The New SIMGOT EA1000 Flagship IEM
Introduction:
You’ll have to excuse this review, that while informative, it is incredibly long. It’s just when IEMs are this good for the money and so groundbreaking in what they offer, there is no choice but to talk a lot about them. In fact even if the EA1000 was 1/4 less as good it would still get the full 5 stars from me. Yep.
SIMGOT as a company is on a roll. The two prior major releases which have amazed the community have been the EA500 and the EW200. I will get into both of them in a few.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/simgot-em2r-roltion.26084/reviews#review-29526
Even though SIMGOT has been around for a while, they have never gained the popularity they have now, and it seems they are going from strength to more strength? Back in early November of 2022 I reviewed my first SIMGOT, the Roltion EM2R and I only gave it 3 stars. The issue for me was that it didn’t have enough note-weight. But more than that, the IEMs SIMGOT puts out now almost don’t even seem like they are from the same company? Improved ergonomics in fit is one reason….still with the EA1000 being 11 grams each, the sheer weight makes you wonder? The past EM2R was almost too small and too low weight. But this EA1000 is really perfect, though maybe getting better ergonomics with the supplied cable, due to the included ear-hooks?
Meaning as far as fit and comfort goes, the correct cable ergonomic movements, the weight and just how they sit inside your ear.......plus the nozzle length……it is actually surprising to a jaded reviewer like myself just how well these fit and stay in place? If you look there are a series of air-vents which inhabit the rear (ear-facing) area? Three vents and one giant one, something about this device being a passive radiator? There is a gold screen for it, yet all three vents never get blocked.........somehow?
The EA1000 Technology:
1) SDPGD technology
This added process uses Sputter Deposition to create a more rigid and lightweight diaphragm. In terminology, the SD stands for Sputter Deposition, and the PGD stands for Purple Gold Diaphragm.
2) DMDC Dynamic Driver
This is a dual chamber created for the driver.
3) 1DD + 1PR
This is a combination of an active 10mm driver with a 6mm passive radiator
4) The EA1000 changeable nozzle technology
Here three nozzles are included as a way to generate three specific tuning curve directions, using both stainless steel and brass materials.
SIMGOT EA1000 first impressions:
For me the addition of DD and Passive Radiator seems most important, as there really is this natural ambiance to the bass which stands out different than any IEM in this price category? There are truly added dimensions of texture and ambiance to the bass quality? They say this is the direct result of increased air-flow and that is really what it sounds like, you can hear this technology in action? For me I listened first then read about the technology later, and this was part of my first impressions, noticing how the bass was effortless and agile? But obviously there needs to be special attention to the mids and highs, yet on first listening both the mids offered a nice smooth midrange and treble offered great itemization of imaging outwards into the stage. Though prior to burn-in I noted a slight lack of low-end punch that kept the EA1000 as a recommendation to a rock or EDM listener. Though the most rewarding sentence in this introduction is the EA1000 completely changed upon 130 hours of burn-in. While it basically still had its personality, except added smoothness took place, and added bass authority which allowed for a fantastic IEM inclusion with rock and EDM. To try and put this into perspective, the EA1000 was so good right-off-the-bat........that I was still fully enamored with its abilities, and continued to find stuff it played well. But after 130 hours of burn-in really it was way more well rounded and played all genres.
The filter system:
It’s best that I briefly go over what SIMGOT is attempting to do with this new filter system. Graphic representation of what each filter does is represented on the box.
1) The new Golden SIMGOT target (brass filter system)
2) The way they came with the red rubber rings. The 2019 Harman Target, my favorite no doubt.
3) The black ring filter, SIMGOT Classic target.
I listened first to try and get a handle as to what they are up-to with the filter system. You can’t help but note the black foam on the underside of both the black and red ring filters, with the Golden brass nozzle having only a white sticker with a small hole in the center? The Golden curve is slightly more clean, less thick.
Comparisons:
These comparisons are a way to understand an IEM due to contrasts of abilities and tone. Of the eight comparisons provided here four of them are previous SIMGOT products. I added the four SIMGOT products as a gateway to help in understanding the EA1000, especially if you already had made a SIMGOT purchase in the past. Also I added them to try and document just how far SIMGOT has progressed with the new EA1000 too. The other four products are used to kind of delineate the differences and abilities by direct side-by-side comparisons. All tests with Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s firmware, my typical wide-bore silicone ear-tips and White Whale Cable in 4.4mm. I in no way want to be-little the included cable because it’s really nice, except it comes only as 3.5mm, yet I often referred back to the included cable, if not only to make sure I was not missing anything in 3.5mm.
Test 1:
I simply chose the IMR BC 2023 and 7Hz Legato test subjects as I thought the contrasting bass (to the EA1000) would be fun? Both the IMR BC 2023 and 7Hz Legato are considered bass cannons, and while that is true there is still a wonderful balance that the IMR BC 2023 is renowned for. Such a forward IMR midrange that has many simply smitten with the produced frequency outcome, including myself.
IMR BC 2023: $369.00
One 6mm ADLC (amorphous diamond like carbon) driver and one (size undocumented) ADLC driver:
Here we are reminded that the IMR BC 2023 isn’t really that much of a Bass Cannon after all? Its name is maybe a marketing tool? And while yes, it does designate the BC 2023 into a curiosity of listening, I can’t help but wonder if true Bass Cannon listeners will not be let down? After taking some time off from the BC 2023 what really hits me first is the warm midrange it holds, that and the a wonderful separation contained. Such imaging of elements out into the stage really, maybe due to it being 2 DDs, come across even more technical than the EA1000 hoped for. Way more money than our EA1000 and rightly so, as this style of replay has its own charm, yet probably when it comes down to it the EA1000 has a more (maybe) together timbre in the end, not as separated of imaging. The EA1000 has a slightly cohesive and natural tone, despite being overall brighter and more juiced-out up-top. Still in our testing today there is only one Bass Canon and that’s the 7Hz Legato! Still what seems like a less dampened IMR response goes ahead to provide slightly more volume at the same level, inside that volume we are gifted with a bigger stage and further-out larger imaging of elements, better crafted inside that stage. Where the EA1000 is more straightforward, the IMR is kind-of a character, in holding a darker wider positioning which promotes less brightness up-top, but creates a smoother treble all its own.
7Hz Legato: $109.00
Large 12mm Dynamic Driver with Multi-Layer Composite Diaphragm and 6mm Micro Dynamic Driver With Composite Diaphragm:
Bass focused is really the word on the street here. Even with my mid-centric WM1A and wide-bore silicone ear-tips, I can’t help but realize that this is some of the most bass I’ve ever heard from an IEM. Though if you note closely you can still hear the top-end treble balance, as they had to do something to make this style of replay digestible. In essence this treble is the magic that helps this very unorthodox tune seem to work out. Still for this replay to be enjoyed there needs to be a subtle acclimation period as typically the L shape tone will come as a surprise from any style of playback you’re accustomed to. Where here if there was any proof as to the deep bass emphasis contained deep down into the song structure, it is truly there……..all of it! Though in contrast to the EA1000 we also get some extra baggage in the form of bass bleed into the midrange. Yet to top the Legato off, or yet to bottom the Legato off……….there is added bass emphasis to somehow add pace on-top of what would be considered a deep and thoroughly displayed rendition of bass. If anything at all, it shows how our EA1000 can arrive at better well roundedness in daily use. Also we come to realize that some music simply doesn’t go so low in range, that there are albums and even whole genres of music that don’t have a need for such extremes in Hz playback. Yet there is a time and a place for what the 7Hz Legato does. It actually may end up complementary (to the EA1000) for many listeners, being the Legato playback is special and one-of-a-kind. But in contrast......the EA1000 is way, way more mid forward offering a faster yet still authoritative bass response……added to that due to the bass balance differences from the Legato, a treble that’s there as well as the boost that’s offered with the EA1000 at 14kHz.......which ends up taking the whole signature into more clarity and imaging expansion.
Test 2:
The Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite: $249.00
8 Custom BAs:
The Kiwi ears offer lean and faster itemization of sonic elements. Bass is way less visceral and slightly set back in comparison to the EA1000. Even though tuned slightly the same, the Lite’s midrange here shows a more metallic tone. Where our money here is in more EA1000 note density, more note weight from the EA1000. In fact it’s the overall weight of the signature which goes to make the EA1000 special, more special than I thought after this test was complete?
The Kiwi ears Quintet: $219.00
1 Diamond-Like Carbon 10mm (DLC) dynamic driver
2 balanced armature (BA) drivers
1 planar magnetic driver
1 piezoelectric (PZT) bone conduction driver
Bigger separation into the stage, as this is our first Hybrid today. Yep, all those different driver methodologies doing something. Just amazingly separated imaging here with the Quintet. Also the low-end is kicking its rightfully so authority! The Quintet replay today is simply amazing here? The way each element is in its own area of the stage, like each element is free to act how it wants? The EA1000 has slightly better bass, and interestingly enough bigger imaging into the stage, with more weight and size than the Quintet? This was one amazing side-by-side, as the EA1000 can keep-up in its own way with the Hybrid of the Quintet. Bigger size of midrange out into the sides, where the Quintet is grand, but lacking in note density and girth? There is a slightly faster attack and decay that comes with the Quintets top-end, yet the EA1000 has better note decay.
Test 3:
SIMGOT EA500: $79.00
10mm Dynamic Driver:
The moment of truth. While at this early point in time it’s safe to say the EA500 is more popular, as it has had more of a chance to become popular. Where the issues for some were they just didn’t find the signature as accessible as others. That once again just proves how subjective this whole business is. Where I found the bass fine, graph readers saw issues, and some simply found the midrange to be on the hot side. Where probably much of that came from (again) the lack of lows for some listeners to balance out the highs? Still in my book the EA500 can do no wrong, in fact I hear bass detail in the bass department. Also I feel the EA500 is one of the single best imaging IEMs for the money, just the technicalities it does on a regular basis. Though-out this year that fact has been confirmed and reconfirmed as the SIMGOT EA500 has been re-introduced into side-by-side tests, over and over again. Such is life when a major value is tried again and again to see if it still holds value in relation to other competitors. The first thing you notice is how the bass of the EA1000 has its own area of life, there is more of it, but also better quality as it’s defined and tailored to be dressed more for success. Combine that with a more filled out midrange of better imaging and detail, and finally the treble gets imaged further out into resolution. Hands down across the board the EA1000 is better at everything…..and even more so when they are tested back-to-back.
SIMGOT EA500 with filter nozzle system:
SIMGOT EW200: $39.99
10mm Dynamic Driver:
For many the EW200 was a success over the EA500. SIMGOT shifted gears from a EA500 2016 Harman Target to the 2019 EW200 Harman Target. For many the EW200 showcased just what 2023 was about as far as IEM value. And I have to agree, that single handedly the EW200 showed the world how much IEM was obtainable for under $40.00. For those wanting the extra low-end SIMGOT went ahead and added the goods, making many happy in the end. And that’s not to say the EW200 is any kind of Basshead IEM, because it’s not, it is well balanced, yet with more satisfying bass (for some) than the EA500. But that is also combined with a slight dip at 3.5kHz which helped to smooth things out even farther. And guess where else that 3.5kHz dip is? In fact the graph at 3.5kHz all the way to 5kHz is very similar in nature between the EA1000 and EW200. And if anyone knows that area of the Pinna Gain is very much a place where our hearing is most sensitive, meaning combine that Pinna Gain with a low-end that is similar and we have two IEMs that sound very close to the same. Though where the two IEMs start to differ is the EA1000 has about 4Hz less bass, That, and they are complete opposites at 14kHz. Where the EW200 peaks at 12kHz then again at 16kHz. Though again due to close proximity in the Pinna Gain area and similar in bass, they both offer FR signatures that are very close. The differences come with the quality of EA1000 bass technicalities that really separates the two to my ears, and the imaging in the midrange, which is noticeable better with the EA1000. Still if you were to listen to them back-to-back, they are birds of a feather.
Test 4:
SIMGOT EM6L: $109.99
1DD + 4BA Hybrid Drivers:
Laughably SIMGOT went hog wild with their Hybrid ideas here. Yep, you can study the graph here, except no way will the graph truly explain what is going on with bass extension. Sure the graph represents it, but you also have to take into account what the 4 BAs are doing to balance out what is all going on up-top. Laughably this is a Hybrid and the total opposite of what we have with the EA1000. One zigs where the other zags. But one look at that EM6L bass extension would have you believe the bass is maybe out of control, or sloppy……and that is just not the case here. The bass goes low, but it is clean and in control.
The BAs are more (slightly) metallic and not holding the density/girth (note-weight) of the EA1000’s treble or midrange, the EA1000’s bass is more refined and over-all this single DD means that while stage is nice, it doesn’t quite have the total (side-to-side) positioning of the EM6L. What we get are the (plain and simple) regularly understood methodology differences here, where the EA1000 is more cohesive and together and the EM6L more dislocated and fragmented in response. Does it make one better than the other, hmmmm I guess it would depend on what you are after? Normally I like Hybrids the best, but the way they did the EA1000 it almost doesn’t sound like a DD, it almost sounds like a Hybrid? I know I sound like I just contradicted myself, only if you're wondering what the best part of the EA1000 is, it doesn’t really sound like a single full-range DD?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/simgot-em6-l.26639/reviews#review-31512
In the EM6L review I go into more about the graphs and the various targets SIMGOT has focused on. And while it’s safe to say the EA500 (red nozzles filters), and EW100P were more are less focused on the 2016 Harman and the EW200 and EM6L were more in line with the 2019 Harman, still these summaries could be considered over generalizations. Still whatever Harman (2016/2019) your direction is, it does give an overall characteristic to the sound, as such these generalizations are applicable.
SIMGOT EW100P: $19.99
10mm Dynamic Driver:
This IEM didn’t get the best review from me. It’s not because of price, as I gave the 7Hz Salnotes Zero a great score, I just thought the missing low-end combined with the forward midrange was just not a good combination, plus the overall sound was boring and had no personality?
Cables:
Once again there is absolutely nothing wrong with the included cable, only using these aftermarket cables enabled the use of 4.4mm balanced amplifiers which at times are better suited for playback.
ISN G4 Cable:
To tell you the truth, this is one of my absolute favorites with the EA1000 IEM. Why? Added is note-weight……..even bigger than is found naturally with the EA1000. So much of this could in-fact be partially due to favoritism, which I’m not immune to. I use this cable all this time. But what it gets you in the case of the EA1000 is separation, and a tone-down of treble. There is a resulting smoother 14kHz peak, and a more sculpted low-end, like from a blacker background. So it totally makes the sound slightly smoother yet with an added stage expansion that is totally different from the HiSenior White Whale. Where there is a lower midrange added thickness to the White Whale, where the G4 makes the lower midrange cleaner and clearer. What this gives you in the end is increased imaging into the stage, all the while a slight overall smoothness that is rarely found together with the expanded mids into the stage. I would suggest this to those that want to access 4.4mm balanced.....simply get the G4 for the EA1000!
Penon ASOS Cable:
A more natural idea of a cable response, not to say that the G4 colors the sound, except the G4 is maximizing the Graphene tone and character to the fullest extent. Where here we are enjoying a bigger more straight forward size of stage increase and evenness of demeanor. None of that drop in low-end through sculpuring and added thickness or (better yet) contrasts as found with Graphene. Big imaging size, grander stage……….of course there is no way of truly knowing as we have switched over from 3.5mm to 4.4mm.....thus a totally different amplifier in the WM1A player. Offering faster note attacks and note fall-offs into which the EA1000 has the room for, while still maintaining the overall sound signature and over-all EA1000 personality. Maybe slightly the most energetic of cable tests today?
HiSenior White Whale Cable:
Thicker, meatier than the regular cable, how much of that is the different amplifier in the Sony WM1A is debatable. A fuller lower bass than the ASOS and slightly more forward than the G4. Part of what the ISN G4 is doing is setting some lower frequencies back, into the backseat, to enhance the feeling of a darker yet more forward midrange, with more note-weight and a wider girth of expansion. Here we are more like the ASOS, except slightly thicker in the lower midrange. The ear-hooks make the White Whale a joy to use.
Included Cable:
The silver plated Litz Structure is amazing. Having all metal hardware it includes the perfect ear-hooks which are not too aggressive or weak in daily use. The way the EA1000 sits with the included cable is something to behold. Even the sound with the included cable was something that I couldn’t get enough of, always going back to check on it. Pre-burn-in the sound was great with every genre except rock and EDM, though after about 130 hours of burn-in the supplied cable with the EA1000 had a certain sound that went with all music and all file types? I was especially taken with how the included cable acted in that it could be coiled into a small form and always laid where it was told. Also there were very little microphonic properties in daily use, which I found surprisingly good. A nice touch was the all chrome hardware and gold chin-cinch.
With regular phone use:
Due to the enhanced note-weight of the EA1000 it was totally enjoyable in regular phone use. While definition and stage were not quite as dramatic as with a dedicated Audiophile DAP, the differences were small, and may not be a big deal to some. There was better perceived darkness of background with a DAP also often the phone use was 75-80% of full volume. So the AE1000 are not hard to drive but does scale up with better equipment.
Out-and-about:
Normally I would not advise jogging with such an IEM, I mean most will have TWS for sports, except fitment here is incredibly special, at least I would have no worries with these ever coming loose in public? Even the solid metal design adds to the noise occlusion, meaning you see all these vents on the back and think they would be open sounding to let outside noise in, when in fact they offer really good sound occlusion. I would even suggest jogging if you so wished, as they simply fit that good and never move out of place with the supplied cable.
Packaging:
Build:
Coming in at 11 grams a piece, the EA1000 is one of the heavier IEMs on the market, though lucky the form factor is also on the medium size. This accomplishes a really important aspect to ergonomics, in that most of the actual IEM weight sits inside your ears. There are no sharp edges so they simply glide into place and stay put. The outer surface is glass but somehow they fail to ever show fingerprints? So counting the glass you have four basic pieces in that the nozzles are removable for sound design. The cable plugs are ever so slightly recessed and the actual nozzle length seems just right? The passive radiator really adds to the feeling of openness and bass texture? At least this was my very first impression of how the EA1000 was different in its IEM price category. My regular go to ear-tips were fine as well as the included SIMGOT tips worked well. This is always a good thing when you can get fitment with a wide range of ear-tips, and the fact that the IEMs themselves never seem to move to where you lose the air-tight fit? Surprisingly the bare metal shell of the EA500 was a fingerprint magnet, yet here even the sides don't show smudges, and I don’t have an answer as to why? This is an IEM I never polish-up or feel the need to?
Music:
Here I will take a few albums to help describe what the SIMGOT AE1000 does.
Gdanian
Induction
Arrival
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here we are met with an electronic soundscape. Often music like this can be scathing or unlistenable on the wrong set-up. Here I’m using a MacBook Air hooked-up to the Shanling UA3 and have met with an enjoyable soundscape. Here even though the signal in the bass frequency department seems uneventful or even with-out consequence, in fact it is the essence that is showcasing our beautiful bass transients. That even though small in changes........the bass texture is enveloping and unique…….at 02:16 a single drum beat introduces us to the rhythm. At 02:43 a symphony of electronic effects and additives takes place. Yet at 04:00 all is back to normal again, yet there is a background of white noise that is fascinating. I chose this song because the themes it introduces are subtle and provocative. Being it would be the immersion taking place which is at the price of everything else. Just this big towering bass drone, not really going anywhere and helping us find the moment in which we are spellbound by the minimalism of it all. In fact there was a dog barking and I had to check if it was in the song, of course it was not, but it went with this style of tune! There is the use of only a single drum beat, only a one hit………yet it is complete, yet still sounding like more of a sketch than a song…..but that’s OK as I have found complete entertainment, possibly due to the transducers used?
Gdanian
Induction
Veins of the Planet
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Now the previous first song makes total sense here, as it had to exist as a gateway to where we were going. Any ideas of sketches were then fully formed into life in the next song, which is really a continuation of the first song. Now instead of dogs barking I hear what sounds like water dropping? And……I’m sure this time it is in the music. This is the kind of music that will remain at the absolute minimal process and border on boring for a moment until that one part hits to make it all make sense, even to the prior song section. These are very light and inconsequential forms of sound design, yet enchanting when you can enjoy simply the tones they are reaching for. There is nothing more or nothing less, as this experience is captivating yet it is what it is.
Gdanian
Induction
Shield Emitter (feat. Tineidae)
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
HA, this is all starting to make more sense as the prior songs are the perfect set-up to what’s going on now. And yes, it was all totally worth it (to be) here, to be dragged along up to this point in time. And in-fact I am hearing the greatest synth-bass here even at the start……….at 00:13 hahah. This is where we were going all along. At 01:35 there is a climax of sorts, where we have entered the message of the album. At 02:34 the bass drones are provocative and entertaining to say the least. At even the 03:30 you can tell there is going to be 01:40 more minutes of this minimalism, and that’s OK, it is like the end of a day as the sun has just set over the ocean and the beginning of night approaches.
Gdanian Induction conclusion:
This was an interesting first three songs. Many times I will use instinct to try and discover how new music goes with a new IEM. I mean you normally know right off if something is working out, that there is value to be found. And the crazy part was I really didn’t become blown-away until the third song, yet it all seemed to work. The fact that this recording is absolute in the minimalism it used to drive at success. That in many ways the music had you lusting for slightly more (especially) bass and provided only just the amount needed to move the songs along, up till the third song which provided the sonics in ample amounts. Such a trick is the very opposite of too much, that they are stingy to give you what you want, which in-turn makes you want it that much more, when it all finally hits home. That in-fact the EA1000 was along for the ride, simply relying what it had (to work with) in the best of form, that when the third song hit those layers of bass and effects made for a profound and emotionally moving experience. That this minimalism has brought me back to my original audiophile roots, that it is with-in sound design that we can take a form of realization inside the beauty of an individual series of tones. Just hearing these tones come across can show us the complete imagination of creation and poised positioning to only include what is needed at the very basic level to make it work out.
Intermission:
The remaining 4 songs were all played using the included cable and my regular wide-bore tips with the Sony WM1A with MrWalkmans software. No EQ was used.
Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Jann’s Journey
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here I must admit was my favorite song upon first getting the EA1000 in my ears. And now hearing it once more allows me to partake of such a musical experience in full form. At a full length of only 02:47 this number packs a punch. Even at the very start right at 00:16 the deepness of the reverb found surrounding the drums and the fall-off into the stage makes the song fun. Though it’s the deep layered violin samples which exist at the 00:30 mark that once again begin to move the emotions. Such violin stabs are found to be transfixing in their attainment in the stage? Does listening even get any better with any other IEM? Those are the style of questions we are forced to ask ourselves. At 00:43 the sampled chorus is all I need to become enamored with this song, and it doesn’t matter how many times I hear it played back. For here the layers and the intrinsic relationship between each and every facet of this song makes my day….I’m moved? At 01:21 there are added rhythm accents which seem to show us the distance of our stage size, and inside their display I have all the stage I wish for, seemingly coming to life, these samples from the very farthest reaches of the stage. At 01:40 there is a syncopated sequence of lower bass throbs that while not the lowest I’ve ever heard, are still clean and fast……making the song for myself at this single point in time.
Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Academy Race
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Ahh the lows at the start? Now we are getting somewhere? HAHA? What? Even at 00:14 the depth and airiness achieved is with-out competition. This, this is why we are here, and the very reason we have ear-monitors in our ears. All the work SIMGOT has accomplished to get us here at this exact place in time, the transients held with-in how the bass notes are attacking……..pure gold. If you end-up purchasing the EA1000 definitely try this music out as it’s a perfect example of just how good this IEM can be. At 00:23 just the way the lows are imaged into the stage, taking form into an element all itself. The shape, the size, the timbre……it’s all so very good, need I say perfect? Part of this comes from the layers of bass, that it is created as a layer upon layer of bass tone, and the EA1000 takes such tones apart. Such a display of texture is not able to be shown with the 7Hz Legato, it’s just not this clean and precise in the bass department for this level of extraction. At 01:01 the strings show-up to add to the instrumentation, seemingly going along and just another additive to our musical involvement. At 01:17 the chorus comes in and again I have basic chills……here. Yep, cheap thrills over at Redcarmoose Labs…………….What can I say? At 01:27 there is a threshold to how the bass interacts with the rest of the song, seemingly dropping out of frequency range, and that lowness, that extreme point of playback, we are here right in the moment with the EA1000, going places, places never thought of being a part of? Laughingly at 02:22 there doesn’t seem like there are any more sounds to throw at us, but they take this whole affair to the next level? Where in many ways the next game soundtrack (Forza Motorsport) in this series of tests is not at this epic level. Where Forza Motorsport almost doesn't have enough to exist on its own as an involving piece of music. Yet this Grand Turismo goes to the farthest place to let you know it can exist as music all by itself, becoming entertaining and moving just by sheer amount of information overload. This song ends as my favorite in testing, showing the extreme abilities of the EA1000 to go the extra mile when the music calls for it.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Such a song promotes this wildly enchanting low end, which seems to go even lower in areas. Added to that big synth embellishments which are totally fun and enveloping the ear-stage. Ahh what else do you really want that this song doesn’t provide? Huh? Even though the song is on the shorter side of songs, there is a lot to chew on, as a sound example there is nothing wrong with playing it over and over again, as so much is going on here. The warmth of the song writing, the full-on execution of recording it……perfect really.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Head Down
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Taking us home on our investigation of music today is a dramatic digital soundscape offering a straight up and forward, simple display of characteristics. A simple yet complex display of theme music offering clear and precise tones which when done correctly fully show how the EA1000 acts. At 00:18 a keyboard harmony is yet simplistic and effective showing us just how the EA1000 displays tone. Here we can also judge the bass line in that it’s tight and controlled in perfect focus, yet we don’t need anything more, we don’t need anything else here. The sound is fresh, exhilarating and complete. Probably the best feature here are the layers, that while our stage is not the very biggest in the IEM world, we are gifted with incredibly precise layers which are in perfect contrast to one another. That in fact each element here has correct relationships to how the song was performed and arranged. Such display of performance focuses on the areas of contrast and the correct mix within itself. Just the fact that the reverbs are natural and vivid for how they are utilized. At 01:21 the keys again take precedence, in that this is the song’s highlight, being this is an instrumental theme song. But more than that, the keys have a specific reverberation into the mix, a fall-off that is very specific and heard for how it’s done here. It’s the balance of bass emphasis and the fact that we can hear everything in order, the way the producers want us to, I hope? In a way this music is cheesy except it serves a purpose in that it is supposed to be background music while the video game is played, so in hearing the OST, it’s really only part of the total experience. Still the style of music holds enough interest that there is a lot going on here, with the fact that new elements are continually added in. At the 02:20 mark there is a style of breakdown as to where there is both drum and bass accents. All of a sudden we can notice every part of the song structure being laid-out and layered in place. At 02:43 there is literally just bass for a moment and yet the EA1000 is showcasing just how well this section is done. At this single place the sub-bass exists all by itself for a moment and we are at one with it. But of course nothing stays the same and the song enters into full-effect once more at the 02:44 mark. This style of music performs a kind of guilty pleasure in that it’s nothing more than background music for a video game, yet so well done and so complete that it makes for a memorable listening experience when played back well.
Conclusion:
To me, SIMGOT is one of the most successful manufacturers of the year. Why? They simply make good IEMs. And of the six different SIMGOT IEMs I’ve heard I like the EA1000 the very best. Sure it’s the most expensive model I have heard, but I also feel they have introduced new technology which has moved the sound forward into a new dimension, at least that’s my opinion when I put them in my ears. Quite simply a quality of tightness and evenness that I feel SIMGOT was going for and achieved remarkably well. Yet what is the most remarkable is the fact that anyone can purchase and obtain this sound for $219.99. The fact that there is a basic build that is exceptional, that they fit with-out moving anywhere else, and stay in one place. The fact that while slightly heavy they fit inside your ear, so the weight may be part of the key to the sound, absorbing any unwanted vibration? The fact that the extra box accessories are usable and nice at this price-bracket. The cable is truly gorgeous and was used though-out the music testing process to achieve great results. The extra nozzles are there if you choose to use them, where if anything they do actually work to dial-in the sound to various target curves. The box opening experience is very different and shows how SIMGOT is trying their very best to guarantee your satisfaction in the box opening experience. But to me most of all the important thing is the realization of a specific tone. That SIMGOT has a style of playback that is both clear and balanced, the playback asks for personal involvement. The playback draws you in possibly due to the layers and note-weight? The fact that the bass is truly unique here, really unique at any price. Offering exceptional texture and a style of airy-agileness that just won’t quit. The way the bass forms into a place in the stage simply warms my heart, and adds a thrill in my daily use. All this is slightly different sounding than out of the box, I mean the SIMGOT EA1000 changed after 130 hours of burn-in, I can’t leave that part out? To where at first they were amazing, but became so much better IEMs at playing all genres and file types after burn-in. The fact that the mids are full and accessible exists to showcase layers of detail, all coming across seemingly totally correct and never too hot. The treble is also nice being it has a charm in that there is enough sparkle and pizzaz, yet still total cohesiveness that is the hallmark of single full range playback. With-in this cohesiveness exists a fully natural and correct timbre, that again is the very reason full-range dynamic drivers are even a thing nowadays to begin with. That this level of quality is offered at $219.99 is by far one of the best audio deals of the year. That finally we are not really at a place of subjectivity here, that anyone and their Mom couldn’t help but find value here. That even if the SIMGOT EA1000 was 1/4 less as great (in sound reproduction) it would still gain my full five stars review, and that simply goes to show how over-the-top SIMGOT have taken things for 2023……….to a place previously unforeseen, into the realm of science fiction. It’s this science fiction realm made into reality that has made this review so much fun to write, that in 2023 there is a product that simply outshines the competition on every level……..that is what Head-Fi is about!
$219.99
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-ea1000-fermat
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Fia Lam from SIMGOT for the EA1000 review sample.
Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Samsung phone 3.5mm
HiBy R3 II in 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Introduction:
You’ll have to excuse this review, that while informative, it is incredibly long. It’s just when IEMs are this good for the money and so groundbreaking in what they offer, there is no choice but to talk a lot about them. In fact even if the EA1000 was 1/4 less as good it would still get the full 5 stars from me. Yep.
SIMGOT as a company is on a roll. The two prior major releases which have amazed the community have been the EA500 and the EW200. I will get into both of them in a few.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/simgot-em2r-roltion.26084/reviews#review-29526
Even though SIMGOT has been around for a while, they have never gained the popularity they have now, and it seems they are going from strength to more strength? Back in early November of 2022 I reviewed my first SIMGOT, the Roltion EM2R and I only gave it 3 stars. The issue for me was that it didn’t have enough note-weight. But more than that, the IEMs SIMGOT puts out now almost don’t even seem like they are from the same company? Improved ergonomics in fit is one reason….still with the EA1000 being 11 grams each, the sheer weight makes you wonder? The past EM2R was almost too small and too low weight. But this EA1000 is really perfect, though maybe getting better ergonomics with the supplied cable, due to the included ear-hooks?
Meaning as far as fit and comfort goes, the correct cable ergonomic movements, the weight and just how they sit inside your ear.......plus the nozzle length……it is actually surprising to a jaded reviewer like myself just how well these fit and stay in place? If you look there are a series of air-vents which inhabit the rear (ear-facing) area? Three vents and one giant one, something about this device being a passive radiator? There is a gold screen for it, yet all three vents never get blocked.........somehow?
The EA1000 Technology:
1) SDPGD technology
This added process uses Sputter Deposition to create a more rigid and lightweight diaphragm. In terminology, the SD stands for Sputter Deposition, and the PGD stands for Purple Gold Diaphragm.
2) DMDC Dynamic Driver
This is a dual chamber created for the driver.
3) 1DD + 1PR
This is a combination of an active 10mm driver with a 6mm passive radiator
4) The EA1000 changeable nozzle technology
Here three nozzles are included as a way to generate three specific tuning curve directions, using both stainless steel and brass materials.
SIMGOT EA1000 first impressions:
For me the addition of DD and Passive Radiator seems most important, as there really is this natural ambiance to the bass which stands out different than any IEM in this price category? There are truly added dimensions of texture and ambiance to the bass quality? They say this is the direct result of increased air-flow and that is really what it sounds like, you can hear this technology in action? For me I listened first then read about the technology later, and this was part of my first impressions, noticing how the bass was effortless and agile? But obviously there needs to be special attention to the mids and highs, yet on first listening both the mids offered a nice smooth midrange and treble offered great itemization of imaging outwards into the stage. Though prior to burn-in I noted a slight lack of low-end punch that kept the EA1000 as a recommendation to a rock or EDM listener. Though the most rewarding sentence in this introduction is the EA1000 completely changed upon 130 hours of burn-in. While it basically still had its personality, except added smoothness took place, and added bass authority which allowed for a fantastic IEM inclusion with rock and EDM. To try and put this into perspective, the EA1000 was so good right-off-the-bat........that I was still fully enamored with its abilities, and continued to find stuff it played well. But after 130 hours of burn-in really it was way more well rounded and played all genres.
The filter system:
It’s best that I briefly go over what SIMGOT is attempting to do with this new filter system. Graphic representation of what each filter does is represented on the box.
1) The new Golden SIMGOT target (brass filter system)
2) The way they came with the red rubber rings. The 2019 Harman Target, my favorite no doubt.
3) The black ring filter, SIMGOT Classic target.
I listened first to try and get a handle as to what they are up-to with the filter system. You can’t help but note the black foam on the underside of both the black and red ring filters, with the Golden brass nozzle having only a white sticker with a small hole in the center? The Golden curve is slightly more clean, less thick.
Comparisons:
These comparisons are a way to understand an IEM due to contrasts of abilities and tone. Of the eight comparisons provided here four of them are previous SIMGOT products. I added the four SIMGOT products as a gateway to help in understanding the EA1000, especially if you already had made a SIMGOT purchase in the past. Also I added them to try and document just how far SIMGOT has progressed with the new EA1000 too. The other four products are used to kind of delineate the differences and abilities by direct side-by-side comparisons. All tests with Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s firmware, my typical wide-bore silicone ear-tips and White Whale Cable in 4.4mm. I in no way want to be-little the included cable because it’s really nice, except it comes only as 3.5mm, yet I often referred back to the included cable, if not only to make sure I was not missing anything in 3.5mm.
Test 1:
I simply chose the IMR BC 2023 and 7Hz Legato test subjects as I thought the contrasting bass (to the EA1000) would be fun? Both the IMR BC 2023 and 7Hz Legato are considered bass cannons, and while that is true there is still a wonderful balance that the IMR BC 2023 is renowned for. Such a forward IMR midrange that has many simply smitten with the produced frequency outcome, including myself.
IMR BC 2023: $369.00
One 6mm ADLC (amorphous diamond like carbon) driver and one (size undocumented) ADLC driver:
Here we are reminded that the IMR BC 2023 isn’t really that much of a Bass Cannon after all? Its name is maybe a marketing tool? And while yes, it does designate the BC 2023 into a curiosity of listening, I can’t help but wonder if true Bass Cannon listeners will not be let down? After taking some time off from the BC 2023 what really hits me first is the warm midrange it holds, that and the a wonderful separation contained. Such imaging of elements out into the stage really, maybe due to it being 2 DDs, come across even more technical than the EA1000 hoped for. Way more money than our EA1000 and rightly so, as this style of replay has its own charm, yet probably when it comes down to it the EA1000 has a more (maybe) together timbre in the end, not as separated of imaging. The EA1000 has a slightly cohesive and natural tone, despite being overall brighter and more juiced-out up-top. Still in our testing today there is only one Bass Canon and that’s the 7Hz Legato! Still what seems like a less dampened IMR response goes ahead to provide slightly more volume at the same level, inside that volume we are gifted with a bigger stage and further-out larger imaging of elements, better crafted inside that stage. Where the EA1000 is more straightforward, the IMR is kind-of a character, in holding a darker wider positioning which promotes less brightness up-top, but creates a smoother treble all its own.
7Hz Legato: $109.00
Large 12mm Dynamic Driver with Multi-Layer Composite Diaphragm and 6mm Micro Dynamic Driver With Composite Diaphragm:
Bass focused is really the word on the street here. Even with my mid-centric WM1A and wide-bore silicone ear-tips, I can’t help but realize that this is some of the most bass I’ve ever heard from an IEM. Though if you note closely you can still hear the top-end treble balance, as they had to do something to make this style of replay digestible. In essence this treble is the magic that helps this very unorthodox tune seem to work out. Still for this replay to be enjoyed there needs to be a subtle acclimation period as typically the L shape tone will come as a surprise from any style of playback you’re accustomed to. Where here if there was any proof as to the deep bass emphasis contained deep down into the song structure, it is truly there……..all of it! Though in contrast to the EA1000 we also get some extra baggage in the form of bass bleed into the midrange. Yet to top the Legato off, or yet to bottom the Legato off……….there is added bass emphasis to somehow add pace on-top of what would be considered a deep and thoroughly displayed rendition of bass. If anything at all, it shows how our EA1000 can arrive at better well roundedness in daily use. Also we come to realize that some music simply doesn’t go so low in range, that there are albums and even whole genres of music that don’t have a need for such extremes in Hz playback. Yet there is a time and a place for what the 7Hz Legato does. It actually may end up complementary (to the EA1000) for many listeners, being the Legato playback is special and one-of-a-kind. But in contrast......the EA1000 is way, way more mid forward offering a faster yet still authoritative bass response……added to that due to the bass balance differences from the Legato, a treble that’s there as well as the boost that’s offered with the EA1000 at 14kHz.......which ends up taking the whole signature into more clarity and imaging expansion.
Test 2:
The Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite: $249.00
8 Custom BAs:
The Kiwi ears offer lean and faster itemization of sonic elements. Bass is way less visceral and slightly set back in comparison to the EA1000. Even though tuned slightly the same, the Lite’s midrange here shows a more metallic tone. Where our money here is in more EA1000 note density, more note weight from the EA1000. In fact it’s the overall weight of the signature which goes to make the EA1000 special, more special than I thought after this test was complete?
The Kiwi ears Quintet: $219.00
1 Diamond-Like Carbon 10mm (DLC) dynamic driver
2 balanced armature (BA) drivers
1 planar magnetic driver
1 piezoelectric (PZT) bone conduction driver
Bigger separation into the stage, as this is our first Hybrid today. Yep, all those different driver methodologies doing something. Just amazingly separated imaging here with the Quintet. Also the low-end is kicking its rightfully so authority! The Quintet replay today is simply amazing here? The way each element is in its own area of the stage, like each element is free to act how it wants? The EA1000 has slightly better bass, and interestingly enough bigger imaging into the stage, with more weight and size than the Quintet? This was one amazing side-by-side, as the EA1000 can keep-up in its own way with the Hybrid of the Quintet. Bigger size of midrange out into the sides, where the Quintet is grand, but lacking in note density and girth? There is a slightly faster attack and decay that comes with the Quintets top-end, yet the EA1000 has better note decay.
Test 3:
SIMGOT EA500: $79.00
10mm Dynamic Driver:
The moment of truth. While at this early point in time it’s safe to say the EA500 is more popular, as it has had more of a chance to become popular. Where the issues for some were they just didn’t find the signature as accessible as others. That once again just proves how subjective this whole business is. Where I found the bass fine, graph readers saw issues, and some simply found the midrange to be on the hot side. Where probably much of that came from (again) the lack of lows for some listeners to balance out the highs? Still in my book the EA500 can do no wrong, in fact I hear bass detail in the bass department. Also I feel the EA500 is one of the single best imaging IEMs for the money, just the technicalities it does on a regular basis. Though-out this year that fact has been confirmed and reconfirmed as the SIMGOT EA500 has been re-introduced into side-by-side tests, over and over again. Such is life when a major value is tried again and again to see if it still holds value in relation to other competitors. The first thing you notice is how the bass of the EA1000 has its own area of life, there is more of it, but also better quality as it’s defined and tailored to be dressed more for success. Combine that with a more filled out midrange of better imaging and detail, and finally the treble gets imaged further out into resolution. Hands down across the board the EA1000 is better at everything…..and even more so when they are tested back-to-back.
SIMGOT EA500 with filter nozzle system:
SIMGOT EW200: $39.99
10mm Dynamic Driver:
For many the EW200 was a success over the EA500. SIMGOT shifted gears from a EA500 2016 Harman Target to the 2019 EW200 Harman Target. For many the EW200 showcased just what 2023 was about as far as IEM value. And I have to agree, that single handedly the EW200 showed the world how much IEM was obtainable for under $40.00. For those wanting the extra low-end SIMGOT went ahead and added the goods, making many happy in the end. And that’s not to say the EW200 is any kind of Basshead IEM, because it’s not, it is well balanced, yet with more satisfying bass (for some) than the EA500. But that is also combined with a slight dip at 3.5kHz which helped to smooth things out even farther. And guess where else that 3.5kHz dip is? In fact the graph at 3.5kHz all the way to 5kHz is very similar in nature between the EA1000 and EW200. And if anyone knows that area of the Pinna Gain is very much a place where our hearing is most sensitive, meaning combine that Pinna Gain with a low-end that is similar and we have two IEMs that sound very close to the same. Though where the two IEMs start to differ is the EA1000 has about 4Hz less bass, That, and they are complete opposites at 14kHz. Where the EW200 peaks at 12kHz then again at 16kHz. Though again due to close proximity in the Pinna Gain area and similar in bass, they both offer FR signatures that are very close. The differences come with the quality of EA1000 bass technicalities that really separates the two to my ears, and the imaging in the midrange, which is noticeable better with the EA1000. Still if you were to listen to them back-to-back, they are birds of a feather.
Test 4:
SIMGOT EM6L: $109.99
1DD + 4BA Hybrid Drivers:
Laughably SIMGOT went hog wild with their Hybrid ideas here. Yep, you can study the graph here, except no way will the graph truly explain what is going on with bass extension. Sure the graph represents it, but you also have to take into account what the 4 BAs are doing to balance out what is all going on up-top. Laughably this is a Hybrid and the total opposite of what we have with the EA1000. One zigs where the other zags. But one look at that EM6L bass extension would have you believe the bass is maybe out of control, or sloppy……and that is just not the case here. The bass goes low, but it is clean and in control.
The BAs are more (slightly) metallic and not holding the density/girth (note-weight) of the EA1000’s treble or midrange, the EA1000’s bass is more refined and over-all this single DD means that while stage is nice, it doesn’t quite have the total (side-to-side) positioning of the EM6L. What we get are the (plain and simple) regularly understood methodology differences here, where the EA1000 is more cohesive and together and the EM6L more dislocated and fragmented in response. Does it make one better than the other, hmmmm I guess it would depend on what you are after? Normally I like Hybrids the best, but the way they did the EA1000 it almost doesn’t sound like a DD, it almost sounds like a Hybrid? I know I sound like I just contradicted myself, only if you're wondering what the best part of the EA1000 is, it doesn’t really sound like a single full-range DD?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/simgot-em6-l.26639/reviews#review-31512
In the EM6L review I go into more about the graphs and the various targets SIMGOT has focused on. And while it’s safe to say the EA500 (red nozzles filters), and EW100P were more are less focused on the 2016 Harman and the EW200 and EM6L were more in line with the 2019 Harman, still these summaries could be considered over generalizations. Still whatever Harman (2016/2019) your direction is, it does give an overall characteristic to the sound, as such these generalizations are applicable.
SIMGOT EW100P: $19.99
10mm Dynamic Driver:
This IEM didn’t get the best review from me. It’s not because of price, as I gave the 7Hz Salnotes Zero a great score, I just thought the missing low-end combined with the forward midrange was just not a good combination, plus the overall sound was boring and had no personality?
Cables:
Once again there is absolutely nothing wrong with the included cable, only using these aftermarket cables enabled the use of 4.4mm balanced amplifiers which at times are better suited for playback.
ISN G4 Cable:
To tell you the truth, this is one of my absolute favorites with the EA1000 IEM. Why? Added is note-weight……..even bigger than is found naturally with the EA1000. So much of this could in-fact be partially due to favoritism, which I’m not immune to. I use this cable all this time. But what it gets you in the case of the EA1000 is separation, and a tone-down of treble. There is a resulting smoother 14kHz peak, and a more sculpted low-end, like from a blacker background. So it totally makes the sound slightly smoother yet with an added stage expansion that is totally different from the HiSenior White Whale. Where there is a lower midrange added thickness to the White Whale, where the G4 makes the lower midrange cleaner and clearer. What this gives you in the end is increased imaging into the stage, all the while a slight overall smoothness that is rarely found together with the expanded mids into the stage. I would suggest this to those that want to access 4.4mm balanced.....simply get the G4 for the EA1000!
Penon ASOS Cable:
A more natural idea of a cable response, not to say that the G4 colors the sound, except the G4 is maximizing the Graphene tone and character to the fullest extent. Where here we are enjoying a bigger more straight forward size of stage increase and evenness of demeanor. None of that drop in low-end through sculpuring and added thickness or (better yet) contrasts as found with Graphene. Big imaging size, grander stage……….of course there is no way of truly knowing as we have switched over from 3.5mm to 4.4mm.....thus a totally different amplifier in the WM1A player. Offering faster note attacks and note fall-offs into which the EA1000 has the room for, while still maintaining the overall sound signature and over-all EA1000 personality. Maybe slightly the most energetic of cable tests today?
HiSenior White Whale Cable:
Thicker, meatier than the regular cable, how much of that is the different amplifier in the Sony WM1A is debatable. A fuller lower bass than the ASOS and slightly more forward than the G4. Part of what the ISN G4 is doing is setting some lower frequencies back, into the backseat, to enhance the feeling of a darker yet more forward midrange, with more note-weight and a wider girth of expansion. Here we are more like the ASOS, except slightly thicker in the lower midrange. The ear-hooks make the White Whale a joy to use.
Included Cable:
The silver plated Litz Structure is amazing. Having all metal hardware it includes the perfect ear-hooks which are not too aggressive or weak in daily use. The way the EA1000 sits with the included cable is something to behold. Even the sound with the included cable was something that I couldn’t get enough of, always going back to check on it. Pre-burn-in the sound was great with every genre except rock and EDM, though after about 130 hours of burn-in the supplied cable with the EA1000 had a certain sound that went with all music and all file types? I was especially taken with how the included cable acted in that it could be coiled into a small form and always laid where it was told. Also there were very little microphonic properties in daily use, which I found surprisingly good. A nice touch was the all chrome hardware and gold chin-cinch.
With regular phone use:
Due to the enhanced note-weight of the EA1000 it was totally enjoyable in regular phone use. While definition and stage were not quite as dramatic as with a dedicated Audiophile DAP, the differences were small, and may not be a big deal to some. There was better perceived darkness of background with a DAP also often the phone use was 75-80% of full volume. So the AE1000 are not hard to drive but does scale up with better equipment.
Out-and-about:
Normally I would not advise jogging with such an IEM, I mean most will have TWS for sports, except fitment here is incredibly special, at least I would have no worries with these ever coming loose in public? Even the solid metal design adds to the noise occlusion, meaning you see all these vents on the back and think they would be open sounding to let outside noise in, when in fact they offer really good sound occlusion. I would even suggest jogging if you so wished, as they simply fit that good and never move out of place with the supplied cable.
Packaging:
Build:
Coming in at 11 grams a piece, the EA1000 is one of the heavier IEMs on the market, though lucky the form factor is also on the medium size. This accomplishes a really important aspect to ergonomics, in that most of the actual IEM weight sits inside your ears. There are no sharp edges so they simply glide into place and stay put. The outer surface is glass but somehow they fail to ever show fingerprints? So counting the glass you have four basic pieces in that the nozzles are removable for sound design. The cable plugs are ever so slightly recessed and the actual nozzle length seems just right? The passive radiator really adds to the feeling of openness and bass texture? At least this was my very first impression of how the EA1000 was different in its IEM price category. My regular go to ear-tips were fine as well as the included SIMGOT tips worked well. This is always a good thing when you can get fitment with a wide range of ear-tips, and the fact that the IEMs themselves never seem to move to where you lose the air-tight fit? Surprisingly the bare metal shell of the EA500 was a fingerprint magnet, yet here even the sides don't show smudges, and I don’t have an answer as to why? This is an IEM I never polish-up or feel the need to?
Music:
Here I will take a few albums to help describe what the SIMGOT AE1000 does.
Gdanian
Induction
Arrival
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here we are met with an electronic soundscape. Often music like this can be scathing or unlistenable on the wrong set-up. Here I’m using a MacBook Air hooked-up to the Shanling UA3 and have met with an enjoyable soundscape. Here even though the signal in the bass frequency department seems uneventful or even with-out consequence, in fact it is the essence that is showcasing our beautiful bass transients. That even though small in changes........the bass texture is enveloping and unique…….at 02:16 a single drum beat introduces us to the rhythm. At 02:43 a symphony of electronic effects and additives takes place. Yet at 04:00 all is back to normal again, yet there is a background of white noise that is fascinating. I chose this song because the themes it introduces are subtle and provocative. Being it would be the immersion taking place which is at the price of everything else. Just this big towering bass drone, not really going anywhere and helping us find the moment in which we are spellbound by the minimalism of it all. In fact there was a dog barking and I had to check if it was in the song, of course it was not, but it went with this style of tune! There is the use of only a single drum beat, only a one hit………yet it is complete, yet still sounding like more of a sketch than a song…..but that’s OK as I have found complete entertainment, possibly due to the transducers used?
Gdanian
Induction
Veins of the Planet
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Now the previous first song makes total sense here, as it had to exist as a gateway to where we were going. Any ideas of sketches were then fully formed into life in the next song, which is really a continuation of the first song. Now instead of dogs barking I hear what sounds like water dropping? And……I’m sure this time it is in the music. This is the kind of music that will remain at the absolute minimal process and border on boring for a moment until that one part hits to make it all make sense, even to the prior song section. These are very light and inconsequential forms of sound design, yet enchanting when you can enjoy simply the tones they are reaching for. There is nothing more or nothing less, as this experience is captivating yet it is what it is.
Gdanian
Induction
Shield Emitter (feat. Tineidae)
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
HA, this is all starting to make more sense as the prior songs are the perfect set-up to what’s going on now. And yes, it was all totally worth it (to be) here, to be dragged along up to this point in time. And in-fact I am hearing the greatest synth-bass here even at the start……….at 00:13 hahah. This is where we were going all along. At 01:35 there is a climax of sorts, where we have entered the message of the album. At 02:34 the bass drones are provocative and entertaining to say the least. At even the 03:30 you can tell there is going to be 01:40 more minutes of this minimalism, and that’s OK, it is like the end of a day as the sun has just set over the ocean and the beginning of night approaches.
Gdanian Induction conclusion:
This was an interesting first three songs. Many times I will use instinct to try and discover how new music goes with a new IEM. I mean you normally know right off if something is working out, that there is value to be found. And the crazy part was I really didn’t become blown-away until the third song, yet it all seemed to work. The fact that this recording is absolute in the minimalism it used to drive at success. That in many ways the music had you lusting for slightly more (especially) bass and provided only just the amount needed to move the songs along, up till the third song which provided the sonics in ample amounts. Such a trick is the very opposite of too much, that they are stingy to give you what you want, which in-turn makes you want it that much more, when it all finally hits home. That in-fact the EA1000 was along for the ride, simply relying what it had (to work with) in the best of form, that when the third song hit those layers of bass and effects made for a profound and emotionally moving experience. That this minimalism has brought me back to my original audiophile roots, that it is with-in sound design that we can take a form of realization inside the beauty of an individual series of tones. Just hearing these tones come across can show us the complete imagination of creation and poised positioning to only include what is needed at the very basic level to make it work out.
Intermission:
The remaining 4 songs were all played using the included cable and my regular wide-bore tips with the Sony WM1A with MrWalkmans software. No EQ was used.
Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Jann’s Journey
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Here I must admit was my favorite song upon first getting the EA1000 in my ears. And now hearing it once more allows me to partake of such a musical experience in full form. At a full length of only 02:47 this number packs a punch. Even at the very start right at 00:16 the deepness of the reverb found surrounding the drums and the fall-off into the stage makes the song fun. Though it’s the deep layered violin samples which exist at the 00:30 mark that once again begin to move the emotions. Such violin stabs are found to be transfixing in their attainment in the stage? Does listening even get any better with any other IEM? Those are the style of questions we are forced to ask ourselves. At 00:43 the sampled chorus is all I need to become enamored with this song, and it doesn’t matter how many times I hear it played back. For here the layers and the intrinsic relationship between each and every facet of this song makes my day….I’m moved? At 01:21 there are added rhythm accents which seem to show us the distance of our stage size, and inside their display I have all the stage I wish for, seemingly coming to life, these samples from the very farthest reaches of the stage. At 01:40 there is a syncopated sequence of lower bass throbs that while not the lowest I’ve ever heard, are still clean and fast……making the song for myself at this single point in time.
Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski
Grand Turismo OST
Academy Race
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Ahh the lows at the start? Now we are getting somewhere? HAHA? What? Even at 00:14 the depth and airiness achieved is with-out competition. This, this is why we are here, and the very reason we have ear-monitors in our ears. All the work SIMGOT has accomplished to get us here at this exact place in time, the transients held with-in how the bass notes are attacking……..pure gold. If you end-up purchasing the EA1000 definitely try this music out as it’s a perfect example of just how good this IEM can be. At 00:23 just the way the lows are imaged into the stage, taking form into an element all itself. The shape, the size, the timbre……it’s all so very good, need I say perfect? Part of this comes from the layers of bass, that it is created as a layer upon layer of bass tone, and the EA1000 takes such tones apart. Such a display of texture is not able to be shown with the 7Hz Legato, it’s just not this clean and precise in the bass department for this level of extraction. At 01:01 the strings show-up to add to the instrumentation, seemingly going along and just another additive to our musical involvement. At 01:17 the chorus comes in and again I have basic chills……here. Yep, cheap thrills over at Redcarmoose Labs…………….What can I say? At 01:27 there is a threshold to how the bass interacts with the rest of the song, seemingly dropping out of frequency range, and that lowness, that extreme point of playback, we are here right in the moment with the EA1000, going places, places never thought of being a part of? Laughingly at 02:22 there doesn’t seem like there are any more sounds to throw at us, but they take this whole affair to the next level? Where in many ways the next game soundtrack (Forza Motorsport) in this series of tests is not at this epic level. Where Forza Motorsport almost doesn't have enough to exist on its own as an involving piece of music. Yet this Grand Turismo goes to the farthest place to let you know it can exist as music all by itself, becoming entertaining and moving just by sheer amount of information overload. This song ends as my favorite in testing, showing the extreme abilities of the EA1000 to go the extra mile when the music calls for it.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Brotherhood
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Such a song promotes this wildly enchanting low end, which seems to go even lower in areas. Added to that big synth embellishments which are totally fun and enveloping the ear-stage. Ahh what else do you really want that this song doesn’t provide? Huh? Even though the song is on the shorter side of songs, there is a lot to chew on, as a sound example there is nothing wrong with playing it over and over again, as so much is going on here. The warmth of the song writing, the full-on execution of recording it……perfect really.
Kaveh Cohen, Michael Nielsen
Forza Motorsport OST
Head Down
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
Taking us home on our investigation of music today is a dramatic digital soundscape offering a straight up and forward, simple display of characteristics. A simple yet complex display of theme music offering clear and precise tones which when done correctly fully show how the EA1000 acts. At 00:18 a keyboard harmony is yet simplistic and effective showing us just how the EA1000 displays tone. Here we can also judge the bass line in that it’s tight and controlled in perfect focus, yet we don’t need anything more, we don’t need anything else here. The sound is fresh, exhilarating and complete. Probably the best feature here are the layers, that while our stage is not the very biggest in the IEM world, we are gifted with incredibly precise layers which are in perfect contrast to one another. That in fact each element here has correct relationships to how the song was performed and arranged. Such display of performance focuses on the areas of contrast and the correct mix within itself. Just the fact that the reverbs are natural and vivid for how they are utilized. At 01:21 the keys again take precedence, in that this is the song’s highlight, being this is an instrumental theme song. But more than that, the keys have a specific reverberation into the mix, a fall-off that is very specific and heard for how it’s done here. It’s the balance of bass emphasis and the fact that we can hear everything in order, the way the producers want us to, I hope? In a way this music is cheesy except it serves a purpose in that it is supposed to be background music while the video game is played, so in hearing the OST, it’s really only part of the total experience. Still the style of music holds enough interest that there is a lot going on here, with the fact that new elements are continually added in. At the 02:20 mark there is a style of breakdown as to where there is both drum and bass accents. All of a sudden we can notice every part of the song structure being laid-out and layered in place. At 02:43 there is literally just bass for a moment and yet the EA1000 is showcasing just how well this section is done. At this single place the sub-bass exists all by itself for a moment and we are at one with it. But of course nothing stays the same and the song enters into full-effect once more at the 02:44 mark. This style of music performs a kind of guilty pleasure in that it’s nothing more than background music for a video game, yet so well done and so complete that it makes for a memorable listening experience when played back well.
Conclusion:
To me, SIMGOT is one of the most successful manufacturers of the year. Why? They simply make good IEMs. And of the six different SIMGOT IEMs I’ve heard I like the EA1000 the very best. Sure it’s the most expensive model I have heard, but I also feel they have introduced new technology which has moved the sound forward into a new dimension, at least that’s my opinion when I put them in my ears. Quite simply a quality of tightness and evenness that I feel SIMGOT was going for and achieved remarkably well. Yet what is the most remarkable is the fact that anyone can purchase and obtain this sound for $219.99. The fact that there is a basic build that is exceptional, that they fit with-out moving anywhere else, and stay in one place. The fact that while slightly heavy they fit inside your ear, so the weight may be part of the key to the sound, absorbing any unwanted vibration? The fact that the extra box accessories are usable and nice at this price-bracket. The cable is truly gorgeous and was used though-out the music testing process to achieve great results. The extra nozzles are there if you choose to use them, where if anything they do actually work to dial-in the sound to various target curves. The box opening experience is very different and shows how SIMGOT is trying their very best to guarantee your satisfaction in the box opening experience. But to me most of all the important thing is the realization of a specific tone. That SIMGOT has a style of playback that is both clear and balanced, the playback asks for personal involvement. The playback draws you in possibly due to the layers and note-weight? The fact that the bass is truly unique here, really unique at any price. Offering exceptional texture and a style of airy-agileness that just won’t quit. The way the bass forms into a place in the stage simply warms my heart, and adds a thrill in my daily use. All this is slightly different sounding than out of the box, I mean the SIMGOT EA1000 changed after 130 hours of burn-in, I can’t leave that part out? To where at first they were amazing, but became so much better IEMs at playing all genres and file types after burn-in. The fact that the mids are full and accessible exists to showcase layers of detail, all coming across seemingly totally correct and never too hot. The treble is also nice being it has a charm in that there is enough sparkle and pizzaz, yet still total cohesiveness that is the hallmark of single full range playback. With-in this cohesiveness exists a fully natural and correct timbre, that again is the very reason full-range dynamic drivers are even a thing nowadays to begin with. That this level of quality is offered at $219.99 is by far one of the best audio deals of the year. That finally we are not really at a place of subjectivity here, that anyone and their Mom couldn’t help but find value here. That even if the SIMGOT EA1000 was 1/4 less as great (in sound reproduction) it would still gain my full five stars review, and that simply goes to show how over-the-top SIMGOT have taken things for 2023……….to a place previously unforeseen, into the realm of science fiction. It’s this science fiction realm made into reality that has made this review so much fun to write, that in 2023 there is a product that simply outshines the competition on every level……..that is what Head-Fi is about!
$219.99
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-ea1000-fermat
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Fia Lam from SIMGOT for the EA1000 review sample.
Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Samsung phone 3.5mm
HiBy R3 II in 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Well, they are two different breed of fish. Where the Hype2 is going to be more bass laden and using BAs to add a clearness to midrange and treble activities, the EA1000 is more honest slightly to timbre and backs that up with slightly more note-weight. Which this comparison is tough due to the Hybrid Hype2 also providing note-weight due to tuning, it's just slightly less. Yet the Hype2 offers a bigger stage footprint for whatever that's worth. Where the cohesive layers are the money spent with the EA1000. IMO