Here is my Simgot EN700 Pro Review: I am also adding the EM1 review in the sub-75 category over on ultra-cheap thread.
Simgot EN700 Pro
(https://audiofool.reviews/2019/05/15/simgot-en700-pro/) wiljen
disclaimer: A big thanks to Simgot for sending the EN700 Pro for review. If you have an interest in Simgot products, please check their website, Facebook page, or Amazon Store.
Unboxing / Packaging:
Packaging on the Simgot EN700 Pro is very familiar having recently reviewed the EM2 (sibling). Details are listed on the reverse of the slip-cover but are tough to photo well as they are black on black and rather subtle. For that reason, I have included the sticker which is much easier to see if not as pretty. Under the slip-cover is a black pressboard box with the Simgot Emblem on front again in subdued gloss black on flat black as well as the name of the Family contained. Having now seen several, the EM and the EN have different monikers. Lifting the cover off the box reveals a foam tray with earpieces at top and a leather carrying case below again very reminiscent of the EM2 . The Tips are hiding inside the leather case, while the cable and warranty cards are beneath the foam tray containing the earpieces. I’m a fan of Simgot’s packaging especially considering the price points of these. Other manufacturers charge more and offer less in this department.
Accessories:
The EN700 Pro comes with a well made leather case with Simgot logo on the front, slogan on the rear, and magnetic closure. Inside the case are two cards that each contain a set of silicone eartips in three sizes. Card 1 contains the standard tips while card 2 has bass enhancing tips. a brush for cleaning the eartips is also hiding in the bottom of the leather case. Tip selection is going to be important as it does change the signature and it is unfortunate that the case is not large enough to store both the tip cards and the iem when travelling. Those wanting to take both sets of tips can drop a spare pair in the bottom of the case, or carry the cards separately.
Build/Fit:
I should also point out that due to the positioning of the single vent on the inside of the shell, that I found it possible to block that vent and change the signature as a result. If you suddenly have a bit darker signature than you wished, make sure you aren’t obstructing the vent.
Internals:
The beating heart of the EN700 Pro is a newly developed 10mm dynamic driver using a titanium coated polymer diaphragm. The same driver is shared with the EM series but is tuned a bit differently depending on model. Nominal impedance is 16Ω with a sensitivity of 101dB/mW (at 1khz) which on paper makes the EN700 Pro easy enough to drive to use with a phone or tablet. I did find that the driver does better with a bit more power as it sounds a bit thin when used directly from my Moto M3 when compared to the same track on the Opus#1S or the xDSD.
Cable:
The provided cable is an 8 core braid from the jack to the splitter and a twist above. The jack is the straight variety with a gold and black housing that nicely complements the earpieces. A proper strain relief is present and even features the Simgot name in red. A velcro closure is provided to minimize tangles in storage as well. The splitter is hard-rubber in black with the chin slider immediately above it in the same gold tone as the jack. The slider moves easily but stays in place well during exercise. Simgot lists the outer coating on the cable as 400D Dupont Kevlar so it should stand up to a fair amount of beating and banging before a problem is encountered. The cable terminates with .78mm bi-pin connectors and while the connectors are standard, the angle most certainly is not so using the cable with other iems or finding a replacement cable may be a bit more involved than usual for the EN700 Pro.
Tips:
Two cards of tips are provided each containing small, medium, and large tips. The first card is the balanced tips, while the 2nd card is low frequency enhancing. Both styles are single-flanged silicone tips but lengths differ between styles with the bass enhancing tips being taller while the matching neutral tips are wider but not as tall. They are indeed enough different to change the signature and it would be nice if Simgot offered the ability to buy extra pairs of your preferred size and type. For my listening, I used the neutral/high frequency tips as I found the Bass tips to augment the bass bloat and make the EN700 Pro a bit muddier by comparison.
Sound:
Bass:
Sub-bass depth is good on the Pro with audible roll-off beginning in the lower 40Hz range. From there, the mid-bass rises slightly but doesn’t ever get very far ahead of everything else. I was a bit surprised here as usually the titanium plated dynamics I have tried have excellent attack with a touch slower decay. Here, Simgot seems to have intentionally moved away from that and gone with a bit less speed in favor of a fuller more natural sound. At times this trade off makes the Pro a very listenable signature, at others it means bass can get a little loose. I found this to be especially true when volume levels are pushed higher. At low levels, the Pro generally remains well composed but as the volume climbs it can get a bit muddled on the low end. There is some mid-bass bleed that provides a bit of warmth while not obstructing too much of the mids in the process. (Here tip 1 is your best bet to minimize this bleed/bloat). Transition between bass and midrange is clean as expected with a single DD and will please those frustrated with poor transitions on the recent hybrids.
Mids:
While the Pro is a bit of a V shape, the mids are pleasantly not as recessed as the FR chart might lead you to believe. Lower mids follow from the mid-bass and have good texture and detail despite the mild bleed. If anything the extra thickness present gives male vocals a bit more weight. As the mids climb toward the treble they move a bit forward and do push female vocals out ahead of their lower voiced counterparts. I found the mids somewhere between the Scoop of things like the Topaz, and the Full-on assault of things like the NiceHCK M6 without winding up boring like the b400 sometimes comes across. Overall, very engaging and lifelike without feeling forced.
Treble:
The forward push of the upper-mids continues into the lower treble which helps lift female vocals to the front without sounding unnatural or uneven. The Biggest difference in the treble on the EN700 Pro vs much of its competition is the coherency offered by a single driver. Too many of the hybrids sound like a 2nd driver was slapped in to handle the highs with little thought given to phase or timbre matching the other drivers. The EN700Pro has a very organic, natural tone that is a nice departure from the hybrid clan. the treble plateaus before starting to roll-off above the 7.5kHz mark. Strings are well rendered which is a tough task for any in-ear. Cymbals are portrayed realistically without any metallic click to them. Overall, the En700 Pro has more air and sparkle at the top end than expected. Based on the graph I would have expected a bit more limited air at the top but the EN700Pro manages to fool the ear with a tuning that sounds open and yet never strident. Its a good balance.
Soundstage / Imaging:
Here we have to split the two in the section title as they are not alike. Soundstage is fantastic with good depth, width,and height and produces a very 3-dimensional sound. The EN700Pro is easily class leading in soundstage when considering its price point in the equation. Imaging on the other hand, while good, is not at the same level. Here I think some of the hybrids make up some ground as the transients are a bit better on things like the M6. This isnt a knock on the EN700pro as it performs well and seating the orchestra is easy to do while listening, it is simply to say that it doesn’t quite reach the level of imaging and separation that the stage size would suggest. Layering is good, but here again some of the multi-driver hybrids have a distinct advantage. That said, I don’t think the EN700Pro loses to those hybrids by the degree one might expect when comparing driver numbers. I’d say the layering on the EN700Pro probably represents 85-90% of what I hear using something like the Brainwavz B400 or the Kinboofi Mk4.
Comparisons:
EN700 original:
Construction has changed very little between the two models as shells are nearly identical if not exactly the same. Cables are listed as copper on the original and silver-plated copper on the Pro. Sound wise, we went from the 700 which was sub-bass light and some found it mid-bass light to the EN700 Bass which pushed more bass but at the expense of detail and some clarity of mids. The Pro is a shallower V than the original EN700 with better low end and more detail. Honestly, I think the Pro is what the EN700 Bass could have been as it resolves most of the detractions of the original while maintaining the things it did well.
BQEYZ KB100:
The KB100 is one of my favorite budget models at present with a signature like an improved Tin Audio T2. Shells are similar although the level of fit and polish is higher on the EN700Pro by comparison and I found the comfort a bit better as a result of the rounded edges. Sound-wise, extension on the EN700 pro is better at both ends which is quite a feat considering it is a single dynamic going up against a hybrid. Sub-bass has a physical presence, and detail level is a grade above the KB100.
Brainwavz B400:
Build wise, these two have nohting in common. 3d printed vs machined shell, mmcx vs bi-pin, quad BA vs single dynamic. Sound wise, they are more like than not as both have similar tonality although the extension is better on both ends on the EN700Pro, while the detail level on the B400 is better. The EN700Pro puts a bit more emphasis on the upper-mids and lower treble which gives vocals a bit more presence while the b400 concentrates on letting nothing get out in front of everything else. While both have better than average imaging and layering, the b400 wins on this count as the quad driver simply out-muscles the single. Overall, if you love the b400, but wish it wasn’t quite as boring as it can be at times, the EN700pro comes off as a slightly less refined option with more energy and life where it counts.
NiceHCK M6:
Shells are of similar construction and share similar quality builds. The cable on the EN700Pro is better than that of the M6 as is the case and tip selection. Sound-wise, the M6 is a deeper V than the EN700Pro, but both do well with mid detail so both seem shallower than they actually plot. The M6 has a deeper bass response when compared to the EN700Pro, but its treble is far more uneven in comparison and it needs after-market filters to do its best work. The EN700Pro is much less forced and more organic sounding by comparison. Detail favors the M6 as does imaging but the EN700Pro wins for stage size.
Thoughts / Conclusion:
Having had the opportunity to try several models in the EN700 line, I would like to applaud Simgot for listening to user feedback and continuing to improve the product. I think the Pro represents the best of the breed so far, and is a significant departure from the original and the mk2. While the EN700pro may not pack the level of detail of some of its competitors, it has an ease to the sound and a coherency that many of those same competitors cannot muster. I found the technicals to be much the same story, attack and decay are not as fast as some of the hybrids, FR is not as flat as some, extension is good but not class leading, but sound is more organic and tonality far more realistic than many of those more technically proficient models. Perhaps the best way to say it is, The EN700Pro is not an analyst’s earphone, it is a music lover’s earphone. For those that want to find a quiet corner, put in their earphones, turn on their favorite album, and drift away, the EN700Pro is a good choice. The EN700Pro won’t be the choice for those who want to really “rock out” as bass loses a bit of control above about 85dB. Simgot should be proud of what they have achieved thus far as the EN700 has gone from “OK” to “very good” with this latest generation.
Simgot EN700 Pro
7.3
Packaging
7.0/10
Build Quality
7.0/10
Accessories
8.0/10
- Bass - 6.5/10
- Mids - 7/10
- Treble - 6.5/10
- Soundstage - 7/10
- Imaging - 6/10
Summary
Pros: Excellent build quality, great case, great sound stage, very cohesive and natural sound
Cons: Not as detailed as some, loses a little control at high volumes, forward upper-mid/lower treble may not be for everyone.