PRICE: $89

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/xnSY8JLFPLs

PROS: 

• Premium Build
• Comfortable Fit
• Tuning Nozzles for moddability
• Fun, bright sound signature
• Solid bass depth
• Energetic vocals
• Sparkly, well-extended treble
• Superb separation and layering
• Very resolving for the price

CONS: 

• Scratch prone shell
• Inclusions might be lacking compared to the competition
• Not the most stable fit
• Not an “upgrade” from the EA500’s sound
• Midbass might be too lean for some
• Might come across too bright and shouty

WHO THIS SET IT FOR: 

• People who are looking to upgrade from the EW200
• People who like the U-Shaped bright Simgot sound
• People who want an insanely resolving and technically capable set
• Trebleheads
• People who want a very energetic and nuanced upper midrange 

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR:

• Treble sensitives
• People looking for an upgrade for the EA500
• People who want a thick, weighty midrange
• People who want a set they can just throw around without running the aesthetics
• People who don’t want gimmicky tuning options

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• Vocal-pop
• Jazz
• Instrumental

SHORT REVIEW:

The EA500LM marks a strong start for Simgot thanks to its superb technical ability that surpasses its predecessors and honestly many in its price range. It’s not quite the EA500 upgrade that people, including me, have been hoping for. Instead, this progresses the bright and fun sound that Simgot has cemented in the past few months and I’m all for it! Just remember, Simgot ain’t for treble sensitives. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW:

WATCH FULL REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/xnSY8JLFPLs

2023 was undoubtedly Simgot’s year. From budget bangers to lower midrange hits, they had it in the bag by creating some of the stand-out sets of the year. But the new year means they have to keep that energy if they want to stay competitive in this ever-shifting market. So what do they have in store?

Well, a lot. If you’ve seen the leaks of Simgot’s 2024 release, you know they won’t be sitting pretty this year. From sources to TOTLs, they’ve got it all planned. Today, we’ll be talking about their update to arguably their most famous and the set that got people talking about Simgot. Let’s talk about the Simgot EA500LM!

DISCLAIMER: This product was sent over by Simgot in exchange for my honest impressions.  I was not paid. Rest assured, my thoughts and opinions on this product will be my own honest opinions and will not be affected by the facts beforehand.

Audio is a very subjective hobby and as much as I try to objectively explain my thoughts and opinions, your mileage will vary. My preferences will also affect how I perceive the gear that I review. Sources and other accessories will also modify your experience. Lastly, my reviews should always be used only as a guide and not as the definitive bible. Trust your ears to know what’s good.

THE YEAR OF THE SIMGOT

2023 should be synonymous with Simgot absolutely dominating the market. EW200, EM6L, EA1000 and EA500 all blew up and put Simgot in a spot they’ve never been before. And it’s all thanks to the EA500’s entry early in 2023 that got people talking. It was a fantastic set, one of my favorites even a year after it’s been out. So when I saw the teasers for the upcoming Simgot sets and saw the EA500LM, you bet I jumped from my seat in excitement. 

But that could only mean that the EA500LM has an extremely high bar to surpass. So now the question I am to answer is whether its existence is justified, especially being priced $10 more than the OG. Does it deserve to exist? What does it offer that the OG doesn’t? And does it live up to the EA500 name? Let’s find out! 

UNBOXING

Part fantastic and part disappointing. The Simgot EA500LM comes in arguably one of, if not, the most beautiful box that I’ve seen an IEM live in. Such intricate, space-themed designs with a chromatic, pearlescent finish that looks more like an art piece that you’d find in a gallery than from a box of a pair of earphones. 

The rest is large the same in terms of Simgot affairs. Graphs at the back, clean sides. Nothing special besides that beautiful front. 

The unboxing experience itself is also very Simgot with the same slide to the left mechanic, IEM sitting up top on their foam throne and the accessories found below and below the IEM. Don’t forget the Blaise Pascal quote! Always motivational, dear sir. 

Here’s a full list of the inclusions: 

• 1x SIMGOT EA500 LM IEM
• 1x Detachable Cable
• 3 Pairs Interchangable Nozzles
• 3x Pair of Silicon Eartips

Now I have to talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, this is $89 worth of earphones and it only comes with a single SML set, their basic (but good) pleather case and that’s it? One part justified due to their advancement in the sound department, one part disappointed because so many companies nowadays strive for the full package and Simgot’s out here giving the bare minimum. 

But again, don’t get me wrong, the accessories are adequate. The tips are 07 style, a little bit more narrow than the KBEar/NiceHCK variants but probably for the better. The pleather case can literally fit the DEW4X inside along with its cable, so you literally have the full package with that case. And that’s it. That’s all that came. 

Overall, they could’ve provided more stuff. A cleaning tool to wipe your greasy fingerprints, foam tips for treble sensitives, and maybe even more varied silicone tips for those who want a bassier or more treble-centric sound. Nonetheless, it’s better than having none. 

BUILD & FIT

Simgot touts, no, flexes their new tech in the EA500LM so much that it’s literally in the name. But what exactly did they do differently with the Simgot EA500LM? Let’s first talk about that LM at the end. 

IEM:

The EA500LM features their latest, high-end second-generation Lithium-Magnesium Dome Diaphragm along with their second-generation Dual-Magnetic & Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver. Simgot doesn’t shy away from hyper-long names for their tech, but sometimes it’s purely justified like in the case of the EA1000. Anyways, let’s talk about that Lithium-Magnesium 

Reading up Simgot’s official promotional material for the EA500LM, they describe the LM as a dome diaphragm [that], “combines a flexible suspension system, offering both lightness and stiffness.”. They flex that this is lighter than pure beryllium but mimics its acoustic properties. In non-marketing terms, it means that it might sound like what a beryllium driver would. And whether that matters to you or not, doesn’t matter. Because they are so proud of their lithium-magnesium dome diaphragm that it’s literally in the name. 

But moving unto its externals, the EA500LM is more familiar with the IEM itself being an almost perfect replica of the EA500 in shape. It’s the same rounded, smooth-edged, and flowing design that it genuinely some of the prettiest I’ve seen. 

This time however, it features a darker color with a gun metal coloration with the LM logo featured on the left ear. They are REALLY proud of that LM, I wonder if it would mean anything for the sound?

Build quality is also exactly the same. It’s your full metal, sturdy and high quality build with tuning nozzles. This time around, it comes with 3 nozzles, 1 gold nozzle-red ring pre-applied and the other two akin to the red ring and black ring of the EA500. Very premium feeling, can’t deny that. But I really wish they’d opted for a matte option coming into the second coming of the EA500. You can’t deny that its achilles heel is its scratch and fingerprint prone-quality. 

As for fit, again, it shares a similar story with the EA500 which means it’s good if you find good tips. I found that the stock tips were fine, but I always opt for Final E tips when running Simgot IEMs in terms of fit and sound. It’s just better that way. I didn’t experience any pressure build up inside or outside the ear and stability was so-so, but good enough for walking about. Seal was also just about alright, nothing that’ll make you cut out the world but enough to block the essentials. 

Cable:

As for the cable, they took the EM6L cable, changed it from QDC to 2-pin and called it a day. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good cable and the colorway fits darker IEMs. But it’s your usual, somewhat thin 2-strand cable with the main difference being the interface made out of metal instead of plastic compared to the EM6L. It’s a functional cable, nothing fancy but does everything right. It’s not the cable you’d flex your EA500LM with, that’s saved for something that enhances the looks better. And that’s just not the stock cable. 

Overall, it’s a very familiar experience with the only difference being the slightly different coloration and aesthetics of both the cables. It’s good, but don’t expect top-tier inclusions. That’s not why you buy Simgot IEMs, after all. 

SOUND:

And speaking of why you’d buy a Simgot IEM, let’s talk about the sound of the EA500LM. As the EA500LM features 3 different tuning nozzles, I’ll talk about the stock gold nozzle red ring first and compare it to the other nozzles later on. 

Sound Signature: 

A shift from the OG, the EA500LM features a U-shaped sound signature with emphasis on the treble. Bass is present and rumbles when it calls for, but has a distinct lack of midbass energy compared to its predecessor. The mids are clean, open, and free from unnecessary coloration but might end up sounding thinner on certain mixes due to the upper midrange emphasis. Treble is still the highlight and is very sparkly, airy, and crisp. 

Timbre is on the thinner and brighter side but is still impeccably natural sounding for a bright-leaning IEM. 

Drivability: 

The EA500LM is expectedly quite easy to drive with its 21ohm impedance and sensitivity of 123-125db based on the nozzle. This means that using this out of a smartphone can get loud enough to enjoy. However, it greatly decreases the potential of the EA500LM as it scales VERY well with sources. Less clean sources might overemphasize the upper mids to treble region and decrease the dynamics drastically, so at least a dongle DAC is recommended

LISTENING LEVELS

35-40/100 on HiBy R3 II

Bass

This is either the biggest improvement or biggest downgrade on the EA500LM, depending on what your preferences on bass are. The bass of the EA500LM is well extended, deep reaching but clean without bloat or bleed It’s the Simgot way of doing bass, and many love that kind of bass. The sub-bass emphasis gives enough fun while the tamer mid to upper bass is present without overly emphasizing this region. 

Think of tracks like Send It by D’Angelo. That bassline accompanying the entire sound is present with good note definition without intruding on the silky vocals or instruments in the mix. It’s placed generously without sounding overly boosted.

However, what I loved about the EA500 was the thick and meaty midbass which the EA500LM lacks. Using the same track, the distinct thicker texture of the bass guitar just isn’t as rich and nuanced as I’d like. Don’t get me wrong, the texture is fantastic, especially for what it emphasizes. But it’s just not quite as weighty as I prefer it to be.

But again, this has the effect of making sure the midrange sounds clean and open to which, let’s talk about it!

Mids

The mids of Simgot IEMs have always been this somewhat debated topic whether the more open but thinner presentation is for the better or worse. The overall midrange presentation is undoubtedly on the thinner side on the EA500LM, but it still gives vocals a decent sense of note weight and presence which means that the mids aren’t overly recessed. However, lower mids are on the more distant level that might come across just a little bit recessed on certain mixes.

YeYe’s はみ出て!, on top of being an amazing track to test the bass on and I really should’ve used this as an example as well, has a rather well-bodied midrange that pairs really well with the EA500LM. I absolutely adored the thicker mix that allowed the EA500LM to really excel on this track. YeYe’s vocals are especially nice on the EA500LM as it adds a much-needed sparkle and crispness that the mix doesn’t usually provide.

But on a track like Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, the EA500LM starts to rear its fangs a little bit as the mids can sound a little stale, leaving the vocals sounding a little bit thin and over-emphasizing the upper midrange instruments. It just means that the EA500LM brings open a more energetic and nuanced upper midrange at the cost of lower midrange weight and nuance. 

The upper mids are generous, at least to say. They bring out upper-frequency instruments nicely like on Fleetwood’s Dreams and the attack-decay is almost perfect. It’s snappy but lingers on long enough to sound natural compared to hybrid sets. It can definitely be a little shouty depending on your tolerance to shout, but I didn’t find it shouty despite the contrast in the lower mids. However, it was definitely getting there and pushing the volume just a tad bit can start getting a little hot.

Treble: 

The highlight of the EA series of IEM, the EA500LM keeps up the energy and keeps the treble real sparkly and bright. Microdetails are superb, especially when it comes to the intricate details in percussive instruments or higher frequency strings and air instruments.  Undoubtedly one of the best treble presentations under $100, but a risky one at that. This is a set that’s not for treble-sensitives, but let’s be real Simgot really isn’t a brand for treble-sensitives from the get-go.  It’s very sparkly with really good airiness and crispness on every note, but the lower mids not having enough emphasis may puts the treble a little too far up for comfort in certain mixes. 

I LOVED the treble of the EA500LM. Absolutely. Listening to a track like Game of Love by Daft Punk and hearing those percussive instruments as well as the small details in the guitar was an absolute treat that you don’t usually find in sets around this price. The amount of treble energy is just perfect for the entire album, honestly. 

But like I said, thinner/dry mixes might push this to uncomfortable levels. Fantasy by Earth, Wind & Fire comes to mind as the treble emphasis on that track is almost ludicrous that the LM breaches harshness territory. However, this is more of a fringe case for those who listen to bright-leaning mixes because even in that same track, the treble is so clean and well-controlled that the harshness only comes in when I push the volumes to uncomfortable levels to compensate for the bass. Otherwise, the instruments in this track sound wonderful on the EA500LM

Technicalities: 

And this is where the EA lineup continues the trend of insanely technical sets on a budget. The LM’s technical ability is even better than the OG due to the cleaner midrange and smoother treble. This allows for separation and layering to be more crisp, especially in the treble and the head stage to be more expansive due to the mids being tuned to be more open. Imaging is probably the least fantastic thing about its technical ability, but most IEMs don’t do imaging that well anyway. It’s adequately good but plays to complement the superb separation and layering. 

Let’s talk about dynamics real quick as, despite being clearly an improvement from the EA500’s slower driver, the EA500LM also feels like a slight downgrade as the midbass emphasis also gets taken away. It’s not overly smoothened, on the contrary even. But the emphasis to note weight was just lessened so midbass sounds less dynamic and rich sounding and more tight and snappy. This, however, translates better to the treble as the response is snappier and more controlled. Okay, I know I’m comparing it already to the EA500 but this was really the best way I could describe the dynamics of the LM. It’s very snappy but natural but I really would like a little bit more richness and contrast. 

COMPARED TO OTHER TUNING NOZZLES:

VS Red Ring, Silver Nozzle

The Red ring, silver nozzle is based on the Harman 2019 target which tilts the balance slightly to be a little warmer and closer to how the OG EA500 sounded, but not quite as bodied or weighty as the EA500 on its own red ring. I’ll be real however when I say that the difference between the Red Rings is very small and is more of a small tweak to the tilt ever so slightly. Like seriously, it’s almost a QC difference between the two. 

Vs Black Ring, Silver Nozzle

This is where the difference is most evident as the upper mids are emphasized considerably more and the bass even tigther. Treble and shout sensitives, close you ears as these take the already bright EA500LM and make them even brighter sounding. These also make the upper mids a little bit more congested and takes a slight hit in separation and layering ability. I really enjoyed how these sound in this nozzle, however, as this turns the EA500LM into a fully-fledged balls-to-the-wall bright set. I still prefer the tamer, warmer sound of the Gold Nozzle but these are definitely a close second as these shift the sound to be a certified bright boi. 

REAL WORLD USAGE

Casual Use: 

Despite being all metal, the EA500LM is an insanely comfortable IEM to wear for casual use. From browsing to binging, the EA500LM served me well in terms of comfort. It was also stable enough to move about and the seal was adequate enough to block out sounds without making me completely deaf to my surroundings, which is always a win in my book. The thing I’m more concerned about that left me not wanting to use this more is the finish. I usually use IEMs that would be fine when scratched due to their finish and the LM just scares me every time I use it. The cable also scares me a little bit as my EA500’s ear hooks have gone yellow after a year and I just know that that’ll do the same. But nonetheless, it’s a fantastic experience in terms of sound production and comfort that I’ve come to expect from Simgot IEMs.

Gaming Use: 

Now gaming was a slightly different story. The OG EA500 was fantastic for gaming due to the midbass emphasis bringing out lower midrange sounds like footsteps and ruffles while the upper mids to treble brought out the tiny details nicely. The LM shifts the balance more to a more song-first, game-later style due to the sub bass emphasis and smoother upper mids. I found that shoutier IEMs fare better on FPS games like Valorant, to which the EA500LM tames it down and cleans up the mix. I didn’t like it for Valorant nearly as much as the OG due to the lack of midbass, but it did it well enough not to sound overly thin thanks to the clean treble presentation. I never found skins like Prime or Cryostasis to sound piercing which is nice. 

COMPARISONS

Vs Simgot EA500

Let’s stop beating around the bush here and finally compare it to the EA500. Many of you may know I shill the EA500 completely due to it being basically the reincarnation of the Heart Mirror. Linear, midbass centric slightly warm but bright sound that gives me so much joy every time I listen to it. 

The LM, in contrast, is “better” for those who found the EA500LM lacking subbass and being too bright. Well, the latter might be debatable depending on how you found the mids and treble of the LM. But regardless, I cannot deny that the EA500LM is a technically better IEM compared to the EA500. 

However, I also can’t shake the feeling that the EA500LM feels more like an upgraded EW200 rather than EA500 pt.2.

To give a short explanation of what separates the EW series from EA, the EW is more u-shaped, fun-sounding series while EA falls closer to a bright-neutral kind of sound catered to trebleheads. 

 Its DNA feels closer to the EW series of IEMs that the EA, and I honestly think it would’ve probably fit the EW moniker than the EA. At the same time, I also found vocals to sound more natural on the EA500 than the EA500LM, a similar quality to the EW200 where the mids had the tendency to sound a little bit pulled back. 

The midbass punch and texture are sorely lacking compared to the OG EA500 and even the EA1000 while the mids are closer to the EW200 in presentation. The treble is still definitely EA, but it does things more like an EW. 

Anyway, I’m rambling at this point. The LM is made for those who want a better extended EA500 but not those who want an improvement from the EA500 sound. A side grade, maybe. But it’s fundamentally a different flavor from the OG

Vs Simgot EW200

A more fitting comparison, the EW200 is a step down from the EA500LM in my opinion. EA500LM has better bass dynamics, cleaner mids, and especially cleaner treble. Technicalities are also overall better than the EW200, so it’s almost the perfect upgrade for those who loved the EW200. There’s really not much to say besides the fact that I genuinely think that the EA500LM is worth twice the price of the EW200 if you’re looking for a proper upgrade while keeping a similar sound to the EW200. 

Vs Simgot EM6L

One of the most highly requested comparisons, the EM6L seems to occupy a very similar sound to the EA500LM. However, their presentation is quite different from each other. The EM6L is a smoother overall sound with a softer bass presentation and a generally smoother upper mids to treble presentation. 

Essentially, the EM6L is a tamer version of the usual Simgot house sound that even the likes of the EA500LM occupy. However, the EA500LM has a more technical and dynamic presentation that makes music sound more alive and nuanced compared to the EM6L. So the choice now ends up between wanting a more dynamic and more sparkly kind of sound or a smoother, more balanced sound. 

Vs Muse HiFi The East 6

While it might seem unfair at first, the East 6 is essentially the polar opposite to the EA500LM in every way. The midbass focused, upper midrange forward and treble tame East 6 contrasts the brighter, more extended EA500LM. However, the EA500LM essentially highlights the East  6’s biggest flaw of sounding nearly half the price of the EA500LM. Details are sorely smoothened out on the East 6 compared to the EA500LM, the sound is faster and snappier but still keeps a very organic sound. 

The East 6 essentially lives to be the treble-sensitives option for Simgot IEMs. Those who like that vocal-centric, rich, and well-balanced sound without the crazy treble. But if you’re looking for the more technical set, the EA500LM is better nearly 10-fold. 

Vs Simgot EA1000

And finally, let’s compare it to its bigger sibling. The EA1000 was being compared to the EA500LM which I thought was funny as the EA500LM was nearly 3 times cheaper than the EA1000. But the burning question now is whether the EA1000 3 times better than the EA500LM. To which I say, probably not. But the EA1000 also follows the EA DNA better than the EA500LM, so again it would be a different kind of sound that you’d expect from both sets. The bass is meatier, and more textured but tighter than the EA500LM and is just more technically capable on the EA1000 overall. 

CONCLUSIONS: 

I asked early in this review the question of whether the existence of the EA500LM is justified. To which, I say yes with a whole heart. The EA500LM marks as another solid release from Simgot that continues to push the boundaries of how good sound can get for the budget. Them flexing the LM is definitely not just a marketing ploy as there is a clear technical improvement from the EA500. 

However, I also noted that the DNA of the EA500LM falls closer to the EW200. Fundamentally, the EA500LM follows a more fun, bright centric u-shaped sound that makes music sound more engaging but also less neutral compared to its predecessor The EA500 was closer to a more neutral tune to my ears compared to the EA500LM due to the subbass and treble emphasis of the latter. And this isn’t a bad thing, don’t get me wrong. The trajectory of Simgot IEMs in the past few releases has been moving away from the neutral bright sets like the EW100P and EA500 and moving to a more fun, engaging, and energetic U-shaped like the EW200 and EM6L. And I understand that this is honestly for the better. The demographic for neutral bright is admittedly much smaller than those who prefer a more fun sound. But as someone who loved the EA500 for following a more neutral, somewhat DF tuning, it does hurt my heart to see the beloved EA500LM follow a more generally likable tuning. 

The EA500LM is a fundamentally good IEM with solid technical chops and a bright-leaning sound that trebleheads like me would love. Is it perfect? No. Inclusions could be better and I honestly wish that they offered different color/finish options. The midbass also feels a little bit lacking and puts lower mids a little bit on the thinner side, but I know people enjoy the more open-sounding midrange as a cause of that. But it shows that Simgot isn’t slowing down this 2024 with its awesome releases!

Thank you for checking out my full review of the Simgot EA500LM Big thanks Simgot for sending this over in exchange for my honest thoughts. If you would like to buy your own check out the non-affiliated link below: https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-ea500-lm

If you have any questions or concerns, contact me on my Facebook page or at obodioreviews@gmail.com 

Enjoy music and have a great day!