Search Results for “DT600” – Audio Reviews

Simgot EM2 Review II – Crisp and Clean

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Wed, 29 May 2019 06:01:36 +0000

Pros — Near-audiophile tuning; clarity; superb leather case.

Cons — Lower midrange recessed.

Loomis Johnson has already published his own review of the Simgot EM2 here on Audio Reviews, which characterizes the earphone’s characteristics spot on imho. You find it HERE. And a series of photos of the iem is THERE.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The nicely accessorized, well fitting/isolating Simgot EM2 impresses by its balanced, crisp, transparent, bright, neutralish sound. A more forward (lower) midrange would move it closer to perfection.

INTRODUCTION

I have seen a few reviews of the Simgot EM2 already, most positive, one negative. I was rather surprised when putting these in my ears as I could not remember anything this crisp and clear in the $100-150 class. These Simgot EM2 belong to yet another new generation of multi-driver earphones that sound sleeker, fresher, and more natural than the previous one (as you will see below).

SPECIFICATIONS

Transducer: 10 mm high magnetic compound dynamic driver & Knowles balanced armature RAF-32873 polymer compound titanium-plated diaphragm N50 strong magnetic circuit, acoustic hanging system, Brass stabilizing rings
Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 40 kHz
Sensitivity: ≥101 dB（at 1000 Hz）
Impedance: 15 Ω
Distortion: <1% 101dB（20μpa）
Channel Imbalance: <1.5dB（at 1000Hz）
Rated Power: 10 mW
Cable: 4 cores of SPC braided cable with 2-pin connectors.
Price: $116 (at the time of the review)
Simgot Amazon Store: LINK

IN THE BOX…

…is quite a lot. The Simgot EM2 are generously accessorized including the best leather case coming with any earphone I have unpacked. What is particularly nicely done is the presentation of two sets of eartips, one narrow-bore for bass emphasis, and another wide-bore one for treble. Although, this turned out to be less useful for me than expected.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY

The Simgot EM2’s housings are made of acrylic (similar to the NiceHCK DT600 [review] and the $$$ Sennheiser IE 500 Pro [photos) is good but not as good as CNC machined. The 4-core 2-pin connector cable is flawless, has a chin slider and no microphonics. The cable’s metal parts are coated with protective clear plastic.

ERGONOMICS, COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

Isolation is marvellous, the EM2 are great for street use. Even with cars around I did not miss any of the music’s details. Worked also well when my wife watched television next to me. The shells are small and comfortable. I’d compare them in this respect to the Sennheiser IE 40 PRO [review].

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

The EM2 were easily driven by my iPhone SE. The included wide-bore tips generated a treble-happy, blurry, unbalanced sound that didn’t do it for me. The included narrow-bores, on the other hand, worked just great for me.

TONALITY

JK’s tonal preference and testing practice

The included narrow-bore eartips allegedly emphasize bass. But all they do is move the lower treble peak to the left and attenuate the upper treble resonant peak, which creates only the perception of a stronger bass.

Simgot EM2 frequency responses with narrow-bore and wide-bore tips.

The overall image is a gentle U with a forward inclination from between the nicely extended sub-bass into the lower midrange, similar to favourites such as the Sennheiser IE 40 PRO, Soundmagic E10C, or the original black Brainwavz B200. This means that the bass slam comes from way below (and not from the mid-bass or upper bass), which avoids a thick low end and generates clarity in the vocals department of the lower midrange but also keeps warmth to a minimum. The bass is fast, focused and crisp, but not overly punchy, just as purists like it.

Simgot EM2 frequency response with narrow-bore tips.

The lower midrange is a slightly recessed and low voices/rhythm guitars could be a bit denser with more body and lustre, but this recession adds depth to the image. Vocals are clear, well contoured, and natural. The slightly boosted upper midrange adds brightness to the sound but not enough to create harshness. The whole midrange is close to neutral.

Treble fits in with the midrange. It is not overly extended and devoid of strange peaks, which excludes sibilance and piercing. High piano notes are well defined and cymbals are crisp and well resolving but they don’t have the sparkle and pearliness of the ISN Rambos [review].

Soundstage is of average width, good height, and lesser but still average depth. Instrument separation and layering are good and so are transparency and sense of space. The timbre is almost there for classical music, a bit of natural warmth is missing in the string instruments, but this is rather minor. I find that the DD and the BA work well together and produce a coherent image.

Simgot gives a channel imbalance of maximally 1.5 dB at 1 kHz (see specs above) — I achieved a close to perfect match in my measurements across the frequency spectrum.

In summary, the sound of the Simgot EM2 can be described as leaning towards bright and neutral (but not sterile), with excellent clarity. I found they brightened up some of my dull, muffled old 1980s recordings.

Frequency responses of the Simgot EM2, Ikko OH1, and the Kanas Moondrop Pro: similar graphs, different tonalities.

In comparison, the warmer and more organic sounding single DD Moodrop Kanas Pro ($179) [review] have a stronger bass slam, smoother midrange and treble, and less transparency. And they have bigger and much heavier earpieces.

The $139 Ikko OH1 [photos] have even more emphasis on sub-bass than the Kanas Pro and a more pronounced V-shaped image than the Simgot EM2, while being warmer across the frequency spectrum. Their alloy shells are marginally bigger and CNC machined.

The fact that the frequency responses of all of the above are essentially identical from approx. 2 kHz down, shows the limitations of the usefulness of measurements for characterizing/comparing the sound of different driver configuration/tunings…and/or that my fantasy took over.

The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO also have a warmer, fuller sound with a more robust low end and more upper treble than the Simgot EM2.

In summary, the EM2 is the closest to neutral, clearest, and the least bassy of the bunch and will appeal to the demanding and mature listener.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Overall, these Simgot EM2 are a keeper which excel by their clarity — the only improvement I would suggest is bringing the lower midrange forward. The sound quality of this 1+1 hybrid shows once again that less is more and that the race for the highest number of drivers is futile, at least in the budget and mid-price segments. I am sure we will hear a lot more from Simgot in the near future. And since their products are available from amazon, you don’t have to wait long for your shipment.

DISCLAIMER

I received the EM2 unsolicited and free from Simgot for my independent review. Thank you very much!

Our generic standard disclaimer

About our measurements

The post Simgot EM2 Review II – Crisp and Clean appeared first on Audio Reviews.

All Our 334 Earphone and Earbud Reviews (with Links)

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 00:26:53 +0000

BOOKMARK THIS PAGE FOR FURTHER REFERENCE!

All Our Earphone-related Articles: here

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May additions: Gravastar Sirius Pro TWS, BQEYZ Autumn (2), 7Hz Timeless (3), Drop Grell TWS1X, Tripowin Leá, Mifo S TWS, Moondrop CHU (1), IKKO OH2.

April additions: Astrotec Vesna (1), RHA CL2, BQEYZ Autumn (1), KZ x CRN, 2*Hidizs MM2, KBEAR Aurora (3).

March additions: Whizzer Kylin HE03D, IKKO OH10, Tripowin X HBB Olina, LETSHUOER EJ07M, KBEAR Aurora (2), Whizzer BS1, NiceHCK EB2S, NiceHCK DB1, Tanchjim OLA.

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NiceHCK DT600 Review – Close To The Edge

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 20:15:56 +0000

Pros — Audiophile tuning (neutral; minimalistic, fast bass; resolution, clarity); small, comfortable shells.

Cons — Audiophile tuning (neutral; minimalistic, fast bass; resolution, clarity); mids and treble can be fatiguing at higher volumes; design lifted.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The NiceHCK DT600 is a neutral sounding earphone with a dry and realistic low end and superb clarity, depth, and resolution appealing to “audiophiles” and purists. While it can be hard on my ears at higher volumes it is the technically best Chifi earphone (out of approximately 20) I have reviewed so far […which is not a big selection].

INTRODUCTION

When I was asked to review this earphone, I quite frankly had little interest, expecting a treble screamer overloaded with drivers, an ODM earphone looking for a proper tuning. According to others, the 3 BA DT300 was overly dark and the 5 BA DT500 had exaggerated treble.

To my surprise, the DT600 was a revelation showing the shortcomings of the NiceHCK P3 and M6 models I had recently reviewed. And the linear frequency response without any suspicious bass hump, upper midrange “mountain”, and unwanted treble spikes let me rejoice: hurrah, finally a multi-driver Chifi earphone with an “expensive-brandname” tuning? Well…

IMPORTANT NOTE: This earphone is a great example why a points scheme is problematic. Depending on taste, purists may give it a much higher score than bassheads. I expect the DT600 to be extremely polarizing but hope my writeup will make it clear whether this tonality is for you.

SPECIFICATIONS

Brand: NiceHCK
Model: DT600
Drive Unit: 6 balanced armature (BA) drivers
Type: In-ear
Impedance: 26Ω
Earphone Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
Frequency Range: 20-25000Hz
Earphone Plug: 3.5 mm gilded
Cable Length: 1.3 m
Available Colors: Green, transparent
Earphone Plug Type: 90°angled
Remote: No
Price: $149 (at the time of this review)
Discounted Price for Blog Visitors: $99
Purchase Link: At the bottom

IN THE BOX…

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE, HAPTIC, AND BUILD QUALITY

This earphone looks suspiciously like an upscale Shure model. The plastic Shells are a bit of an understatement but appear to be well assembled. The nozzle is uncommonly thin (similar to the Brainwavz B series), therefore be careful when planning on using third-party tips.

The cable is also a rare find in this price class: it is not the typical braided chain but a straight round one with MMCX connectors, a chin slider and a bit of silver bling bling. To me, it works just fine and looks better than the fixed cables of the Sennheisers, Focals etc. in this price class. The flexiblity is also ok.

ERGONOMICS, COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

Since the DT600 is a Shure lookalike, it also fits like one: the shells, despite packed with 6 drivers each (two more than the equivalent Shure), are surprisingly small and fit my ears comfortably well. Isolation is what you make out of it with the eartips used but is generally good. I am still struggling with bending the unusually stiff memory wire around my ears every time, but this is a minor issue.

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

The DT600 comes with pretty looking green foams and narrow-bore rubber tips. The rubber tips come in weird sizes: the L is essentially slightly too big for my ear canals and the M is too small. I therefore used L-sized Brainwavz B400 tips, which are in between in size but of identical design (including a narrow bore) – but later changed to the largest included foam tips.

As a source, I used my new iphone SE (which sounds identical to my old iphone 5S). Adding the audioquest dragonfly black dac/amp improved the sound remarkably much in terms of detail and resolution compared to other earphones. With or without dac/amp the DT600 are easy to drive.

TONALITY

The sound of the DT600 can be characterized as neutral, lean, and extremely clear with a great depth. It has the basic flavour of the likes of Etymotics and the Brainwavz B100, and not the meaty flavour of the iBasso IT01 or the NiceHCK M6/BVGP DMG. The frequency response curve is absolutely stellar: a linear bass, a small emphasis in the lower mids, and no unwanted treble peaks. One could possibly wonder about the early treble rolloff.

And yes, the low end is outright stunning for me: punchy, dry, fast in attack and decay, and not overpowering, just as it should be. The bass is well extended and remains well-controlled down there. Overall, the low end is minimalistic with only a bit of warmth and some may find it too weak and too nimble.

The midrange is NOT recessed but right into your face, pardon ears. It is lean, neutral, intimate. Female voices are nicely contoured and not enriched and coloured such as in the NiceHCKM6/BGVP DMG.

But despite the stellar looking curve without any nasty peaks, higher voices and rhythm guitars can be a bit sharp and fatiguing to my sensitive ears at higher volumes – I blame this on the quality of the drivers. Changing from the rubber tips to the foams smoothened the corners significantly (but not entirely) and also added some warmth to the low end. The upper midrange could sound crowded and bordering on hollow, that’s where the detail resolution lacked.

The treble is only reasonably well extended and sometimes marginally hard for my liking. There is some but not too much sparkle and shine at the upper end. A bit more icing would do the cake well.

There is no sibilance at all, as indicated by the smooth frequency graph.

Soundstage is wide enough (and less so with the foams) with an enormous depth; a good concerted effort of the six BA drivers. Clarity and resolution are unparalleled in comparison to the other Chifi iems I have reviewed.

But the clarity comes at a cost: I was struggling with the sharpness in the upper midrange at higher volumes that really can be fatiguing for sensitive ears after some time (I think my ears are likely more sensitive than yours). Classical instruments could sound unnaturally harsh and overpixelated. This sound signature may explain the relatively early treble dropoff – forced by the tuner in order to avoid getting your eardrums drilled.

SELECT COMPARISONS

NiceHCK M6 ($88 on sale): a totally different beast…even with the bass-reducing third-party DMG tuning filters, the M6 is comparatively mushy in both low end and lower midrange/vocals whereas the DT600 is crisp, punchy, and dynamic. The sonic difference is like day-and-night. Some may find the DT600 too snappy, others may find the more analog sounding M6/DMG too soppy. Can’t make it right for everybody.

iBasso IT01 (~$100): the single DD iBasso is also more overall beefier and more organic sounding with a Sennheiser-type low end that somewhat veils the midrange. Despite its lesser resolution compared to the analytical DT600, I do now appreciate the ibasso much more than before after reducing some of its bass with the reversible air-vent mod.

Brainwavz B400 ($199 list; $159 sale): I can only speak from memory and measurements. The warmer B400 has a pronounced mid-bass hump which I found unrealistic sounding, and it also rolls off relatively early at the upper end so that some people decried the lack of detail in cymbals and high-piano notes. On the other hand, I found the B400 incredibly detailed and much smoother, creamier, and more balanced compared to the DT600, which is more direct and more extended into the sub-bass.

Brainwavz B200 v1 ($110; discontinued): harder to drive, smoother, more balanced but less resolving and with less depth; both with a lean sound. The DT600 has slightly better separation and detail but the B200 v1 offers more intimate voices. The B200 v1 is more cohesive and more pleasing but simpler, more 2-D with less detail and less treble extension. The DT600 a bit rougher around the edges with more accurate instrument imaging. The B200 v1 has more bass and a smoother presentation.

Ultimate Ears 900s ($399 list; $179 sale): today an underappreciated classic and hailed as a better resolving B400 [the older, pre-2014 UE900 version, to be accurate]. In terms of low end, it has more bass than the DT600 but less than the B400, at comparable qualities. This makes the UE900s a warmer, smoother, more cohesive, and more inviting iem than the DT600. Despite the dip in the lower midrange, I find the vocals in the UE900s richer, smoother, and more organic, which reflects the quality of its 4 Knowles BA drivers. The UE900s’s earpieces, although somewhat substandard in their build quality including its very basic cables, are so small and intelligently shaped that they even fit better than the DT600’s.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The DT600 is a mixed bag. Some of its aspects are almost perfect such as the frequency response and its low end. But you cannot expect perfection in a $140 (or $99) earphone that hosts 6 drivers – there must be room for improvement to justify all these higher priced iems. And the limitation in this case is the driver quality: while the tuning is exquisite, the sound can be a bit aggressive to my ears at higher volumes after extended use without any obvious peaks in the frequency response graph. Hardness is not an issue at low to moderate volumes where the clarity works superbly well. I would have preferred four higher-end drivers instead of these six while understanding that the number of drivers is a general marketing gimmick. Nevertheless, the DT600’s tonality is much superior over the $50-70 fare.

In a recent review, I had compared the NiceHCK M6/BVSP DMG with a large SUV on a soft suspension. In analogy, the DT600 is like a sporty BMW with a tight suspension: you feel every rock but you have a better handling and lots of fun with it while hoping the road ahead does not get too bumpy.

You can buy the DT600 only here.

How to claim your discounted price on aliexpress: here.

DISCLAIMER

I was asked by Jim NiceHCK to review this earphone and purchased it for $1. He did not respond to my request of including a return envelope. This earphone went to a good cause following this review.

I broke the DT600 in for 50 hours. Just in case…

About my measurements

Tonal preference and testing practice

Test tracks

The post NiceHCK DT600 Review – Close To The Edge appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Our Raw and Corrected Frequency Response Curves

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 19:07:06 +0000

This database is constantly updated – bookmark it for your future reference!

Raw Frequency Responses: Jürgen and Biodegraded (2 cm Tube Coupler; 1.5 cm Insertion Depth)

Note: Biodegraded and Jürgen use the same rig and coupler [our measurement setup]. No correction is applied. The raw database is internally consistent and can be used for earphone comparisons.

Corrected Frequency Responses: Jürgen and Biodegraded (2 cm Tube Coupler; 1.5 cm Insertion Depth)

Note: In this series, each raw measurement is adjusted by an empirical correction that attempts to emulate measurements from an imitation B&K IEC60318-4 system as used in the Crinacle database. This corrected database is internally NOT CONSISTENT. The degree and position of the inconsistencies are NOT PREDICTABLE . The correction is work in progress and needs improvement to increase the user’s confidence level. Right now, these corrected graphs are only useful as a qualitative/semi-quantitative approach for characterizing an earphone in a review.

Raw Frequency Responses: Durwood (2.5 cm Tube Coupler; 2 cm Insertion Depth)

IEC711 Coupler: KopiOkaya

You find over 300 earphone measurements in Crinacle’s database.

Headflux also offers a large database.

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Our Annotated Frequency Response Curves

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 19:07:06 +0000

This section aims to explain the audible effects of peaks and troughs and shows the effects of tuning and modding. These examples have been popular at Head-Fi and the Headphone Forum [our measurement setup].

Last updated 2019-05-10

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Our Comparisons Between Earphones

Jürgen Kraus (Calgary, Canada) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 19:07:06 +0000

Superimposed graphs are important for comparing basic flavours of earphones. Handy in order to avoid buying “more of the same” [our measurement setup].

Updated 2019-08-01

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