>>I am brazilian and I speak portuguese, so forgive my english, I’ll use translation tools to help<<
INTRO:
After reviewing the excellent Simgot EM6L – the IEM that is my current recommendation in the $100 USD range – I have the opportunity to test another IEM from the brand, the Simgot EW200.
The EW200 is a Single Dynamic Driver (DD) earphone, meaning it has only one dynamic speaker per side. Currently, the EW200 is considered a level above the EW100 (company’s entry level IEM).
Price: $39,99 USD
Color: Mirrored
Cable: Without Mic
Simgot reviews: EM6L
SIMGOT LINKS:
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DCCHvst
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_DmdTVdb
SPECIFICATIONS:
Single DD:
(1) 10mm SPC Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver per side
– Frequency range: 10Hz – 50kHz
– Effective frequency: 20Hz – 20kHz
– Sensitivity: 126dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
– Impedance: 16Ω±15%
– Cable: Silver-plated Copper OFC HP
– Termination Plug: 3.5mm (L design)
– Connectors: 2pin 0.78mm
– Cable size: 1.2m (detachable)
– Shell material: Metal
– Earphone weight: 8.5g (one side)(without eartips)
– Cable weight: 17.4g
– Total weight (packaging, iems, etc): 100g
– Packaging size: 9.8cm [L] x 11.5cm [W] x 3.8cm [D]
UNBOXING:
PHYSICAL ASPECTS:
Construction: We have here an IEM made entirely of metal with a mirrored coating. It’s undeniable that aesthetically this type of earphone looks very beautiful, but this also brings some implications. The first is that the IEM picks up a lot of fingerprint marks, there’s no way around it, if you touch it, the mark stays on the IEM. The second issue is that mirrored IEMs are also easier to scratch, so you need to be extra careful, but still, at some point, the IEM may get scratched unintentionally (it happens). The third issue is that the IEM is made of metal, and I found it a bit heavy. Actually, it’s not that it’s impractical, because I tested it and it didn’t bother me, but there are lighter earphones, such as those made of resin, plastic, or even other metal IEMs, but lighter. The EW200 weighs 8.5g, so it’s a number to consider.
Eartips: The kit was very simple, just 1 type of silicone eartips in sizes S/M/L. The eartips are good, those more common ones that come with IEMs, these from the EW200 for me are one of the best. I just thought I needed more insertion to improve the isolation, so I chose to use the SpinFit eartips, model CP145. This extra insertion was precisely because I thought I was having a slight loss in the bass sound, which was making the upper-mids/treble of the IEM more forward, so I decided to make the modification. We know that this is something very subjective, our ears are different.
Cable: The EW200 cable is excellent. In the overall, the cable is very complete, practical, functional, and beautiful too. It’s a very light cable, excellent for use with in-ear monitors (IEMs). Besides being light, it’s also very thin, which increases comfort. Other positive points we have: it doesn’t tangle, it doesn’t take memory (ripples), it doesn’t have microphonics. Really a cable that has no negative points. The chin slider works, so the efficiency is good. The connectors are 2 pin 0.78mm type (with low profile, like Moondrop and Truthear style connectors). The indication of the correct side to fit is made by the letters L&R (left and right), and also by the colors red and blue (right and left). The earhooks are smooth, without ripple, which is simply the best format for the ears.
Fit and comfort: The fit of the EW200 was great! It has a design a little different from other IEMs on the market, but in practice, there was nothing different, the IEM fits very well. It’s an IEM that has a flat faceplate, so, there are no protruding parts outside the ear, it’s very discreet. Stability is also another positive point, and certainly the earhooks contribute to this. I found the insertion average, I had a small setback in the interaction of the stock eartips with the nozzle of the IEM, but with the CP145 I solved this. I found the isolation average. In terms of comfort, as I said in the construction paragraph, the only thing I think about the EW200 is that it’s an IEM that has a considerable weight, but in practice, I didn’t feel discomfort. Now, there are lighter earphones, for example, the Shozy Form 1.1 which is the IEM that I think the most comfortable that I’ve used to date, weighs only 3.5g… the EW200 weighs 8.5g. So it’s a note for the company to try to reduce this number. Otherwise, the EW200 is a comfortable IEM yes, I did my auditions with it and I didn’t feel discomfort. I think it’s a good IEM for long auditions.
Accessories: Included with the EW200, the IEM comes with just a velvety fabric bag to store the IEM. Those who already follow me here know that I have a preference for hard or semi-hard cases… for the price of the IEM there’s not much to criticize, but I certainly think it would be better if the IEM came with a case like one of these two types I mentioned above (in my opinion). But it’s all right, in this price range, it’s hard to see an IEM with a hard or semi-hard case.
SOUND ASPECTS:
I understand the sound of the Simgot EW200 as a variation of the Harman Target (sound compensation curve developed by the Harman International group). I understand it as a variation precisely because the IEM has a region between the upper and treble that I judge to be more forward than other IEMs that bring the Harman Target in its original intention.
For this price range, I found the EW200 an IEM with good technicalities. Regarding tonality, I also like this more Harman approach, but as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the only part that I think could be a little more refined would be there between the upper-mids and treble. The IEM has very good resolution and energy, it’s almost a V-Shape earphones in terms of tuning (the nowadays V-Shapes, not the old ones that had extremely recessed mids).
Remember that the EW200 – along with the EW100 – are part of the company’s entry line, if we are going to think about more elaborate tunings, I recommend going up to the EM6L, which is my current IEM recommendation in the $100 USD range. It would certainly have been in the Top2 of the best earphones I heard in 2023, but unfortunately, I only managed to hear the IEM in 2024. Let’s go back to the EW200…
Bass:
Quantitative: I understood the bass of the EW200 as moderate. As I used the CP145, they give a nice filling for the bass, they help to bring the IEM into balance. Now, the stock in size G also reach this level here, but the beak of the CP145 is more pointed, this helped me to have more depth. I would say that the EW200 isn’t an earphone for bassheads. I think it’s an earphone that will be more suitable for people who enjoy more correct bass. That said, the bass of the EW200 isn’t the star of the show. In terms of sub-bass and mid-bass, I think there is a good balance here, there aren’t such big differences to say that one region is more present than the other. I like this kind of balance. I didn’t feel a roll-off, the bass extension is good.
Qualitative: The bass of the EW200 is clean, controlled, balanced, adapts to the presentation. The texture and physicality are at a moderate level. The impact has weight, although I think in a more controlled way. The definition is good/ok. They aren’t boomy bass, they aren’t muddy, they aren’t bloated and they also don’t invade the mids. They are bass that value more for quality than for quantity. I think that even though the bass isn’t the star of the IEM, the presentation still has a light dose of fun. Musically speaking, for more acoustic genres or genres that don’t have much activity in the upper-mids/treble, the EW200 is very good, as it brings a balance between the frequencies (based on my taste).
Mids:
Quantitative and qualitative: I consider the mids of the EW200 as “forward” mids, that is, they aren’t recessed. The positive point is that the IEM can deliver a lot of resolution in this region due to this advance, the presentation is with a lot of clarity and definition. Another positive point of this is that even having this pinna gain with more emphasis, the region doesn’t sound aggressive (to my ears). For my taste, I prefer that the region be a little lower, but I can hear everything easily, if it was something that bothered me I would say it was aggressive. The characteristics of the mids of the EW200 leave the IEM with a more “cold”, more “analytical” way, that is, for those who enjoy more lush, warm mids, the EW200 I thought goes in the opposite direction. snare drums have a good resolution. Soprano sax, trumpet, have a good approximation to the listener. Guitars are forward, although they don’t reach the level of an NF audio NA3 in terms of projection.
Voices: I thought there was a good balance for both types of voices… maybe just a tiny bit more to the side of the female/high voices, but I listened to some songs with male/low vocal and I thought the EW200 didn’t do badly. Great transparency with all types of voices.
Treble:
Quantitative: For me, the treble of the EW200 are at the level between moderate and moderate to high, it depends a bit on the recordings. If it’s a recording that has a little more emphasis on some treble instrument, then the IEM will deliver more presence. If you are a person who is very sensitive to treble, then the observation here is, the EW200 may not be the best choice. I don’t think it’s a fatiguing region, but for my taste, if I had tuned this IEM, I would have decreased it just a little to make it perfect (this is subjective, I know friends who liked the EW200 as it is, and that’s fine). I didn’t feel a roll-off, the extension of the treble is very good.
Qualitative: The treble of the EW200 are lively, have energy, have great detail, and great definition. The airy is also very good, it has a sense of openness in the sound. They are treble at a level of quality that we find in IEMs much more expensive than the EW200. The sparkle is a characteristic that is very present when it is requested, for example, a chime sound, you listen to the sparkle in a very defined way, and that stands out in the presentation, it has a “glamour” in the sound. This makes some instruments sound with micro details, but also bring a light coloring to the sound. In my understanding, they aren’t strident treble, they aren’t sharp, they aren’t harsh, and they don’t present sibilance. Drum cymbals sound with life and definition. Mandolin comes with very good resolution. Guitar solos present with good energy. Fingerpicking on an acoustic guitar has a lot of details.
Soundstage: I found the soundstage of the EW200 good/average. It can perform well in 3 dimensions: Height, width, and depth. Now, it’s a average soundstage, one that is neither too wide nor closed, or as if it were glued to the ear. Remembering that IEMs with more forward mids usually have a slightly reduced spatiality, as if the presentation were closer to you.
Imaging: I found the instrumental separation of the EW200 good. Very positive point here of the IEM. As you should know, I always think that hybrid IEMs are the best in this regard, but the good thing about the EW200 – even being single DD – is that it has a good resolution, and it’s a very clean IEM, so this helps a lot to perceive the details, which in turn, improves the perception of the positioning of the instruments (PS: the separation can also vary according to the recording and other processes during musical production).
Driver Flex test: The EW200 is a Single DD, so let’s test if it has driver flex. I can affirm that the EW200 passed the test. No sign of driver flex noise during the moment of insertion of the IEM into my ears.
Amplification: I used the DAP FiiO M11S to do this review. The output used was the 3.5mm SE, and the DAP in High Gain mode. Volume at 70% of the 120 available. The EW200 is a super easy to play IEM, it doesn’t need more powerful amplifiers, it can go well with simpler sources. I tested it on my Notebook and it played well, and that with only 30% of volume. So I can affirm that it will play easily on any device.
I left an extra paragraph here for the end. The EW200 reminded me a lot of the Tin HiFi C2 Mech Warrior, and the interesting thing is that in both I needed to change the eartip, both to improve comfort and to also make a slight change in the sound. The Tin HiFi C2 I recommend with the SpinFit CP100, and the Simgot EW200 I recommend with the SpinFit CP145 (although the eartip diameter is a little big for the EW200).
Music is subjective, so below is the list of some musical genres that I personally think that was better with this IEM. Remember that were only few genres and few artists tested. If I describe that one genre was better and the other don’t, it doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to your favorite music genre with this IEM and love it. So, here goes:
Better:
Reggae
Jazz
POP
Rock
Blues
MPB*
Bossa Nova*
Samba*
*Brazilian musical genres.
Not so much:
Classical
Hip Hop
Metal
EDM
PLAYLIST:
GRAPHS BY AFTERSOUND:
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