BGVP ArtMagic V12

Rating: 8.6
Sound: 8.5

Intro
12 Points for BGVP. Okay, I don't know if there is an Asian pendant to the Eurovision Song Contest and the entry is also a bit misleading, because the V12 can't get the full score. It only refers to the number of drivers used, which the V12 shares with the second flagship in the ArtMagic series (EST12). However, the V12 is a pure BA configuration and tries to get the best out of the respective drivers from Knowles and Sonion by using a crossover.

For me, the V12 is more of a tool than an audiophile companion when it comes to all-round qualities, but tastes vary and the V12 has a lot to offer, not only technically.



Handling
Like the EST12, the V12, unlike its smaller siblings, comes with a 2-pin connector, which is a welcome change within BGVP.

The scope of delivery is almost the same for all models in the ArtMagic series. Only the cable varies and also the included transport case. Otherwise, there is a pair of foam tips, standard, vocal and bass silicone tips, and a cleaning tool. In this case the cable is taken from the DM7/VG4, which is one of my favorites from BGVP.

Interesting is the sound routing inside the housing. The sound of the BA drivers for the tweeter has to travel more than twice as long to reach the ear. The question here is surely whether this is an additional tuning trick or less intended, according to the motto "design by driver position". In theory, however, it should be possible to influence the stage, even though these are certainly subtle impressions and if applied incorrectly, there may be cancellations or doubling in the frequency range.

The EST12 is huge, the V12 as well. 12 drivers plus dip-switches also take up quite a bit of space and I don't see much room inside the V12 to make it a bit more compact. Nevertheless the wearing comfort is superb (just think of my elephant ears).

The isolation is excellent in both directions. This advantage is not only due to the ergonomics but also to the completely closed construction.



Sound
BGVP gives the V12 a basically quite relaxed tuning (depending on the dip switch settings) with a slight boost of bass and treble. I limit myself in the review to two settings (00 & 11) as I prefer these. The point rating refers to "11" (on/on).

Meanwhile the manufacturers, above all BGVP, are getting a BA bass very well tuned, so that it has a DD driver similar dynamics, but can act faster and partly more detailed. The bass of the V12 is no exception and forms a warm and punchy foundation. However, there is a little hitch in the sub-extension, which is typical for BA. A dynamic driver usually develops a more natural pressure, whereas the BA bass usually sounds a bit duller, which can also be said of the V12. The mid-bass is slightly bloated, but all in all a very good bass with a lot of details. In the 00 configuration the bass is a bit too prominent for me, which can be corrected very well with 11.

The mids can be influenced by 2-3 dB with the help of the switches. In the standard configuration (00) we have very relaxed, somewhat reduced mids that are slightly influenced by the bass and act a bit too restrained. When both switches are set to "On", the mids get the presence I want, but without becoming shrill or too dominant in the upper range. They keep their relaxed gait and might scare away some of the people who are used to and appreciate the direct way of the VG4 or the "harmanboost". Likewise, they are not particularly full, but rather a little thinner, but rather balanced and neutral. Voices lack a little bit of emotionality, but nevertheless they stand well in the mix and can hold their own.

I'm not a treblehead and appreciate rather relaxed and smooth highs, which are a bit more subtle but of higher quality than drilling holes in my ear. The V12 finds a middle way here and I especially like the switch position 11. This is the most linear setting for me, as it raises the mids, which gives them more weight in the signature, raises them to a level with the bass and also reduces the highs a bit without robbing them of their presence or losing details. They are simply toned down and you can concentrate better on their subtleties. Nevertheless, it can get tricky here and there. I can't blame them for much as long as you don't just activate the first switch and with their precision they are certainly suitable for more analytical music lessons.

I can't judge whether the different length of the sound tube within the V12 mentioned at the beginning contributes to better separation and stage extension, but these are definitely disciplines where the V12 delivers excellent performance. Different layers can be localized and instruments rarely overlap (e.g. some rock tracks), but this is more due to the fact that they were not separated more clearly in the mix.

Let's talk briefly about the other two settings:
01: The bass is too much in the foreground and the mids and highs lack some clarity and assertiveness. Might make sense for electro.

10: The highs are too much raised, which results in amplified sibilants and a somewhat unpleasant peak. Here you have to love the high frequencies and be tolerant, at least in the long run.



Outro
The V12 is a very good IEM because of its technical features, which offers monitoring qualities and with the tuning possibilities also individualization.
However, the tuning is somewhat uninspired and certainly does not meet everyone's taste. This is something that all flagships of the ArtMagic series from BGVP have in common. Apart from the fact that they all sound a bit similar in the bass and midrange, they all can't fully convince me and I wouldn't be willing to pay the extra charge of DM7 or VG4. Most likely I can still get used to the pricing of the EST8, but even here the MOONDROOP S8 seems more coherent and natural in the price range. The S8 also gives the V12 an easy hand, even if I have to do without the tuning options here.

Don't get me wrong, if somebody would press the V12 into my hand, I would certainly not say no and would be happy to install it in my IEM rotation! If I had to take the money into my own hands, I would have to pursue a different goal with the V12 than "just" consuming music with it. I would have to be able to use it as a professional tool in my everyday life, whether as a stage monitor or as a tool for the FOH sound engineer to justify the price. The V12 certainly has the potential for that. For audiophile listening, however, it is not musical and relaxed enough for me in the long run, but technically outstanding and very well balanced.

Thanks to OARDIO for the review unit.



___________________________________________________________
More reviews: CHI-FIEAR
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My background - I am a professional musician, producer and audio engineer with experience in the performing, recording and pro-audio industry. I test products on a technical and musical level and try to write reviews as simple as possible from a music fan’s perspective.

Genre preferences - I majorly listen to rock, acoustic, pop, metal, and sometimes popular EDM songs doing the rounds on the charts.

Disclaimer - I would like to thank BGVP for sending me the V12 to test and review. I am not affiliated with the company or any of its sellers and write this review with an unbiased opinion regardless of how the review turns out.

About BGVP - BGVP is a company based out of Dongguan, China. They manufacture and sell a wide range of products like in-ear monitors, earbuds, cables, cases, etc. They came into prominence with successful products like DMG and DM6. Now, they’ve launched an even wider range of products including EST hybrids ES12 (4EST+8BA) and ES8 (2EST+6BA), V12 (12 BA), DM7 (6BA), VG4 (4BA) and DH3 (2BA + 1DD).

Today I’ll be checking out their 12BA flagship ArtMagic V12.

BGVP Official Store (Aliexpress) | Purchase Link – BGVP ArtMagic V12



Preamble - When BGVP got in touch with me to review their flagships EST12 and V12, I was excited and equally intrigued as I wanted to see how they were going to play in the TOTL flagship category, especially since BGVP is known for their good value for money products like the DM6 and DM7, which were incredibly well priced for the tech, sound and build quality. Now with V12 being $1300 and EST12 being $1500, it surely puts them in premium flagship territory. But when it comes to defining what the TOTL flagship category really is, I find it extremely difficult since there are companies like Campfire Audio who have a $1500 flagship and then there are companies like 64 Audio, JH Audio and Noble Audio with flagships north of $2500. So instead, what I personally like to do is try gauging if an IEM is true flagship material with great sound and build quality and if it can provide a good value for money proposition against some of its competitors.


Technical Specifications -

• Driver – 12 Balanced Armatures (Knowles & Sonion)
• Frequency response: 10-40kHz
• Sensitivity: 114dB
• Impedance: 25Ω
• Channel balance: ≤0.5dB
• Distortion rate: ≤1%
• Waterproof: IPX3
• Connectors – 2-pin 0.78mm

Included in the box - Since BGVP sent me a couple of their earphones together, I had them ship it to me without branded packaging for ease of sending them in one box. As a result, earphones along with all accessories were sent to me in cute little earphones cases. I was surprised to see that they fit everything in their small rectangular cases.

Here is a list of everything I got, most of which will be available in the official package as well.

• Earphones
• 8 -core Furukawa OCC + silver-plated mixed braided cable
• Black silicone ear tips – SML
• Grey silicone ear tips – SML
• Blue silicone ear tips – SML
• Foam ear tips – 1 pair
• Cleaning tool
• Carry case
• Manual and warranty card

Official Packaging.



Build Quality - According to the company’s description, all the shells are developed using German Envision TEC 3D-printing equipment and use PMMA acrylic fiber (resin) made of medical grade materials.

The stock shell design of the V12 has silver chips in a dark blue faceplate which is paired with a cyan shell. In my opinion, the design and color pairing along with spectacular finishing makes the V12 quite a cool and premium looking IEM. The cyan shell is translucent and you can see the drivers and wiring partially. It has 2-pin sockets rather than BGVP’s standard MMCX. It has 2 switches but the direction of switches between the 2 shells are inverted. Right shell’s ON position faces the 2-pin sockets whereas the left shell’s faces away from the socket. I felt that this was a bit inconvenient at first but then I got used to it and now it doesn’t bother me.

As for the cable, V12 comes with BGVP’s 8-core cable Furukawa OCC + silver-plated mixed braided cable. It’s a looker and feels ultra-soft and flexible but sadly is the same cable that comes with DM7 and VG4 too. I wish it came with a more premium cable in the package, something like UP-OCC Litz maybe.

BGVP offers numerous customization options where you can select the color and design of the shell and faceplate as per your liking. You can also order the V12 as a CIEM (custom fit for your ears using your ear impressions) and go berserk with customizing that too. As stated above, they’re offering it as a CIEM at no extra cost.



Fit and Comfort - V12 has semi-custom shaped shells which like the EST12 fit very comfortably and snugly, one of the best in the segment for me. I think they will fit most ears very comfortably because of the shells being very ergonomic and relatively smaller. It also remains very comfortable for long periods. Degree of noise Isolation depends on the ear tips you use. While listening to music, even with the stock ear tips it isolates outside noise very well, enough for me to be completely unaware of what’s going around me aurally. All in all, it’s a big thumbs-up from me for this section.


Sound Analysis - In short, V12 has a nice warm, balanced, comfortable and natural sounding signature with a slight U-shaped quality. It sounds good from the get go and I personally did not need an adaptation period since it sounds natural without any quirky or erratic peaks. I think both EST12 and V12 work well for musicians, audio engineers and audiophiles alike. EST12 surely more than V12. In my opinion, they can be used effectively as stage monitors too. For IEMs to be good stage monitors, they need to be warm, natural and comfortable sounding, yet detailed and resolving enough so that they can be used for long periods in concerts without any discomfort or ear fatigue. That is what both EST12 and V12 can easily do.

As soon as I got the V12, I plugged it into my trusty Hiby R6 Pro and played Dave Matthews’ ‘Shake Me Like a Monkey’. It is one hell of a song with multiple extremely well played instruments and lots of energy. It’s a very good test track because it has more of a live performance vibe with studio recorded finesse along with layers of instruments and extremely tight playing. It is also mixed by one of my favorite mixers Chris Lord Alge whose mixes are generally very vibrant. Listening to it on the V12, I was immediately thrown into the song. It kinda has a feel to it where I felt as if I was performing it with the band in a studio. V12 followed the mix of the song well and placed instruments like how I personally imagine them to be placed in real life on a stage. Drums sounded complete and whole, cymbals wide with kick and snare action prominent in the center, hard panned horns and guitars were wide apart with good definition, and bass & vocals were beautifully placed in the center of the whole setup.



Bass – Bass is clear, well defined and has a nice warm character. The overall bass character sounds midway between a BA and dynamic bass, even though V12 has BAs on bass duties. It is decently fast, though not the fastest BA kind, sustains well and has good note definition. You can hear good quality sub-bass while listening to Hans Zimmer and James N Howard’s ‘Why so serious’, though not as much rumble to ripple through your heart. To make up for that you can flip switch 2 up or switch to Mode 12 which increases the sub-bass rumble slightly. Yet if you expect it to rumble like an EE Legend X, it can’t make that happen.

In the graph below, in stock Mode 00, the sub-bass is slightly rolling off with a 3dB slope around 35Hz which doesn’t show up in reality. Mid-bass and high-bass take the spotlight in the V12, mid bass the most relatively. IMO, 2dBs less around the mid-bass would’ve made the bass sound tighter and more precise. Nevertheless, bass playing in songs of bands like Karnivool and Muse is a lot of fun to listen to and if you ever want a bit more sub-bass, you can always flip switch 2 on.

Mids – Mids are good; they sound natural and have good tonality. Snares sound great in V12! If you don’t know yet, I’m a big fan of drums and particularly how the kick and snare sound together. I could just keep listening to V12 for the drums. It has a quality where it can make you feel like you’re the drummer in the band. So, if you like air-drumming, V12 is not going to disappoint. As you can see from the graph below, V12 has one peak at 3.5kHz and another at 5kHz, which define its primary mids tonality. V12 is easy in the upper mids region which allows me to raise the volume above normal levels for some fun and lively listening without my ears asking for mercy. Though at the same time, while in switch mode 00 and listening at lower levels, I long for 1-3dB more of upper mids. That's where mode 12 makes upper mids a bit more prominent but overall they are still smooth and don't have the strong upper mids bite and definition IEMs with forward upper midrange have, for example Harman Target based IEMs. Vocals have a nice organic feel and clarity, very life-like. Acoustic and electric guitars have good definition and sound more organically realistic than the hyped up sparkly kind. Also, if you like listening to orchestras and movie soundtracks and like them to have a slightly warm tonality with good resolution, V12 will work well there too.

Treble – Treble is very comfortable and easy to listen to which helps boosting the volume sometimes for fun lively listening without the sound piercing your ears. V12 even though being a slightly warm set maintains good clarity without overly boosting the treble. There is no sibilance or erratic peaks in treble anywhere. Treble resolution is good and it brings out intricate orchestral string work, drummer’s intricate hi-hat and cymbal work as well as acoustic’s string clarity and details. V12's treble also adds a bit of nice sizzle to hi-hats and cymbals. Vocals have a studio like quality to them where they sound clear and natural without any artificial treble sheen.



Switches – This is what BGVP states the switches do,

• Switch 1 – Vocal enhancement – I found it to make the upper mids and treble slightly cleaner and more defined. I like this!
• Switch 2 – Bass enhancement – Very slight boost in bass till probably around 120Hz and slight warming of upper registers.

I personally found 2 slightly different signatures in Stock 00 and 12 modes. Stock 00 is the slightly warmer of the 2 whereas Mode 12 enhances sub-bass with cleaner and better defined upper midrange and treble. Shuffle through the modes to see which one you like most. For example, if you feel Mode 00 is slightly warmer than you prefer, turn switch 1 up. If you want a bit more bass in Mode 00, turn switch 2 up. I hope this explains how the switches works.


Soundstage, Imaging and Separation - V12’s soundstage feels spacious, being both wide and deep; a bit wider than deep. If you’re coming from mid-fi IEMs, it is certainly going to sound holographic and you’ll notice sounds going back beyond your ears. Because of high resolution and good imaging, you are able to feel the room, aura and space of the songs very vividly. Imaging is on point; instrument placement is very accurate. Separation and clarity throughout is very good (12 driver flagship style), even better in Mode 10 and 12.



Comparisons -

BGVP EST12 ($1500) – If you are fans of BGVP and/or have been following my previous reviews, I’m sure this is a comparison you’ve all been wanting. A couple of people got in touch with me for the same, so here we go. Even though they both have a ballpark idea of sound signature where they’ve been tuned keeping balance and naturalness in mind, there is one major primary difference between them and that is the feeling of atmosphere. Listening to our reference track, Dave Matthews’ ‘Shake Me Like a Monkey’, EST12 sounds like the band is performing in a lively arena whereas V12 sounds like they’re performing in a studio room. Now you can attribute this major difference to a lot of parameters but I hope you understand what I’m trying to convey. V12 is warmer of the two but both sound signatures are very well balanced in their own style. I personally like EST12’s cleaner, more lively and higher resolving signature. V12 is no slouch but falls slightly behind in these areas. EST12 being the more lively one has slightly more overall attack and impact too. EST12 also has a slightly wider and deeper stage. With V12 having 2 switches and EST12 having 3, the comparison gets even more difficult and complicated. EST12’s 3 switches provide a bit more versatility and sound tuning options as compared to V12. EST12’s switches also bring a bit more substantial change in sound relatively in comparison. Both have equally good build quality and come with the same accessories in the box.

To make things simple, both sound very natural and comfortable. If you want a slightly warmer presentation with good resolution, choose the V12. If you want a slightly more versatile, resolving, lively and cleaner sounding IEM with a slightly bigger soundstage relatively, choose EST12. I would personally suggest going for EST12 if you can up your budget a bit.

64 Audio U12t ($2000) – Since both of them have 12 BA drivers, I thought a comparison between the two will be interesting, especially considering U12t is one of the most popular 12 driver IEMs in the market. U12t has more sub-bass though V12 has more mid-bass and high-bass presence. V12's lower mids are slightly fuller sounding in comparison. U12t has its 1st upper mids peak around 2.2kHz whereas V12 has it around 3.5kHz which defines their primary upper mids character while both have their 2nd peak around 5kHz. U12t has better pinna gain and upper mids definition. U12t’s treble has a peak around 6.5kHz whereas V12 has a more prominent one around 7Khz which adds sizzle to hi-hats and acoustics in both. U12t has more upper treble extension owing to its tia driver but V12 has good extension in most songs. Soundstage in both is wide where U12t's has it slightly wider & cleaner and V12 has it deeper with a slightly blacker background. Resolution in both is very good though U12t takes the cake when it comes to instrument definition. Of course, the price difference between them is substantial, almost $700-850.

Custom Art Fibae 7 (€1100) – Fibae 7 has a bit more sub-bass quantity. Fibae 7’s upper mids are more forward close to Harman Target style of pinna gain boost whereas V12’s are easier in comparison. Fibae7's lower mids sound leaner and cleaner relatively whereas V12 sounds fuller and warmer. Fibae 7’s treble is very natural and supportive of upper mids whereas V12’s treble brings more sparkle and liveliness to the signature. Both have wide soundstages with Fibae7's being slightly wider and V12’s being slightly more resolving. Both have very nice and snug fitting universal shells but V12 has slightly better build quality and almost CIEM like concha contours and fit.

Campfire Audio Andromeda V2 ($1099) – Andromeda has good sub-bass whereas V12 has slightly more mid-bass and high-bass quantity. V12’s lower mids sound slightly fuller than Andromeda. Andromeda's upper mids have their peak around 2kHz whereas V12 has it around 3.5kHz though both rely on their treble for clarity and definition rather than appropriate pinna gain boost in the upper midrange. Andromeda's upper mids have more attack whereas V12’s have an easier and natural attack. Both have good sparkle, clarity and openness in treble but V12 has an easier to listen to treble response. V12 has better resolution owing to 12 drivers at task with a cleaner and more open soundstage but Andromeda is no slouch but has a slightly fuller and a bit narrower soundstage in comparison.


Conclusion - All in all, BGVP has been putting out some really cool products since the DM6. EST12 and V12 are capable flagships and smartly priced cheaper than similar western market offerings. V12 has very good sound quality, soundstage and resolution for its price. It is probably also the cheapest 12 driver flagship in the market which uses all original Knowles and Sonion drivers. The tuning switches gives it a bit of versatility. V12 package comes rich with a good cable and ample accessories which some other flagship IEMs don’t. Sure $1300 is substantial but I think compared to other flagships, V12 keeps up and hits hard and surely deserves a place in the TOTL category. BGVP offers numerous customization options as well as custom fit shells. So if you’re a musician or audiophile looking for a nice flagship 12 driver in-ear monitor, give V12 or its older sibling EST12 a shot.


Gear used for testing and review -

• Macbook Pro
• Shanling UP2
• Hiby R6 Pro
• Oneplus 7 Pro

Reference Songs list -

• Dave Matthews – Shake Me Like a Monkey
• Foo Fighters- The Pretender, Best of you & Everlong
• Coldplay- Paradise, Up in flames & Everglow
• Ed Sheeran- Thinking out loud, Bloodstream & Galway Girl
• Chainsmokers – Somebody, Sickboy, This Feeling & Closer
• John Mayer- Slow dancing in a burning room, Stop this Train & Say
• Gavin James- Always & Hearts on fire
• Switchfoot- Meant to live & Dare you to move
• Our Lady Peace – Do You Like It & Innocent
• Linkin Park- Papercut, Somewhere I belong & Talking to myself
• Maroon 5- She will be loved, Payphone & Lost stars
• Lifehouse- All in all & Come back down
• Breaking Benjamin – Diary of Jane
• Karnivool- Simple boy & Goliath
• Dead Letter Circus- Real you
• I Am Giant- Purple heart, City limits & Transmission
• Muse – Panic station
• James Bay – Hold back the river