At the time of the review, the BGVP YSP04 was was on sale on Easy Earphone’s Amazon and Aliexpress stores. Here is a link to their listings of the product:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/New-BGVP-YSP04-Metal-10-2mm-Dynamic-Unit-In-ear-Earphone-HIFI-Headphone-With-Mic-Titanium/519064_32554107892.html
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019EZTQHO?keywords=ysp04&qid=1457987870&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019EZTQHY?keywords=ysp04&qid=1457987870&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
Introduction
The budget-fi world of earphones has some lesser known companies that offers some very cool products. One of them is BGVP (formerly known as Sidy).
BGVP manufactures some nice budget-fi earphones that offer solid price to performance ratios. They have released some very respectable models that I’ve really enjoyed. The BGVP house sound for the most part has been a bass forward yet still clear sound. This type of tuning can be found in a majority of their product line. This review will focus on their most recent release, the YSP04.
To go along with the YSP04 review, I purchased a pair of BGVP adapters that looked too interesting to not try. To go along with the YSP04 review I will be sharing my experience with this product.
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to review the YSP04 in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with BGVP. I would like to take this time to personally thank Easy Earphones for the opportunity.
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 YSP04 comes in a black box the size of a large jewelry box. The BGVP logo is printed on a silver sleeve that prevents the box from flipping open.
The back of the sleeve shows specifications in Chinese and English.
Opening the box, I was greeted with a glimpse of the unique YSP04 housings in a piece of crafted foam. Underneath this foam lies the accessories.
Specifications and Accessories
Specifications
Model Number: BGVP YSP04
Transducer Principle: Dynamic
Driver Diameter: Ø10.2mm
Impedance: 18ohm
Sensitivity: 110dB
Frequency Response: 13Hz-23000Hz
Length:110cm
Maximum power:15mW
Plug:3.5mm Gold-plated
Accessories
1x Pair of YSP04 earphones
1x Shirt clip
1x Velvet carrying pouch
3x Silicone gray/red tips (S,M,L)
3x Silicone red tips (S,M,L)
3x Silicone black tips (S,M,L)
The package is formidable, but the tip selection is somewhat redundant in terms of tips. I would have traded two sets of tips for a clamshell case and single pair of foam tips.
Housings
The housing of the YSP04 is one of the most uniquely shaped in-ear models I’ve ever seen. It’s an all metal construction designed to hold a side-firing 10.2 mm titanium composite driver. It is a flat teardrop shape with a second piece of metal that attaches to the housing and leave room for cable attachment. It has a dull brushed nickel finish that looks pretty high end. The YSP04 name is printed on the flat side of the housings. Left and right markers are displayed on the opposite side.
The YSP04 nozzle is pretty standard, and sets up to make tip rolling easy to do.
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
The YSP04 cable is very nicely constructed. It has black and silver innards that are jacketed in a clear rubber coating. The cable has a small amount of spring and memory, neither of which was a major issue or created any major issues when using them. The Y-split is constructed of a black metal jacketing and rubber inner portion, with a chin/neck slider that works well. It is made of the same material and sits flush with the Y-split when not in use. The cable jack is a sixty degree design with a gold plated plug and plastic housing. Strain reliefs are subtle but very adequate. If handled with care, I don’t see the YSP04 breaking any time soon.
Functionality
My pair of YSP04 didn’t come with a microphone or remote. However there is a microphone and remote version that can be purchased.
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation
When I first looked at them I thought there was no way these would promote a great fit. I was wrong, the YSP04 is a great fitting pair of earphones. Wearing them cable down was in line with the average earphone in terms of fitment, with microphonics being average for a universal in-ear monitor. Wearing them over the ear, they were one of the best fitting earphones I’ve experienced. The cable is perfectly angled from the housing to go over the ear, and the chin/neck slider made these fit like a glove.
Sound Review
I did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-G3 with the latest firmware for portable and smartphone use, and either my Shanling H3 or iBasso DX80 DAP for high fidelity portable use. For desktop use I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with a ifi micro iDSD playing at 32/192k Hz. I tested them with several other sources as well. I used Google Music in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I also used purchased and downloaded tracks in MP3, FLAC, WAV and DSD. I make sure that any gear I test has sufficient playtime before writing a review.
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 assess and break down the gear’s response.
Source Selection
At 18 ohms, the YSP04 is easy to drive. You can get away with using a smartphone with them, but they will benefit from higher fidelity sources and files. Their bass forward signature will be forgiving with poorly recorded music, but they have some nice clarity and upper midrange energy that will make the YSP04 upscale well. I enjoyed listening to them most with a dedicated audio player like my iBasso DX80.
Sound Signature
The YSP04 continues to carry the BGVP signature sound, being bass forward with a warm tilted midrange and a crisp finish, but they also bring an enhanced level of clarity and overall fidelity that can be appreciated by discerning listeners. YSP04 packs a 10.2 mm titanium composite dynamic driver that not only brings the BVGP thump, it’s complemented by some accuracy and detail that hi-fi enthusiasts can appreciate with this type of driver style.
BGVP ABC Cable Kit
As stated earlier in the review, I purchased some special BGVP adapters that were advertised to tweak the sound. The kit has three adapters that plug into your source and go between the source and earphone. One cool thing to note is that they are 4 pole plugs that allow you to use the mic/remote with the adapters.
NOTE: This kit IS NOT a part of the YSP04 earphone package. It is a separate BGVP item that I purchased and decided to mention in this review. Please refer to the link for them if you are interested in finding out more or purchasing them:
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/100-Original-BGVP-ABC-Earphone-Cable-Earphone-Upgrade-Silver-Plated-Cable-ABC-Detach-Cable/519064_32558609801.html
I’m not sure exactly what or how they tweak the sound by using three inches of cable and plugs, but I’m sure it has to do with impedance adaptation. I’m happy to say that the three cables that come in the kit does alter the sound and give users an opportunity to tweak the sound of whatever earphones they are using. I see this kit as an opportunity to change the sound signature of your earphones without having to buy another set, or allow you to tweak an earphone that you feel needs a bit of adjustment. Make sure to reference the link for this kit and read the listing description. Here is are measurements taken by my Vibro Veritas, showing you how each adapter works.
NOTE: Although I will be using this kit with the YSP04, I feel the kit worked better with the BGVP DM4. With these adapters I was able to get some really great sound out of them. To be completely honest, this kit will make for some fun times experimenting with each pair of earphones and headphones you have and help you rediscover earphones you might not listen to anymore.
Option A
Option A decreases bass and made the YSP04 sound much more linear, bringing out the higher frequencies. This was my preferred way of wearing them.
Option B
Option B provides a slight decrease in sub bass presence while increasing the lower midrange. The overall feel is a beefier and more forward midrange (especially lower midrange).
Option C
Option C doesn’t alter the frequency response very much, but seems to do something to alter the soundstage presence. Although I can’t put my finger on it by listening to it, it seems to be some kind of crossfeed or reverb effect. I actually like it quite a bit.
Now that these adapters are explained, I will continue the rest of the review WITHOUT them being used.
Bass
Bass is omnipresent with everything you play. Those looking for a lean or neutral bass presentation should purchase the ABC Cable kit (and use cable option A), or look somewhere else. Although the YSP04 bass is forward, it is responsive and carries nice tone. It is forward enough to say they’re bassy, but not bassy enough to say that it ruins the sound. Mid bass is forward without any sense of bleed into the midrange. Although the bass kind of lingers over the entire YSP04 sound, I don’t find it to be a deal breaker. Long story short, and just like almost all BGVP models, the YSP04 falls into the “basshead audiophile” category.
Midrange
I really enjoy the YSP04 midrange. Although it is pretty sloped, its tuning is high resolution and sounds entertaining to my ears. The overall sound isn’t V-shaped to my ears, but rather the midrange is V-shaped in its own right. A forward lower midrange slopes downward and bottoms out at around 1-2K, then raises again at 3K, giving vocals a nice bite. Any more spike and they might be shouty, and any less and they might be muddy sounding.
Treble
Treble rolls off at sibilant ranges and picks back up around 9-10K. The overall feel is a sense of them being smooth and extended at the same time.
Soundstage and Imaging
The authoritative bass prevents me from being able to say the YSP04 has a huge soundstage. The same applies in terms of imaging. The soundstage is intimate and encompassed by some beefy bass.
Comparisons
BGVP (SIDY) DM4 ($70 to $90 USD on many sites)
The DM4 is a flagship product from BGVP, offering an incredible build and accessories package, as well as a similar bass forward tuning.
Comparing the two, they are more sidegrades to each other. They both have very similar bass response, with the DM4 midrange being more balanced, and treble being slightly less extended. The YSP04 tuning is a little more extended at upper frequencies and a little more detailed and dynamic.
Build quality is a draw. Both of them have the same magnificent cable and metal housings. I give the DM4 an advantage for accessories thanks to their clamshell case and slightly better tip selection.
LZ-Z03A ($30 to $35 USD on many sites)
The Z03A is a recent review, and an excellent sounding earphone.
Comparing the two, the Z03A is a leaner, brighter and crisper sounding earphone. The YSP04 is going to be preferred by those who want more bass, thicker midrange and less fatiguing treble.
I give the YSP04 an advantage in both build quality and accessories. They have a velvet pouch for transport, and have a superior cable that would usually be found on more expensive earphones.
Conclusion
I have been a fan of BGVP for some time now. I appreciate the “basshead audiophile” sound they bring. Although it’s not “flat” or “neutral”, it’s entertaining for sure. Although a bass forward signature isn’t always my preferred cup of tea, I appreciate that they continue to refine their “house sound." I still reach for BGVP earphones when I need to feed my primordial need for some bassy music.
The YSP04 has basically taken a titanium driver and tuned it to their specifications. The metal housing and phenomenal over the ear fit get a big thumbs up. They have a high end build and are fun to listen to.
Treble heads and neutralists will loath the YSP04. People liking a bassy and musical sound with plenty of detail will applaud them. BVGP continues to provide a unique approach to earphones.
If the YSP04 sounds like something you might possibly enjoy, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
Nice review!