BGVP P05

Disclaimer:​

The BGVP P05 was sent to me as a review sample from HIFIGO, for which I thank them!


I was very happy to have the opportunity to collaborate with this store. This IEM is very interesting given the decidedly low price. It offers a PU + ceramic DD and above all, working tuning filters.


However, the review will still be 100% honest and in no way biased.


I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.

So I’m not going to use super-technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.

Tech Specs:​

• PU+Ceramic Dynamic Driver Unit
• Adjustable Tuning With Filters
• Two Different Tuning Options
• Compact & Lightweight
• Interchangeable MMCX Cable
• CNC-Machined 6-Series Aviation-Grade Aluminum Alloy Shells
• Hi-Res Audio Certified
• Wear as you Like, In-ear or around the Ear
• Impedance: 34Ω.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-40kHz.
• Sensitivity: 105dB/mW.
• THD+N: ≤1%.

BGVP P05 Packaging:​

The BGVP P05 packaging is of very good quality. Inside, we find various accessories, such as:

• Hard case
• MMCX Cable
• Tuning Filters
• 7 pairs of nice tips (BGVP/Kbear/Nicehck 07)
• Manual and Warranty

I have to admit that the accessories are rich, the case is very good, and the tips are of good quality, especially since the BGVP 07 tips are my favorites. The cable, instead, is not the best but sufficient for the purpose.

BGVP P05 Design/Build quality:​

They have a minimalist shell design and a bullet-like shape, and since they are also open at the back, they are practically open-back. It can be worn in two ways, therefore providing total comfort, even if perhaps I would have made the nozzle inclined like on the Tanchjim One. Well-made tuning filters that are easy to replace.


I’ll leave you some macros that are better than 1000 words.

BGVP P05 Comfort/Fit:​

In my case, there were no comfort problems! I wear them in a classic way, as I find it uncomfortable to pass the wire over the ear. The angle of the nozzle could have been better, but in my case it didn’t cause any problems.

In terms of comfort, they remind me of the Xiaomi Piston 2.

BGVP P05 Initial sound impression:​

At first, I listened with the red and gold filters; they seemed very neutral or warm to me. They didn’t impress me much, to tell the truth. But they have excellent detail, and the highs are tolerable even for the most sensitive. Bass in the silver configuration is very light, almost on par with the Tanchjim Zero. Particularly good soundstage, perhaps thanks to the opening on the back.

Final sound impression:​

Equipment used for testing above.


Device:

• iMac
• Redmi Note 7 Snapdragon

Software:

• Foobar2000 24bit 192khz (iMac)
• Amazon music UHD 24bit 96khz (Both)

DAC:

• LessFox Da1 and Da2 (AK4493EQ)
• EPZ TP30 (Dual ESS)
• F.Audio KS01 3.5mm (ESS ES9038Q2M)
• EPZ TP20 3.5 mm (Dual Cirrus 43131)
• Hidizs XO 3.5mm (Dual ESS ES9219C)

After 60 or 70 hours of burn-in, I started listening to them again.


Before jumping to final impressions, know that your ears need some burn-in too.




Their sound quality and the driver seem really good, in my opinion. The BGVP P05 has a Harman balanced and natural/warm sound profile with a good soundstage. Imaging seems fine, but not the best in this price range. For the price it is sold for on the market, the build quality and the tuning nozzles are quite rare.


Both female and male voices seem a little soulless (especially the latter), but I don’t find them that bad.

Tuning nozzles and filters​

As you can see from my photos, the nozzle filters use the same mesh, but the CNC filter has a different internal diameter. The rear ones would seem to have different meshes instead. I forgot that tuning sponges could be added to the nozzles; therefore, the tuning possibilities became much greater.





The brighter combination didn’t excite me too much, but for neutral heads, it certainly can please. Personally, I found the bass unsatisfactory. In terms of details, however, in this configuration, the result is better. There seems to be more airiness and a larger soundstage.


SIlver and silver


Perhaps this is the combination that I like best of all. You sacrifice air and even a bit of soundstage, but the tuning is warmer and the low frequencies are more pleasant. Subbass is finally more audible.


Silver and Gold


If you don’t like any of the above and want something in between, this combination is the right one. The filters that create the greatest difference are those placed behind. So by keeping the gold one at the front and the silver one at the back, you can combine both bass and airiness. The result is exactly the same as the previous ones without sacrificing too much.


Silver and Red


Very similar to the combination with the gold and red filters. The only very slight difference is on the sub-bass but a very trained ear is needed.

Comparison:​

vs Tanchijm Zero




If you prefer neutral-sounding IEMs, this is absolutely for you. Obviously, the bass is much more natural (just a hint of subbass in the background), but what amazes me is the absurd level of detail. The highs are extremely polished, and the female vocals have that silkiness. Wider than average soundstage and precise imaging.


vs Tanchjim One




If you want to save something compared to the BGVP P05 but the Zero is too neutral, then these could be an excellent compromise, even if they are not exactly the same. The ones maintain the same philosophy as the Zero but with a tuning more oriented towards the tastes of the masses, that is, more presence of the low frequency.


vs CHU II




Moondrop CHU II is for a completely different target. The sound is fun, not natural, with plenty of bass. The details and the air present are not even comparable, but if you are looking for something fun, the CHU II is a great economic alternative.


vs EPZ Q5




This is one of the best-sounding IEMs on the market right now, for the price. There’s no doubt about that. My review is coming soon, but this is the best entry-level I’ve ever heard! His single DD is pure magic. Its sound remains quite natural, making this model very versatile for any type of musical genre.


vs Blon Z300




The Blon Z300 has a warm and very pleasant tone. Details are quite good despite the rounded highs. So if you love warm-sounding IEMs, these are absolutely for you. Obviously, they totally differ from the targets of the Tanchjim One, which are more brilliant and natural.

Conclusion:​

The BGVP P05 is an excellent headphone for lovers of natural or warm sound. The highs are definitely smooth and tolerable for anyone. The presence of filters makes it extremely versatile and interesting, especially for the price range. If you also consider the metal shell, the quality-price ratio is very high. Too bad for the very stylish and qualitatively similar cable to KZ.


Probably, by purchasing both the BGVP P05 and the EPZ Q5, you would have two pairs suitable for each musical genre without spending too much.

BGVP PO5 Review​

BGVP P05 ​

Intro​

Hello this is my full written review of one of BGVP‘s latest single Dynamic Driver earphones, the BGVP P05. I want to thank HiFiGo for the opportunity to review this set in exchange for a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. To be honest (as always) this is one set that I was looking forward to getting a closer look at. I saw the promotional images with the internal cavity and the internal pressurization arrows coursing through the front and back internally and I gotta say… That was enough to hook me. Of course, I am pretty easy these days. I’m just a big kid and these are my toys, aren’t we all?

Anywhoo, the under $60 market is huge in the Audio scene. Truly an ocean of iems fight to keep their heads above the water. I personally have always enjoyed this price point (around $35-$60) as there is a ton of competition and price to performance is becoming ridiculous. Look at some of the sets we’ve seen over the course of the last couple years, it’s been a bloodbath! One after the other and many of these iems are very well tuned. In fact, we are beginning to sound like broken records. So much so that BGVP had to go and add, not just a set of Nozzle filters. No, that would be too easy, too commonplace. Instead, they threw caution to the wind and decided to add in some backside ventilation filters as well! Did anyone tell BGVP this is supposed to be an under $50 iem? We may want to get on that. That’s BGVP for you though, here’s a small snippet about the company…

BGVP​

Founded in 2015, BGVP is a name that many audio enthusiasts will likely know, and many have also likely tried out or even owned a set or two from them. BGVP operates at many price points specializing in earbuds, earphones and other electronic products from the casual hobbyist to the professional performer. Headquartered in ChangPing in Dongguan City, BGVP conducts their own research & development and creates their products from their own engineering team which ultimately helps the consumer as BGVP boasts excellent earphones in every price point. Now, they’ve had some duds. I think we are grown enough to admit that. In fact, BGVP needs a good win if you ask me. They just haven’t been a big player over the last year or two. So, it is very good to see them doin’ their thang again. A good BGVP is good for the hobby.
As I said, the price that the P05 rests at ($45) is an extremely competitive price point and by the looks of the P05 and the tech involved it’s quite easy to see that my words ring true. A few years ago, you could never get a set built this well, with both vent filters and nozzle filters under $150. Times have changed very quickly my friends. I suppose I have to find out whether these filters are gimmicks or if they actually change up the sound. I’m also very curious what route BGVP took with this tuning. I suppose that we shall see. Well friends, I’m ready to jump into the review, the BGVP P05 everyone…

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Gear used for testing​

–Ifi Go Blu

–Hidizs S9 Pro

–Moondrop Dawn 4.4

–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

–Shanling M6 Ultra

Packaging / Accessories ​

Unboxing​

I was actually very impressed by the unboxing experience while opening the fairly large sized box of the P05. The P05 opens up and you’ll straight away see the cool looking P05 staring back at you along with the eartips and the case, as they are all arranged in the same plane while seated in foam cut-outs. Friends BGVP truly offers more than most audio companies as far as accessories goes. I would liken this unboxing to at least a $100 earphone. Inside the zipper case you’ll find the small plastic case of filters as well as the cable. Truly a nice thing for those who can barely afford the P05, as they will be getting an assortment of tips (I’ll cover next) and some very nicely laid out extras. Great job BGVP!

Eartips​

It isn’t that BGVP offers a million tips, although seven pairs are very nice at $45. It is the quality of the tips which I enjoy and like to see. BGVP provides three pairs of “Bass” tips (S, M, L), three pairs of “Vocal” tips (S, M, L) as well as one pair of memory foam tips.

I do have to mention one thing, I think BGVP must’ve packaged the actual tips backwards as I found the Vocal tips to be darn near identical to the KBear 07 tips, I mean… identical. The Bass tips are actually shallow fit wide-bore tips… Hmm. I can promise at least the “BASS” tips are not correct because shallow fit, wide bore, flimsy flange… does not translate to more bass. Perhaps they could’ve named these the “Treble” tips. I’m thinking they got that backwards. I’ve been in this game quite a long time and tip rolling is one of the most important aspects of my journey. I can tell you straight up that wide bore, flimsy flange, shallow fit and flimsy stem don’t add up to bigger bass… Usually. Just for clarification I checked multiple times and most certainly the bass is bigger in the 07 style tips that they offer. A punchier & deliberate bass can be felt with a touch more gusto.

Nice Tips!​

Now, the KBear 07 or BGVP 07 tips will help in the mids to upper mids as well by bringing the midrange a hair more forward, so I could see them calling these “Vocal” tips I suppose. However, that isn’t all that they do. The 07’s will add a crisp punch to the bass region and in some cases add emphasis down low. Still, very nice tips that are very useful. This is in no way a complaint. In fact, I applaud BGVP for offering as much as they do and for the quality that they provided at this price. I happily used the KBear 07 style tips and believe they bring out the best in the P05 for my tastes, as far as the included tips are concerned anyways.

Cable​

The included cable is an MMCX, 3.5 single ended white (almost opaque) colored two strand 6N OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) Silver-plated cable with multiple layers of shielding. The included cable is very slim, very light, and very easy to work with. This is not some fat, heavy and thick cable, which I assume was done on purpose. The P05 are extremely light and so they needed an extremely light cable that won’t pull on the P05. Also, since this set can be worn “cable-down” as well as “over-ear” I do believe it was a strategic cable addition. Honestly, it’s a decent cable. For any single ended usage, it’s perfect. Despite that, for use with any of my balanced sources I did swap cables for the KBear 8-Core Silver Plated Copper cable cable which you can see pictured in some of my shots. Really it is a perfect cable for these purposes. I’m an over-ear guy.

The included cable is not microphonic as I don’t hear the cable rubbing on my shirt. I enjoy that the cable that BGVP provides will also very easily wrap up and not become a spiderweb of cable mess the second I take my hand off of it. These are the small things that I really appreciate friends. So, the included cable serves its purpose and does so strategically. You won’t even feel this thing.

Build / Design / Internals / Fit ​

Build Quality ​

The P05 reminds me of a few sets, namely some from the Tin Hifi series like the TinHifi T2, TinHifi T2 DLC (in fact it’s almost identical minus the filters) and so on. Shaped very similar to those the P05 is a tiny set which is built from front to back out of CNC machined aviation-grade aluminum alloy. Thus, this set is ultra-light! Weighing in at only 3.4 grams the P05 truly is feather lite. However, because of the material this also means that the P05 is very durable, which can be easily visualized and felt when they are in hand. The P05 has a cylindrical body and acoustic cavity and a very nicely shaped build made by way of machining, polishing, sandblasting, oxidizing and fine carving. The entire body is built very well and for the price is one of the better builds out there.

Two ways to wear em’​

I realize I just spoke on this, but it bares repeating… one nice benefit to the build is that you can wear the P05 either straight down or over the ear. The Tin Hifi T2 and a couple others could also be worn both ways which is nice depending on how you like to listen. Like I said, I tried both ways, but I will always like the feel of the cable over my ear and a snug fit. That’s just me though, I’m sure some of you like the ability to wear straight down.

Design ​

I am a sucker for a set like this. So small yet so intricately designed. Straight modern angles, 90°, 45°, and clean looking. Personally, I feel the P05 is a freaking DOPE looking set! No question about it! The cylindrical look, the filters on both sides, the ultra-simple yet sleek look is so understated yet also such a class act. I love something that appears undecorated, unadorned, unpretentious and un-elaborate while at the exact same time is slick with trendy lines and a fresh-looking swagger. Did I go too far? Eh, who cares? I like what I like. The P05 was created well and yes, the design resembles some other great sets to a slight degree but if it’s good… It’s good.

Delicate & Exquisite Design:–
BGVP has crafted the P05 IEMs with exquisite craftsmanship. It has high-quality 6-series aviation-grade aluminum alloy material. The pair has a cylindrical cavity shape which is made using a high-precision CNC machining process. It is built through complex technologies such as polishing, sandblasting, oxidation, and fine carving. The resulting look and finish of the pair are simply exquisite.
BGVP Promotional​

Click to expand...

Internals​

BGVP chose upon a patented 10mm single Dynamic Driver with a PU+Ceramic Diaphragm inside this cylindrical acoustic cavity. The internal acoustic properties which BGVP adopted are referred to as a sound loop system. It is a simplistic design as far as tech is concerned yet pretty complex in construction. As you can see in the pictures the acoustic cavity is designed to be offset by the filter system. I think it’s a cool design and I love the thought and care that went into it.

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Tuning Filters​

I will be brief in my explanations about these sound filters. To be completely honest, sound filters are usually a reviewer’s worst friend as they make the review process that much longer and more arduous. Especially for those of us who love to write our reviews. So, I’ll keep it simple which is probably the best way to go about it.

Anyways, BGVP decided upon two sets of Nozzle filters which they call “front cavity tuning tubes” as well as two sets of rear vent filters that are labeled “rear cavity tuning tubes”. Now, BGVP gives you two designed tuning methods involving both the front and rear filters. One tuning scheme is called the “Equalization Filter” using the red rear vent filter and the gold nozzle filter. The other tuning scheme is labeled the “Bass Filter” which uses the silver rear vent and the silver front nozzle. Leave it up to me to go with something entirely different for this review as I primarily used the silver rear filter and the gold nozzle filter. I just think this will give you the best sound, but I’ll let you decide what is best for you.

Silver Rear-Silver Front​

Using this method will give you the warmest sound of all. The bass is lifted, and the treble is less emphasized. Please don’t confuse this with basshead because it surely isn’t. It is the bassiest the P05 can get using the included methods. Add in some narrow bore tips with a firm stem and you’ll get a decent bass from it. However, I digress, this setup isn’t bad, but I don’t get the air up top I personally enjoy. I’m sure many will like this setup as most definitely there is a sub-bass biased lift down low and honestly there is still enough air and treble energy for a nice sounding earphone.

Red Rear-Silver Front​

This is the least energetic style of listening of the bunch. You’ll hear a reduced bass region and a reduced treble region for probably the most balanced approach on paper. I don’t think that translates in real world listening though. Still a nice sound yet just a bit more relaxed I’d say. The bass really doesn’t have that firm boom to it with this setup and the highs are pretty tame. Not my favorite.

Red Rear-Gold Front​

This combination of filters will provide the most treble lifted sound of them all. Again, not my favorite. However, when I was listening, I was trying to decide if I’d like each sound if I couldn’t swap filters and each was a stick tuning. I still think you get a very clean sound with great detail retrieval with this setup. The bass lacks punch and boom and there is much less warmth with this setup. The sound is at its thinnest with this arrangement too. So, to answer my own quarry I would not enjoy a set with this combo. I’m not you though and possibly you’d love it.

Silver Rear-Gold Front​

This was the last combo that when I checked it out easily became my favorite of the bunch. What I like about this arrangement is that you get that bass end lift and boom with a nice punch and some good warmth. You also get the rise up top which adds needed levity to the sound for some decent air and technical abilities. This also happens to be the most V-shaped of the bunch, but I still probably wouldn’t call this set V-shaped if I were to label the sound. I just think this setup gives you the best energy, although the mids are slightly further back. Still, the mids aren’t very much recessed as it is so I’m not losing much. This setup happens to be what I used conducting my review.

So, there you go; my generalized and very condensed tell on what the filter combinations will give you. I think BGVP did a nice job of creating a filter system which isn’t just a gimmick or a marketing tactic. As you can see the sound does change quite a lot. I wouldn’t say you are getting four different earphones in one, but you are at least “almost” getting two slight variations of two different earphones. Great job on this one BGVP!

Drivability​

I realize these sections are probably of no use to most people reading but I add this section in to hopefully give someone a gauge on how the P05 or any set in any of my reviews will react to different gear. I purposely use differently tuned and totally different gear (if I can) to the extent that I can. In the case of the P05 I honestly don’t think it matters as much what type of gear you use as the tuning is one that adapts well to most sources. The sound isn’t hyper energetic, it’s pretty well dynamically balanced and closer to neutral than not. There’re no exaggerated and undue peaks up top that a warmer and lusher source could help with. The only thing that I think would make a pretty nice difference is if the source you use had a titch more low-end presence or coloration.

Fairly sensitive​

The P05 is rated at 34 ohms and a sensitivity of 105 db’s which makes them fairly easy to drive. However, if I’m comparing it to something like the Simgot EA500 for example, the P05 takes more power and actual volume steps to bringing it to volume. Or take something like the EPZ Q5 which jumps to volume a hair easier. It doesn’t require a ton more power than other sets in its price range, just a hair more. Still, it’s easy to see that the P05 scales both to the power of a unit as well as the auditory ability of a unit. Can it be used with underpowered sources? Ya sure. I can tell you this, I didn’t like it with my iPad, but I was able to get good volume with it. I’m assuming most of you have a dongle dac at the least and most any of those will likely drive the P05 just fine, I’m sure. At this price point you will usually see iems which can be effectively driven with weaker sources.

Mobile listening​

Using the IFi Go Blu with 4.4 balanced was a treat as I was able to use the bass boost function (I know, I know it’s cheating). Yet even without the P05 sounded great paired with its CS43131 dac and nice amp section. The Hidizs S9 Pro actually was the best of my dongles in my opinion with the P05. The way it reacted with the S9 Pro’s ESS9038Q2M chip and resolving overall sound worked great and synergized nicely. The Moondrop Dawn 4.4 was also pretty nice, but I simply think the S9 Pro has a bit more energy down low for the P05. I used a few other dongle dacs (Fiio KA3, Shanling UA2 etc.) that I have at my disposal, but no others made sense to report on.

Daps​

Moving onto my Dap situation and something with more raw power and a higher fidelity source I used both the iBasso DX240 which carries a beast of a dac hip in the ES9038Pro and the Shanling M6 Ultra which also has a flagship dac in the AK4493SEQ chip. I realize much more goes into the sound other than dac chips but it’s nice to have some references to tonality and pedigree, so to speak. Anyways, the DX240 and the M6 Ultra performed very well. However, of the two I like the M6 Ultra a bit more paired with the P05. I just feel the warm resolve of the M6 Ultra synergized better. Not to take away anything from the DX240 as it is amazing for the price.

In the end all you truly NEED is a simple dongle dac of decent power ratings. Nothing crazy. I would assume most folks in the hobby who are considering something like the P05 probably have some sort of a source better than a simple smartphone. Still, if a phone is all you have, the P05 can be driven fairly well. BGVP did a nice job on this set and most anyone can enjoy it.

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Sound Impressions ​

The P05 is one of those sets which are all about cleanliness. The sound is polished for under $50 and very close to what I would call “Natural”. Despite that, it’s also not the most dynamic in presentation. Don’t expect a beefy V-shaped dynamo like you usually see at this price. Instead, the P05 is a pretty well balanced iem with good resolve for the price and a decent technical ability. I think the greatest benefit of the P05’s tuning lies in its tonality. There’s an engaging and organic quality to this iem. Not ultra vivacious, but in the same breath not at all flat or dull either. Tonally the P05 is closer to neutral (than anything else) without a lot of tonal coloration to the sound. Perhaps you could say warm/neutral as well. I would call the P05 a product of the “Harman era”, yet with slight variations due to the filter situation that you go with.

Between the 20’s- quick overview… ​

What we have is quality over quantity as far as the bass is concerned. This is not even scratching the surface of basshead territory. It’s relatively tight, decently fast in transient response and moderately boosted with a decent punch to it. The midrange is not too recessed with males sitting a tinge behind females. I hear a nicely melodic sounding midrange. Also decently detailed as well. The treble is safe in my opinion, but it still has okay treble presence. There’s enough treble rise to elevate the spectrum and add some good levity throughout. Technically the P05 is better off than many in its price point as details are fairly easy to discern. Imaging is also very good.

Bass Region ​

Starting off with the low-end, the P05 is not a set that is going to really give bassheads the time of their lives. At the very most the P05 is moderately emphasized and has decent extension. Using the “silver-rear/gold-front” filter combo you can achieve an adequate thump and punch down low for most hobbyists. Using the “silver-rear/silver-front” combo will yield the bassiest sound of all due to raising of the sub-bass and the lowering of the upper-mid/lower-treble area. However, I’m speaking of the silver/gold arrangement which suited my tastes the best. With this combo I am actually quite satisfied with the bass activity as it really is a quality bass for the price. It’s snappiness over boom and speed over rumble. If a track has a bigger bass element, then the P05 can rise to the occasion and represent pretty well but won’t color the sound at all.

Sub-bass ​

The sub-bass is actually pretty well extended into the lowest of lows in the silver-gold setup. There is some haptic feel to the sound listening to the track “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard (a track I reference often in reviews) and kinda proves that what you feed the P05, it’ll try to emulate. “Abracadabra” by Young Thug was another surprise as there is some decent tactility, texture and rumble. Again, not the beefiest, but also… it doesn’t have to be. Not everyone wants some obese low-end activity. Some folks want to enjoy a tightly controlled bass which can use its agility to “dance” through some of the more complex bass arrangements or boom only when needed. I perceive a semi-tight transient attack from the leading edge through sustain for the most part. It certainly isn’t a slow bass. Note definition comes across fairly dense and compact yet with the faintest of fuzziness at note outlines down low. It sounds nice folks.

Mid-bass​

The mid-bass shares around the same emphasis but comes across less exuberant to the ear. What the mid-bass is able to do is come and go pretty quickly without clogging up the mix. You have almost no detrimental spill over into the midrange and really nice timbre in this region. Macro-details are very easy to detect and perceive. “Talk’N That crap!” is a flat-out BANGER from Killer Mike which shows off his effortless flow and this track absolutely requires at least moderate levels on plangent slam. While I wouldn’t say the P05 “KILLS IT”, I will say that the P05 does the song decent justice. However, this is only referring to rumble and boom. If we get into actual bass skill, nimbleness, dexterity and finesse in a budget single DD form than we’d have to look at other tracks…

Mid-bass cont…​

In comes the track “Dumdrum” by Django Django. There is a multitude of different bass slaps and bumps that move along at a very quick pace. What I love about the P05 is its ability to actually attack-decay-sustain with a nicely crisp and palpable leading edge, decent body and then release and move on, all the while two other beats are in the process of doing the same thing. Multiple basslines are no problem at all for the P05 and speed seems like it isn’t a concern. Let’s put it this way, the P05 has a more timberally accurate and organic bass than any BA set in this price range by far, yet the P05 speeds along with the same relative speed. Remember I’m talking about a $45 iem here so please keep your expectations in check.

Downsides to the bass region​

If I were to speak on some issues or subjective gripes; the most glaring issue would likely be the quantity of bass… for some hobbyists anyways. I imagine that some folks would want more of an emphasis in this region. Bass guitar doesn’t have that plump and guttural growl that we like all the time (depending on recording), kick drums fall a hair flat, bass singers come across a hint artificial without a very sonorous bass backing up the body of their notes. These are simply subtle nitpicks that added bass quantity would likely accommodate. Now, it truly isn’t as drastic as I think I’ve let on to but the P05 is a hint lite in this region. Certainly not basshead, in fact the P05 doesn’t even sniff Bass-Boi levels. In the end I would like to see some added warmth for the midrange, which is somewhat lacking, but I’ll cover that next. All things considered, the low-end is quite nice and very clean, very resolute, nicely detailed and able to keep up with most any complicated bass tracks.

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Midrange ​

The midrange is one which has good timbre qualities yet come across a hint thin, especially in the upper midrange. However, this is not completely indicative of the mids as a whole. Truthfully BGVP did a nice job with this set as male and female vocalists aren’t too recessed for my liking and actually are quite pleasant to my ears. The P05 isn’t the most musical of iems yet at the same time they can really carry a nice tune. They are still melodic for what they are and the price they are being sold for. Also, the mids have good detail retrieval and good separation listening to non-complicated tracks. Imaging is also spot-on in this region to my ears.

Lower-midrange​

Male vocals are neither thin nor thick and kind of dance in the middle somewhere. Thus, they aren’t bad at all. Actually, a number of male vocalists sound really nice with the P05. “Flying Over Water” by Jason Isbell is a perfect voice for this set as his voice doesn’t need that richness of a warm replay. Some males however like Foy Vance in “Time Stand Still” almost sounds a bit hollow in presence. He has a bit of a gravelly texture to his voice which comes through great, but you lack the body to his voice. So, texture doesn’t lack at all in this area of the mix but if there was just a bit more warmth it’d be great. Of course, these issues are few and far in between as 85% of all males I listened to sounds fantastic. They sound resolving and crisp and pretty mellifluous.

Upper-Midrange​

The upper parts of the midrange are certainly more forward than the lower parts. Females come across pretty even keeled with a nice amount of vivaciousness. I hear very nicely composed tunefulness of female vocalists listening with the P05. Honestly, females usually sound beautiful with this set. Take the track “How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding. I mean, good Lawd she sounds wonderful on the P05. Such a sweet and melodious song deserves a set that can adequately replay it. In comes the P05. The inflection in her voice is so honeyed on the P05 as nothing is overdone, no real coloration to exaggerate the delicate serenading this woman is doing on this track. Females don’t have the most robust body to them but the flowery sound more than makes up for that.

Quick cap: Midrange Instruments​

Instruments in the midrange can come across just a bit unnaturally as far as the structure or the body of notes at times. However, tonally the P05 is spot on and closer to organic than they aren’t. The harmonics which come from strings mostly sound really nice though the initial fundamental note may be a bit dull. This is squarely subjective as I can guarantee most folks will never even pay attention to it. Percussion has snappiness and punch. Drums have a nice and hollowed kick with a wetted edge. Cymbals have enough vibrance to carry a well rendered “chisk” without coming across recessed, attenuated or too flat. Piano is also a hint thin for me in some areas of the mix. This thinness mostly shows up closer to the low-mids. All other instruments sound well separated, airy, and clean.

Downsides to the Midrange ​

The issues in the midrange aren’t actually issues at all but more like subjective preferences which don’t perfectly align. As far as the actual sound there isn’t anything to complain about. Subjectively I’d like a bit more body in the mids. I could use more warmth which would really help this set to sound very natural. As it is they have a hint of artificial timbre in some areas. Of course, name me the sets that don’t in this price range. There is some slight sibilance in some prone tracks but not even close to the point that I’d label it a “con”. What you don’t get is any glare or shoutiness at all as the pinna gain has a decent rise and there are no negative peaks in the treble that would affect the midrange in this respect. Also, the mids are well detailed, clean but not sterile, musical enough to sound songfull and mellifluous. All things considered the mids are nice to my ears.

Treble Region ​

The treble is a bit laid back and won’t exactly bring the treble heads out of the woodwork. You won’t hear an ultra-emphasized treble region but don’t confuse that with bad or un-emphasized. The P05 still has enough of a lift to properly represent a nice balance across the mix. There isn’t that ultra-airiness & separation that I like to hear but they are musical, and they do carry nice overtones and tone color up top. Certainly, they aren’t dark, they aren’t flat, and they definitely aren’t peaky either. No saw blades here. You won’t hear a very punchy treble and the treble does lack some of that enticing treble bite. However, the most important thing is that the treble is coherent and uplifted against the rest of the frequency. I actually like the tuning here. It won’t win any awards for its treble energy & detail but in a blown-up view of the tuning as a whole… the treble is good at under $50.

Decent Details​

I hear average to slightly above average detail retrieval up top with a smoother overall body to notes. There is some crispness but that is mainly an artifact of certain recordings. Mostly the treble remains smooth and probably not as separated as some would like. On more congested tracks there is a hint of blending of sounds up top. However, on less complicated songs the P05 actually is able to bring out some of the subtleties in my music, or some of the finer details. It really all depends on how complex the song is and the quality of the recording.

Solid at its price​

Listening to Billy Strings in “Secrets” the P05 actually does a nice job of keeping up with the breakneck banjo play of this band. It nails the timbre and musicality of this track too. Technically there are a handful of sets that may perform a bit better in the price point. Maybe? Be that as it may… for me… “timbre and tone” trumps “technicalities” every day of the week. The beauty of the P05 is how everything comes together as a whole. The treble in and of itself isn’t anything that will blow your mind, but step back and look at the treble placed alongside the rest of the mix.

Downsides of the treble region​

The downsides have pretty much been laid out already, but I’ll remind you… There is an emphasis in the treble, but simply not enough crisp bite to add to treble note definition. Also, it isn’t the most separated treble region I’ve ever heard, but still good in the overall picture.

Understand, I usually wouldn’t even bring some of this stuff up, but I do believe the P05 is a very well-tuned iem at its price point and has the potential to be a top 3 under $50. The truth is, most iems in this price segment do the exact same thing and all struggle in similar ways. They are under $50 iems! It’s a give-and-take situation my friends. Still, if you are looking to purchase a set in this price region I wouldn’t get hung up on these slight drawbacks because the P05 is a very well done iem.

Technicalities​

Soundstage ​

The stage size is about average all the way around. There isn’t anything at all claustrophobic or congested about the stage size and the stage mostly is pretty well separated. I don’t have anything bad to report here but also nothing stands out as “Grand” in size. The stage is what you should expect… It’s good, it’s average & it’s appropriate to the music. There’s average width left to right, average height and there’s some depth too. It helps that the sound is more balanced and not as bass dominant in this regard because the sound isn’t as thick and congested as it possibly could be. I think the stage size is just fine and without anything to really complain about.

​

Separation / Imaging ​

The BGVP P05 is odd, in that different areas of the mix render slightly different results for me. As far as separation is concerned anyways. I feel the bass and midrange sound a bit more distinct and delineated between elements of the stage. Not that the treble is an issue, but it may not be as defined as the other regions. Imaging is very nice. I feel left to right is easy to pick apart individual Instruments providing the song isn’t too complex. I do have many complicated tracks in my “congested” Playlist that the P05 fares pretty well with, but when you have a lot of commotion going on things begin to smear a bit. Anything other than that is great. Layering is about average, not bad but not earth shattering.

Detail retrieval ​

I’ve pretty much already beaten the details category to death in this review, but I’ll dive in once more. The detail retrieval is not a glowing “pro” of the P05’s auditory game but it certainly isn’t a “con” either. I found the bass to illuminate nice macro-details and the midrange does have a well detailed sound, both in the macro sense and when you look at the finer stuff in a track too. The sound is very well balanced and so naturally this is a benefit for detail emergence. The sound has nice resolution with good note definition in most areas and the stage isn’t cramped. That is a good recipe for some decent details. This won’t blow your mind but for the price the P05 can extract the minutiae very well.

Is it worth the asking price? ​

This question can usually go one of two ways. Like any set. The answer will always depend on your personal opinions and in this case “my” personal opinion is what I will be exploring. Furthermore, I do need to preface this section by also stating that the P05 will not be for everyone. Anyone who needs a thick and hearty rumble that warms surrounding frequencies will want to look elsewhere. Those who desire a set with energetic and full macro-dynamics and good extension both ways may want to keep looking elsewhere. For those of you who love a sprightly and detailed, crisp and punchy treble with good haptic feel to it will want to keep looking. You may be asking, “well what’s left”? I would answer you… “Quite alot actually”!

The Why… ​

The P05 has a lot going for it. I mean, look at it. If there already wasn’t a multitude of TinHifi iems with the same basic body style & structure, then the P05 would be one of the more unique sets in the price point. One thing is clear, it is certainly one of the best built iems, with one of the most complicated acoustic cavities and also… This set has both nozzle and vent filters!! That’s bonkers!! What other audio brand is that much of an overachiever at $45!? The design language is slick and modern, and everything works as intended. Sonically the filters actually effect some change and do so very well. The build, look, and functionality is all closer to “top class” in the price point in my opinion and I say that without breaking a sweat.

Where the real money’s at… ​

The place where the P05 earns its salt is in its ability to reproduce my music. Who’da’ thunk it? I love a nicely balanced set, and this is the P05’s calling card. I also adore an iem that has good natural air and separation between instruments as well as good timbre. Again, the P05 nails it. In fact, timbre and tonality are likely its greatest asset and feature. Never mind the filter trickery… It’s all about the music. I really enjoy a clean sound as the P05 is a great change of pace type set for any collection. Especially against some of the warmer, bassier sets that we see so often anymore.

Let’s face it though, there are plenty of good to great iems in this price point and it isn’t some open-shut case with where the P05 stands against the competition. However, the question is whether the BGVP P05 is worth the $45 that they are asking for. Friends, please hear me, if what I’ve described sounds appealing to you; this set is an absolute no brainer at the price. Unless of course you need, want, and desire a heavy bass region or a super airy and bright treble. Those are the only caveats that I can tally. And honestly the treble is actually pretty darn good. Truly BGVP did a phenomenal job in the craftsmanship, design and the tuning of the P05. Of course, it’s worth the asking price.

Competition ​

The question you have to ask yourself is if the P05 is worth it next to some other sets that are true bangers in the relative price point. Sets like the Reecho SG-01 Ova, Simgot EW200 (Mahir’s EW200 Review HERE), Tin Hifi T2 DLC (Mahir’s T2 DLC Review HERE), EPZ Q5 (Q5 Review HERE), KZ X-HBB PR2 (PR2 Review HERE), KZ Duo (Duo Review HERE), Kiwi Ears Cadenza (Cadenza Review HERE) QOA Gimlet (Gimlet Review HERE) Fiio FD11, Fiio FH11 (I’ve yet to listen to the FH11) among many others. There are many many more not mentioned. Let’s also not forget about those sets which cost just a little bit more too. So, the competition is fierce and audio brands really have to have their fingers on the pulse of the community. They also need to really listen to hobbyists to compete anymore. Take the feedback and get better. Especially between $35 to $55! However, in the grand scheme of things, there isn’t a lot the P05 does wrong, and it has all the other intangibles to be a great set. 100% worth every penny. Nice work BGVP!

Ratings (0-10)​

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the BGVP P05 ratings below, that would be $35-$55 iems of any driver configuration. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5” is exactly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $35-$55 US is a decent sized scope of iems and so seeing a 9 should probably be pretty special. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings it will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic ​

-Build Quality: 9.4

-Look: 9.2

-Accessories: 9.2

–Overall: 9.3

Sound Rating ​

-Timbre: 9.7 The timbre and tonality are fantastic.

-Bass: 7.4 It just needs a hair more in quantity, otherwise great!

-Midrange: 9.5 The mids are nice on this set.

-Treble: 7.0 Sounds great but could be a bit more polished.

-Technicalities: 9.4 Technicalities are well done for $45

–Overall: 8.6

Ratings Summary:​

Looking at the ratings above I’m sure there are a few areas that would behoove me to explain myself a bit. The first is the bass region. I gave the P05 a score of “7.4” against any and all iems ranging from $35 to $55. Is that fair? I went about the “Bass Rating” taking the unexceptional quantity of the P05 bass into account, rather than simply Rating the P05 bass on its quality alone. As it were, I kind of “fused” the two disciplines. It’s the “quality over quantity” or vice-versa. Take every set I listed earlier into account and about ten others and that is the real pool of iems I’m considering. Remember this is all my own opinion based off sets that I’ve actually spent enough time with to even have an opinion.

Summary cont…​

However, you shake it “7.4” is pretty damn good considering all the other sets in that range. Anyways, if I simply graded the P05 on bass quality without any regard for the quantity or how that impacts every other frequency then I would likely give it around an “8.5 to 9.0″ish. There are about four other sets that carry better quality in my humble opinion. I’m telling you it’s an arduous process considering all that is out there, to give up an honest account of how I feel. Ratings are not fun.

Next would probably be the treble category. Some may feel a “7.7” is a bit high due to the fact that it isn’t the most detailed treble, and it doesn’t have that nice treble punch and bite all the time. Being that a “5” is average. However, to me the P05’s treble is actually quite musical and just sounds… good. I would never go higher than a “7.7” as that is actually a very good score. Now that my mindless babble is over, I feel my overall scores are spot on because I’ve argued with myself for way too long over them. I truly feel that between all sets from $35 to $55 the P05 is every bit of the “8.7” sound Rating that I gave it, if not better.

Conclusion ​

To conclude my review of the BGVP P05 I have to say that I really enjoy this set. It grew on me over the course of the last month. If any of you are looking for a set in the price range, I really don’t think you can go wrong with the P05. It truly is a great iem for the price. I want to thank the good people of HiFiGo for providing the P05 in exchange for a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. Hifigo has been a constant place to find items within the hobby and they are as professional as it gets as far as company reps are concerned and really make the entire process very easy. So again, thank you.

Friends, please take in other thoughts about the P05 prior to purchase. Not that I don’t trust my own opinion but because it is just that… an opinion. Subjective objectivity. Also, we are all different and this ranges from music taste, gear, auditory preferences, even our hearing abilities may differ. So please do yourself a favor and check out other thoughts about this set. I do have to also add one of my partners, Pietro, reviewed this set at the website already as well and you can see his full review HERE. Thanks for reading folks, I hope it helps. Take care, stay safe and God Bless.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank BGVP for furnishing this review unit. It can be gotten here (no affiliate links): https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805727091756.html or http://en.bgvp-hifi.com/product/info/42




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 10 mm polyurethane + ceramic dynamic driver
• Impedance: 34 Ohms
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 105 dB/mW
• Cable: MMCX, 3.5 mm termination; 2-strand OFC silver-plated cable
• Tested at: $49.99 USD

ACCESSORIES



Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of "vocal" silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of "bass" silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of foam eartips
- Carrying case
- Cable
- 2 pairs of front tuning nozzles
- 2 pairs of rear tuning nozzles

For the retail price of a hair below 50 bucks, the accessories are truly fit for a king; everything is useable out-of-the-box.




As per their namesakes, the "bass" silicone tips increase sub-bass (with some slight compression in soundstage and air), whereas the "vocal" tips increase the upper frequencies, though with some loss of sub-bass. The foam tips tame treble and improve isolation, though with some depression in the soundstage.




The stock cable is a 2-strand OFC silver-plated cable. It is on the thinner side and is microphonic. There is a chin cinch for added grip, but the elephant in the room are the MMCX connectors. Generally, at the budget segment, MMCX is not as robust as 2-pin connectors with frequent cable swaps, so I'm a bit bummed out that this connector is used in the P05.




4 pairs of tuning nozzles are packed in a small plastic container - we will go into further detail below on what they do.




Last but not least, we have a semi-rigid zipper case. It is large enough to store the P05 plus accessories, and the innards are lined with a velvety material and webbing.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock "vocal" tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



The P05 is a bullet-shaped IEM. Fashioned from aviation-grade aluminum alloy via CNC machining (that is subsequently sand-blasted and polished), the housings are light yet tough. Indeed, each earpiece weighs in at a meagre 3.4 g, and comfort is impeccable. To top it off, this IEM can be worn cable-down or over-ear, which increases fitting options.



I did not find any driver flex on my set. Isolation is however, sub-par, due to the open-backed design. This open-backed concept does play a part in presenting an expansive soundstage (see sound & technicalities section), so it is kind of a double-edged sword.




DRIVABILITY

I tested the BGVP P05 with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Fiio KA13 dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is moderately easy to drive, weaker sources should be able to power it with higher volumes, though it will scale with amplification.


INTERNALS/TUNING SWITCHES

The P05 incorporates an exotic 10 mm polyurethane and ceramic dynamic driver, which is uncommon to say the least.



The IEM's selling point is the 2 rear and 2 front tuning nozzles, which promises versatility. Unlike the Toneking Ninetails - which also operates via rear and front tuning nozzles - the P05's rear and front nozzles have varying groove dimensions. Hence, the rear nozzles cannot be screwed into the front and vice versa.

Nevertheless, with 4 pairs of tuning nozzles, we have 4 different tuning options on tap:

Graphs of the BGVP P05 with various tuning nozzles via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.

As seen in the graphs above, the P05 sports variations of a Harmanish signature. With the red and blue graphs, we have a sub-bass roll-off, while the green and black ones boost the sub-bass. There are slight differences in the upper mids/lower treble otherwise, amongst the green/blue and red/black graph configurations.

Do explore with the nozzles to see what suits your preferences tonally. Personally, I enjoyed the rear silver/front gold nozzle configuration (ie green graph) the most - it has enough sub-bass rumble for bass heavy tracks, yet with decent extension in the upper end.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The rest of this review will be done with the green graph configuration (rear silver, front gold nozzles installed).



On this setup, the P05 is sub-bass focused. There is moderate bass extension, but don't be expecting basshead quantity. In terms of quality, it is quite well done - bass has above average texturing, with a nimble speed and minimal mid-bass bleed.

The lower midrange is a tinge depressed, but not overly so. The mids are quite transparent without a big bass encroachment, and with just a 6 - 7 dB ear gain, the upper mids are pushed forwards without being overly shouty. Vocals are in front of instrumentation nevertheless, especially for female vocals.

The upper mids boost continues on with a moderately raised lower treble, and the treble rolls-off quite early thereafter. This IEM is sedate and smooth in the treble, with no fatigue or sibilance. Treble-sensitive peeps will like the sonics, though the lack of air and sparkle might be a con for trebleheads.



Timbral accuracy is quite organic for acoustic instruments. Listeners of jazz and classical for example, will have no complaints in this department.

In technicalities, the P05's soundstage is quite wide, landing just slightly outside the ears, due to the aforementioned open-backed design. Soundstage height and depth are above average too. Imaging can be a tinge fuzzy, and is perhaps not as tight as more expensive sets. Unfortunately, resolution and micro-detailing are bang average, which is partially due to the tamed treble. Despite the expansive soundstage, instrument separation can get muddy, and the P05 admittedly gets overwhelmed when complex riffs with competing instruments come out to play.

While not the most micro-detailed or technical single DD, the P05 has some technical aspects that are done well - such as the bass quality and soundstage - but all things considered, the P05 is probably more "musical" than analytical. It is a very "safe" IEM for chilling back and relaxing to, rather than for critical listening.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made against other budget tunable single DDs. Hybrids, planars, multi-DD and pure BA IEMs are omitted, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.




Simgot EA500


Graphs of the Simgot EA500 via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.

The EA500 operates via one front tuning nozzle, to bestow two tuning options. With the black nozzle, the EA500 has a neutral bright lilt, whereas there's a warmer Harmanish tone on the red one.

The EA500 is less bassy, with a sub-bass roll-off. It is more zealous in the upper mids and treble, with more air and sparkle, though the EA500 may come across as fatiguing for treble-sensitive folk.

Though the EA500 has a smaller soundstage, it easily beats the P05 in imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation.


Toneking Ninetails


Graphs of the Toneking Ninetails via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.

The Ninetails is named after a nine-tailed Asian Fox Spirit, which can metamorphize to various forms and even mimic humans. This IEM lives up to its namesake - with 9 tuning signatures, via 2 tuning nozzles per housing - 1 on the rear, and 1 on the front. And unlike the P05's tuning nozzles, the rear and front ones are interchangeable as they are of the same size.

Thus, in terms of versatility, the 9 tuning options of the Ninetails handily eclipses the 4 on offer in the P05 - the former can be tuned from neutralish to basshead to V-shaped rather than just a Harmanish tone.

Both sets have a natural timbre, though the Ninetails loses to the P05 in technical chops. The Ninetails has a copious mid-bass bleed, which isn't as tight or clean. Though it has better soundstage, when it comes to imaging, micro-details and instrument separation, the P05 is superior.

Lastly, the Ninetails has a weird gourd-like shell, which may be more uncomfortable to wear than the more ergonomic bullet-shaped P05.


CONCLUSIONS

I was pleasantly surprised by the P05 as an overall package.

Accessories are second-to-none at this price bracket, and the comfort is solid, especially since the bullet-shaped P05 can be worn cable down or over-ears. There are 4 different tuning options available, providing versatility. Soundstage is a highlight, in addition to an organic timbre and good bass quality. The fatigue-free soundscape will also be a sight (or rather, sound) for sore ears that are treble-sensitive, though trebleheads might need to look elsewhere.

The aforementioned spacious soundstage is partially due to the open-backed design, though this results in sub-par isolation. Additionally, the P05 may not be the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to technicalities, and this IEM is not suitable for analytical-heads. Sadly, the use of MMCX may also be a deal-breaker for some, with questions raised about its long-term durability (best not to cable roll too often here!).

By and large, if one is looking for a tunable budget single DD which is pleasantly tuned with nary an ounce of fatigue - coupled with an expansive soundstage and natural timbre - the P05 fits the bill, and its tonal versatility is a feather in its cap - think of it as getting 4 IEMs with 1 purchase as such.

General Info (Packaging/Build/Comfort)
BGVP has been in the community for quite some time and I believe everyone reading this review doesn’t need any further introduction, in case you don’t know them, feel free to read up about them here in this link. I have the P05 with me today, which is their entry level IEM with swappable filter, what makes them different from the usual IEM with swappable filter is that, the nozzle is swappable, to either bass or treble nozzle, on the back of the IEM’s shell, the filter is also swappable, so you may swap around and figure out which combination works best for your library or preference.
The unboxing experience is quite positive, the packaging doesn’t look entry level at all, more like a midrange kind of packaging to me. The wearing style can be over ears or straight down depending on your preference, build quality is very solid as well and it doesn’t feel heavy, hence it is very comfortable wearing it even for long period of time

Equipment and Softwares used

• Earmen Tradutto -> Earmen CH-AMP
• Earmen Collibri
• Hiby R6 II
• Apple Music/Tidal/foobar2k

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression (Balanced Nozzle (Gold and Red)
Upon first listen on P05, it has got a relatively smooth tuning with plenty of details yet it remains safe sounding and not harsh sounding. Timbre sounds quite natural to my ears. The nozzle is swappable to either bass or treble nozzle, and also the rear filter is also swappable as I mentioned earlier. The default one will be balanced which will be the primary sound impression that i’m sharing now,

Bass

• Bass is punchy and has good extension to my ears, but not too much to the point where it over power other frequency, adequate amount for the fun factor if you ask me
• Good texture on the bass and the speed is adequate for most genre unless you’re talking about insanely high speed heavy metal, but it is adequate to handle anything you throw at it
• The sub bass does rumble when the track calls for it, but i wouldn’t say it is up to basshead’s expectation, but personally i’m fine with it as it is good enough for my library and preference
• Slight bleed into the mids when the track gets overly complex but it is fine most of the time

Mids

• The mids are neither too recessed nor forward based to my ears, the details in this range are nicely presented
• Both male and female vocal has good enough texture to it, they don’t sound thin nor very full, good for the asking price i’d say
• The upper mids are never shouty, in fact it’s rather safe sounding, at least to me, as it ultimately depends on the individual’s hearing as well as tolerance

Treble

• P05’s treble is never offensive and yet it doesn’t sound dull and quite musical to my ears, enough energy but never harsh sounding
• Not as revealing in terms of detail retrieval but good enough for the price point, certain instruments can be picked up easily when listening to Hans Zimmer’s Why So Serious
• The treble is never sibilant even when you turn up the volume, or even on some sibilant prone track
• Average air and presence, but if you are a treblehead, feel free to swap the nozzles around to achieve desired sound

Soundstage/Imaging

• The soundstage i’d describe it as slightly out of your head, width is good but not so much on the depth and height, which is expected at such price point and i’m purely nitpicking
• Imaging is good but not exceptional, instruments can be pin-pointed easily and the left and right transition and vice versa is easily noticeable, but it does gets a little challenging for the P05 to handle when the track gets complete

Driveability

• P05 is not hard to drive, you will be able to push out decent volume from Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm jack
• It does scale with better source and amplification as with most planars, in terms of dynamic and more controlled bass, and slightly more open sound in terms of soundstage

Sound comparison with different nozzles
Gold+Silver

• On this config, the low end is lifted and due to the seesaw effect, the treble is tamer and less exciting, this in turn made the overall listening experience a little more laidback with slightly more warmth and body
• Soundstage is slightly smaller imaging capability remains more or less similar
• Still it is nowhere near basshead level, but overall very fun sounding

Silver+Red

• This config offers experience which sounds very similar to the stock config (Gold+Red)
• Bass sounds more or less similar all the way to the mids, with the exception the treble is slightly more subdued compared to the stock config, this in turns also affects the soundstage which made it doesn’t sound that airy

Silver+Silver

• The bass performance is very similar to Gold+Silver config, even the mid range
• What i do noticed is that the upper mid is slightly, just a tinge more forward compared to the Gold+Silver, the treble however lacks energy and it just sounds subdued, not entirely a bad thing as this is more of a preference kind of thing, hence the existence of this filters and nozzles which you can customise the sound yourself

Final Thoughts
Given that the P05 is an entry level IEM, the performance that it offers is not entry level at all. Why is that? Because you get to customise the sound you want based on your preference or library with the nozzle and rear filter. There are also some IEM out there that offers the ability to swap out the nozzle but they cost a lot more, not to mention only the nozzle is swappable but not the rear filter, hence it’s pretty impressive that BGVP has done it and introduce it to the community at entry level price point.
At the time of writing, the P05 is priced at 45$ which is fair given the features that came with it. I have no issue recommending this to people who are looking to get their first IEM, seasoned audiophile however might not want to consider this as this will probably serve as a side grade to them.

*The P05 is sent over by BGVP for the purpose of this review, i thank them for the opportunity

Interested in getting a pair, head over to BGVP’s official store to get one:

BGVP P05 - Non affiliated

Introdction & Disclaimer :-


Today i will be reviewing the BGVP P05. Its a self tuning iem which comes under the price of under $50 (its already at sale for $44 at the time of writing this review). The review unit was kindly provided by Hifigo , I really appreciate the opportunity provided to me By Hifigo. But rest assured that there was no exchange of money between and Hifigo for favourable opinion neither was my review influenced by any other means. All the thoughts and opinions are my own. I have also shared an YouTube video if you prefer watching a review.


You can buy the BGVP P05 here :-

Amazon US

Amazon JP

Hifigo Website

Hifigo Aliexpress

Music :-


I tested this device with FLAC local files, Some Gmaing and watching movies and Tv shows. I do test it with a lot of songs but I mention the only few standard ones during my review too keep a good guage for all my reviews.


Fit, Comfort and Build Quality :-


1. Very good fit as they are very small and the shells reminded me of the tin hifi iems like the T2 and T4. They cause me no fatigue on any part of my ear while I wear them.


2. They have a very good build quality as they are build completely out of metal.


3. Quite comfortable to wear because of the mmcx (can rotate them around for the best fit), also very good for side sleeping. I know that many sleep while wearing their iems, hence this would be an advantage to to them. A Similar disadvantage could be taken for some as these use MMCX and many dont like it and they would have preferred a 2 pin instead. Also the MMCX used here or atleast in my case were too tight and they were very hard to connect and I was quite scared that maybe I have broken them, but its just that they have a super tight fit and you will clear a click when you connect them. So be careful if you get them and try to connect them for the first time, I generally don't remove my cable everyday from my iem so for me it has been fine after the initial setup.


4. The iems can be worn wire down or wire up. I personally really appreciate the dual approach taken here as I am someone who wears the IEM wire down when out and about. Best part is since the cable is quite thin the iems don't fall off from my ears when wearing wire down.


5. A con with this cable is that although i like the thinness of it, the cable is quite memory prone if you chuck them inside your pockets or just keep it without winding your cable properly. So i highly suggest using included case while traveling and also wind your cable properly after each to avoid the tangle.


6. The iems are open back, hence there is no pressure and i personally loved that there was no moisture built up when wearing the iem for long time. My ear canals get quite moist when wearing an iem with no vent like moondrop quarks etc. but this doesn't happen over here.

7. Fantastic Case! It is the right size as it isn't too big nor too small. There is a mesh inside the case which stores my bluetooth dongle dac Fiio BTR5, you can store your dongle dac or a small dap shanling m0 pro. You can have a great little portable setup inside the case and still have small space left inside for extra ear tips or the filters if you wish to change them on the fly.

8. Great Tip selection by BGVP. I personally liked the vocal tip as that's the one i used along with the Gold Nozzle and the Silver filter. You can also try the bass tips or the foam tips for better isolation and more bass. The 3 types of tip selection gives you quite a bit of control over the tuning of the IEM along with the 4 combinations of the filter and nozzles. ( Left to Right :- Bass tips (it has a soft core), Vocal Tips ( a bit longer and has a hard core), Foam tips)



9. The neck cinch is brilliant! I have used quite a few iems which don't have them and even they have it doesn't work. My almost $300 timeless AE has an useless neck cinch. Sorry for going on about a neck cinch, as I use them personally a every time for better fit. As the cinch is to tight, be careful when using it for the first time grip the cable away from the joints and pull it slowly otherwise you might tear the cable at the splitter section.


Sound :-

Now coming to the meat and potatoes of the review the sound.

In general they follow the Harman curve and you can tune it a bit with the supplied filters a bit. I will be showing you the graphs here form Ian Fann, thanks to him for supplying the graphs. You can check his YouTube channel here



As you can see from the above graph that there are 4 possibilities.

Gold Nozzle & Red Filter - Which is what comes as stock and many will like this tuning, but I felt the bass a bit lacking over here for my persona taste.

Gold Nozzle & Silver Filter- This is the one i used throughout my use along with the vocal tips as they offered me the right amount of bass for my playlist. In my opinion these offered the right bit of bass punch and also the good treble. As to why i didn't use the other combination I will tell that as I go on.

Silver Nozzle & Red Filter - This filter is someone who wants a very mild v sound. As here the treble is tamed quite a lot and so is the bass because of the red filter. Although this is something i might have enjoyed but for some songs which have quite dynamic bass section on the song or a lot of things are happening at once these lack that punch sadly. But if you get these I highly suggest trying this combination if you need a mild v iem and are sensitive to treble.

Silver Nozzle & Silver Filter - This combo offers the most bassy signature and here the treble is very on the background, I would say that the iem is quite bassy with this combination and might be something your inner bass-head might like.

Now All my impressions about the iem will be with the Gold Nozzle & Silver Filter along with the Vocal Tips (M Size). You could also change the sound and fit even further by using the different tips supplied.

Also before i talk about sound I want to quickly mention that these do need quite a bit of power to run, although they ran completely fine in my smartphone but they were nowhere near as good with my Fiio Btr5. These do require some power and do scale up quite well.

Bass :-

It has great punch bass and both the sub bass and mid bass are something I enjoy listening too. In the song Crack Crack Crackly by Classy the bass is very good the transients of the bass is very good. In Slam Dunk movie theme song the bass doesn't get mushed up along with the entire song. In the song Hollow (16 bit remix) By Bjork the sub-bass around the 18 second mark isn't produced at all by some iems or speaker but the p05 does produce it and gives me that rumbly inside the head feeling. Waltz by Sunny Fruit is a song I test for mid bass and I am happy to say that it comes of very good in this iem.

Overall the bass produced is very good and I am quite happy with it. For the price of $49 or $44 (as there is a sale going on hifigo as of writing this article) I cant complain at all!

Many people might find the bass to be lacking, for them i would suggest using the different filter and use the foam tips to get even more bass.


Vocals :-

The Vocals are a section where it might turn of many, specially male vocals. The male vocals of these iems aren't great but they aren't bad either. They are just between the road in my opinion.

When listening to male vocals like Chris Cornell from the Song Like a stone by Audioslave or Ain't No Sunshine By Bill Withers I miss that feeling of their voice It is something I could define as drinking a cup of thick Italian hot chocolate on a rainy day, but I miss that over here. Although its nothing bad but they arent that good and is probably the only thing lacking for the IEM in my opinion.

Konna Yuki By Remioromen & Aloha Heja He By Achim Richel are something which sound just fine and nothing exceptional.

Again to reiterate I would say that the male vocals arent bad but rather just middle of the road. Again this could be sorta expected for the price of $49 or $44.

Coming to female vocals, I though it would be the same case as Male vocals here. But I am quite happy to report that the female vocals are surprisingly good!

Sakura and Hanawa Sakura By Ikkimongakari when Kiyoe Yoshioka sings i can feel here voice during her high pitched solo all while not being shouty! I can listen to these songs at high volume which is generally not the case for many iems.

Some other songs I attest too are Summer song by Yui and Nervous No naranaide de By Naoko Isamu where in i loved the female vocals and they don't get shouty or piercy even at higher volumes.

Treble, Instrument Separation, Soundstage and Imagining :-

The treble is very inoffensive over here. Many people who have treble fatigue or cant handle the typical treble heavy signature most chi-fi iems has I highly suggest looking at this iem. If you find the treble to me still peircy you can change the nozzle to the silver one and tame the treble even more. Changing to foam tips will also help. For some people the air region might lack a bit.

Talking about instrument separation, they are good for the price. I don't face any issues when listening to a song which has lots of instruments playing at once or a section of song playing a lot of instruments at once.

Due to them being open back, the soundstage is quite good! I enjoy a good sounstage! In live songs from many casiopea concerts I was very happy with soundstage.
Also while playing games i was quite happy with it it wasn't all mushed up in a single plane.

Imaging while watching movies and playing games was also good. I could make out where my opponent was and gauge a direction in the game.

Verdict :-

Do I recommend these iems? I would say yes! if you like a good inoffensive tuning this is the iem for you. It is a very safe recommendation to anyone in my opinion. Also the fact that it comes filters and the filters work unlike most iems so you can tweak it according to your own need along with the various tips. Yes it does lack that punch in male vocals and treble heads might not like it that much.

I think so it makes a great everyday iem for most people, for people who wants a safe tuning this is great! Also I guess the case alone is worth $5-6 atleast and that's an awesome thing included in the box.

I think so it is an upgrade over the $20 iems like moondrop chu 2 which I like very much for its price. Also this is alredy on sale for a price of $44 at hifigo.


Small Note :- I am a very new reviewer. This is just my second review on headfi, i hope i was able to convey my feelings of what i felt using the iems. I also have a youtube channel where in i share my thoughts too. I apreciate the oppurtunity provided to me here and most importanly you reading it.