Disclaimer: As noted in the “Build” section, the first pair of SIVGA SM002s that I got had a frail silver cable, which detached from the MMCX housing rather quickly. Rita from SIVGA was kind enough to send me another pair since they don’t sell the cable separately for now, and my review is on my experiences with the second pair I received that has two functional cables. You should keep in mind, though, that at least for now there seems to be slight quality control issues with the silver cable.
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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. Though I’ve described budget IEMs as worth x times their price before, I’ve never been able to actually test IEMs in that price range. However, thanks to Rita from SIVGA sending me their SM002 Triple Driver Metal IEMs, I can finally report if, in fact, my budget IEMs match up to ones from this (much) higher price point.
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At the time of posting, the SIVGA SM002 can be found on Amazon for $138, or $110 if you get it in red. It doesn’t currently look like it is available from other sources.
Packaging and Accessories:
The SM002 came packaged very nicely. The box comes with a cardboard sheath featuring the SIVGA logo, a picture of the SM002, and a list of their features on the front and more detailed product specifications on the back. This sheath slides off to reveal a minimalistic black box again featuring the SIVGA logo, a sketch of the IEMs, and the SM002 model number on the front in silver.
The box opens to immediately reveal the user manual, a pretty standard four-page foldout with slightly stilted English and outlandish burn-in recommendations (“100 to 300 hours...at 6 to 7 volume level”). Under that is a layer of foam that covers the earpieces, which sit in individual foam cutouts, the two cables - silver and mic - and SIVGA-branded leather carrying case, which holds the rest of the accessories.
The carrying case opens by lifting a flap in front, which closes. It has solid panels on the sides and back under the leather, which allow it to keep its shape well, especially when stuffed into a pocket or bag. The inside of the case is covered with a soft fabric that protects the accessories inside - eartips to your heart’s content (clear silicone M, double flange M, silicone S/M/L, and Comply foam S/M) and a shirt clip.
Build:
The MMCX housing of the silver cable is the only major drawback of the SM002 that I’ve found so far. Ironically, the drawback is that it’s too strong - the housing is such a tight fit that the earpieces don’t detach easily from the silver cable. When I tried to switch cables, the cable detached from the MMCX housing rather than detaching from the earpiece, and I learned after that I am not the only person who had this issue. Rita from SIVGA was kind enough to send me another pair to continue my testing, but my current pair also shows serious resistance when I try to detach the SM002 from the silver cable. While I highly recommend using the silver cable as it sounds better, it’s important to keep in mind that if you use it, it’s very hard to switch to any other cable.
Though I was assured that SIVGA designed the SM002 by itself, it looks almost identical to the Magaosi K3 Pro, a highly regarded $99 IEM. The nozzle of the SM002 is a bit shorter if pictures of the K3 Pro are to be believed but other than that I can’t see any major differences in their design. They both have the same oval-shaped metal body, down to the same rounded indents on the top and bottom and identical placement of the dual external bass ports, and both even have identical silver lettering marking which ear is which in the same spot. More importantly, though, both have triple driver setups - two BA and one dynamic - and I find it hard to believe that those wouldn’t be identical as well. I have yet to get my hands on a pair of the K3 Pro for a more in-depth comparison of the two but if I didn’t know better I’d say whichever came out later is an exact copy of the other.
That said, the build quality is excellent. It looks like the metal body is made of two parts, which were then sealed around the drivers - I don’t know how SIVGA did it but they do not budge no matter how hard I try. The design is also very sleek; the indents on the metal body and the subtle positioning of the dual bass ports give the SM002 a “premium look”. I’ve been using them for about a month, and though I keep them in their case when I’m not wearing them, they don’t have a single scratch or blemish on them from the multiple times I’ve accidentally bumped into things or was a bit too rough when taking them out.
The two included cables come bundled together, though it is very easy to tell them apart. The silver cable is made of 4 conductors braided together; these split and two stay braided on each side after passing through the metal splitter. A metal chinstrap holds them together and can go all the way up to your chin given the lack of in-line microphone or controls. Near the MMCX connector, a piece of plastic is wrapped around the cable, which bends to ensure best fit around your ear. The strain relief on this cable is good, especially at the metal-and-plastic L-shaped plug.
The cable with the microphone is very similar but with a few key differences. Rather than individual conductors braided together, this cable appears to be made of two conductors in a spiral inside a plastic coating. The plug on this cable is straight instead of L-shaped but still has good strain relief on the plug, which has the SIVGA logo on this cable. The in-line microphone and control button prevent the chinstrap from going all the way up; other than those differences, the cables are built identically.
Fit/Isolation:
The SM002 are incredibly comfortable. The plastic coating around both cables allows them to fit and stay around my ears better than any other cable I’ve used, including my previous favorite cable, the KZ memory wire.
They fit like they were meant for my ears. Their shape - especially the flattened side of the oval that rests on the tragus of the ear - allows them to sit comfortably in my ear for long periods of time without hurting and it’s very easy to put them in and take them out of my ears.
These IEMs provide pretty good isolation - not the best I’ve seen but just the right amount, in my opinion. I can hold a conversation at a normal tone with these in my ears if there is no music playing; however, when music is on, even at a low volume, I’m quickly in a world of my own. I wear these on my daily commute and I never have to turn the sound above 60 or 70% to be completely isolated.
Sound:
I know that the phrase “these budget IEMs are worth X times their price” is thrown around a lot (and I’m guilty of it too), but the SIVGA SM002 blows every single budget IEM I’ve ever listened to out of the water. It sounds hyperbolic but when I use these I literally hear parts of my music I’ve never heard before.
These have a slight U-shape in their sound but are more balanced than any other IEM I’ve listened to. The sound is also very detailed and I can hear each instrument clearly and distinctly, which further adds to the experience. Rather than the very forward sound that many consumer IEMs offer, these are more subtle while still maintaining the integrity of the sound as a whole and provide a non-fatiguing sound that I can personally listen to for hours.
Bass:
The bass is rich and warm, acting as a complement to the rest of the music rather than being the main focus. The mid-bass and sub-bass both have excellent extension, providing a smooth sound you can both hear and feel. The SM002 does have a slight bass boost; however, rather than bleeding into the mids or becoming bloated in bass-heavy songs, the bass comes through with incredible clarity and vibrancy. The bass also has more detail than I’d ever experienced in a budget IEM, even bass-focused ones - I’d never heard the rumbles in the beginning of Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” or the low violins in Hozier’s “It Will Come Back” before. More impressively, the bass does not overextend or bloat at high volumes but “fills the room”, so to speak, nicely.
Mids:
The SM002 has hands down the best mid-range I have ever heard. Vocals come through with such clarity and precision that I can hear details I never did before, down to the breaths Pentatonix take between phrases. They have a neutral presentation with a slight balance towards the lower end, which makes male vocals - especially baritones like Hozier and George Ezra - sound more natural than female vocals. That said, female vocals sound no less detailed or clear, just a slight bit colder.
Mids also have excellent presence in the background. Despite their slight U-shape, the mids do not noticeably recess, even in busier songs with lots of other parts. Rather than competing to be heard, the mids balance with the treble and bass well, making the sound well-rounded overall. This is mostly due to their excellent separation and micro-detailing - each instrument can be heard individually, which allows them to maintain their own sound rather than becoming a single mid-range or single background sound. I can distinguish guitar plucks from strums and can hear the subtle use of a wah pedal better on these IEMs than on any other.
Treble:
The treble on the SM002 is slightly boosted, which makes it stand out in multi-part songs and highlights piano ballads, especially with female vocals. Its slightly cold presentation takes some of the raw emotion out of songs like Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be” but provides excellent clarity and balance. Unlike many other (budget) IEMs with similar sound signatures, the SM002 has minimal sibilance, which allows vocals and piano to come through evenly and smoothly. The boost does not distort the treble, even at high volumes, but it does become slightly harsher the louder it gets, especially on songs with lots of electronic high notes or cymbals like Skrillex’s “Bangarang” and Cage The Elephant’s “In One Ear”.
Soundstage:
While testing the SM002, I was listening to all of my music rather than my dedicated testing playlist when I heard some faint music coming from behind me. I assumed it was my roommate and turned around to tell him to turn his music down, since I could hear it with my own IEMs in. As the sound grew and a light piano line came in on my left (and I also saw my roommate wasn’t there), I realized that it was actually the beginning of AWOLNATION’s “All I Need” and that the soundstage on the SM002 is so expansive that the sound was coming from behind me.
The soundstage and detailing of the SM002 are better than every other IEM I’ve used to the point that I don’t know if it’s a fair comparison. I can truly say that these are the first IEM’s I’ve heard that have a full 360 degrees of sound, which, along with the incredible level of detail, provides incredible imaging. Every sound comes through clearly and I can pinpoint exactly where they come from - whether in front of me, on the left or right, and even behind me. With excellent separation, each instrument is distinct, but they all come together to give the most immersive sound I’ve ever heard.
Comparisons:
At the time of posting, these are the only IEMs I own that don’t firmly fall in the category of budget, so I don’t have any truly good comparisons. I plan on updating this review if I get the opportunity to test more IEMs in the price and/or quality range of the SM002 but for now I don’t think comparing it to budget IEMs would do it or them justice.
Final Thoughts:
I would call the SM002 my daily driver but somehow they managed to fit 3 drivers into this IEM. Despite the constant claims that many budget IEMs can compete up to X price range, these are head and shoulders better than any budget IEM I’ve ever listened to. The $138 offering by SIVGA looks eerily similar to the Magaosi K3 Pro, but I was assured they were designed independently. I haven’t listened to the K3 Pro but the incredible soundstage and detail the SM002 offers enhance the slight U-shaped sound signature, which I realized is my preferred signature after listening to these. If I didn’t have issues with the silver cable, I would have given these a full 5/5 and honestly think they belong on any sub-$150 IEM list.
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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. Though I’ve described budget IEMs as worth x times their price before, I’ve never been able to actually test IEMs in that price range. However, thanks to Rita from SIVGA sending me their SM002 Triple Driver Metal IEMs, I can finally report if, in fact, my budget IEMs match up to ones from this (much) higher price point.
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I'm a 20 year old college student who listens to music at every possible opportunity. I prefer IEMs to cans and wear them on the subway, between classes, doing school work, working out, and any other time it's socially acceptable to (as well as a few times it's not).
I listen to a bit of everything but usually prefer male vocals and strong bass. I don't know how to describe my tastes by genre so I would say somewhere in the middle of Hozier, early Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Queen, and Mumford and Sons is my sweet spot.
I hold all of my music on my Samsung S8 and use Poweramp as my main player. Though I conduct all of my tests without EQ, this is my preferred EQ for casual listening:
Some of my test tracks are:
Sail - Awolnation
Somebody That I Used To Know - Pentatonix
Centipede - Knife Party
All I Need - Awolnation
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright
In One Ear - Cage The Elephant
Killer Queen - Queen
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Hundred - The Fray
Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
Someone Like You - Adele
Gasoline - Halsey
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
I listen to a bit of everything but usually prefer male vocals and strong bass. I don't know how to describe my tastes by genre so I would say somewhere in the middle of Hozier, early Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, Queen, and Mumford and Sons is my sweet spot.
I hold all of my music on my Samsung S8 and use Poweramp as my main player. Though I conduct all of my tests without EQ, this is my preferred EQ for casual listening:
Some of my test tracks are:
Sail - Awolnation
Somebody That I Used To Know - Pentatonix
Centipede - Knife Party
All I Need - Awolnation
Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright
In One Ear - Cage The Elephant
Killer Queen - Queen
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Hundred - The Fray
Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
Someone Like You - Adele
Gasoline - Halsey
Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
At the time of posting, the SIVGA SM002 can be found on Amazon for $138, or $110 if you get it in red. It doesn’t currently look like it is available from other sources.
Packaging and Accessories:
The SM002 came packaged very nicely. The box comes with a cardboard sheath featuring the SIVGA logo, a picture of the SM002, and a list of their features on the front and more detailed product specifications on the back. This sheath slides off to reveal a minimalistic black box again featuring the SIVGA logo, a sketch of the IEMs, and the SM002 model number on the front in silver.
The box opens to immediately reveal the user manual, a pretty standard four-page foldout with slightly stilted English and outlandish burn-in recommendations (“100 to 300 hours...at 6 to 7 volume level”). Under that is a layer of foam that covers the earpieces, which sit in individual foam cutouts, the two cables - silver and mic - and SIVGA-branded leather carrying case, which holds the rest of the accessories.
The carrying case opens by lifting a flap in front, which closes. It has solid panels on the sides and back under the leather, which allow it to keep its shape well, especially when stuffed into a pocket or bag. The inside of the case is covered with a soft fabric that protects the accessories inside - eartips to your heart’s content (clear silicone M, double flange M, silicone S/M/L, and Comply foam S/M) and a shirt clip.
Build:
The MMCX housing of the silver cable is the only major drawback of the SM002 that I’ve found so far. Ironically, the drawback is that it’s too strong - the housing is such a tight fit that the earpieces don’t detach easily from the silver cable. When I tried to switch cables, the cable detached from the MMCX housing rather than detaching from the earpiece, and I learned after that I am not the only person who had this issue. Rita from SIVGA was kind enough to send me another pair to continue my testing, but my current pair also shows serious resistance when I try to detach the SM002 from the silver cable. While I highly recommend using the silver cable as it sounds better, it’s important to keep in mind that if you use it, it’s very hard to switch to any other cable.
Though I was assured that SIVGA designed the SM002 by itself, it looks almost identical to the Magaosi K3 Pro, a highly regarded $99 IEM. The nozzle of the SM002 is a bit shorter if pictures of the K3 Pro are to be believed but other than that I can’t see any major differences in their design. They both have the same oval-shaped metal body, down to the same rounded indents on the top and bottom and identical placement of the dual external bass ports, and both even have identical silver lettering marking which ear is which in the same spot. More importantly, though, both have triple driver setups - two BA and one dynamic - and I find it hard to believe that those wouldn’t be identical as well. I have yet to get my hands on a pair of the K3 Pro for a more in-depth comparison of the two but if I didn’t know better I’d say whichever came out later is an exact copy of the other.
That said, the build quality is excellent. It looks like the metal body is made of two parts, which were then sealed around the drivers - I don’t know how SIVGA did it but they do not budge no matter how hard I try. The design is also very sleek; the indents on the metal body and the subtle positioning of the dual bass ports give the SM002 a “premium look”. I’ve been using them for about a month, and though I keep them in their case when I’m not wearing them, they don’t have a single scratch or blemish on them from the multiple times I’ve accidentally bumped into things or was a bit too rough when taking them out.
The two included cables come bundled together, though it is very easy to tell them apart. The silver cable is made of 4 conductors braided together; these split and two stay braided on each side after passing through the metal splitter. A metal chinstrap holds them together and can go all the way up to your chin given the lack of in-line microphone or controls. Near the MMCX connector, a piece of plastic is wrapped around the cable, which bends to ensure best fit around your ear. The strain relief on this cable is good, especially at the metal-and-plastic L-shaped plug.
The cable with the microphone is very similar but with a few key differences. Rather than individual conductors braided together, this cable appears to be made of two conductors in a spiral inside a plastic coating. The plug on this cable is straight instead of L-shaped but still has good strain relief on the plug, which has the SIVGA logo on this cable. The in-line microphone and control button prevent the chinstrap from going all the way up; other than those differences, the cables are built identically.
Fit/Isolation:
The SM002 are incredibly comfortable. The plastic coating around both cables allows them to fit and stay around my ears better than any other cable I’ve used, including my previous favorite cable, the KZ memory wire.
They fit like they were meant for my ears. Their shape - especially the flattened side of the oval that rests on the tragus of the ear - allows them to sit comfortably in my ear for long periods of time without hurting and it’s very easy to put them in and take them out of my ears.
These IEMs provide pretty good isolation - not the best I’ve seen but just the right amount, in my opinion. I can hold a conversation at a normal tone with these in my ears if there is no music playing; however, when music is on, even at a low volume, I’m quickly in a world of my own. I wear these on my daily commute and I never have to turn the sound above 60 or 70% to be completely isolated.
Sound:
I know that the phrase “these budget IEMs are worth X times their price” is thrown around a lot (and I’m guilty of it too), but the SIVGA SM002 blows every single budget IEM I’ve ever listened to out of the water. It sounds hyperbolic but when I use these I literally hear parts of my music I’ve never heard before.
These have a slight U-shape in their sound but are more balanced than any other IEM I’ve listened to. The sound is also very detailed and I can hear each instrument clearly and distinctly, which further adds to the experience. Rather than the very forward sound that many consumer IEMs offer, these are more subtle while still maintaining the integrity of the sound as a whole and provide a non-fatiguing sound that I can personally listen to for hours.
Bass:
The bass is rich and warm, acting as a complement to the rest of the music rather than being the main focus. The mid-bass and sub-bass both have excellent extension, providing a smooth sound you can both hear and feel. The SM002 does have a slight bass boost; however, rather than bleeding into the mids or becoming bloated in bass-heavy songs, the bass comes through with incredible clarity and vibrancy. The bass also has more detail than I’d ever experienced in a budget IEM, even bass-focused ones - I’d never heard the rumbles in the beginning of Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” or the low violins in Hozier’s “It Will Come Back” before. More impressively, the bass does not overextend or bloat at high volumes but “fills the room”, so to speak, nicely.
Mids:
The SM002 has hands down the best mid-range I have ever heard. Vocals come through with such clarity and precision that I can hear details I never did before, down to the breaths Pentatonix take between phrases. They have a neutral presentation with a slight balance towards the lower end, which makes male vocals - especially baritones like Hozier and George Ezra - sound more natural than female vocals. That said, female vocals sound no less detailed or clear, just a slight bit colder.
Mids also have excellent presence in the background. Despite their slight U-shape, the mids do not noticeably recess, even in busier songs with lots of other parts. Rather than competing to be heard, the mids balance with the treble and bass well, making the sound well-rounded overall. This is mostly due to their excellent separation and micro-detailing - each instrument can be heard individually, which allows them to maintain their own sound rather than becoming a single mid-range or single background sound. I can distinguish guitar plucks from strums and can hear the subtle use of a wah pedal better on these IEMs than on any other.
Treble:
The treble on the SM002 is slightly boosted, which makes it stand out in multi-part songs and highlights piano ballads, especially with female vocals. Its slightly cold presentation takes some of the raw emotion out of songs like Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be” but provides excellent clarity and balance. Unlike many other (budget) IEMs with similar sound signatures, the SM002 has minimal sibilance, which allows vocals and piano to come through evenly and smoothly. The boost does not distort the treble, even at high volumes, but it does become slightly harsher the louder it gets, especially on songs with lots of electronic high notes or cymbals like Skrillex’s “Bangarang” and Cage The Elephant’s “In One Ear”.
Soundstage:
While testing the SM002, I was listening to all of my music rather than my dedicated testing playlist when I heard some faint music coming from behind me. I assumed it was my roommate and turned around to tell him to turn his music down, since I could hear it with my own IEMs in. As the sound grew and a light piano line came in on my left (and I also saw my roommate wasn’t there), I realized that it was actually the beginning of AWOLNATION’s “All I Need” and that the soundstage on the SM002 is so expansive that the sound was coming from behind me.
The soundstage and detailing of the SM002 are better than every other IEM I’ve used to the point that I don’t know if it’s a fair comparison. I can truly say that these are the first IEM’s I’ve heard that have a full 360 degrees of sound, which, along with the incredible level of detail, provides incredible imaging. Every sound comes through clearly and I can pinpoint exactly where they come from - whether in front of me, on the left or right, and even behind me. With excellent separation, each instrument is distinct, but they all come together to give the most immersive sound I’ve ever heard.
Comparisons:
At the time of posting, these are the only IEMs I own that don’t firmly fall in the category of budget, so I don’t have any truly good comparisons. I plan on updating this review if I get the opportunity to test more IEMs in the price and/or quality range of the SM002 but for now I don’t think comparing it to budget IEMs would do it or them justice.
Final Thoughts:
I would call the SM002 my daily driver but somehow they managed to fit 3 drivers into this IEM. Despite the constant claims that many budget IEMs can compete up to X price range, these are head and shoulders better than any budget IEM I’ve ever listened to. The $138 offering by SIVGA looks eerily similar to the Magaosi K3 Pro, but I was assured they were designed independently. I haven’t listened to the K3 Pro but the incredible soundstage and detail the SM002 offers enhance the slight U-shaped sound signature, which I realized is my preferred signature after listening to these. If I didn’t have issues with the silver cable, I would have given these a full 5/5 and honestly think they belong on any sub-$150 IEM list.
