(this is an old review that I wrongly post on Yamaha EPH-M100 reviews page, so I copy-paste it here. )
SOUND: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION:7/10
VALUE: 7/10
I just sell my Yamaha EPH-100, so before I forget how they sound I will write a little review here.
My attempt for this micro driver earphones was BIG, especially because of the praise I found here on Headfi. So yes, let's be honnest: I wasn't that impressed the first time I listen to them, I try to convaince myself but the soundstage wasn't large enough and I feel lack of air between instruments even if the separation was great. In other words, if I listen to them without having read numerous review I will surely have a more permissive opinion. Anyway, this is perhaps unfair because its an old earphones, but at 150$ it sure feel anachronicaly priced compared to great sounding IEM we can find today at this price.
CONSTRUCTION:
Wasn't very impress by the construction, perhaps more by the ingenery behind it. The earshell are nice brushed metal AND metal paint plastic (that can be easily scratch and loose his paint). Cable look fragile and is connect loosely to the earshell. Anyway, I find them very beautifull and elegant, I try to wear it over ear and it go well, it reduce microphonic sound too.
SOUND (Using Ibasso Dx90, Fiio E7 and Xduoo X3):
LOWS:
These are not bassy earphones but the bass is there, it call present and show himself in all it's nudity. Yes, nude bass, because it isn't beefy but very revealing and articulate, we can effortlessly extract every note of bass line in a track easily with the EPH-100 wich is very impressive. The drawback is that it can feel cold and too analytical for some type of music, but I find it very enjoyable if not a tad too bright. Sub bass isn't really there as it need more space to blossom and rumble in the extreme low end. It is still punchy enough to give energy to track but Toms for example do not decay very long in sound spectrum. Anyway, this is a very unique approach to low frequencies that can be very revealing with complex bass playing.
MIDS:
Foward and gently bright with great texture is how I remember the medium frequencie range, Vocal were sweet and spot on and positioning in the (little) soundstage was good too. This brightness in the overall EPH100 soundsignature can be fatiguing with already bright DAP like Ibasso Dx90. The Yamaha EPH-100 are quite neutral sounding too, we feel close in a little space with lot of details with this type of sound, it is intimate and urgent at the same time. I really like how female signers sound with this earphones and was utterly impress by the quality and plenty of details they offer.
HIGHS:
Treble is bright but do not have lot of sparkle, very good to extract texture and details, so much so that it can be overwhelming and make too complexe music sound congested with too much details and layers. But most of time it,s delactable, especially with my Fiio E7 (Wolfson DAC) it have an exquisite synergy were the warmnest of the DAC complete with the analytical brightess of they EPH-100, and a little bass boost do not harm this earphones, quite the cntrary I will say.
Overall sounds impressions:
The Yamaha EPH-100 is a unique earphone with lot to like, it's incredibly small size, it's good look, it's superbly elegant and detailed sound, it's over average soundstage (especially for his size). Still, I feel something is not right with the overall sound presentation, I guess it's my subjective earing and do not deny they excellent drivers and tuning, they are somekind of little miracle that barely touch perfection.
I really think that this earphones sound good, but with the number of IEM I have and the music players I use the Yamaha EPH-100 wasn't mean't for me.
