SoundMAGIC E10, E30 and PL50 Earphones (Playback 58)

High Value Spoken Here

Using the same now familiar tracks, the presentation through the PL50s was in clear contrast to the E-series models. On John Mayer’s “Gravity” the light and forward balance made the track particularly exciting, with the emphasis on John’s vocal and guitar. The glowing warmth of Meyer’s solo was lost, but its sound had a squeaky clean quality that I often associate with balanced armature drivers.

On the Ray Brown jazz track the PL50s moved Ray to the background, almost turning it into pianist Gene Harris’ date instead of Ray’s. I could still easily follow the bass line, but the power and drive of the instrument was mostly missing. Harris’ piano was pushed forward to the point where it took on an almost strident tone, with hard hit notes popping out with startling dynamics. The warmth and smoothness I heard with the E10s and E30s was mostly missing, making the track less enjoyable to my ears.

CONCLUSIONS

SoundMAGIC E10

Consider this product if:

• You want an easy-to-appreciate earphone at a bargain price.
• Dynamic excitement is more important to you than ultimate transparency.
• You want earphones that won’t ruthlessly reveal the flaws of MP3 files.

Look further if:

• You want lots of isolation for noisy environments.
• You want killer bass for your beats.
• You need earphones that are smartphone ready. (Consider the $45 SoundMAGIC E10M)

Ratings (relative to comparably-priced earphones)

• Tonal Balance: 8
• Frequency Extremes: 7 (Bass)/6(Treble)
• Clarity: 7
• Dynamics: 9
• Comfort/Fit: 8
• Sensitivity: 7
• Value: 9
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SoundMAGIC E30

Consider this product if:

• You want a clear and communicative earphone for a modest outlay.
• You appreciate digging into the subtleties of musical communication.
• You’re not a headbanger.

Look further if:

• You want earphones with lots of isolation from the environment.
• You want heavy hitting bass for your dance tracks.
• You have deeply set ear canals.

Ratings (relative to comparably-priced earphones)

• Tonal Balance: 9
• Frequency Extremes: 6 (Bass)/7(Treble)
• Clarity: 9
• Dynamics: 7
• Comfort/Fit: 5
• Sensitivity: 6
• Value: 9
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SoundMAGIC PL50

Consider this product if:

• You want a clear and detailed sound and aren’t a big bass-head.
• You want earphones that you’ll hardly notice and that stay comfortable for hours.
• You want earphones that will play very loud without needing an outboard amp.

Look further if:

• You want good isolation from external noise.
• You want bass that will move you.
• You want earphones with a neutral wide-range response.

Ratings (relative to comparably-priced earphones)

• Tonal Balance: 6
• Frequency Extremes: 5 (Bass)/6(Treble)
• Clarity: 8
• Dynamics: 8
• Comfort/Fit: 9
• Sensitivity: 9
• Value: 6

BOTTOM LINE:

SoundMAGIC’s E10, E30, and PL50 earphones each cost less than a fancy restaurant meal, yet they manage to provide a healthy step up from the freebie earbuds that come with most personal music players. While hardcore audiophiles might not find too much to get excited about here, these earphones do deliver tremendous value for a relatively modest outlay.

The obvious winners between the three models tested were the E10 and E30, which plainly outshone the PL50 despite their lower prices. Which one is right for you will depend on your musical taste, and also somewhat on the shape of your ears. For me the E30s gave the clearest and most natural sonic picture, but this was tempered by their incompatibility with the shape of my ears. Having said that, I found the presentation of the E10s to be perfectly enjoyable, similar in some ways to the Monster Turbine Pro Gold, if lacking that much more costly model’s lucidity and range.

If your musical interests run towards dance music and other genres where the beat is king, perhaps a more bass prominent earphone like the ThinkSound TS02 will be more your speed. If, however, your taste is more eclectic and varied, there’s a strong argument to be made in favor of the E30s. The E10s kind of straddle the divide between the TS02s and E30s, so for some listeners they will actually turn out to be the best compromise of all. That’s certainly my own choice, at least on comfort grounds if nothing else.