crossfade

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The confetti at Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was made of confidential police documents.

- NEC is designing a suitcase-size DNA analyzer.

- A pill that calls home once you've taken it.

- CNET Exclusives: 35 percent off Outdoor Technology Bluetooth headphones and wireless gear!

- Cyber Monday CNET Holiday Gift Guide.… Read more

Enter our week-long Threadless contest for a chance to win one of three Threadless T-shirts -- one lucky winner will receive a $30 gift certificate to the Threadless Web Store. Just follow us on Twitter and @reply us a photo of your favorite T-shirt along with the hash tag #404Threadless. We'll select the winners next Monday. Good luck!… Read more

Val Kolton has a lot of ideas. I know him first as the man who runs V-Moda, but he's also a hotshot DJ. I met with him in NYC last week for a sneak preview of his brand-new Crossfade M-100 over-the-ear headphones. Kolton had just received the first production batch and hadn't actually listened to the completed headphones yet. I had the honor of listening first, even before the V-Man, and the M-100s totally knocked me out. It has a closed-back 'phone design, but the sound was remarkably open and spacious, a rare feat for a closed design. … Read more

Did you leave your heart in San Francisco? What about your headphones? Well, here's your chance to get them back. This week, in honor of the city where CNET is headquartered, we're giving away a pair of V-Moda Crossfade LP Custom over-ear headphones with a San Fran theme.

Those with their ears to the world of audio accessories know V-Moda to be a reputable maker of stylish, low-profile earbuds that's branched out into headphones and, more recently, a headphone amp that's also an iPhone case.

The company's Crossfade LP Custom headphones let you choose from a wide range of plate color options, as well as stock engraving graphics (numbered jersey, crown, skull snake) or your very own custom logo. In this case, the headphones are already designed for you with swappable decorative plates featuring the Golden Gate Bridge and a cable car.

Normally, these San Francisco-centric earphones would cost you $199, but you have the chance to get them for free. How? Well, there are a few rules (including not calling San Francisco Frisco), so please listen up.… Read more

V-Moda refines the sound design of last year's original Crossfade LP DJ headphones with a refresh that offers customized ear plates, dual 50mm drivers, and a tough backbone enforced under strict military testing.

For this version, V-Moda displays its newest Live Play sonic signature developed using a 31-band equalizer to ensure a clean space, free of artificial sound spikes. The guts are built around a driver diaphragm model with a hard inner ring that pumps mids and highs, while a softer outer ring on top extends the bass line for harder punches.

V-Moda takes precautions to protect the Crossfade LP2s so you don't have to. The headphones adhere to the military's MIL-STD-810G hardened guidelines and will likely outlive everything else in your DJ bag thanks to a Kevlar wrapped detachable cable, a headband that can bend completely flat, and the shell's resistance to humidity, salt spray, and UV exposure.

The company is also offering customers a chance to personalize their gear with a custom ear shield program that lets you select between 12 colors of interchangeable shields- if you ask nicely, V-Moda will even etch your artwork onto the sides, anything from your name, company, sports team logo, or personal artwork.

The V-Moda Crossfade LP2 headphones are available now for $199.

More pictures after the break.… Read more

Ever wish your boring old headphones were a bit more "you"? With this week's prize, a set of V-Moda Crossfade LP Custom over-ear headphones, you get a cool pair of 'phones--and the chance to infuse them with some personal panache.

Those with their ears to the world of audio accessories know V-Moda as a reputable maker of stylish, low-profile earbuds. When the company moved into the full-size-headphone realm last year with its V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones, CNET reviewers gave the cans high marks for their durable construction and good looks. The custom versions add even more flair to the mix.

You'll choose from a wide range of plate color options, as well as stock engraving graphics (numbered jersey, crown, skull snake, or vinyl immortal angel logo) or your very own custom logo. Custom text rounds out the personalization. We think a Crave logo with the words "devoted Crave reader" would look fabulous, but hey, it's up to you! … Read more

V-Moda works with popular DJs like Paul Oakenfold, Major Lazer, and Deadmau5 to tweak and tune its headphones, and the latest product of its celebrity endorsement is a midsize pair of on-ear cans called the Crossfade M-80s.

The 'phones are designed to be 53 percent smaller than their full-size sibling, the Crossfade LP, but the steel exoskeleton, replaceable memory foam ear cushions, and even the contoured travel case all remain to give the headphones an overbuilt quality capable of withstanding rough roads.

We're not joking about its ruggedness, either. The M-80s survived the military's strict MIL-STD-810G standard that tests the limits of product durability. Nearly all parts of the headphones are tailored for toughness, from a detachable Kevlar-reinforced cable to the headband that can stretch out completely flat.

We had a chance to preview an early model of the M-80s last month, and V-Moda founder/designer Val Kolton told us how the company relies on a 31-band EQ, lab testing, reference tuning, and a QA process with sound engineers to make sure every V-Moda headphone sounds exactly the same. This way, the company can guarantee a consistent frequency response and noise isolation for every pair sold.

The V-Moda Crossfade M-80s are available now in retail stores for $230 and are backed by a two-year warranty as well as the company's "Immortal Life Replacement Program" that guarantees a 50 percent discount off a replacement pair in the unlikely case the original breaks.

Lucky for us, Val left a pair of M-80s for review, so look for a full report on CNET coming soon. More pictures after the jump.… Read more

Djay for iPhone and iPod Touch brings two turntables to your touch screen so you can beat match, scratch, and record mixes of music from your library. A unique interface lets you hold your iPhone sideways to view the turntables side by side, or you can switch to vertical and view a single turntable to adjust the EQ and BPM and get more screen area in which to work with your mixes.

Djay boasts a "hyper-realistic low-latency touch-screen interface," and we found that it definitely feels more precise than similar DJ apps in the category. As an added … Read more

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