Simgot EM6L Review: 5-Driver Hybrid IEM at $109

This IEM contains multiple drivers with a 3-way crossoverA network of filters that divides the audio signal into frequency bands before each reaches its appropriate driver - passive (in the speaker) or active (before the amp)., and tries to achieve the Harman 2019 target. It all sounds very promising, as marketing materials usually do. But how well does it actually perform in practice?

The Simgot EM6L is priced at $109, which I would consider to be in the budget range for an IEM, although some people might call it mid-range.

Design and Comfort

It features a glossy black shell that’s made with a high-precision 3D printing process. There are no visible imperfections or rough texture, making it impossible to tell that it was 3D printed.

The IEM shell is rather small, making it a great fit for those with smaller ears. I believe that their round shape prevented them from falling out by increasing the contact area and thus creating a bit more friction.

It has a 2-pin connectorA 0.78mm two-pin IEM cable connector that's mechanically stiffer than MMCX and offers better long-term reliability, though without the rotational freedom; standard on most mid-range and high-end IEMs. and comes with a fantastic, for this price range, cable. It’s made out of oxygen-free copper and is silver-plated. Some of you might not care about what it’s made out of, but I appreciate the effort put into making sure that the entire signal path is of high quality. It’s braided as well, to minimize interference and make it look better. On the visual side, it perfectly complements the IEM with its gold and black color scheme. It has great ergonomics and doesn’t cause any discomfort like some cheap cables do. Overall, it stays out of the way and doesn’t interrupt the listening experience.

Technical Specifications

In terms of the drivers, there is one dynamic driverThe most common transducer type, using a voice coil in a magnetic gap to push a cone or dome diaphragm - the same principle as a traditional loudspeaker. and four balanced armatureA miniature driver used in IEMs where a metal armature pivots between magnets, allowing multiple drivers to be stacked in a very small shell. drivers, which are controlled by a hybrid three-way crossover.

The impedanceThe total opposition (resistance + reactance) a speaker or headphone presents to the driving current, measured in ohms and varying with frequency. of the IEM is listed as 26Ω, and the sensitivityThe output sound pressure level for a standardized input - typically dBSPL at 1W/1m for speakers, or dBSPL at 1mW or 1V for headphones. is rather high at 119dB/V. All of the drivers work together to produce a frequency responseA graph showing output amplitude vs. frequency - the most fundamental measurement of any audio component's tonal character. of 8Hz to 40kHz, which is beyond the typical human hearing range - but that’s a very good thing, especially in the lower limit. It indicates that there’s very little or virtually no low-frequency roll-off.

Sound Quality

Looking at a frequency response graph, you can see that the treble and sub-bassFrequencies below approximately 60Hz; felt as much as heard, sub-bass conveys pipe organ fundamentals, kick drum body, and concert hall size. are mostly in line with Simgot’s goal of achieving the Harman 2019 in-ear curve. The lower end of frequencies is lifted to match that target. However, in the mid-bass, there’s some additional energy, that can be perceived as bloaty. It surely makes for some additional warmthA subjective description of elevated bass and lower-midrange energy giving a sense of fullness; can be a tonally accurate or an artificial coloration. - if you’re into that and you don’t mind its muffling effect on vocals, obscuring some of the finer details and clarity.

Treble is pretty smooth in terms of peakiness, however, its amplitude is not being compromised in any way, besides not extending exactly to 20kHz.

Finally, we come to the soundstageThe perceived three-dimensional acoustic space in a stereo recording - width beyond the speakers, depth front-to-back, and sometimes height information., which is where things get intriguing. The EM6L can be described as having a “weirdly big” soundstage. A wide soundstage typically enhances the listening experience, creating a sense of spaciousness and immersion. However, we lack a bit of pinpoint precision in the placement of instruments within the sound field. Although it can be wide, it doesn’t provide a sense of large scale, which some people desire. This is usually challenging to achieve in in-ear monitors, and these ones are no exception.

But what it does provide is great channel separationThe isolation between left and right channels, measured in dB; insufficient separation causes stereo crosstalk that narrows the soundstage., which in IEMs is often very good, as there’s very little sound leakage. You might be surprised by how much of a difference it makes!

These in-ear monitors can do one more thing pretty well: punchBass impact in the 60-150Hz region - the chest-thump of a kick drum or the snap of a slap-bass note. Distinct from slam, which extends lower; punch is about the leading edge of bass transients, not the depth.. Not necessarily slamThe visceral impact of low-frequency transients - kick drums, bass drops, tympani - felt as much as heard. High-slam systems combine deep extension with fast transient attack and high SPL capability without compression. (meaning a large surface hit), but they can punch you with a concentrated and small surface type of hit.