Reviews by captainmuffins
Back in September I was in Shenzhen for the Shenzhen International Audio Show and Tanchjim was exhibiting there. I managed to listen to the then-named Oxygen Gen 2 and was very pleasantly surprised as they took a very different direction from the Kara which was released earlier in 2023.
Back in the wild days of 2024, the earphones known as Oxygen V2 decided it was time for a makeover and switched to the hipper name, Origin. Guess what's in our studio today? Yep, you got it the Origin.
Starting with an unboxing. If you have been following Tanchjim, they are one of the few chifi brands that have a cool cohesive theme. Always with the white, grey/silver colorway. The Box of the Origin is no different with the earphones plastered right in the center. This time round it clearly states that it has modular sound tuning through the form of different nozzles.
Behind the box is the curve that is was based on. Removing the sleeve. You then have a grey box with their angel logo in the center. Below that is a white cardboard thingy with literature.
You then see the earphones themselves as well as the previously mentioned nozzles. Below them are 2 sets of eartips. One set with a larger bore while the other features a smaller bore for folks who are more treble-sensitive.
Just below that is a white earphone case made of fake saffiano leather. Inside it is the cable.
Tanchjim did use heart to design this box and it is quite impressive. I love the presentation.
Build Quality.
Tanchjim again, knocked it out of the park with the build quality of the origin. These are premium feeling. The chassis I believe is made from stainless steel. I can’t seem to find any information on what material is used but judging from the heft, it should be steel.
That is a very beautiful mirror finish on the Origin. Polished to a beautiful luster. The faceplate has depth to the design. The name and the angel logo are embossed on the chassis and the workmanship is very clean.
When it comes to comfort as well. The chassis is impressive. They continued a trend that Simgot piloted earlier with the raised section of the nozzle. This allows IEMS to be more comfortable and the Origin to me is as you would have expected very comfortable.
Nozzles are interchangeable on the Origin but the effect of the different nozzles is really minimal.
The vent of the origin is quite large compared to the competition. This affects its overall tone somewhat. I would say that these are more liken a semi-open IEM rather than the traditional closed design. As such isolation is quite average. However, this also allows for pressure equalization in your ear canal and allows for more comfortable listen.
Origin has a 2-pin cable. Cable is of good quality and I rather like its simple and clean design language. It has a 3.5mm to 2-pin termination. Also, a chin stop is included for times you want the earphones to sit a little more sung.
The case provided is actually very usable which is very nice.
Sound
The Origin has the in-meta tuning of 2023/2024. It is another natural warm IEM that is all the rage these days but they did not blindly do this. Firstly. The Origin has a huge vent making it semi-open sounding. This adds a very different character that cannot be shown through a mere graph.
It has this wide airiness when it comes to the sound that makes them addictive and not common.
Secondly, the origin is a very forward-sounding IEM. I do rather like this as the singer sounds rather close to you while singing
There are different nozzles here but really they don’t make much of a difference.
Anyways, let's dive into the nitty gritty.
Bass.
As mentioned the Origin has a huge vent, effectively making this a semi-open IEM. But I am happy to say that it still maintains a rather traditional rendering of bass but with more airiness. I remember in my review of the Simgot EA1000 saying that there is added resonance and realistic decay. It is quite similar in the Origin as well with the exception that decay is actually a little faster.
Sub-bass extends very low and is actually surprisingly clean. The bass texture is true to life. It is also very fast with realistic decay. I do find that the resonance fades off quite quickly but does not sound like there is a dearth of resonance.
Midbass is very well controlled as well. I like the texture rendered by the origin, it is very believable.
Also to add, bass is also very dynamic on the Origin.
Midrange.
Vocals on the Origin is rather forward. I got the perception of the singer being rather close to me. And really this is quite nice as it allows you to listen to the tonal color of the voice in close proximity.
Origin has an upper mid-range focus which allows for vocals to sound focused and sweet. The resolution here again is great. Vocals also sound very nimble as fast.
The instruments here is also very crisp and articulate. If the track is recorded well, instruments sound clear without haze resulting in excellent positioning.
Treble.
The treble is smooth and airy on the origin. It is effortless and very well controlled. Shimmer on the cymbals is present but fades rather quickly never overstaying their welcome.
It again has a fast nature.
Soundstage
Width and Height.
The Origin does a fantastic job especially when it comes to the width of the music. It is just very wide-sounding. When it comes to height. It is vast as well but not to the same degree as width but still excellent.
Depth and Positioning
Depth is amazing how deep the instruments are in a track is very obvious. When it comes to positioning, because of the semi-open nature, positioning is every more obvious from the added air in the sound. Very good.
Comparisons
The Most Obvious Comparison against the Origin would be the Simgot EA1000
Now, both these IEMS are quite similar. The Simgot has a Passive Radiator while the Origin has a larger than normal vent.
I found that there is more bounce or radiance when it comes to the bass of the EA1000 compared to the Origin which is also airy but it diffuses faster.
When it comes to vocals, the Origin is slightly sweeter than the EA1000 . Both are airy but I just found the Simgot EA1000 to be a smidgen more so by comparison.
Technically both these IEMs are excellent and you will honestly not go wrong with either. Both are built to amazing specifications.
VS the Kiwiears Quintet.
The Quintet is again similar sounding but what they do to achieve this signature is vastly different. It uses 4 types of drivers that reward you with excellent resolution but the Origin is just more cohesive.
So what do I think about the Origin?
What do I like about it? I think that the tone on the origin is just glorious especially if you are a forward vocal lover. Also, these are a no-brainer for folks who want a more open and airy-sounding IEM.
In terms of build quality, it is also just sublime in line with the competition.
What I do not like about the Origin.
I think I can see that for folks who prefer a warmer-sounding IEM, the origin might not suit you.
So is this a blind buy, good buy, safe buy, or avoid IEM?
I would say that the Origin is a blind buy worth IEM. It has the makings of a great IEM with good design. Clearly, there was thought from the unboxing experience to the tuning of the IEM.
For what it is. I would say that it is simply amazing.
Back in the wild days of 2024, the earphones known as Oxygen V2 decided it was time for a makeover and switched to the hipper name, Origin. Guess what's in our studio today? Yep, you got it the Origin.
Behind the box is the curve that is was based on. Removing the sleeve. You then have a grey box with their angel logo in the center. Below that is a white cardboard thingy with literature.
Just below that is a white earphone case made of fake saffiano leather. Inside it is the cable.
Build Quality.
Tanchjim again, knocked it out of the park with the build quality of the origin. These are premium feeling. The chassis I believe is made from stainless steel. I can’t seem to find any information on what material is used but judging from the heft, it should be steel.
That is a very beautiful mirror finish on the Origin. Polished to a beautiful luster. The faceplate has depth to the design. The name and the angel logo are embossed on the chassis and the workmanship is very clean.
When it comes to comfort as well. The chassis is impressive. They continued a trend that Simgot piloted earlier with the raised section of the nozzle. This allows IEMS to be more comfortable and the Origin to me is as you would have expected very comfortable.
The vent of the origin is quite large compared to the competition. This affects its overall tone somewhat. I would say that these are more liken a semi-open IEM rather than the traditional closed design. As such isolation is quite average. However, this also allows for pressure equalization in your ear canal and allows for more comfortable listen.
Origin has a 2-pin cable. Cable is of good quality and I rather like its simple and clean design language. It has a 3.5mm to 2-pin termination. Also, a chin stop is included for times you want the earphones to sit a little more sung.
The case provided is actually very usable which is very nice.
Sound
The Origin has the in-meta tuning of 2023/2024. It is another natural warm IEM that is all the rage these days but they did not blindly do this. Firstly. The Origin has a huge vent making it semi-open sounding. This adds a very different character that cannot be shown through a mere graph.
It has this wide airiness when it comes to the sound that makes them addictive and not common.
Secondly, the origin is a very forward-sounding IEM. I do rather like this as the singer sounds rather close to you while singing
There are different nozzles here but really they don’t make much of a difference.
Anyways, let's dive into the nitty gritty.
Bass.
As mentioned the Origin has a huge vent, effectively making this a semi-open IEM. But I am happy to say that it still maintains a rather traditional rendering of bass but with more airiness. I remember in my review of the Simgot EA1000 saying that there is added resonance and realistic decay. It is quite similar in the Origin as well with the exception that decay is actually a little faster.
Midbass is very well controlled as well. I like the texture rendered by the origin, it is very believable.
Also to add, bass is also very dynamic on the Origin.
Midrange.
Vocals on the Origin is rather forward. I got the perception of the singer being rather close to me. And really this is quite nice as it allows you to listen to the tonal color of the voice in close proximity.
The instruments here is also very crisp and articulate. If the track is recorded well, instruments sound clear without haze resulting in excellent positioning.
Treble.
The treble is smooth and airy on the origin. It is effortless and very well controlled. Shimmer on the cymbals is present but fades rather quickly never overstaying their welcome.
It again has a fast nature.
Soundstage
Width and Height.
The Origin does a fantastic job especially when it comes to the width of the music. It is just very wide-sounding. When it comes to height. It is vast as well but not to the same degree as width but still excellent.
Depth and Positioning
Depth is amazing how deep the instruments are in a track is very obvious. When it comes to positioning, because of the semi-open nature, positioning is every more obvious from the added air in the sound. Very good.
The Most Obvious Comparison against the Origin would be the Simgot EA1000
Now, both these IEMS are quite similar. The Simgot has a Passive Radiator while the Origin has a larger than normal vent.
I found that there is more bounce or radiance when it comes to the bass of the EA1000 compared to the Origin which is also airy but it diffuses faster.
When it comes to vocals, the Origin is slightly sweeter than the EA1000 . Both are airy but I just found the Simgot EA1000 to be a smidgen more so by comparison.
Technically both these IEMs are excellent and you will honestly not go wrong with either. Both are built to amazing specifications.
VS the Kiwiears Quintet.
The Quintet is again similar sounding but what they do to achieve this signature is vastly different. It uses 4 types of drivers that reward you with excellent resolution but the Origin is just more cohesive.
So what do I think about the Origin?
What do I like about it? I think that the tone on the origin is just glorious especially if you are a forward vocal lover. Also, these are a no-brainer for folks who want a more open and airy-sounding IEM.
In terms of build quality, it is also just sublime in line with the competition.
What I do not like about the Origin.
I think I can see that for folks who prefer a warmer-sounding IEM, the origin might not suit you.
So is this a blind buy, good buy, safe buy, or avoid IEM?
I would say that the Origin is a blind buy worth IEM. It has the makings of a great IEM with good design. Clearly, there was thought from the unboxing experience to the tuning of the IEM.
For what it is. I would say that it is simply amazing.
mars chan
nice review
Today we have a look at the Truthear Nova, currently priced at 149.99 USD, but can vary slightly depending on region. It follows the Truthear DNA of having incredible performance for a much lower price than similar offerings, and the Nova sits at a considerable tier above the Zero and Zero:Red which got raving reviews. So, will this garner the same kind of attention? Let’s find out.
To begin, the box is a sleeved cardboard box that comes with a new Truthear waifu, Shiroi, and the entire package is a relatively modest size. Inside the box, there’s a pull tab with a cover that hides the rest of the accessories, IEMs, and ear tips, in a neatly arranged manner.
Truthear has helpfully provided three pairs of silicone ear tips (S, M, L), two pairs of double flange ear tips, both having different lengths and one pair of foam ear tips. In the accessories box, there is a deviation from the usual carrying case, where instead of a hard shell or a zipper box, it’s got a zipper pouch that is chic and stylish.
Build quality
The build quality of the Nova is similar to the Zero, following a black resin shell with a stylised faceplate, featuring a blue wavey patterned design with some sparkles. The shell itself is emblazoned with the Truthear brand and the L/R markings for the respective sides, and a flushed 0.78mm 2-pin connector. Some can mistake this for the Truthear Zero, as it does look very similar to that, apart from the fabric cable.
Over all build quality is very decent but I’m not going to risk sitting on it as I don’t want shards of resin on my ass.
The cable itself has an aluminium straight 3.5mm plug and an aluminium y-splitter, along with a chin stop that isn’t tight on the cable itself. It’s very pliable and soft, and doesn’t hold any memory at all so it won’t be finicky to deal with, but is a bit more microphonic and can be annoying to some. There are also memory earguides, albeit simple ones that are easy to adjust.
Being a 150USD IEM, it doesn’t come in any balanced termination, so just the venerable 3.5mm is used. This just means that you get to play with cables if you want to go balanced.
Comfort
The Nova’s shell is just slightly larger than the Truthear Zero’s shell, although extremely similar in shape and sizing. It can be on the larger side, so those with smaller ears might find it slightly uncomfortable, but for me, it fits just fine. Tips sit very nicely as well and when worn right, I can wear them easily with no discomfort. The memory earguides are not particularly intrusive and aid with comfort too.
The cable itself is a bit longer and that can be both a good or bad thing for people, as the length can end up snagging on furniture/the environment, but it allows your audio source to be further away.
Sound
The Nova follows a pretty standard hybrid configuration, a 1 DD + 4 BA setup, with a 10mm Dynamic Driver, and two dual BA drivers. To cut to the chase, the Nova features what is a Harman tuning to a tee.
As usual, I have included a graph for you guys who need such visualization. Just note that a graph is really more of a tool for QC and really says jack crap about the overall technicalities and can just hint at the overall tone.
What this means is that the Nova has quite a full bass that is well-balanced with the rest of the frequency range. I found the bass tight and punchy with very good control but wished that it was just a tad bit more dynamic in tone.
However, it does layer nicely with the rest of the frequency range and does not cut into the low mids. As such I never really noticed any midbass bloat but it still does have really good resonance coming from the dynamic driver which is quite unlike bass that is done via Balanced armatures. Overall it is a nice comfortable listen.
The mids are fantastic for the price, however. It reproduces vocals beautifully, and instruments sound cohesive and not unnatural, but that is to be expected with a Harman-tuned IEM. It’s got that slight upper-mid focus and would work beautifully with the ACG genre of music. The midrange timbre is also nice and natural, without too fast decay or feeling too sluggish.
As for the upper frequencies, the treble extends well and isn’t bright enough to cause fatigue when listening. It’s smooth and presents itself well, no sudden peaks and very comfortable to listen to for longer hours.
The soundstage isn’t the widest I’ve heard it’s rather on the intimate side, but doesn’t feel claustrophobic. There’s a good amount of layering and imaging, as individual sources of sound can be picked apart and distinguished easily as such it does depth and positioning quite well.
It’s quintessentially Harman tuning done tastefully, with no real deviations from it, some people tout it as a very versatile tuning, but some others might shun it for being very boring. It all boils down to personal preference, really, and all things considered, it’s a fantastic value buy from Truthear once again.
Of course, all said is meaningless if there aren't some comparisons.
Vs Truthears Hexa
So the previous similar-priced darling in the Truthears setup would be the Hexa and boy were these the favourites a few months back.
The Hexa by comparison has a flatter response and does not have an elevated upper mids at about 3K which makes it duller to listen to. I applauded Truthears for trying something new and making an easy-to-listen IEM albeit lacking in a bit of upper mid-range excitement.
I prefer the Nova by comparison as it is just more natural to me especially with the slight boost in upper mids making it have better perceived clarity. The Nova just sounds more lively.
Vs Simgot EA1000 Fermat
So the Simgot is the standout in the second-hand half of 2023. It uses a single DD + Passive Radiator that allows for a very cohesive sound with tasteful resonance.
It is, however, a little pricier than the Nova and it shows better levels of detail, technicalities, cohesiveness and a unique tonal colour.
But the Nova puts up a good fight with how it renders with 4 BA + 1 DD which has a traditional hybrid tonal colour. Which sort of tone is really up to your preference?
Vs Tanchjim Kara
I haven’t talked about the Kara in a while so I guess I’ll just talk about them when comparing to the Nova. The Kara is warm and rather round sounding. That is to say that it has a rather polite treble with thick mids and bass.
Technically the Nova is quite a bit ahead when you talk about technicalities with better details and positioning. Also, there will be more genres that will suit the Nova over the Kara.
Truthear has helpfully provided three pairs of silicone ear tips (S, M, L), two pairs of double flange ear tips, both having different lengths and one pair of foam ear tips. In the accessories box, there is a deviation from the usual carrying case, where instead of a hard shell or a zipper box, it’s got a zipper pouch that is chic and stylish.
Build quality
The build quality of the Nova is similar to the Zero, following a black resin shell with a stylised faceplate, featuring a blue wavey patterned design with some sparkles. The shell itself is emblazoned with the Truthear brand and the L/R markings for the respective sides, and a flushed 0.78mm 2-pin connector. Some can mistake this for the Truthear Zero, as it does look very similar to that, apart from the fabric cable.
Over all build quality is very decent but I’m not going to risk sitting on it as I don’t want shards of resin on my ass.
The cable itself has an aluminium straight 3.5mm plug and an aluminium y-splitter, along with a chin stop that isn’t tight on the cable itself. It’s very pliable and soft, and doesn’t hold any memory at all so it won’t be finicky to deal with, but is a bit more microphonic and can be annoying to some. There are also memory earguides, albeit simple ones that are easy to adjust.
Being a 150USD IEM, it doesn’t come in any balanced termination, so just the venerable 3.5mm is used. This just means that you get to play with cables if you want to go balanced.
Comfort
The Nova’s shell is just slightly larger than the Truthear Zero’s shell, although extremely similar in shape and sizing. It can be on the larger side, so those with smaller ears might find it slightly uncomfortable, but for me, it fits just fine. Tips sit very nicely as well and when worn right, I can wear them easily with no discomfort. The memory earguides are not particularly intrusive and aid with comfort too.
The cable itself is a bit longer and that can be both a good or bad thing for people, as the length can end up snagging on furniture/the environment, but it allows your audio source to be further away.
Sound
The Nova follows a pretty standard hybrid configuration, a 1 DD + 4 BA setup, with a 10mm Dynamic Driver, and two dual BA drivers. To cut to the chase, the Nova features what is a Harman tuning to a tee.
As usual, I have included a graph for you guys who need such visualization. Just note that a graph is really more of a tool for QC and really says jack crap about the overall technicalities and can just hint at the overall tone.
What this means is that the Nova has quite a full bass that is well-balanced with the rest of the frequency range. I found the bass tight and punchy with very good control but wished that it was just a tad bit more dynamic in tone.
However, it does layer nicely with the rest of the frequency range and does not cut into the low mids. As such I never really noticed any midbass bloat but it still does have really good resonance coming from the dynamic driver which is quite unlike bass that is done via Balanced armatures. Overall it is a nice comfortable listen.
The mids are fantastic for the price, however. It reproduces vocals beautifully, and instruments sound cohesive and not unnatural, but that is to be expected with a Harman-tuned IEM. It’s got that slight upper-mid focus and would work beautifully with the ACG genre of music. The midrange timbre is also nice and natural, without too fast decay or feeling too sluggish.
As for the upper frequencies, the treble extends well and isn’t bright enough to cause fatigue when listening. It’s smooth and presents itself well, no sudden peaks and very comfortable to listen to for longer hours.
The soundstage isn’t the widest I’ve heard it’s rather on the intimate side, but doesn’t feel claustrophobic. There’s a good amount of layering and imaging, as individual sources of sound can be picked apart and distinguished easily as such it does depth and positioning quite well.
It’s quintessentially Harman tuning done tastefully, with no real deviations from it, some people tout it as a very versatile tuning, but some others might shun it for being very boring. It all boils down to personal preference, really, and all things considered, it’s a fantastic value buy from Truthear once again.
Of course, all said is meaningless if there aren't some comparisons.
Vs Truthears Hexa
So the previous similar-priced darling in the Truthears setup would be the Hexa and boy were these the favourites a few months back.
The Hexa by comparison has a flatter response and does not have an elevated upper mids at about 3K which makes it duller to listen to. I applauded Truthears for trying something new and making an easy-to-listen IEM albeit lacking in a bit of upper mid-range excitement.
I prefer the Nova by comparison as it is just more natural to me especially with the slight boost in upper mids making it have better perceived clarity. The Nova just sounds more lively.
Vs Simgot EA1000 Fermat
So the Simgot is the standout in the second-hand half of 2023. It uses a single DD + Passive Radiator that allows for a very cohesive sound with tasteful resonance.
It is, however, a little pricier than the Nova and it shows better levels of detail, technicalities, cohesiveness and a unique tonal colour.
But the Nova puts up a good fight with how it renders with 4 BA + 1 DD which has a traditional hybrid tonal colour. Which sort of tone is really up to your preference?
Vs Tanchjim Kara
I haven’t talked about the Kara in a while so I guess I’ll just talk about them when comparing to the Nova. The Kara is warm and rather round sounding. That is to say that it has a rather polite treble with thick mids and bass.
Technically the Nova is quite a bit ahead when you talk about technicalities with better details and positioning. Also, there will be more genres that will suit the Nova over the Kara.
Simgot EA1000 Fermat
Video Review EA1000. Please Support!
This year has been a busy year for our friends at Simgot. Earlier this year, I think it is safe to say that the community was wow-ed by the level of detail that was on offer by the EA500.
That was followed by by cheapie offerings with the EW100 and EW200 which bottom shelf divers happy. Especially the EW200 where the tone quality is just so good. It was just full sounding which is very newbie friendly. If this is your first IEM video and looking for what to buy? Consider the EW200.
But today we are not here to talk about what Simgot has released the past year. We look to the present and future. Today we are talking about the EA1000 Fermat.
Let's just start things off with an unboxing of the EA1000 Fermat, we are greeted with a purplish box that has FERMAT’s Last Theorem printed on the front of it. This gives me PTSD from the times in school when I had to do advanced maths. I cannot do advanced math where things don’t make sense.
The top of the box does show the product name and when you flip it to the back you are greeted by not one but 3 different FR curves! Basically, the EA1000 has different nozzles for you to choose from and these are the 3 FR from the 3 nozzles.
After shaking the sleeve off, the box pops out, You then have the Fermat Last Theorem 3D Pop-Up Card Thingy which brings me back to my youth when I always wanted pop-up books but my mum thought that it was a waste of money as much of the book is taking up by pointless 3D popping up things which reduces the literary content.
Anyways, Fermat’s Last Theorem was thought to be impossible until 1995 when Andrew Wiles published something to show that it could be solved. I guess the story here is to never give up, love always wins and always eat your broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
Below that you have the IEMs sitting in their own compartment. Removing the first accessory box you have some sponges and when you go treasure digging in them, you will find all the interchangeable nozzles for nozzle-changing goodness.
The longer Accessory box has 2 sets of the same ear tips good for clumsy people such as yours truly who loses things all the time. You also are given more O rings for the nozzles and also some literature.
In the last box, you will find the IEM case itself. It is magnetic and can close quite easily which is nice. Inside it is the cables of the IEM as well.
All in all, the packaging is pretty well put together especially considering the price. A pretty complete package.
Build Quality
The EA1000 comes in a mirror finish and as you know mirror finish is quite a pain in the butt to make simply because any finishing error can be easily seen. I’m happy to say that mine came in a pristine condition.
At the front of the IEM, you have a beveled glass faceplate with some pattern underneath it. I think this really makes the EA1000 look really premium.
On the back of the chassis, you will see the opening for the passive radiator near the top of the IEM. Below that is the usual raised section as seen in the EA500 where this makes the IEM so much more comfortable to use.
The nozzle here is interchangeable, but it does have the red-ringed nozzle as the default. This review will be based on it.
The EA1000 comes in an interchangeable 2-pin termination. The cable provided is a silver-plated cable OFC litz cable.
Driver-wise, the EA1000 has the second-generation dual magnet dual chambre dynamic driver that Simgot uses. The diaphragm, although no mention of what material was used, is a beautiful purple gold annoy that has superior rigidity and lightweightness.
Sound
As there are 3 nozzles in the EA1000, I will base the review on the default nozzle, the red ring nozzle. Tonally, the rest of the nozzle does change the upper frequencies somewhat but does not change the character of the IEM. There are 3 nozzles here, A Red Ring, a Black Ring, and Gold.
The Red Ring is based on the Harman 2019 curve and it is also what I feel to be the most balanced version.
The Black Ringed Nozzle is great for folks who enjoy sparkly treble with a little more energy.
The Gold Nozzle still has great treble characteristics but it isn't as sustained as the reds or blacks.
But overall, the nozzles do not change the tonal character of the IEM.
The EA1000 is a natural warm IEM. What sets it apart from others in the market with such tuning is the inclusion of the Passive radiator. I found that the inclusion of it really makes bass very resonant and very lifelike. It just augments the texture of bass making them airy, a little more diffused but more importantly very natural sounding.
Bass
The passive radiator makes a huge difference in the tone of the bass of the EA1000. The way it changes tonally with added resonance and realistic decay is simply delectable. By no way, is the bass texture of the EA1000 like that of an open item which dissipates way too quickly.
Bass is fast, with unbelievable texture and very natural decay. I would say that bass is airy sounding yet full at the same time if that makes sense.
Subbass extension is extensive on the EA1000. You get good levels of visceral bass impact that is mated nicely to a robust mid-bass offering.
These are not bass-head IEMs, but neither are they anemic. I found that Simgot has done a good job controlling the quantity of bass and increasing the resolution and more importantly texture of bass. The improvement in texture does make bass have a 3D-like rendering.
Midrange
The midrange on the EA1000 has an upper midrange focus which really helps female vocals. Female vocals just sound very delicate and sweet. The resolution here is a whole level up from the EA500. There is an airiness to the tone that again coalesces well with the fundamental female tones which is exhilarating.
Male vocals are full-sounding but not overly full or grunty. It again has a very airy yet full-sounding texture which really bolsters a new dimension to listening. I really enjoy this new added subtlety to the overall tone.
Instruments that dwell in this range also is very articulate sounding. Pianos are very crisp and clear with a very high level of finesse.
Treble.
I bet by now you have already guessed the character of the treble. It is effortless, smooth, and airy.
It really adds a very good level of perceived space.
But covering the basic aspects of treble, your cymbals and crashes are very well defined. Crashes especially have a delicate radiance that will disperse very naturally as well.
I do feel that the treble here is very effortless and smooth. Almost rivaling IEMS uses the Sonion EST driver that will probably cost quite a few pretty pennies more than the EA1000.
Soundstage
Width and Height
Simply stellar when it comes to width and height. The Simgot is class-leading at the price point when it comes to soundstage reproduction.
It just renders staging beautifully wide and tall.
Depth and positioning
It has very good depth rendering as you can easily tell how far the instruments are. Positioning again is beautiful. There is this airiness that makes positioning believable.
Comparisons.
VS Kiwiears Quintet
I do find the Quintet to be rather similar to the EA1000 but with a different tonality.
The Quintet is another IEM with excellent resolution that is achieved with 4 different driver types. It will give you a very good resolution performance but tonally, it isn’t as consistent as the EA1000 with the beautiful airy rendition of music.
VS Tanchjim Kara
The Kara is priced just a bit cheaper than the EA1000. The Kata has quite a warm character which is quite different from the EA1000. I do feel that the EA1000 has better resolution characteristics with a nicer airy tone.
The Kara is just a very safe warm tuning that was a type of signature that was popular quite a while back. In terms of resolution, the EA1000 is ahead.
Conclusion.
The EA1000 is an IEM that I really like. It just does so many things right with excellent levels of detail that has full bass that is resonant and airy.
It is certainly very natural sounding and I found myself grinning ear to ear when listening to them.
Video Review EA1000. Please Support!
This year has been a busy year for our friends at Simgot. Earlier this year, I think it is safe to say that the community was wow-ed by the level of detail that was on offer by the EA500.
That was followed by by cheapie offerings with the EW100 and EW200 which bottom shelf divers happy. Especially the EW200 where the tone quality is just so good. It was just full sounding which is very newbie friendly. If this is your first IEM video and looking for what to buy? Consider the EW200.
But today we are not here to talk about what Simgot has released the past year. We look to the present and future. Today we are talking about the EA1000 Fermat.
Let's just start things off with an unboxing of the EA1000 Fermat, we are greeted with a purplish box that has FERMAT’s Last Theorem printed on the front of it. This gives me PTSD from the times in school when I had to do advanced maths. I cannot do advanced math where things don’t make sense.
The top of the box does show the product name and when you flip it to the back you are greeted by not one but 3 different FR curves! Basically, the EA1000 has different nozzles for you to choose from and these are the 3 FR from the 3 nozzles.
Below that you have the IEMs sitting in their own compartment. Removing the first accessory box you have some sponges and when you go treasure digging in them, you will find all the interchangeable nozzles for nozzle-changing goodness.
The longer Accessory box has 2 sets of the same ear tips good for clumsy people such as yours truly who loses things all the time. You also are given more O rings for the nozzles and also some literature.
All in all, the packaging is pretty well put together especially considering the price. A pretty complete package.
Build Quality
The EA1000 comes in a mirror finish and as you know mirror finish is quite a pain in the butt to make simply because any finishing error can be easily seen. I’m happy to say that mine came in a pristine condition.
On the back of the chassis, you will see the opening for the passive radiator near the top of the IEM. Below that is the usual raised section as seen in the EA500 where this makes the IEM so much more comfortable to use.
The nozzle here is interchangeable, but it does have the red-ringed nozzle as the default. This review will be based on it.
The EA1000 comes in an interchangeable 2-pin termination. The cable provided is a silver-plated cable OFC litz cable.
Driver-wise, the EA1000 has the second-generation dual magnet dual chambre dynamic driver that Simgot uses. The diaphragm, although no mention of what material was used, is a beautiful purple gold annoy that has superior rigidity and lightweightness.
Sound
As there are 3 nozzles in the EA1000, I will base the review on the default nozzle, the red ring nozzle. Tonally, the rest of the nozzle does change the upper frequencies somewhat but does not change the character of the IEM. There are 3 nozzles here, A Red Ring, a Black Ring, and Gold.
The Red Ring is based on the Harman 2019 curve and it is also what I feel to be the most balanced version.
The Black Ringed Nozzle is great for folks who enjoy sparkly treble with a little more energy.
The Gold Nozzle still has great treble characteristics but it isn't as sustained as the reds or blacks.
But overall, the nozzles do not change the tonal character of the IEM.
Bass
The passive radiator makes a huge difference in the tone of the bass of the EA1000. The way it changes tonally with added resonance and realistic decay is simply delectable. By no way, is the bass texture of the EA1000 like that of an open item which dissipates way too quickly.
Bass is fast, with unbelievable texture and very natural decay. I would say that bass is airy sounding yet full at the same time if that makes sense.
Subbass extension is extensive on the EA1000. You get good levels of visceral bass impact that is mated nicely to a robust mid-bass offering.
These are not bass-head IEMs, but neither are they anemic. I found that Simgot has done a good job controlling the quantity of bass and increasing the resolution and more importantly texture of bass. The improvement in texture does make bass have a 3D-like rendering.
The midrange on the EA1000 has an upper midrange focus which really helps female vocals. Female vocals just sound very delicate and sweet. The resolution here is a whole level up from the EA500. There is an airiness to the tone that again coalesces well with the fundamental female tones which is exhilarating.
Male vocals are full-sounding but not overly full or grunty. It again has a very airy yet full-sounding texture which really bolsters a new dimension to listening. I really enjoy this new added subtlety to the overall tone.
Instruments that dwell in this range also is very articulate sounding. Pianos are very crisp and clear with a very high level of finesse.
Treble.
I bet by now you have already guessed the character of the treble. It is effortless, smooth, and airy.
It really adds a very good level of perceived space.
But covering the basic aspects of treble, your cymbals and crashes are very well defined. Crashes especially have a delicate radiance that will disperse very naturally as well.
I do feel that the treble here is very effortless and smooth. Almost rivaling IEMS uses the Sonion EST driver that will probably cost quite a few pretty pennies more than the EA1000.
Width and Height
Simply stellar when it comes to width and height. The Simgot is class-leading at the price point when it comes to soundstage reproduction.
It just renders staging beautifully wide and tall.
Depth and positioning
It has very good depth rendering as you can easily tell how far the instruments are. Positioning again is beautiful. There is this airiness that makes positioning believable.
Comparisons.
VS Kiwiears Quintet
I do find the Quintet to be rather similar to the EA1000 but with a different tonality.
The Quintet is another IEM with excellent resolution that is achieved with 4 different driver types. It will give you a very good resolution performance but tonally, it isn’t as consistent as the EA1000 with the beautiful airy rendition of music.
VS Tanchjim Kara
The Kara is priced just a bit cheaper than the EA1000. The Kata has quite a warm character which is quite different from the EA1000. I do feel that the EA1000 has better resolution characteristics with a nicer airy tone.
The Kara is just a very safe warm tuning that was a type of signature that was popular quite a while back. In terms of resolution, the EA1000 is ahead.
Conclusion.
The EA1000 is an IEM that I really like. It just does so many things right with excellent levels of detail that has full bass that is resonant and airy.
It is certainly very natural sounding and I found myself grinning ear to ear when listening to them.
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