Sound Analysis.

I did put EN700 Pro through about 100hrs of burn in, and found it to have a balanced fuller body sound signature with a slight tilt toward low end lift and a neutral-warmish natural tonality. It has a surprisingly good retrieval of details, not on a micro-detail level since we are not talking about bright revealing sound sig, but a resolving natural sound with plenty of clarity considering how smooth the sound is.

Low end has a very good extension down to a rumbling sub-bass and some mid-bass lift. The bass has an average attack and decay, not too fast or too slow, very typical of a dynamic driver performance. It’s not necessary the tightest or the most articulate performance and has a little bit of spillage into lower mids, but it’s very nicely emphasized without being overwhelming or muddying the sound. Overall, the bass is smooth and punchy, and under a reasonable control. I noticed that quality of bass remained quite similar across different sources.

Lower mids are a little north of neutral, adding to a fuller body of the sound without making it veiled or muddy. Upper mids are clear and detailed, as mentioned before, not too revealing or micro-detailed, but with a natural organic tonality, great with both male and female vocals. Mids are balanced relative to lows and treble, and overall smooth and detailed.

Treble is clear and well defined, but not as crunchy or airy. It’s tuned more toward the smoother side, very well controlled. It has just enough definition to give the sound decent clarity and details, but very conservative when it comes to airiness and extension.

The layering and separation is average, which is typical of neutral-warmish tonality, and sound is relatively transparent, scaling up with better sources. I mean, vocals and instruments are easy to distinguish, though I hear less air between layers, but it never gets congested or veiled.

Soundstage has above the average width, with more depth than width creating a bit more space in front of you, extended a few rows ahead, further. As a result, to my ears the positioning of the instruments and vocals is grouped closer, but you can still easily pin-point everything.

Pair up.

Considering lower sensitivity of 101dB, I was already expecting EN700 Pro to require my sources to be pushed a little harder.

Cowon Plenue 2 and R – expanded balanced sound, excellent retrieval of details, tight punchy bass, nice sub-bass rumble, neutral lower mids, detailed upper mids, crunchy treble.

Cayin N3 – wide soundstage, excellent sub-bass rumble, tight punchy articulate bass, neutral lower mids, layered transparent upper mids with excellent retrieval of details, crisp well-defined treble.

Shanling M2s – expanded balanced sound, punchy bass with a little less sub-bass rumble, but mid-bass is still tight and punchy, upper mids are a little more revealing, and lower treble has more sparkle and crunch.

Shanling M3s – expanded balanced sound, tight punchy bass with a nice sub-bass extension and well controlled sub-bass rumble, a little more than M2s but not as much as N3. Neutral lower mids, clear revealing transparent upper mids, and well defined crisp treble.

theBit Opus#1 – expanded balanced sound, tight punchy bass with a great sub-bass rumble, neutral lower mids, clear detailed upper mids, though a little less transparent in comparison to N3 or M3s. Crisp bright treble, not as harsh but a touch brighter.

FiiO X5iii – expanded soundstage, nice punchy bass, but a little less sub-bass rumble and mid-bass is not as tight. Lower mids are a little north of neutral, and upper mids are detailed but smoother and more organic. Treble is crisp and well defined.

Galaxy Note 4 (phone) – expanded soundstage, nice sub-bass rumble, punchy mid-bass, neutral lower mids, clear detailed upper mids, a little smoother and not as transparent but with good level of detail retrieval. Treble is well defined, just a little smoother.

Comparison.

I think the main comparison everybody will be curious about is EN700 Bass vs EN700 Pro.

These have a very similar soundstage expansion, with above average width and more depth. Pro sounds a little more open which creates a perception of more width and depth when compared to Bass version.

Overall tonality and signature has changed. Bass version having a stronger mid-bass impact with a slower decay that spills more into lower mids, making sound a little more congested and more L-shaped in comparison. Pro version bass is tighter and has more control. In lower mids, Bass version is thicker and warmer, while Pro version is more neutral in both quantity and tonality. Upper mids are clear and detailed in both version, though Pro has upper mids more transparent and better defined. With treble, also you can hear a noticeable difference where Pro version has more clarity, better definition, more crunch and airiness.

Overall, true to its name, Bass version will appeal more to a crowd who wants L-shaped tuned iem with thicker detailed mids, natural tonality, and doesn’t care as much about treble sparkle. While Pro version has a more neutral tuning due to a better controlled and more balanced bass and more revealing treble. Of course, the icing on the cake is a removable cable which can fine-tune the sound even further with Pro version.

Here is how it stacks up against a few other IEMs.

EN700Pro vs P1 – P1 is harder to drive, has the same soundstage width, Pro has deeper sub-bass, tighter mid-bass and overall more controlled bass with a faster punch. Lower mids are similar, neutral, upper mids are more revealing in P1, while Pro is revealing but more natural, while P1 has a lot crisper, harsher treble; Pro treble sounds more natural and smoother in comparison.

EN700Pro vs CKR10 – very similar soundstage and overall tonality, both have a deep sub-bass rumble, punchy mid-bass, though Pro is a little softer in comparison, neutral lower mids (Pro is a little more neutral, while CKR10 has a little more body), and detailed upper mids. CKR10 upper mids are more forward and little brighter. Both have a crisp well defined natural treble.

EN700Pro vs New Primacy – very similar soundstage width, and neutral signature. Both have a very similar bass, though Pro has a deeper sub-bass rumble. Primacy lower mids are a little fuller with more body, while Pro is more neutral. Also, Primacy upper mids are more organic, smoother while Pro is a little more revealing and a touch thinner. Pro has a crisper treble with more sparkle, while Primacy treble is also well defined, but not as crisp and with less airiness.

EN700 Bass vs EN700 Pro

Conclusion.

I have to say, Simgot really did their homework. Everything from a striking design of the shells, to all metal build quality, from a very ergonomic shape with a comfortable fit to a removable 8-core cable, and from a generous selection of two types of eartips to a good looking leather case. But it’s not only about the looks, the design, and the accessories, but also about the sound tuning which is balanced, smooth, natural, and yet still detailed, and pairs up great with many sources. Lately, I have been reviewing a lot of high end flagships, and it’s easy to get spoiled by their luxury, making it difficult to switch to “budget” IEMs afterwards. With EN700 Pro I found this switch to be still very enjoyable. Simgot definitely raised the bar with their latest release!