Welcome back to our second edition in this exploration of exciting audio products from Linsoul. Linsoul is one of the biggest global marketplaces for audio products and is one of the single best places to delve into the ChiFi hobby for yourself. We’ve been blessed to be able to cover dozens and dozens of earphones over the years, and in this limited series, we’ll be looking at a collection of IEMs we’ve been spending some time with and sharing our impressions on each one.
These are rapid-fire reviews of new earphones, mostly on the affordable end, in a short, easy to digest format for this holiday shopping season. In this article, we’ll be looking at the Simgot EM6L, EA1000 Fermat’s Last Theorem, 7Hz x Crinacle Zero: 2, Ziigaat Cinno, and Nuo. Come along as we examine each and help you find a potential gift for the gamer and music fan on your holiday shopping list.
Thank you to Linsoul for providing the IEMs for this feature.
The Exploration Begins Again - What Is It?
As a tech reviewer, I’m lucky enough to try lots of different gear. I’m also an audiophile, so the prospect of trying different headphones and earphones is always exciting to me. Often, these products get full 1,800+ word reviews where we dive deep. But, as I looked over the “to be reviewed” pile, I decided to take a different approach to get this content to you faster in a “straight to the point” format.
I have two goals with this series. First off, to share neat products that might resonate with you. My hope is always to share something that might enhance your life and to help warn you off of things that won’t. Second, it’s to cut through a lot of the “extras” that would leave you waiting on these reviews for weeks into the future. We’re going to look at different products and get right down to it: how do they sound, what makes them special, and are they worth picking up for yourself.
This series won’t replace full reviews. We’ll still do those for the majority of audio gear. But with the holiday season upon us, these shorter mini-reviews may help you to find the perfect gift for a loved one, or a treat for yourself, without having to wait so long to get that information. We’re gamers. We’re music and entertainment lovers. That’s the angle we take with our reviews and we’re proud to be one of the few outlets that covers this tech with both viewpoints in mind.
With that said, let’s start with the reviews!
Simgot EM6L
- Current Price: $109.99 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- Impedance: 26Ω±15%(@1kHz)
- Sensitivity: 119dB/Vrms(@1kHz)
- Frequency Response Range: 8Hz-40kHz
- Effective Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz
- Earphone connector: 0.78mm QDC
First up is the Simgot EM6L. This was my first experience with this brand. It made a positive first impression! It comes with a five-driver array and pulls it off very well for $109.99. They use a fairly simply black design and come with a modest array of accessories, but you do get a storage case, decent cable, and small/medium/large silicone tips. Part of the savings is definitely with the simplicity of its design and accessories but it’s a fair trade off for what you’re getting here.
The sound of these earphones is bass rich with mild mids and highs. There’s a good amount of detail with these and the four balanced armatures apply a nice sharpening effect that crystallizes the sound some. Still, I think these are best suited for more relaxed listening and even some gaming due to their good positionality and decent soundstage.
Overall, I think this is a good set for the money but struggles to stand-out against this crowded market segment in more than driver count. The tonality is its biggest selling point — a strong suite of Simgot, which we’ll see in the next entry too — so, they’re a fun listen. What sets them apart for me is the layering effect of using five separate drivers. They sound slightly more revealing to my ear, easier to discern exactly what’s going on in your music and games, but it’s not a dramatic difference compared to lower-count hybrids. Still, this is a good set overall, especially if you’re looking for something that won’t break the bank and can be used on the go for all kinds of content.
Simgot EA1000: Fermat’s Last Theorem
- Current Price: $219.99 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- Drivers: 10mm dual-magnetic-circuit & dual-cavity structure dynamic
- Cable: High Purity Silver-Plated OFC Litz Structure
- Connectors Type: Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin
This is where Simgot really stood out for me. The EM6L made a good first impression and hinted at the company’s tuning sensibilities, but the EA1000 solidifies that this is a brand to pay close attention to. Now, at $219.99, these aren’t cheap, but they manage to punch above their class in most ways. If you have an audio enthusiast in your life that’s looking for a step up into something higher resolution, higher build quality, and with better aesthetics that aren’t painterly, this is a very good option.
What really sets this set apart to me, aside from its gorgeous looks, is its open, wide soundstage. The EA1000 provides a spacious listening experience that is very revealing of everything that is occurring in your track or game. These are earphones that don’t need Dolby Atmos for competitive gaming and if you’re listening to music, you can count on hearing every individual layer that composes your track. They punch above their class in their technical abilities, which makes them feel even higher resolution than their price point may indicate.
The EA1000 also comes with some alternate nozzles and tuning rings to customize the sound to your taste. Both of the alternate nozzles seem to make the sound brighter, and I could see some listeners finding at least one of them too sharp at higher volumes, but there’s a lot of potential here to add even more staging and technical ability.
The EA1000 doesn’t come cheaply, but it’s a genuinely great set. I’d say the same at $299, so $219.99 feels like a fair asking price for what you’re getting here and its versatility.
7Hz x Crinacle Zero: 2
- Current Price: $24.99 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- Frequency response range: 10HZ-20KHz
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): <1% at 1KHz
- Driver: 10mm dynamic driver
- Cable Interface: 3.5mm
- Plug Type: Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin
The budget king returns. The original Zero has one of the most highly regarded budget IEMs on the market and the Zero 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. Instead, what you’re getting is a refined tuning in a more stylish shell. At $25, it’s understandably lacking a travel case and uses a simple cable, but it comes with two sets of small/medium/large silicone ear tips in narrow and wide bore for more or less bass.
So what does it change? MORE BASS. If there was one lasting criticism of the original Zero, it was that the low end was too light for many listeners. And, as you might expect from an affordable IEM, the type of listener looking at a $25 pair of earphones is more likely to crave this thick low-end. Well, the Zero 2 delivers. In doing so, it delivers a low-end that’s powerful but not muddy and there’s still plenty of clarity higher up the range to keep everything sounding natural.
Look, you can’t expect miracles from an affordable earphone like this. It’s not the most detailed or most spacious but also doesn’t sound congested or flat. I also found their fit to be just deep enough to get snug, so larger listeners should take caution with its shallower fit. This is a good all-arounder that you can take on the go without worrying about it and should please a lot of listeners.
Ziigaat Cinno
- Current Price: $99.99 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- THD: < 0.5%(at 1KHz)
- Drivers: 10mm LCP Dynamic Driver +Treble Balanced Armature x2+Mid-High Balanced Armature x2
- Rated Power: 5mW
- Freq Response:: 20HZ-20000HZ
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Max Power: 10mW
- Cable Interface: 3.5mm
- Sensitivity: 107dB(at 1KHz/mW)
- Plug Type: Detachable 0.78mm 2-Pin
Ziigaat is a new brand and this was my first encounter with them. Early impressions were positive due to their small and comfortable fit, but the overall sound here isn’t as competitive as I would like. They’re best suited for instrumental music and aren’t great for gaming or music with critical vocals.
Vocals, and team shout outs, are recessed on this set. Not hidden but definitely not as forward as most. The bass is rather powerful and sounds good, partially because the mids are dialed back some, I believe, but it leads to these having a darker sound signature. At the same time, the soundstage is fairly tight and “in your head.”
They’ll work for gaming and general listening, and aren’t fatiguing in the slightest, but there’s no there’s no compelling reason to choose these over the plentiful competition. The Simgot EM6L is $10-20 more than these depending on the sale and have better tonality and overall performance. The Kiwi Ears Melody is a planar earphone but cheaper and all-around better. Likewise, the Kiwi Ears Quartet is around the same price and better across the board.
It’s a start for Ziigaat but this is one I would pass on.
Ziigaat Nuo
- Current Price: $29.99 (Amazon, Linsoul)
- THD: < 0.5%(at 1KHz)
- Drivers: 10mm LCP Dynamic Driver
- Rated Power: 5mW
- Freq Response: 20Hz-20000Hz
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Max Power: 10mW
- Cable Interface: 3.5mm
- Sensitivity: 107dB(at 1KHz/mW)
- Plug Type: Detachable 0.78mm 2Pin
If you don’t like the 7Hz x Crinacle Zero: 2 or are worried about its shallow fit, these are a solid alternative. With a single dynamic driver, these earphones really embrace the low end and transition into the mids. There’s a good amount of tactile rumble in the sub-bass and a healthy amount of thickness in the mid-bass (synths, bass guitars) but I didn’t find them to be muddy. The treble is pretty unremarkable; though, it’s not offensive, either.
I would still give the edge to the Zero 2 overall, but there is one area where the Nuo surpasses it: soundstage and imaging. While not exceptionally wide, they’re more spacious than I expect to find at this price, which makes them a good choice for gamers on a budget. There’s enough detail to the experience that you won’t feel like your games or music are being masked. You’ll be able to get lost, all without worrying too much if they should also get lost or broken since they’re so cheap.
Final Thoughts
That will wrap us up for this second exploration! We have one or two more to go with our current selection of IEMs, but let us know if there’s a set you’re curious to learn more about. Until next time, let us know what you think in the comments below! Thank you again to Linsoul for providing this selection of IEMs for this series!
The products described in this article were provided by Linsoul for evaluation purposes.
