Simgot EA500LM Review
The Simgot EA500 LM, which retails for $89.99, is an in-ear monitor (IEM) that uses a single lithium-magnesium dome diaphragm dynamic driver per side and features three pairs of interchangeable tuning nozzles. My review unit was provided to me directly by Simgot.
Packaging and Accessories
The Simgot EA500 LM arrives in a medium-sized black cardboard box, adorned with a black slipcover that features holographic printed text and designs. The rear of the slipcover showcases the EA500 LM’s technical specifications and frequency response graphs of the EA500 LM with two of the three included tuning nozzles.
Upon unboxing, you’ll find an instructional manual, a pill-shaped semi-rigid zippered carry case, three pairs of generic silicone eartips, a velcro tie, and a bag of replacement o-rings for tuning nozzle identification.
Build Quality and Design
The build quality of the EA500 LM is immaculate, with heavy, mirror-polished shells with laser-etched detailing. From an external view, the EA500 LM’s vent structures are more sophisticated than most IEMs at any price point. The shells are on the smaller side, providing a very comfortable and secure fit.
Cable
The included braided 2-pin cable is on the thinner side, and the yellow and black color scheme is not to my taste. On the other hand, I am a fan of the the black anodized 3.5mm jack and Y-split hardware. The cable features a chin-adjustment choker, preformed earguides, and strain relief above the straight 3.5mm jack and below the Y-split. The right side is easily identified by a red dot on the 2-pin connector. The cable is not very microphonic.
Sound
Simgot EA500 LM (Silver_Red), Simgot EA500 LM (Gold_Red), Simgot EA500 LM (Silver_Black) — Bedrock Reviews (squig.link)
In terms of frequency response, even the most conservative tuning nozzle has an aggressive Harman tuning with very forward ear gain and presence regions. Functionally, this is a V-shaped IEM.
The bass performance is impressive, with excellent note weight and sub-bass extension, great texture, and good resolution. However, the strong technicalities are somewhat held back by the aggressive tuning, and I can’t help but wonder if it would sound more dynamic with a more restrained frequency response.
As for the midrange, male vocal intelligibility is good but not great, with limited detail, grit, and body. Female vocal intelligibility, on the other hand, is excellent. Female vocals are not sibilant but are on the brighter side. The EA500 LM shows the limitations of its tuning more clearly when listening to heavy rock genres compared to electronic dance music (EDM). Electric guitars sound overdriven and fuzzy, and analog percussion sounds dull compared to synthesized percussion. There is a bit of percussion compression as well.
The lower treble region is detailed and energetic, without sounding harsh. Cymbal clarity is good, with realistic-sounding transient delivery. There’s a tasteful mid-treble emphasis, adding a good amount of sparkle. The upper treble extension is surprisingly good for an IEM at this price point, and overall detail retrieval is very good. The soundstage is pretty wide but not very tall. Instrument separation is surprisingly good when the tuning complements the music genre being listened to.
Conclusion
In closing, the performance of the EA500 LM is more dependent on genre than I would have expected. It does a lot better with bass-focused genres like EDM, pop, or hip hop. However, it doesn’t render distorted electric guitars, male vocals, or analog percussion favorably compared to other options at this price point. This may be a great option for some, but as someone who listens to a lot of heavy metal and hard rock, this IEM is not a good fit for me. Furthermore, I think there are more versatile alternatives at this price point.