EPZ P50

Introduction

EPZ is one of many chifi companies that focus on bringing the best value audio product into the market. They have a wide range of products in their catalog, from cheap to expensive iems and tws to accessories like eartips and cables, as well as different dac/amp dongles.

The P50 is one of the latest iem to be released from EPZ. It has a tribrid configuration, featuring 1DD, 2BA and 2 micro planar drivers. It is currently selling for … on their Aliexpress store. You can read more about it here.

Disclaimer: EPZ has sent me the P50 in exchange for an honest review and feedback. I did not receive any financial benefit as well as instructions on how to do this review. Everything I said in this review is my subjective opinion only.

Packaging:


The P50 arrived in a small-medium box. It’s apparent that EPZ did put some thoughts into the packaging. The outer box’s texture is quite fascinating to the touch.

Here’s the content of everything inside the box:

• The iem themselves
• A round carrying case
• A modular cable with 3.5mm and 4.4mm connector
• 3 pairs of silicone tips in 3 different sizes

Design/Build quality/Comfort

The P50 overall has quite a sleek and modern design. The body of the iem are made out of black resin with an ergonomic design, featuring many curvatures and the rear wing in attempts to give you a better fit. The size of the shells is not too big. I personally has a great fit with the P50, but I can see the rear wing posing some problems to a few people out there. Isolation is also really nice with the P50 with how snuggly fit it is.

The P50 also has a straight metal nozzle, with an outer diameter of 5.6mm – so not too big and not too small. Personally, I don’t like this style of nozzle, as it doesn’t retain the eartips that well. With certain tips like Final E, whenever I pull the iem out of my ear, the eartips got stuck in my ear canals.

The faceplate has an open back design with cool-but-not-too-showy design, along with the EPZ logo.

One thing I have to comment on regarding QC is that the female 2 pin connector on the right side rattles inside the shell while the left side doesn’t have this problem. I can live with this, but many people would not like this to happen to their iem right out of the box.

Cable wise, it’s a very nice 4 cores SPC cable with a modular connector, giving you the option to choose between either 3.5mm and 4.4mm connector. EPZ also opted for an L-shaped connector for the cable rather than the conventional straight plug options. The cable feels just a little bit stiff, holds its shape well and doesn’t feel tangly at all. Overall, I think the included cable has a really nice quality to it.



Sound impression:


Tonality: Warm-midcentric

Bass:

The P50 has around 7db+ of bass shelf, just north of neutral and won’t be able to satisfy some hardcore basshead out there. It has good subbass extension, testing with the track “Chameleon” – Trentemoller and “Why So Serious” – Hans Zimmer showing the classic DD lingering decay with good amount of air. However, the rumbles aren’t that great. It’s well layered, but not very bouncy, nor does it have that much depth. You can certainly still have fun listening to EDM and Phonk tracks with the P50; you do get used to the subbass after a while.

The midbass got cut off at around 150-200hz, but you don’t actually feel like there’s a “tuck”. The bass here felt more like a glide. You can still hear and feel them just fine, but I do wish for a few db more of midbass quantity, to make the bass and drums become livelier and pop up even more, more explosive. The overall bass quality isn’t bad, but it’s not that great. It’s evident that the DD used in the P50 is quite sensitive to the source being used. Although the midbass shows good controlled and speed, drum hits are well separated, its texture is just a bit… weird, like it’s lacking some finesses. It’s clean, but it’s boring. I think this is mostly due to the type of bass driver that EPZ used in the P50 as well as my bias against it (Partially due to the tuning itself). Had they used some other dynamic drivers with different, “better” diaphragm, my rating for the bass could’ve been higher.

The tips of choice also affect the bass quality. In my personal experience, the P50’s bass improved a little bit when I use the Spinfit W1 or Final E eartips, while the Divinus Velvet doesn’t synergize as well.

Also, the right side of the iem has a bit lower bass quantity – less than 1db, which I cannot hear. It just shows on the measurements. This is also the side that has the rattling female 2pin connector. Coincidence? I don’t know. Just something I’d like to mention.

Mids:

Contrary to the bass, I’d say the mids and by extension, the vocals are the best part of the P50 tonality. The lower midrange has a good amount of warmth to them, lush sounding without feeling too muddy or overly thickens. The upper midrange is sufficiently boosted – with the pinna gain measured at 10db. The overall midrange has a good forwardness to it. It’s “safe”, but it’s also done very beautifully.

Instruments has a very natural timbre along with good noteweight to them. Piano in “Time to love” – October and “Somewhere” – July sounds buttery smooth and pleasant. Violin in “Merry Go Round” - Joe Hisashi have good texture, liveliness and resonance to them, doesn’t sound abrasive or harsh to the stroke. Horn instruments sound velvety and mellowy, yet not too warm The clean bass also helps highlight the midrange’s instruments here.

Vocals don’t sound thin at all. Female vocals have a nice sense of body and forwardness to them. Mezzo-soprano and soprano type singers sound the best here. Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Ariana Grande all sound natural, pristine, having great liveliness and energy to them yet not overdone. You don’t have an overly boost uppermidrange like many Harman-ish iem, which would result in an overly harsh and piercing highnotes from these female voices.

Male vocals can be a hit or miss (mostly hits though). Thick baritone like Frank Sinatra and Michael Bubble can sometime lack a bit of weightiness and lushness, though sounding correct in tone. Other lighter male vocalists like Bruno Mars, ONE OK Rock’s Taka, Adam Levine sounds nice with good emphasis, breathiness and texture to them. When listening to “Shivers” - Ed Sheeran, there’s barely any sibilant to his voice.

Treble

The treble of the P50 is easier to talk about. It’s decently extended, smooth, not peaky, but not heavily boosted. It doesn’t pack that much micro details or textures into the upper treble region. There’s little to none off timbre from the micro planar drivers as well. It’s pretty much a very chill, inoffensive treble region. It serves more as a complementary component to the tonality, to show how nice the P50’s midrange and vocals are, not to stand out on its own.

Technicalities

The P50 has quite a nice, open soundstage (partly due to the open faceplate design?). It has more width and height than depth. Imaging is nice and correct though the layering and separation aren’t too clear cutted. All and all, well above average technical performance from the P50.

Comparison:
1/ Kiwiears KE4

The KE4 is currently selling for 199$. The KE4 has 2DD and 2BA as its driver specification. Both iem have similar build (resin body with metal nozzles) but the KE4 has a simpler faceplate design, while the P50 has a more modern vibe. The KE4 also has driver flex while the P50 does not. The stock cable and carrying case is much better on the P50.

Sound wise, the KE4 has the so-called “meta” tonality.

For the bass, the KE4 has more bass quantity than the P50, along with thicker midbass. The KE4’s bass has better sense of depth and texture, a bit more agile and feels more satisfying overall.

The midrange of the KE4 is warmer than the P50's. Instruments has better timbre overall on the P50. There’s some apparent BA timbre in the KE4. The vocals sound way more laid back on the KE4. The P50 vocals are more forward, energetic and just overall sounds better, both male and female vocals.

Treble wise, both iem have similarly extended treble, but the KE4 just sounds a bit more detailed, has more shimmering while the P50's treble is smoother, less crispy and chiller.

Technicalities wise, the P50 has more width but the KE4 has better depth and height, being more holographic overall. Imaging and separation is also better on the KE4.

In short. Tonality wise, i'd rate P50 > KE4 while technicalities wise, KE4 > P50. For the total package, it's up for you to decide, but I'd personally pick the P50.

2/ Simgot EA1000

Simgot EA1000 is a 200$ iem with 1DD+1PR configuration. Despite having a very different config to the EPZ P50, I feel like doing this comparison since it's in a similar price bracket and has some similarities in the vocals department.

Build wise, the EA1000 has a full metal shell with glass faceplate, along with changeable nozzles. The EA1000 is way more prone to scratches. The stock cable of the P50 is way better than the EA1000's.

Sound wise, the EA1000 has a neutral-bright tonality.

Let's start with the bass. The P50 has way more subbass than EA1000 while the EA1000 has more midbass. The bass quality of the EA1000 is leagues better than the P50. It sounds more responsive, has quicker bass speed and transients. Drums have better definition on the EA1000. EDM and other sub bass heavy soundtracks sounds better on the P50 as it has better air movements and more oomph from better extension.

As for the midrange, the P50 is a tad warmer than the EA1000's. Instruments sound natural on both sets, but the EA1000 is more bright leaning. The EA1000’s mids feel more analytical sharper and cleaner. Female vocals are way more energetic and lively on the EA1000. That being said, the additional energy in the 6khz region also makes the EA1000 harsher and more metallic. Male vocals sounds better on the P50, feeling warmer with more body to the voices.

Treble wise, the EA1000 is evidently more energetic and detailed, but it's also way peakier. The 13khz peak in the EA1000 is very easy to notice. The P50’s treble on the hand is smoother, more laid back and easier on the ear, helping the P50 scale with volume better.

Technicalities wise, the EA1000 has less width, but has better layering and separation than the P50.

Overall, I enjoy both iem on a similar level. It doesn’t feel redundant to have both of these iem in my rotation.

Conclusion

It’s been a while since I’ve vibe this much with an iem. Sure it’s not perfect, but it’s vocals and mids makes up for it. So much so that a basshead like myself can still enjoy the P50 when I still want more in the bass region. If you’re someone who’s looking for a high value iem, one that specialized in vocals and midrange reproduction, with really nice quality accessories out of the box, I’d highly recommend the EPZ P50.

That’s it for my review and thank you for reading.

I know the EPZ company only by a single, but extremely successful earphone model, EPZ G10. It’s those ‘earphones with a flashlight included’. P50 is a completely different story both technologically and in terms of the price/self-presentation. This is a bid for ‘real’ sound for a little less than $200.

And that’s what we’ll talk about today.

All but the sound​

The earphones come in a beautiful box made of thick textured cardboard.


According to the latest fashion, the contents of the box are covered with a thin, parchment-like sheet, which makes it feel like opening a box of chocolates.


The sheet is needed to increase the degree of fanfare, as well as to protect the earphone enclosures from scratches during transportation. As the example of PULA Anvil114 shows, it doesn’t help to protect the enclosures in any way. However, P50 have metal backplates, so they can scratch whatever themselves.


The set is as follows:

1. the earphones;
2. the cable;
3. the case;
4. 2 sets of eartips;
5. a microfiber cloth.

There are no further questions, it’s made properly.

The cable has replaceable connectors – 3.5 and 4.4 mm.


The connector is attached to the cable with a threaded ring. The ring is polished, absolutely smooth, you can’t really grasp it with your fingers. The threads are done frankly poorly. It’s not convenient to change the connectors, and doing it by the ring is simply scary – you have to squeeze it hard when twisting and untwisting. Well, at least, there are clear L and R markings. That’s a good start.


Therefore, I can describe the cable as decent, but the implementation of the connector change mechanism is just frankly poor.

The earphone enclosures are made of resin, the outer overlays are metal, as are the sound ducts. The diameter of the sound ducts along their entire length is 5.7 mm, and their length is 4.2 mm.


In terms of being opened or closed back, P50 are closed-back for an immediate listener, that is, they’re almost as soundproof as real closed-back models. But they work as semi-open for the outside world — some sound comes out from the other side. It’s not loud compared to what the user hears, but it will annoy particularly nervous colleagues at work, especially if the room is quiet.


The enclosures are ergonomically shaped and fit into the ears perfectly. The connection area is flat, the cable doesn’t fall out.

The meshes are non-removable and neat.


The eartips are… just eartips. Their sets are practically indistinguishable from each other, if not identical. There’s no difference in measurements between them.


These eartips are not the most advantageous for my ears, but, fortunately, any Zhulinniao Zhu Rythme, Whizzer ET100AB, DIVINUS Velvet or EPZ original eartips (by the way, why aren’t they included?) are just right for the average fit depth, for which these earphones are designed. And they hold on the sound ducts quite well.

I can’t really say anything about any nuances of use because there are none of them: P50 fit in comfortably.

The sound​

Read the article about the rig here.

Frequency response of EPZ P50 when combining graphs at 500 Hz:


Here we can see an interesting attempt to create a variation of sound delivery based on meta tuning (see the section “What exactly do the column names in the table below mean?” in a known rating), but with an extended top. The difference between subbass and ‘ear gain’ (as we, left-wing audiophiliacs-measurers say, meaning the 2.8-3.3 kHz segment) is 2.5 dB, while meta tuning defines this difference as 0.8 dB. That is, the midrange in P50 is clearer and more distinct, plainly louder. And then we have that ‘tail’ from 10 kHz, which only goes down from 18 kHz.

To sum up, we have a generally ‘warm’ basis coming from meta tuning, but, at the same time, a highlighted middle and extended (in terms of volume) tops up to the audible limit. So, is this a neutral sound delivery?

Not really: to my ear, P50 sound more like this:


This is the same graph — I just combined it with the Harman curve at 1,000 Hz.

P50 sound lukewarm to neutral and have a really clear midrange complemented with extended, full-fledged tops. The peculiarity is that the bass plays very, very weightily, but only when it’s ‘invited to the music’, I’d say. P50 can hit your ears when needed, and by this their sound is not dry and balanced, but actually driving and assertive here and there. In short, it turned out to be an interesting sound delivery. It’s technical, balanced, wide, but at the same time somewhat daredevil and lilting.

But we’ll talk about whether it’s unique below.

Nonlinear distortion (with the ‘Use harmonic frequency as ref’ option off and on) at 94 dB:



P50 phase response:


Group-delay:


Spectrogram in the ‘Burst decay’ mode:


These were the measurements of the right earpiece. And here we see that near the frequency of 9 kHz, the sound fades out not in 7, but in more than 30 periods.

And here is this place on the frequency response graph:


Spectrogram of the left earpiece in the ‘Burst decay’ mode:


It means that I’ve got bad luck with this sample. But you might have it bad, too.

All in all, P50 don’t set any records from a technical point of view, but there’s frankly nothing to complain about.

Comparisons​

We need to compare the item with the best ones in the same price category, so let’s open the ranking and compare. Let me remind you that I always have all the earphones from my ranking list in my hands (but ZiiGaat Estrella, as I haven’t purchased it for personal use yet, my fault), so I compare not by graphs, not off the top of my head, but immediately by ear, quickly re-putting different models into my ears.

As a starting point, look at GizAudio × Binary Acoustics CHOPIN (link to the review for those who missed it):


The Chopin’s sound is totally different at all. It’s about vigor, drive, groove and all that jazz.

As compared with Meyr Audio SLIIVO SL41 MK2:


SL41 MK2 rely on subbass in particular and on meta tuning in general. Their sound is ‘heavier’ and more sonorous. They’re much more about fun, more V-shaped.

My beloved TRI I3 MK3:


They’re already closer to a truly neutral (at least by ear) sound delivery. Besides, there is a light rise at about 1.5 kHz, which expands the virtual sound stage.

For last, here’s a comparison with Quarks 2, funny earphones with a microphone on a non-detachable cable for some $17.


You see? The models were apparently tuned with the same intention, with the same target vision, but the middle and upper ranges of Quarks 2 are much ‘smoother’, and it’s only the ultra-high-frequency component that just corresponds to the target curve rather than being highlighted, and the bass is also pronounced a bit less.

May Quarks 2 be technically bad?




No, they’re technically better. Just better.

Summary​

It’s good to be an independent reviewer! I don’t have to invent anything, to hide anything, to economize on truth or to slant anything in favor of the desired result. I would be happy to say that EPZ P50 are noteworthy if it weren’t for all the other earphones I mentioned above. I’d like to sincerely congratulate EPZ because P50 are good as they are, out of the current audio industry context. The problem is that the context — the price segment and the models in it — does exist, and there’s already no room to swing a cat there — you have to elbow your way into it.

In this context, P50 are mediocre, and this is the main reason not to buy them: if you want punch and drive, buy Chopin. If you want more neutrality, buy I3 MK3. If you want earphones with a subwoofer, buy SL41. Above all, if you want to pay by tenfold less, consider Quarks 2. P50 have been stuck somewhere between clear sound concepts of these models, while their own sound doesn’t pretend to be somewhat unique and valuable, unfortunately.

Although, I’ll say it again, if they cost half the price, it would be quite a different story.

Anyway, I’ll continue to follow the EPZ company. Who knows? They might manage to make something truly unique and remarkable within a couple of years. They’ve already managed G10.

TONALITY: 8.2/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.5/10
TIMBRE: 7.8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 8/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.2/10
RESOLUTION: 8/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.8/10

EPZ is a rather new audio company from China, they make IEMs and dongles, and have caught the attention of the audiophile community with their single dynamic driver release, the Q5, as well as multi-BA IEM less budget minded EPZ 530.

Since their latest release the Q5pro, they go into a short hiatus and come back with an unexpected tribrid release, the P50, which I will review today.

Priced 180$, the P50 uses a 10mmDD for bass, a custom dual composite BA for mids and 2 micro planar for highs, with a semi-open back design to avoid sound pressure built up and driver flex issue.

Let see in this review if the EPZ first tribrid IEM is something that offers good musicality or-and valuable technical performance.

CONSTRUCTION&ACCESSORIES



The design of P50 is eye-catching and very sophisticated, it has a futuristic cyberpunk look that isn’t overdone and keeps a sober elegance. Its design highlights the semi-open back as well, which is where the sound leakage will happen.

The shell is made of light but sturdy resin plastic and light aluminum back plate with extra copper mesh to avoid dust from entering inside.
It’s not heavy and feel a bit fragile, in the sens, i would be afraid of dropping those on hard floor unlike all resin plastic molded IEM

The 2 pin connector isn't recessed and will match most types of 2 pin cable. Nozzle is made of metal and long enough for deep insertion, it’s rather big too.



The included cable is of impressive quality, it’s a modular 6N single crystal silver plated copper cable with L shape plugs. Sound transmission is clean and dynamic and doesn't negatively inflict on harmonic distortion or dynamic range. Only con i can find is very nit picky and about 4pin female termination that can be hard to push in the 3.5 or 4.4 4 pins male termination, as well, you need to screw them together and the metal is very very slippy, so i would be lying if i say i don’t swear a lot while swapping 3.5 to 4.4 or vice versa. This is a similar modular mechanism than Fiio cable, which I'm not a fan of, though the quality of wires is superior with P50.



Whole unboxing experience was a very positive surprise, unexpected at 180$ price range. It comes in a nice thick box that is worth being kept to store your iems, cable etc. It includes a very good quality round carrying case. Apart from the very nice cable, we have 2x same 3 pairs of wide bore ear tips, which is a bit puzzling and the only con i can find in accessories. Lastly, we have a cleaning cloth.

All in all, satisfying accessories and good enough craftsmanship, which I hope will offer good durability.





SOUND IMPRESSIONS

The musicality of EPZ P50 took me by surprise and underlined again how a graph can tell so little about it…it’s a very holographic and multi-layered musicality with proper macro dynamic focus. Smoothly W shape, with warm bass, bright but dense enough mids and a fast and crunchy treble that feel effortless in transient, yet don’t deliver shinny brilliance and sparkle, nor add clean air around instruments.

Even if it use 5 drivers, the coherence is there, i would not say organic or extremely fluid but their no wonky instruments rendering nor distracting timbre imbalance or treble spike, it’s mostly smooth in balance with the exception of upper mids that tend to jump at you more, making vocal and wind instrument more focus and clear in presence, wide and lush enough way.

While i wouldn’t call these plain neutral, it aim a natural balance close to it, sub bass is more boosted than mid bass but nothing sound thin with P50, which mean mid range (especially upper mids) is main focus, then the treble isn’t dull at all and add extra sense of layer and attack energy. It’s the kind of IEM you can find warm sounding with electronic, classical and jazz and bright sounding when it’s vocal centric, due to forwards presence of upper mid range. But this doesn't mean it’s shouty or sibilant.



The BASS is a bit of ‘’it could be’’ story, it offers mellow and dense slam, the weight is there, the layering is good but mid bass doesn’t hit hard and clean nor does the sub bass dig very deep, it’s more about vibrant rumble with shorten decay. It’s not extremely rolled off nor super bass light, it’s a safely tuned bass which extracts the flesh of bass line and make it followable without being able to finely judge them.
Cello does better than double bass, it go round and lush for cello while a bit more boomy for double bass which need a deep lean extension, the double bass go all ‘’oomph’’ sometimes too, this isn't a prime quality bass, core warmth spoils its clarity.
It does better with electric bass, the grunt and presence is more highlight, attack bite is there too, surely competing with planar treble.
The P50 bass will fit better R&B, Soul and rock music than jazz and electronic, yet it’s not horrifious for these whatever style of music, it just go more guilty pleasure, less high fidelity rendering.
the fact it’s semi open back suck out the sub bass and affect elasticity of attack too, which go euphonic bass line wise, it’s not super speedy tight bass, nor hard punchy, but it’s don’t have invasive resonance, which can affect sense of slam wideness and presence.
Lukewarm bass, for the better and the worst depending on music style.

The mid range is the main highlight of these, especially if you want your vocal or saxophone to be lush and forward with a wide, near dominating presence that doesn’t require much macro dynamic rendering.
It’s holographic and well layered mids, with cohesive timbre but a notch spicy and edgy too, we aren’t in all buttery warmness territory, sense of transparency is preserved and technical rendering is impressive without going cold or thin. Female vocals do better than male vocals which are a bit more recessed, less wide in presence too. BA timbre is barely noticeable, yet more so than well implemented sonion or knowles BA.
Sense of openness is there, multiple instruments can cohabit with good layering readability.
Note weight is there too, though not heaviest, piano attack is felt and rendering is a bit warmed in sustain with shorten release, it’s no clean natural resonance of note impact which make hard to know if pianist press sustain pedal or not.But the tone is right, with just slightly colored timbre that avoid plain dryness, higher range will sound notch sharper and louder, which underline this upper mids boost that give more energy to higher harmonic.

The treble is quite special though not super sparkly or brilliant, there is a notch of inconsistency in terms of sound info capacity, some percussions will sound louder and fuller than other, this is very nit picky and you need to go active critical listening to perceive this.
In fact, the level of detail is very high, just not the finest in terms of clean, crisp and full resolution.
Those 2 micro planar are very impressive in terms of high layering, attack speed and control which is very speedy in transient but not shiny nor brilliant in release. It’s bite is crunchy, presence is round and thick, it’s no thin treble nor metallic sounding one, you might lose some clicking micro details that EST driver render effortlessly.
Even if not most stable in percussion rendering, it’s easy to follow their own positioning and pace. Highs add a sense of holographic openness without using the extra air spike of ultra highs (15khz).
It’s rather smooth treble with good macro dynamic energy, it’s not edgy or ultra sharp. It’s no treble head IEM either.

The soundstage is above average, it’s wide, tall and deep, not concert hall like super wide just enough to permit an open and holographic spatiality.

Imaging is very good, the sense of layers are well separated and defined, multiple instruments can cohabit with open center scenes which don’t feel distant.

It most be noted that those EPZ P50 like a bit of amping power to fully wake up all it's drivers, 200mW and above is what I suggest, clean crisp source is better too. I have very good result with Fiio KA17 as well as anything DAP pairing with eitehr Kaei Tap2 or Tap1pro (both have lower impedance-0.4 and 0.1ohm). Stock eartips are OK, but i have good result with other short wide bore too, which tend to open up soundstage even more.




COMPARISONS



VS SIMGOT SUPERMIX4 (1dd+1BA+1planar+1 piezo-140$)

The SM4 is more U shape, notch warmer-lusher-smoother mids wise and darker treble wise.

Sub bass is notably more boosted, deeper and more rumbly, its denser and more vibrant too, which underline slight roll off and compression of P50 sub bass. Slam is bigger, but not as well defined and round mid bass punch wise, it’s harder to spot kick drums with SM4.

Mids are a bit similar but SM4 is more mid centric and mid licious, its as forwards but more buttery in upper mids, less prompt to slight edginess, timbre is warmer, less dry too. Macro layering is clearer and more articulate with P50, there less multi masking when it comes to complex tracks with a lot of instrument, so definition is edgier (explaining perhaps this upper mids extra spice). Vocal wise, SM4 is more focused and enjoyable, presence is wider and smoother (with short wide bore eartips).

Treble is more lively with P50, it’s crunchier and clearer, both don’t deliver lot of sparkle and piezo of the SM4 is thinner, notch snappier but more understated too, so overall balance of P50 suddenly feel more W shape overall…macro coherency is more rounded and balanced with SM4.

Soundstage is wider and taller with SM4, deeper and more holographic with the P50.

Imaging is superior with P50 due to better layering. This is expected with 2BA and 2 micro planar…

All in all, musicality of these is similar but SM4 is more U shape and less technically capable, more laid back overall, surely more boring too for those seeking sense of immediacy and immersivity in musicality.

VS CELEST PHEONIXCALL (1DD+2BA+2micro planar-130$)

Ok, this is a torture to do this comparison…Kinera really don’t know how to properly tune IEM and this shown here, so the Pheonix is notably brighter, more W shape to V shape, more trebly and artificial sound, more sibilant, shouty, timbre man this metallic timbre is so ugly…

Bass is more punchy yet dryer and more rolled off in sub bass which is anemic…tone is off, timbre is wrong and bass feels detached, out of picture compared to more fluid cohesion and warmer bass response of P50.

Mids are more recessed, thinner, notch more transparent but more grainy-noisy in texture…resolution is more boosted but layering is more compressed, vocal and wind instrument sound way more boxy and shouty…unbearable.

The treble is more exciting and pseudo analytical ,we have more micro details but thinner highs too, it's more splashy as well…very disastrous…compared to more balanced P50 treble.

Soundstage is less wide, less tall, deeper like a tunnel, so more stock in your head too.

Imaging is unrealistic, it’s just random sound info thrown at you, mostly treble percussion etc…

All in all, Pheonixcall is pure rough sounding wonky beast. Which show ‘’experience’’ isn’t a valuable factor in terms of tuning talent for Kinera. EPZ tuning is more mature, more balanced, more musical, more everything with superior technical performance too from attack control to layering. I guess masochist treble heads might prefer the Celest…who knows.

VS ISN H60 (2DD+4BA-350$)

H60 is warmer, bassier, more L to V shape and lusher, more natural and colored and smooth in timbre.

Bass is thicker, boomier, more punchy and rumbly and more bleedy too, less well separated. Rumble is notably more vibrant and euphonic. Mid bass is warmer, less textured and defined, which makes the kick drum darker-sloppier.

Mids are smoother, less bright and forwards, thicker and darker, there less air around instrument and layering isn’t as well define and articulate, it’s macro-mushy compare to crisper P50 and its more open mids.Articulation of words is better with P50 too, making lyric easier to understand.H60 is way more buttery and lean in mids, busy track will go less sharp in imaging, upper mids have more bite and boost with P50 too.

Treble is faster and snappier with P50, notch more sparkly and crunchy too, attack lead has more energy, but BAs highs of H60 are thicker, more cohesive in macro balance while micro dynamic is livelier with P50. Electric guitar has more bite and texture. Sense of transparency is superior. Treble is more airy too.

Soundstage is wider with H60, taller and deeper and more holographic and airy with P50.

Imaging is clearer and sharper with p50, layering is more transparent too.

To note construction is notably superior and more sturdy with H60. P50 seems quite fragile with thinner plastic and a backplate that is risky to pop out…

All in all, musicality is quite different here, but in terms of technical performance I find P50 more capable in terms of attack speed, imaging and resolution, bass is less dominant but less fun too, mids aren’t as lush and those sensitive to upper mids loudness would be better with H60. I tend to like holographic immersive rendering and in that regard P50 offer me more, as well, it’s 2x cheaper, so in term of plain sound value the P50 is way superior and make me wonder legitimacy of H60 hype…since it more about guilty pleasure than capable audiophile sound.

CONCLUSION



EPZ evolution is a fascinating one, and the P50 feels like the debut of a new tuning and tech journey. I'm certainly more intrigued than bright harman targets aimed with their Q5.

With P50, not only do they achieve a balanced musicality that has good focus on mid range and deliver clear and well layered instrument and vocal, but they achieve an highly immersive and holographic macro dynamic too that induces highly captivating yet not overly offensive sound experience.

The imaging is very good and not static, the bass is understated but punchy enough and offer some oomph and bass line tactility. Then the planar treble is fast and catchy, adding extra layers that are coherent within an overall mature tonal balance.

No thin mids, nor thin bass nor thin treble, everything sounds full without going plain warm and thick as a whole.

Sure, it’s not end word in terms of timbre naturalness, treble sparkle and overall audiophile refinement, but for the price you get mid tier performance with well done tuning.

My true only caveat is about construction quality since even if the design is beautiful and sophisticated, I know from experience that thin plastic with light metal backplate can be risky of being damaged if dropped on hard floor.

All in all, the EPZ P50 is an excellent IEM that hits above its price range and achieves a technical and musical sound experience that isn’t that common in sub-200$ price range.




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PS: I want to thanks EPZ for accepting to send me this review sample when I contact them. As an independant reviewer, i don't receive freebies out of the blue but make my own choice, here, it was too see if the hype was real with the P50, and it is. The P50 is worthy of being kept in my IEMs collection. As always, these are my unbiased yet subjective audio impressions.

You can order the P50 directly from their official Ali Express store for 185$ here (non-affiliated link cleaned up from Ali cookies):
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008227348445.html

EPZ P50 Review: Finding the "Sweet Spot" ?
Hey everyone, I'm back with another review!
It's fascinating how this particular IEM has stirred up such a buzz in the audio community. Some absolutely adore it, while others find it doesn't quite hit the mark. As the saying goes, "Agree to disagree, but does that mean you agree or disagree?" (Let that keep you up at night!). This IEM is undoubtedly versatile, boasting its own unique features and "sweet spot." Those who resonate with its tuning will love it, while those who don't, well, that's the beauty of subjective preferences.
Disclaimer: As always, I'll share my honest, subjective impressions – the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Unboxing and Packaging:
The box giving a sense of luxury, which is no surprise coming from EPZ. Even their entry-level products boast impressive packaging, let alone a mid-tier offering like this. It's a complete package, three pairs of decent universal eartips (though at this price, I was secretly hoping for foam tips or M100s), a fiber cloth, a substantial 6N OCC silver-plated cable (a bit stiff but visually appealing), and a modular design with a secure locking mechanism for easy jack swapping. A large, smooth synthetic leather case, a manual, and, of course, a QC card round out the package.
Build Quality and Comfort:
The build feels solid, despite not being a single housing design. The CNC aluminum metal faceplate feels rigid yet lightweight. The semi-open back and industrial design are perfect for those who appreciate a modern aesthetic. The silver finish with gold accents adds a touch of sophistication. The fit is remarkably comfortable, it seems being too bulky, but they fit just perfectly. The lightweight design makes them ideal for extended listening sessions. The finned housing design creates space between the skin and the IEM, preventing heat buildup during prolonged use. However, some may find this finned design less comfortable. The nozzle is a metal little bit in long side but lacks an eartips retainer, making eartips installation easy but potentially leading to slippage, especially with XL stem eartips.
Sound Quality:
For testing, I used the stock 4.4mm cable, Onix Alpha X1 (NOS-LLF), and stock eartips. With a Tribrid configuration of 2BA, 2MP, and 1DD, they're relatively easy to drive, reaching a satisfying volume at 40-45 on low gain in my preferences. I'd categorize it as a versatile "all-rounder." This IEM emphasizes musicality and tonality over technical prowess, leaning towards a neutral profile with a slightly boosted bass, open and forward mids, and smoothed-out airy treble for a fatigue-free listening experience.

• Bass: Not a basshead's dream of deep and vibrating rumble, but a well-rounded bass experience. It's balanced, tight, punchy, and well-textured, with sufficient rumble. The control is excellent, preventing bleed into other frequencies and maintaining a clean separation. I think with more proper source; the bass can still be further enhanced.
• Mids: The mids are balanced for both male and female vocals across various genres. However, for genres demanding richer male vocals, like jazz, they might feel slightly lacking. Female vocals, on the other hand, are spot-on for my taste. The vocals are natural, textured, and lively, with a subtle lushness. A warmish or tube-like source would likely add more body and richness. The overall vocal presentation is sweet, clean, well-layered, and free from shoutiness.
• Treble: The treble is extended but smoothed, offering brightness and sparkle without fatigue. However, this smoothing can reduce the sense of bite and density. There's a subtle metallic planar timbre, adding a touch of energy, wetness, and airiness. No harshness or fatigue, even during extended percussion-heavy listening. A source that adds density to the treble would elevate the experience.

Technical Performance:
The technical performance is adequate, but the semi-open back design is genuinely functional, not a gimmick. Covering it with tape noticeably reduces airiness and soundstage. The soundstage is spacious, wide, and open, with a balanced presentation of width, depth, and height. However, the imaging lacks 3D holography, feeling slightly blurred. The resolution, separation, and layering are good, but complex, busy tracks can feel congested. The clarity and texturing remain commendable.
Conclusion:
The P50 targets listeners seeking a musical, mid-tier IEM with a versatile "meta" tuning that's easy to drive, rather than those prioritizing technical prowess. I would say worth for its price point making it a sweet spot at around 200$.
Thanks for your time, sorry for the typo, God bless you all.

Build and comfort : Drivers are made out of Resin, except the faceplate. The faceplate is made of CNC machined metal. The faceplate is elegant and cool to touch. As its an open back design iem there is a vent on the faceplate. Overall the build is premium.
It is a big iem but to my ears it did fit really well. Didn’t feel too heavy in the longer listening sessions as well.


Accessories:

• Premium Case
• Iem + cable(3.5 and 4.4 terminals)
• 3 pairs of eartips
• User manual
• Qc certification

Specs :
Tribrid IEM : 1 DD(Low) + 2 BA(Mid) + 2 Micro Planar(High)
Impedance : 20 Ohm
Wire Material : Single Crystal Copper Silver plated (3.5mm and 4.4mm terminals)

Sound Characteristics
Sound signature : Balanced , Dark Background , clean sounding

Treble
The treble is sparkly. They have done treble in such a way that it has treble energy but it doesn’t sound fatiguing. It has a really good treble extension. But there is a catch, it has planar timbre. It is something whether you love it or hate it.

Mids
Mids are decent. The vocal section is a bit thin. The vocals in some tracks , especially female vocal centric tracks stood out to me. Vocals sound clean and sparkly a bit more lushness or thickness would have been cherry on the top. Instruments like guitar, bass guitar, snare drums sound a bit thin to my liking. But if you add a musical dongle or pair with a tube amp then thinnes fades away. It adds note weight.

Bass
The bass of this iem is vastly dependent on the source pairing. This iem requires an adequate amount of power to unleash its full potential. At first when I tried it with Shanling shanling M1 plus the bass seemed “okay” to me. But when paired with Dethonray clarinet + C9, The bass shines! It has a deep impact yet it maintains the texture. Not to mention it doesn’t affect other frequencies. In short : Clean and tight bass.
The subbass is less pronounced. Again it scales depending on the source but not as prominently as the bass.

Imaging and separation is really good. The instruments are horizontally separated. In other words the soundstage is wide explicitly over the X axis. I won’t call it holographic or doesn’t wrap around the head. Good technicalities without being non-fatiguing.

Eartips and cable rolling: for testing I used Dunu Candy eartips and EPZ DP5 cable. The copper cable brings a bit more note weight and tames sparkle to my liking.

Source Used:
Cayin C9
Dethonray Clarinet
Shanling M1 plus
N.B: All the testing was done using balanced cable.

Verdict : Considering the 200$ price bracket and the whole experience of the iem starting from unboxing, accessories and sonic it's really a competitive IEM in hobby. Proper source can bring the best out of this iem. This iem is a jack of all trades, Master of none. It can play all the genres in a decent manner but nothing in particular exceptionally well. This iem is for those who prefer a wide stage and mixed genre library.

Unboxing

The EPZ P50 arrives in a sleek, textured cardboard sleeve that adds a touch of elegance from the start. Upon opening, the ear pieces and their stylish puck-style leather case are neatly tucked under a layer of printed parchment paper. Beneath the ear pieces, you will find two sets of ear tips, a microfiber cloth, and some paperwork. Inside the case, the cable—complete with interchangeable terminations—is securely stored, ready for use.



Accessories

For the price, the included accessories are decent but leave room for improvement. The cable is a 2-pin, silver-plated Ohno Continuous Cast (OCC) copper, with interchangeable angled terminations for both 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs. The cable itself feels premium, as does the hockey puck-style leather case. However, the cable is quite stiff, which affects its ergonomics. Additionally, swapping the terminations is a bit of a struggle, as they fit very tightly. While this tight fit ensures they will not come loose, it can make changing them frustrating, especially when you are on the go. The 4.4mm termination comes pre-attached, which can be a nuisance for users who prefer a 3.5mm connection. As for the ear tips, the inclusion of two sets of silicone tips (S, M, L) resembling Final Type E tips is a bit of a letdown. A wider variety of tips, the EPZ M100 or some foam options, would have been a welcome addition. On a positive note, the microfiber cloth is a nice touch for keeping things clean.

Build

The build quality of the EPZ P50 is impressive. The outer shell is crafted from CNC machined metal and features large vents to enhance its open-back design, while the inner shell—facing your ear—is made from durable 3D-printed resin. The metal nozzle has no lip, which might cause issues with some third-party ear tips, depending on their inner diameter. The 2-pin connectors offer just the right amount of tension, making cable swapping quick and easy.

Fit and Comfort

In terms of comfort, the EPZ P50 is a winner. The earpieces are compact and ergonomically designed, with an added wing for improved stability during wear. The medium-length (8.7mm) nozzles, with a diameter of 5.7mm, ensure a snug yet comfortable fit for most ears. However, the stiff cable does impact comfort to some extent, as it is not as flexible as one might hope. Unfortunately, the included ear tips did not work well for me—I could not get a proper seal, and they often slipped out. I ended up using a set of Divinus Velvet (regular bore) ear tips and a more ergonomic ivipQ 199 cable (single crystal copper with a 4.4mm termination), which significantly improved the experience. Overall, the P50 remains comfortable over long listening sessions, even after hours of use.

Sound

The EPZ P50 delivers a neutral-leaning sound signature, reminiscent of the Softears Studio 4, but with a touch more bass and slightly less focus on vocals. It is important to note that due to its open-back design, sound leakage is significant, especially at higher volumes—so be mindful of your surroundings. Despite this open-back design, isolation from outside noises remains very good, ensuring a clear listening experience even in somewhat noisy environments.



Bass

The bass performance is solid but not particularly engaging for those who crave deep rumbling lows. The single dynamic driver handles the bass coherently, with tight control and no bleed into the midrange. The sub-bass is somewhat rolled off, which reduces the impact on certain tracks, but the bass texture and overall control are commendable. While a bit more emphasis on the sub-bass might have added excitement, the current balance works well with the overall neutral-leaning tuning. Given the open-back design, the bass performance is impressive for this style of earphone.

Mids

The midrange is where the EPZ P50 truly shines. It is clean, clear, and well-balanced, allowing both male and female vocals to sound natural and lively without one being more prominent than the other. Vocals come through with rich texture, capturing nuances like vibrato and breathiness beautifully. Instruments are well-separated, and none of them overshadow each other, creating a cohesive and realistic soundstage.

Treble

The treble extends smoothly into the presence region before tapering off gently around 6kHz. It is bright and sparkly without being fatiguing, bringing out fine details without overwhelming the listener. However, some ultra-fine details that are prominent on other sets are only faintly present here, and occasionally absent.

Soundstage

The open-back design gives the EPZ P50 an expansive soundstage that is a real highlight. The width, depth, and height are all impressive, making live recordings particularly engaging. The spatial separation of instruments and vocals adds a layer of realism that enhances the listening experience.

Resolution

The EPZ P50 performs admirably on busy tracks, especially in the treble region, where the dual planar drivers contribute to excellent temporal separation. The mids hold up well, maintaining clarity and texture, while the bass region occasionally struggles with complex dynamics.

Conclusion

At around $200, the EPZ P50 is an outstanding value. Its neutral-leaning tuning, combined with the superb soundstage and technical performance, makes it an excellent all-rounder. While the bass may not be as engaging for some listeners, the clarity and balance of the midrange are compelling, and the overall sound is lively and natural. Whether you’re listening to rock, classical, or jazz, the EPZ P50 handles it all with ease, offering a remarkable experience for the price.