These sound amazing. Thanks for the tip on the foam in the gold nozzle. Sounds much more open with no foam and some dunu s&s tips. These are by far my favorite now. Vocals......good god the detail, clarity, and center stage presentation is beautiful. The driver is definetly nice. More tactile feel to drums and bass. Quick sounding but still delivers very nice impact without being overly emphasized. Definetly not a bass head set but the presentation is pretty nice. Very open and airy set. I just get lost in how good the separation and imaging is. Idk why some say the imaging isn't precise. Definetly is from my test tracks, even on some edm tracks where the electronic sounds start moving around really fast and those tracks can be tough if the driver isn't up to par. It's very resolving like you said. It might not be everyone's taste in tuning but I absolutely love it. Big step up from the ew200. Simgot may have won me over
Yes, the driver is very different than EW200 and SIMGOT does a lot of custom DD work. EA500LM is an example of bringing that material down to an affordable price point.
@PaulWasabii it's the first set to truly feel open to me. Most iems sound....artificial in their sound stage, like the width and depth of the stage. Sounds almost like some sort opticial illusion but in sound form. It just sounds off, like my head is being messed with. At least to me. This set actually sounded open, more like a headphone presentation. I am coming from a perspective of having primarily headphones over the years. So it has made me a bit picky on what I enjoy. I would pick this set up over most of my headphones. They really outdid themselves on bringing a high quality dd to a budget price range. Idk if we will see this level of quality from a single dd under 100 again but I hope we do
@@PaulWasabii I have the EW200 and I actually prefer them over my timeless, timeless ae, and ikko oh10. That said I was wondering what would be considered an upgrade to the ew200 while retaining whatever it is I like about the ew200. Do you think the 500LM or EA1000 are similar to the EW200? If not how does hype 2 or hype 4 fit in?
Just got these....very Nice! I always enjoy your reviews Paul. I think it is cool the way you can tune these with a kit and the different nozzles. Lots of options on sound. They are very close to the EA500s to my ears.
Thank you! Your impressions match my observations with these 1:1. Pretty capable set. After dropping the subbass a little and adding some midbass, they have become very pleasing to listen to. Gold with foam is definitely the best for louder listening / commutes. No foam is better for a quiet environment since increasing the volume brings out some harshness again. You have some excellent ears and a very coherent thought process.
@@PaulWasabii the bright sound signature and sibilance peaks are objectively noticeable though. I find that their position on the spectrum makes everything seem a little unnatural? Weird timbre? What are your favourite IEMs below 500$ and below 1000$?
I can appreciate it. Not as hollowed out as it could have been, but there is the brightness that makes it sound thinner than it is. Sometimes it is hard to tell, but the point isn't to have lots of people tricked into buying sets that don't suit their preferences. That just leads to lots of unhappy people
LM gives S12 Pro a run for the money, but I can't argue with anyone who wants to own a top tier DD and a planar. It just makes sense, they might be equally resolving, but don't really sound alike. I am always biased towards planar resolution as it still amazes me. Other people say the same on DD.
I loved your review Paul, I have the EW200 and I am thinking of changing them for the EA500LM and reviewing the graphics I think it is a good option, the graph with the gold tip stock apparently looks very similar to the EW200 graph, however the curiosity of that LM driver is what makes me want to upgrade :) Thank you for making your videos so decisive and detailed!!!
Ironically it is closer to EW200. I know my graph looks like that, probably others as well. That is why EW200 was attractive to people who weren't fond of EA500. EW200->EA500LM is closer to the right upgrade path.
I paired this IEM with the Letshuoer S12 pro cable More definition, separation of instruments playing, not as shouty as with stock cable. Voices change and you can hear the instruments on the background of the voice Guitars comes alive, you can hear the fingers over the strings…still digging this IEM and will try different cables to see/hear which I like according to my taste I’m not an audiophile to name things accordingly but I hear an improvement over the stock cable Cable comes loose on right ear so I need to be careful and push it down if I move
I don't care what cable you have on it, its a resolving set. But seriously, every Simgot is affected by very small changes. That is why I said remove the foam from the gold, you will hear it differently in a similar way to how you describe it. Please continue to try and explore that set, it will take quite a bit of money to find an upgrade.
So basically get EA1000 as it has better overall balance in tuning. Especially with that controlled rolled off bass curve and slightly more mid-bass to bring out the note weight. Which would be difficult to do with tip and source rolling with the 500LM. Even after the filters/mesh mods to bring down the pinna gain and treble.
Yeah somewhere between the two is right but EA1000 is closer to right for me, closer to working with more genres. The other comment says EA1000 is murkier and that is true if you don't pay attention to your tips and source. The set is on the way to Michael Bruce, perhaps he will have better ideas that will probably involve changing the back damper to hit a curve like EA1000. I am just picky on the subbass because it sticks out compared to everything else without adding much to the overall enjoyment. If your library is heavy subbass, they you will disagree with all that.
I wasn't a fan of either Falcon Ultra nozzle. If that is the same driver, I like the Falcon Ultra bass, but the rest of it on LM. I'd also say that I just pulled Falcon Ultra out of the box, didn't like it, and never really picked it up again. If you are going to buy either, I'd spend time tweaking the nozzles and if they are the same, buy the cheaper one.
I like thiccboi cables! Thanks for the review. Although I do not have the OG, I love this a lot! My first ever Simgot! I was reluctant to get the previous releases as I was afraid of the possible shoutiness..
They tend to not rise as early as people think, so less shout, but then carry more energy later. That is more bright than shout which is why I think it works. My working theory anyway. Rising at 3k is good, 2k is where you start to wince a bit
I have the em6l and they can get overwhelming sometimes and I can't wear them past 30mins. So i ordered moondrop aria2 which in the graphs a more relaxed set than the em6l. There is nothing wrong with em6l and I love them. They are the most perfect iem for any chifi that i owned. Relaxed yet detailed treble, good amount of sub bass. IMO these sub bass will make vocals vibrate in your ears. I think only hybrids can do it. Em6l also has almost perfect stereo imaging coupled with their top notch separation. But day to day usage, i tend to gravitate towards my tanchjim zero.
I don't mind big subbass in fun sets but if you are just going to cross the line where it oversteps and not necessarily adding anything, it becomes a distraction. As I said, just dip it out so it doesn't rise too high.
Great review! I now think I'm going to pass on the LM. I don't find the OG EA500 as bright as some reviewers said but sometimes lower its treble a few dBs during long sessions. Don't think I would be able to handle a brighter treble. Also boost the bass a few dbs at times. People seem more interested in it's resolution, but to me it's the stage that gets me. When the bass is not enough even with the bass boost, the it's time to switch to a different set. It still amazes me how good it is... Maybe I'll go with an overhead headphones or an amp with character next. Are the any sets/tuning that project wide-ish stage with depth at lower volumes?
That is hard and I am horrible at lower volume. I think Kesobe/OB Audio and/or Practiphile are better at that. For me, most sets don't project at lower vol until that upper treble arc hits the audible level
I will buy it. Love the fact that I can mod them. Easy to mod and great driver for that price. I open iem that costs me 150 bucks with drivers worse that the simgot.vut simgot need to add one more tuning with less treble . They think all people listen to normal volumes .
I wish to know is the soundstage of EA500LM is holographic, or extends a bit behind the ears. For example, Olina SE gives me an incredible soundstage, layered around the vocals, that I always end up going back to it. I really like the forward vocals and aggressive tuning of EA500 and EW200 so I am hoping EA500LM can give me the best of both worlds. :')
So I slightly mentioned this, the gold nozzles with foam are not holographic. Removing the foam will pop it back where it extends around your head. But its brighter than Olina SE so the holographic bit is harder to get into on LM. That is just they way my brain works, anything bright tends to flatten, having a solid low end like Olina gives depth. Olina is special like that and so was Oxygen, but both were less bright so it makes sense to me. I wouldn't say LM is flat, there are moments its really nice, but not as consistent as Olina due to the tuning.
@@PaulWasabii I see, I can somewhat understand what you mean. The warmer sound of Olina (with subdued midbass) makes the background sound darker too and maybe this allows for a better perception of depth. It's fantastic if the EA500LM has moments where it can shine in this aspect of staging too. Thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.
Thanks for the review, bright treble really doesn’t work for me. I returned KZ ZS 10Pro X as it was unbearable. I am moving to purchase Tanzu hbb xuan nv. I hope they don’t sound much harsh.
great balanced review as usual, it is good to not overhype and only speak about the positives. you mention dew4x is not resolving enough for ea500lm, what is the most affordable dac that is resolving enough for ea500lm ? thank
I might backtrack on that statement as its better with a headphone amp. I had the same first impression as others, it comes across as warmer and smoother, not as resolving or extended. Then I put it through Aune B1S or Topping G5 and there it is. Maybe it just needs more volume to extend. Not quite sure. I am an ESS kid, I tend to hear ESS dac/amps as more extended and more resolving. I still like the EPZ TP30. As I said, my brain is biased to ESS extension. CS dongles tend to sound smaller, less extension, but they hit vocals in a more forward way and I think that is why people like them. I tend to listen past vocals but I think that is why people like CS dongles. I tend to look for dongles that resemble my desktop Topping or SMSL and I think that is why I gravitate to ESS. Most people seem to prefer CS so my advice is probably all wrong.
I have no problem with ess , i have ifi go link that has ES9219 is it in the same category as es9038 of tp30 ? is there a big difference between tp30 and x1s ( i can get the x1s used at the same price as tp30 new) ?
I use a dual cs143....whatever the rest is dongle from geekria and it sounds very beautiful. Nuetral dongle though so idk if it's what you would want. I don't push it over 30% volume.
@@PaulWasabiiI have a dual cs dongle and the vocals are definetly forward. The presentation is awesome imo. They definetly would benefit from a headphone amp but I don't even push over 30% volume and they already sound very open to me. Haven't heard a single dd this open before so I was pretty impressed. My kato hasn't seen use in a while now since I got the sonus, ew200, and ea500lm.
Been waiting for this! I was pretty set on getting these down the line, but they'd probably have to be heavily discounted before I pull the trigger. I feel like I'm more of a neutral bright guy. I really should just save up for the EA1000. Hopefully the price lowers a bit later this year!
I think neutral bright folks were hoping for less v-shape. It seems like they added a lot of subbass and then treble bump to match. I think the neutral bright folks could have been fine with a small bass lift and no treble change. They could have had the resolution with just a bit more body without needing to make it brighter.
I have seen a lot of reviews but this describes what I hear the best. I'm very new to good iems though so I'm not to be taken seriously.. I use gold nozzles without foam. Use them on PC with ALC1220 (B550 Tomahawk) and TIDAL And in some songs they are amazing but i feel them to be very bright in some others. I think that a bit more linear tuning would had make me love them. I tried +2db @600hz Q0.6 -2db @6000hz Q0.6 and its a bit smoother but I feel like I lose on detail. Anyone can help on a proper way to eq of mod them to make them smoother/natural without losing much detail?
Try EQ although on a PC with Tidal its harder. You would need something like Peace EQ and not use exclusive sound device. That is the best way, slight EQ rather than trying to mod. You can also try smaller bore tips but that is iffy as to what happens. This is the typical PC EQ but not sure how to tie it into Tidal sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/
@@PaulWasabii 1st thank you for the reply! I mostly need help in the EQ it self, not the "how to use EQ, what software etc". And Im asking all that cause you described what I hear so precisely. If you had to EQ this IEM to make it more natural what would you do? Small bore I don't think will help me. You see I don't want to shift music to bass. I want an open sound, just a little more vocal body and a little less fatigue on treble. If there is any tips that could help on the midrange though I would happily buy them.
paul do you think picking these is worthwhile upgrade from kiwi ears melody? or just try to eq my melody? and if so do you have any eq for me to try out?7 BTW I have tri clarion on melody does it make sound better ?
They are a bright stretch from Melody. Planars can handle EQ so I would start there. I don't have any EQ and I don't even have Melody here to try as it is with Michael Bruce.
This is one of those crazy questions like which is more resolving, set 1 or 2. EA500LM is more resolving than probably all sub $100 1DD sets. If you are going to use foam or extra filters, not so much. But its a crazy question as it doesn't matter if the brightness is too bright. Why did people prefer EW200 to EA500 despite 500 being a better driver, the tuning. Amazing drivers are only amazing if they match your preferences.
Hi paul i know this might be too late a question.. theres no foam on the silver and red nozzles.. have you tried them with foams on? I also noticed that for me divinus normal tips work great for them the dunu ss tips were too bright. Whats the difference between the gold no foam and the silver red rings.
I did not, but some of it is a function of your treble sensitivity and listening volume. Silver and red will work if you listen at lower volumes. Add some foam, the volume scales up If you look at the Simgot EA500 DIY kit, you can see their go to methods, foam and tuning filters. Sometimes the nozzle width or opening. I also don't think they glue the foam, so give it a try.
I have to agree on the silver red nozzles(or gold without foam) having a much nicer treble. By any chance have you found that these have a bit of an odd fit? I cant get these to work with silicone tips, they fold in as my ear canal curvs and block all sound. I have to use oversized tips with a shallow fir and everything sounds hollow and harsh. Thats with mulitple different typew of silicone tips. Never had that issue with any other iem. With foam tips, the fit is perfect, the lower mids and bassnkick in and these actually sound quite warm and nice. I wonder how many others are finding these aound bad and its actually because the fit with silicone tips is just not great
It is possible, most people don't recognize what bad fit sounds like on a new set. If you have a question on fit or seal, foam tips will help. I grab them when fit is an issue too, always a set of Comply on my desk for that occasion.
@@PaulWasabii yes I literally can't listen to these without foams. I'm still undecided as to if I'm keeping these or not. The tunings just not quite right, the bass has great impact and slam and sometimes great texture, but drums and bass guitars don't sound correct. My ie200's with duno tips give amazing textures to different drum skins and bass guitars which these just don't do. Also the upper mids, treble, in the right mood it's good, but sometimes it's overwhelming. It chucks everything at you. With the ie200 I hear all the same details, but it's way more subtle and natural sounding. I can see how with the right libraries these can be awesome for people though. I don't think a set has ever caused more drama in the community anyway 😆
Thanks for the review! Just got the 500lm. They really sound great.... It came with gold and silver nozzles. No red. (Extra black and red rings are included). Am l missing something? Or are the red included in the separate kit only? Thanks
I have both ea500 and lm. Both can be peaky and silibant depending on the nozzle. I tried both ea500 and lm tuning nozzles on both. Both are very similar, but the soundstage of lm is slightly recessed, showing off its resolution. Tuning nozzles make a huge difference. On my Ea500, I switched from red to black recently as it is less silibant and peaky. The LM red sliver is similar to ea500 black but more recessed. Soundstage highlighting its depth and resolution. If you like a close Soundstage stick to the ea500.
I really wanna buy those but I also wanna try the Soundrhyme DTE500 and CTM Da Vinci X and any Penon stuff or something with Bone Conduction. I can honestly say I haven't had a hobby this engaging since I was in middle/high school playing CS:GO lol smooth thick cables are my jam, love them, I gotta buy that but I just had XINHS make me a pink and blue cable lol
I am a XINHS fan but LC7 is special in its strand count. It has a thickness, weight, and density that is different that other cables at the same price point. You can always pick it up later, for now, enjoy your XINHS.
That is the one advantage of having a coupler, you can see the shifts in tuning. For most people, its just a matter of trying. 300 or 350 is my starting point though, its right in the middle, not too much or too little of a change usually. For width, 4.5mm is basically the general case, some nozzles will be 4.7mm but I tend to just use 4.5mm. Or use whatever is in the Simgot DIY kit.
Vs the Olina Se? Which is my current darling, is this an upgrade from technicalities and psychoacoustics side? The Olina se has a bombastic and insane sound field.
The issue is going to be the bright. You can't ignore it even if I tell you the driver is more resolving. Your brain will probably hate the intensity and slight off-balance if you are used to Olina SE. Simgot just doesn't do that style although EA1000 is closer at 2x the price.
@@PaulWasabii I love bright, because I listen to hi res naturally recorded performances of Vivaldi and Bach, there is no sign of harshness even with the brightest sets. In that case would it be an upgrade worth considering the ea500lm from details, depth-width-height and imaging? Or just a 10% so so?
Yeah, the trick is the treble level. It doesn't matter if the driver is flawless, if you prefer less or are sensitive, it won't work for you. And that has been the overall feedback on Simgot's sets, well done for the price, but kinda bright. Gotta be honest with yourself and figure out if that is something that appeals to you. If you are ok with that, then yeah, there isn't anything sub $100 that beats either EA500 set.
Yes. I don't know if Simgot would agree as they are more picky. I asked about EA1000 and EA500 and they said there is a difference, but they fit too. Something small like o-ring is different.
Yes, that was where I landed, I has started out removing the foam and then using tuning filters to drop the treble a bit, closer to EA500. You can get there, but I felt it was losing too much resolution, maybe too far from the intention of the tuning. Maybe I was being too picky as others did that. I did 400, 300, and then 350 which was ok. I never got to the point where gold with no foam was fatiguing me so I stayed with it. If you get LM, try it straight out of the box on gold as that is how it ships, then try the same tracks without foam. It is not glued in so easy to remove and put back in.
Just got the LM today! Trying them now - I was going to try the Silver Red without foam first and then the Brass nozzles with red & foam, but I'll try out different variants. I'm not sure I caught much about the black nozzles - is there much of a difference there?@@PaulWasabii
My EM6L nozzle came off, and I'm wondering if I want to pick these up to get by or shoot up for Hype 4 or Xenns Top or even Softears Studio 4. I listen to pop and game on PC most of the time. These seem to have a better build quality than the EM6L, much better.
@@PaulWasabii thank you. New to the hobby. I guess I’ll need to get the LM to find out what I like better. I already like the build quality of the LM much better. $80 is a cheaper price to pay than $430 for the top to find out what I like or don’t like for what I use them for.
How did you find it vs ea1000? I've seen some reviewera saying it's basically the same sound with very very small differences. Your graphs say otherwise - lm seems to have a bit more subbass but a bit scooped in the midrange and more emphasys in high mids and lower treble. According to graphs alone ea1000 seems more balanced overall.
Yes, I agree with most of what you say and what the graph says. My thing on EA1000, most people didn't tweak the nozzles which weren't set right. EA1000 with stock nozzles is a bit out of balance but you can get it back in balance and its beautiful. They should have taken the bass curve from EA1000. And probably the treble. On full blast, LM can sound more resolving, but EA1000 is overall better, more balanced tuning to me. If you are going to mod the LM and bring the treble closer to EA1000, perhaps its closer, but EA1000 is still better for me because of the bass curve. The subbass level is night and day how EA1000 keeps it under control. I would argue that most reviewers didn't spend enough time with EA1000 to figure it out, its a great set.
@@PaulWasabii yes i use what you suggested in ea1000. the open nozzle in the kit with the filter. ea1000 has that passive radiator doing its job also (vs lm). some reviewers mention that because of this the bass in ea1000 has a more tactile and controlled feeling that the lm doesn't (no matter the quantity). Glad to ear that from you. I was thinking i had made a wrong buy and that simgot had fooled me. 😅
@@PaulWasabiiI’ve asked this in a separate comment too, but is there any way to bring out the sub and midbass a bit more on the EA1000? I love these, but just a tiny bit more bass would be great for some genres. I’ve played around with the modding kit so far but wasn’t exactly able to get it to increase sufficiently (while keeping its tightness) yet.
@PaulWasabii thanks Paul. Lg UT90s not ut90q has a real solid graphene driver. Unfortunately it is TWS, but a single DD sounds like hybrid or even tribrid sounding due to the driver.
Brighter but more resolving. It is hard to explain, but in stock form, it resolves better but what does that actually mean if its too bright? So you see a lot of mods to drop the treble about where EM6L is and then you lose some of that resolution. Its really tricky to find that balance where it shines as an insane DD but at a level that is comfortable for most people. The gold nozzle is close but not perfect. I sent it over to Michael Bruce, see what he comes up with to tame the treble but preserve the most resolution and stage out of it.
You need to qualify the upgrade? On a better resolving 1DD, quite a lot. On tuning that better suited your preferences or library, maybe not much or even less. The driver is only as good as it suits you.
The gold comes with foam, I removed it. I also sent my set to Michael Bruce so can't easily answer that, but look for a video from him and he might show it. You like it darker so you will need some filters and maybe foam. I tried to keep it in the spirit of the original 2 nozzles, very resolving and that wasn't what was happening with the foam for me.
@PaulWasabii foenthe foam I notice if the sponge is too short and dense does not work. If the filter sponge is too long and passes the nozzle, it can create distortion . That's why I asked.
Not unless you need something brighter. That is the hard part and why I said harder win, the driver is better, but the tuning might be less appealing to you
I’ve been patiently waiting for your review and wanted to ask you something: for the EA1000, could you please tell me if there’s any way of using the modding/tuning kit to bring out bass a bit more quantity-wise? I feel like bass has the best physicality on the red nozzles, but I’m not opposed to using any mod/nozzle combination or way to increase it quantity-wise. I’m trying to get 2-3 more DB in sub and 1-2 in mid-bass regions, but can’t seem to do it through mods alone.
I just sent my EA1000 to Michael Bruce so can't easily measure it. There is a vent hole at the base of the nozzle that you can cover with tuning filter from the DIY kit or a piece of breathable tape like micropore. If you don't have either, try any tape and see if it raises the bass, might also build pressure which is why you use something porous like a tuning filter. No pics, but these guys talk about it www.reddit.com/r/inearfidelity/comments/1ai7t82/simgot_modding/
See i dont understand the tuning appeal here. I bet Olina SE comes across more resolved and more enjoyable to listen to. LM just got way too much pinna and bass. I hate hate hate all the Harmon craze.
Yeah that is the thing, it is very resolving but if you start adding foam or filters, you can be back at EA500 and under Olina SE. I wasn't exactly clear why they felt the need to aggressively push the treble other than to make sure it sounds resolving. It was even a bit over their targets.
@@PaulWasabii Hello Paul Wasabii, and thanks for the quality of your reviews. About resolution, imaging, layers and "3D perception", would you say that the "Muse HiFi the East 6" is globally better than the "Simgot EA500LM" ? My headphone amp is the"Monoprice THX 887".
These sound amazing. Thanks for the tip on the foam in the gold nozzle. Sounds much more open with no foam and some dunu s&s tips. These are by far my favorite now. Vocals......good god the detail, clarity, and center stage presentation is beautiful. The driver is definetly nice. More tactile feel to drums and bass. Quick sounding but still delivers very nice impact without being overly emphasized. Definetly not a bass head set but the presentation is pretty nice. Very open and airy set. I just get lost in how good the separation and imaging is. Idk why some say the imaging isn't precise. Definetly is from my test tracks, even on some edm tracks where the electronic sounds start moving around really fast and those tracks can be tough if the driver isn't up to par. It's very resolving like you said. It might not be everyone's taste in tuning but I absolutely love it. Big step up from the ew200. Simgot may have won me over
Yes, the driver is very different than EW200 and SIMGOT does a lot of custom DD work. EA500LM is an example of bringing that material down to an affordable price point.
@PaulWasabii it's the first set to truly feel open to me. Most iems sound....artificial in their sound stage, like the width and depth of the stage. Sounds almost like some sort opticial illusion but in sound form. It just sounds off, like my head is being messed with. At least to me. This set actually sounded open, more like a headphone presentation. I am coming from a perspective of having primarily headphones over the years. So it has made me a bit picky on what I enjoy. I would pick this set up over most of my headphones. They really outdid themselves on bringing a high quality dd to a budget price range. Idk if we will see this level of quality from a single dd under 100 again but I hope we do
Awesome review! My pair is in transit, you confirmed my expectations! ❤
Hopefully it meets your expectations and don't be scared to tweak those nozzles.
@@PaulWasabii I have the EW200 and I actually prefer them over my timeless, timeless ae, and ikko oh10. That said I was wondering what would be considered an upgrade to the ew200 while retaining whatever it is I like about the ew200. Do you think the 500LM or EA1000 are similar to the EW200? If not how does hype 2 or hype 4 fit in?
Just got these....very Nice! I always enjoy your reviews Paul. I think it is cool the way you can tune these with a kit and the different nozzles. Lots of options on sound. They are very close to the EA500s to my ears.
Yeah, dial them in, they swing quite far with the DIY kit. Or just removing foam from the gold. Small change, that was noticeable to me right away.
Thank you! Your impressions match my observations with these 1:1. Pretty capable set. After dropping the subbass a little and adding some midbass, they have become very pleasing to listen to. Gold with foam is definitely the best for louder listening / commutes. No foam is better for a quiet environment since increasing the volume brings out some harshness again.
You have some excellent ears and a very coherent thought process.
Sometimes I do or we just have similar ears. I joke but it is true, some people hear similarly.
@@PaulWasabii the bright sound signature and sibilance peaks are objectively noticeable though. I find that their position on the spectrum makes everything seem a little unnatural? Weird timbre? What are your favourite IEMs below 500$ and below 1000$?
I have a pair of these in-transit, and I am looking forward to them, a lot.
Add 2-3 DB at 250hz for a little more thickness. Really hit the spot for me. I leave the treble alone because I appreciate the detail
Yes, that is right on. I agree, I wasn't into adding too much to lose the detail, but yeah 250-300 thickens mids.
I bought these
Love the sound, base is too good , doesn’t muddy the mids, yet the mids isn’t the best
Thanks, Paul!
Already have the OG, good thing I waited for your review.
Nothing wrong with the OG especially if you enjoy it. Some people preferred it to be different and that might be LM. But the two aren't the same.
It is great to find a reviewer that matches my tunning taste! Not a fan of bright and hollow sound.
I can appreciate it. Not as hollowed out as it could have been, but there is the brightness that makes it sound thinner than it is. Sometimes it is hard to tell, but the point isn't to have lots of people tricked into buying sets that don't suit their preferences. That just leads to lots of unhappy people
How is ea500LM vs S12 or S12 PRO in technical?
LM gives S12 Pro a run for the money, but I can't argue with anyone who wants to own a top tier DD and a planar. It just makes sense, they might be equally resolving, but don't really sound alike. I am always biased towards planar resolution as it still amazes me. Other people say the same on DD.
@@PaulWasabii Thank you very much.
Loved this. Thanks.
I loved your review Paul, I have the EW200 and I am thinking of changing them for the EA500LM and reviewing the graphics I think it is a good option, the graph with the gold tip stock apparently looks very similar to the EW200 graph, however the curiosity of that LM driver is what makes me want to upgrade :)
Thank you for making your videos so decisive and detailed!!!
Ironically it is closer to EW200. I know my graph looks like that, probably others as well. That is why EW200 was attractive to people who weren't fond of EA500. EW200->EA500LM is closer to the right upgrade path.
I paired this IEM with the Letshuoer S12 pro cable
More definition, separation of instruments playing, not as shouty as with stock cable. Voices change and you can hear the instruments on the background of the voice
Guitars comes alive, you can hear the fingers over the strings…still digging this IEM and will try different cables to see/hear which I like according to my taste
I’m not an audiophile to name things accordingly but I hear an improvement over the stock cable
Cable comes loose on right ear so I need to be careful and push it down if I move
I don't care what cable you have on it, its a resolving set. But seriously, every Simgot is affected by very small changes. That is why I said remove the foam from the gold, you will hear it differently in a similar way to how you describe it. Please continue to try and explore that set, it will take quite a bit of money to find an upgrade.
So basically get EA1000 as it has better overall balance in tuning. Especially with that controlled rolled off bass curve and slightly more mid-bass to bring out the note weight. Which would be difficult to do with tip and source rolling with the 500LM. Even after the filters/mesh mods to bring down the pinna gain and treble.
The midbass is murkier on the 1000s.
Yeah somewhere between the two is right but EA1000 is closer to right for me, closer to working with more genres. The other comment says EA1000 is murkier and that is true if you don't pay attention to your tips and source. The set is on the way to Michael Bruce, perhaps he will have better ideas that will probably involve changing the back damper to hit a curve like EA1000. I am just picky on the subbass because it sticks out compared to everything else without adding much to the overall enjoyment. If your library is heavy subbass, they you will disagree with all that.
Forget about ea1000 bro 😆 ea500lm have the same driver and much much better tuning
@@unclelou2366its not the same driver
We're fine with long Paul when it has to be, thank you.
Another great content and review Paul, Dunu Falcon Ultra uses the same driver as the LM, so has a better tuning Falcon Ultra or LM
I wasn't a fan of either Falcon Ultra nozzle. If that is the same driver, I like the Falcon Ultra bass, but the rest of it on LM. I'd also say that I just pulled Falcon Ultra out of the box, didn't like it, and never really picked it up again. If you are going to buy either, I'd spend time tweaking the nozzles and if they are the same, buy the cheaper one.
I like thiccboi cables! Thanks for the review. Although I do not have the OG, I love this a lot! My first ever Simgot! I was reluctant to get the previous releases as I was afraid of the possible shoutiness..
They tend to not rise as early as people think, so less shout, but then carry more energy later. That is more bright than shout which is why I think it works. My working theory anyway. Rising at 3k is good, 2k is where you start to wince a bit
I have the em6l and they can get overwhelming sometimes and I can't wear them past 30mins. So i ordered moondrop aria2 which in the graphs a more relaxed set than the em6l. There is nothing wrong with em6l and I love them. They are the most perfect iem for any chifi that i owned. Relaxed yet detailed treble, good amount of sub bass. IMO these sub bass will make vocals vibrate in your ears. I think only hybrids can do it. Em6l also has almost perfect stereo imaging coupled with their top notch separation. But day to day usage, i tend to gravitate towards my tanchjim zero.
I don't mind big subbass in fun sets but if you are just going to cross the line where it oversteps and not necessarily adding anything, it becomes a distraction. As I said, just dip it out so it doesn't rise too high.
Great review! I now think I'm going to pass on the LM.
I don't find the OG EA500 as bright as some reviewers said but sometimes lower its treble a few dBs during long sessions. Don't think I would be able to handle a brighter treble.
Also boost the bass a few dbs at times. People seem more interested in it's resolution, but to me it's the stage that gets me.
When the bass is not enough even with the bass boost, the it's time to switch to a different set. It still amazes me how good it is...
Maybe I'll go with an overhead headphones or an amp with character next.
Are the any sets/tuning that project wide-ish stage with depth at lower volumes?
That is hard and I am horrible at lower volume. I think Kesobe/OB Audio and/or Practiphile are better at that. For me, most sets don't project at lower vol until that upper treble arc hits the audible level
Thanks 👍🏻
I will buy it. Love the fact that I can mod them. Easy to mod and great driver for that price. I open iem that costs me 150 bucks with drivers worse that the simgot.vut simgot need to add one more tuning with less treble . They think all people listen to normal volumes .
With a little bit of more money i would pick up the simgot supermix4 !
Yes, Supermix 4 is going to be a bit more money but a bit more generally appealing
I won't ask because I have the opportunity to hear both)). This is EA500 without LM. Especially at high frequencies.
and you definitely send these to michael shortbus , specially after how much he praised the OG EA500
They got there today. He liked them at first glance.
I wish to know is the soundstage of EA500LM is holographic, or extends a bit behind the ears. For example, Olina SE gives me an incredible soundstage, layered around the vocals, that I always end up going back to it. I really like the forward vocals and aggressive tuning of EA500 and EW200 so I am hoping EA500LM can give me the best of both worlds. :')
So I slightly mentioned this, the gold nozzles with foam are not holographic. Removing the foam will pop it back where it extends around your head. But its brighter than Olina SE so the holographic bit is harder to get into on LM. That is just they way my brain works, anything bright tends to flatten, having a solid low end like Olina gives depth. Olina is special like that and so was Oxygen, but both were less bright so it makes sense to me. I wouldn't say LM is flat, there are moments its really nice, but not as consistent as Olina due to the tuning.
@@PaulWasabii I see, I can somewhat understand what you mean. The warmer sound of Olina (with subdued midbass) makes the background sound darker too and maybe this allows for a better perception of depth. It's fantastic if the EA500LM has moments where it can shine in this aspect of staging too. Thanks for the reply, really appreciate it.
Thanks for the review, bright treble really doesn’t work for me. I returned KZ ZS 10Pro X as it was unbearable. I am moving to purchase Tanzu hbb xuan nv. I hope they don’t sound much harsh.
Yep, HBB tends to not like the bright ones but I haven't heard the NV. Impressions sound like it should work.
great balanced review as usual, it is good to not overhype and only speak about the positives. you mention dew4x is not resolving enough for ea500lm, what is the most affordable dac that is resolving enough for ea500lm ? thank
I might backtrack on that statement as its better with a headphone amp. I had the same first impression as others, it comes across as warmer and smoother, not as resolving or extended. Then I put it through Aune B1S or Topping G5 and there it is. Maybe it just needs more volume to extend. Not quite sure. I am an ESS kid, I tend to hear ESS dac/amps as more extended and more resolving. I still like the EPZ TP30. As I said, my brain is biased to ESS extension. CS dongles tend to sound smaller, less extension, but they hit vocals in a more forward way and I think that is why people like them. I tend to listen past vocals but I think that is why people like CS dongles. I tend to look for dongles that resemble my desktop Topping or SMSL and I think that is why I gravitate to ESS. Most people seem to prefer CS so my advice is probably all wrong.
I have no problem with ess , i have ifi go link that has ES9219 is it in the same category as es9038 of tp30 ? is there a big difference between tp30 and x1s ( i can get the x1s used at the same price as tp30 new) ?
I use a dual cs143....whatever the rest is dongle from geekria and it sounds very beautiful. Nuetral dongle though so idk if it's what you would want. I don't push it over 30% volume.
@@PaulWasabiiI have a dual cs dongle and the vocals are definetly forward. The presentation is awesome imo. They definetly would benefit from a headphone amp but I don't even push over 30% volume and they already sound very open to me. Haven't heard a single dd this open before so I was pretty impressed. My kato hasn't seen use in a while now since I got the sonus, ew200, and ea500lm.
Been waiting for this! I was pretty set on getting these down the line, but they'd probably have to be heavily discounted before I pull the trigger. I feel like I'm more of a neutral bright guy. I really should just save up for the EA1000. Hopefully the price lowers a bit later this year!
I think neutral bright folks were hoping for less v-shape. It seems like they added a lot of subbass and then treble bump to match. I think the neutral bright folks could have been fine with a small bass lift and no treble change. They could have had the resolution with just a bit more body without needing to make it brighter.
@@PaulWasabii yeah i was hoping they went for just a little bass lift. Either way, gonna keep enjoying my OG EA500!
I have seen a lot of reviews but this describes what I hear the best. I'm very new to good iems though so I'm not to be taken seriously..
I use gold nozzles without foam.
Use them on PC with ALC1220 (B550 Tomahawk) and TIDAL
And in some songs they are amazing but i feel them to be very bright in some others. I think that a bit more linear tuning would had make me love them.
I tried +2db @600hz Q0.6 -2db @6000hz Q0.6 and its a bit smoother but I feel like I lose on detail.
Anyone can help on a proper way to eq of mod them to make them smoother/natural without losing much detail?
Try EQ although on a PC with Tidal its harder. You would need something like Peace EQ and not use exclusive sound device. That is the best way, slight EQ rather than trying to mod. You can also try smaller bore tips but that is iffy as to what happens. This is the typical PC EQ but not sure how to tie it into Tidal sourceforge.net/projects/peace-equalizer-apo-extension/
@@PaulWasabii 1st thank you for the reply!
I mostly need help in the EQ it self, not the "how to use EQ, what software etc". And Im asking all that cause you described what I hear so precisely. If you had to EQ this IEM to make it more natural what would you do?
Small bore I don't think will help me. You see I don't want to shift music to bass. I want an open sound, just a little more vocal body and a little less fatigue on treble.
If there is any tips that could help on the midrange though I would happily buy them.
paul do you think picking these is worthwhile upgrade from kiwi ears melody? or just try to eq my melody? and if so do you have any eq for me to try out?7 BTW I have tri clarion on melody does it make sound better ?
They are a bright stretch from Melody. Planars can handle EQ so I would start there. I don't have any EQ and I don't even have Melody here to try as it is with Michael Bruce.
@@PaulWasabii does the Tri clarion improve the melody tuning? Is the LM more technical if so by how much %?
You claim that the LM drivers are better than the original ones. So what exactly is better?
This is one of those crazy questions like which is more resolving, set 1 or 2. EA500LM is more resolving than probably all sub $100 1DD sets. If you are going to use foam or extra filters, not so much. But its a crazy question as it doesn't matter if the brightness is too bright. Why did people prefer EW200 to EA500 despite 500 being a better driver, the tuning. Amazing drivers are only amazing if they match your preferences.
Hi paul i know this might be too late a question.. theres no foam on the silver and red nozzles.. have you tried them with foams on? I also noticed that for me divinus normal tips work great for them the dunu ss tips were too bright. Whats the difference between the gold no foam and the silver red rings.
I did not, but some of it is a function of your treble sensitivity and listening volume. Silver and red will work if you listen at lower volumes. Add some foam, the volume scales up If you look at the Simgot EA500 DIY kit, you can see their go to methods, foam and tuning filters. Sometimes the nozzle width or opening. I also don't think they glue the foam, so give it a try.
Thank you paul. Appreciate the reply. I'll try it out as u explained. Really like the way you do reviews. So at point.
I have to agree on the silver red nozzles(or gold without foam) having a much nicer treble.
By any chance have you found that these have a bit of an odd fit? I cant get these to work with silicone tips, they fold in as my ear canal curvs and block all sound. I have to use oversized tips with a shallow fir and everything sounds hollow and harsh. Thats with mulitple different typew of silicone tips. Never had that issue with any other iem.
With foam tips, the fit is perfect, the lower mids and bassnkick in and these actually sound quite warm and nice.
I wonder how many others are finding these aound bad and its actually because the fit with silicone tips is just not great
It is possible, most people don't recognize what bad fit sounds like on a new set. If you have a question on fit or seal, foam tips will help. I grab them when fit is an issue too, always a set of Comply on my desk for that occasion.
@@PaulWasabii yes I literally can't listen to these without foams.
I'm still undecided as to if I'm keeping these or not. The tunings just not quite right, the bass has great impact and slam and sometimes great texture, but drums and bass guitars don't sound correct. My ie200's with duno tips give amazing textures to different drum skins and bass guitars which these just don't do. Also the upper mids, treble, in the right mood it's good, but sometimes it's overwhelming. It chucks everything at you. With the ie200 I hear all the same details, but it's way more subtle and natural sounding. I can see how with the right libraries these can be awesome for people though. I don't think a set has ever caused more drama in the community anyway 😆
Thanks for the review! Just got the 500lm. They really sound great....
It came with gold and silver nozzles. No red. (Extra black and red rings are included).
Am l missing something? Or are the red included in the separate kit only? Thanks
Could be they decided to ship only those two. If you bought it at Linsoul, worth asking support or direct service@simgot.com
@@PaulWasabii thanks
I have both ea500 and lm. Both can be peaky and silibant depending on the nozzle. I tried both ea500 and lm tuning nozzles on both. Both are very similar, but the soundstage of lm is slightly recessed, showing off its resolution. Tuning nozzles make a huge difference. On my Ea500, I switched from red to black recently as it is less silibant and peaky. The LM red sliver is similar to ea500 black but more recessed. Soundstage highlighting its depth and resolution. If you like a close Soundstage stick to the ea500.
Yeah, it takes very tiny changes on these sets to make a difference.
Can I buy these from Amazon?
www.amazon.com/Linsoul-SIMGOT-EA500-Dual-Magnet-Dual-Cavity/dp/B0CSJQDXCD/
I really wanna buy those but I also wanna try the Soundrhyme DTE500 and CTM Da Vinci X and any Penon stuff or something with Bone Conduction. I can honestly say I haven't had a hobby this engaging since I was in middle/high school playing CS:GO lol
smooth thick cables are my jam, love them, I gotta buy that but I just had XINHS make me a pink and blue cable lol
I am a XINHS fan but LC7 is special in its strand count. It has a thickness, weight, and density that is different that other cables at the same price point. You can always pick it up later, for now, enjoy your XINHS.
@@PaulWasabii I'm planning on grabbing the LC7 along with a good "cheap" BC set soon since I'll be hibernating in the hobby spending wise soon lol
Ew200 , f1 pro 을 가지고 있는데 ea500lm을 구입할 가치가 있을까요
Is it good for small ears? Becos i have small ears and some iems make me hurts, even though i already change with several eartips
I have the opposite, big ears so I am not a great judge. EA500 are small and rounded in a way that is more comfortable to most people.
paul can you tell me how to use foam mesh like when to use the 300 the 350 the 400 etc and also those foam mesh have thickness 4.0,4.2,4.5 thanks.
That is the one advantage of having a coupler, you can see the shifts in tuning. For most people, its just a matter of trying. 300 or 350 is my starting point though, its right in the middle, not too much or too little of a change usually. For width, 4.5mm is basically the general case, some nozzles will be 4.7mm but I tend to just use 4.5mm. Or use whatever is in the Simgot DIY kit.
@@PaulWasabii thanks.
Vs the Olina Se? Which is my current darling, is this an upgrade from technicalities and psychoacoustics side? The Olina se has a bombastic and insane sound field.
The issue is going to be the bright. You can't ignore it even if I tell you the driver is more resolving. Your brain will probably hate the intensity and slight off-balance if you are used to Olina SE. Simgot just doesn't do that style although EA1000 is closer at 2x the price.
@@PaulWasabii I love bright, because I listen to hi res naturally recorded performances of Vivaldi and Bach, there is no sign of harshness even with the brightest sets. In that case would it be an upgrade worth considering the ea500lm from details, depth-width-height and imaging? Or just a 10% so so?
In regards to overall sound, would you say these are the ones to get at the moment in the sub $100 segment or would you recommend another set?
Yeah, the trick is the treble level. It doesn't matter if the driver is flawless, if you prefer less or are sensitive, it won't work for you. And that has been the overall feedback on Simgot's sets, well done for the price, but kinda bright. Gotta be honest with yourself and figure out if that is something that appeals to you. If you are ok with that, then yeah, there isn't anything sub $100 that beats either EA500 set.
Are the tips interchangeable with the OG?
Yes. I don't know if Simgot would agree as they are more picky. I asked about EA1000 and EA500 and they said there is a difference, but they fit too. Something small like o-ring is different.
So was your favorite nozzle the gold without foam, overall?
Yes, that was where I landed, I has started out removing the foam and then using tuning filters to drop the treble a bit, closer to EA500. You can get there, but I felt it was losing too much resolution, maybe too far from the intention of the tuning. Maybe I was being too picky as others did that. I did 400, 300, and then 350 which was ok. I never got to the point where gold with no foam was fatiguing me so I stayed with it. If you get LM, try it straight out of the box on gold as that is how it ships, then try the same tracks without foam. It is not glued in so easy to remove and put back in.
Just got the LM today! Trying them now - I was going to try the Silver Red without foam first and then the Brass nozzles with red & foam, but I'll try out different variants. I'm not sure I caught much about the black nozzles - is there much of a difference there?@@PaulWasabii
Could you tell me which one has more Airy and sparkly treble. Ziigaat nuo or Tangzu shimin li. And which one has bigger stage.
Nuo. Shimin Li was an odd one, I didn't like that one. Shimin Li Encounter was probably the fix and that was discontinued.
My EM6L nozzle came off, and I'm wondering if I want to pick these up to get by or shoot up for Hype 4 or Xenns Top or even Softears Studio 4. I listen to pop and game on PC most of the time. These seem to have a better build quality than the EM6L, much better.
I would consider the EA500LM brightness, quite a bit over EM6L. Is that better? For some people yes, some no. That is a decision on your side.
@@PaulWasabii thank you. New to the hobby. I guess I’ll need to get the LM to find out what I like better. I already like the build quality of the LM much better. $80 is a cheaper price to pay than $430 for the top to find out what I like or don’t like for what I use them for.
its very easy to fix the nozzle
How did you find it vs ea1000? I've seen some reviewera saying it's basically the same sound with very very small differences. Your graphs say otherwise - lm seems to have a bit more subbass but a bit scooped in the midrange and more emphasys in high mids and lower treble. According to graphs alone ea1000 seems more balanced overall.
Yes, I agree with most of what you say and what the graph says. My thing on EA1000, most people didn't tweak the nozzles which weren't set right. EA1000 with stock nozzles is a bit out of balance but you can get it back in balance and its beautiful. They should have taken the bass curve from EA1000. And probably the treble. On full blast, LM can sound more resolving, but EA1000 is overall better, more balanced tuning to me. If you are going to mod the LM and bring the treble closer to EA1000, perhaps its closer, but EA1000 is still better for me because of the bass curve. The subbass level is night and day how EA1000 keeps it under control. I would argue that most reviewers didn't spend enough time with EA1000 to figure it out, its a great set.
@@PaulWasabii yes i use what you suggested in ea1000. the open nozzle in the kit with the filter. ea1000 has that passive radiator doing its job also (vs lm). some reviewers mention that because of this the bass in ea1000 has a more tactile and controlled feeling that the lm doesn't (no matter the quantity). Glad to ear that from you. I was thinking i had made a wrong buy and that simgot had fooled me. 😅
@@PaulWasabiiI’ve asked this in a separate comment too, but is there any way to bring out the sub and midbass a bit more on the EA1000? I love these, but just a tiny bit more bass would be great for some genres. I’ve played around with the modding kit so far but wasn’t exactly able to get it to increase sufficiently (while keeping its tightness) yet.
I can't decide if I should get EM6L or EA500LM. For PC gaming, movies and music (House, Metal and movie soundtracks). Any opinions?
EM6L for gaming hands down!
Thanks Paul. How was a CCA mystery iem w 3dds?
Big bass fun. There is no illusion of being serious, went for a clean big boom set. Can't complain when the intention is clear.
@PaulWasabii thanks Paul. Lg UT90s not ut90q has a real solid graphene driver. Unfortunately it is TWS, but a single DD sounds like hybrid or even tribrid sounding due to the driver.
th-cam.com/users/shortsMX4MbFLLr3Y?si=ULegUcQPXtDpGF4V
Unfortunately, they purposely made a weak bass for the mass. But they have eq option to increase the bass. Solid graphene driver. Interesting
th-cam.com/video/_alFVgVGl10/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_jw3GeAVr3OoT_iC
You can turn on English Subtitles with CC
how does ea500lm compares with em6l that is close in price ?
Brighter but more resolving. It is hard to explain, but in stock form, it resolves better but what does that actually mean if its too bright? So you see a lot of mods to drop the treble about where EM6L is and then you lose some of that resolution. Its really tricky to find that balance where it shines as an insane DD but at a level that is comfortable for most people. The gold nozzle is close but not perfect. I sent it over to Michael Bruce, see what he comes up with to tame the treble but preserve the most resolution and stage out of it.
How much would someone need to spend for an upgrade on this set?
You need to qualify the upgrade? On a better resolving 1DD, quite a lot. On tuning that better suited your preferences or library, maybe not much or even less. The driver is only as good as it suits you.
How does it compare to the truthear hexa
Never heard Hexa
Paul. What foam tubing you used? What size and density?
The gold comes with foam, I removed it. I also sent my set to Michael Bruce so can't easily answer that, but look for a video from him and he might show it. You like it darker so you will need some filters and maybe foam. I tried to keep it in the spirit of the original 2 nozzles, very resolving and that wasn't what was happening with the foam for me.
@PaulWasabii foenthe foam I notice if the sponge is too short and dense does not work. If the filter sponge is too long and passes the nozzle, it can create distortion . That's why I asked.
is this an upgrade or sidegrade to the tangzu fudu?
Like a very bright Fudu. If you want to hear almost the opposite of Fudu, that is EA500LM. Brighter, very resolving, very technical
Should i get this if i already have the 7hz sonus?
Not unless you need something brighter. That is the hard part and why I said harder win, the driver is better, but the tuning might be less appealing to you
@@PaulWasabii Thanks for the answer. Gonna save some more money for higher tier iem.
I’ve been patiently waiting for your review and wanted to ask you something: for the EA1000, could you please tell me if there’s any way of using the modding/tuning kit to bring out bass a bit more quantity-wise? I feel like bass has the best physicality on the red nozzles, but I’m not opposed to using any mod/nozzle combination or way to increase it quantity-wise. I’m trying to get 2-3 more DB in sub and 1-2 in mid-bass regions, but can’t seem to do it through mods alone.
I just sent my EA1000 to Michael Bruce so can't easily measure it. There is a vent hole at the base of the nozzle that you can cover with tuning filter from the DIY kit or a piece of breathable tape like micropore. If you don't have either, try any tape and see if it raises the bass, might also build pressure which is why you use something porous like a tuning filter. No pics, but these guys talk about it www.reddit.com/r/inearfidelity/comments/1ai7t82/simgot_modding/
See i dont understand the tuning appeal here. I bet Olina SE comes across more resolved and more enjoyable to listen to. LM just got way too much pinna and bass. I hate hate hate all the Harmon craze.
Yeah that is the thing, it is very resolving but if you start adding foam or filters, you can be back at EA500 and under Olina SE. I wasn't exactly clear why they felt the need to aggressively push the treble other than to make sure it sounds resolving. It was even a bit over their targets.
@@PaulWasabii Hello Paul Wasabii, and thanks for the quality of your reviews.
About resolution, imaging, layers and "3D perception", would you say that the "Muse HiFi the East 6" is globally better than the "Simgot EA500LM" ? My headphone amp is the"Monoprice THX 887".