SoundMAGIC E50 / E50S

 
 
 
Introduction
This is my review of the SoundMAGIC E50, a iem from their new reference series.
 
I want to provide a little background information in the hopes that it can help put my views in perspective and provide some context for the content of this review.
 
Music has always been a huge part of my life, whether it was been performing music on stage with my band or more recently, involving myself in the headphone hobby.  I have always enjoyed listening to music but I haven’t always paid attention to the quality of headphones because I was happy with whatever earphone was included with my cellphones. Ignorance is bliss right? This all changed when I came across head-fi one day, and that’s when things started to go downhill (for my wallet that is ). It is easy to underestimate how much difference a decent pair of headphones can make in the enjoyment of your favorite songs.
 
After getting my first pair of good headphones, I had felt as if an entire new world opened up to me musically and I am rediscovering music that I have listened to for many years.
 
When it comes to musical taste, I can’t say that I have any specific genre that is my absolute favorite, as I like a little bit of everything. But if I had to be specify, I would say that I love mainstream and pop music and I consider myself to be an average joe in that regard. That is the approach I will be taking in reviewing headphones, for people like me who aren’t all that technical and are not audiophiles in the classical sense.
 
I mostly stream music from the Internet using services such as Spotify and Youtube and like millions of other people, my laptop and cellphone serves as my main media players.
 
So with that out of the way, lets get on with the review.
 
 
Disclaimer
I want to thank SoundMAGIC for giving me the opportunity to review the E50 and in providing a review sample in exchange for my honest opinion.
 
 
 
Accessories
The E50 comes in a small attractive packaging with plenty of goodies inside. It comes with a solid carrying case that will provide ample protection and interior space to carry the E50 and spare tips. The case is stark black with red border stitching, being both fashionable and functional with sturdy construction. An ample selection of tips is provided in the packaging, ranging from single flange to double flange tips (not pictured as I seem to have misplaced them at the moment!) of varying bore sizes. A medium size comply tip was included, which should provide a snug and stable fit with great isolation.
 

 
 
 
Design/Build quality
Out of the box, the first thing that caught my eyes was how utterly small the earphone felt in my hand. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing!
 
They have a solid and sturdy construction that holds up well to the rigors of daily life, for example stuffing them into pockets quickly when you have to catch a bus.
It’s always nice to be careful with your headphones but truth be told, these headphones don’t need to be babied and they can take the abuse. One thing I did notice was a bit of driver flex when I used certain tips on a number of occasions. 
 
They are well designed in that they truly disappear into your ears and you kind of forget that they are there, not only because how good the music sounds, but also because how comfortable they are.
 
The jack is at an angle and narrow, so it will work well with your favorite cellphone cases. The angled jack also makes the cable decidedly more pocket friendly.  The cable has adequate strain reliefs and it gives me confidence that it will hold up in the long run. One other thing I appreciated was the easy left and right identifiers on the iem housing, makes it easy to properly orient the left right pieces.
 
The cable is rather springy and stiff, for better or worse. On one hand, it doesn’t tangle easily when carried in pockets, but on the other, they carry a bit of memory and can be unruly at times, specially when worn cable down, due to it's stiff nature. However, the addition of a chin slider helps reign in the cables.
 
The wire does carry noise but wearing the E50 cable up can easily mitigate that, which is something the E50's design easily lends itself to.
 

 
 
 
Comfort/Isolation/Commuting
As I touched upon earlier, the SoundMAGIC E50 is easily one of the more comfortable earphones I have used. With their pill like design and diminutive size, it’s a matter of inserting in your ears and forgetting about them, which I have done on a number of occasions, falling asleep while listening to music at night.
 
The E50 has above average isolation in my experience and with correct size ear tips  one could expect to reasonably drown out most of the loud sounds and noises during a daily commute. With the use of comply foam tips, this isolation further improves, but at the cost of flexibility, as it’s not as easy to keep taking out the earphone to catch subway announcements or if someone is trying to talk to you for example and then having to squeeze the foam tips again for insertion.
 
All in all, these are all the hallmarks of a commute friendly headphone and I would happily recommend them for that purpose alone, if that is your highest priority above all else.
 
 
Sound
Now lets talk about how they sound!
 
For many people the sound quality is very important, if not the most important quality that many look for in a headphone, whether the cost is 30 dollars or 300 dollars.
 
Ever heard the old saying “it’s not the size of your dynamic driver that’s important but how you use it?” Yeah me neither possibly because I may or may not have made that up for this review! But lets not sweat the details
 
Don’t let the E50’s size fool you into thinking they sound as small as they look, because they sound anything but!
 
They have a big, engaging and energetic sound. I find the sound signature to be v-shaped with a tasteful emphasis on treble and bass. Despite this, the midrange hardly feels recessed. Somehow the E50 manages to be warm and detailed all at the same time. They certainly live up to their moniker
 
The treble has a bit of sparkle to it when the song calls for it. It highlights some of the more subtle background details allowing you to hear them with ease. This is especially highlighted in dance music tracks where panning and background effects are easily noticeable and brought to the forefront.  With its emphasized treble, it gives the sound an expansive feeling and makes Top 40 music quite exciting to listen to. It is nicely extended and sparkly and really opens up with the help of a wide bore tip. Despite this, the E50 is easy to listen to for longer periods of time without experiencing ear fatigue. I did not notice any troubling treble peaks or sibilance.
 
Getting back to the soundstage, the sound stage is above average, with an expansive sound that feels open and not congested in your head. To my ears it has great height and width but is lacking in depth. Sonic cues, for imaging and instrument positioning, were surprisingly good for an iem at this price range. The E50 makes it easy to pick out the different instruments and elements of a song, with above average layering and separation of instruments.
 
As I had touched upon earlier, the midrange felt a bit recessed to my ears, while being warm and lush, which works well with a great deal of music genres. Female vocals were a treat in dance music tracks specially.
 
The bass is tight, punchy and reasonably extended. The bass emphasis is more in the midbass region than the sub bass region. Easy to discern textured bass lines that demand your attention but scurry out of the way when not called upon, with good decay. Listening to a track with lots of sub buss such as “Before I sleep” by Joy William, I noticed that the sub bass is a bit subdued compared to the midbass, nonetheless, the bass is not bloomy but there was a bit of bleed into the lower midrange.
 
 
Custom tips
I am someone who enjoys getting the most out of my purchases, whether it be top of the line in ear monitors or more budget friendly headphones. It was with goal in mind that I had custom silicon tips made.
 
Getting an optimal sound out of an iem is ultimately dependent on how well they seal in your ears. I decided to remove this variable from the equation all together so I can hear how it sounds like, and get a great fit every time.
 
Using the custom silicon tips, I find that the sound is quite competent. The bass is much more tight and controlled and the sound is overall brighter with smaller soundstage. The biggest change I noticed was how much detail this thing can put out. Everything feels more pushed to the front and intense and it makes for a very engaging experience.  However the sound can be fatiguing when listening in this fashion, but the custom tips serve to highlight that with a great seal you can expect a detailed sound that will surely have your toes tapping.
 

 
 
 
Different applications – music, movies, gaming
 
Having explored how they sound from a music listening perspective, I want to touch a bit upon how they excel at other applications, such as watching movies and playing video games.
 
Using them to watch movies on my laptop, I found the experience enjoyable. Easy to hear movie dialogue, explosions and sound effects sounded terrific with a believable soundstage.
 
They are also fantastic at the gym, particularly when used in conjunction with foam tips such as comply. They easily stay in you ears and isolate you very well when working out and the wires are sturdy so they won’t be easily damaged should they snag on something.
 
They were surprisingly great for gaming on my Playstation 3. I found the soundstage and accurate sonic cues to be an asset while playing games like call of duty for example.
 
 
Conclusion
If you stuck with me this far, congrats on staying awake this long!  Here is the bottom line:
 
What the E50 is:
If you are looking for something you can easily listen to all day, whether it be at work, the gym or home, the SoundMAGIC E50 should definitely be on your list of earphones to check out, especially if commuting and isolation is high on your list of priorities. The E50 is fantastic for on the go music listening, particularly out of cellphones and the likes. They have a fun and engaging sound that brings your favourite tracks to life, all the while providing a non-fatuiging sound that you can listen to for hours on end.
 
What the E50 is not:
It is not a neutral iem looking to produce the most accurate sound possible. If you want something that is more accurate and neutral, the E80 would be an excellent alternative to check out, along with many others on the market.
 
I hope I have helped get across what the soundMAGIC E50 offers and whether it would be right for you. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Intro:-
 
  I was really excited when SoundMAGIC announced a couple of new earphones with a new “Reference” line up, Led by E80, their flagship, and subordinate E50( like Bumblebee), what I have here with me is E50 dressed in red, priced $45-50 in USA and 45-50 euro in the UK for non-mic and headset versions respectively. 
 SoundMAGIC is one of the renowned Chinese Headphone brands, made its presence felt with earphones like E10, E30, PL30 and PL50 and many entry level earphones (a few full size headphones too), some of them worth mentioning are, PL11, PL21, ES18 and ES20, and I have 7 earphones from SM. I still find it difficult to recommend an earphone that is better than ES18 for under $15. When they introduced these earphones they took the market by storm, back then E10 and PL50 were some of the most popular earphones and were well received by reviewers and consumers too. But SoundMAGIC had not released many earphones lately.
 
 This time around they have introduced a couple of new models E50 and E80, both have their mic versions named E50S and E80S. E10 is smooth with enough bass and mids to please the crowd, and now SoundMAGIC has E50, similar looking better sounding earphone to do the job which E10 does for a little less price.
 It will face tough competition from earphone like ZA Tenore, UE600, VSD2/3/S, Fidue A63, HAvi B3 pro and maybe from Brainwavz S5 as its price dips to $50 at times. I am going to compare these with Vsonic VSD2/S, RE-400 and A151p 2^nd gen.
 
 About me, I like balance, no problem with V-shaped sound till the earphone has enough details, a bigger stage and good layering will do wonders, and I am not much bothered about bass till it is fast, but prefer more sub bass, I will forgive everything if it’s got pace and mids and highs are taken care of. I love spark with my highs, I won’t kill for spark but spark is what makes a phone feel alive, too much will kill the
cat



and too less will kill the cat too, I don’t like to play around EQs but I have mine applied.
And before I get started, let me thank SoundMAGIC for giving me this opportunity to review E50.

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Accessories Ergonomics and Miscellaneous:-
 
  E50 come in a nice looking box with a window at the back showing the product itself. Like other brands SM too will ship E50 with plenty of tips comprising of 6 pairs of single flange tips (S/M/L) both wide and narrow bore in sets of three, 1 pair of bi-flange tips, a pair of comply T-400 tips, this time around there is a carrying case instead of a draw string pouch which is a welcome change, and thankfully there is a shirt clip in the pouch.
 
 Ergonomics wise, these are equal to E10, straight barrel design never has problems with comfort and usability, you can wear these cable down and over ear too, and I can even sleep with these inside my ears, isolation is average, not par with VSD2S, VSD5 or even UE600 but better than Titan-1. Shells are made of lightweight aluminum but the nozzle is plastic, there are two vents on the shells, one on the side and one below the nozzle, thanks to these there is no driver flex. Its cable is exactly like E10, Same internally braided red cables. Similar Y splitter, chin slider And stress relievers, just like E10 the cable is bouncy and microphonics is bothering too, not bad when worn over ear though, don’t forget to use the cable clip. A single welcoming change was made at the 3.5mm jack end, this time around it is angled, 60 degrees to be precise. It’s a nice change from straight plugs we had with E10 and E30.

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Sound Quality:-
 
 E50 comes under SoundMAGIC’s Reference series and the first thing you will find written on the box is “Powerful bass balanced with superb musical details” and I will concur with this, its bass is nicely balanced with the mids which is not common when it comes to dynamic driver earphones in this price bracket, BA are a different story. Not V shaped like Piston 2 or FX-40 or E10.
 One thing I noticed is that this earphone has an impedance rating of 51(+-)10% which is really high for a single dynamic driver, thankfully it is not that difficult to drive, I remember PL50 had a rating like this and it was easy to drive too.
 
 Sound signature is warm and smooth while sounding full and balanced, notes are thick and have nice body, no spikes of any kind at all.
 I am using stock large size narrow bore tips, and have burned this earphone for more than 100 hrs.
 
 Here are some of the tracks that I used for listening.
 James blunt – 1973(my fav track), will.I.am –freshly (for bass), Adele - set fire to the rain, Paul lindford and Chris vrenna – most wanted mash up, Plan-B – playing with fire,Jessie J- sweet talker, Tinie Tempah- wonderman feat Ellie Goulding, George Barnett- super hero in a ball and Down on me (this guy knows what he is doing), Breaking Benjamin- Who wants to live forever (Queens cover, new mix), Lupe Fiasco- Adoration of the magi Feat. Crystal Torres and John Newman Calvin Harris – blame.
 
 Lows:-
  First thing you will notice out of the is its bass, smooth and nicely controlled, has more than enough presence, moves enough air and has enough slam, A151 2^nd gen sounds like it has no bass in front of E50. Thankfully there is no mid bass hump or lack of sub bass like E10, its well rounded with better details too. Sadly it could have had been tighter when compared to VSD5 and VSD2S. Bass is warm full and rich, does its job easily when needed. In bassy tracks like Freshly from Will.i.am bass is on the heavier side but not out of control or overly present. Layering and separation is good too.
 Transaction from sub bass to mid bass is seamless. Overall it’s an improvement over E10. Bass is clean without serious coloration and nicely controlled. Nothing seems out of place or exaggerating anything and that is the best thing about it.
 
 In short, bass of E50 is smooth, clean, nicely present and well rounded. Bass heads might not love these nor those who seek serious balance. It serves nice amount of bass and is good enough for average listeners those who like some bass, not overly.
 
 Mid range:-
  It’s the mid that makes or breaks a good SQ, and E50 has made enough improvements over E10 to call it an upgrade. Mids are nicely balanced with bass, not recessed at all, no more hanging by the door or left in the valley, it takes the front seat and if you like good full bodied, rich and slightly warmish kind of mid then you will love this earphone. Texture is really nice, just like RE-400 but fuller, Timber is natural and better than Titan-1 which sounds slightly unnatural. Clarity and reveling abilities of E50 is really nice, better than VSD2S, notes are thicker and finish is good too. Separation and layering is good with good sense of instrument placement.
 
 But it’s the cohesive musical character that makes this earphone thoroughly enjoyable and engaging, mostly vocals sound sweet, thanks to its thicker note presentation male vocals sound rich and full with good energy, female vocals are good too, sadly not as clean or precise as Re-400 but it is good. You can throw any kind of music at it, let it be a vocal track or house music, it handle everything nicely.
 Sound stage is fairly average. Depth specially is lacking which affects layering and separation. Its good never the less.
 
Highs:-
 Highs are slightly disappointing to me, when compared to mids, which is fuller rich and have good energy with nice presentation, highs feel lacking in front of it. I like crashing cymbals and sparkly high, but this is not the case here. It lacks much excitement and does take the back seat. It’s not exactly balanced with mids but I won’t call it absent. Clarity is good but one will have pay attention to it.
 It’s not exactly bad but it is unable to keep with the quality of mids and bass. Thankfully resolution is good.
 
 There is no sibilance, there can’t be any with these highs, and these highs are the safest highs for those who don’t like spark and want to have a long fatigueless listening. I would have liked it if they were in level with mids like A151 2^nd gen, leave spark behind.

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 Comparisons:-
 
  Vs VSD2S:-  
   Vsd2s lacks bass texture, mid bass is prominent thanks to a upper mid bass hump, bass is not smooth but decay is better, mids are in the V but not under emphasized, transaction from bass to mids is not as effortless as E50 but manageable, no bleeding what so ever, mids has nice sharpness, specially upper mids, females vocals sound better thanks to it, male vocals are good too. I like its tonality. Highs on the other hand have far better definition. resolution resolving details, energy and body too. Might get sibilant at times but it’s worth it for someone like me who loves sparky highs, full of attack. Sadly it might bother those who don’t like sharp (not sibilant, it’s always sharp, rarely sibilant) highs. Layering is better, stage is slightly smaller. Sadly the whole spectrum is plagued by slight graininess. It’s not a deal breaker but E50 is far better in this regard. Vsd2s has more details, more revealing ability but has its own short comings. E50 has better balance, less colored, is smoother and feels more effortless with its signature. The whole spectrum feels nicely integrated. Has better texture and body too. I will take the VSD2S cuz i love energized highs. E50 will please those who want a smother signature with good bass and mids. Oh, and Vsd2s is easier to drive thanks to its lower impedance rating.
 
 Vs RE400:-
  If Vsd2s was more V shaped, RE-400 is more balanced, has far better bass decay and details, moves less air and lacks some bass extension, rumble and impact too. Texture, presentation, tonality, layering, sonicality, separation, sound stage, everything is better. Female vocals sound better than male thanks to its sharper note presentation. E50 sounds meaty and fuller in comparison. Problem with Re-400 is that it sounds dry, not as enjoyable or fun, slightly grainy in the mid range when compared with E50 and has a dip in its mid range too. Another huge problem with it is its build quality, which is clearly not as good as E50. Highs have better extension, clarity separation and layering. E50 can’t compete with sonic abilities of RE-400. It would have been nice if E50 had highs like RE-400. Re-400 is a better earphone technically and priced higher too. It’s a tie when it comes to "price to performance ratio".
 
 Vs A151 2^nd gen:-
  Now this is a clash between two totally different sounding earphones. A151p 2nd gen is BA earphone and like most BA earphones it has leaser amount of bass, flat to be precise and sounds drier. Lows lack much impact, air and thump but has good definition, extensions and details. Decay is fast when compared to E50. Those who like some bass and thump should cut clear from A151p 2nd gen. Mids are better, doesn't sound as fuller and engaging as E50 but has better details, better layering and separation, backed by sound stage which has bit more depth while giving up some height. Sonically it's similar to E50. Highs on this MeeAudio earphone has some coloration, especially lower treble, some instruments shine brighter than others, has better definition and clarity though. It's a draw here. Both complement each other nicely and hold their own against each other.
 Even though A151p is more detailed, it cannot satisfy someone who seeks bass.
 
  It might give you an impression that I was harsh on E50 while comparing and didn’t compare it with anything it can beat, then I should tell you that its SQ is far better than PL50, E30, E10, CC51p, Hisound crystal, Braniwavz S0, M1, Xiaomi Piston 2 and even improves on Vsonic VSD1. Now you should keep in mind that competition is huge at this price range, sometimes you can find Brainwavz S5 for $50 which is a superior earphone in many ways.

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Conclusion:-
  Make no mistake. E50 is an awesomely sweet sounding earphone with really nice mids and good lows and is for those who like their music smooth and fatigueless. These can handle most of the  genres easily, but might not suit heavy metal. Nicely balanced too, I won’t call it V shaped as it slides down from bass to highs, there is no backing from highs to make these sound V shaped, still yes,  low end has 3-4 db more than mid range.
 Those who liked their E10 and E30 will love these earphones, far more detailed and richer than these two.
 
  And I would like to borrow a few words from fellow head-fier #mark2410.
   “The E50 is a generalist”. If you are looking for an all rounder earphone, E50 can be it, unless you are a sucker for highs like me.
  Now, should you buy it? Yes, it is an excellent earphone if you want an all rounder and can’t spend more than $50/50 Euros, no if you can spend more and like high end spark, look for something else.

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E10(above) with E50.
 

E10(left) with E50.
 

 

 

 

I like PL50's cable and 3.5mm jack, but E50 is not bad.

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 Thank you for reading, cheers, have a nice time.

Full E50 & E50 review here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/772661/soundmagic-e50-e80-story-of-two-magicians-a-review
 

 

 
 
Bass on the E50 is north of neutral as for what quantity matters, and might probably be the very first to be noticed out of box. That's not to say it'd reach overwhelming levels anytime soon, just that the warmth and richness make themselves known whenever the chance shows. The low end freq. are fairly equally balanced from sub to upper-bass, with more than enough strength and great layering and separation. Not the tightest and fastest per-se, but the depth is worth noting.
 
Mids are slightly warmed up by the low-end extra emphasis, not recessed nor forward, yet rather full and quite rich in body and texture. Clarity and separation are really good for a sub $50 IEM, and combined with the musicality and sweetness, make the E50 a very enjoyable and engaging set. While not a best vocalist, as something like a Hifiman RE400 (pricier) or Ostry KC06 can be, or even the pure vocal Fidue A63, the E50 already leave behind something like a RE300h or Astrotec GX50.
 
Upper mids show zero hint of grain and yet don't lack of sparkle and energy. Treble is sparkly and energetic as well, not as full or extended as the bass can get, but doesn't disappoint in resolution and tonality. It is smooth enough to be called 'safe' treble, and still has everything to keep the balance even.

At the time this review was written, the Soundmagic E50 was on sale for $44.99 USD on Micca Store’s website. Here is a link to a listing of their product at the time of the review:

http://www.miccastore.com/soundmagic-e50-noise-isolating-inear-headphones-p-136.html
 
Introduction
There’s no denying that in-ear monitor technology is advancing. There are hundreds of options when you’re in the market for a pair in the $10 to $150 range. Companies range in size from a couple people with a distinct vision, to technology giants like Sony and Philips. Somewhere in between both sides of the spectrum lies companies like Soundmagic.
 
Soundmagic’s vision is simple, to make the best possible portable audio products at a great price, and make them available to as many people as possible throughout the world. Those who have experienced their products know that they hold true to this commitment and seldom if ever disappoint their customers.
 
The recent release of the Soundmagic E80 and E50 really has blown the hinges of the door when it comes to what type of sound quality can be achieved for around fifty bucks. Today I will be reviewing the E50.
 
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to sample their product in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with Soundmagic.
 
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
 
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me, especially if they can be had for low prices. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased MANY different headphones and earphones, ranging from from dirt cheap to higher end products. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and have a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound to mix and match. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
 
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have owned and used.
 
REVIEW
The package was the same as the rest of Soundmagic’s “Reference Series” of earphones. It was a simple white and black box that had a picture of the housings and brief description of the product and features on the front. The back of the box featured a listing of the product’s accessories in several different languages, along with a cellophane cutout that displayed the E50 Housings and cable jack.
 

 
 
 
Specifications:
*Transducers: 10mm dynamic drivers, Neodymium magnets
*Frequency Range: 15Hz~22KHz
*DC Resistance: 51+-10%Ohms
*Sensitivity: 102+-dB
*Maximum input power: 20mW
*Cable Length: 1.2m
*Connector: Stereo 3.5mm, L-style sixty degree angled plug, Gold plated
*Weight: 13g

 
Accessories:
*3 pairs of narrow bore silicone tips (S,M,L)
*3 pairs of  wide bore silicone tips (S,M,L)
*1 pair of double flange silicone tips (M)
*1 pair of Comply foam tips (M)
*1 cable clip
*1 zipper carrying hardcase

There are plenty of tips for just about everyone to get a secure fit and seal.
 
Housings
The E50 housing design is very similar to their E10 model in terms of shape and weight. Cosmetically they slightly different. The E50 is constructed of a combination of very lightweight metal (I assume it is aluminum) and plastic. They are lightweight and sturdy. The nozzle is made of plastic and is short and fairly wide for an IEM. All in all it is well built, and ready for everyday use.

 

 

 

 
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
The cable is the same material as the rest of the “Reference Series” of Soundmagic’s in-ear monitors. Although very rugged for a budget IEM, it  is a slightly rubbery cable that has a considerable amount of spring and memory. Just like the others, the built in chin slider provides ample relief from the spring and memory hindering their fitment.
 
The strain relief at the housing is short, but seems to be flexible and forgiving enough to be adequate for daily use. The  Y-split is a combination of a rubber strain relief and lightweight metal jacket. It features the Soundmagic logo and a specific serial number. It is well done and seems very durable.
 
The new and improved cable jack is a continuation from the rest of the earphone’s build. It is a sixty degree angled plug that has a rubber strain relief and lightweight metal housing. The jack itself is gold plated.
 
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation
The fit of the E50 is identical to the E10 series. It can be worn comfortably under or over the ear. The provided chin slider allows the user to snug everything into place. The ergonomics are great, and follows the philosophy of “if it isn’t broke, don’t try to fix it.”
 
Wear them under the ear and you will have noticable microphonics. Wear them over the ear and snug them into place with the chin slider and you will have pretty much eliminated cable noise.
 
The E50 has slightly better than average isolation. Make sure to get a good sealing tip for best isolation and sound quality.
 
Functionality
There is no microphone or remote on my demo pair. I assume this will be a feature coming up. It is simply a plug and play earphone.
 
Sound Review & Materials
I primarily did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-G3 with the latest firmware, and Sony Walkman F806/Cayin C5 amplifier for portable use. For desktop I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with a HIFIMEDIY Sabre ES9023 USB DAC/Bravo Audio Ocean Tube amplifier with a Mullard 12AU7 tube for higher impedance, and a Fiio E18 USB DAC & Amplifier for lower impedance products. Both were run at 24 bit, 96000 Hz. I also tested them with other DAPs/DACs and amplifiers as well. I used Google Music downloaded in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I make sure that any gear I tested has has enough time play time for me to be able to confidently describe their sound.
 
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
 
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
 
Sound Signature
The E50 is a very high resolution V-signature IEM. They take a popular tuning and add a very high level of clarity to set itself apart from the E10, and many other earphones in it’s respective price range. Their tuning works great with all genres of music. I noticed a lift in mid bass and upper mids, giving it a high energy feel to its sound.  
 
Note: Tip selection plays a big part in how the E50 perceived. My personal favorite tip for them was the silicone wide bore tips, which rendered best results. I will be using them for the sound review. With a more narrow bore silicone tip, the E50 had an even more V-shape to their sound and bass was slightly boomy. With comply foam tips the E50 was most balanced but rendered a slight mid bass bleed and more tamed highs.
 
Bass
Soundmagic has labeled these as the “bass champ” of the reference series. It was very tight and punchy, with average sub bass extension and incredible speed in terms of attack and decay. Matter of fact, the bass was so fast in attack and decay that I will confidently say that it trumps most of my higher end IEMs in this department.
 
During test sweeps bass tones sounded relatively even from 20Hz to to 130Hz, then elevated upwards of 200Hz. It was forward in the mix and wasn’t overdone to my ears. Mid bass was a bit forward in the mix but very high resolution. I didn’t detect any bleed from bass to midrange.
 
Midrange
With the E50, most vocals seemed to take a back seat to the lifted mid bass and upper mids. To my ears vocals had a slightly distant, yet very high resolution feel to them. The best way I could describe it is that it is similar to the Xiaomi Piston 2.0 but WITHOUT the mid bass bleed. Those who really enjoyed the Piston 2.0 but couldn’t get over the mid bass bleed will absolutely adore the E50 for this accomplishment. Vocals, guitars, pianos and many other midrange sounds had excellent clarity. They could have possibly had a little more timbre and musicality for my preference, but this is to be expected from a V-signature.
 
Treble
Treble on the E50 is crisp and with good separation and detail. it is about as forward in the mix as the bass tones, and I heard a boost in the upper mids/lower treble as compared to the upper treble tones. The pronunciation of the letters S and T was forward without being piercing. Cymbal crashes were very well done. Long story short, the treble popped and didn’t get overwhelming to my ears.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
The E50 creates a good sense of space because of its high resolution. Its sub bass extension is about average, bringing me to the conclusion that depth is average. The treble response is crisp and it’s forward upper mids doesn’t yield a significant sense of height, leading me to say that it is also average in this sense.
 
Imaging puts a unique placement of sounds due to its tuning, putting vocals behind the bass and treble frequencies. I would say imaging is about average for its price range as well.
 
Comparisons
 
Xiaomi Piston 2.0 ($20 to $40 USD on many sites)
The Xiaomi Piston 2.0 was a monumental in-ear monitor that was award winning and became a staple for entry level audiophiles and headphone enthusiasts. It was my “gateway drug” into in-ear monitors. I still have my Pistons and use them often as a reference when evaluating and comparing them to new gear. Although it is still a very solid V-signature and formidable performer, I feel it is outclassed by the E50. The E50 has a similar tuning, but its speed, resolution, and superior imaging sets it apart. For anyone who liked the Piston 2.0 and is looking for an upgrade in resolution and a remedy for their mid bass bleed, you have it right here!
 
I prefer the cloth coating and less spring and memory of the Piston’s cable, but holding them side by side the Soundmagic cable seems more durable. I give an edge in terms of accessories to the E50. Their zipper case if more functional and easier to use, and they have a better tip selection.
 
The Piston 2.0 has the edge in terms of functionality because of the three button remote, especially for Android users (the remote and microphone is designed for android). I assume Soundmagic will release a microphone and remote for the E50. When this is done it will most likely be a draw.
 
Soundmagic E80 ($51.99 USD on Micca Store’s website)
Note: I received both the E50 and E80 at the same time and have a Head-Fi review posted on the E80. Here is a link to this review:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/soundmagic-e80-in-ear-monitor-headphone/reviews/13331#comments-title
 
First thing I will say is that the E80 tuning is more up my alley, and because of that it is one of my favorite IEMs I’ve ever heard and scored a five star review. I will also say that your mileage may vary. Both the E50 and E80 comes down to application and preference.
 
The E80 offers a tuning that is much different than the E50. The E80 is a more midrange forward tuning with bass that has a looser and more sub bass focused approach. Treble is less forward as well. For me, this tuning is right up my alley. I personally prefer this style over the E50. Please, don’t let that deter you from considering the E50 and feel free to ask questions at the bottom of the review if you need clarification on any aspects of either tuning.
 
The E50 has a tighter bass response, and slightly higher resolution all around. The bass has attack and decay that is tighter than the E80. This comes at the expense of less sub focus and layering. The treble on the E50 is crisper and more airy. This is why I fell some will actually feel that the E50 outperforms the E80.
 
I find the E80 more musical and engaging because of the forward vocals and extended sub bass layer. The E80 carries more timbre and musicality from what I hear. The E50 is a “sharper” and “tighter” sounding earphone that will appeal to those who prefer V-signatures.
 
Please take everything I’ve noted into consideration when picking between the two. It really does come down to preference and I totally understand why Soundmagic released both models at the same time, because they cater to both preferences and they both sound great.
 
A slight edge in accessories goes to the E80 because they offer a few extra pairs of tips. Other than that they are identical in what they offer for extras. Build quality is a draw, as both of them offer similar designs, the same type of cable, jacks, Y-splits, and strain reliefs.
 
Conclusion
The E50 is a consumer friendly signature that is sure to impress. They are very high resolution and make just about any genre of music sound exciting. It is definitely on of the best V-signature in-ears I’ve heard at this price. If you are in the market for a earphone with this type of tunings, you really can’t go wrong with the E50 earphone from Soundmagic.

Thanks for reading and happy listening!