Just like Oriveti, Simgot too was kind of taking a break. It’s not like they were not releasing IEMs but they weren’t widely available and Simgot wasn’t promoting those IEMs. That changes now. Simgot has been aggressive with their promotions and have been coming up with some high quality IEMs. They very recently launched EW200, EN500, EN2000, EM6L and the IEM I am reviewing, EN1000.
One cannot forget about the past but Simgot rare disappointed and the set of IEMs Simgot has come up with are making plenty of waves. They have a lot of backing from both reviewers and consumers. Let’s find out how EA1000 with it’s 10mm DD and passive resistor is going perform in the most competitive price range. Priced at $219 this IEM goes head on against the Oriveti OD200, KiwiEars Quintet and QoA Aviation.
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ACCESSORIES AND UNBOXING:
Open the box and we get a Fermat Card and some literature up top. Simgot has done something different from the bunch by giving a different kind of presentation than the competitors. Turn that and we have the earpieces stuffed in foam. Under that are some literature and the set of tips inside a paper box. What I am not impressed with is the lack of variety as we get two set of similarly narrow bore tips.
There are two papers boxes below the earpieces, one of them contains the Box and the cable can be found inside it. The tuning filters can be found stuffed in foam inside the paper box aside it.
BUILD QUALITY:
Clad with chrome and glass on the back we got a handsome looking IEM for sure. Thanks to use of metal it’s dense and can feel heavier. The back plate looks nice too. It’s not an ergonomically designed IEM though. No wing or semi custom type shell but that’s okay. It’s not a big IEM and doesn’t feel uncomfortable inside the ear. We get an interesting dual layer inner shell design and an aptly long nozzle that provides very good traction and balance inside the ear.
The passive radiator with its brass filters look nice. There are two pressure releasing vents on the inner shell. Even when we have removable nozzles they feel super stable and sturdy. I am not sure how does the rubber rings affect the stability but it is what it is.
CABLE:
We get a good looking 2 core high purity silver plated copper ofc litz cable which complements the IEM. The connectors and the minimalistic splitter look good but the golden colored cable slider looks superb. The cable guides are a bit on the stiffer side. It holds the weight of the earpiece and can start to feel heavy after a while. We get a small stress reliever at the 3.5mm jack but it’s a lot stiffer though.
I definitely like the way this cable looks but not the way it behaves. It’s on the stiffer side with decent amount of memory which makes it hard to work around. There is no microphonics to worry about but it’s a bit more bouncy than its competitors.
PAIRING WITH SOURCES:
Usually pairing is vital but there are IEMs that doesn’t have to have a very good source ro sound good and this is one of those.
EA1000 is a decently demanding IEM but it doesn’t ask for super high power or high quality stuff to sound good. My Infinix GT10 pro does a decent job here with very good separation, definition and clarity. So.. use your dongle and enjoy the best this has to offer. I paired it with Questyle M15 but the changes aren’t as drastic or note worthy. Yes the stage gets bigger with slightly better definition and air between instruments but that’s it. No need to look for better sources if you believe me. One definitely can use warmer sources to change the presentation but that’s not about quality but flavouring.
SOUND QUALITY:
DD are such capable drivers that we can extract a lot out of them without forcing them into any extremes and this IEM is one of the best example of that.
Did you saw the specifications and thought this is going to blow your mind with sintilating bass performance? Nope. You got that wrong. Keep in mind that this IEM is not about bassy or fun signature but more about clarity and details and the best thing that sets this IEM apart is the sonics. Forget about the others. EA1000 is tuned just like a IE600 with better sub bass, more realistic timber and cohesive. I do appreciate the nozzles but one doesn’t need to spend a lot of time with them. Let me help you.
NOZZLES:
I always felt that the stock nozzle is the best and I am not proven wrong. Yes the other two nozzles will find their likes but the Silver nozzle with red ring will please the larger bunch of listeners. It’s more V shaped and the bass feels a bit heavier and hefty while the mid range is a bit more petite and less emphasized with similar energy at the finishing region. I don’t like the drained feeling of the notes, that are decent otherwise but the Silver nozzle with black ring sounds more natural. Treble is a bit on the smoother and less aggressive side.
The Golden Brass nozzle is the bassy one but guess what, it sounds a bit forced and the treble is unnaturally neutralized and slightly veiled. It’s good, but not really natural so it’s a no go for me as the silver nozzle with black ring is the least stressed one.
The last nozzle is the best match for me. It sounds a lot more effortless and natural. Its clarity is uncompromised with excellent definition and details. Bass is deep and punchy, mids are aptly forward while treble is a bit aggressive and this review is based on this nozzle. This IEM won’t get better than this.
One can definitely try different rings on these nozzles but I am not that adventurous since Simgot doesn’t define how these rings and nozzles affect the sound, its up to the consumers to explore. So… Let’s start.
I am using my Infinix GT10 pro and Questyle M15 for this review.
BASS:
This IEM isn’t the wholesome bassy type but it’s not fighting for air either. We get a lot more quality and decent quantity with one of the deepest reaching subs with very good rumble. Even some bass head IEMs don’t go this deep. Mid bass has very good body, good area of impact, slightly tight but full enough body delivering good slam with a focused and punchier hit. We get a well developed layered delivery with very good texture. This type of details exhibit its technical abilities. Yes, it doesn’t move a whole lot of air but it’s not lacking either. More than anything, the control is superb. It has more precision and accuracy than both KiwiEars Quintet and Oriveti OD200. Decay is a bit on the faster side which doesn’t let the notes gain unnecessary weight or get cushy, keeping them agile and daft footed. This helps with very good dynamics. It still has a bit of softer finishing to harder notes but that’s okay. If I have to rank technicalities this IEM tops it with it’s excellent dynamics under $300. It hits the harder notes effortlessly while the softer notes do not have much residue behind them.
MID RANGE:
What we have is a slightly W shaped signature but the instruments around the vocals do not have much loss of energy. This mid range has one of the best precision and accuracy. They way it manages the thickness and throatiness of male and female vocals is admirable. It has fuller and thicker and gruntier male vocals while female vocals are petite and tall and none of these feel hollow or lack weight. We get one of the most realistic tonality and timber and with high quality sonics, transient effects and accurate decay it sounds more vivid than anything else under $300. Yes, they do have a bit of extra energy at the top of the notes but that gives them extra definition and clarity. I have no problem while stating that EA1000 has the best at vocal accuracy under $300.
Instruments enjoy some of the best details and energy and are as good as they can get with one of the best technicalities and clarity. Notes are agile and transparent with very good air between instruments. Thanks to its accuracy we get excellent definition. No uncomfortable notes to worry about. It’s easier to track the notes right from their point of origin to ending. The floor too is neat and clean. Upper mids are slightly more energetic but not thin or sharp. One does feel the bite and this IEM doesn’t lack traction but doesn’t get uncomfortable. If you want smooth notes, look away.
HIGHS:
The energy it gains in the upper mids is carried forward till the mid treble region and it drops gradually from there on. We get one of the most clean sounding treble with sparkly, lively and agile notes. Is it aggressive? No. I don’t find this uncomfortable at all but if you want super smooth notes you might find these notes a bit tingly and not lacking energy. The energy does dip a bit in the upper treble region but doesn’t affect the extension. In fact EA1000 has one of the best treble extensions for the price range.
We are treated with one of the most accurate instrument placement with plenty of air between them. We get one of the best layering and separation with notes staying handsomely clear off each other’s spaces. I like the back and foreground contrast too. Notes in the back are clear of the notes placed in the foreground and are placed further but have very good transparency, giving this IEM one of the best technicalities.
STAGE AND IMAGING:
We get one of the cleanest stages at this price. It’s well rounded with very good height, width and decent Z-axis presence. Instruments are mostly placed inside the head while treble and some upper mid notes are placed out of the head. We doo not have much presence under the chip or at the back of the head but notes do find themselves on both sides of the ears and over the head.
EA1000 has one of the most developed and accurate imaging, superb clarity and definition with high resolution. Cue placements are super accurate with high precision. We get very good sonics too. Instruments have one of the best transient freedom and distinction with an IEM under $500.
COMPARISON:
VS Oriveti OD200:
EA1000 is about details and precision. It’s lively, agile and cleaner and transparent. OD200 has a slightly different approach. It’s too has the details and precision in its mind but it’s a bit smoother and less on the face. It has less energetic finishing region and wants to balance things better with a fun yet nicely accurate presentation that isn’t fatiguing after some hours.
Let’s start with the cable. EA1000 has an inferior cable by a big margin. It’s stiff, has a bit of memory too. OD200 has a much better cable that behaves better. Has modularity, less pressure on the ear and has better comfort too.
If we start with bass OD200 is a bit punchier with a bigger area of impact and slightly more rumble. Subs are good, mid bass is more prominent with fuller meatier notes but what I don’t like is the lack of proper definition. Notes aren’t as well separated as I wanted them to be. It’s decent, gives a softer landing to most bass notes but that robs it off of details and technicalities. Decay is slightly slower and dynamics aren’t great sadly. EA1000 has a bit more sub bass extension and has better layered delivery and definition of individual notes. It’s definitely more technically capable. Notes are tighter but still have good punch and slam. Have a bit faster decay and better dynamics too.
Mids on OD200 are very good. Very good vocals. No flaws that I find. It’s slightly W shaped but that’s fine. Male vocals are grunty while female vocals are petite and accurately tall and energetic. There are no issues of comfort. Instruments are lively and engaging with right amount of finishing energy and resolution. They aren’t very tall or the cleanest but have good definition and clarity. Upper mid is energetic bus nothing to worry about. EA1000 is slightly different with taller, a bit more energetic approach. Vocals are slightly more textured but a hair less throaty with slightly better resolution. Instruments are a bit more transparent and cleaner. No upper mid devils to worry about.
Highs of the OD200 are similarly energetic and detailed but notes aren’t well separated at their bases. Good layering and separation with decent amount of air. EA1000 is more clean and clear with better definition and air at the floor. Instruments have better separation are their origin points. Has slightly more energy in the finishing region but that’s the beauty of this IEM.
Stage is one of the most developed one with the OD200. Very good instrument placement around the head with very good Z axis placements. Very good sonics with good back and foreground contrast. Stage is slightly wider on the EA1000 but it doesn’t have much presence on the back of foreground but it’s more Vivid sounding thanks to its realistic contrast and cleaner instrumental definition.
CONCLUSION:
Ahh, these IEMs around $200 are getting crazy good and EA1000 definitely leaves its mark here. Simgot could have easily priced is higher than $220. This is an excellent IEM with one of the cleanest presentation. This is hands down the best one to get if you want details and want a truer to life delivery. It’s not bassy or fun but for someone who enjoys accuracy and precision it’s the best IEM around $200. I rate this IEM higher than the OD200 and even the Quintet when it comes to technicalities. Its sonics are top notch and sounds more realistic than anything else in its price range. Above anything else, its ability to deliver effortless micro details usually lost between notes makes it standout of the competition.
If you can’t handle decent amount of aggression and tingling, sparkly notes, please run away, EA1000 is not for the faint hearted. This might not be the one for you. Please look at the QoA Aviation or Oriveti OD200.
