ljokerl
Portables Reviewerus Prolificus
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2009
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Ok with all the people out there ordering the PL50s at focal price last week we knew someone had to make one.
I just got mine yesterday (4 days from HK via EMS - not bad at all) and they are pretty darn good. I have to use them for a few days to adjust (everything sounds a bit muddy after RE0s) but I like them quite a bit for $50 earphones so far. The packaging has been described in detail before, so I'll be quick - Soundmagic really did a great job of packing these into the smallest possible volume. Basically, the box is proportional in size to the earphones themselves - both are tiny. As for style, the box is very handsome (miles ahead of the P10/PL30 boxes) and definitely much more "giftable" than the old soundmagic packaging (especially that of the P10s). The earphones themselves aren't style slouches either with their dark blue metallic finish and color-coded left-right earpieces (I've always been a fan of this trend for convenience's sake).
Putting them on is a pleasure - the tiny earpieces make it hard to imagine an ear in which these wouldn't sit comfortably. The stock foam tips are the same as the ones from the PL30s - I've always liked these so much I still use them on my RE0s and most other phones (anywhere the stock Olives don't fit
).
Another thing worth mentioning is the microphonics - I would rate them as very low, but I may still be recovering from the shock I received upon using the Meelec Ai-M6 on the go for a day (some of the worst microphonics in my experience). Either way, the microphonics are definitely not bad enough to get in the way of the listening experience.
Now, on to the most important thing: the sound. They are definitely very competitive at the price. I am surprised by their balance for a single BA earphone - they don't go quite as high as Ety Er6i's, but higher than most earphones in the range (followed closely by RE2s and Meelec Ai-m9/m6s). The upper end of the range has a nice warm sparkle that reminds me of the Yuin PK3s.
I was also surprised by the bass these can actually produce when prodded (though they don't tend towards kicking you in the face with a flat EQ). I would say that out of all the sub-$60 dynamics these are closest in balance to Maximo Im-590's - very neutral on most counts with a strong bass kick. I think the PL50s actually go lower down than the Maximos, perhaps even as low as my old deep bass fave - the Lenntek Sonix. You can definitely feel the bass as well as hear it. All but the most hardcore bassheads will be able to satisfy their sinful urges with a bit of EQ tweaking.
The old dynamic PL30s sounded like an inverse-V frequency response curve, with forward, fun mids flanked by somewhat rolled off lows and highs. The PL50s don't follow in their predecessor's footsteps - they seem very balanced, almost flat, if not slightly recessed in the middle. They do a great job of separating out the notes - everything has it's own place in the music. In addition, the soundstage is surprisingly wide - I would say its a bit narrower than that on the RE0s: narrow by flagship IEM standards, but very, very impressive for the price.
I think I need to give these a few more days before I go rambling on about how great they sound (hopefully what I've said gets this across). I am very, very impressed by them so far. They do everything well or better, and that is impressive in itself. For the $50 that they currently cost, it is nearly impossible to go wrong with these little wonders.
There. I have added a cistern of oil to the hype machine. Feel free to chip in with more compliments or throw some wrenches in the gears
.
Edit: 08/05/09 - Pracicality Notes
Well, I took these to work/school today and have now been wearing them for about 4-1/2 hours straight, with and without music playing, and I must give another usability point to them. Due to their complete lack of weight and flat form factor they are probably the most unfatiguing IEMs to wear for a long time of all the ones I've owned. I forget I'm wearing them quite easily. Isolation is pretty average, but I haven't tried any tips besides stock foamies yet. Also, their shape makes it really easy to remove and put them on very quickly. Another point goes to the cable - it really is one of the less microphonic cables I've used. It's also quite thick, but not inconveniently so. The fact that it is entirely rubberized, including the connector and the split strain relief, makes it feel less cheap than most.
I want to note that if you are not used to IEMs you may have a problem telling if you've got a good fit with these as they are very light and feel 'right' even if they aren't in all the way. If they do not seal completely, the sound is thin and somewhat hollow/dull, with almost no bass impact.
Not quite ready to give my final verdict on the sound yet, but they're sounding comparatively laid-back and relaxed to me right now.
Edit: 08/06/09: Sound Notes.
Well, not everything is perfect soundmagic-land. After three days of critical listening (20+ hours during which the sound has not changed at all) I can no longer attribute what I'm hearing to simply being spoiled by my RE0s and Etymotics. There is something ever-so-slightly off about the way these sound. Don't get me wrong - the notes are all there, but the overall sound is just a bit distant and veiled compared to some of the other earphones in the price range. I'm not sure this is the right term, but I think they lack resolve - i.e. the sound is slightly run-together when a lot of things are going on simultaneously on the track. Hopefully someone else can confirm/discredit this when more people start getting their PL50s, and I will post more updates as I listen. *Confirmed*
Edit: 08/12/09: General Notes.
For anyone too lazy to read through the thread, a new issue has popped up. Turns out that the stock foam tips that soundmagic supplies with these are a rather tight fit on their longish, notched nozzle. As a result, they are quite difficult to remove without damage to the tips themselves or even to the earphone. This is annoying, to say the least.
On the upside, I have been using these with Sony Hybrid tips and they work very well. Hybrids are well-known for their comfort, and they provide a good seal and sound plenty natural with the PL50s. I am getting used to the sound but have to say that the signature is on the warm side and not as clear as I would maybe like. I still consider these very competetive for the price, but they are simply good all-around - they just fail to shock with anything in particular (except maybe their diminutive size
). The PL30s, on the other hand, are more "fun", which often makes them a more involving listening experience. Both are still great all-rounders at their respective price points.
Update 08/25/09
Soundmagic has promised replacement foam tips for anyone affected by the tight fitting issue. Keep your eye on dealperfect PL50 product page for more info (Thanks, Belabor) or contact your vendor directly.
I just got mine yesterday (4 days from HK via EMS - not bad at all) and they are pretty darn good. I have to use them for a few days to adjust (everything sounds a bit muddy after RE0s) but I like them quite a bit for $50 earphones so far. The packaging has been described in detail before, so I'll be quick - Soundmagic really did a great job of packing these into the smallest possible volume. Basically, the box is proportional in size to the earphones themselves - both are tiny. As for style, the box is very handsome (miles ahead of the P10/PL30 boxes) and definitely much more "giftable" than the old soundmagic packaging (especially that of the P10s). The earphones themselves aren't style slouches either with their dark blue metallic finish and color-coded left-right earpieces (I've always been a fan of this trend for convenience's sake).
Putting them on is a pleasure - the tiny earpieces make it hard to imagine an ear in which these wouldn't sit comfortably. The stock foam tips are the same as the ones from the PL30s - I've always liked these so much I still use them on my RE0s and most other phones (anywhere the stock Olives don't fit
Another thing worth mentioning is the microphonics - I would rate them as very low, but I may still be recovering from the shock I received upon using the Meelec Ai-M6 on the go for a day (some of the worst microphonics in my experience). Either way, the microphonics are definitely not bad enough to get in the way of the listening experience.
Now, on to the most important thing: the sound. They are definitely very competitive at the price. I am surprised by their balance for a single BA earphone - they don't go quite as high as Ety Er6i's, but higher than most earphones in the range (followed closely by RE2s and Meelec Ai-m9/m6s). The upper end of the range has a nice warm sparkle that reminds me of the Yuin PK3s.
I was also surprised by the bass these can actually produce when prodded (though they don't tend towards kicking you in the face with a flat EQ). I would say that out of all the sub-$60 dynamics these are closest in balance to Maximo Im-590's - very neutral on most counts with a strong bass kick. I think the PL50s actually go lower down than the Maximos, perhaps even as low as my old deep bass fave - the Lenntek Sonix. You can definitely feel the bass as well as hear it. All but the most hardcore bassheads will be able to satisfy their sinful urges with a bit of EQ tweaking.
The old dynamic PL30s sounded like an inverse-V frequency response curve, with forward, fun mids flanked by somewhat rolled off lows and highs. The PL50s don't follow in their predecessor's footsteps - they seem very balanced, almost flat, if not slightly recessed in the middle. They do a great job of separating out the notes - everything has it's own place in the music. In addition, the soundstage is surprisingly wide - I would say its a bit narrower than that on the RE0s: narrow by flagship IEM standards, but very, very impressive for the price.
I think I need to give these a few more days before I go rambling on about how great they sound (hopefully what I've said gets this across). I am very, very impressed by them so far. They do everything well or better, and that is impressive in itself. For the $50 that they currently cost, it is nearly impossible to go wrong with these little wonders.
There. I have added a cistern of oil to the hype machine. Feel free to chip in with more compliments or throw some wrenches in the gears
Edit: 08/05/09 - Pracicality Notes
Well, I took these to work/school today and have now been wearing them for about 4-1/2 hours straight, with and without music playing, and I must give another usability point to them. Due to their complete lack of weight and flat form factor they are probably the most unfatiguing IEMs to wear for a long time of all the ones I've owned. I forget I'm wearing them quite easily. Isolation is pretty average, but I haven't tried any tips besides stock foamies yet. Also, their shape makes it really easy to remove and put them on very quickly. Another point goes to the cable - it really is one of the less microphonic cables I've used. It's also quite thick, but not inconveniently so. The fact that it is entirely rubberized, including the connector and the split strain relief, makes it feel less cheap than most.
I want to note that if you are not used to IEMs you may have a problem telling if you've got a good fit with these as they are very light and feel 'right' even if they aren't in all the way. If they do not seal completely, the sound is thin and somewhat hollow/dull, with almost no bass impact.
Not quite ready to give my final verdict on the sound yet, but they're sounding comparatively laid-back and relaxed to me right now.
Edit: 08/06/09: Sound Notes.
Well, not everything is perfect soundmagic-land. After three days of critical listening (20+ hours during which the sound has not changed at all) I can no longer attribute what I'm hearing to simply being spoiled by my RE0s and Etymotics. There is something ever-so-slightly off about the way these sound. Don't get me wrong - the notes are all there, but the overall sound is just a bit distant and veiled compared to some of the other earphones in the price range. I'm not sure this is the right term, but I think they lack resolve - i.e. the sound is slightly run-together when a lot of things are going on simultaneously on the track. Hopefully someone else can confirm/discredit this when more people start getting their PL50s, and I will post more updates as I listen. *Confirmed*
Edit: 08/12/09: General Notes.
For anyone too lazy to read through the thread, a new issue has popped up. Turns out that the stock foam tips that soundmagic supplies with these are a rather tight fit on their longish, notched nozzle. As a result, they are quite difficult to remove without damage to the tips themselves or even to the earphone. This is annoying, to say the least.
On the upside, I have been using these with Sony Hybrid tips and they work very well. Hybrids are well-known for their comfort, and they provide a good seal and sound plenty natural with the PL50s. I am getting used to the sound but have to say that the signature is on the warm side and not as clear as I would maybe like. I still consider these very competetive for the price, but they are simply good all-around - they just fail to shock with anything in particular (except maybe their diminutive size
Update 08/25/09
Soundmagic has promised replacement foam tips for anyone affected by the tight fitting issue. Keep your eye on dealperfect PL50 product page for more info (Thanks, Belabor) or contact your vendor directly.
If I can hear any hiss at reasonable listening levels (where I'd actually plan to listen) - I get very frustrated. My Meelectronic AIM-9's don't have this issue, though I'm betting the PL50's sound better overall. I'll probably end up staying with the AIM-9's.
