Are you looking for a sturdy pair of earbuds with excellent sound quality, that will stay in place when exercising? Then you’ll want the best earbuds for the job: the V-MODA ZN. Featuring strong durability using zinc, the V-MODA ZN can take a beating and still provide that audio performance you so crave without breaking the bank. If you’d rather go with a pair of over-ear headphones, check out our Harman Kardon Beautiful Sound CL on-ear headphones review.
Why We Like It – V-MODA ZN
The V-MODA ZN is a perfect mix of quality, pricing, and performance—where one does not supersede the other; all the while making it ready for any adventure you throw at it.
- Excellent sound quality
- Great durability
- Price matches performance
- Doesn’t have noise cancellation
Related: If you prefer earbuds with some noise-canceling features, check out our Wang Bud Earbuds by Fanny Wang review.
Performance
Just like the V-MODA crossfade M 100 metal over-ear headphones, the V-MODA ZNs have really great audio performance—especially when it comes to bass response—with a frequency response between 2-25,000Hz. It’s got deep bass that really fills your ears, but not so much that it’s annoying or covering other frequencies. The sound signature resembles a V, but not enough to hinder its performance in any meaningful way.
What it does lack, like the Jaybird X2, is noise-cancelation. It replaces noise-cancelation with noise isolation. Noise cancellation uses specific technology to block all noises, or rather, “cancel” noise. With noise isolation, it’s just ambient sounds that are blocked or muffled. Noise cancellation would make for a better listening experience, but noise isolation is still better than nothing. For noise-canceling earbuds, consider the Bose QuietComfort 20.
Related: If you like these earphones, also check out our V-Moda Vibrato Remote Noise Isolating Headphones review.
Design
V-MODA ZN is quite a unique pair of headphones. For chemists, you zeroed in on the “ZN” found in the name. Your suspicions were right. For the uninitiated, the “ZN” refers to Zinc metal. Reason is: that the V-MODA ZN is made with a zinc alloy, which is a lot stronger and sturdier than aluminum. To further compound its durability, the cable has been reinforced with kevlar, and is even resistant to tangling. We also can’t ignore its durability holding up to military-level MIL-STD-105 standards. Altogether it has made for a more premium look as opposed to plastic like the Shure SE215 use.
Value
When we considered everything the V-MODA ZN had to offer, the message was clear: the ZNs have serious value. It isn’t just because they perform well, but their performance certainly matches the price, more so than the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear. You can go from listening to music to making a phone call thanks to the built-in mic. Inside the package, you’ll get a lovely carrying case and several earbuds of varying sizes and colors, including ear hooks. They’re an excellent pair of earbuds for exercise.
V-MODA ZN Wrap Up
From performance to build quality, the V-MODA ZN is packing a lot of value into its zinc metal casing, and will they let you down when needed. The sound quality is high enough for even audiophiles to acknowledge, but still, keeps the price relatively low. While the V-MODA ZNs don’t have noise cancellation, there is noise isolation.
