DGS100 Reviewed 9-9-14 by Hisoundfi. Updated 11-9-14
Here is a link to Penonaudio's page where you can obtain specifications and purchase.
http://penonaudio.com/BGVP-DGS100
Now that I've taken the shortest route on that, let's chat for a minute
First, let me give you my background. I have been into home audio since a very young age. There's something about a high quality sound that puts music and movies on another level for me. I crave HIFI sound that has a "wow" factor to it. I do appreciate a flat signature, and I don't mind treble oriented IEMs (as long as they are tuned right). All in all, I love HIFI stuff. Quality bass with sub texture and fast attack and good tone, Strong timbre, quality mid range, great stereo imaging, good clarity, micro details, and accurate treble that isn't to harsh or sibilant are all things I look for. I'm not trying to find an IEM that sounds like real life. If that's what you are after I respect that fully, but if I want real life sound, I have a real life to go experience that.
Long story short, I'm not an audiophile, I'm just a guy who spends way too much money on personal audio gear, and in search of that "it factor" sound. And NO, ITS NOT BEATS!!!
So with all that mumbo jumbo out of the way, let's talk a little bit about Sidy...
Sidy (aka BGVP) is a Chinese DIY company that sells budget audio gear. I first caught wind of them on Penonaudio. They had three models for sale at that time.
The one that caught my eye first was the HK1. It was a microdynamic driver in a copper hozzle, with a Soundmagic "reference-ish" cable. It looked sharp and was priced low at $20 usd. I picked that one up and was immediately impressed at the time. When all the hype at the time was over the Piston, I was doing my best evil laugh and tapping my toes to them.
They still to this day are a very good iem and have a place in my collection.
Next came the MR-1. It had interchangeable filters. It was basically two options:
A-Flabby bass cannons with the black filters
or...
B-Slightly less but still flabby bass cannons with the red filters
It was formidable, but the HK1 beat this (MR-1 had a $35 price tag). With the right tips and source these are decent, but not hype worthy honestly.
Then there was the DM-2. This is the IEM that really put Sidy on the map for me. It was a dynamic driver IEM with changeable filters that was marketed as their flagship at the time. When I first got it I was ready to never buy Sidy products again, because it sounded really bad out of the box. At the time I was waiting for my ZA Tenore to come in (I'm sure most head-fiers know the hype around them). I used that time to experiment with tips on the DM-2, and give these things some burn in. The sound changed dramatically! After about 100 hours I was in awe of these things. It was a prominent bass signature with beautiful mids. The only downfall it had was that the treble would get splashy with some tracks. Still to this day I listen to it from time to time. It's still in my top ten if I'm not mistaken.
After that came the HK2. Knowing how well the HK1 sounded, and the success I had with the DM-2, I was sure these were going to be great. It turned out to be one of the worst sounding IEMs I've ever heard. I could go to the hardware store and pick the five dollar earbuds from the shelf next to the candy and it would sound better. It was a total bust.
When Sidy suddenly appeared out of nowhere with the DGS100 I was a bit skeptical. Not only from the recent failure of the HK2, but also the idea of "dividing the sound", and the fact that this thing only has one armature driver. The only other example I could think of was the Astrotec AX30 and AX35 which I wasn't impressed with. I couldn't resist however and picked them up on Penonaudio for $79 usd. I made up my mind that if this DGS100 was bad, Sidy would never see another penny of my money. It has ended up being the best earphone purchase of 2014 for me. So much so that I've already purchased another pair as back up. They are that good IMHO! Let me explain...
Sidy took a step forward on this one. No more generic box this time. The IEM came shipped in a metal tin. Inside there was a TON of eartips. There are 16 sets!
3X pair of a black hybrid sponge/memory foam material ear tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of generic black olive tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of red/grey silicone tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of black wide bore tips (small/medium/large)
2x pair of white wide bore tips (small/large)
2X pair of gray wide bore tips (small/large)
It also came with a pair of red rubber ear guides and a clamshell case.
Honestly it was a perfect package with enough tips to almost guarantee to have something that will fit even the weirdest ears.
When I popped them in I was honestly angry. The sound that came out of them was almost all bass (especially mid-bass) and had a very recessed and almost muffled armature driver. I would have rather listened to my ex-wife argue with me during rush hour traffic next to a loud construction site.
I jumped from track to track looking for something, anything that sounded decent enough to justify spending money on them. BUT, soon into my initial listening experience I started to notice that these things were beginning to change a bit. It was an "Aha!" moment, remembering the change that took place with the DM-2. I knew at that point there was hope. At the three hour mark I was starting to get very impressed. After the fifteen hour mark I was in awe. I started hyping these to the heavens, and even started the page I'm writing this review on. And as promised, now that I have a good 50 hours on them, it's time to share an actual review and not a few "goo-goo ga-ga" notes every couple of minutes. So without further adieu, I am honored to write a review on my new all-time favorite IEM purchase.
For this review I will be using two sources. A Samsung Galaxy 1 with (for those who use a phone most of the time) and my Walkman f806 and Fiio e18 amplifier. Google Music was streamed or downloaded in it's highest quality settings for this review. There was no sound enhancements or equalizer settings used.
Albums used were...
Daft Punk RAM
Amber Rubarth "Sessions from the 17th ward"
The Last Samurai Soundtrack
Metallica "And Justice for all"
Muse "The Second Law"
Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago"
Note: The DGS100 is a pretty source dependent. The mid bass can be overwhelming through something like a cell phone and nothing else. I strongly recommend an amplifier to bring the midrange forward. I like to use the Topping NX1 and Cayin C5 with my DGS100.
The DGS100 is Sidy's signature house sound, but taken to a whole new dimension. It's like any gripe I had with previous models were addressed. Let's break it down...
Sub Bass
The best way to describe it would be thunderous. It's powerful and surging. It makes it's presence felt at almost all times. Sound stage depth is fantastic because of this. This thing gets as low as it needs to and does it easily. I guarantee that you will NEVER feel like the dynamic driver isn't keeping up. Sub bass takes a slight step back from mid bass, but we are going to address this next.
Mid Bass
This seems to be the sore subject about this guy so far. I will be the first to say that the mid bass was overwhelming out of the box. I'll also be the first to say that the mid bass is still very present at all times, but the transformation this thing has made is PHENOMENAL. What was a weakness has now become one of the things that makes this IEM unique. Once this thing has a little mileage on it, the dynamic driver's mid bass come down and better balance itself out with the armature driver, and puts the timbre and weight that only a dynamic driver can do while the armature driver provides the refinement and accuracy that only they can accomplish. Things that really stood out in my review was when the oboe and cello came through with power and accuracy on the Last Samurai Soundtrack. On Metallica's song "One" the guitars were chugging with so much power while I could still catch every hit of Lars' drums, and the solo came through with incredible clarity.
Note: This thing is a touch on the warm side (bassy dynamic). Usually warm signatures are called "musical", which is a cute way of saying that the tuning has put bass and imaging over details and accuracy. HOWEVER, this is the first times I can say that these are a very warm signature that is also dry and detailed (armature awesomeness). It is THE most addicting sound signature I have ever listened to WITH THE RIGHT SOURCE AND MUSIC. I feel it's the first time the hybrid concept has been used to the best of it's ability. I literally sent a message to Penonaudio to complain about distortion and crackling in one of the channels, when in all reality it was details in the recording I've never heard before.
Mids
Best word to say is intimate. It is gentle and dry and detailed. Separation is awesome. The DGS100 puts a nice spin on guitars, pianos, and when there are multiple voices. The theme from sub-bass all the way up to the mid range is power and accuracy at the same time. You will seldom if ever hear an IEM that has the power, and still have intimacy and accuracy and imaging that these do. My favorite mid range moments were during the Amber Rubarth album when I could literally hear the flute player taking deep breaths in before playing, and in the last samurai soundtrack when the sound of the strings seemed to be weaving in and out from each other with great 3d imaging. Bon Iver sounded amazeballs also.
Note: Some of my first impressions were that the mids were recessed. Burn in changed this. It in not as recessed as it was at first. Its very present and polite, but sound will jump out at you when it's called upon. I apologize for being misleading and premature with my impressions, but I was possessed with new toy syndrome lol
High mids
This is another area that can be picked apart. Simply put, there's a slight dip at 6k. It just so happens its right around where the Altone200 was bright and sibilant, FACT. I really like it. It's not like a giant gap in sound. It's very natural, sibilant free, and still crisp.
Treble
It's extended without being to bright. Its sharp without piercing. Its just well done IMHO. Not too much, and not too little. It's spot on.
Soundstage
Its wide and deep. If you thing it's lacking I implore you to pop in the Samurai Soundtrack and see if that changes your impression. That was probably the most enjoyable listening experience I've ever had. Height is slightly above average.
Imaging
With bass heavy edm and pop music the mid bass can be a bit much and affect the imaging and sound of the lower mid range and sometimes the midrange. Other than that I can't fault it honestly. The dynamic and armature driver are in perfect unison and give a great sense of space. It is a "front row at the show" type of out of the head listening experience. On the Bon Iver album I could hear sounds far off in the distance while it sounded like the band was playing right next to me.
Comparisons
Havi B3 Pro 1
DGS100 has many similar qualities. I feel like the upper mids through treble area sounds somewhat similar. DGS definitely has more bass impact. I also feel it has more microdetails than the Havi. I love the Havi, but the DGS100 is more of the total package for me. Yes, I know that Havi is more balanced. IMHO the DGS100 is more fun to listen to.
Altone200
DGS100 is not as bright, so it's easier to have long listening sessions, and I'm also able to turn my favorite songs up when they are on without piercing my eardrums. Details are similar. DGS100 bass is more thunderous and bouncy, while Altone 200 bass is punchy and fast in attack and decay. Both bass approaches are good in their own ways. I pick DGS100 because of its listenability.
GR07BE
The GR07BE was my all time favorite for a long time and will always have a place in my collection, but it's finally staring to get outclassed, and the DGS100 is on of them that does. I honestly like the bass of the GRO7BE better in terms of quality, but DGS100 beats in in terms of imaging, and it doesn't have any treble peaks like the GR07BE.
Dunu DN1000
This was a tough one because the DN1000 is fantastic. DGS1000 beats it because it doesn't get as peaky as the DN1000 gets at times. The only problem I ever had with the DN1000 is that the armature drivers sometimes were too much for what's playing. Build quality is better on the DN1000, but the DGS100 doesn't have the sonic flaw that I occasionally hear with the DN1000.
Sony XBA-H3
This is where a tough decision had to be made. These are the only two hybrids that I've heard where they have a warm signature. They sound alike in many ways. A-B comparing them, The sound stage on these are almost even with the h3 winning by a hair, which says a lot about the DGS100, because the H3 is epic. It was a tough fight, but in the end I couldn't choose the H3 over it because it's mid range was muffled in comparison to the DGS100. Yes, a burned in DGS100 sounds that good. At least it does to my ears anyways.
Conclusion
The DGS100 is number one on my list because it checks every box in terms of what I am looking for in an IEM. It is the perfect combination of power and finesse. There was a time when I said "I really like the DM-2 sound, I hope they can find a way to clean the upper mids and treble up a bit". They did so with the DGS100! Well done SIDY! This is definitely a game changer that should make you a household name on Head Fi, and to audio enthusiasts everywhere!
DGS100 Review 9-8-14 by Twister6
Are you guys ready?!? Here it comes! Just please DON'T quote the review in your replies, too many pictures below!!!
==============================================================
This is a review of SIDY (BGVP) DGS100 2-way hybrid in-ear headphones. http://penonaudio.com/BGVP-DGS100
My adventure in a land of hybrid in-ear headphones continuous, this time looking into a new offering from SIDY with their latest flagship model DGS100. For someone who just wants to buy a pair of replacement headphones or on a budget to find something that "sounds good", it will not make a difference about a type and a number drivers used in various headphone models. But for those who understand and appreciate a sound quality and have different headphones in their collection, hybrid IEM has been the latest buzz word. Having a flexibility of dynamic driver to deliver strong low frequencies and balanced armature driver for high frequencies opens up a door to a new sound shaping opportunity. Having already a number of dynamic IEMs under their belt, SIDY decided to join the hybrid revolution with their own offering. Here is what I found.
Arrived in a very unique tin box, it was a pleasant change from a traditional headphone packaging. In addition to headphones, inside of the box I found a very impressive collection of accessories. In addition to a quality hard shell storage case, you also get red over the ear wire guides and a collection of 16 (!!!) pairs of eartips. We are talking about a set (S/M/L) of quality Foam eartips, a set of hybrid eartips with red stem (S/M/L), a set of a typical audio-technica narrow bore opening eartips (S/M/L), and another 10 pairs of wide bore opening eartips in gray/white/black colors. I actually found these foam tips to be a lot better than Comply since they are softer and more spongy with less memory effect, goes into your ear faster without a need to wait for a foam to expand. I also found them to provide the best sound isolation and also a more detailed presentation. It all depends on your personal preference and anatomy of your ears, but SIDY definitely provides you with a big variety of eartip to find the one which fits you the best.
The headphones itself have a very basic cylindrical shape, but it's made out of a solid metal material and has a nice black finish. The design revealed a few interesting details. Looking through the nozzle's mesh cover, I was able to see all the way down to a sound port opening which suggests there is no filter insert, and kind of reminded me of their other DM2 model with interchangeable filters where the nozzle itself was a shaped filter. Also, a typical port opening found at the base of the nozzle (common in a lot of headphones) was on the side of the shell facing outward in Left/Right earpieces. Furthermore, there was another port opening on the back of the shell which I found to affect low frequency content as you close and open it with your finger. The cable attachment had a very nice strain relief and clear L/R marking, including a small bump on the Right side. Cable shielding was round, not too thin or too thick, and with enough flexibility to keep it tangle free as well as folded over your ear without a need for included earguides. I was surprised a cable cinch (chin slider) wasn't included, but y-splitter had a nice touch with an individual S/N marking. 3.5mm gold plated connector had a great strain relief and was 270 degree angled for additional comfort. I didn't detect any microphonics while wearing these either wired down or up.
Even so DGS100 might look plain, there is nothing plain about it when it comes to the sound. But I have to warn you, they absolutely require at least 20-30hrs of burn in. This is a first pair of in-ear headphones where I experienced such a drastic change from when I heard them out of the box and throughout first 20hrs of burn in. Out of the box, the mid-bass was overwhelming and upper mids were recessed. Now, 25hrs later - what a difference!!! Starting with a bass, mid-bass definitely settled down in comparison to my initial impression, but it still a dominant element across entire frequency range. Sub-bass is present as well, but it's more of a fill-in layer which supports mid-bass. I feel there is a little bit of mid-bass bleed into lower mids, though bass is still under control while being "on" most of the time. Upper mids are very detailed and smooth, and no longer feel recessed. The only thing I feel it lacking is a bit of clarity.
It took me awhile to put my finger on what's going on until I came across FR curve for DGS100. I personally trust my ears more than any visual graph, but in this case when I saw a sharp dip around 6k region that made sense to me. DGS100 upper mids are warm and smooth, not too bright, which creates a perception of less clarity in comparison to some other brighter IEMs in my collection. The same with treble, it's super detailed, but not as bright. I'm not saying this in a negative sense, it's just a different sound signature. As a matter of fact, upper mids/treble of DGS100 reminds me A LOT of Westone W40 (and we are talking about $500 IEM). Soundstage is actually wider than average, while depth is average. Also, these headphones are not as forgiving when it comes to playing lower bit rate encoded files, and I noticed a difference with 192kbps mp3s.
Overall, in my opinion if you have been waiting to try out a pair of hybrid IEMs and not after a bright analytical sound but rather want a smooth fun sound - these get my high recommendation. I don't want to compare them to other BA only or dynamic only headphones because they are in a different category. Also, their smooth and laid back sound signature makes it more tolerable for extended non-fatigue listening, unlike bright sound of Altone 200. Furthermore, I prefer DGS100 sound signature over AX35 where I found upper mids to be veiled and a bit recessed. If you are on a budget and looking for a single pair of in-ear headphones to invest money into, these might not necessary be the end-game pair. But if you are a headphone enthusiast who understands and values a sound quality and has a collection of headphones with different driver technology - these will be a worthy trophy on your shelf with a great value under $80 (once you sign in to Penonaudio).
Here are the pictures.
Here is a link to Penonaudio's page where you can obtain specifications and purchase.
http://penonaudio.com/BGVP-DGS100
Now that I've taken the shortest route on that, let's chat for a minute
First, let me give you my background. I have been into home audio since a very young age. There's something about a high quality sound that puts music and movies on another level for me. I crave HIFI sound that has a "wow" factor to it. I do appreciate a flat signature, and I don't mind treble oriented IEMs (as long as they are tuned right). All in all, I love HIFI stuff. Quality bass with sub texture and fast attack and good tone, Strong timbre, quality mid range, great stereo imaging, good clarity, micro details, and accurate treble that isn't to harsh or sibilant are all things I look for. I'm not trying to find an IEM that sounds like real life. If that's what you are after I respect that fully, but if I want real life sound, I have a real life to go experience that.
So with all that mumbo jumbo out of the way, let's talk a little bit about Sidy...
Sidy (aka BGVP) is a Chinese DIY company that sells budget audio gear. I first caught wind of them on Penonaudio. They had three models for sale at that time.
The one that caught my eye first was the HK1. It was a microdynamic driver in a copper hozzle, with a Soundmagic "reference-ish" cable. It looked sharp and was priced low at $20 usd. I picked that one up and was immediately impressed at the time. When all the hype at the time was over the Piston, I was doing my best evil laugh and tapping my toes to them.
Next came the MR-1. It had interchangeable filters. It was basically two options:
A-Flabby bass cannons with the black filters
or...
B-Slightly less but still flabby bass cannons with the red filters
It was formidable, but the HK1 beat this (MR-1 had a $35 price tag). With the right tips and source these are decent, but not hype worthy honestly.
Then there was the DM-2. This is the IEM that really put Sidy on the map for me. It was a dynamic driver IEM with changeable filters that was marketed as their flagship at the time. When I first got it I was ready to never buy Sidy products again, because it sounded really bad out of the box. At the time I was waiting for my ZA Tenore to come in (I'm sure most head-fiers know the hype around them). I used that time to experiment with tips on the DM-2, and give these things some burn in. The sound changed dramatically! After about 100 hours I was in awe of these things. It was a prominent bass signature with beautiful mids. The only downfall it had was that the treble would get splashy with some tracks. Still to this day I listen to it from time to time. It's still in my top ten if I'm not mistaken.
After that came the HK2. Knowing how well the HK1 sounded, and the success I had with the DM-2, I was sure these were going to be great. It turned out to be one of the worst sounding IEMs I've ever heard. I could go to the hardware store and pick the five dollar earbuds from the shelf next to the candy and it would sound better. It was a total bust.
When Sidy suddenly appeared out of nowhere with the DGS100 I was a bit skeptical. Not only from the recent failure of the HK2, but also the idea of "dividing the sound", and the fact that this thing only has one armature driver. The only other example I could think of was the Astrotec AX30 and AX35 which I wasn't impressed with. I couldn't resist however and picked them up on Penonaudio for $79 usd. I made up my mind that if this DGS100 was bad, Sidy would never see another penny of my money. It has ended up being the best earphone purchase of 2014 for me. So much so that I've already purchased another pair as back up. They are that good IMHO! Let me explain...
Sidy took a step forward on this one. No more generic box this time. The IEM came shipped in a metal tin. Inside there was a TON of eartips. There are 16 sets!
3X pair of a black hybrid sponge/memory foam material ear tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of generic black olive tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of red/grey silicone tips (small/medium/large)
3X pair of black wide bore tips (small/medium/large)
2x pair of white wide bore tips (small/large)
2X pair of gray wide bore tips (small/large)
It also came with a pair of red rubber ear guides and a clamshell case.
Honestly it was a perfect package with enough tips to almost guarantee to have something that will fit even the weirdest ears.
When I popped them in I was honestly angry. The sound that came out of them was almost all bass (especially mid-bass) and had a very recessed and almost muffled armature driver. I would have rather listened to my ex-wife argue with me during rush hour traffic next to a loud construction site.
For this review I will be using two sources. A Samsung Galaxy 1 with (for those who use a phone most of the time) and my Walkman f806 and Fiio e18 amplifier. Google Music was streamed or downloaded in it's highest quality settings for this review. There was no sound enhancements or equalizer settings used.
Albums used were...
Daft Punk RAM
Amber Rubarth "Sessions from the 17th ward"
The Last Samurai Soundtrack
Metallica "And Justice for all"
Muse "The Second Law"
Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago"
Note: The DGS100 is a pretty source dependent. The mid bass can be overwhelming through something like a cell phone and nothing else. I strongly recommend an amplifier to bring the midrange forward. I like to use the Topping NX1 and Cayin C5 with my DGS100.
The DGS100 is Sidy's signature house sound, but taken to a whole new dimension. It's like any gripe I had with previous models were addressed. Let's break it down...
Sub Bass
The best way to describe it would be thunderous. It's powerful and surging. It makes it's presence felt at almost all times. Sound stage depth is fantastic because of this. This thing gets as low as it needs to and does it easily. I guarantee that you will NEVER feel like the dynamic driver isn't keeping up. Sub bass takes a slight step back from mid bass, but we are going to address this next.
Mid Bass
This seems to be the sore subject about this guy so far. I will be the first to say that the mid bass was overwhelming out of the box. I'll also be the first to say that the mid bass is still very present at all times, but the transformation this thing has made is PHENOMENAL. What was a weakness has now become one of the things that makes this IEM unique. Once this thing has a little mileage on it, the dynamic driver's mid bass come down and better balance itself out with the armature driver, and puts the timbre and weight that only a dynamic driver can do while the armature driver provides the refinement and accuracy that only they can accomplish. Things that really stood out in my review was when the oboe and cello came through with power and accuracy on the Last Samurai Soundtrack. On Metallica's song "One" the guitars were chugging with so much power while I could still catch every hit of Lars' drums, and the solo came through with incredible clarity.
Note: This thing is a touch on the warm side (bassy dynamic). Usually warm signatures are called "musical", which is a cute way of saying that the tuning has put bass and imaging over details and accuracy. HOWEVER, this is the first times I can say that these are a very warm signature that is also dry and detailed (armature awesomeness). It is THE most addicting sound signature I have ever listened to WITH THE RIGHT SOURCE AND MUSIC. I feel it's the first time the hybrid concept has been used to the best of it's ability. I literally sent a message to Penonaudio to complain about distortion and crackling in one of the channels, when in all reality it was details in the recording I've never heard before.
Mids
Best word to say is intimate. It is gentle and dry and detailed. Separation is awesome. The DGS100 puts a nice spin on guitars, pianos, and when there are multiple voices. The theme from sub-bass all the way up to the mid range is power and accuracy at the same time. You will seldom if ever hear an IEM that has the power, and still have intimacy and accuracy and imaging that these do. My favorite mid range moments were during the Amber Rubarth album when I could literally hear the flute player taking deep breaths in before playing, and in the last samurai soundtrack when the sound of the strings seemed to be weaving in and out from each other with great 3d imaging. Bon Iver sounded amazeballs also.
Note: Some of my first impressions were that the mids were recessed. Burn in changed this. It in not as recessed as it was at first. Its very present and polite, but sound will jump out at you when it's called upon. I apologize for being misleading and premature with my impressions, but I was possessed with new toy syndrome lol
High mids
This is another area that can be picked apart. Simply put, there's a slight dip at 6k. It just so happens its right around where the Altone200 was bright and sibilant, FACT. I really like it. It's not like a giant gap in sound. It's very natural, sibilant free, and still crisp.
Treble
It's extended without being to bright. Its sharp without piercing. Its just well done IMHO. Not too much, and not too little. It's spot on.
Soundstage
Its wide and deep. If you thing it's lacking I implore you to pop in the Samurai Soundtrack and see if that changes your impression. That was probably the most enjoyable listening experience I've ever had. Height is slightly above average.
Imaging
With bass heavy edm and pop music the mid bass can be a bit much and affect the imaging and sound of the lower mid range and sometimes the midrange. Other than that I can't fault it honestly. The dynamic and armature driver are in perfect unison and give a great sense of space. It is a "front row at the show" type of out of the head listening experience. On the Bon Iver album I could hear sounds far off in the distance while it sounded like the band was playing right next to me.
Comparisons
Havi B3 Pro 1
DGS100 has many similar qualities. I feel like the upper mids through treble area sounds somewhat similar. DGS definitely has more bass impact. I also feel it has more microdetails than the Havi. I love the Havi, but the DGS100 is more of the total package for me. Yes, I know that Havi is more balanced. IMHO the DGS100 is more fun to listen to.
Altone200
DGS100 is not as bright, so it's easier to have long listening sessions, and I'm also able to turn my favorite songs up when they are on without piercing my eardrums. Details are similar. DGS100 bass is more thunderous and bouncy, while Altone 200 bass is punchy and fast in attack and decay. Both bass approaches are good in their own ways. I pick DGS100 because of its listenability.
GR07BE
The GR07BE was my all time favorite for a long time and will always have a place in my collection, but it's finally staring to get outclassed, and the DGS100 is on of them that does. I honestly like the bass of the GRO7BE better in terms of quality, but DGS100 beats in in terms of imaging, and it doesn't have any treble peaks like the GR07BE.
Dunu DN1000
This was a tough one because the DN1000 is fantastic. DGS1000 beats it because it doesn't get as peaky as the DN1000 gets at times. The only problem I ever had with the DN1000 is that the armature drivers sometimes were too much for what's playing. Build quality is better on the DN1000, but the DGS100 doesn't have the sonic flaw that I occasionally hear with the DN1000.
Sony XBA-H3
This is where a tough decision had to be made. These are the only two hybrids that I've heard where they have a warm signature. They sound alike in many ways. A-B comparing them, The sound stage on these are almost even with the h3 winning by a hair, which says a lot about the DGS100, because the H3 is epic. It was a tough fight, but in the end I couldn't choose the H3 over it because it's mid range was muffled in comparison to the DGS100. Yes, a burned in DGS100 sounds that good. At least it does to my ears anyways.
Conclusion
The DGS100 is number one on my list because it checks every box in terms of what I am looking for in an IEM. It is the perfect combination of power and finesse. There was a time when I said "I really like the DM-2 sound, I hope they can find a way to clean the upper mids and treble up a bit". They did so with the DGS100! Well done SIDY! This is definitely a game changer that should make you a household name on Head Fi, and to audio enthusiasts everywhere!
DGS100 Review 9-8-14 by Twister6
Are you guys ready?!? Here it comes! Just please DON'T quote the review in your replies, too many pictures below!!!
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This is a review of SIDY (BGVP) DGS100 2-way hybrid in-ear headphones. http://penonaudio.com/BGVP-DGS100
My adventure in a land of hybrid in-ear headphones continuous, this time looking into a new offering from SIDY with their latest flagship model DGS100. For someone who just wants to buy a pair of replacement headphones or on a budget to find something that "sounds good", it will not make a difference about a type and a number drivers used in various headphone models. But for those who understand and appreciate a sound quality and have different headphones in their collection, hybrid IEM has been the latest buzz word. Having a flexibility of dynamic driver to deliver strong low frequencies and balanced armature driver for high frequencies opens up a door to a new sound shaping opportunity. Having already a number of dynamic IEMs under their belt, SIDY decided to join the hybrid revolution with their own offering. Here is what I found.
Arrived in a very unique tin box, it was a pleasant change from a traditional headphone packaging. In addition to headphones, inside of the box I found a very impressive collection of accessories. In addition to a quality hard shell storage case, you also get red over the ear wire guides and a collection of 16 (!!!) pairs of eartips. We are talking about a set (S/M/L) of quality Foam eartips, a set of hybrid eartips with red stem (S/M/L), a set of a typical audio-technica narrow bore opening eartips (S/M/L), and another 10 pairs of wide bore opening eartips in gray/white/black colors. I actually found these foam tips to be a lot better than Comply since they are softer and more spongy with less memory effect, goes into your ear faster without a need to wait for a foam to expand. I also found them to provide the best sound isolation and also a more detailed presentation. It all depends on your personal preference and anatomy of your ears, but SIDY definitely provides you with a big variety of eartip to find the one which fits you the best.
The headphones itself have a very basic cylindrical shape, but it's made out of a solid metal material and has a nice black finish. The design revealed a few interesting details. Looking through the nozzle's mesh cover, I was able to see all the way down to a sound port opening which suggests there is no filter insert, and kind of reminded me of their other DM2 model with interchangeable filters where the nozzle itself was a shaped filter. Also, a typical port opening found at the base of the nozzle (common in a lot of headphones) was on the side of the shell facing outward in Left/Right earpieces. Furthermore, there was another port opening on the back of the shell which I found to affect low frequency content as you close and open it with your finger. The cable attachment had a very nice strain relief and clear L/R marking, including a small bump on the Right side. Cable shielding was round, not too thin or too thick, and with enough flexibility to keep it tangle free as well as folded over your ear without a need for included earguides. I was surprised a cable cinch (chin slider) wasn't included, but y-splitter had a nice touch with an individual S/N marking. 3.5mm gold plated connector had a great strain relief and was 270 degree angled for additional comfort. I didn't detect any microphonics while wearing these either wired down or up.
Even so DGS100 might look plain, there is nothing plain about it when it comes to the sound. But I have to warn you, they absolutely require at least 20-30hrs of burn in. This is a first pair of in-ear headphones where I experienced such a drastic change from when I heard them out of the box and throughout first 20hrs of burn in. Out of the box, the mid-bass was overwhelming and upper mids were recessed. Now, 25hrs later - what a difference!!! Starting with a bass, mid-bass definitely settled down in comparison to my initial impression, but it still a dominant element across entire frequency range. Sub-bass is present as well, but it's more of a fill-in layer which supports mid-bass. I feel there is a little bit of mid-bass bleed into lower mids, though bass is still under control while being "on" most of the time. Upper mids are very detailed and smooth, and no longer feel recessed. The only thing I feel it lacking is a bit of clarity.
It took me awhile to put my finger on what's going on until I came across FR curve for DGS100. I personally trust my ears more than any visual graph, but in this case when I saw a sharp dip around 6k region that made sense to me. DGS100 upper mids are warm and smooth, not too bright, which creates a perception of less clarity in comparison to some other brighter IEMs in my collection. The same with treble, it's super detailed, but not as bright. I'm not saying this in a negative sense, it's just a different sound signature. As a matter of fact, upper mids/treble of DGS100 reminds me A LOT of Westone W40 (and we are talking about $500 IEM). Soundstage is actually wider than average, while depth is average. Also, these headphones are not as forgiving when it comes to playing lower bit rate encoded files, and I noticed a difference with 192kbps mp3s.
Overall, in my opinion if you have been waiting to try out a pair of hybrid IEMs and not after a bright analytical sound but rather want a smooth fun sound - these get my high recommendation. I don't want to compare them to other BA only or dynamic only headphones because they are in a different category. Also, their smooth and laid back sound signature makes it more tolerable for extended non-fatigue listening, unlike bright sound of Altone 200. Furthermore, I prefer DGS100 sound signature over AX35 where I found upper mids to be veiled and a bit recessed. If you are on a budget and looking for a single pair of in-ear headphones to invest money into, these might not necessary be the end-game pair. But if you are a headphone enthusiast who understands and values a sound quality and has a collection of headphones with different driver technology - these will be a worthy trophy on your shelf with a great value under $80 (once you sign in to Penonaudio).
Here are the pictures.
