Pre-Intro
It’s been a while hasn’t it?
There are several factors why it’s been so long since there’s been a review. Let’s skip the usual excuses. Life and work have been hectic and no one wants to hear some middle-aged dude on the internet giving boring excuses.
The truth of the matter is, the last two IEMs that I’ve bought have been so good that I’ve considered walking away from this little side project. While mulling that over, I’ve turned to modifying iPods to pass the time and have been having a great time with that. However, like a true addict, I can’t just walk away from the world of IEMs, it’s in my blood and there’s no stopping it.
These next two reviews are going to be a little bit different. For the most part they will be in the normal review style, but with tips, tricks, EQ, and a few other little goodies that I’ve learned over the last few months to help you get the most out of these wonder-earphones.
Enough backstory, onward to the review!
Intro
As mentioned earlier, the Simgot EW300 DSP is so impressive that I haven’t felt the urge to explore other IEMs since their release.
Did the intro just go too hard too fast? Is anyone going to read beyond this?
I hope that caught your attention, because while it is very true…it’s not quite what you think. So keep reading.
There are three versions of the Simgot EW300: the original, the x HBB, and the DSP. Many reviews compare them, and any of these versions would be an excellent choice. The sound differences between them are quite subtle.
Tech Specs
Driver Configuration: 10mm ceramic composite diaphragm dual-chamber dynamic driver, 6mm planar magnetic driver, piezoelectric ceramic driver
Sensitivity: 121db/Vrms@1kHz
Impedance: 28Ω
Frequency Response: 20 – 40 kHz
Connector: .078mm 2 pin
Price: $79.99
What’s in the Box?
The included accessories are largely the same as those found with the Simgot EA500LM and most other Simgot IEMs. The box is smaller than the EA500 LM, which is perfectly acceptable as a bigger box isn’t necessarily needed.
A key difference is the inclusion of a dedicated DSP cable, an upgrade over the standard cable found with the EW300 DSP and EA500LM. It’s a thin silver cable with a right angle usb-c connector on one end and two .78mm 2 pin connectors at the other. Interestingly, the DAC/Amp module is located at the Y-split, whereas it’s typically integrated into the USB-C connector itself. While this may or may not have an impact on sound quality, it appears that Simgot is thinking outside the box.
True to Simgot’s usual build quality, the IEMs feature a robust, full-metal construction with a matte black finish – they’re built like tanks. The right IEM has a “X” on it while the left IEM has a heart. Compared to the standard polished EW300, the X and Heart details are much more subtle. Despite their robust metal construction, each IEM weighs only 9.4 grams and maintains a relatively slim profile.
The EW300 DSP comes with two sets of tuning nozzles (a gold nozzle with a pink band as well as a silver nozzle with a red band) and a bunch of extra foam filters, which turned out to be a very good thing.
Fit, Comfort, & Isolation
While the metal build makes these IEMs slightly heavier than most resin or plastic IEMs, they’re very comfortable in my ears and can be easily used for very long listening sessions. Despite having a thin-style shell, the fit is medium deep which helps balance out the extra heft in and around my ears. Isolation is perfectly average for IEMs – nothing special and yet not horrible either.
Sound
Overall
DSP vs Analog
Before delving into the sound, I found it difficult to discern any significant difference between the DSP cable vs a 3.5mm analog cable. While there might be minor variations in decibel levels, for the most part, the overall sound signature remains largely consistent between the two.
A result of this is that you can connect the EW300 DSP to any source, even those lacking a USB-C port, using a 3.5mm 2-pin cable, and still have the same great sound signature (unlike something like the Moondrop Dusk). This is particularly beneficial when using DACs, DAPs, or iPods with only analog outputs, eliminating the need for PEQ (parametric equalization).
Nozzles
First, let’s start with the gold and pink nozzles.
According to frequency response graphs, the gold nozzle seems to mostly target the new ‘meta’ sound signature for IEMs.
However, the gold nozzle’s impact on the EW300 DSP is disappointing. Detail retrieval suffers significantly, the soundstage disappears, and the treble loses its sparkle. Additionally, the bass becomes slow and muffled, resulting in a boomy, bloated, and dull listening experience. For these reasons, I cannot recommend using this nozzle – It’s unclear why Simgot included this nozzle, as its impact is quite negative. Ok, this might have been a little harsh here, but when the other nozzle makes the EW300 DSP sound so stinking special, it’s hard to understand why the gold is even included.
Next let’s talk about the silver and red nozzle. This is the nozzle to use.
The silver nozzle delivers a mildly v-shaped sound signature, making for an engaging listening experience.
While the bass is prominent and the midrange is forward, the overall v-shape is well-executed, offering a lively and detailed presentation. However, some listeners might find it a touch intense, particularly in the treble as it can sound dry and overly airy.
While the silver nozzle isn’t a bad option by any means, I really wanted a step between the gold and the silver nozzles – something like a meta tuning but with a little more excitement in the bass and in the mids and treble, but less intense than the standard silver nozzle alone.
Remember how the EW300 comes with a bunch of tuning filters? I took Youtuber Paul Wasabii’s advice and added one filter to the silver nozzle. Now we’re getting closer to what I wanted! But it still wasn’t quite there. So, I added one more (that’s two filters for you counting types out there) and BINGO, this is what I wanted from the EW300 all along!
This review will primarily focus on the sound characteristics of the silver nozzle. We’ll also explore the sonic changes introduced by adding two filters to this nozzle.
Bass
The bass performance of the EW300 DSP closely resembles that of the Simgot EA500LM, which is to say, exceptional in every regard. While Simgot does not explicitly state that the EW300 and EA500LM share the same dynamic driver, the visual similarity of the drivers, when viewed without the nozzles, is striking.
For those unfamiliar with my EA500LM review, here’s a brief overview of the EW300 DSP’s bass performance.
The sub-bass response is elevated but not excessive, adding a satisfying level of depth and dynamism to the overall sound. This creates a listening experience that resembles the impact and energy of a live concert.
The mid bass is natural and glides into the lower mid range without issue. It’s smooth and easy to listen to, while keeping instruments like bass guitars and kick drums sounding natural and still having good impact.
The bass quality is quite exceptional. It exhibits impressive speed, natural decay, excellent texture, beautiful tonality, and remarkable detail retrieval. This dynamic driver delivers a truly outstanding bass performance.
Adding two foam filters has minimal impact on the bass. There might be a very slight reduction in detail retrieval, but this change is barely noticeable, if at all.
Mids
Describing the midrange performance is challenging, as it’s exceptionally good. In short, the mids are great and there’s nothing major to criticize.
The planar driver is remarkably impressive, rivaling the dynamic driver’s exceptional bass performance. It sounds like a really great dynamic driver, but with the speed and accuracy of a planar.
The midrange generally avoids the typical planar coloration. However, in rare instances, a slight planar timbre may be discernible in the very upper midrange. This coloration is subtle compared to most planar IEMs. Let’s be fully honest here, this is a very small nit-pick and it only steps out of line every once in a while.
The midrange presentation may appear slightly forward, potentially exceeding a neutral level by 2-3 dB. However, male and female vocals are presented with excellent clarity and natural timbre. Instruments in this area also sound very clean and correct. But again, this is a complete nit-pick and really is a very small thing to complain about.
Adding two filters slightly attenuates the midrange, resulting in a sound signature that shares some similarities with the Moondrop Dusk and other ‘meta’ tuned IEMs. However, the EW300 DSP retains a greater sense of excitement and energy in the midrange compared to these IEMs. The addition of filters effectively eliminates any perceived planar sharpness in the upper midrange. This demonstrates the ability of the planar driver to deliver the advantages of planar technology without the typical sonic trade-offs.
What a driver!
Treble
The treble performance presents a challenge for me, but fortunately, the tuning filters provide a significant improvement.
I generally find piezo drivers to exhibit excessive sharpness, dryness, graininess, and an unnatural, tinny timbre. While the EW300 DSP’s piezo driver exhibits improved performance compared to many others, it can still produce an overly intense treble response with noticeable timbre problems. The reproduction of cymbals can sound unnatural, exhibiting a tinny and excessively sharp reproduction. However, the frequencies in the 10kHz+ area add an incredible sense of stage and airiness. To me, the trade-off in timbre isn’t worth it though.
This presents a huge disappointment, as the overall performance of the EW300 DSP has been very impressive thus far.
However, the tuning filters effectively address this issue.
The filters significantly mitigate the negative aspects of the piezo driver. While there may be a slight reduction in treble energy, the timbre becomes significantly more natural, often making it difficult to discern that a piezo driver is even being used. The harshness associated with cymbal impacts is significantly reduced, resulting in a smoother and more refined treble presentation. The filters transform the piezo driver into sounding more like a planar driver.
With the filters in place, the treble performance is highly satisfying and free from significant piezo shortcomings.
Technicalities
The technical performance of the EW300 DSP is exceptional, regardless of its price. It exhibits remarkable detail retrieval and resolution across the entire frequency spectrum. When considering its affordable price of $80, the value proposition becomes truly outstanding. The EW300 DSP strikes an excellent balance between detail retrieval and listener fatigue. It offers a high level of detail without sounding overly analytical or fatiguing during extended listening sessions.
Soundstage presentation is impressive, with excellent width and height. While depth may not be as pronounced as in some other IEMs, it’s still commendable. It’s worth noting that many IEMs struggle to create a convincing sense of depth to my ears.
While the Truthear Nova, Truthear Hexa, and Moondrop Dusk may exhibit slightly better instrument separation, the EW300 still delivers impressive levels of separation and clarity.
Individual instruments are well-defined within the soundscape, though the sense of space between them may not be as expansive as in the Nova, Hexa, and Dusk. However, the level of instrument separation achieved by the EW300 DSP is still highly impressive, especially considering its price.
Conclusion
This review has been quite a journey, mirroring the somewhat unconventional path to finding the optimal sound signature with the EW300 DSP.
Overall, the EW300 DSP, with the addition of two tuning filters, delivers exceptional value at its price point. The technical performance is outstanding, the tuning is both engaging and musically satisfying, and the price is remarkably competitive. Furthermore, minor shortcomings were effectively addressed by utilizing the included tuning filters.
The EW300 DSP has become my go-to daily driver, and I consider it a reliable and versatile IEM for everyday use. The exceptional performance of the EW300 DSP has discouraged me, although not entirely, from exploring other IEMs at this time. The EW300 DSP has the potential to be a ‘one-and-done’ IEM for many audiophiles. Its exceptional performance at this price point is truly remarkable.