REVIEW: SoundMAGIC P10

[TopPop]

In the search of a new (portable) drug (thank you, Huey), I came across the P10 foldable headphone from SoundMAGIC, makers of the ever-hyped PL30 iem. There seemed to be almost next to no information online about these headphones, here or otherwise, but they were $24, shipped, from MP4Nation so I thought... why not?

As Kodai already noted in the SoundMagic P10 quandary thread, these things are pretty dang small. Here are some pics I shot to give you some reference...

Fully extend, on my (relatively small) hand:



Folded up:



Sittin' next to my Fuze:




What you get:
-P10 foldable headphones with 22" cable (straight plug)
-40.5" extension cable (right angle plug)
-Black pouch marked SONY (wtf?)

I was originally going to post this review after about 100+ hours of burn-in, which is my usual wait time for headphones. I kept them plugged into a radio round-the-clock, and would bring them out every once in a while to have a listen. I stopped hearing changes after the first full day of burn-in (25+ hours), so I decided to go ahead and write this up now (at 50+ hours of burn-in).

Well, so what do I think of these?

Let's start with my gripes...

These things are a ROYALPAININMYFREAKINGASS to get fitted correctly. The metal headband has a lot of spring in its clamping action, so the cups want to slide around on my ears when I first put them on, which is just frustrating. Also, the sound can change dramatically with the fit, so I usually have to spend a good 20-30 seconds fiddling with them every time I put them on before I'm happy with both the feel of the fit and the sound of the fit. Once they're ready, however, they do a decent enough job of staying put.

Even though they are closed phones, being that they're supra-aural they don't isolate very well. Better than my Koss KSC75... but that's not saying much. I wouldn't recommend these for the bus, train, subway, walking, etc. Coffee shop or library? Knock yourself out.

They play just fine coming straight out of my Fuze. I usually keep the volume a bit under 50%, so no worries about needing to amp these. Will they sound better amped? Sure, of course... but nothing drastic.

How do they sound, though? That's the question. I'll just do a brief comparison to the KSC75, since many of you probably own a pair (or at least have heard them before):

Over all... I would say that these two phones are mirror images of each other. V-curves turned in opposite directions, if you will. While the KSC75 is heavy on the fat bass and sparkly treble, but with recessed mids, the P10 is midrange-centric, to say the least.

Bass... These don't go very deep, but they sure are punchy. The KSC75 has a bass which can, at times, be decently deep and powerful... but it is pretty muddy and bloated. The P10, on the other hand, delivers what I consider to be a much more natural bass presentation. There's not a whole lot of it, but what there is of it, is relatively tight and controlled. Bassheads need not apply.

Midrange... If you like midrange, these are the budget portables for you. There even seems to be a peak in the upper midrange. Not quite high enough to be bright, but not the least colored phones I've heard. However, I like this presentation, and it suits me just fine. This highlights such instruments as saxophone, guitar, piano, tom drums, snare, etc., and vocals are very prominent. The KSC75 falls pretty far behind in the midrange.

Treble... Much more natural than the KSC75, in my opinion. Just as much information, but less "sparkly" and fake sounding. Pretty well extended, with just a slight emphasis spread fairly evenly across the treble (or maybe this is just a by-product of the leaner bass presentation). Think DT-880 sound signature, but with the peak in the upper midrange instead of the (lower) treble.

Tone... Tonally, I'm surprised how accurate these are! Instruments actually sound like what they're supposed to sound like! (what a novel concept...) Mind you, they're far from perfect, but much better than I had expected for under $25.

Head/Sound-stage... Pretty good, actually; pretty good. A good deal better than the KSC75, which seems to have an in-your-face Grado quality at times. The P10 is more laid-back, while giving a good step or two forward to main instruments and vocals.


So, overall, I'm genuinely pleased with these headphones. They're wonderful for working at my desk, or taking with me to the library. Not so great for commuting, however. Minus the OH SO FRUSTRATING fit issues... these are definitely keepers.

[TopPop]

I'm listening to Dave Brubeck Quartet .wav files through these right now, via a Leckerton Audio UHA-3 amp/dac.

I have to say: these sure do sound much more refined than I would have thought possible for $25!

[Evshrug]

Hmm, cool find!
I felt that the PX100 was more neutral (though still a bit more bass than neutral) than the KSC 75, so it would be interesting to see how these stack up. Perhaps I paid an extra $15 for a more open design that folds like glasses (and more flat)? Intriguing anyway, definitely would try this if/when my PX100 needs replacing.

[Evshrug]

Double post?

[robojack]

Try these with a 75 ohm cable, and tell me how they sound. I remember using my 75 ohm cable for my KSC 75's, and it improved the overall presentation immensely. Increased soundstage, and tighter and more controlled bass were the results, and made them very amp friendly

[TopPop]

Originally Posted by robojack

Try these with a 75 ohm cable, and tell me how they sound. I remember using my 75 ohm cable for my KSC 75's, and it improved the overall presentation immensely. Increased soundstage, and tighter and more controlled bass were the results, and made them very amp friendly

Hmmm... interesting... where might one purchase said cable??

[Evshrug]

And would you get a similar effect from just plugging in something like this?
Etymotic ER-4P to ER-4S Adapter @ HeadRoom: The World's Best Headphone Audio Store

And maybe an even less expensive in-line resistor from radioshack? (any help finding such?)
Physics/electronics wise a resistor isn't that complicated...

[TopPop]

^Wow! That's twice the cost of the SoundMAGIC headphones!

If that's what those things cost... I think I'll be okay without one.

[Evshrug]

50 ohm 10W 5% Wirewound Resistor (2-Pack) - RadioShack.com
Maybe? It's not exactly "cryo" anything.

HMMM!!!!
Interesting thread, this is going into my "tweaks" blog!
Making an Etymotic P to S adapter cable

And @ TopPop:
Hey! You're the one with a recabled HD-600! What premium did you have to pay for the chord over just getting a straight HD-600?! (even if you bought used, I'm sure the cable was reflected in the price!)

And the ety thingie is pre-made, and it's easy to put between any headphone jack/cable!

(Isn't this just cool? FM Radio Snap-Kit)

[Evshrug]

.

[Evshrug]

.

[KONAKONA]

Did you compare these to modded KSC 75s or unmodded? KSC 75 sounds no good without a good quarter and kramer mod on it IMO.

[TopPop]

Originally Posted by KONAKONA

Did you compare these to modded KSC 75s or unmodded? KSC 75 sounds no good without a good quarter and kramer mod on it IMO.

Yes, I Kramer modded the driver housing, and quarter modded the pads.

I gave them to my roommate. The P10 just sounds so much more natural to me (and, therefore, in my opinion, more enjoyable).

[ljokerl]

Just ordered a pair! I love my modded KSC-75's, but they are quite useless outside due to lack of noise supression. Hopefully these will be at least a little better on both counts (audio and noise). Thanks for taking the time to write a review for newbies like myself.

[TopPop]

Originally Posted by ljokerl

Just ordered a pair! I love my modded KSC-75's, but they are quite useless outside due to lack of noise supression. Hopefully these will be at least a little better on both counts (audio and noise). Thanks for taking the time to write a review for newbies like myself.

Great! Enjoy them, and be sure to post your impressions.

Also, I go back on what I say about them not changing much after the first ~25 hours. Definitely give them a couple of weeks of burn-in/regular play before you settle on your opinion of the sound. They are quite nice now, and I enjoy them immensely.

They now remind me (notice I say "they remind me", and not "they sound like") of the Audio-Technica ESW9 in terms of sound signature.