BlitzWolf® BW-ES1 Graphene In-ear Wired Control Earphone

I recently began a quest to find the best IEM under $30. I started with the buying guide on r/headphones and haven't looked back. I found the BlitzWolf Graphene Earphones (model number BW-ES1) on multiple review sites as well as (prominently featured on) Amazon and decided I wanted to try them for myself. I reached out to BlitzWolf and they agreed to send me a sample pair in exchange for my honest thoughts. Despite receiving these in exchange for my review, all opinions expressed are completely mine and I always write reviews as unbiasedly and honestly as I can.

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At the time of posting, the BlitzWolf BW-ES1 are $23.99 on Amazon but can also be found for $11.99 on BangGood, $14.59 on AliExpress, and $15.99 at WalMart (with free shipping).

Packaging and Accessories:

BlitzWolf packaged the BW-ES1s in a nice-sized, sleek-looking box. The lid lifts to show protective foam surrounding the BlitzWolf-branded hard case and a branded sheet of translucent paper on top holding the user manual. The case is slightly larger than most and is just larger than my palm, which makes it harder than normal to lose in a bag or jacket but slightly too big for a pocket. One thing I really like about the case that I haven’t seen before, though, is the elastic strap next to the zipper to hold it down and keep it from flapping back and forth when the case is closed.





The contents of the case are less impressive than the box. Inside are the BW-ES1s, held by a branded velcro strap - branding seems really important to BlitzWolf. I haven’t even unwrapped the IEMs yet and I’ve already seen their logo 4 times. The only additional accessories are small and large ear tips. Given the attention to detail in the packaging, I would’ve hoped for (and partially expected) more ear tips but the ones that it comes with work just fine.



Build:

The build is pretty standard - sturdy-feeling rubber cord, straight (branded) plug, decent strain relief, a chin strap, hard plastic earpieces, and angled nozzles. At first glance, it’s hard to distinguish these from any number of similar-looking IEMs - I understand why BlitzWolf put its name on every possible surface of the BW-ES1s a bit better.



That said, I’m slightly disappointed by some of the design choices BlitzWolf made. I appreciate the inclusion of volume controls along with a microphone, but they sit on the splitter rather than on one ear, making it harder to control music without looking and harder to speak naturally into the microphone. Additionally, the buttons don’t have a very tactile response and I’ve accidentally pushed too few or too many times with these more than with other IEMs. Third (and this is pretty minor), because the controls are in the middle, there really should be “L” and “R” written on the earpieces because currently the only way to tell which ear is which is through trial and error or looking at the angle of the nozzles.



Fit/Isolation:

When I wear these, I have to choose between maximum comfort and maximum isolation. They fit deep into my ear canals and block out passive noise remarkably well, but doing so makes a ridge of the hard plastic earpiece rub against my ear, so I can’t wear them like that for very long. On the other hand, if I don’t push them in, they are incredibly comfortable and I could wear them for hours but let in more outside noise.

I prefer to wear these over-ear and find they have a better seal but they are comfortable either way. Additionally, I didn’t find microphonics to be much of a problem at all but like most IEMs wearing these over-ear reduces that.

Sound:

I don’t know exactly what effect the graphene dampers are supposed to have but whatever it is, it definitely works on the low end. The BW-ES1s have strong bass with remarkable detail and imaging for non-audiophile (read: treble-focused with no bass) IEMs. However, mids and highs sound tinnier the more a song focuses on high parts - these are made for pop with a pounding bass line. Additionally, the whole sound is very forward, which can be fatiguing to listen to for long periods.

Bass:

To describe the bass on these IEMs fairly I have to separate the sub-bass (the part you feel) from the mid-bass (the part you hear). The sub-bass is surprisingly good. It was made for the intro to Seven Nation Army and the hard thumping chorus in Drunk In Love and makes songs like If I Ever Fall In Love and Creep more fun to listen to. What truly makes it stand out, though, is that it’s subtle on songs that don’t feature a strong bass line and doesn’t change the balance of a song like Hallelujah by adding rumble where it doesn’t belong. The mid-bass, on the other hand, does exactly that; bloated is the best way to describe it. It’s great on songs that do have a strong bass line and highlights low male vocals along with guitar but can be stronger than mids when it’s not supposed to and distorts songs focused on highs.

Mids:

The mids are pretty good for a bass-heavy IEM; however, they start to get a bit fuzzy around the edges and lose clarity on mid-focused songs like Hallelujah and Rivers and Roads. It still sounds balanced but the crisp detail these IEMs have on other songs fades as parts start to bleed together in the background. That being said, the distortion of the mids can be hard to hear unless you listen for it and doesn’t stand out when mids aren’t the focus. Mids sound excellent on the a cappella songs I have and provide excellent balance on Queen as well as My Chemical Romance.

Treble:

Like the mids, the treble sounds best in the background. It was hard to listen to Somebody That I Used To Know and Hundred - the piano intros just sounded too tinny and artificial, which didn’t get better as the song went on since the vocals did as well. However, on songs that don’t heavily feature treble, it regains definition and sounds much better. Pop songs with female vocals sound excellent and even soprano parts of a cappella songs come through crisp and clear.

Soundstage:

The BW-ES1s have a simultaneously wide and flat sound. I use the analogy of an orchestra to picture an IEM’s soundstage; the BW-ES1s sound like every musician is in the first row and instead of sitting in the seats a reasonable distance away you’re standing directly in the middle of that row. I can clearly hear every sound and where it comes from (especially on Gasoline) but the sound as a whole is very forward and I can only listen to these for an hour or two at most before I need a break.

Comparisons:

vs KZ ZS3 (~$8 USD)

These two IEMs have a similar sound signature - a forward, bass-heavy “fun” sound - but the ZS3 blows the BW-ES1s out of the water. The mid-bass is less bloated without sacrificing sub-bass and the mids and highs sound much better and more organic. The biggest difference for me, though, is the depth the ZS3 has. The BW-ES1 has a wide soundstage but is very flat, which sticks out when comparing these IEMs side by side.

vs KZ ED9 (~$10 USD)

The bass on the ED9 blows the BW-ES1 away. Both have a strong bass with lots of thump; however, the ED9 has a stronger sub-bass that, paired with a more natural-sounding mid-bass than the BW-ES1, enhances bass-heavy music rather than dominating it. Both IEMs have a very forward sound but the ED9 also has depth that makes the sound richer and warmer rather than harsh and fatiguing. I would consider the ED9 a direct upgrade from the BW-ES1.

vs Rock Zircon (~$13 USD)

The BW-ES1 has a stronger bass - especially sub-bass - than the balanced Zircon. However, the Zircon beats the BW-ES1 on almost every other front: better mids and highs, deeper soundstage, a more natural sound, and the Zircon is much better for extended listening. I prefer the Zircons in term of comfort and isolation as well. If you prefer a bassy IEM to a balanced one then the BW-ES1 might be on your list but I can’t imagine another scenario in which I would pick them over the Zircon.

Final Thoughts:

The BW-ES1s were made for pop or anything that has a strong bass line but not much else. They sound better than their generic look and generic build would suggest but still lack clarity on mids and highs. These are good for short periods of casual listening but the sound is too fatiguing for anything longer.