BGVP DMA Hybrid Bone conduction IEM

DISCLAIMER: The BGVP DMA was sent to me as part of the Audio Geek "Brother_Hood of Audiophiles" US Tour. Many thanks to Audio Geek and BGVP for the opportunity to give these a listen and share my thoughts!

A BIT ABOUT ME: I’ve been in the hobby for many years, starting out with old-school DAPs like the iRiver IHP120 and Rio Karma and IEM like the Shure E2c and E3c. Over the years, I’ve maintained a focus on portable audio, and my setup has evolved to mainly dongle DACs and mid-tier IEM. I mainly listen to classic rock, electronic, and metal. While I can appreciate many different flavors of sound, I avoid setups which provide too much upper mids and lower treble.

WHAT’S INCLUDED: IEM, 2 types of silicon tips + foam tips, modular cable, case.

SPECIFICATIONS:


MY THOUGHTS:
Accessories: The accessory package is basically the same as the BGVP Phantom I recently tried, with a solid white pleather case, plenty of tips, and a modular (3.5 + 4.4) SPC cable. My only nitpicks are personal preference. For instance, I’d prefer 2-pin connectors and a darker colored case to help prevent stains as the white case is tossed into bags.







Looks: DMA shells are 3D printed by HeyGears. I received the Dianthus Silver colorway which is more of a light metallic pink, but there’s also a Dark Blue colorway which looks nice. A nice touch are the blue and red insets on the faceplates indicating which are the left and right earpieces. They’re not flashy in any way but do look nice.

Comfort/Ergonomics: The shells are medium sized, so fit wasn’t an issue for me. However, the shells have some angular edges that rest in the concha which required adjustment over time to prevent hot spots. Making the shell rounded off where it contacts your ears would’ve prevented this. It wasn’t a major issue for me, as I don’t tend to listen for extended periods but it could be for someone with smaller ears who likes to listen for hours.



Sound: I’d characterize the sound as dynamic and spacious with fairly linear sub and mid bass, neutral mids, fairly prominent upper mids, and crisp treble. Depending on the source, the soundstage can become quite holographic with good separation. There is a clear resemblance to the BGVP Phantom I had in at the same time, with DMA having thicker, meatier bass that doesn’t warm up the mids, a bit more upper mid presence to counteract the more prominent bass, less detailed treble, and a step down in soundstage and separation. Preference-wise, I preferred the tuning of DMA and the technicalities of Phantom.

One issue for me was sibilance. It had the same characteristics as the sibilance I experienced with Phantom (sharp, metallic sibilance with hard consonants which is unlike sibilance I’ve experienced with other IEM) but to a lesser degree. With Phantom I wasn’t able to entirely overcome it, but with DMA I was able to eliminate it with a warmer source and the included vocal eartips. I haven’t heard about this being an issue with others. So while most people won’t experience this, I’m mentioning it just in case. I suspect it’s an interaction of my anatomy with their bone conductor implementation, but that’s an unproven theory at this point.

Tips: I had good luck with included vocal tips, so I stuck with these instead of tip rolling.

• BGVP vocal tips provided more bass slam and control over sibilance, so I used these for the review.
• BGVP bass tips seemed to decrease bass slam while increasing sibilance, so I didn’t use these after the initial try.

Cables: I wasn’t able to test this since I don’t have MMCX cables in my collection.

Sources: Similar to BGVP Phantom, I preferred a warmer source with these DMA. I skipped my dongles and listened mainly with Chord Mojo with or without KAEI TAP-2 (a hybrid transportable tube amp). Mojo provided good dynamics and increased resolution but had a deeper, hall-like soundstage. With Mojo + TAP-2, I got increased dynamics and a more holographic soundstage which made this my preferred combination for listening to these IEM as it was for BGVP Phantom.

CONCLUSION: What was BGVP’s goal with this IEM, did they achieve it, and who is this for? Looking over their page for this IEM, as with Phantom BGVP combined several technologies to showcase their house sound but with more emphasis on a fun sound signature while maintaining very good separation and soundstage for the price from the bone conductors. Basically, it seems like they were out to make Phantom’s fun baby brother, and I’d say they nailed it. I’d recommend DMA for people who want to experience a taste of what Phantom can provide but at a lower price point, keeping in mind that moving up to Phantom will provide a more spacious and technical listen without sacrificing musicality. Personally, DMA would be an easy buy if I had a collection of MMCX cables for cable rolling and didn’t experience the relatively minor sibilance and hot spot issues. For many, these wouldn’t be deal breakers, and I have to compliment BGVP on the excellent job they did on DMA. The separation and soundstage on these is simply amazing for the price point! Excellent job BGVP!

BGVP DMA Review/Impressions

Disclaimer

BGVP DMA was sent to me as part of a review tour held by Audio Geek India and BGVP Audio. I have no affiliations with the brand nor influenced by them and all my impressions are based on my listening capabilities and gears used.

About

BGVP is a well known Chinese brand, which shot to fame with their popular offering DM6. They have quite a few successful IEMs, and their latest 299 USD offering, DMA promises to join that list. DMA is made of resin shell, which is quite well made with very good fit and finish. DMA’s driver configuration goes as 1 dynamic driver, 2 balanced armatures, and 2 sonion bone conduction drivers, making it the cheapest IEM with a bone conduction driver in it. BGVP provided decent amount of accessories in the box, including a good quality stock cable with 4.4mm termination and uses MMCX ports at the IEM end, few set of tips, a carrying pouch of good quality.

Gears Used

I had used my DAP, iBasso DX260 for the review purpose with stock cable and stock tips. My DAP was set on high gain, and filter D2, volume requirements around 20.

Sound Impressions

DMA, in a nutshell, sounds very good. It’s musical and quite technical for the price. Very coherent across the spectrum.



Bass is very good in quality and quantity. DMA’s sub bass has very good rumble and goes quite deep. Mid bass, too has good punch. Bass doesn’t have any bleed. Bass decay and attack is quite fast. Bass has very good control and texture to it. Not basshead level, by any measure, but still very enjoyable bass presentation, typical of bone conduction drivers. Transition to mids is smooth and linear with no dip. Mids are placed at center of the stage, with natural and clean presentation. Male vocals are natural, clean and have good emotion to them. Female vocals too are natural, clean and energetic in nature. Upper mids have very good extensions and is quite sparkly. Notes are slightly on thicker side, but very well represented. Treble continues in the same vein with very good extensions. Treble is sparkly and energetic and has good air. Soundstage width is quite decent with ear to ear spread rather than out of the head presentation. It has good depth though. Imaging is precise and on point. Instrument separation is quite good, though it would have been better if it had more space between them, but still there’s no congestion even in busier tracks. Technicalities are pretty good. Dynamic range is good overall. Detail retrieval is good. Overall, an impressive performance for the price.

Verdict

BGVP DMA is an excellent offering at 299 USD, with two bone conduction drivers and a very well-tuned sound as its trump card. It has a balanced sound with very good performance across the spectrum. It has very enjoyable bass, typical of BCD, natural mids and sparkly treble. It has decent technicalities too. Though I would have wished little more stage width and more details, but for the price it’s being sold for, it’s a very well made IEM and gets my recommendation for anyone looking to buy one at this price range.

Disclaimer
I would like to thank Audio Geek Brotherhood group of India for giving me a chance to listen to DMA and give my opinion. This review is not influenced by the manufacturer or any other brand.



Specifications :
Configuration: 1 DD, 2 BA, 2 sonion bone conduction drivers (BCD)
Impedance: 17Ω
Sensitivity: ≥106dB
Cable: MMCX OCC SPC
Price: $299

Brief description about me: I come from a background in the medical field and I've been enthusiastic about audiophile tech for the last two years. The IEMs including bone conduction have piqued my interest as I used to check sensorineural hearing using a tuning fork, during my training days.



Build/fit:

Lightweight but sturdy resin shell helps in keeping the IEM in place for a long time without ear pain. Involvement of Heygears as manufacturer should be comforting to know as the quality will obviously be high. Metal shells and carbon fiber shells are commonplace in BCD IEMs, but this particular sonion type seems to require no specific shell type to get best results.


Looks are quite captivating with unique design and color. It is quite small in size that the fit will not be an issue except for people with very small ears. There is no sound leakage even though there is a grill on the outside and noise isolation is above average for this design.


Driving requirements:

BGVP DMA is driven alright with moderate power, but good amping is required to bring the best out of this IEM. Higher gain (in the ballpark of 1W) would open up the dynamics and soundstage, making the sound fuller and musical.



Sound

The frequency division here is a 3 way crossover with additional full range BCDs. The image below shows what we can record on an artificial mastoid.


The most impact BCD can have is on the lower frequencies, but that doesn't mean the frequencies above this range produced by this driver aren't heard. It adds a dimension to the sound, more like proprioception.


The sounds become more defined in the imaginary space around the head creating a strong holographic image. That's what makes DMA stand out amongst its peers. It also takes some brain burn-in to get adjusted to the signature.


Lastly, choosing the right pair of eartips will make all the difference because the level of contact with skin is going to change how you perceive this one.



Bass

Subbass is good with a nice rumble and gripping low end extension. Midbass is on the faster side and decay is natural, but the special sauce from BCD gives a visceral impact unlike the regular IEMs.



Midrange

There is good body and note weight to the male vocals and instruments in the midrange. This can be attributed to the continuing benefits of bone conduction, enhancing the details and giving just the necessary amount of warmth. Female vocals are soothing, not overpowering and pinna gain of around 8db is also pleasant.


Treble

Treble is of good quality here. I'm not too sensitive to comment about its piercing nature but there is a 5k peak on the graph to watch out for. There is enough bite for electric guitars and violins have a nice tone. Cymbals/ hi-hats take up a crisply defined space. No hint of sibilance and overall, it has got a mature tuning without pushing it to the edge.


Technicalities

Soundstage is above average but the special sauce is in the imaging. For a visual analogy, it's like looking at ‘Hyper-realistic art’. If you revisit your other IEMs after listening to this, it might feel as though you are watching in low resolution at the beginning of an episode you just started streaming.

It is balanced/neutral in tonality with U shaped sound but with a slight tilt towards warm as the bass is more enveloping than the graph could tell. Timbre is largely natural with nice quality sonion BAs not letting down here.


Comparison:
BQEYZ WIND (1DD+1BCD, $239)

I’ll keep it brief as others have discussed this particular comparison. Wind is more analogue-ish with warm sound, relatively slower bass, mid-centric, rolled off treble and slightly blunted notes, more suited for a relaxed listening session. DMA makes you sit up and listen as it brings a tighter, pounding bass, emotive midrange, nicely extended treble and razor sharp imaging.

Upgrade path:
1) BGVP has a high end offering in the form of Phantom (2DD+2BA+2EST+2 sonion BCD)
2) TSMR Shock (2DD+4BA+2 sonion BCD) is the latest entry taking everyone by storm.

Conclusion
Pick up a DMA to join the gang of bone-ears and be immersed in the wave of bliss produced by this little gem. Once you are used to these bone conduction drivers (Sonion ones), it’s going to make all the others look like common folks and bland.

I recently had the opportunity to test the BGVP DMA, a tour unit received through the Audio Geek Brotherhood group of India. My sincere thanks to Anand Subramanian Subramanian for arranging this tour for the Indian audiophile community.

Source used for review:-
iBasso DX180, Realme GT2 Pro+ Aful Snowynight

**1. Build Quality:**
- The build looks good. The resin looks sturdy,the metal faceplate gives the feeling of solid construction.

**2. Design:**
- The design is very modern, kind of industrial. I loved the mixture of blue colored metal back & transparent shell.

**3. Fit:**
- The very wide nozzle may affect the fit for some users, especially those with smaller ear canals. It came with wide open tips.

**4. Bass:**
- DMA has good sub-bass presence but lacks mid-bass punch, which might reduce impact in some tracks. Later when I changed the tips to the yellow coloured one which has a slightly narrower opening, the sound changed drastically. The bass was very balanced & complete.My further impressions are with the yellow tips.

**5. Mids / Vocals:**
- Crisp mids with good clarity, but the vocals feel slightly recessed for taste. Vocals sound wide,it has more headspace. It was prominent when I listened to BGVP PHANTOM. Phantom has its vocals right in the center of the mix.

**6. Treble:**
- Excellent detailing in the highs, adding a level of crispness and clarity without being sibilant or shouty. Although I would have loved more sparkle. My daily driver is Sound Rhyme SR5, so you understand where I'm coming from. SR5 is a vocal forward, bright iem.

**7. Imaging:**
- Imaging is excellent, with well-defined instrument placement.

**8. Soundstage & Depth:**
- DMA delivers an atmospheric sound with an expansive soundstage. Live performances sound really well on DMA.

**9. Conclusion:**
- The BGVP DMA offers an engaging, balanced sound with an atmospheric soundstage.

BGVP has been in the game since 2015. They manufacture from China and produce many well-balanced and excellent-sounding products. While they offer multiple items, I have only experienced a few, such as the DM7, DM8, and NS9. I'm hoping for more opportunities like this and when given the chance, I humbly accepted it.

Disclaimer: This review is part of a BGVP-organized tour in India, and I have not received any compensation whatsoever. I am grateful to BGVP, the Audiogeek team, and @hitchhiker for including me in this tour. You can know more about the iem from here.

PACKAGING-
Don't underestimate the importance of packaging when it comes to shipping items. BGVP has done a great job ensuring that the contents are well-protected. The items are housed in a sturdy cardboard box with foam inserts, although the lack of foam covering for the items themselves could potentially cause damage during shipping. Nevertheless, the rest of the setup is excellent, with a white synthetic leather covering for the cable and multiple tips, including foam tips. They also included a grill cleaner brush, which is an excellent addition. I appreciate that they provide so many useful items to assist you from the get-go. Additionally, all the tips are properly labelled, making it easier to track them.


BUILD-
This iem feels sturdy and made of a plastic and resin combo. The face plates are made up of metal having coloured grills (red and blue for right and left). They are a little on the bigger side, especially on the nozzle, but they fit my ears nicely.

CABLE-
The cable is beautifully made, and I love the construction. This is a 6N single OCC upgrade cable, and it is interchangeable with 4.4mm and 3.5mm plugs. The MMCX connectors, by the way, are tight, but I don’t like them much as they loosen over time.

SPECIFICATIONS-
Sensitivity: ≥106dB SPL/MW
Input impedance: 17 Ω
Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz
Distortion rate: <1%
Channel difference: ±1dB
Rated power: 179mW
Driver: Sonion BA (2300 series) *1
Knowles BA (RAD series) *1
9.2mm nickel-plated DD*1
Sonion Bone Conduction Driver *2
Price- 300$
POWER REQUIREMENT-

The power requirement in PAW S1 is in High Gain – 27-30 volume, which shows that it can be used with almost anything.

NOTE—This review is done with Paw S1, ONIX Mystic XP1, and default tips, as shown in the picture. They fit the best.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS-

SUBBASS-

Well, it's quite a lot in quality, at least enough to keep the balance in while being sub-bass heavy. Now, don’t get me wrong, it's not at the bass head level, but this amount of sub-bass is lovely. The dynamism is excellent, and the sub-bass enthrals the head stage, too, moving horizontally in it. Tonality feels neutral to slightly warm, but the inside reverbs coming from the instruments are also present. It's more on the reverbs side with great middle-ground attack and decay. There are a good number of repercussions that stay after the end of the notes; a little more would be better for my taste, but this is great enough. Notes are primarily cylindrical with slender bodies, but each note is quite defined, and the resolution is epic.

BASS-

Tonality is on point and you wont regret using this for synths or electronic or pop music. The impact is quite deep and the notes have great tonal distinction to go with it. Notes have a bigger base and slowly go horizontally and die down. There is good dynamism in the notes and quite a good presentation of the different instruments which further helps separate bass instruments from other instruments. It has fast attack and decay, a little more would be better but that’s my preference. I like this kind of bass, its impactful and has great presence and the separation both between instruments and notes, is just icing on the cake.

MIDS-

Male vocals are of good body and maintains the tonality as male voices being slightly thick. The notes are quite defined and can easily be made out of multiple instruments going together simultaneously. The roughness of male vocals are smoothened a bit but air and sometimes the roughness in the throats during long notes do come through and that makes it feel wonderful as many don’t like the roughness. Female vocals are beautiful, they are very similar to male vocals but keeping the tonality and definition at another level. The ‘sss’ sound are also reduced. They also go quite high in the head stage and are quite dynamic.

Instruments are wonderful especially on the dynamism and tonality aspect. They go quite high on the head stage. The piano’s notes are quite deep and thicker than the others especially grand pianos. The guitar strings are quite defined and separated form each other. Separation in between the notes are quite well pronounced and presentation is also wonderful. Notes here have a bigger than base and slowly decrease in size and are taller than being thicker. The attack and decay is fast but decay is left to slightly to linger on so, room characteristics are easily defined. There is some air in the instruments. The head stage is also quite wide and tall and the depth feels a bit lacking especially in the -y axis but it makes up by presenting them more on the z axis. Small nuances of music are also easily heard but in a musical way letting it shine.

TREBLE-

This thing handles treble like a king without making it a pain to listen to (I meant the sharp notes of certain instruments). The instruments are full of energy with much dynamism in the notes but the air is slightly less. But when emphasized it does come through albeit a little less. Notes characteristics are on a little taller rather than wider side. But the attack and decay are quite on point; slightly more decay is needed, though. Separation is great and the slowly rise in volumes in certain violin plays are quite beautiful indeed. The presentation is wide and tall but a little 3D in shape. Even songs like Stampede- Alexander Dean are quite easily handled with changes in strings quite easily heard. Nuances are beautifully done with apt placement and movement heard. Love that.

VERDICT-
I would highly recommend this as an all-in-one solution for all kinds of music, but if you are an electronic or pop lover, you will love it more.

BGVP is a pro headset brand founded in 2015 and the subordinate brand of Dongguan Nengjiang technology limited company which is located in ChangPing Town, Dongguan City. BGVP mainly produces and customizes various high-end HIFI earbuds, earphones and other electronic products. In the process of development, BGVP has never forgotten to master the core technology capabilities, independent research, development and sales. BGVP is committed to providing high-quality HIFI headsets for consumers around the world. The brand produces various highly acclaimed earphones, like the NS10 that I have reviewed here.

BGVP DMA

The BGVP DMA (DMA stands for Dream Armature) is a brand new earphone that features a groundbreaking 1DD+2BA+2BCD hybrid configuration that incorporates both bone conduction and air conduction technologies. This combination of bone conduction and air conduction technologies aims to provide a real and wide sound field atmosphere, compensating for the frequency band loss that occurs during air transmission.

The two bone conductor drivers by Sonion are adjusted to support lower mids rather than the low-end as is the usual practice. This type of balanced armature bone conduction units is different from the dynamic driver type bone conduction. The vibration frequency of the balanced armature type bone conduction is delicate, so the outer skin tissue cannot sense the vibration frequency. The bone conductors kick in at 100Hz and are effective up to 10kHz with maximum effect at about 2.5kHz.



Additionally, the front cavity features three acoustic ducts for independent sound production, minimizing interference between drivers. Metal acoustic damping is employed to ensure accurate frequency division and clean details. The back cavity includes an independent bone conduction shock hole for realistic sound field simulation.

DMA is equipped with Sonion 2300 series balanced armature as the middle frequency part of the sound and Knowles RAD series balanced armature that has good analytical performance, super high frequency linear extension and great transparency.

The dynamic driver incorporates a nickel vibration film with high temperature distribution, resulting in a thin nanoscale diaphragm. Nickel's properties, including hardness, high rigidity, fast heat conduction, and high specific elasticity, contribute to the driver's performance.



Non Audio stuff

BGVP has cooperated with the famous 3D printing company, HeyGears Technology, to make the front cavity using advanced DLP-3D printing technology for high precision molding. The clear resin material that is used for the main body of the ear-shells ensures impact resistance and durability while allowing a clear view of the internal parts. The outer faceplate is made from CNC machined aluminum alloy that is available in two beautiful looking finishes, dianthus silver and dark blue. An engraved “Y” pattern at the center of the faceplate is both aesthetically pleasing and also serves as a venting mesh to relief bass pressure.

Despite the many internal parts, the ear-shells are compact and lightweight enough while they have an ergonomically shaped design that results in a comfortable and stress free fit, even after prolonged time of use. Build quality and finish are really good, the only things of note are the rather sharp edges of the faceplates and the non seamless integration between them and the main body of the ear-shells.

Cable and accessories

BGVP has equipped DMA with a detachable and modular cable that utilizes MMCX attaching system and snap-on interchangeable plugs. High quality, polished aluminum 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs are included. The cable is made of four-strand 6N single crystal, silver-plated copper and has an outer sheathing made from transparent TPU material. This is a high quality cable that might be a little thick but it looks very durable, it doesn't get easily tangled and has
minimal microphonic noise.

Except for the high quality cable, the package also includes two types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each (vocal and bass), a pair of memory foam ear-tips and an absolutely fantastic carrying case in a classy white color.



Audio stuff

Rated at 17Ω with 106dB/mW of sensitivity, the DMA is very easy to drive and doesn't need special amplification. However, it scales quite well and is also a little sensitive to source noise so you are encouraged to use gear better than entry level USB DACs. For this review, I have mostly used the FiiO M15S and iBasso DX260.

The sound signature of the BGVP DMA is distinguished by abundant sub-bass extension, generously emphasized bass and mid-bass, present and natural sounding mids and a treble that is luminous and energetic yet quite smooth and polite. The tuning is a warm and colored, steering away from neutrality, however it is still a mostly balanced and not dark sounding earphone that additionally is not lacking in transparency and overall clarity.

Sub-bass extension is excellent, the deep low-end is slightly boosted in a polite way that makes it very enjoyable with bass heavy tracks without ending too dominant. Thus said, this is an earphone that can't hide its bass credentials, the low-end is emphasized all the way up to the lower mids. The bass is weighty, visceral and impactful with plenty of punchiness and dynamic force. The overall experience is head shaking and rattling, the bass is mostly tight and controlled but not without some boominess and a few instances of slow rebound.

The DMA does very well in reproducing deep synthesized bass and percussion instruments (like bass-drums or timpani and even with bass guitars and electric bass) but it doesn't fare that well with low-pitched stringed instruments, especially when many of them are playing together. This is because mid and lower bass are too boosted to sound tonally accurate and correct while at the same time layering and definition are not class leading. I don't know if it is due to the bone conductor driver but listening to heavy populated passages with a bulk of cellos and double-basses playing together can get rather messy and lacking in definition. The DMA wouldn't be my first choice for large symphonic works, reproducing Mahler's 2nd symphony was not an easy task for the earphone.



Thankfully not all people listen to classical music and the DMA truly shines with a lot of other genres, like modern pop and electronic. Part of this success is the crystal clear, well voiced and present mid-range that allows for vocals to shine forth with adamantine clarity while at the same time the bass hits hard at the back of your head. So you can listen to stuff like Billie Eilish and enjoy the heavy beat without losing track on the vocals. The mid-range is very harmonious and engaging with a natural timbre, great vibe and absence of any shoutiness or other fatiguing elements. The texture is weighty and rich without dryness and has plenty of liquidity despite using a single BA driver.

The treble is well extended and clean, it is energetic and lively with good levels of clarity, definition and detail retrieval. There is plenty of shed light and a pinch of brightness to counterbalance the low-end warmness and keep things moving and sparkling but it never sounds harsh or piercing. The textures get a little drier this time but not overly lean while some traces of balanced armature tinge can be spotted here and there. Resolution and refinement are pretty good but not the best, you can expect much from a single balanced armature per each frequency section.

The BGVP DMA surpasses itself and punches above the category when it comes to the soundstage which is extended both horizontally and vertically to make for a three dimensional and rather grand listening experience. Separation and imaging are also above the average of the category but it is not that successful in communicating the ambient information.

Comparison with the BQEYZ WIND

The BQEYZ WIND is a hybrid earphone that combines a single dynamic driver with a custom bone conduction driver that is effective in the low and mid frequencies. The all aluminum made ear-shells are slightly more compact than that of the DMA. Both earphones are very comfortable but the DMA is more ergonomically shaped so it matches better the shape of the outer ear. Both are also well accessorized, the cable and the carrying case of the DMA are of higher quality but the WIND comes with a greater variety of ear-tips.

When it comes to tuning, the WIND is also a bass prominent earphone but it doesn't have the sub-bass extension of the DMA. The WIND is not as dynamic and impactful as the DMA but the bone conduction driver is more effective at transferring the low-end energy inside your head. Textures on the WIND are leaner and not as visceral as on the DMA but it sounds just a bit more clear and well defined on the bass. The mid-range is more prominent in the WIND, especially in its upper section where it gets a generous boost to sound more energetic and luminous but slightly brighter and sharper than the DMA. The WIND has better frequency cohesiveness but it not as resolving and detailed as is the DMA, both in the mids and the treble. The two earphones are really good when it comes to soundstage, the WIND is more expansive and airy but the DMA is the most holographic one.

Conclusion

The BGVP DMA is an earphone made for people who like shuttering bass experience without sacrificing anything when it comes to mid-range clarity and treble definition. It has a special tuning that combines thundering bass with very engaging mids and a rather smooth treble that blend together to form a sound profile that pairs well with a lot of sources and matches a variety of music tastes. If you are after that kind of signature, then the BGVP DMA is a solid choice as it combines great sonics with a comfortable fit and plenty of high quality accessories at the right price.

The price of the BGVP DMA is $299 and you can buy it from BGVP official AliExpress store.

The review sample was kindly provided free of charge.

A deluxe version of the review is available in my website.

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES 9.2/10
TIMBRE: 8.2/10
IMAGING: 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 9/10
SOUND VALUE: 10/10

INTRO

BGVP is an IEM company based in China, they were established in 2015 and has launched a wide amount of IEM since then, always earning more audio engineering experience. They seem to focus on hybrid and tribrid IEM and have a ''high sound value'' approach. In the past, IEM like DM7 earn good praise.
The last IEM i've tested from them is the BGVP DM9 which is among most competitively priced 9 drivers tribrid and offer excellent technical performance with their 1DD+4BA+4EST implementation. Yet, it was a bright analytical sounding set and not the most versatile in term of musicality.

Today i will review their latest offering, the BGVP DMA.

Priced 300$, the DMA is a tribrid, or as BGVP call it, an Hybrid with Bone conduction drivers. It have 1x 10mm nickel plated dynamic driver for bass, 1x Sonion 2300 balanced armature for mid-lower treble, 1xKnowles RAD for highs and 2x(dual) sonion bone conduction vibration driver for lower to upper mids (atmosphere as they say).

The bone conduction driver is different than the one that are round and flat like in UM Mest serie or BQEYZ Wind and Winter, it's based on balanced armature technology. You can see its vibration frequency curve here:


As a big fan of bone conduction potential (when used in hybrid, tribrid or quat config), I contact BGVP to test those IEM that represent a big revolution in term of accessibility since the only other tribrid of this type cost 1000$ and is call UM Mext.

I guess the scoring and Pros and Cons is a bit of spoiler, yet let see in this review if the tonality is pleasant and cohesive enough and the technical performance truely competitive at it's mid tier price range.


CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The construction is mostly OK, it's made of half resin plastic with a metal back plate that has semi-venting in the back. I didn't choose the color which is ''pink salmon'' and not as appealing to my eyes than the blue version. I know from experience that back plate can be prompt to unglue or pop up so I hope this one will hold the Canadian climate. Overall built is more impressive inside than outside I feel and it's overall main con of this IEM for me.
It use a MMCX connector which is very thight and i never encounter sound cutting or too loose swiveling with those, which is a plus.
The nozzle is quite thick, it's long enough too for deep fit which is suggested for bone conduction contact with the skin.
Comfort wise, these are light and even if the back plate have sharp side it doesn't go in contact with the ears so i find them very comfortable.



The included cable is of excellent quality and very welcome. It's a modular cable, a 4 strands silver plated single crystal copper cable that is thick and sturdy. If i can be nit picky, i would have love a 2.5mm balanced plug included with it since their just 3.5se and 4.4bal. Yet, it's a good cable that don't make the upgrading urgent.



The packaging come in a small compact box fullfill with goodies. It include the excellent cable, 6 pairs of silicone ear tips in 2 model and 1 pair of memory foam. The carrying case iss very nice too and large enough to fit more than 1 IEM pair. ALl in all, this is very satisfying.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Ok, let’s begin by stating that if it wasn’t for bone conduction driver, I would consider DMA plain V shape but since their a whole mids bump that brighten presence bypassing ‘’rule of air transmission’’ with bone conduction driver I perceive it as well balanced bassy W shape, gently bright way, but this will depend the source matching you do since BC is very transparent to source and a hint sharp, perhaps brightest BC I’ve heard.
It doesn't feel out of place though, it’s very cohesive and not too in your head, less so than other BC tribrid like UM Mext (but I will need direct comparison). What I can firmly confirm against 3x pricier Mext is that bass performance including speed, control and layering, are superior with DMA.

So a W shape with plenty of upper mids and a treble that is crunchy but not very sparkly, vocal are incredibly clear and well layered, this is main advantage of sonion bone conduction which cover vocal range, this mean you get bright and very intelligible vocal without the pinna gain fatigue too.

But the first thing that hooked my attention was the bass quantity and quality.


This is the kind of magical bass where we have both thump and deep rumble, and not in a warm, boomy way since it doesn’t lift or mix with lower mids.
Its vast, resonant but well controlled in its sustain-release, it’s not loose or sloppy, as well the BC add a bit of attack edge improving texture and definition.
It’s near the basshead but doesn't fatigue with too much sound pressure due to the back venting tube. It’s transparent, not meaty, juicy and opaque too and very versatile because we have the dynamic impact that is weighty and the bass line is clean and easy to follow even in busy tracks due to excellent layering helped by BC driver.

Sub bass is just slightly more elevated than mid bass but as noted, not in a muddy or sloppy way. I'm extremely impressed by this exotic bass, and I tend to be a warm and chunky bass lover, here it’s sure not thin, but it isn't very tactile or vibrant with excited air particule too.
The Double bass release is deep and realist, it’s not warmed nor compressed in vibrancy or grunt. It flows freely. We are in bass quality meet bass quantity here, so rap and big beat sound fabulous due to excellent layering, but as said, it’s super versatile...this kinda bass should be a guilty pleasure if it was coming from a single DD IEM I feel.

The acoustic kick drum has a well defined presence and slightly less heavy punch than digital slam with wider dynamic heft, when bass line occurs in this instance, it can dominate the kick, while for toms it sounds fabulous with a natural resonance and good texturing.

All in all, this is a versatile bass response but I find it even more enjoyable with electronic and heavy beat music, though with jazz it’s excellent too, for classical, I tend to enjoy a bit more lower mids thickness and coloring, lusher warmer cello presentation.


Then the mids are something special due to bone conduction transmission, its bright and forwards yet not shouty or fatiguing, its gently bright with superb resolution. Readability of instruments are top notch while intelligibility of vocals are excellent. That's something that always impresses me with BC, how it suddenly makes it super easy to track vocals and improve word spelling in whatever language. I tend to use UM Mext for movies because of this, yet it doesn’t sound as clean, fun and crisp as DMA so I don’t use it often for music (the bass issue again).
Mids are centered and patched above bass and treble without stealing the show or taming their dynamic.
Vocal while clear aren’t very lush nor the widest, as say, its centered and very well layered. Timbre is plain neutral, their no bass coloring or extra lush warmth going on, that’s again the magic of BC. It’s fully textured, not thin to force transparency since even if very upfront the 3D space has plenty of sound layers floating behind and around the main instrument or vocal. Male vocals have the same treatment, so some people might miss extra warmth or thickness from bass or lower mids boost but it’s certainly not recessed and there is no harmonic gap in vocal range.
So, it's clear DMA are vocal specialists first and foremost, even bad mixes I've made in the past with vocals that were supposed to be hard to perceive clearly were suddenly clean, upfront and easy to understand.
BC really feel like having a pair of ears in your head that can perceive more clearly mids info that should be swallow by the bass or too boosted in loudness otherwise, which isn't the case, but the BA add a bit of extra upper mids bite too, this isn’t in pina gain region, more where sibilance could occur, their none here but it dont smoothen this part so if recording have sibilance it will not heal it.
Piano too is very clear, especially in attack speed and control, so it's easy to follow complex playing but it dont have alot of note weight, resonance release is very well resolved too.
Saxo is better, since it's similar to vocal range, it's upfront and very rich in texture without going shouty even at loud passages.
This isn’t the most open sounding super clean mid range since the middle stage is upfront, near in your head while bass is wide in the back and treble in stereo at each side, it’s intimate and enveloping.
And now for BAs upper mids and treble, this is well done again. I do think the DMA is a bit sensitive to source output impedance and this is why I use Questyle QP2R DAP and Xduoo X20 for this review.

The highs are speedy and snappy, a hint crunchy and not very sparkly but we have minimal brilliance to percussion still, these are good BAs.
I don’t struggle to follow percussion even with a busy track, it seems it's what it extract the best in terms of micro details because as well resolved it can be, it’s not an analytical IEM and the treble doesn't extend up to 20 HZ in a boosted way.
Yet, there is something...is it a BC spike adding this snap sharpness to BA? Can’t tell right now really but it’s a refined treble in term of tribrid balance...it have nothing to do with a GeekWold GK100 for ex, it don’t pick up noise artifact you don’t want yet you don’t feel details are lacking or air isn’t opening up spatiality enough.

It feel the BC is sharper and cleaner sounding than BA that always lack a bit of snap sharpness and clean definition to my ears, I can say this for 64 audio U12T or Aroma Thunder too, BA don’t produce clean transient response nor alot of natural brilliance or resonance release in higher range and the DMA is no exception.

The acoustic guitar sounds gently bright and well resolved, it has a good attack lead bite, textured timbre and a fast release that has proper sound info instead of harmonic distortion, but the fine sparkly brilliance is a bit lacking airy release.

This makes the harpsichord sound a bit dry and lacking this metallic natural release too, but unlike a lot of other IEM it’s not distant or lacking in dynamic weight. So I can enjoy it even if tone wise it’s not fully there.

All in all, the highs are fast i attack, thick in timbre, a hint polished in definition edge like it happens with most BA, and this affects the natural sparkle that some percussion and instrument should produce. But it’s not a dark or dull treble even if I wish there were more micro details capacity, for this, we would need extra EST drivers and well, a consequent price jump too, for this treble head purpose the BGVP DM9 is a better bet.

The soundstage is surely the hardest part of audio experience to describe with this IEM, it’s holographic and 3D in an intimate way, it sticks around your head and doesn't open up far away from it. You have excellent channel separation in high range that has a bit of fake air in stereo perception then the mids tend to be in front and in your head and the bass a bit behind it adding a sense of depth without a perfectly clean background.

The imaging is another highlight, very revealing and precise with pristine layering that avoid the pumped up bass to mix with mid range, thanks to bone conduction help. You never struggle to track the instruments or bass line, for percussions it's very good too but not as sharply define.


Side Note

At 17ohm of impedance and 106db of sensitivity, the DMA aren't really hard to drive but still a bit source picky because of how revealing they sound, ill suggest source with not too high output impedance and a clean noise floor to get the best of them.

They are ear tips sensitive too, but the included wide bore do the job to open up spatiality and preserve natural balance.

Cable wise, since it's MMCX, i don't have alot of them so I stick with original one which doesn't had distortion or mess up tonal balance.



COMPARISONS



VS BQEYZ WINTER (1DD+1BC-240$)

The Winter is brighter and more neutral, it feels like a monitor IEM and less W shape and dynamic sounding than DMA.

The bass is quite a bummer with WInter, it's more boomy yet way less boosted, its brighter, less transparent and more rolled off in sub bass, their no proper rumble unlike DMA, definition is inferior too and feel less rounded, energy is more in mid bass but not as thumpy as DMA.

Mids are louder and brighter, female vocals are more prompt to shouting and fatigue as well as sibilance, presence is more boosted and timbre lack lower harmonic fullness more than DMA which have less fatiguing yet clearer and more upfront overall mids.

Treble is brighter and more airy, guitars have more sparkle release and wider restitution than DMA, overall highs are more natural and the bone conduction adds a presence edge and snap that the DMA is lacking a bit.

Soundstage is wider and deeper with the Winter.

Imaging is notably superior in layering capacity with the DMA, bass don't get lost in the mix nor the mids mask as much sound info.

All in all, I find both tonality and technicalities superior with DMA, as well, it’s more dynamic, fun and versatile sounding.

VS UM Mest MK3 (1DD+4BA+4EST+1 wide range BC-2K$)

The MK3 is more neutral, cleaner and crisper sounding and as expected notably superior in technical performance, yet less bassy and fun sounding as well as leaner in mids and bass, making it sound a bit treble centric sometimes.

The bass is leaner, more textured and better resolved in presence, it has more mid bass focus so kick drums have more energy while sub bass lines are leaner and not as dominant in the mix.

The mids are richer in presence, better defined, cleaner and in a busy track it can deal with more instruments going loud together, vocals aren't as forwards which underline to DMA being more vocal boosted with its BC. I do think if you have an headache the loud in your head vocal of DMA can be too much, while with more technical neutral MK3 it isn’t.

Treble is really from another league with MK3, it's sharper, cleaner, way more snappy and sparkly and digs a greater amount of micro details in an effortless way, DMA feels a bit excited in attack with percussions, not as cleanly defined.

Soundstage is this time slightly wider with DMA, while it's notably deeper with MK3.

Imaging is a big win for MK3, not competition here…

All in all, DMA complements this IEM due to its more bassy, energetic and dynamic musicality but as expected it can’t compete in terms of technical performance with my end game IEM Mest MK3.


CONCLUSION




The BGVP DMA is something I was waiting for along time which is a truely affordable tribrid with bone conduction that offer incredible sound value and a well tuned musicality that isn't too austere or analytical. It's in fact a balanced fun and bassy tonality with incredible mid range resolution and an open otherwordly holographic spatiality that is sure to immerse and captivate the listener for long time pleasure.

Unfortunately, i didn't have on hands both BQEYZ Wind and UM Mext which i loan to a musician friend, but i'm confident the DMA is superior in technicalies of both, at least in bass separation, round impact and attack speed, the treble is more extended and detailed than the Wind and mids are more fowards than the Mext.

It's rare I give 5stars, this only happen when i'm shock about sound performance to price ratio and the DMA is one of those rare beast.

If you want to introduce yourself to bone conduction flavored tribrid musicality, I think the DMA is safest bet, then you'll be able to know if you wanna climb up to end game bone conduction IEM like the Unique Melody Mest MK3 which is more neutral and resolved.

All in all, apart the construction design, BGVP achieve a tour de force with the DMA and it's very highly RECOMMENDED from me!

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PS: I want to thanks BGVP for sending me this review sample after i manifest my intense curiosity about them. As always, I don't participate to affiliated program, don't make any $ and don't even resell 99% of the IEM I review (which is evident with the comparisons pic I share)

You can order the BGVP DMA for 299$ from official Ali Express store here:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006226645207.html