Review - Simgot EA500LM

English | Español

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - Simgot EA500LM

The EA500LM have been sent to me by Simgot for me to try them out and to share my thoughts and opinions in this review. Simgot has not made any requests or comments and I will do my best to be as unbiased as possible in this review.

The official Simgot page can be found here: http://www.simgot.com/en

The EA500LM doesn't seem to be available on their web but a quick search will return it on the usual online stores.

As always, the link is non-affiliate.

To avoid being repetitive in my reviews, you can find all the info about how I create the reviews, equipment used, how I receive the products and how to interpret my reviews by visiting: About my reviews

Intro…

I don’t think Simgot needs any introduction to those who read or watch my reviews. I have reviewed multiple IEMs from the brand and my conclusion with all of them has been almost the same: they are great IEMs but I just can’t really get on with the tuning. My last review, which was quite recent, was of the EA1000 “Fermat” and I think it is the best I have tried from them so far, although I, once again, reached a similar conclusion. However, Simgot haven’t given up on me and have sent me along the EA500LM for me to see if it meets my preferences more.

I also reviewed the Simgot EA500 back in May of last year and one would think that the EA500LM would be a similar IEM, and in the looks department they are, however they are very different and I don’t think that a comparison a of the two would really be very relevant. I actually think that the EA500LM is more on a level of the EA1000 in terms of performance, although the tuning is also different, providing quite a different presentation to my ears.

This set uses a single dynamic driver, as did the original EA500, but based around the technology found in the EA1000, although without the passive radiator. They come in at around 80€ and I honestly feel that these are a set of IEMs worth looking at in the price range.

Presentation…

The IEMs arrive in a black box with artwork that changes colour depending on how the light hits the box. While there is nothing really to get excited about as far as packaging, they do keep it original and it is not just a plain box.

Inside the box we get the IEMs, the cable, 3 sets of silicone tips in 3 sizes, two additional nozzles, an oval storage/transport case and a bag of red and black o-rings as replacements if needed.

To be honest, there is nothing really extraordinary about the contents and, apart from the multiple nozzles to change the tuning, something that we have seen a lot with Simgot, the quantity of contents is rather basic (although I have seen much worse).

Build and aesthetics…

One thing I definitely can’t fault Simgot for is their build quality. Once again the EA500LM are a complete metal shell, with a shiny silver finish, that keeps up with their usual quality construction. The aesthetics are simple but shiny, something that will of course attract fingerprints but looks good when clean, with the Simgot logo on one side and the LM logo on the other.

The IEMs are rather compact and fit nicely inside the ear, at least they do in my ear, making for a comfortable fit, however, as with other Simgot models, I do find that I need to use a larger size of tips. On the subject of tips, the included tips are the usual tips from Simgot and do their job, being what I have used for this review. They are not my favourite tips but they are not horrible either.

The included cable has a rather rubbery feel to the clear finish over the brown and black internal cores, terminating in transparent plastic 2 pin connectors at one end and a black metal 3.5mm connector at the other. As with the tips, the cable is not my favourite but it certainly does its job and I can’t bring myself to complain about it.

Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

As I mentioned, the EA500LM include 3 sets of screw in nozzles that allow different tunings of the IEM. This is nothing new from Simgot and is something that has been included with the previous models I have reviewed.

The main noticeable difference between the nozzles is in the upper mid range, with one set being a lot more noticeable in its changes than the other.

Here is the frequency response graph of the 3 nozzles in comparison to my usual preference curve as a reference:

Now, the last time I reviewed a multiple nozzle set, the EA1000, I tried to do it in a way to make things clearer on what the differences were between each nozzle. However, I think I ended up making it far more confusing by doing that, so I am going to approach this in a different way and see if I can keep it less confusing this time.

Starting off with the silver nozzles with the black O-rings, there is a lot of clarity but there is also that overly focused upper mid range double peak that is what led me to not get on well with the previous tunings of other Simgot models.

The subbass is clean and clear, with good definition, and it stands up to the torture test of “Chameleon” well, although it is not a set that will provide an excessive amount of rumble if that is what you are searching for. There is enough subbass for my personal preferences but it is not a wow factor of these IEMs. That doesn’t mean it is bad, I like it, it is not overpowering.

The midbass is just as clean and defined as the subbass, with nice detail and no boomyness at all in those lower reverberations of the guitar in “Crazy”. In the same way, “No Sanctuary Here” has a level of bass that I find nice, especially as the bass is quick and clear. It has that slight dynamic driver taste to it (if that even exists) but none of the slow response that we sometimes find from a DD.

The upper mids are where I can’t say I like these IEMs. I find it to be overly present, harsh and fragile sounding with these nozzles. This gives a lot of presence to vocals and also makes things seem very clear but I just find it to be a little harsh overall for me personally.

There is plenty of air and extension in the upper ranges, at least as far as my hearing extends (around 15.5kHz at my last test earlier this year). It is not a smooth treble, especially when added to that additional presence in the upper mids, although it does accentuate the detail without making it sound artificial, especially due to the EA500LM having good detail throughout the whole range.

Now, moving over to the silver nozzles with the red rings… I did this change half way through the track “No Sanctuary Here” and immediately felt things improved a lot in that harshness that I was hearing between 2.5kHz and 5kHz.

While the bass is still the same as far as quality and quantity, the reduced presence takes away a bit of the harshness and allows a little more focus on that low range. To be honest, they are still a little spicy for me in those ranges, however, I find them much more pleasurable than with the previous nozzles.

Going back to “Crazy”, the clarity is still there, there is still no boomy midbass and the detail is still good, but the vocals are slightly tamer in the upper ranges. I say slightly as there is still some sibilance and spice in the vocals of Daniella but I think this is something that I could adjust with some tip rolling and be fairly happy with the results.

The rest, for the most part, remains unchanged.

So, the last set of nozzles, the gold ones (which also have red O-rings but as there is only one set of gold nozzles, that doesn’t really matter).

These are my preferred set of nozzles by far. In fact, this is my favourite sound from a Simgot IEM to date. Ok, there is still a slight over-presence in those upper mids but now I am not feeling uncomfortable with it. Where I have been able to listen to other Simgot sets (and this set with other nozzles), with the Gold nozzles I am no longer feeling uncomfortable.

I would still prefer a tamer 2.5kHz to 5kHz range, we are now at a place where different tips and styles of music are enough for me to actually sit back and enjoy these IEMs. I find the subbass to stay clean and detailed, as with all the nozzles, the midbass to be very detailed and listenable, with a better presence as we climb up to those ranges that I just can’t love with Simgot tunings.

Detail and separation is good, soundstage is decent and, although a little peaky, the treble is not as overpowering due to the reduced upper mids. There is still a bit of sibilance in the vocals of “Crazy” but it is a lot more manageable, even at slightly higher volumes than my usual listening levels (although at high volumes it does become a little uncomfortable still).

Conclusion…

After reaching the same conclusion many times with Simgot IEMs: “They are great but the tuning isn’t for me”, well, I have the same conclusion here except… with the gold nozzles and some tip changes, I finally can enjoy a set of their IEMs without feeling uncomfortable.

Yes, they are still slightly on the harsh side (even with the gold nozzles) for my personal tastes but this is something that is probably only relevant to me and maybe 0.5% of those considering these IEMs. Even so, they are still very listenable.

But personal tuning tastes and sensitivities aside, the EA500LM are a very good set of IEMs that tick all the boxes for those looking for a set of good performing all round IEMs that are focused more towards a slightly forward signature than many of the “laid back” signatures we are seeing lately.