BGVP DM6

BGVP stands for Brilliant, Grand and Vivacious Products. And yes that wasn’t BGVP actually stands for yet it would seem appropriate given that their roots stemmed from their desire to create great sounding low-cost options to compete with the bigger audiophile IEM names. What started out as SIDY in China now became BGVP and has now started to break the low-cost tier mold with the launch of their $200 IEM.

This $200 IEM came in the form of the BGVP DM6, a 5 Balanced Armature IEM with drivers from Knowles, the trusted single BA 22955 and the dual BA 30017. The other dual BA drivers are custom-tuned by BGVP themselves and with the DM6 being made of acrylic, it allows for a pseudo-CIEM feel with numerous faceplate and shell design options as well as a fully customizable setup. The sample unit to be realviewed that was sent to me came in the Ocean/Marine Blue clear shell, you can get the different design options from Linsoul Direct off Amazon, Linsoul Audio’s official site and from DD Audio off AliExpress. The DM6 is spec’d out with a 10Hz to 40kHz Frequency Response, 122 dB Sensitivity and a 20 Ohm Impedance.

BGVP started with a vision to provide low-cost economical audiophile options to counter the extravagant prices charged by other household IEM brands and when they themselves release a $200 DM6 IEM, we start to ask ourselves, is it time to go back and put your faith on brands with greater market presence or the DM6 just another great price: performance IEM ready to slug it out with other notable 5 BA IEMs. Audio Realviews is here to take that question on.

No one ever said that low-cost means your brand would look like crap right off the bat and in BGVP’s case, while it doesn’t really show low-cost packaging, it also doesn’t look premium. The white cardboard sleeve shows the necessary BGVP brand and DM6 information, it would have been great to see a DM6 photo upfront to easily identify it but yeah, low-cost. Underneath the sleeve is a brown cardboard box with black foam cutouts where the DM6 sits and a black box with all the included ear tips stored inside. The eartips that were included featured a set of black wide bore silicon eartips (S, M, L), a set of black narrow bore silicon eartips (S, M, L) and 1 black narrow bore foam tips with its own plastic case, not low-cost. The DM6 has 2 cable options although either one would be shipped randomly unless you specifically request for a specific type.
The DM6 shell is made of acrylic resin and 3D printed using Germany’s Envision TEC apparatus, a fully customized option can be done to suit your own personalized shell, faceplate and faceplate design choice and would take 10-30 days lead time. The build quality from my unit is great and doesn’t show any imperfections or dents, it is well casted and molded. It utilizes a gold-plated MMCX connection with an angled nozzle and a minor nozzle lip which didn’t give the best tip-rolling experience. Comfort was great for me and isolation was also above average, the pseudo-CIEM feel is working like it’s supposed to.
BGVP offers the DM6 with 2 different stock cables and if not specifically requested, will be shipped with either the 6N 8core SPC cable or a Copper/SPC round braided cable. My realview unit came with the Copper/SPC round braided one and it exhibits some force of tension unlike the cable from the Tin HIFI T3 which has almost the same feel to it yet more fold friendly. Both cables comes with a metal housing gold-plated 3.5mm L-plug with a plastic-injected metal Y-split and a clear plastic chin slider. A clear plastic memory wire is also present to aid over-ear usage and finishing it up with a metal barrel MMCX connection with white L-R markings. The cable isn’t microphonic at all and storage was great despite the aforementioned tension.

I’ve actually noticed that the BGVP DM6 got a lot of attention and was rather hyped up at some extent resulting to issues of completing successfully placed orders and meeting delivery dates. BGVP even addressed this issue which was unexpected, I’m used to seeing logistics issues and the mother company just sits idle waiting for the whines to die down. My realview unit was supposed to arrive sometime around end of 2018 but instead arrived early February which by that time, hype for the DM6 was dying down.

The BGVP sounded balanced overall from my almost 2-month use of it. The stock eartips that was included in the packaged wasn’t the best experience yet I was glad that the JVC Spiral Dots got the job done. Remember that 122 dB Sensitivity earlier? Damn, it reared its head here and there on my sources which opted me to use the xDuoo x3ii with the Zorloo ZuperDAC-S via USB-C out to totally eliminate hissing although hissing wasn’t observed on my OnePlus 3T device yet was completely annoying off my Sony CAS-1 desktop system, Zishan DSD Pro and direct from the xDuoo x3ii, shout out to Zorloo for the solution.

Bulk of the BGVP products that I have tried showed that they cater towards the warmer sound spectrum and the DM6 retains a part of that signature. DeadMau5’s “Glish” in 16/44 FLAC shows that the sub-bass hits and depth provides ample power and has great weight to it resulting in an enjoyable sub-bass drop that resonates well. Bass hits are full-bodied and pans out in a subtle lingering manner. The DM6 performs well on the lower end frequency with no sacrificial loss of clarity.

With BGVP’s vision of providing low-cost options, a well implemented sound signature that can be consistently recreated across their lineup is paramount and in this aspect, their midrange performance is starting to take form. The DM6 showcases a smooth sounding midrange performance. Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” in 16/44 FLAC highlights a clear lower midrange delivery with his vocals being rendered lean and defined and the accompanying lower midrange tones creates a solid approach. There is no upper midrange boost present on the DM6 yet still gives out an impressive female vocal range especially Susan Wong’s “Killing Me Softly” in 16/44 FLAC rendition, a great de-stressing and calming interpretation.

The DM6 boasts Knowles BA drivers to tackle the high frequencies and I’m expecting another solid performance in this aspect. With my inherent preference for the bright sound signature and always on the lookout for that craved treble bite, kick and sparkle. The DM6 did just enough to satisfy my craving at this end although it didn’t stop there, the DM6 at times exhibited sudden high frequency bleed which is unwelcome. Savage Garden’s “Truly, Madly, Deeply” in 16/44 FLAC with its fundamental upper frequency rendering showed that the DM6 can give out some snap but still devoid of shrill and peaky highs although at times sibilance is observed.


Intimate and depth centric, the DM6 shows that it performs great on imaging with instrumental tones easily distinguishable with no noticeable overlapping. Left to right and right to left panning is great in IEM parameters. The DM6’s sudden high frequency bleeds and the occasional sibilant tones brings its great imaging clarity a step back.

The BGVP DM6 is BGVP’s attempt to breach the low-tier market and at $200, it is no longer to be considered a low-cost option yet an alternative for audiophiles looking to also breach towards the mid-tier IEM game. Aesthetically and comfort-wise, the DM6 is a no-brainer recommendation although the lack of a case at a supposed mid-tiered IEM is weird.

The hype surrounding the DM6 was in a way warranted giving how it performed overall with an easy to love relaxing midrange and a stellar lower frequency performance. The downsides and flaws of the DM6 were highlighted when the upper frequencies comes into play. The sudden high frequency bleeds and the presence of sibilance surely turns off some, not to mention that the DM6 is very sensitive and picky with its sources with its inherent hiss-prone nature. I personally still enjoy the BGVP DM6 especially with the JVC Spiral Dots on it, only trebleheads like me who aren’t sensitive enough to the aggressive upper frequency the DM6 exhibits would best suit BGVP’s 5BA baby.

Full Review here at my site: https://audiorambles.com/bgvp-dm6-2/



The BGVP DM6 sports a warm sounding V-shaped signature, with an emphasis on bass and treble frequencies. They are however, in my opinion, severely lacking in the midrange compared to similarly priced offerings on the market.

Bass (7.5/10): The bass of the DM6 is very presented very convincingly for a balanced armature based IEM. It’s definitely well above average, especially in the midbass region. The BGVP DM6 has a midbass emphasis, and has very good impact and slam, reminiscent to that of a dynamic driver, though it doesn’t quite move as much air.

Texture and detail of the bass is also very good, accompanied by very natural decay given the weight of the bass as showcased by tracks like The Script’s “Man Who Can’t Be Moved”. Subbass depth is nothing much to write home about, though still better than most sets in this price range. In Lorde’s “Royals”, the opening bassline can be heard in detail but not quite felt, not quite having the power and impact I’d like.

Mids (5.5/10): To me, the midrange is the heart and soul of the music. Light bass or muted treble wouldn’t bother me as much as a recessed midrange, and a recessed midrange is exactly what we get on the DM6. Male vocals especially suffer, with voices like Andrea Bocelli’s not having the weight and power I’m used to. There is however, no midbass bleed, just some slight warmth carried over from the midbass. Female vocals are more prominent, but will never really sound particularly sweet, just prominent. At times even, vocals can sound strained, and positioned a little too far back in the mix for my liking.

Highs (7/10): The DM6 does well to avoid any harsh peaks, especially in the lower treble which I am rather sensitive too. High hats and cymbals have quite a natural decay to them, though they still lack air and detail. It’s overall on the bright side of the spectrum, but really does well to avoid harshness while maintaining decent extension and smoothness, though a real lack of sparkle in the upper most register means they’re not the airiest of IEMs.

Soundstage, Imaging, Seperation and Timbre (6/10): Soundstage width is good. Perceived depth is a fair bit above average, likely a result of the mids being pushed further back into the mix. Seperation and Imaging also held up well in live recordings such as Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox Series. Timbre is also decent, with most instruments sounding as they should, but perhaps just a little muffled due to the recessed midrange.

The BGVP DM6 definitely stray far from my preferred sound signature, but for those who listen to less vocal heavy tracks, such as EDM or perhaps Rock, the DM6 remains a valuable consideration given it’s almost the complete package for an IEM in this price range, regarding sound, build, comfort and so on, if you can deal with the recessed midrange.

This review shoot-out will take a look at three IEMs I have been listening to lately that are all in the same price range: $179-199. They are new, but very hyped-up Chinese brands that have seen a lot of discussion in the headphone world lately.

The first IEM is the BGVP DM6, which has been in limited supply for months now due to their overwhelming amount of orders and inability to keep up with demand, since they are all individually hand-made. This headphone was provided to me by Linsoul for the purpose of review. You can find this headphone for $199 through Linsoul.com or LSR-Direct on Amazon.com.

The second IEM is the Tenhz T5, which was also provided by Linsoul for review. This headphone is also priced at $199, and is the successor the next step up in price from the P4 Pro I reviewed previously.

Finally, I will compare both to the Moondrop Kanas Pro, which I recently did a full review on and gave high marks to. As a reminder, this one was purchased by me and was not given to me for reviewing purposes.

Build & Accessories

All three of these IEMs come with premium braided cables and a selection of tips. The Moondrop Kanas Pro only came with 1 style of silicone tips in a variety of sizes, while the other two came with foam and different silicone tips and sizes. None of these came with a proper carrying case. The Tenhz package actually came as a surprise since the lower cost P4 Pro came with a very nice carrying case, so not seeing it in the more premium T5 model was a surprise.

The T5 and DM6 have nearly identical shells, with the DM6 just slightly larger. The Kanas Pro is quite a bit different with a smaller metal alloy shell. Of the three, I think the Kanas Pro and the T5 are most comfortable with the slightly larger DM6 trailing behind. All three are comfortable for long periods of time though, with the DM6 sealing off significantly better than the other two.

The T5 and DM6 both use MMCX connectors while the Kanas Pro uses 2-pin connection. This is really preference, but I prefer the 2-Pin connection more since they are easier to handle and more secure. They also don’t freely rotate after being inserted.

Sound
These three IEMs share some similarities in sound but primarily have distinct sound signatures. The most neutral of the three is the Kanas Pro, which strictly follows the Harman Target curve except with upper end emphasis. The T5 is a warm, rich and laid-back sounding IEM which does roll-off in treble significantly, while the DM6 is a U-shaped IEM with emphasis in bass and treble.




Bass
The bass response of the DM6 is the greatest, and surprisingly not muddy. It’s generally very clean however elevated. The T5 and Kanas Pro have similar bass responses in terms of punch and impact, but the T5 does have a richer and more filling sound compared to the Kanas Pro. The DM6 is easily the punchiest of the three and also extends well down more than the other two. I like the Kanas Pro signature the best as it’s just north of neutral for me and it’s easily the cleanest and most detailed of the three bass responses. The DM6 is the most fun though.

Mids
The mids is where these three start to divert even more. The DM6 mids are recessed compared to the rest of its sound profile. It’s not completely missing though, and is generally coherent. Some female vocals tend to be a little harsh as the sound response starts to elevate again in the upper mid region. The T5 has excellent male vocals with rich and full sounding low mids and coherency through out this region. The Kanas Pro is similarly very coherent, but with a more leaner sound. The T5 does start to sound a little compressed in the upper mids due to some drop off in this region and completely rolled off treble.

Treble
Like I mentioned, the T5 treble is rolled off and generally very tamed down. This keeps the signature very warm and laid-back and lacking clarity and distinct details. The Kanas Pro finds a good balance in the upper mids and treble hovering around neutral generally until the upper treble where it does spike up. Some people may be sensitive to it, however I am not one that is. The DM6, on the other hand, does have elevated treble and unevenness in this region which can be harsh on many tracks. It has a pretty large peak around 6-7KHz which can sound piercing in some songs. I never found music to be sibilant though, as it does drop off in the sibilance range. Generally, I found the DM6 to be a slightly harsh, especially on bad recordings or treble-focused songs.





Overall
The Kanas Pro has already been heavily reviewed by me and was given high marks. When comparing it side-by-side in detail with these other similarly priced contenders, I find no reason not to continue to recommend it as a great all-around IEM for many listeners. It strikes a great balance in sound and should work across many genres, giving users a very clean, detailed, and balanced sound signature.

The Tenhz T5 is definitely on the warmer side, and it’s roll-off on treble even more defines its target. While it seems to be lacking detail and sparkle, it does provide a very comfortable listening experience that can easily be used for hours and hours at a time. The soundstage is also a bit forward and really accentuates vocals, particularly male vocals. I generally am not a fan of this type of sound signature, but I can see users of mid-tier Sennheiser over-ears and Audeze LCDs to like this sound profile.

The DM6 is the fun one of the group. I don’t believe this deserves as much hype as it has gotten, but it is a step up from the DMG and the Whizzer Kylin which are a tier below in cost with a V-Shaped sound signature. The DM6 does provide coherent mids, despite being recessed, but the treble is a little harsh and disjointed sometimes. There also seemed to be a little shoutiness going on in the upper mids, which led to music just sounding LOUD. I don’t know if I would recommend this IEM when compared to the other two, and especially with the highest price tag and longest wait time. It's still a good IEM, but I personally like the other two more.