Soundmagic PL-50 Review
Jun 2, 2010 at 5:02 PM Post #151 of 224
well....................
 
 
im no big fan on the um3x.  it is significantly better but its sound signature really doesnt sit so well with me.  one of the things i loved about the PL-50 was its mid centric sound and their liquidity and smoothness.  for me the se530 has supremely glorious mids so if your after something that sounds like the PL-50 then thats what id suggest going for.
 
 
so ignoring which for the moment id say yes there is a still a pretty sizeable improvement to be had from getting something better.  depending on what you came from however it may not be quite as dramatic a leap as it was to the PL-50.  so, that brings us to is it worth doing so?  id say yes it is but dont feel you have to.  the PL-50 is a stunner for its price so dont expect that paying 5 times its price is going to get you 5 times as good sounding.  lol there was a reason i gushed so much over the 50 you know
 
 
 
Nov 23, 2010 at 12:21 PM Post #155 of 224
I must admit that I didn't like the PL50 for quite  a long time. They sounded "flat" for me, good details with too few bass. But now I think they just sound natural and really have a pure tone reproduction. In my opinion they are not "forgiving" so easy like other low-end in-ears do, I mean it's always the same rule: crap in -> crap out. If you give them 24bits lossless files they really sound amazing, if you listen to low quality mp3 files the PL50 sound worse than other cheaper in-ears do. They only show their full potential feeding them adequately 
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Dec 23, 2010 at 7:05 PM Post #156 of 224
I agree with a lot of what has been written here, but I absolutely disagree that these are a significant step down from the RE0. Both earphones demand 'perfect' fit, at least with my oversized lugholes, and sound woeful until you find said fit. I was initially resigned to the possibility that I was back with 'RE0-style bass impact', but last night was a revelation. I dont listen to a lot of Michael Jackson, but most will be familiar with the punchy bassline in 'Beat It', overlaid with Eddie Van Halen's soaring guitar solo - the PL50 gave me both without trying to put me in a doof-doof palace circa 1984. Initially, I found the SoundMagics too polite ('flat' is probably an apt description), but my ears and the phones seem to have reached an understanding. I would urge others to persist beyond the initial week or two - whether its 'ear burn-in' or the tiny drivers, something changes for the better.  
 
These pair very nicely with the 'smooth' sound of my DAC - someone mentioned that they are unforgiving of poor bitrates, but the MSII seems to take the edge off things like YouTube vids and I am very happy with the combination. For absolute detail fanatics, I accept that the RE0 remains the preferred choice, but for people who just want to enjoy their music without spending big dollars, these are hard to ignore. Great value earphones, IMO. 
 
estreeter
 
Feb 1, 2011 at 1:26 PM Post #157 of 224
today my pl50 gave up on me (the left earpiece sounds softer compared to the right one), i think i still have warranty, what should i do? have them replaced or recable them (is this even possible with such small in-ears?)
 
Feb 1, 2011 at 11:13 PM Post #158 of 224
They're actually very easy to recable.  You can buy a cheapo pair of iBuds if you want and just use that cable and solder it in.  I ended up just cutting the wire a little bit shorter and reconnecting it because the break was so close to the phone (probably from slipping it over my ear and yanking it out :p)  I also threw a bunch of hot glue on it before closing the case, and then trimmed all the extra off after closing it.  
 
edit-You just gotta make sure the cable is small enough to slip through the red and blue stress reliefs.
 
Mar 4, 2011 at 6:12 AM Post #159 of 224
How does the sound signature of these iem's compare with grados?? I know you will never get the true grado sound in an iem but i read that the pl-50's are mid centric with bright highs and layback lows and was wondering if they would sound anything like my sr-60's?
 
Mar 5, 2011 at 5:51 AM Post #160 of 224


Quote:
hgunn said:
How does the sound signature of these iem's compare with grados?? I know you will never get the true grado sound in an iem but i read that the pl-50's are mid centric with bright highs and layback lows and was wondering if they would sound anything like my sr-60's?
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no not really, grados are known for their aggression. the PL-50 for its melted buttery smoothness.  something like the RE-0 may be more to your tastes
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 9:27 AM Post #162 of 224
Dear poster, How is it compre to se215 or products of the same price range?
 
Em, I am from Chinese mainland, where this product is built. But here PL-50 is just on sell for approx 1 week I guess, there is no review for it. So it's not that well known than the other usual earphones.
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 9:40 AM Post #163 of 224
PL50 is good for its price but no really a comparison to SE215. If you want to buy a SoundMAGIC, get the new E30 instead as it is better sounding than PL50.
 
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