ljokerl
Portables Reviewerus Prolificus
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- Mar 2, 2009
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I have been a fan of the Soundmagic IEMs since I first heard the PL30s. They have been my unrelenting workout IEM for over nine months and I honestly do consider them one of the best, if not the best, sub-$30 IEMs on the market.
The latest additions to Soundmagic’s lineup, the PL21 and its mic’d cousin, the MP21, cost just over $20 and come in three colors: black, white, and pink. It seems, then, that Soundmagic is targeting the more mainstream color-choosing mic-using public rather than the audiophile market. Price-wise, the PL21s compete directly with the PL30s, so my first question was: did Soundmagic sacrifice the sound for a more mainstream look and feel at the price point?
Family Portrait (clockwise, from top left): Soundmagic PL50, PL30, and PL21
Packaging
The box is identical to the one used by the PL50s. 4 sizes of silicone single-flange tips are included, but no foamies. The standard Soundmagic black ear guides are there along with the shirt clip and cable winder, but the excellent hard case found with the PL30/PL50 has been replaced with a soft pleather pouch, which is slightly disappointing as those cases are very handy
. Still, a very nice set of accessories for only $21.
Build & Comfort
Other than the color schemes, the PL21s look very similar, but not identical to, the PL20s. They do, however, utilize a new cable terminated with an angled plug (unlike the straight plugs on the PL30 and PL20 cables). I consider soundmagic’s cables to be pretty good – they are flexible, sturdy, rubbery, and relatively low on microphonics, and the cables found on the PL21 are no exception. The housings themselves are very, very small. They are also quite light and I find them extremely comfortable. The nozzles are the same diameter as those on the PL50s and they work fine with sony hybrid tips as well as my generic $2 foamies. The nozzles are also angled in a way that would suggest these were designed to be worn over-the-ear, but wearing them straight down is still an option.
Update: 09/24/09: I actually prefer wearing them straight down with the single flange tips. Deeper insertion helps with the isolation and sound. Microphonics are better on the PL30s, though, partly because of the over-ear design.
Isolation
In the interest of fairness I am using them with the stock single-flange silicone tips, just like my PL30s. The isolation is pretty good – slightly better than the PL30s and about on par with my hybrid-tipped PL50s. Certainly no other earphone that I can think of at this price point provides significantly more.
Sound
First Impressions (out-of-the-box): Wow, I like these immediately. Very little of the harshness I usually attribute to brand new low-end dynamic IEMs. The sound is warm and on the dark side. Somewhat bassy, but not without control. I can see these becoming my preferred budget IEMs already.
Fully Burned-in: They have been opened up quite nicely. While the PL30s are slightly mid-forward and have pretty tight and rationed bass, these are more forward at the low end, which fills their sound out nicely, at least to my ears. The low-end bass that these put out with my test tracks did surprise me – the last sub-$40 IEMs that put out this sort of bass were my beloved, if little-known, Lenntek Sonix. Yes, the bass is rolled off approaching 30Hz, but the roll-off is pretty gentle – the bass doesn’t pull a disappearing act the way it does on the RE2’s and a few others. It is not as textured and well-defined as the bass on the NE-6s and Meelec Ai-M6’s but still rather enjoyable.
The mid-range is still fairly forward on these. They have a pretty aggressive overall sound, not unlike the famed Koss KSC75’s, with a signature that is often described as ‘fun’ and ‘lively’. The highs are present, though not particularly sparkly. Not on par with the PK3s or PL50s, but nothing to be ashamed of at this price.
I don’t think Soundmagic has made the PL30s completely irrelevant however. They are still the more neutral and accurate earphone, but they sound rather empty and detached in comparison. Pretty much the only area where the PL21s are clearly bested by the PL30s is the soundstage. The PL21s are by no means narrow, but the PL30s have one of the widest soundstages among all budget IEMs – a tough act to follow. Regardless, I think soundmagic has once again released a great low-priced product that is sure to find a following here at head-fi.
Final Word
If you are looking for good-all around earphones on a budget, the PL21s are very strong contenders. They fit well, they are built well, and they sound good. Not $100 good, but good enough to be very competitive with the other sub-$40 earphones. As such, they offer nearly unprecedented bang/buck. The sound is full and lively and the bass can be felt as well as heard. It is a very well-rounded sound, and while they may not excel at everything, I have no problem recommending them to anyone in need of great cheap IEMs.
The latest additions to Soundmagic’s lineup, the PL21 and its mic’d cousin, the MP21, cost just over $20 and come in three colors: black, white, and pink. It seems, then, that Soundmagic is targeting the more mainstream color-choosing mic-using public rather than the audiophile market. Price-wise, the PL21s compete directly with the PL30s, so my first question was: did Soundmagic sacrifice the sound for a more mainstream look and feel at the price point?
Family Portrait (clockwise, from top left): Soundmagic PL50, PL30, and PL21
Packaging
The box is identical to the one used by the PL50s. 4 sizes of silicone single-flange tips are included, but no foamies. The standard Soundmagic black ear guides are there along with the shirt clip and cable winder, but the excellent hard case found with the PL30/PL50 has been replaced with a soft pleather pouch, which is slightly disappointing as those cases are very handy
Build & Comfort
Other than the color schemes, the PL21s look very similar, but not identical to, the PL20s. They do, however, utilize a new cable terminated with an angled plug (unlike the straight plugs on the PL30 and PL20 cables). I consider soundmagic’s cables to be pretty good – they are flexible, sturdy, rubbery, and relatively low on microphonics, and the cables found on the PL21 are no exception. The housings themselves are very, very small. They are also quite light and I find them extremely comfortable. The nozzles are the same diameter as those on the PL50s and they work fine with sony hybrid tips as well as my generic $2 foamies. The nozzles are also angled in a way that would suggest these were designed to be worn over-the-ear, but wearing them straight down is still an option.
Update: 09/24/09: I actually prefer wearing them straight down with the single flange tips. Deeper insertion helps with the isolation and sound. Microphonics are better on the PL30s, though, partly because of the over-ear design.
Isolation
In the interest of fairness I am using them with the stock single-flange silicone tips, just like my PL30s. The isolation is pretty good – slightly better than the PL30s and about on par with my hybrid-tipped PL50s. Certainly no other earphone that I can think of at this price point provides significantly more.
Sound
First Impressions (out-of-the-box): Wow, I like these immediately. Very little of the harshness I usually attribute to brand new low-end dynamic IEMs. The sound is warm and on the dark side. Somewhat bassy, but not without control. I can see these becoming my preferred budget IEMs already.
Fully Burned-in: They have been opened up quite nicely. While the PL30s are slightly mid-forward and have pretty tight and rationed bass, these are more forward at the low end, which fills their sound out nicely, at least to my ears. The low-end bass that these put out with my test tracks did surprise me – the last sub-$40 IEMs that put out this sort of bass were my beloved, if little-known, Lenntek Sonix. Yes, the bass is rolled off approaching 30Hz, but the roll-off is pretty gentle – the bass doesn’t pull a disappearing act the way it does on the RE2’s and a few others. It is not as textured and well-defined as the bass on the NE-6s and Meelec Ai-M6’s but still rather enjoyable.
The mid-range is still fairly forward on these. They have a pretty aggressive overall sound, not unlike the famed Koss KSC75’s, with a signature that is often described as ‘fun’ and ‘lively’. The highs are present, though not particularly sparkly. Not on par with the PK3s or PL50s, but nothing to be ashamed of at this price.
I don’t think Soundmagic has made the PL30s completely irrelevant however. They are still the more neutral and accurate earphone, but they sound rather empty and detached in comparison. Pretty much the only area where the PL21s are clearly bested by the PL30s is the soundstage. The PL21s are by no means narrow, but the PL30s have one of the widest soundstages among all budget IEMs – a tough act to follow. Regardless, I think soundmagic has once again released a great low-priced product that is sure to find a following here at head-fi.
Final Word
If you are looking for good-all around earphones on a budget, the PL21s are very strong contenders. They fit well, they are built well, and they sound good. Not $100 good, but good enough to be very competitive with the other sub-$40 earphones. As such, they offer nearly unprecedented bang/buck. The sound is full and lively and the bass can be felt as well as heard. It is a very well-rounded sound, and while they may not excel at everything, I have no problem recommending them to anyone in need of great cheap IEMs.
