SMABAT M2 Pro

Wiljen

Headphoneus Supremus
Smabat M2 Pro, distinctively DIY for a "Pro" Model
Pros: Good lows, mid tuning options, polite treble
Cons: Serious build concerns and limited life-span due to design.
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Disclaimer: NiceHCk sent the Smabat M2 for review. The M2 sports many of the same features of earlier versions of Smabat earbuds but with a modular design that allows tuning the earbuds to your preference. I have no financial interest in Smabat or NiceHCK, nor was I compensated in any fashion for this review. If you have an interest in purchasing the Smabat M2, check with NiceHCk via their aliexpress store.

Unboxing / Packaging:
The M2 Pro ships in a white lift top box with the Smabat name on the front in silver. The rear has a label with model number and basic specs. Lifting the top reveals the buds displayed in a card stock covered foam with cutouts for earbuds and tips and pockets for cable and tuning filters. Beneath the foam, the warranty card and manual rest in the bottom of the box. Kit is fairly standard with foams, rubber earpiece covers, cable, and filters. Foams do not include both donut models like previous releases and unlike earlier models, no case is provided. The other thing worth noting is some materials refer to 3 sets of tuning filters but only two were provided with this sample. It may be that additional filters become available at a later date but they were not included with the kit.




Build/Fit:
Like previous models, the St10s uses a 15.4mm driver so the earpieces are necessarily large to house the driver and overall shape is fairly consistent with earlier models. The earpiece itself is threaded onto the body and is removable via unscrewing it. The earpiece takes roughly one and one half turns to fully remove. Be careful as it twists the wires to the driver when removing the earpiece as the driver is housed in the forward section. Filters fit in the rear section and a tool is provided for removing them. One concern is that the filter lack a cutout for the wires to pass through so on top of twisting them repeatedly to change filters, you are in effect crimping them with the filter itself. Early renderings of the M2 Pro showed a wireless pad system connecting the front to the rear and I suspect the wired version was not the original intention but became necessary when the pad system could not be made reliable. In fairness with a screw on front, indexing those pads correctly every time would require very high precision machining and probably drive the cost through the roof so I understand why it was scrapped, but the current wired system needs some tweaks to be usable long term. Also, there are no spare o-rings provided and I broke one that fits between driver and rear shell almost immediately (1st filter change). The housings have the familiar gold outlined gray face and outer shell the driver housing being primarily black plastic. Fit and polish are good with no gaps around the mmcx connector and all edges slightly beveled for comfortable wear. Left and right are labeled on the spine of the housing leading to the mmcx connectors. MMCX connectors are good and tight (unlike my assessment of the original).




Internals:
The Driver used in the M2 Pro is very similar to the 15.4 mm dynamic driver with a titanium coated peek diaphragm found in the recent ST10s Silver. Nominal impedance is listed at 40Ω with a sensitivity of 110dB/mW. In that respect it is a cross between ST10S silver and NCO models. The M2 Pro is usable from a cell phone or tablet and while using a higher powered source will give it a bit more low end punch at times, it doesn’t feel anywhere near as under-powered as the original St10 did when run from the same phone. The user has 3 tuning options as the M2 pro comes with 2 sets of filters or one can simply remove the filter altogether. One cannot use both filters at the same time as a 4th option as they will not fit within the housing simultaneously.



Cable:
The cable provided with the M2 Pro is a 4 strand twist of silver plated copper and is a step above that provided with most previous models. It is a bit heavier and is designed for tip-up wear only as a result with pre-formed hooks at the northern ends. At the lower end, the cable uses a 3.5mm straight jack with a polished metal housing and a short strain relief. The splitter matches the jack in style and has a clear plastic chin slider above it which is well fitted and stays put when set. The top end as previously mentioned uses pre-formed hooks and polished metal housings for the mmcx connectors. No L/R markings are present on the housings, but a red ring at the base of the housing makes indexing straight forward.





Tips:
The M2 Pro provides foams and vented rubber tips. I found that the rubber tips did help with keeping the M2 Pro from migrating during activity but found it to be the most signature changing of the options I tried and decided for sake of this review I would conduct all sound notes with none of the tips installed. Understand that your impressions will vary if you install tips and especially the rubber tips.


Sound:



Remember that looking at the FR chart on an earbud is always misleading as buds are not meant to be sealed and almost every test rig is going to seal the face of the driver to a greater degree than actual wear. Notes below attempt to compare the two filters but not the M2 Pro without a filter as this is not really an intended use and it yields a very unnatural signature (See big spike in lower mids).


Bass:
Sub-bass is very good with more presence than most earbuds. Having said that, it is still an un-sealed design and won’t compete with iems for those looking for slam and rumble. The Lows do bring enough to the party to feel solid and not bass-deficient. Mid-bass is roughly level with the sub-bass and has good clarity and detail with filter 1 and is a bit more pronounced and lifted with filter 2. I preferred filter 1 as the mid-bass became a bit looser and obstructive when using filter 2. Bass clarity is better with Filter 1 as well. Mid bass bleed is more prominent with filter 2 and gives the M2 a bit more warmth when that filter is in use at the expense of a bit of clarity in the lower mids.

Mids:
As mentioned, mid-bass bleed can obstruct the lower mids depending on which filter is in use. Weight of the lower mids is a bit more with filter 2 but a bit cleaner and better presented with filter 1. As we move up, differences in the two filters become less. Filter 1 has a bit more mid/upper mid emphasis while filter 2 has more of an upper mid/lower treble emphasis. Again, this gives filter 1 a bit of an edge in my preferences, but those looking for a bit more vocal push may prefer filter 2. I found male vocals to be just slightly behind female with filter 1 and a full step behind with filter 2. Female vocals can get a bit harsh with poor recordings but for the most part were quite well voiced if the recording didn’t introduce stridency Strings lack a bit of weight but have reasonable clarity regardless of which filter is in use. Neither filter is great with strings, for that I prefer the ST10s.

Treble:
Treble is very similar to previous Smabat tunings. A push early, then falling back a bit to prevent fatigue. The treble is polite and well detailed with some air but sparkle feels a bit limited. Extension is somewhat limited as the levels drop back considerably above about 9kHz and it is tough to find the absolute top end as a result. Snare has good attack but cymbals lack a little energy to be fully realistic.

Soundstage / Imaging:
Soundstage is roughly the same size as the other Smabat offerings wtih good depth and width and even some sense of height. Instrument separation is good (Better with filter 1) and makes seating the orchestra straight forward with no large gaps or odd placements. Imaging is good but, as with most earbuds, positions are a bit more general than exacting. Layering is good for a single driver with little tendency to thicken on complex tracks.

Thoughts / Conclusion:
I’m torn here. I like the sound with filter 1 and feel like this may be the best Smabat yet from that perspective especially considering price is less than 1/2 that of the ST10s Gold. The Downside is, I don’t trust it to hold up. Constantly twisting the wires to the driver is bound to cause problems eventually and if that doesn’t crimping them with the filter very well may. Having broken an 0-ring while removing the driver housing doesn’t lend confidence to the design either. I suspect this was not the intended design as mentioned in the build comments and I believe another generation of this product is needed to really fully develop the concept. Something about the M2 Pro just feels way more DIY than pro. If you intend to try the filters once and leave your preferred filter in them from then on, they may serve you quite well. If you are an inveterate tinkerer and intend to try different filter materials etc. I suspect the life span of the M2 Pro might be very short. Its a shame too, it sounds really nice.
C
cheebs
What would you choose between this or the Lyra classic?
Wiljen
Wiljen
Lyra Classic if for no other reason than build quality - SQ is close.
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cqtek

1000+ Head-Fier
Modular Sound
Pros: - First modular earbud on the market: Its sound can be changed, after replacing several parts of the earphone.
- The sound is improved to the M1 version.
- Ergonomics.
- Construction.
- Cable.
- Very good quality/price ratio.
Cons: Very few accessories.
- Somewhat distant mids.
Introduction

Smabat does not stop growing and innovating. After the ST-10s Silver and Gold, they are now bringing out a new product, which is more than just an iteration of their previous M1 generation. Based on the same capsule, Smabat wanted to add an interesting plus: it is the first modular earbud on the market. And what does that mean? Well, the different parts that make up the interior of the capsule can be changed. And these parts are, the drive unit (which contains the diaphragm and the outer grid) and a tuning component (a plastic disc), which can be easily changed. By changing these discs, a noticeable change in the sound can already be obtained. The sound quality, including impedance, can also be improved by welding in one of the various drive units of your choice: the ST10S Black Gold unit from 150Ω, a unit with a titanium dome, or the standard unit with a three-layer titanium diaphragm, which is the same as the ST10S Silver. As you can see, Smabat has not left anything in the inkwell and even provides a cable that improves the one in the previous models. All this at a very affordable price.

Next, we will see what this new model is capable of and how its different parts can be changed.

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Specifications

  • Driver Type: Dynamic 15.4mm Three-layer Diaphragm 2.0 (PEEK, PU, PEEK Titanium Diaphragm)
  • Frequency Response: 10Hz-22kHz
  • Sensitivity: 110±3dB/mW
  • Impedance: 40Ω
  • Total Harmonic Distortion: <1% at 1KHz
  • Jack connector: 3.5mm
  • Capsule connection type: MMCX
  • Cable size: 1.2m

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Packaging

The M2 Pro comes in a small, flat white box, with the brand logo on the top. On the back side, at the bottom, there is a black label with the specifications, model name, headquarters address and website. The dimensions of the box are as follows: 130x90x22.
A manual with instructions and specifications, written in Chinese and English, appears after the cover is removed. Under it, there is a thick white foam mould, covered with cardboard of the same colour. The capsules and silicone coatings, already classics within the Smabat accessories, are embedded in it. Underneath these silicones, there are a couple of complete foams. The mould has two flaps, one located at the top, small, inside which there is a transparent bag that contains the tuning modules and the tool that helps to remove them. The larger flap is in the centre and under it is the new MMCX cable, 4 strands of mixed monocrystalline copper. In short, the complete content is:
  • The capsules.
  • Two black silicone coatings.
  • Two full foams.
  • Two tuning modules.
  • Tool for uninstalling the modules.
  • 1.2m MMCX cable and 3.5mm gold-plated plug.
In addition, a flat bag in black leather with a clip for closing has been provided as a gift. The bag is not very big, but its size is just right for storing the earbuds. The level of protection of this type of bag is not very adequate, but the detail is very appreciated, lately, these bags are scarce.
As usual with Smabats, the foam set is unique, very reduced for the duration of these elements. On the contrary, they come as standard with the best cable Smabat has ever made and two additional tuning modules.

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Construction and Design

The design of the capsule is the same as the previous model M1. It looks like several assembled cylinders, with different diameters. They are almost completely made of metallic material, including the grids. The external part of the capsule is a cylinder with a thinner and more rounded edge than the previous M1. This is the main difference. This part of the capsule is more conical than its predecessor and has the virtue of being unscrewable. The diaphragm is mounted on this part, which is called the drive unit. As a modular element, in addition to the standard one, three different units can be purchased (information taken from the website https://www.smabat.com/):
  • M-a-1 Titanium-plated full-size drive unit: The entire diaphragm is coated with titanium material, which increases its strength, so that treble, midrange and bass are comfortable.
  • M-a-2 Titanium dome drive unit: Only the central part of the diaphragm is plated with titanium material. The treble part has excellent details, which is very suitable for songs with only voice.
  • M-a-3 Drive unit ST10s Black Gold 150Ω, reinforced titanium-plated dome: It has a strong bass performance and the treble is very clear and precise.
Continuing with the interior of the capsule, there are two tuning modules. One comes pre-installed and the other comes as an accessory:
  • Tuning module type 0: All frequencies are uniform.
  • Tuning module type 1: Makes the mids and highs clearer. It has a surface hole that differentiates it from Type 0.
These modules are not as simple as they seem, but have been designed with Micro Maze Structure technology, using 3D printing technology.

Both the parts and the headphones can be purchased at the Smabat shop on AliExpress, as well as on its website:

https://www.smabat.com/collections/all

There it will be possible to see photos, videos and explanations, as much of the parts of the M2 Pro, as of the assembly of each one of them.

Following the description of the capsule, on its outer side, the mark is inscribed on the inside of a polished metal ring. On the underside is the MMCX connection, next to the edge. On the other side of the edge there is a white dot with a letter inside, which indicates the channel of each capsule. On the upper side of this piece, there are two slots.

The whole system of parts, assembly and accessories, is really ingenious. It is worth noting the ease with which the drive unit can be unscrewed and the tuning modules can be changed. You only have to be careful with the cables, so as not to break them, although this is not such a delicate operation either. I think that more modules of this type could be provided, allowing a quick and, more or less simple, change of sound. Changing the drive unit is not so simple, as it requires skill in soldering the cables. It is true that Smabat provides a very suitable and economical soldering iron, but not everyone has the necessary technique to perform this operation. Although, surely, the most handy and daring ones will enjoy assembling the different drive units and thus enjoy a much more personalized sound. Personally, I think that, for those who do not dare to weld, Smabat could put on sale all the combinations of capsules and different drive units.

Below I leave a link to a video, where you can see how the different parts of the M2 Pro are changed:



Another novelty in this model is the new cable. It consists of 4 coiled strands, inside which there is mixed monocrystalline copper. The coiled strands provide superior comfort, zero microphony and very high flexibility. This is a real advantage over previous cables. The 3.5mm plug is gold plated. Its sheath is a smooth, metallic, silver-plated cylinder. It has a light and rounded notch, near its upper end. The cable outlet is protected by a small transparent, semi-rigid plastic cover. The dividing piece follows the simplicity exposed, it is just a small, smooth and polished metallic cylinder. The pin is a tiny piece of rigid, transparent plastic. Finally, the sleeves of the MMCX connectors are again two metal cylinders, smooth and silvered. But this time, the outer edge is slightly beveled and has two ring shaped notches. The inner edges, near the connections, have plastic rings, whose colour identifies the channel: red for the right, transparent for the left. Finally, it is worth noting the semi-rigid coating that gives shape to the cable, for adjustment on the ear. A small velcro strip helps to collect the cable.

Building on the excellent construction of the M1, the new M2 Pro, outperforms any previous earbud design, creating the first modular earbud on the market. Looking at the capsules, anyone would say that this is a modular and removable design, since the parts are very well assembled, without separate joints or gaps that allow to notice the union of the parts. Simply excellent.

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Adjustment and Ergonomics

The ergonomics are slightly different from the M1, as the edge of the drive unit is thinner and more slender. In addition, the body is slightly more conical. This makes it even easier to fit. A slightly deeper insertion can thus be achieved.

The adjustment can be done over the ear, which is how it is intended, since the cable has the famous guides. However, if another cable is used which does not have such a covering, the adjustment could be perfectly the traditional one, with the cable downwards. On this occasion, due to these slight changes, I can't find many sound differences between the over-the-ear and the traditional adjustment. But I must say that the comfort of both positions is quite high, which is great news.

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Sound

Profile


The Smabat M2 Pro has multiple sound configurations, but I've only been able to test the ones that come as standard, that is, with the Type 0 or Type 1 tuning module. In advance, I must say that I liked the Type 1 better. Supposedly, this module offers a tuning that accentuates the clarity of the mids and highs. Meanwhile, Type 0 makes all the frequencies more uniform. In the frequency response graphs it doesn't look like this: the Type 0 module has more emphasis on the low mids, but has more sinking in the midrange and a higher peak in the high mids, which further polarizes its sound. In this way, its profile has a tendency towards a warm V, which has obvious voids in its central area. With the Type 1 module, this tendency is not so accentuated and to my ears, the profile gains in clarity, resulting in a more uniform, balanced and liberated sound.
The following sound considerations have been made with the Type 1 module.

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Bass

The lower Smabat area is like a seal of guarantee. Although, it is true that, with each model, the brand is trying to create profiles that flee from a declared Bassy profile. On this occasion, the presence is felt, but it is not predominant, as the overall profile is more balanced.

The lower area of the M2 Pro is slightly coloured, which is noticeable in the midbass. The depth is appreciated, but to a lesser degree, partly because of the upward pressure of the bass. Even so, the beat enjoys a good amount of strength, restraint, dryness, but not too much speed, generating a low zone with some decay, without becoming rubbery. In this way, the bass guarantees a good sound pressure, but the cleanliness is not very high, being drawn in a slightly diffuse way. The texture is uniform, with little roughness in the central area. However, this is accentuated as one tends to sub-bass. In spite of this, it is not sufficient to provide the necessary detail to the drums, sounding forceful, but not very descriptive or complex. The level of depth also does not help in the recreation of planes and the resolution is simply good. A little more space is missing, both laterally and in the front, as well as a little more light, precision and better technique.

All of the above is not an impediment for the lower area of the M2 Pro to be described, quietly, as remarkable. What happens is that Smabat has set the bar very high in its previous models and one has become badly accustomed to it. That's why the criticism has been rigorous. Although not all earbuds have a Smabat bass.

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Mids

With the Type 1 module, the favour that the bass do to the central zone, is great. Because the voices can be easily detached from the lower zone, without being contaminated. The diffuse feeling perceived at the lower end has a tendency to disappear as the frequency increases. In this sense, the voices already have a better definition and a richer texture, but without reaching excellence, because the resolution remains limited. On the other hand, the timbre is slightly warm, without the clarity being total, nor the cleanliness absolute. Continuing with the voices, their body is just wide enough so that they don't feel thin, but without being exuberant or with a lot of pulp. Their perception is soft, of medium resolution, with a low analytical capacity and a representation that turns towards the sweet-neutral side, balanced. There is not much difference between the male and female voices, as the recreation of both is very similar, without a favour being noticed towards one of them. The descriptive level of the route of the voices is not very exhaustive, given the melodious orientation of the M2 Pro. But it is true that the ending has a bright point, a slight spark.

On the other hand, the instrumentation does not differ too much from the representation of the voices, offering a very coherent sound, within the musicality of the mids. In this way, his exhibition is relaxed, fluid and velvety. The separation is not very high, giving rise to a more liquid sound, which is technically more polished and differentiated. In spite of this, the level of cleanliness improves what is exposed in the lower area, achieving a fairly free, but relaxed, pleasant, non-strident sound, with a good dose of liveliness, which differentiates it from other eminently warm earbuds.

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Treble

The upper area of the M2 Pro, is characterized by having more spark than extension. Its representation is pointed, focused on the first highs, without being persistent or very marked. Within the musicality of its profile, this spark is perceived lightly, although sometimes finer and clearly perceptible. The definition of the notes is not very high, following the soft tendency of the sound. But I must insist, that they are not dark earbuds, but quite the opposite, as they have a rather free and vivid sound, with a clear tendency towards light, without a hint of veil, nor a marked congestion, beyond a slight warmth. As a result, the treble, except for the initial sparkle, is light, comfortable, controlled and suitable for long listening. Their descriptive, analytical and resolution capacity is at a medium/low level, providing an average amount of detail, without standing out for their quantity or definition. On the contrary, despite the homogeneity of the mediums, the nuances seem more obvious in the middle zone, than in the high zone, which favours a greater naturalness in the central range.

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Soundstage, Separation

Like good earbuds, the sound is open, with an almost noticeable width, but limited in depth and more, in height. The scene is eminently frontal, without too much lateral space, nor much three-dimensionality. In spite of this, there is more space than congestion. Although the sound presentation is quite liquid, its cohesion is not so great to appreciate it as a continuous without a background. The silence, although narrow, is perceived slightly, providing that sensation of freedom and openness, which I have spoken of in the previous sections. And it is this quality that provides a quantity of light, which alleviates the sound and gives it an appreciable separation.

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Comparisons

Smabat M1


At first glance, the capsules are the same, the thickness of the drive unit changes. In addition, the cable is completely new and much improved.

In terms of sound, the M2 Pro is easy to move, the change in volume between the two is clear. In terms of profile, both models (M2 Pro Type 1) have a similar profile, although somewhat warmer, with less obvious highs. Clarity is improved in the new M2s, achieving a cleaner and more open sound with more prominent mid-range and separate from the low end. More congestion is seen on the M1, while the separation on the M2 produces greater transparency and distance between the bass and mid-range. Something that has also improved is the texture of the lower area, which is more noticeable, distinguished and rough, with a more enjoyable and somewhat more forceful punch. In the M1, the treble is more subtle and thinner, with less presence. In the M2 Pro, the upper zone is drawn with more sparkle and closeness, offering better detail, more air, separation and a feeling of openness and clarity. Similarly, the scene is wider and more open, in the M2 Pro, where the M1s are more homogeneous and continuous, with more congestion, comparatively speaking. But one thing that may surprise you is the timbre of both, it's quite similar, although the M2 Pro is more vivid, while the M1's are duller, a little darker.

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ISN Rambo II

The Rambo II are great earbuds, which share range with the M2 Pro. Their construction is excellent and their comfort too, although they are clearly different in design, each has brought something new to the earbud scene. In terms of sound, the Rambo II has a warmer profile, with a larger, denser, closer, fuller-bodied midrange. Voices are fuller and closer, clearly present, in the foreground. In the M2, the voices are thinner, colder, with a texture that turns towards clarity, focused more on details, than on their body or performance. Clearly, the profile of the M2 Pro is more V-shaped, with the voices further back than the Rambo II. In the latter, the lower zone has good roughness, but its presence is lower than that of the Smabat M2 Pro, with less impact and less forcefulness. Although, the lower mid-range has much more presence, something that makes even the bass feel more complete, although their descriptive capacity is not as explicit as in the M2 Pro. Going back to the M2 Pro, in this comparison, you can feel in them, a hollow in that area that the Rambo II fills so well. In this sense, the more mid-centric character of the ISN can be noticed, while the Smabat stand out in the lower zone and in the first highs, emphasizing that character more in V. The upper zone of the M2 Pro is brighter initially, with more sparkle and liveliness than in the ISN. In this way, and in a complementary way, its sound is more technical and fine, where the details and nuances feel closer. On the Rambo II, the sound is more exuberant, filling the scene in all directions. While, in the M2 Pro, the spatial arrangement is quite different, the extremes feel closer and the means more delayed, that gives a more panoramic scene, with more depth in the centre, or, rather, distance. But its width cannot compete with the greater three-dimensionality and better instrumental positioning of the Rambo II, which also has a more realistic and natural recreation.

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Conclusion

Smabat continues to make giant steps in the world of earbuds. And now it dares to do something original, which will delight those who like to fiddle around and modify their earbuds. For a modest price, the M2 Pro offers multiple configuration options: 3 screw-on drive units and two tuning modules. They come standard with two modules and a drive unit, plus a large cable. The sound is quite good, with a slightly V-shaped profile, a signature bass, sparkling highs, and a fine, delicate midrange with plenty of clarity and light. The comfort remains sensational, as does the design and construction, which makes it easy to modify.
What will Smabat do next? I'm looking forward to it.

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Sources Used During the Analysis

  • Burson Audio Playmate
  • Qudelix-5K
  • xDuoo XP-2Pro
  • HyBy R3 Pro
  • Tempotec Serenade iDSD

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Ratings

  • Construction and Design: 95
  • Adjustment/Ergonomics: 92
  • Accessories: 75
  • Bass: 87
  • Mids: 85
  • Treble: 86
  • Separation: 87
  • Soundstage: 85
  • Quality/Price: 93

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DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Smabat, for their kindness and for sending me a unit of these IEMS, in exchange for an objective review.

Purchase Link

You can read the full review in Spanish here

baskingshark

Headphoneus Supremus
SMABAT M2 Pro Review - Mercurial Chameleon
Pros: Good build, light, comfortable.
Detachable cables.
Can be worn cable down or over ear.
Multiple permutations in sound signature - depending on foam cover type, driver type and tuning module type.
Good timbre.
Good subbass extension for a earbud.
Cons: Would require soldering skills to change driver (changing of tuning module doesn't require soldering thankfully).
Above average technicalities for a midfi earbud, but not classleading, with occasional hazy imaging/congested instrument separation during complex tracks.
DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank the SMABAT Store on Aliexpress for providing this review sample in exchange for an honest opinion. My views are my own.

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SPECIFICATIONS
  • Driver Type: stock driver in box is a 15.4 mm titanium plated diaphragm. There's options to buy an aftermarket full sized titanium unit or even the ST10S black gold driver (these are not included and you might need soldering skills).
  • Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 22kHz
  • Impedance: 40 ohms
  • Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW
  • Cable type: MMCX
  • Tested at $65 USD.

ACCESSORIES

Other than the earbud, it comes with:
  • 1 set of 4 strand single crystal copper mixed wire - very well braided and of high quality, no microphonics.
  • 1 pair of silicone covers.
  • 1 pair of full foam covers.
  • 2 pairs of tuning modules - this will be discussed further below under "Sound & Technicalities".
  • Card pin (for removal of tuning modules).
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I find the full foams gives a warmer sound (though with slight loss of details) whereas the silicone covers makes the sound clearer and brighter with better microdetails. The upper mids/lower treble can get a bit hot with the silicone covers with the stock tuning module, but I'm treble sensitive, so YMMV, and the basshead in me prefers the full foams for the warmth.


BUILD/COMFORT

The SMABAT M2 Pro has a very high quality metal shell, and I've used it for hours at a stretch and fallen asleep with it in my ears without discomfort. Additionally, it can be worn cable down or over the ears and is smaller than the SMABAT ST10 predecessors, which some had a problem with fit wise.

The SMABAT M2 Pro comes with MMCX detchable cables, which is very good to see in earbuds, as even some TOTL earbuds costing a hundred dollars or more have non detachable cables, which may be a potential area of failure down the line. In addition, some folks may be keen to use balanced cables or wireless adapters with it, so I really like the non detachable option in this set. The MMCX are of good quality, neither too loose or too tight, and they lock satisfactorily without spinning.

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DRIVABILITY

The stock driver (40 ohm) in the SMABAT M2 Pro is drivable from lower powered sources such as a smartphone, but it scales better in dynamics, details and soundstage with amping. There's an option to put an aftermarket 150 ohm ST10S Black Gold driver unit inside, and that will probably need more juice than the stock driver.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The SMABAT M2 Pro has authentic vocal and instrumental timbre and above average technicalities as befits a midfi earbud, with nice soundstage. Instrument separation and details and imaging are not classleading compared to the predecessor, the SMABAT ST10, and imaging is occasionally hazy. In fact imaging and instrument separation are one level behind on the SMABAT M2 Pro compared to the SMABAT ST10, especially when it comes to complex tracks.

With regard to customizing the M2 Pro's sound signature, other than the full foams vs silicone covers influencing the sound, the sound can also have multiple permutations:

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The SMABAT M2 Pro comes with 2 pairs of tuning modules in the box (the white circular thing in the 2nd column in this picture), which is easy to install. There's an option to get other aftermarket dome units/drivers as per the 3rd column in this picture, but putting the aftermarket drivers in may require soldering skills (these are not included in the box and the drivers and soldering kit can be purchased separately from the SMABAT Store on Aliexpress).


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This pic is taken from SMABAT's store page. This is the default tuning module (differentiated by a dot on the reverse side of the module). This tuning module is preinstalled and it gives a neutralish bright sound signature. Upper mids/lower treble are within my tolerances with full foams, but can be hot with the silicone covers with this module on. Bass is quite neutral with this on, typical of most mainstream buds, with some lack of subbass extension and quantity.


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This pic is taken from SMABAT's store page. There's another pair of tuning modules in the box (without a dot on the reverse side), it gives the sound a mild V shaped tuning. Upper mids are not harsh with this module on. The sub and midbass is definitely more prominent though. I like this module for most of my music cause I like my bass, but with this on, there's a slight midbass bleed present. Though I like the added warmth in the lower mids with the midbass bleed, but I think some wouldn't appreciate this. The subbass with this tuning module on can extend to around 30 - 40ish Hz, which is not that common in most mainstream earbuds, and I didn't miss my IEMs too much with the subbass quantities provided.


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The dot to differentiate the different tuning modules is on the reverse side of the modules (see 4 o clock position of left module). The dot is very tiny and easy to miss, but the sound signature is quite different on listening, so the tuning modules ain't a gimmick.


You can watch this video below to see how the tuning modules can be swapped. It is quite easy to do with the provided card pin in the box, just be careful to protect the wire to the driver when screwing on and off the driver:


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Now to complicate matters, there is an option to install different driver units for the SMABAT M2 Pro. The M2 Pro's stock driver is a 15.4 mm dome titanium driver, but one can buy an aftermarket full sized titanium unit or the ST10S black gold driver (these are not included in the box and you might need soldering skills to install these; soldering kit and aftermarket drivers are sold separately in the SMABAT Store on Aliexpress).

The various driver types and their purported tuning signatures are described below (pics taken from the SMABAT store page), and also below is a video on how to solder the drivers.

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This is video on how to solder the different drivers on. Personally I haven’t tried buying the other aftermarket drivers as I’m not the best at soldering, so do it at your own risk!

DIYers will have a field day with this, but I'm not very good at soldering, hence I just stuck to the stock drivers for this review. Even with the stock drivers only, I already found quite a lot of variation in the sound signature with just the silicone covers vs full foams and the 2 provided sets of tuning modules, so I'm rather satisfied. But I would be happy to hear from the adventurous ones who have tried their hand at soldering and exploring the other driver types!


COMPARISONS

I don't have the recently released SMABAT ST10S Black Gold or Black Silver earbuds, but I did some A/B testing with the original SMABAT ST10. I read that in the forums, after the first batch of ST10s were fixed for the MMCX issues, there were retuned versions of the ST10, so possibly there are 3 versions of the ST10 on the market. I'm not sure which version I have as I bought my ST10 second hand.

As the mercurial SMABAT M2 Pro has multiple sound profiles as above, I decided to put full foams plus use the more V shaped (and bassier) tuning module (ie tuning module 0) which is in the box (not preinstalled), so as to give the bassiest config to compare with the SMABAT ST10 (which is known to have great subbass extension for a bud). These are my findings:
  • The ST10 has better bass extension and quantity even with the SMABAT M2 Pro on the most bassy config as above.
  • The ST10 note weight is slightly thinner with a slightly cooler tonality and less authentic timbre than the SMABAT M2 Pro.
  • SMABAT M2 Pro has slightly more recessed lower mids.
  • Technicalities wise, the ST10 is ahead, with better soundstage, better imaging, instrument separation, clarity and details on the ST10. The SMABAT M2 Pro gets congested with complex tracks, whereas the ST10 handles these with more ease.
  • Fit wise, the ST10 is larger and slightly less comfortable.
Hence, I think the original SMABAT ST10 is still better in technicalities and bass quantity/extension, but SMABAT M2 Pro may have better timbre/note weight and fit. Though the SMABAT M2 Pro has the edge in having multiple sound signatures.


CONCLUSIONS

The SMABAT M2 Pro is one of the pioneers in earbuds that incorporates an innovative modular concept for different tuning modules and driver units. It would make DIYers very happy and give a wealth of tuning options, in addition to using the silicone covers/full foams to modify the sound.

Sound quality is very good for a midfi earbud and it has a good fit and build and detachable cables to boot. While technicalities on the SMABAT M2 Pro are not classleading, the timbre on the SMABAT M2 Pro is great like other midfi buds and and coupled with the tunable sound signatures, it brings a lot of things to the table. For DIYers, the SMABAT M2 Pro will be a major dream come true, but even for the lay consumers without soldering skills, this is one set that earbud lovers should consider.
Last edited:
Vannak
Vannak
Nice!
C
cheebs
I found that using the bassier tuning filter does not help subbass at all, only increasing midbass, and leaking it into the mids. I suggest anyone to try out the pre installed filter first, as it thinner note weight but better imaging with those.
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