The Simgot EA500 is a slightly warm in-ear monitor with rhythmic bass, holographic sound, and an Achilles’ heel that incompetent reviewers won’t understand.
The SIMGOT EA500 can be crazy bright at times, but the treble can be tamed a bit thanks to the physical changeability offered by the various included nozzles.
Ultimately, this product is very well made, has a fantastic cable, and delivers great, even amazing quality images for the price.
The budget tier is ready to expand and explode like a beached whale, covering the entire area with bountiful prizes.
SIMGOT recently refreshed its products, taking EA500 as an example. This is a new IEM currently selling for $79. It’s packed with tons of features and customization possibilities.
It seems tailor-made for the budget world. But this one is a little different and includes some interesting features for us to enjoy.
SIMGOT EA500 Quick Review
The EA500 uses 10mm dual magnets and a dual cavity chamber design for the drivers. Of particular interest is the additional space allocated inside the all-metal chassis.
SIMGOT says the standard design of most other models includes the circuitry around the magnets only inside the internal driver structure.
However, they designed the EA500 to accommodate both internal and external magnetic circuitry.
The reason was to force a much stronger magnetic field than standard commercially available processes.
SIMGOT’s intention was to evoke a powerful sense of forward presence in the sound field.
It features a fourth-generation DLC composite diaphragm to provide owners with a powerful treble experience, constructed from specific materials aimed at being as light in weight as possible.
I can attest that the treble of this IEM packs a decent treble response, so at least for me, their goal has been achieved.
SIMGOT includes two sets of detachable nozzles for easy removal and installation. Each variation offers a different tone and expression.
The nozzle with the red ring provides more bass and targets the H-2016 target response from low to midrange.
In this configuration, bass depth is enhanced, and treble reduction is much more noticeable. That means less physical impact, less brightness, tamer on top, and richer on the bottom.
The response of the H-2016 curve and the Red Ring version of this experience tapers off considerably once it reaches the treble region.
The alternative nozzle set (black ring) is set to SIMGOT’s own sound curve.
This set delivers a much flatter sound and tone than the red ring nozzles, resulting in a smoother, less physically impactful bass response and a noticeably more prominent treble top end.
With the Black Ring transformation experience, female singers and vocals in jazz in general become much more prominent and stronger in texturing.
This is a preference. If you like the general sound of a good IEM rather than a specialty product with a few features to enhance, go for the red ring. They are a generalist-sounding type.
The black ring is more specialized, focusing more on the top end, bringing in a much stronger presence and treble tone at the expense of the low end.
SIMGOT EA500 Full Review
Build
The construction of the EA500 is truly amazing in terms of quality and design. It screams quality and the metal mirror finish isn’t easy to scratch, but it’s a fingerprint magnet so it’s still a good idea to take care of it.
However, in terms of durability, it is close to invincible, the metal is thick, and the nozzle screw is hard. Speaking of the nozzle, it is made of thick metal rather than thin aluminum.
It is a bit heavy, so we recommend using a cable with ear hooks. However, the gently curved shape of the housing is very comfortable, especially with the long bore eartips.
The included cable is fine. No more than that. This is a 4-core silver-plated cable. This is the only accessory that includes a small basic carrying case and one eartip model (the right model seen above).
I’d like to see at least three models of eartips, as none of them are best suited to achieving smooth, balanced tonality.
The left side is much better, so my #1 advice for the EA500 is to use eartips until you get a dynamic balance you like.
Comfort and isolation
Isolation is just average. The overall fit and comfort are good, but the heavier-than-average shell doesn’t disappear when worn.
Interior
Simgot EA500 uses a single 10mm dynamic driver with a 4th generation DLC composite diaphragm. These composite coatings typically further strengthen the diaphragm and improve transients.
The drivers also boast a dual magnetic circuit design for higher magnetic flux density.
Base
The bass density and slam are good. However, it seems a bit slow in terms of speed.
The texture is nice, but certain competing IEMs offer more texture at the expense of the “grunge” that the EA500 showcases. This is one of the trade-offs you need to consider within your budget.
Midrange
The mid-bass is recessed, so the pronunciation of male vocals can sometimes be lacking. The midrange tone is accurate, although there is a bit of shouting on tracks that lack sub-bass.
Female vocals sound good, but clarity may be slightly reduced on bass-heavy tracks, especially with the red filter.
The piano has a decent body in terms of note weight but could be denser in terms of overall presentation.
Treble
There is a bit of grain in the treble due to the unevenness of the response and the overall sparkle is somewhat suppressed as a result. On heavier tracks, cymbal strikes lack precision and immediacy.
There’s nothing offensive about it, and it’s not very decisive or “crisp” in terms of attack. There’s also a lack of treble extension, which is an issue with most single-dynamic driver IEMs.
Stock cable
The EA500 ships with a standard 2-pin silver-plated OFC cable. The cable looks very nice. I couldn’t be happier because it seems like the budget world is finally releasing quality cables these days.
I’ve just bought a ton of different portables with great cables for such low prices and now this EA500 has been added to the mix.
What a fantastic little cable! The cable material looks premium and I like the braided feel that ends with a standard 3.5mm adapter.
I’m also very pleased that the splitter part isn’t noticeable or heavy. When you walk around with headphones on all day, you tend to notice things like that.
If not implemented properly it can be a serious problem, it always sticks to your shirt, causes friction, causes some microphone issues, etc.
Thankfully, the EA500 doesn’t have that problem, despite its physical design being chunky and not rounded. I like round ones, but in this case, it’s light and rubbery, so I don’t think it’s a problem at all.
Conclusion of Simgot EA500
Simgot EA500 has entered a saturated market where it is much easier to get lost than to stand out. Fortunately, the EA500 has some neat features.
The tuning filters are simple but well-executed, provide meaningful changes to the signature, and can be further tuned using foam inserts.
The bass has good slam and rhythm, and the overall resolution is above average for the price.
But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Harsh highs suggest a budget price, and the soundstage and imaging could be improved to match the class leader.
Despite these issues, the EA500 is a capable product. It may not be the mythical “market disruptor” we all crave, but it is capable and shows enough merit in terms of overall tuning and design to stand out.
Also read; Top 7+ Best IEM for PS5 Gaming in 2024