DeBilbao
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 20, 2003
- Posts
- 149
- Likes
- 185
I have lived several adventures with IEMs and although I love their sound, I definately can't use them; discomfort in my ear canal, but above all the problem they generate with my tinnitus, which is accentuated if I use them. All this has made me discard them completely, even though my experience says that you can get an excellent sound.
However, I'm stubborn and still looking for a pocket-sized solution with high quality sound. I use my AirPods everyday and I find them very comfortable and convenient, but if I want to enjoy some good music, they fall short of sound quality.
And being the AirPods so comfortable to me, I've thought that high-end earbuds could be a good solution, and after trying these Smabat ST-10 I can only say that I got it right and got what I wanted: they are comfortable, very comfortable, and they offer me an excellent sound, with a surprising bass, very sweet mids and enough detail in the highs without losing body, with a very realistic timbre.
They use a 15.4mm dynamic driver, and with 45dB impedance and 115dB/mW sensitivity, I've found surprising how easy they are to move. With my iPhone, iPad or MacBook I get very high sound pressure levels without having to crank up the volume. Even on the iPhone, which is always a bit short on volume, I get a nice, high listening volume without going into the yellow zone.
On the downside, you can imagine tha being earbuds, isolation is almost non existent, and that will make most people discard them, as they are not suitable for noisy environments, but if you want to use them at home or at a hotel, they are perfect.
Also note that to provide the best sound, they are sensitive to placement. In my case I get a perfect fit without problems using the foam covers and they doesn't move. Without them I feel less comfortable. Fitting is also easier by turning them thanks to their anchorage to the hooks, which allow free rotation.
In terms of ergonomics, it's a very similar design to what you would have on an IEM. Capsules are suspended by hooks that goes behind your ear to avoid any sensation of weight. They are connected to a cable finished in MMCX connectors so you can change it, though I like its design, covered with fabric to avoid microphonies, a perfect length of 1.2m and easy to roll and not prone to tangle. I even like the simple and useful case to transport them comfortably.
Inside the capsules there is a bit of engineering, as they have a labyrinth-shaped enclosure similar to that used in some loudspeakers, designed to improve their bass response. Here you can see a teardown and its main features.
Price is usually around 120 EUR, but now I see them in Aliexpress at 95 EUR. Some might say that's a lot for a pair of earphones, but if you would listen to them in a quiet environment and with your favorite music, I'm sure you'd say they're worth that and much more.
I have loved them and they have made me forget about the IEMs.
However, I'm stubborn and still looking for a pocket-sized solution with high quality sound. I use my AirPods everyday and I find them very comfortable and convenient, but if I want to enjoy some good music, they fall short of sound quality.
And being the AirPods so comfortable to me, I've thought that high-end earbuds could be a good solution, and after trying these Smabat ST-10 I can only say that I got it right and got what I wanted: they are comfortable, very comfortable, and they offer me an excellent sound, with a surprising bass, very sweet mids and enough detail in the highs without losing body, with a very realistic timbre.
They use a 15.4mm dynamic driver, and with 45dB impedance and 115dB/mW sensitivity, I've found surprising how easy they are to move. With my iPhone, iPad or MacBook I get very high sound pressure levels without having to crank up the volume. Even on the iPhone, which is always a bit short on volume, I get a nice, high listening volume without going into the yellow zone.
On the downside, you can imagine tha being earbuds, isolation is almost non existent, and that will make most people discard them, as they are not suitable for noisy environments, but if you want to use them at home or at a hotel, they are perfect.
Also note that to provide the best sound, they are sensitive to placement. In my case I get a perfect fit without problems using the foam covers and they doesn't move. Without them I feel less comfortable. Fitting is also easier by turning them thanks to their anchorage to the hooks, which allow free rotation.
In terms of ergonomics, it's a very similar design to what you would have on an IEM. Capsules are suspended by hooks that goes behind your ear to avoid any sensation of weight. They are connected to a cable finished in MMCX connectors so you can change it, though I like its design, covered with fabric to avoid microphonies, a perfect length of 1.2m and easy to roll and not prone to tangle. I even like the simple and useful case to transport them comfortably.
Inside the capsules there is a bit of engineering, as they have a labyrinth-shaped enclosure similar to that used in some loudspeakers, designed to improve their bass response. Here you can see a teardown and its main features.
Price is usually around 120 EUR, but now I see them in Aliexpress at 95 EUR. Some might say that's a lot for a pair of earphones, but if you would listen to them in a quiet environment and with your favorite music, I'm sure you'd say they're worth that and much more.
I have loved them and they have made me forget about the IEMs.
