Simgot EA500 LM

Preamble​

Many thanks to @Damz87 and Simgot for arranging the Australian tour of these IEMs.

The concept of a ‘house sound’ is something that is quite interesting to have in the audio market. One would come to expect a certain sound signature from a brand and if it fits into their particular preference, it would be a tremendous benefit to know that you would like anything that the brand is putting out. The other side of this coin is that you inevitably will begin to tire of this house sound and start to branch out in search of a little spice in your life. Today’s review concerns the EA500LM, a budget option from the brand Simgot, an upstart of Chinese Hi-Fi that has already impressed me with the EA1000 and the Supermix 4. Simgot are rather close adherents of the Harman preference curve and thus, you could say that their house sound is Harman.

I sought out to find if the EA500LM is able to produce this house sound in a manner that separates itself from its brethren and perhaps if I myself am a fan of Simgot’s house sound.

The Factual Stuff​

Priced at 90 USD, the EA500LM is a budget offering from the Simgot brand but you wouldn’t really guess it from looking at it. The earpieces are fashioned out of metal, feeling quite robust, weighty in the hand and finished in a mirror chrome that really makes it difficult to photograph.

Within these earpieces are a single dynamic driver (DD) that is spruiked by Simgot’s marketing department as being a “2nd generation dual-magnet and dual-cavity lithium-magnesium diaphragm dynamic driver”…whatever that means.

Within the packaging you are greeted with a zip carry case that is functional, if a little spartan in its design, a 3.5mm terminated cable and some eartips.

The Opinion Stuff​

Sound​

The following impressions were taken using the EA500LM with Spinfit CP100 eartips, the stock cable and fed using a Shanling M6 Ultra with FLAC files.

Bass​

TL;DR: Sub-bass focused, the EA500LM does not punch in the mid-bass as much as I would like it but it manages to render bass with speed and accuracy.

What can I say about the low-end of the EA500LM that I haven’t said about other Simgot IEMs so far? The EA500LM brings about a sub-bass focused signature that is indicative of its target tuning curve that engages you with great physicality. There is a sense of robust tuning in the low-end to provide you with a good sense of low-end oomph. There is some shortcomings in terms of extension as the EA500LM does not seem to dive deeper into the frequency response as its (more expensive) cousins, the Supermix and the EA1000. “Undefeated” by XG hits fairly hard with its low-end bass-line and the EA500LM renders it with adequate power to provide an engaging listen without devolving into an overly boomy signature.

The mid-bass punch is an issue that I have with nearly all Harman tuned IEMs and the EA500LM is no exception to this unfortunately. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Bom” by Creepy Nuts has a distinct mid-bass focused drumline throughout the song that creates a sense of urgency in its pacing on ideal renditions of the song. The EA500LM is slightly limp and ineffectual in its rendition of mid-bass punch, more like a glancing jab to the nose rather than a fierce haymaker to the chin. It feels a little lakcing in this respect, weakening the sense of pace and rhythm that the song brings on more punchy IEMs.

“Glow” by Cubicore presents a booming bass line that seems to be produced in a manner that is quite bloomy in nature, decaying somewhat slowly leading to certain IEMs rendering it quite woolly. The EA500LM handles the bassline quite well presenting it cleanly and speedily.

The EA500LM therefore is quite adept in its bass quality, providing speed and cleanliness to the low-end but it is not hugely textured.

Overall, the low-end of the EA500LM is not bad at all, agreeably tuned and rather good in terms of detail, I feel it plays it a little safe and the aforementioned conservative approach to mid-bass leads

Mids​

TL;DR: Upper-mid thinness and a recessed lower-mid leads to a somewhat disjointed vocal experience but instruments sound rather accurate and enjoyable.

The midrange performance of any Harman tuned IEM in my books is always a bit…off. The EA500LM maintains some of the hallmarks of an IEM of this tuning style with a forward upper-mid that presents female vocalists in a manner that is rather intimate. “Magnetic” by ILLIT presents the very common trend of airy, heady female voices sitting in a higher register in a manner that is rather prominent which despite being quite enjoyable to listen to does also lead to some fatigue over time. There is a sense of thinness and shrillness here that may lead to more sensitive ears tapping out quickly.

Instruments in songs such as “Starscourge Radahn” from the Eldent Ring OST sounds sufficiently grand and well presented and male vocalists such as Lucky Daye in “Over” are presented in a manner that is further back in the stage. There is a slight detachment from vocalists residing in this register and there is unfortunately a lack of ‘soulfulness’, weight and emotion in this region.

The timbre of the EA500LM is decent save for the aforementioned thinness and there is a sense that there is a more smooth sounding mid-range here compared to the EA1000 and the Supermix 4. However, this may be a side-effect of lower-resolution rather than expertly done timbre.

Overall, the EA500LM presents mids in a rather straightforward Harman manner. Skimping down low and too edgy on the upper end, the midrange leaves vocalists wanting but instruments are reproduced in a quite robust manner.

Treble​

TL;DR: Lacking some extension but not exactly dark, the EA500LM is a little more laid-back but still present with its rendition of percussion.

Moving to the treble regions of the EA500LM, there is a sense of a little more laidback-ness in this region. There is a sense of less harshness in the upper end of the treble response (not upper mids) with songs such as “Language” by Porter Robinson with grating synths coming off as a little more balanced than with brighter IEMs. The aforementioned issues with lower-treble/upper-mids are made most apparent with higher register singers such as Ariana Grande in “the boy is mine” wherein there is a shrillness to her voice that amounts to some fatigue over time.

Percussion in songs such as “Lost Cause” by Beck present crisply, and strings feel rather balanced throughout, something that is lost when swapping to brigher IEMs.

Treble as a whole remains fairly forward in the mix but not in a manner that is overly fatiguing I feel. It is somewhat balanced with the bass and the mids leading to an overall tonal balance that I quite enjoy. It was less fatiguing (but also less exciting) than the EA1000 and more smooth and analogue in timbre compared to the Supermix 4.

I do feel however, where the EA500LM disappoints is in terms of treble extension. It is a bit of a hard ask to expect a single DD to cover all aspects of the frequency response curve in a manner that wrings out the full potential of all of the constitutive elements of that frequency response and the EA500LM is no exception. There is a lack of extension in the upper-end and a distinct lack of airiness that leads to the EA500LM sounding a little constrained or compressed.

Technicalities​

TL;DR: Not stellar for the price bracket but with a good sense of depth and some smoothness, it is fairly detailed listen.

Technical performance of the EA500LM presents a mixed bag in that it leaves you wanting when compared to the SImgots that I’ve tried already but still good in that it does sufficiently well for its price range.

Layering and separation of notes is well articulated on the EA500LM presenting in a manner that is readily coherent in busily produced tracks. However, imaging and directional awareness is slightly constrained with songs such as “Fine” by Taeyeon seemingly projecting from directly in front of you where other IEMs (albeit more expensive ones) allow you to pin point directional cues within the stage.

Speaking of stage, the EA500LM does decently to project a good sense of depth with “Woke Up” by XG presenting a layered stage wherein female vocals come forward, drums in the rear and strings behind that. Width is slightly more disappointing with songs such as “Fi’s Farewell” from the Zelda OST feeling rather constrained and limited in its staging width. Very obviously not a cinematic or grand performance of an orchestra. Microdetails are not stellar, it feels that the edges of notes are slightly rounded and blunted in their attack. There is not a huge level of crispness in note expression and nuances are lost. I liken it to a smoothing filter applied to a photo.

Macrodetails and dynamic range sound quite robust in that there is a good level of extension in the low-end but the upper end feels slightly rolled off and blunted. There is a lack of airiness and whilst the EA500LM does well with busy production, it does so in a confined and congested stage.

Comparisons​

vs EA1000​

TL;DR: The EA500LM is a EA1000 zipped by WinRAR, more compressed sounding and less extension.

What does literally twice the amount of numbers get you? The EA1000 presents a rather significant jump up in price (in terms of multiples at least) and does a rather good job of justifying its cost to me. The EA1000 presents with a much larger and grander stage compared to the EA500LM. The EA1000 also seems to do better in other technical factors such as macro and micro-detail rendition providing a greater sense of texture in the low-end, more crisp mids and piercing highs (this may not be a bonus for all).

Dynamic range feels more extended on the EA1000 as the EA500LM feels a little compressed overall. It is a more laid back listen compared to the EA500LM as the EA1000 is more harsh in the treble and renders music with greater edginess and crispness in the upper end. Excellent for rendering certain notes to give you that goosebump feeling but terrible for extended listening sessions wherein fatigue starts to inevitably creep in.

I feel that the EA1000 presents an obvious upgrade over the EA500 but the EA500 remains a fraction of the price and therefore the value proposition is questionable at best. I would happily pay extra for the EA1000 but more conscious consumers, EA500LM may get you far enough.

Value and Quality of Life​

TL;DR: Not bad for the price but not exactly a revelation. Competitive but not price-bracket redefining.

90 USD is a hell of a price to pay for a well-built and premium looking IEM. There are inevitably caveats with a drop down in price and I feel that the EA500LM is quite obviously a downgrade in sound quality compared to the Supermix 4 and the EA1000. These are significantly more expensive (as a % increase that is) than the EA500LM and one would wonder what the value of this sound quality jump would represent. For me, I would highly recommend going for either of the upgrades but the EA500LM still presents good value.

There was not revolutionary, “this costs how much?!?” that I got with the Supermix 4 and the EA1000 and therefore, I believe that the EA500LM doesn’t ‘break the price bracket’ in any manner. It’s signature is straightforward and its technical performance is quite good.

The included accessory package is not great by any means but the build of the IEMs themselves provides me with a sense of comfort in their ability to withstand daily wear and tear.

Overall, I believe that the sound quality provided is about fair for the price and where you would be winning is with build quality and a sense of design. In terms of value, I would say it is so-so, nothing outstanding nor disappointing.

Conclusion​

One must wonder if this more lukewarm review is a result of fatigue relating to the sound signature or a simple downgrade in quality reflective of the lower price. I am quite a fan of what Simgot does with the Harman curve with my previous experiences being a Moondrop Variation which I found wholly unengaging most of the time. But the EA500LM’s tonality is not my main issue but rather the fact that the dynamic range seems constrained in a manner that leaves me wanting a little more. Somehow or someway, it appears that the passive radiator in the EA1000 is doing a lot with that IEM’s single DD and the EA500 is more reflective of experiences with Chi-Fi budget single DD IEMs.

It remains fair in nearly all respects save for the Harman upper-mid/lower-treble energy which is poorly suited to my preference and the build quality remains excellent. The EA500LM is a good option in the market at its price bracket but does little for me in terms of getting wholly excited about its value and its sound quality.

Much like the earpieces, this IEM is solid and stalwart but will hardly set your soul on fire.

If you're interested in graph comparision, here's the link

+ i'm a normal asian dude with some music producing background
+ i like clean balanced sound signature with focus on sub bass and lower treble, especially looking for a good dynamism and harmonic playthrough, i like vocal, not necessary mid dominant, can consider myself as treblehead
+ 60-68db listening session
+ Avarage score 4/10 (Quarks/ 7hz Zero) Middle score 6/10 (Tanchjim Kara)
+ Bias score is i like it or not, doesn't sum on overall score
+ Same value systems like crinacle

Click to expand...

- Bass (6/10): A big bold bass that doesn't mess up with sound signature (neutral), quite pleasing and comforting bass, may not have the best deepness/tactility/thump, just enough of every department (probally might not sound as good as EA1000 but bigger bass, better score)
- Mid (7,5/10): The very same Simgot house sound but smoother, more pleasing than other, probally my favorite so far!
- Vocal (6/10): Vshape, you know it , have some sibilance to the very top end, not so noticeable but something you have to aware (because i'm low volume listener)
- Treble (6/10): typical Harman tuned, airy and correct, slight sibilance (less than EA500, more than EA1000)
- Detail (5,3/10): Macro detail (5,3/10), Micro detail (5,3/10)
- Soundstage (6,5/10): a slightly holographic stage, about the size of "average living room"
- Imaging (5,5/10): Good micro spacing from left to right, lack layers
Bias (7/10): Vshape
Overall: 6,1/10 (slightly better than EA500)
Value: (niche)

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - Simgot EA500LM

The EA500LM have been sent to me by Simgot for me to try them out and to share my thoughts and opinions in this review. Simgot has not made any requests or comments and I will do my best to be as unbiased as possible in this review.

The official Simgot page can be found here: http://www.simgot.com/en

The EA500LM doesn't seem to be available on their web but a quick search will return it on the usual online stores.

As always, the link is non-affiliate.

To avoid being repetitive in my reviews, you can find all the info about how I create the reviews, equipment used, how I receive the products and how to interpret my reviews by visiting: About my reviews



Intro…

I don’t think Simgot needs any introduction to those who read or watch my reviews. I have reviewed multiple IEMs from the brand and my conclusion with all of them has been almost the same: they are great IEMs but I just can’t really get on with the tuning. My last review, which was quite recent, was of the EA1000 “Fermat” and I think it is the best I have tried from them so far, although I, once again, reached a similar conclusion. However, Simgot haven’t given up on me and have sent me along the EA500LM for me to see if it meets my preferences more.

I also reviewed the Simgot EA500 back in May of last year and one would think that the EA500LM would be a similar IEM, and in the looks department they are, however they are very different and I don’t think that a comparison a of the two would really be very relevant. I actually think that the EA500LM is more on a level of the EA1000 in terms of performance, although the tuning is also different, providing quite a different presentation to my ears.

This set uses a single dynamic driver, as did the original EA500, but based around the technology found in the EA1000, although without the passive radiator. They come in at around 80€ and I honestly feel that these are a set of IEMs worth looking at in the price range.



Presentation…

The IEMs arrive in a black box with artwork that changes colour depending on how the light hits the box. While there is nothing really to get excited about as far as packaging, they do keep it original and it is not just a plain box.

Inside the box we get the IEMs, the cable, 3 sets of silicone tips in 3 sizes, two additional nozzles, an oval storage/transport case and a bag of red and black o-rings as replacements if needed.

To be honest, there is nothing really extraordinary about the contents and, apart from the multiple nozzles to change the tuning, something that we have seen a lot with Simgot, the quantity of contents is rather basic (although I have seen much worse).



Build and aesthetics…

One thing I definitely can’t fault Simgot for is their build quality. Once again the EA500LM are a complete metal shell, with a shiny silver finish, that keeps up with their usual quality construction. The aesthetics are simple but shiny, something that will of course attract fingerprints but looks good when clean, with the Simgot logo on one side and the LM logo on the other.

The IEMs are rather compact and fit nicely inside the ear, at least they do in my ear, making for a comfortable fit, however, as with other Simgot models, I do find that I need to use a larger size of tips. On the subject of tips, the included tips are the usual tips from Simgot and do their job, being what I have used for this review. They are not my favourite tips but they are not horrible either.

The included cable has a rather rubbery feel to the clear finish over the brown and black internal cores, terminating in transparent plastic 2 pin connectors at one end and a black metal 3.5mm connector at the other. As with the tips, the cable is not my favourite but it certainly does its job and I can’t bring myself to complain about it.



Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

As I mentioned, the EA500LM include 3 sets of screw in nozzles that allow different tunings of the IEM. This is nothing new from Simgot and is something that has been included with the previous models I have reviewed.

The main noticeable difference between the nozzles is in the upper mid range, with one set being a lot more noticeable in its changes than the other.

Here is the frequency response graph of the 3 nozzles in comparison to my usual preference curve as a reference:



Now, the last time I reviewed a multiple nozzle set, the EA1000, I tried to do it in a way to make things clearer on what the differences were between each nozzle. However, I think I ended up making it far more confusing by doing that, so I am going to approach this in a different way and see if I can keep it less confusing this time.

Starting off with the silver nozzles with the black O-rings, there is a lot of clarity but there is also that overly focused upper mid range double peak that is what led me to not get on well with the previous tunings of other Simgot models.

The subbass is clean and clear, with good definition, and it stands up to the torture test of “Chameleon” well, although it is not a set that will provide an excessive amount of rumble if that is what you are searching for. There is enough subbass for my personal preferences but it is not a wow factor of these IEMs. That doesn’t mean it is bad, I like it, it is not overpowering.

The midbass is just as clean and defined as the subbass, with nice detail and no boomyness at all in those lower reverberations of the guitar in “Crazy”. In the same way, “No Sanctuary Here” has a level of bass that I find nice, especially as the bass is quick and clear. It has that slight dynamic driver taste to it (if that even exists) but none of the slow response that we sometimes find from a DD.

The upper mids are where I can’t say I like these IEMs. I find it to be overly present, harsh and fragile sounding with these nozzles. This gives a lot of presence to vocals and also makes things seem very clear but I just find it to be a little harsh overall for me personally.

There is plenty of air and extension in the upper ranges, at least as far as my hearing extends (around 15.5kHz at my last test earlier this year). It is not a smooth treble, especially when added to that additional presence in the upper mids, although it does accentuate the detail without making it sound artificial, especially due to the EA500LM having good detail throughout the whole range.

Now, moving over to the silver nozzles with the red rings… I did this change half way through the track “No Sanctuary Here” and immediately felt things improved a lot in that harshness that I was hearing between 2.5kHz and 5kHz.

While the bass is still the same as far as quality and quantity, the reduced presence takes away a bit of the harshness and allows a little more focus on that low range. To be honest, they are still a little spicy for me in those ranges, however, I find them much more pleasurable than with the previous nozzles.

Going back to “Crazy”, the clarity is still there, there is still no boomy midbass and the detail is still good, but the vocals are slightly tamer in the upper ranges. I say slightly as there is still some sibilance and spice in the vocals of Daniella but I think this is something that I could adjust with some tip rolling and be fairly happy with the results.

The rest, for the most part, remains unchanged.

So, the last set of nozzles, the gold ones (which also have red O-rings but as there is only one set of gold nozzles, that doesn’t really matter).

These are my preferred set of nozzles by far. In fact, this is my favourite sound from a Simgot IEM to date. Ok, there is still a slight over-presence in those upper mids but now I am not feeling uncomfortable with it. Where I have been able to listen to other Simgot sets (and this set with other nozzles), with the Gold nozzles I am no longer feeling uncomfortable.

I would still prefer a tamer 2.5kHz to 5kHz range, we are now at a place where different tips and styles of music are enough for me to actually sit back and enjoy these IEMs. I find the subbass to stay clean and detailed, as with all the nozzles, the midbass to be very detailed and listenable, with a better presence as we climb up to those ranges that I just can’t love with Simgot tunings.

Detail and separation is good, soundstage is decent and, although a little peaky, the treble is not as overpowering due to the reduced upper mids. There is still a bit of sibilance in the vocals of “Crazy” but it is a lot more manageable, even at slightly higher volumes than my usual listening levels (although at high volumes it does become a little uncomfortable still).



Conclusion…

After reaching the same conclusion many times with Simgot IEMs: “They are great but the tuning isn’t for me”, well, I have the same conclusion here except… with the gold nozzles and some tip changes, I finally can enjoy a set of their IEMs without feeling uncomfortable.

Yes, they are still slightly on the harsh side (even with the gold nozzles) for my personal tastes but this is something that is probably only relevant to me and maybe 0.5% of those considering these IEMs. Even so, they are still very listenable.

But personal tuning tastes and sensitivities aside, the EA500LM are a very good set of IEMs that tick all the boxes for those looking for a set of good performing all round IEMs that are focused more towards a slightly forward signature than many of the “laid back” signatures we are seeing lately.

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As always, this review can also be found in Spanish, both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on Youtube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation