[Audio46]

Hello Audiophiles,

Audio46 is doing a tour for the Strauss & Wagner EM205 Earphones with 3.5mm Connection And Mic+Remote.

Product Tour Program Rules:

1. This Product Tour program is available internationally!
2. Sign up using our Tour Sheet. Sign up ends on July 13th, 2021. Up to 5 eligible reviewers will be selected. We'll contact and announce them soon after sign-ups end.
3. If you are selected, you will get shipped the product for you to keep, courtesy of Strauss & Wagner.
4. You must write a review and post it on this thread--the same thread as our announcement for the Product Tour. You must post it here before you post it anywhere else.

Tour Participants List:
[We've been able to expand the number of people we can send it to, courtesy of Strauss & Wagner]

• @SenyorC
• @Ichos
• @baskingshark
• @Sunstealer
• @AhHuiReviews
• @PACSman
• @asifur

[Email correspondence will be through tour@audio46.com. You may need to add us to your contact list to avoid our responses landing in your spam box.]

 

[Audio46]

Additionally, if you've been eying the EM205 but want it with a USB-C connection instead of the 3.5mm plug, Strauss & Wagner are running a Kickstarter right now that's ending August 14th: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/straussandwagner/strauss-and-wagner-em8c-wired-earbuds

 

[PACSman]

Strauss & Wagner EM205 Earphones
Kind to the ears and the wallet. $39

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Comfortable
• Low profile with small shell and thin cable
• Fits my ears well
• Music separation: spacious and wide soundstage (but not deep)
• Microphonics: Nearly zero microphonics from the cable!
• Good extension of bass
• Volume and track controls built into microphone cord
• A general good and non-offensive earphone.
• Great value for the money.

Cons:

• Cannot be expected to compete as a revealing earphone (not at this price).
• In-Line Microphone delivers a muffled sound for phone calls
• The right and left are not color-coded and I can’t see the L and R indicators without my glasses (but some red fingernail polish for the right will solve this)
• Remedial EQ is required for my ears. Pronounced frequencies in the 3.5k to 5.5k range can be fatiguing to my ears unless EQ’d.
• The cable tends to be clingy and wraps around itself.

Introduction:
I participated in Audio46’s tour. I am not required to return the EM205 earphones. No other incentives, actual or implied, were given or received.

Strauss & Wagner is an unknown brand to me. A web search took me to a page by the manufacturer stating that EM205 “sound almost as good but cost half the price” of the 1More Triple Driver. If I had time, I would buy the 1More Triple Drive and attempt to qualify the claim.

My initial expectation based entirely on the packaging and not knowing about the earphone is that I would consider buying the EM205 at the airport as an impulse purchase. I mean “Strauss” and “Wagner”? Stalwarts of classical music! Right?


Unboxing:
I’ve posted pictures of what is in the box. Thank goodness for the cardboard packaging because I never like using a knife or scissors on stiff and sharp plastic. I had the EM205 unboxed and was listening in under fifteen seconds. Record time!

Note the tips are small so tip-rolling might be a problem. Normally I need to roll tips for comfort but I did not find this necessary for the EM205. Small, Medium, and Large ear-tips are provided. I usually use a comply Large tip but the Medium silicon tips provided with the EM205 fit me fine.

The wires are not removable so aftermarket cables are not an option. But this is a small earphone with a thin wire and it works to the advantage of someone who wants a low-profile design. At this price, I don’t think a user would or should expect an option to replace cables.


Impression:
My honest first impression was “Wow!”. My impressions after about 48 hours of “burn-in”, listening to the EM205 for several hours:

• Lightweight and Comfortable: I can work out, work around the house, and be active without worry that the wire is going to whip the earphones out of my ears. I haven’t tried it, but I believe these can be worn all day without irritation to my ears. That is unusual and very good for me.
• Fit: I’m a CIEM guy. I rarely find that IEMs fit and I’ve done a lot of tip-rolling to try to make a good earphone fit to my ear. The EM205 is an exception. The EM205 fits with a good seal using the provided silicon tips. I can hear down to 25hz. Placement requires some experimentation and I find that rotating it straight back or straight forward works for my ear. Having the wire hang straight down won't allow it fit my ear properly. But everyone's ear is different so please experiment. The EM205 is also very low profile so I think I could sleep on my side with these earphones if I wanted to.
• Separation: spacious and wide soundstage. The placement of instruments in the sound field is wide. Unfortunately, there is little depth of the sound field or layering of instruments but I shouldn’t expect this from such a $40 earphone.
• Nearly zero microphonics from the cable. I've never heard so little microphonic noise from the cable. This adds greatly to the enjoyment! I’ve owned $3000 earphones that did not favor so well with the microphonics. Amazing.
• The frequency range is good. I was able to clearly hear down to 25hz. Vocals have sibilance and cymbals shimmer without EQ (see “more to know” below for my EQ settings). This might improve after more burn-in.
• In-line microphone: it is adequate for a quick conversation. However, my voice comes across to the listener as muffled. The earphones are more than adequate for listening to conference calls. I know Bluetooth earphones/headphones have been the trend for many years (and I have had several and returned most) but I prefer wired earphones and microphones. I have a Samsung S21 but I still use my S7 with headphone jack for conference calls because the sound quality of the S7 is so much better.
• Sensitivity and efficiency are tuned to provide good sound balance and volume from any consumer device with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Audience:

• The EM205 is a good match for lossy and streaming audio. Listeners accustom to Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube audio will probably be happy. TV or streaming video users may also be happy. EQ tweaks are effective, which is not usually the case with cheaper earphones, and will be helpful to the listener.
• I wouldn’t recommend the EM205 for lengthy phone calls if the EM205 microphone is required for a long dialog. I think the other end of the connection might be frustrated with the muffled sound from the microphone. Don’t get me wrong, the microphone is sufficient and people can hear me, but I’m used to using an external desktop microphone for conference calls.
• Kids will be happy. If they are prone to “crank it up” to hear the bass or make the music exciting, EQ should be applied. I say this because sometimes people “crank it up” so they can hear the detail and then end up with Pete Townshend ears as they get older. I would expect the EM205 to be much safer for listening than skullcandy, beats, bose, and other common earphones. I’ve grown accustomed to lower SPL and better sound and advocate it to others. See “more to know” below for my EQ settings..
• I expect the “hirez” listeners will start with something starting at a few or several. My everyday critical listening is no-loss, 24bit, and DSD sourced. Critical listening requires higher-end equipment. But the EM205 is fine for fun and casual listening.
• Note: For my testing, I used a mix of lossy and no loss and could clearly hear the difference between the two when listening with the EM205. Although I say the EM205 does not have a revealing or detailed sound, it is still surprisingly good sounding to my ears.

Bottom Line:
For its price point, the EM205 sounds OUTSTANDING. I will not hesitate to use the EM205 all day long with my cell phone for casual listening. With EQ, it makes my ears and brain happy. I’ve paid two or three times the price for headphones when traveling for business and always give them away afterward (and I wonder if the recipient of my gift is satisfied with what they hear). ** I’ll keep the Strauss & Wagner EM205. **

Said another way, if you want to keep up with the cool kids, be prepared to spend 25 to 100 times the cost of the EM205. Yup, about $4000 (not to mention $3000 to $4000 for a great DAP) will get you top-tier detail from your hirez music. But for the person on a budget who wants to enjoy the music and not overthink what they are hearing, the EM205 can be a great earphone.

Get yourself a pair. If you are not impressed, you can make a friend by gifting them to someone who spent more for far less

More to know:

• EQ: I add a 2db low shelf, Q 0.71, at 80hz to make the bass more apparent. I’m not a bass head but a little more bass helps me feel the music. The EM205 responds well to this tweak.
• EQ: I drop a -5db analog bell, Q 1.71 at 3800hz and again at 5500hz. This reduces sibilance and tames the cymbals so they don’t shimmer too much for my ears. I still need to adjust this a bit more to get it right.
• The EM205 does not stress my ears or my brain. It is not “shouty”. On the other hand, it is not overly polite. I hear music that is suitable for all day listening. It is better than $39 headphones from a few years ago. The EM205 is not built to compete against what may be considered as “audiophile” but the EM205 is one of the best affordable earphones I have heard in a long time. I would not hesitate to replace the EM205 if I lost them.
• Source for this review: Samsung S7 earphone jack, UAPP player with EQ as mentioned previously. Rock, Classical, and Jazz covers of Beatles songs were sampled. Example: Mendes & Brasil ’66, Expo 70: “Norwegian Wood”, no-loss. Wow! Smooth and open with a wide soundstage. Nice bass and no glare.

Other Equipment:

• Shure E500 (precursor to the SE535) with custom sleeves
• Audeze LCDi3 with custom sleeves
• Dan Clark Aeon 2 Closed
• Cayin n6ii E02
• I sold my Sennheiser HD800, Fostex TH909, Mr Speakers EtherFlow C, and Layla IEMs and will replace them after CanJam or RMAF. (I wish for CanJam to come back to RMAF Please come back!)

 

[baskingshark]

I would like to thank Audio46 and Strauss & Wagner for having me on the EM205 tour.




I've been testing this set out for the past week after burn in, and these are my impressions:



TLDR:
Pros:
Good timbral accuracy
Good tonality
Comfortable, can be worn cable down/over ears
Non fatiguing, minimal sibilance
Has mic for calls and online meetings
Good build

Cons:
Non detachable cable
Slight midbass bleed
Average technicalities



SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: Dynamic Driver 9 mm
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20000Hz
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Sensitivity: 108 dB
• Cable: non detachable, 3.5 mm

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, the EM205 packaging comes with:

• Silicone ear tips - S/M/L
• Cloth carry bag

Everything is rather usable OOTB here, so no need to mess with getting aftermarket tips, which can add to costs (looking at you BLON BL-03).

For the purposes of this review, the stock eartips were used, so as not to change the sound signature with aftermarket gear.


BUILD/COMFORT

The EM205 is a bullet shaped IEM but it can be worn cable down or over the ears, so this increases fit options. It is very light and well fitting, comfort is excellent. In fact, I’ve used it for many hours continuously with no discomfort whatsoever.

I didn’t find any driver flex for myself on the EM205 (but YMMV, as this is somewhat dependent on ear anatomy and types of ear tips used).

Sadly, the cables are non detachable and a bit tangly. Non detachable cables may be a point of failure down the line, or perhaps some might wanna use aftermarket balanced cables or even bluetooth adapters with it. But I've seen way more expensive IEMs without a detachable option! Thankfully for the EM205, the build looks quite solid and there’s a strain relief, unlike the non strain relief reinforced type of cable that makes your heart drop (looking at you Final E3000!).

As per most non detachable design IEMs, there’s some slight microphonics, but it is not that bad, say compared to the Sony MH755 or Final Audio E3000 in this area. The cable is also quite long, unlike the Sony MH755 where the too short fixed cable mandates that you can’t move too far from the source.

The good news it that the microphonics can be minimized to almost zero by wearing the EM205 over the ears, or using a shirt clip to clip it down so the cable doesn't swing around.


MIC FUNCTION

Well in addition to being an IEM for music, the mic that comes with this set does increase options for the EM205 to be used for phone calls and online meetings. During this current covid pandemic, my country has a bit of a mini lockdown and most of us have to work from home, so I was quite happy to be using the EM205 for this. Using the EM205, a few colleagues and friends said the voice over the mic for these online meetings sounded a tinge muffled, but it was audible and understandable still, and there was no issue with the progression of these online meetings.

The mic works as advertised as per this diagram:

ISOLATION

As for isolation, the EM205 is average in this area.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the EM205 with a Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp, Sony NW A-55 DAP (DMP-A50 FEv2 Classic Mr Walkman Mod), smartphone, Shanling Q1 DAP, Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, and E1DA 9038D.

The EM205 doesn't really need amping per se, it can be driven from a lower powered source, but it scales nicely when amped. Soundstage, dynamics, microdetails and bass tightness improve with amping.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS

I would describe the EM205 as being mildly V shaped/U shaped and warm and analoguish. The tuning is rather versatile for most music genres.

The EM205 is midbass focused. The midbass is emphasized over the subbass, but the subbass will be heard with quite a good rumble on bass heavier tracks. The bass quantity is not that of a basshead IEM, but it is slightly north of neutral. The EM205's bass is above average in timbre, texturing and speed, though there's a slight midbass bleed.

Lower mids are thick from the aforementioned slight midbass bleed and this gives quite a lot of body to music. It can be a pro or con, but those that like the added warmth to the lower mids will like it. The upper mids are slightly boosted but it isn't shouty or fatiguing. Treble extends moderately, there's minimal sibilance on this set. Upper treble has a roll off, so it isn't fatiguing for longer listening sessions, but there's a slight loss of microdetails as such.

Soundstage is wide but the stage depth and height are average. Imaging and instrument separation are slightly above average.

Timbral accuracy on the EM205 is very good and quite organic for acoustic instruments.


CONCLUSION

The Strauss & Wagner EM205 is a warmly tuned IEM, it is quite a functional budget set to bring around for online meetings and listening on the go. While not the most detailed, the EM205's tonality and timbral accuracy are good, the build is solid and it is very comfortable with the over ear/cable down options of using it. The EM205's non fatiguing and versatile tuning makes it quite a useful daily beater set in my book.

 

[Sunstealer]

Strauss & Wagner EM205
These 9mm bullet-style earphones were sent to me for review by the company. I do not have to return them. Many thanks to Strauss & Wagner.

PROS:
Warm V Shape, inoffensive sound, acceptable allrounder for music and podcasts
Metal construction

CONS:
Non-detachable cable
Wouldn't be first choice for listening session

Contents:
The slim box contains the 3.5mm inline microphone metal earphones, a slim drawstring pouch and 3 sets of silicone tips.

Listening hardware :
Oneplus 6 with NeutronPlayer
Fiio BTR5 in wired mode, 3.5mm unbalanced out only
Sony MH750 stock 3.5mm
Sony MH750 MMCX modded, 3.5mm unbalanced cable
KBEAR KS1 with stock unbalanced 3.5mm cable

Fit:
Due to my ear canal anatomy, standard silicones don’t stay in so I swapped them out for wide bore dual flange tips. I used SpinFit CP240 for the comparison earphones. The CP240 attenuated the mid bass on the S&Ws so weren’t used.
These can be worn up or down, the downside to wearing them up is that there is a shorter length of cable after the fixed splitter which ended a little too close to my neck. Fit was comfortable either way though with no significant fatigue after a couple of hours.

Sound:
Overall the timbre was warm, particularly with respect to female voices and no sibilance.
The mid bass is mildly accentuated but relatively untextured. It bleeds a little into the midrange, softening vocals, transients and percussion. Subbass is non-existent, by which I mean no physicality or kick.
Vocals are centred, in-head. Keyboard and stringed instruments are well defined but remain warm in timbre. Percussion sounds are thickened but sweet. There is a lack of air and presence - soundstage is only just out of head.

Comparison:
Stock MH750: These are more U-shaped, with a subbass kick and greater presence within a similar degree of soundstage. Vocals are cleaner but slightly more recessed, with less bass bleed due to the sub bass focus. Timbre is cooler than the S&W but is still warm overall.

Modded MH750: These sounded cleaner and more defined than the stock MH750 but the overall timbre, soundstage and profile were similar.

Stock KS1: These have a similar V-shape profile but there is a wider soundstage, more air between the instruments (particularly the treble end of the range) and a less muddy, smeared presentation. Not necessarily a fair comparison as I’m sure the shell shape plays a part in this but I wanted to see what the budget segment had to offer.

Conclusion:
The EM205s neither excel nor fail at anything in particular; they are a perfectly competent pair of warm V-shape earphones. The bullet-style shape is the major deciding factor to purchase if the sound profile appeals. Personally I preferred the modded MH750 in terms of form factor and the KS1 when comparing the same sound profile.

P.S. I had hoped to take them apart and fit MMCX sockets for a balanced connection but they have glued the ends of the cable into the back of the casing - it would be a time-consuming job to clear that out. Maybe one day I’ll have a go…but not today.

 

[Sunstealer]

**UPDATE**

I've put MMCX connectors onto the EM205s. A bit ungainly but they are solid. Happy to post pics if people want them.

 

[asifur]

STRAUSS & WAGNER - EM205 : The Daily Driver

Pros:
+ Small & lightweight
+ Good Build quality
+ Good tuning
+ V shaped sound with good Bass slam
+ Non-fatiguing Treble
+ Great Soundstage for the price

Cons:
- Non removable cable
- Clarity & details retrieval could be better
- Midrange specially vocals sound quite thin

Disclaimer:

This unit was supplied to me by @Audio46 for the purpose of an honest review. Everything mentioned in this review are purely my own based on my experiences with the IEM.

Introduction:

The EM205 is a budget priced in-ear-monitors with microphones by the reputed company Strauss & Wagner. These earphones come with a standard 3.5mm connection, a microphone, and volume remote control for music and calls. It comes with a non-removable cable. It is small and comfortable for longer time use and very handy for doing home-office and playing games.
STRAUSS & WAGNER - EM205 is priced at $39.95

Features & Specifications:

Specifications are as below:
https://audio46.com/products/strauss-wagner-em205-earphones-with-3-5mm-connection-and-mic-remote

• Standard 3.5mm plug for use with desktop and mobile devices
• Three-button remote with volume and playback adjustment, as well as a microphone for calls and voice commands
• Integrated microphone allows for clearer audio quality thanks to a sensitivity of -43 dB
• Includes: three sizes of silicone ear tips for personalized comfort plus a carry pouch
• One year warranty

Frequency Response	20Hz-20kHz
Impedance	32Ω
Sensitivity	108dB
Microphone	-43dB
Driver	9mm
Cable Length	43"
Warranty	1 year

Items used for this review:

DAP/Source : @FiiO M3 PRO, CAYIN N6 MKII, Laptop & iPad
Streaming Source: QOBUZ
Ear Tips: Final Audio E Series Black

Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews... I would like to thank @Otto Motor for his contribution here.

Let's now talk about the quality of Sound....

The BASS:

Bass is quite prominent with some intense thump & slam. The bass attacks are of good intensity however the depth seems somewhat lower hence sounds a bit shallower. Bass overall performance is good for the price range.

The MIDS:

The midrange though a bit recessed seemed quite musical. The guitar & violin percussions had good amount of transients and a natural decay. The vocals seemed a bit forward and lacking texture and muscle. Overall midrange quite enjoyable.

The Treble:

The Treble seemed smooth and inoffensive. The treble though comes with ample details but lacks in terms of texture and muscle again.

The SOUNDSTAGE:

Soundstage has great width but lacks in terms of depth - but given the price I would say it's quite decent.

Imaging & Timbre:

Sense of direction is quite good and the sound is quite natural hence I would say that this IEM has good imaging & timbre for the price.
However, in terms of micro details retrieval - I found this IEM is to be a bit lacking.

Microphone:

The microphone performance was good and I was happy to use it throughout the day for daily office purposes like: call conferences and just calling.


Conclusion :
This is a good earphone with mic for the price and would be a handy daily driver for the average consumer. But this is not something that audiophiles would prefer.

 

[Ichos]

My unit is stuck in the worthless Greek postal service....

 

[AhHuiReviews]

Strauss & Wagner EM205 reviews by Ah Hui Malaysia .
First of all, would like to express my sincere gratitude to AUDIO64 store for giving me this review unit and giving me the opportunity to review the strauss wagner EM205

this is my first time review the strauss & wagner product . strauss & wagner EM205 is about $35 USD price range and one 9mm DD driver .How it sounds ? Let's check out !

PACKAGING :
simple and small box . Inside got earphone itself , few silicone eartips , operating manual ,and earphone punch .

Comfort :
it's comfortable for me . I can wear it for long listening sessions.

build :
substantial ,Made of metal .Beautiful logo design !

Sounds :
PRO :
full bass , deep soundstage

CONS:
fix cable .quite laid back sounds feel fatigue .

BASS : full bass, deep and layered sub-bass. . Response is fast when I listened to Boubacar Traore - Bougoudani. I can enjoy the deep sub-bass rumble. However, I feel mids-bass will be better if bring forward.

MIDS : laid back and good presentation of female vocal. It's smooth overall. Male vocal lacks clarity due to a slight bleed... When I listened IZ*ONE Lavie En Rose. I enjoyed the laid back and smooth vocal. However just like the bass, it can be brought forward a little bit.

HIGH : good treble extend it's smooth overall .When I listened Lovelyz - Dream in a Dream I can enjoy the treble is smooth .

SOUNDSTAGE : it's deep and wide . When I listen Weeekly Tag Me(@Me) I can enjoyed the deeper and width soundstage .

INSTRUMENT SEPARATION : it's on stereo position . I can pin-point the instrument and the singer on stage .

however I think it's good for if you like deeper and layering sub bass .it's worth it !

it's tested by stock eartips and Xiaomi redmi note 5a .

 

[Sunstealer]

Nice review: the shells are made of metal when I took them apart.

 

[Ichos]

Nice , I am still waiting for my sample to arrive.
It is stuck at the airport since 23/7....

 

[SenyorC]

The Strauss & Wagner EM205 were sent to me free of charge by Audio46 as one of a group of reviewers selected to receive the sample. Their 2 conditions for this were that the review must be posted within 14 days of receiving the item and that the review must be first published in this thread before posting elsewhere. Unfortunately the IEMs were delayed due to the shipping company (surprise surprise) and I didn’t receive them until a couple of weeks ago, a month after they were shipped.

Other than that, Audio46 made no other requests, so my opinion will follow the usual path of being as honest and unbiased as possible.

Although they weren’t specifically requested, I have posted (non-affiliate) links to the store and the EM205 on the version of this review posted on my blog, where it is also available in Spanis and on YouTube (links at the end of this post).

Intro…

To be totally honest, I had no idea what I was receiving when I was offered the W&S EM205, I haven’t watched or read any reviews on them but I decided to take a look at the website for some specs before publishing this review and to be honest, there are more specs on the box they arrive in than on their website.

According to the box, they are a single 9mm dynamic driver set of IEMs (it doesn’t actually specify DD on the box but they certainly sound DD), with an impedance of 32 Ohms and a sensitivity of 108dB.

This should make for pretty easy IEMs to drive but for some reason, when paired with one of my phones that I use as a DAP on occasions, they did sound like they were lacking some clarity, clarity that improved (slightly, but more on that in a moment) when paired with something as simple as the Apple Dongle.

Please note that I haven’t used these IEMs connected to an amplifier like I usually do (normally the Atom in the case of IEMs) as I don’t like connecting IEMs with inline mics to amplifiers without an adapter (which I don’t have on hand at the moment) and as the cable is fixed, I couldn’t swap the cable for one without a mic.

In other words, all of my impressions have been done with the Apple Dongle, connected to an Android phone and using UAPP, with stock tips and obviously stock cable.

Presentation…

The EM205 arrive in a very simple white box with a few images in black & white, along with some details and specs (as I said, more than on their website). The packaging actually reminds me a lot of IEMs you would find on sale at stores like “Ale-Hop” (those in Spain will get the reference) or even at “Tedi” (most Europeans should get this reference). Please note that this is not a complaint, I am all for saving money on packaging and putting it into the product itself.

Inside the box we find the IEMs, a drawstring pouch for transport and a couple of extra sets of tips (3 sets in total, including the ones that come installed). There is not a lot included and I know we are talking about a $40 set of IEMs, so we shouldn’t expect much, but in comparison with other similarly priced items from other brands, the contents could be considered quite sparse.

This is obviously not an issue if the money has been invested in the quality of the IEMs and, more importantly, the sound.

Build and aesthetics…

These are a small set of IEMs, similar in form factor to things like the Tanya or E500 (shorter than the E500 but a little bit beefier than the Tanya). This makes for a comfortable set of IEMs that can be worn with the cable either up or down, although I do find that wearing them with the cable up does place the controller/mic very close to the bottom of the ear (this will obviously depend on your own ear size.

The IEM shells, while made of plastic, do seem to be well built and look like they would withstand daily routines quite easily, they don’t look like they would have any problems with being thrown in a pocket or backpack, especially when inside the included bag.

The cable itself is ok, not the best but adequate for daily use. It is a simple rubberized cable that does decide to tangle itself on occasions but is certainly not the worst cable I have received. This is good because, as I mentioned, the cable is fixed, so you won’t be swapping it without a soldering iron.

There is a microphone and small inline controller on the cable, with three buttons to control basic music control like vol +, vol -, play/pause etc. I found that the play/pause (center button) also serves as next track when pressed twice, however, I didn’t find a way of doing last track, at least while using UAPP for this review.

All in all, the build and comfort is quite satisfactory for the price of the EM205, nothing outstanding but nothing to really complain about either.

Sound…

Putting in the EM205’s and pressing play for the first time was literally like suddenly jumping back in time, to a place where a set of 30€ set of JVC or Sennheisers were great fun, back to times when IEMs where only on stages and everything else was just earbuds, independently of the fact whether they fitted inside your ear or just perched in the opening.

Now, before you assume that I am hating on these IEMs and saying that they sound like something from 15 years ago, that is not what I am saying. I am referring more to the tuning you would find in 90% of IEMs that are sold to people who don’t live in the audiophile world, a land where a set of 30€ JBL IEMs are great because they are JBL. Again, I am not hating! Those people enjoy their music probably a lot more than some (lot’s of) audiophiles and are happy with what they hear, which is the most important thing in all of this, enjoying the music.

So, without straying further from the subject, the reason I mention this is because I feel that the tuning of the EM205 is very similar to that “safe consumer” tuning that is found on many similar priced products sold en masse. That doesn’t mean that it is bad, my son, for example, would probably be very happy with them, it is just a sound signature that is not something that really appeals to me, luckily it is not as “over done” in the bass as some other items I have tried.

Starting with the subbass, there is plenty of low rumble there, in fact, listening to "Chameleon", I got the sensation that my ears were being vacuum sealed at times. There is enough subbass to actually make you feel it inside your ears, sort of like a miniaturized dance floor in your ears.

Moving into the remaining bass frequencies, these are an extension of the subbass and can no way be thought of as lacking bass. Yes, I have tried bassier sets that were much worse, but that doesn’t stop the EM205 from having too much bass for my personal tastes. This can actually prove impressive for the first few tracks when listening to EDM but I soon get tired and feel fatigued from too much bass. Don’t get me wrong, I am not anti-bass, after all I am a bass player, but I prefer it when I don’t have to strain through the bass in order to appreciate the rest of the frequencies.

And the rest of the frequencies are there to be appreciated but they get a little overpowered by the lows. In the lower part of the mids, there is still mid bass trailing over into these frequencies, making them come across a little congested in the low mids area. This is not helped by the fact that there is a recess in the mids, making voices and mid centric instruments be pushed behind those overly present lows, fighting to actually make their presence noted. A reduction of bass via EQ does actually help bring them a little more towards the front but without EQ, they can range between slightly recessed and too far away, when talking about vocals. For example, the song “Make Noise” by Busta Rhymes and Lenny Kravitz, has vocals that are pretty recessed on a neutral set up, with the EM205 the vocals are almost absent.

Moving towards the higher mids and up into the treble, there really isn’t any noticeable boost in order to at least bring back a little of the V shaped signature (not that I am a huge fan of overly done “V”s anyway) and it sort of just continues on with the same lack of presence as in the mids. There is also not a huge amount of extension, so there isn’t much of that “air” that would maybe make things a little more “breathable”.

The good news is that sibilance is non-existent, as is any harshness, if you don’t mind the boosted lows, you can push these IEMs very loud without harshness (although you will run into some distortion and probably hearing issues if you go that loud ).

The soundstage is around normal for a set of IEMs in this price range, with image positioning also around average. It is not terrible but the bass does add to the sensation of being rather narrow (for me personally).

Conclusion…

It is probably clear that I have not enjoyed the Strauss & Wagner EM205, and this review probably comes across as rather negative, which I guess it is, but it is far more related to my taste in sound than to the actual IEMs themselves. If you are someone that enjoys this kind of tuning, which many people do, it is a much better alternative to some of those supermarket offerings that will cost the same, have worse performance and even more bass.

The packaging, and IEMs, do look like they would be at home on a multi store shelf or bookshop, but I personally feel that they perform better than would be expected if you would find them in such a place. They are IEMs that a very large percentage of the general public would really enjoy, with them plugged directly into their phones with an inline mic ready for those calls.

Personally, as these earphones have a tuning that I do not enjoy, it makes it very difficult for me to focus on the good points while ignoring the things I don’t like. It’s like trying to focus on the lettuce of a 500g burger when you don't like the taste of the meat.



Review also available in Spanish on achoreviews.com and on youtube.com/achoreviews

 

[Ichos]

After one of the longest delivery delays in the postal service history, I here present you with my EM205 review.

The full review with photos is available here.

Brief description of the product

The EM205 is an earphone with a standard 3.5mm connection, a microphone and volume remote control for music and calls.
They feature a 9mm dynamic driver, standard 3.5mm plug for use with desktop and mobile devices plus a three-button remote with volume and playback adjustment, as well as a microphone for calls and voice commands.
The integrated microphone allows for clearer audio quality thanks to a sensitivity of -43 dB.

Build quality and cable

The EM205 is very small and lightweight, suitable for everyday carry since it will fit literally everywhere.
Build quality is very good with aluminum made housings but the cable is quite thin although there are strain reliefs in all connection points to protect it from bending.
The cable doesn't get tangled very easily, it has microphonic noise and while everything was just fine during my testing time, I wouldn't swear for the longevity of the cable.

Fit and isolation

Fit is very comfortable and discreet while sound isolation is pretty good and gets the job done in noisy environments.
They EM205 stay in place so they can be used for active sports but mind you that there is no official sweat or water proof rating.

Accessories

The package includes three sizes of silicone ear tips for personalized comfort and a small carry pouch.

Microphone and remote control

The microphone call quality is just excellent and the other part can hear you loudly and clearly.
The three button remote control is a mixed bag because while you can adjust the volume with the two dedicated buttons, everything else must be done with the central button and a combination of clicks and presses which is not practical at all.
I am attaching a photo with all the available actions in order to have a clearer picture of what is happening.

Sound impressions

The EM205 with an impedance of 32Ω and a sensitivity of 108dB is specially designed for playing quite loud from ordinary mobile phones or laptops while not picking up internal noise.
My advice is that unless you have something specifically designed for audio then you should definitely use some kind of a tiny USB DAC adapter like I did with the ddHiFi TC35B and Periodic Audio Rhodium to improve the overall experience because the EM205 surely scales up to this point.

Sound quality is good for casual listening and you are not going to miss a lot as long as you accept that this is not an audiophile's dream.

The iem is tuned for providing fun during traveling, working, commuting or any other activities that doesn't call for the listeners full attention, so they have boosted bass and treble to compensate for the noisy environments.
It is a "V" shaped tuning with good sub bass extension (at least for the size), some full bodied and punchy bass that is quite clear, controlled and although it doesn't avoid bleeding into the mids it is not overbearing the rest of the frequencies as some cheap bass-head iems do.
Mid region, although recessed and not too clear, is still defined and engaging with a darker, warmer tilt to it, as for the treble while accentuated it never becomes harsh or fatiguing.
There is enough sparkle and energy, so the overall presentation is not dull or slow but it lacks in extension and body as for detail it is present to a fair amount.
Soundstage is very decent, with a good center image and nicely arranged soundscape from the left to the right without blind spots and sufficient separation so as not to sound overly congested.

At the end

The Strauss and Wagner EM205 is a fun sounding, comfortable, phone friendly, lightweight and well built iem with a modest asking price, suitable for becoming your everyday listening companion.

Thank you very much for reading.