TL:DR for those who have no time or willingness to read the full review:
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Very good tuning with nice overall balance, good resolution, nice treble extension, lots of details and a great imaging | A bit more sub-bass rumble would have been delicious, and the upper midrange could be a borderline forward for some people |
| Good build quality and nice stock cable | Very few tips provided |
| Comfortable shells | |
| Price |
INTRODUCTION
Simgot has been under the spotlight for months already, and this thanks to some of their releases which were a true success (EA500, EW100P, EW2000, and so on).I am late on this review, but I asked Simgot if I could try something from them after reading many happy people spending great words about the EW200: I was curious to try these and I am lucky that they granted me a sample so that I could try this set and write a personal review of it.
Let’s get straight into the review since I can’t really wait to share what I think about these gems (and yes, this is already a little spoiler).
Disclaimer: the Simgot EW200 were sent from Simgot free of charge so that I could write a honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set and it is by no means a promotional or paid content.At the time of the review, the Simgot EW200 were on sale for about 39$ at Linsoul, Tmall and Aliexpress (they should also be available at your local Amazon website but it really depends on where you live).
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Configuration → 1 x 10mm DD
- Sensitivity → 126 dB
- Impedance → 16±15% Ω
- Frequency Response → 10 Hz – 50 kHz
- Cable → 1,20m OFC high purity silver plated copper cable with 0.78mm 2-PIN connectors
- Plug Type → L-Shaped gold plated 3,5mm jack connector
PACKAGING
The packaging is simple and with very few things inside:
- The EW200
- The detachable 3.5mm cable with 0.78mm PINs
- One set of tips (S, M, L sizes)
- A soft fabric carry pouch
- User manual
DESIGN, BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN
From the images, the EW200 are very similar to the EW100P, but the latter is made of plastic while the EW200 are enclosed in glossy and mirrored metal shells. There are also some “high definition” notes on the faceplates among with the Simgot logo, which I’m not a fan of since the only logo would have been much more minimalistic, but they look rather elegant anyway.
The nozzle is of average size, which means that most tips will fit perfectly, and even though the shell is a fingerprint magnet the overall build quality and design are very good.If anything, it’s one of the heaviest IEMs around in this price range, but this is not a dealbreaker since the shape of the shell is not awkward and the fit, as we’ll discuss later, proved to be very secure.
Lastly, there is one thing I don’t understand.
The EW200 use recessed 0.78mm PINs, just like Moondrop and Truthear, and it’s surprising that other models like the EM6L instead have a QDC connector. It would have been much better if Simgot used the same kind of connectors for their whole lineup, since one could buy one aftermarket cable and use the same on every IEM with no issues (sure, you can use EW200 cable on the EM6L, for example, but there’s a higher risk of damaging the cable or the IEMs since you’re not using a QDC aftermarket cable).
CABLE
The stock cable is covered by a PVC sheath and it’s a very good cable considering the price of the IEMs. The chin slider used by Simgot on this cable is one of the nicest around, and if you have read some of my older reviews you know that I always search for chin sliders when evaluating an IEM (I know it could seem like a stupid thing, but it’s a kind of “accessory” that always turns out to be useful sooner or later.
Since the 2-PIN connector is recessed, this cable has a very thin plastic housing around the PINs, which means that this cable is basically usable on every IEM around.
COMFORT AND ISOLATION
The EW200 are very comfortable, both because the shell doesn’t have sharp edges and because the nozzle is not annoyingly long or large. The provided tips are not bad but some will maybe prefer playing with some aftermarket tips in order to find a better fit. I have to say that the stock ones do the job for me, even though I will definitely spend some time playing with other aftermarket tips after finishing this review.
The isolation is not the strongest around but it’s more than enough to use them outside.
SOUND
GEAR USED FOR THE TEST
- DAC: Topping E30
- AMP: Topping L30
- Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3
- Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Truthear SHIO
- Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
- Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, ElGato Wave XLR
Do they need an amplifier?
The EW200 don’t strictly need an amplifier to perform well, and they reach more than satisfying volumes even when plugged to weak sources.
Sound signature
The EW200 present some minor differences from the Harman 2019 target, from which they are inspired (they have also put the graph on the box for comparison), but they can be described as an Harman-tuned set.
Lows: this is a “quality over quantity” set, hands down. The sub-bass is slightly less present than on a pure-Harman set, but comes up in a very clean way when called for and it’s well controlled. Definitely not basshead’s material, the EW200 also surprise with a very tight and fast bass and a moderate texture quantity. Some people may feel the need for more thickness, but the intention of the tuner wasn’t making a thick-sounding or bassy set.
Mids:
The midrange is not recessed as on the many other sets in their price range. In fact, even though the lower midrange is not really deep or rich, the overall balance of the mids is surprisingly good, with frontal instrument reproduction, good layering and separation. Female vocals really shine and are very energetic, but those who are very sensitive will find them “borderline” sometimes.
Highs:
The highs are elevated, packing a lot of details, and I was really surprised by the quantity of small nuances portrayed by the EW200. Not only that: the treble is extension is great and there is a lot of air and sparkle, even though this comes at the cost of making the IEMs not suited for treble sensitive people.
Soundstage is generally wide with average depth and limited height perception. The imaging is above average for the price though, which is good news.
Simgot EW200 vs EPZ Q5
Let’s be brief: from a technical standpoint, the differences are very small and, if present, mostly attributable to tuning. The signature and the overall timbre are what really make a difference in this case, since the EPZ Q5 come out as a slightly more V-shaped set.The sub-bass, in fact, is more elevated, impactful and extended on the EPZ Q5, providing a more solid foundation than on the EW200. The Simgot EW200, on the other hand, takes the lead when it comes to the bass, with a slightly better bass response consisting in a bit more punch and tightness.The midrange is less recessed on the EW200 (even if not dramatically so) overall, but male and female vocals sound a tad better on the EW200 with more intimacy and energy.The upper treble has very good extension on both, but the EPZ Q5 are airier and even more open and spacious than the EW200, even though the EW200 somehow manage to sound a bit thicker and with a “cleaner” detail retrieval.When it comes to soundstage and imaging, the differences are very small, since the EPZ Q5 are marginally better in portraying a more spacious soundfield whereas the EW200 have better imaging capabilities.Both are comfortable and well built and both come with very nice cables. If I have to be nitpicky, the EPZ Q5 come with MMCX connectors, which tend to be less durable than 2-PIN connectors, and the EW200 benefit from the bigger shell insulating better from external noises (but again, this are really minor differences).Summing up, there’s no clear winner and it all comes down to personal preferences: if you listen to EDM, Metal or other genres that could benefit from a more elevated sub-bass and a slightly snappier treble, then the EPZ Q5 are the ones to get; if you instead tend to listen to vocal oriented tracks and prefer a more “rounded” set, or if you don’t like the MMCX connectors at all, then the EW200 may be the smarter choice.
Simgot EW200 vs CCA Duo
The CCA Duo are a very unique set in the KZ lineup, but this is not enough to beat Simgot’s EW200. The Duo are brighter, with an even leaner low-end, thinner midrange and less note weight overall. The EW200 are already somewhat bright, but the CCA Duo are even brighter due to the fact that the low-end is much less present than on the EW200 (especially in the sub-bass region) and also because the treble is more emphasized on KZ’s IEM.The overall tonal balance along with the great technical ability of the EW200 really make the Duo obsolete, and even though the latter has respectable technicalities and resolution, the EW200 come out as the overall best-sounding IEMs of this comparison.The build quality of the EW200 is better but the Duo are well built as well. The stock cable provided with the EW200 is better. Comfort is similar the same applies for the isolation.The EW200 are just better, period.
Simgot EW200 vs Moondrop LAN
The Moondrop LAN was overlooked by many due to the fact that most people classified it as an average set, but they are still a very balanced and well done set.Compared to the EW200, the Lan tend to be less bright overall, with just a tad more sparkle on the upper end even though the EW200 sound more extended and open overall.The EW200 also sound fuller in the low end and this translates into a better perception of the lower midrange that sounds slightly deeper and warmer while the Lan have a more neutral lower-midrange. The upper midrange is not very different, but sometimes the EW200 may be perceived as a tad more forward in that area.Imaging and soundstage are better on the EW200 whereas the overall timbre is a bit smoother on the Lan.Build quality is great on both sets even though the Lan feel a bit sturdier to the touch. EW200’s stock cable is better and has a chin slider (the Lan don’t have anything similar on their stock cable). Comfort is good on both sets, but the Moondrop are smaller and may be slightly easier to keep in the ears if you small ears.I’d pick the EW200 but it’s just because the Lan have a less pronounced sub-bass and this doesn’t fit my personal preferences.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Simgot EW200 is an amazing set of IEMs, and it’s really hard to find serious flaws.Being nitpicky, one could ask for a bit more sub-bass rumble and a slightly less forward upper-midrange, but I won’t really complain for anything particular since they perform much better than expected considering their price.
Well done Simgot!
I bought some last month, and found that they fit almost perfectly, sound quality-wise, into their price point. Cheaper Salnotes Zero’s are a clear step down, and KZ PR1’s and similar headphones in the 50-100$ range outperform the Simgots, though not by a large margin.
I picked mine up at the same time as some Letshuoer S12’s, which promptly blow the EW200s out of the water, albiet for nearly 3x the price.
I guess at the end of the day, I don’t really have anything negative to say about the EW200s. They represent a mid-budget price point very well, and while they lack compared to more expensive IEMs, I think they’re perfect if you have a tight budget, and want a step up from the Zero’s.
I haven’t heard them for comparison, but the real question is; for about 40$, do you get the Simgots or Truthear x Crinacle: Red’s?
Hello friend. Unfortunately, I have never tried the Truthear x Crinacle Zero and Zero:RED.
I can just say that if I had to choose between these and a pair of KZ PR2, I would pick these with no hesitation.
The only IEM at the same price that would make me struggle a bit would be the EPZ Q5, which are technically similar to the EW200 but a bit more V-shaped.
Insane period to be on the market for IEMs, really.