorites, and … Read more