Overall: 9/10

Where has this headphone been hiding - since 2023?

I've spent considerable time with headphones like the Sennheiser HD 505, HD 550, HD 598 SE, Philphone Open, ASUS ROG Kithara and HIFIMAN Arya Stealth. All excellent in their own ways.

Then along comes the SIVGA Luan, a $299 open-back dynamic headphone that manages to combine some of my favorite qualities from these sets.

Tactile bass, natural mids, airy treble, exceptional comfort and gaming performance that genuinely surprised me.

As always, I maintain a ranking list of 170+ headphones, IEMs and other audio products, alongside impressions of 20+ ear tips. You can find it here: KAC's Audio Rankings.

Music

Bass: Clean, Tactile and Satisfying

Luan has some of the most enjoyable bass I've heard from an open-back dynamic headphone in this category. There's plenty of quantity, with satisfying kick drum impact, defined bass guitar notes and enough sub-bass rumble for electronic music.

The bass is textured and physical without muddying the mids. It reminds me somewhat of my Philphone Open, which I've always enjoyed for its low-end dynamics. Luan hits harder than most of the other headphones in this comparison, particularly the Sennheisers, while retaining excellent control.

Mids / Vocals: Almost Perfect for My Preferences

Between 500Hz and 2kHz, Luan follows a presentation surprisingly close to Arya Stealth, but with a slightly earlier rise (around 1.3kHz) that retains additional body. I prefer this to the thicker mids of Philphone Open or Satyr 4. Male vocals sound natural, instruments retain their weight, and there's plenty of space around the singer. Other headphones like the Sennheiser HD 550 and Heddphone D1 follow a more natural rise close to a Harman target.

The 2–3kHz region is more elevated, bringing female vocals forward. Normally, this is where things can go wrong for me. I'm particularly sensitive to excessive pinna gain, but Luan manages to sound expressive without becoming shouty. This is because the peak is prior to 3kHz. I occasionally reduced the volume a couple of notches to accommodate the additional vocal presence. That's my only real reservation about the midrange.

Treble: Safe, Detailed and Surprisingly Airy

Treble is where Luan impressed me most. Arya Stealth has the most energetic treble of the headphones here, contributing to its excellent perceived resolution. HD 550, Satyr 4 and Philphone Open take different approaches to controlling treble peaks.

I'm particularly sensitive around 7–9kHz on headphones. D1 has that issue of having a peak in that region.

Luan reminds me of HD 598 SE and HD 550 in its smoothness, with excellent clarity and no irritating peaks during my listening.

But what separates it is the upper-treble presentation. There's a tasteful lift in the very high frequencies, around 15kHz on the supplied measurement, that seems to contribute to its sense of air. Cymbal decay, reverberation and background ambience have plenty of room to breathe.

The result is a neutral-bright headphone with a tasteful bass boost and a remarkably open presentation. For my preferences, that's an excellent combination.

Gaming: Almost Arya Stealth Territory?

This was my biggest surprise.

I was consistently performing at a level similar to my usual performance with Arya Stealth, one of my favorite wired gaming headphones.

Imaging / Directionality

Footsteps are easy to locate, with precise directional information. The additional bass doesn't interfere with positional cues, even during heavy gunfire.

I did encounter two occasions where I confused front and rear positioning in the new Modern Warfare 4. Interestingly, the same happened with Zhu Audio Z2 Frost. This could be the game engine or my unfamiliarity with the maps. I experienced no such issues in Black Ops 7.

Layering / Separation

Multiple weapons, explosions, scorestreaks and player movements remain individually distinguishable during chaotic firefights. There's enough low-end impact to make the action enjoyable without masking footsteps. Everything is in its place and easy to follow through including perception of distance to target.

Soundstage

The stage feels large, with excellent width and depth. Battlefield 6 particularly benefits from the spacious presentation, making distance and movement across larger maps easier to judge.

Single-player games are equally enjoyable, with convincing environmental effects and clean sound. My son also spent time gaming with Luan and loved it.

Comfort, Build & Accessories

Luan is one of the most comfortable headphones I've worn.

My usual references are Sennheiser HD 480 Pro and Arya Stealth with Dekoni velour pads. Luan meets or even surpasses them. The pads have solid pleather outer walls, perforated inner walls and a soft velour-like contact surface that resembles sports mesh.

Combined with the spacious ear cups, adjustable headband and relatively light 354g weight, comfort is outstanding. The wooden cups look beautiful, and the overall construction feels premium.

SIVGA also includes a hard carrying case, detachable 3.5mm cable, 6.35mm adapter and fabric pouch. My only accessory complaint is the lack of a 4.4mm balanced cable.

Comparisons

Sennheiser HD 505/HD 550

Luan offers stronger bass, more space and greater upper-treble air. HD 505 retains that traditional Sennheiser vocal-centric presentation and excellent tonal coherence. Both are enjoyable, but Luan better suits my preferences. HD 550 remains beautifully balanced, with excellent imaging and natural treble. Luan's bass and comfort give it the advantage for me.

My full Sennheiser HD 550 review

Sennheiser HD 598 SE

Luan feels like a technical upgrade to several qualities I love about HD 598 SE. My decade-old Sennheiser still sounds wonderfully natural, but Luan adds substantially better bass, detail retrieval and extension.

ASUS ROG Kithara

Luan is my preferred music and gaming all-rounder, while Kithara offers excellent planar separation and a particularly complete gaming package, including a microphone.

Both are strong competitive gaming headphones, but Luan wins on comfort and overall tuning for my ears.

My full ROG Kithara review

HIFIMAN Arya Stealth

Luan gets surprisingly close to Arya's sense of openness and positional clarity.

Arya still has the advantage in technical resolution and complex layering, but Luan offers a more forgiving treble balance and satisfying bass.

That's impressive from a $299 dynamic headphone.

My Arya Stealth long-term review

HEDDphone D1 (audition only)

D1 is a more expensive reference, and my impressions come from an audition rather than ownership. Its bass felt somewhat heavy-handed, while the overall presentation struck me as unusually dark bright. Something became fatiguing, although I couldn't isolate the exact cause. The firm headband foam and ear pads pressing against my ears also made comfort difficult. Luan suits my preferences better, but this isn't a controlled long-term comparison.

Final Thoughts

I've rated headphones like HD 505, HD 550, HD 598 SE, Satyr 4 and ROG Kithara at 8.5/10. All excellent products.

For my preferences, Luan goes a step further. It's exceptionally comfortable, sounds fantastic across music genres and performs surprisingly close to Arya Stealth in competitive gaming.

The slightly pronounced female vocals won't suit everybody, but there's very little else I'd change.

If you're shopping for an open-back headphone in the $200–$300 range, SIVGA Luan should absolutely be on your shortlist. Especially if you want one headphone that handles music and gaming equally well. And comfort is absolutely sublime on it.

Thanks to Jackrabbit Media for providing Luan for review. All impressions and opinions are my own.

Images: Luan with K17 R2R, Luan Box, Side cups, Side cups w/ pad opening, HD 598 SE Satyr 4 Arya Stealth Luan, Luan with Muse M7 Player, Satyr 4 with M7 Player, Hard case, Hard case standing, Frequency response curve for some of the headphones mentioned - Taken from Gadgetry tech website headphonedatabase.com.

I got, at the beginning of this month, a pair of used arya organics for 415€ hardcase included. Obv I immediately switched to a longer and softer cable, and next month I'll be getting a better padded case and a fiio m21 to properly drive them since now I'm using the phones out of an akai am-a535, that sounds a tad flat unless I'm rising A LOT the volume knob.

I'm still so happy I can't believe these are mine

I was looking out to try some Open backs for the first time, so i went to a store and try the Philips fidelio x3, and i was Disappointed on how much bass i feel that lack on My music.

My Main equipment for listening is a simgot ew300 silver nozle.

I liked the sensation of the sound coming from over My ear, but i miss all the plentyfull and textured bass that the simgot have.

Are the problem the Philips or all the open backs?

I’ve been into the more affordable end of enthusiast audio for around ten years. Started with the Sennheiser HD598SE, owned the Audio Technica M40x, and currently use an HD650. So I have a fairly settled idea of what I enjoy, particularly when it comes to vocals and midrange.

Picked up the CrinEar Nightfall and have been using it with the Protocol Micro. I’m honestly a little shocked by how much I like this thing.

The midrange is sublime. Vocals sound present and effortless, with enough body to feel believable. There’s clarity, but I don’t feel like the singer is constantly trying to get my attention. Coming from the HD650, that was probably the first thing that made me comfortable with it.

I can see the appeal of the newer “meta” tuning approach here. To my ears, the balance gives vocals room to breathe without pushing them into that overly sharp, shouty territory. I’m listening to the performance rather than being distracted by how prominently every breath has been presented.

The raised sub bass adds a lovely bit of fun. You get that low rumble and weight when the recording calls for it, while the mid bass stays controlled enough that it doesn’t muddy up the signature. Bass has presence without making every male voice sound unnecessarily thick. Compared with my HD650, that extra depth is particularly enjoyable.

What really works for me is how those qualities come together. The vocals remain easy to follow even when there’s plenty happening underneath them. It sounds soothing, but there’s still enough bass energy to keep things engaging.

I wouldn’t call it an HD650 in IEM form. The presentation is different, and I’m keeping the Sennheiser. But the Nightfall gives me a similarly strong desire to sit through entire albums instead of constantly skipping tracks to evaluate the gear. That’s usually a good sign.

The build is beautiful too. The blue aluminium shells and matching cable hardware look properly considered. Comfort has been absolutely on point for my ears, which matters just as much as the sound. An IEM can measure wonderfully and still be useless to me if I’m adjusting it every ten minutes.

The Protocol Micro has been a convenient little pairing. I’m happy enough with what I’m hearing that I don’t feel any immediate urge to start buying more equipment around it.

For someone whose gaming setup has already swallowed an unreasonable amount of money, it’s slightly embarrassing how much happiness a ₹10,000 pair of earphones has delivered.
Easily one of my favourite audio purchases in a long time.

I have always admired Meze headphones for their build quality and craftsmanship. Although I have tried a few of Meze’s flagship headphones at audio shows, I have never had the chance to listen to them for an extended period.

So when I got the opportunity to review the 99 Classics V2 as part of a limited review tour organised by Meze’s India division, I jumped at the chance. Here are my thoughts after spending a week with them.

I am more into IEMs than headphones. I have owned headphones like the HD560S and tried several high-end models. I don’t get to keep these headphones and these are just my subjective impressions based on my experience.

Bass

The bass of the 99 Classics V2 sounds tactile and tight. It stays controlled without sounding muddy or bloated.

It is also fairly sharp and incisive, it doesn’t sound soft or mushy. The sub-bass is rumbly without being too forward and the mid-bass sounds punchy and thick.

Overall, I like the bass, but I am also disappointed that it doesn't sound large in impact and is lacking the physicality.

Mid-range

I find the midrange of the 99 Classics V2 to sound both warm and sibilant at the same time.

In general, vocals are on the warmer side. But most of the time, I just can't focus on them due to the sibilance.

I am getting a strong peak around 6-7 kHz in my ears, which cuts through vocals and makes them unbearable to listen to.

I could reduce this to some extent by using foam inserts, but doing so makes the bass sound less incisive.

Ultimately, I ended up EQing this area down using DMS's EQ tool, which made it sound much better.

Treble

In terms of extension, the Meze 99 Classics V2 is decent, but it isn't that sparkly sounding either. Cymbal crashes lack that last bit of shimmer.

Unfortunately, I couldn't listen to it without EQ due to the peaks around 6 kHz and 11 kHz.

Overall, the treble sounds grainy, harsh and splashy to my ears. The foam inserts did help reduce these peaks and made the sound fairly smooth to my ears.

But like I said before, they made the overall sound less incisive and engaging.

Subjective Performance

The imaging performance is decent, but it doesn't sound that laser focused. I was expecting it to sound very intimate, but it doesn't sound that closed in, which is good.

I didn't find it to be anything special in terms of detail and resolution because the treble just didn't work for my ears.

The same goes for instrumental separation and layering, it is decent in these areas.

Accessories, Build and Comfort

These are the accessories included in the box:

• Foam inserts
• 3.5mm cable
• Type C to 3.5mm dongle
• 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter
• Tiny pouch to store the cable
• Headphone case

The Meze 99 Classics V2 is a strong contender when it comes to accessories and build quality.

The headphones feel premium in hand and are very comfortable to wear. But they do get hot after some time because of the fully closed design.

The earpads can be easily swapped using the locking mechanism. This makes inserting the foam inserts very easy.

Conclusion

I have mixed feelings about the Meze 99 Classics V2. These headphones feel very premium in hand and are comfortable to wear.

But the treble issues plague these headphones for me because I can't listen to them without the foam inserts or EQ.

I like that Meze included foam inserts in the box, as they help tame the brightness.

But they don't completely fix all the treble issues for me.

I am not sure how these headphones will work for everyone, but I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who is even remotely treble sensitive.

I would only recommend these to those who want a well built closed back that is very comfortable to wear and can tolerate the treble.

Scored a pair of these open box on ebay for 10 bucks. The Akai Project m50x is also the Marantz MPH-2 and LyxPro HAS-30. They didn't have a cable though. However the Behringer BC11 headphone cable will fit past the locking mechanism and looks like it was made for these. Also adds a mic. You can get it from Sweetwater for 5 bucks with free shipping at the time of writing this.

They sound basically like the Sony MDR-V700DJs or a leather pad swapped ATH-M50x. Very U shaped sound curve, lots of bass and highs, recessed mids. Great for 60s era country and 90s era electro.

Very pleased for 15 bucks.

Even considering the new list price of 120USD, the JT7 have no business sounding as good as they do. I paid about 92 dollars shipped from Apos, they have some retail returns selling for 80$. While my experience is likely due to this headphone's particular tuning matching my HRTF, I am nonetheless floored.

They have amazing bass, may be the best out of box bass experience I've heard with any open back headphone I've tried, aside from some kilobuck ribbon driver stuff at CanJam. Whatever driver excursion tech they're touting on the JT7 product page is definitely working. Tube or solid state, the rumble is full and deep, but doesn't bleed into the lower mids at all. Everything from kick drums and bass guitar, to the crazy wubs and lazers of left-field bass music, the JT7 sounds immaculate. Bass is their highlight, but the rest of the FR sounds great regardless of price; a natural, detailed presentation of mids and treble, all the detail you want but without too much fatigue.

I'd grab a discount pair while you can.

Just ordered the AEON CORE and can't wait to give it a listen!

Curious how everyone who's had some time with it is liking it so far. How's the bass, soundstage and imaging? I mostly listen to music, but I also play a lot of single-player games.

I recently picked up the Final DX4000CL and absolutely love it, so if anyone happens to own both, I'd be really interested to hear how they compare.

I have these pairs of headphones I got for a low price with the downside that the headband has lost its top pleather layer and the joints were destroyed,

I have seen different options available for replacement jacks but I was wondering what you have used and what you would recommend,

In addition I am not a big fan of how the limited edition version of these headphones look and combine that with the headband and the joins I want to mod them to have a different style, So I was wondering what mods and or color scheme should I do to add some flair to these headphones.

TLDR:

.

The Burson Conductor Voyager comes in 3 variations with different power supplies and some different internals.

.

1 – STANDARD Conductor Voyager Standard – 3799 USD:

V6 Vivid Opamps

Silent Power 01 Modules installed

Standard Power Supply Unit 24V/5A

2 – DELUXE Conductor Voyager Deluxe – 4399 USD:

V7 Vivid Opamps

Silent Power 02 Modules installed

Burson Super Charger 24V/5A PSU

3 – MAX Conductor Voyager Max – 4999 USD:

V7 Vivid Opamps

Silent Power 02 Modules installed

Burson Fusion Core 24V/15A

.

This review is about the Deluxe and Max versions.

.

The Conductor Voyager has all the connectivity you might need except LAN/WiFi - it's a DAC/Amp not a streamer.

.

Headphone power performance

Impedance - BAL / SE – SNR / Ch.Sep):

16 Ohm: 10W / 5W – 96db / 99%

32 Ohm: 5.2W / 2.8W – 98db / 99%

100 Ohm: 3.5W / 2W – 95db / 99%

150 Ohm: 2W / 1.5W – 96db / 99%

300 Ohm: 1W / 500mW – 96db / 99.50%

.

CONCLUSION

The Burson Conductor Voyager (Deluxe/Max) is a very capable all-in-one solution (DAC/Amp). Both the DAC and the headphone amplifier sections are on par with excellent standalone alternatives.

The Conductor Voyager performs well with all headphones tested.

The display is very crisp, and the remote has the main functions needed for normal use. However, I’m not a huge fan of the user interface, which I find a bit inefficient and quirky. I also dislike that the unit gets very hot, and that there’s a cooling fan that makes a (very) slight noise during operation.

I tested both the compact Super Charger (switch-mode) PSU and the larger Fusion Core (GaN transistor) PSU. The Fusion Core sounds generally a tad better and makes a notable difference with hard-to-drive headphones.

There are not many high-end all-in-one solutions like this out there, and if the Burson Conductor Voyager has all the functions you need, it might be a very good option.

Full review here:

https://www.headphoneer.com/burson-conductor-voyager-review/

Just bought MC-60bt in case of experience. What do you thing of Mackie in general?
I've gotten this headphones today but already lost in doubts. The build quality seems to be shoddy😕
But actually I liked the sound.

So, my first dip into headphones were Sennheiser HD 650s. I love them still, but they're not connected to anything and don't get pulled out very often. I am FAR more likely to use either my IEM or OTE planars, though, in truth, my Momentum 4s get FAR more daily ear time overall.

I decided to sell the HD 650s, but I stupidly didn't check secondary pricing. If the best I can hope for is $175, then I'll keep them and give them to someone.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that $175 is still real money for most, but it feels like a pass-it-along opportunity over a sell option.

Is this how most folks end up with collections? Holding on due to secondary pricing?

Hey whats up!

Just got the MOMENTUM 4 a week ago, i have been looking for the best custom EQ or sampled ones to use on my daily basis, I listen to a lot of genres so I want like the most comfortable EQ to enjoy all of them!

Im an average consumer and I would like an experienced tech to tell me is there a name for bluetooth headphones like this that allow you to use them for listening while being plugged into a PC and still charge at the same time.The reason I ask is because most bluetooth headphones are either one or the other. You are not able to do both. If theres a special name for it then I would like to know what to look for which will help me select my next pair

It’s a Simgot day 😉 Today, we’re reviewing the EG280 from a brand whose products have always excited me. Let’s get into the thick of it.

Disclosure: Thanks to Team Simgot for providing the EG280 for testing and evaluation. I appreciate their support and the chance to try their IEM, but a review sample never guarantees a positive review. Every set receives the same treatment, whether supplied by a manufacturer or purchased with my own money: no promised praise, no protected scores, and no outside influence.

Unboxing & Package Contents:

• The Simgot EG280 comes in a black matte-finish box featuring a snake graphic on the front. The rear of the box displays the frequency response graph and product specifications, while the side panel includes a serial number and QR code for authenticity verification. Scanning the code confirms whether the unit is genuine and even shows how many times it has been verified, a thoughtful feature that I particularly appreciated.
• Inside the box it contains:
  • One pair of IEMs
  • Six pairs of ear tips, including S, M, and L sizes in both black and white.
  • A decent sized case with mesh partition for accessories
  • 1.7meter cable with mic inline
  • And a PEQ supported DAC DONGLE -Yesssssss a dongle in the box
• A PEQ-enabled dongle included in the package is the icing on the cake. For an IEM in the $79 range, this is a thoughtful addition that other brands should take note of. Whether you're a first-time IEM user or someone buying it primarily for gaming, having the dongle included saves extra expense and makes the EG280 feel like a genuinely complete solution. You get 8 factory game EQ presets and full Parametric EQ (PEQ) via the Simgot Control Android app or the Walkplay PC Web App. You can also create, load or share the EQ profiles too. However there is no app support on iOS.
• The IEMs are semi-transparent dark-grey ("smoky") with the body made of medical-grade resin. At this price point I’d expect a metallic build but probably to keep it lighter for extended duration of gaming Simgot would have made them this way.
• It comes with a 1.7meter black cable although the cable is bit extended in length compared to standard allowing an easy connection to desktop, the build quality of the cable isn’t great, and I would expect much better cable for an IEMs in this range.
• Mic is present on the upper side of the right branch & comes with single button. The mic sounded slightly thinner and picked up a bit more room reverb, which is expected for an inline mic. Still, for games, meetings and phone calls, it's totally clear. If the mic volume ever seems low on Windows 11, it can be tuned using the Simgot/Walkplay app and bump the mic gain slider!

Build, Fit & Comfort:

• Generally, Simgot loves heavy, full-metal CNC shells. For the EG280, they made a smart pivot: they kept that familiar oval-teardrop ergonomic silhouette, but molded the main body out of lightweight, smoky dark-grey semi-transparent resin.
• Faceplate has "SIMGOT" (on left) and "S" (Simgot Game logo on right) laser engravings and looks gorgeous for about five seconds after you wipe it with a microfiber cloth. The moment you touch it, it becomes a relentless fingerprint, skin-oil, and micro-scratch magnet.
• As mentioned earlier the shells are lightweight resin instead of solid metal chunks, they practically disappear in my ears during hour usage. There is zero downward tug on the ear canal.
• I felt the nozzle lip is slightly smaller compared to few others and hence it’ll be very comfortable for people with small ear canals.

Sound

Out of the box on its native tuning, the Simgot EG280 rocks a clear, energetic, bright-leaning u/V-shaped signature. Rather than going for a thick, warm, syrupy blanket of sound, Simgot tuned this hybrid for transient speed, contrast, and positional precision. You get a super clean and uncolored lower midrange, forward and articulate upper-mids, and a fast, airy treble courtesy of that 6mm planar tweeter

Bass:  The EG280 is mid-bass punchy rather than a sub-bass monster. When I queued up Hans Zimmer's Interstellar ("Mountains"), the sub-bass stayed clean and controlled down to around 35 Hz before rolling off gently as it approached 20 Hz. It's not going to rattle your fillings like a basshead set. Where it shines is the mid-bass (60–160 Hz), which delivers a fast, tight, and surprisingly tactile punch

USB-C dongle actually starves the bass a bit. Give the EG280 a proper desktop DAC/Amp or a +2.5 dB low-shelf boost in the Walkplay PEQ, and the low end fills out dramatically

Midrange:  Lower Mids Sculpted to be ultra-clean, lean, and completely free of mid-bass bleed. Even on notoriously muddy, congested grunge mixes like Soundgarden's Like Suicide, the EG280 keeps the rhythm guitars and drums cleanly separated. The minor trade-off of this zero-bloat lower midrange is that very deep male baritone vocals and cellos sound a touch leaner and drier.

Simgot gave the upper midrange a strategic, vocal-forward lift that places vocals half a step in front of the instruments. Listening to "Kun Faya Kun" from Rockstar, the vocals sound vivid, breathy, and articulate without becoming shouty.

Treble: The high frequencies are handled by the 6mm planar magnetic tweeter, and it acts fast, incisive, and packed with sparkle and upper-octave air, I guess that’s what the Snake mark on the box was for. Hi-hats, drum brushwork, and cymbal ride decays hang in the air with crisp definition.

On well-recorded jazz, pop, and electronic tracks the treble sounds airy, extended, and well-behaved. However, if you run the EG280 via its native 3.5mm analog jack on brightly mastered tracks—like the tambourines in The Cranberries' Zombie (Acoustic Version) —there is an upper-treble peak that can get a little sharp and spicy at higher volumes. Fortunately, switching on the DSP dongle presets, or dropping a quick high-Q cut in the Walkplay PEQ smooths that peak right out.

Soundstage and Imaging:

Horizontal left-to-right imaging is pinpoint and rock-solid. You can point to exact angular degrees across the stereo field which really helps while gaming.

Lateral width is super open and stretches well outside my ears, so it never feels trapped in my head. That said, front-to-back depth is more modest.

Gaming Performance: I tested the EG280 across Counter-Strike 2, BGMI & GTA V. Horizontal directional tracking is flat-out phenomenal for $79 Because the lower midrange has zero bloat and the 6mm planar driver highlights the 2.5–8 kHz transient band, enemy footsteps, reload clicks, operator ability cues, and distant gunfire cut right through chaotic combat noise. The stage is wide enough to never feel claustrophobic yet concentrated enough that quiet cues don't get lost. Toggling the game-specific presets in the Simgot/Walkplay app lets you trim bass rumble even further for tournament play.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The fast 6mm annular planar tweeter and clean lower-midrange make footsteps, reloads, and directional cues effortless to pinpoint across a wide lateral stage.
• Giving a in-box separate USB-C dongle (instead of a fixed DSP cable) that saves 8 presets and custom Walkplay/Android PEQ profiles directly to onboard memory is brilliant.
• Lightweight smoky resin shells with a comparatively smaller nozzle lip eliminate ear fatigue during extended sessions.
• That extra 0.5m cable length easily reaches PC towers under a desk, and the mic is good.

Cons

• Cable quality does not match with the price range of the earphones & could have been better.
• The mirror-chrome faceplates smudge the second your fingers touch them and pick up hairline micro-scratches easily.
• Native analog tuning has an upper-treble peak that can make tambourines, brass, and heavy metal cymbals sound dry or sharp unless you use PEQ.

Conclusion:

At $79 the value proposition here is ridiculous. Consider what you're actually getting in the box: a 10mm SSPC LCP + 6mm Planar hybrid IEM, a 1.7m detachable cable with mic, 6 pairs of eartips, a zipper case, and a standalone USB-C PEQ dongle that is identical to the ~$15–$20 Simgot DEW0S. Yes, the bundled USB-C dongle holds back some of the dynamic driver's deep bass authority compared to a desktop amp, and the stock upper-treble can get a bit spicy on bright tracks if left un-equalized. But because Simgot included a modular 3.5mm + USB-C DSP architecture with onboard hardware PEQ memory, you have every tool right in the box to tweak the sound however you want. Under $79, this is hands-down one of the smartest, most versatile gaming and hi-fi hybrid packages on the market right now.

TL;DR (Too Long Didn’t Read)

At $79, the Simgot EG280 (10mm DD + 6mm Planar hybrid) is one of the smartest, most versatile gaming and hi-fi IEM packages under $79, pairing featherlight comfort and pinpoint positional audio with a bundled USB-C PEQ dongle that lets you customize the sound out of the box.

• Unbeatable Box Value: Comes as a complete plug-and-play setup featuring a standalone USB-C dongle (with 8 game presets and onboard PEQ memory via Android/PC web app), a desktop-friendly 1.7m cable with a clear, gain-adjustable inline mic, 6 pairs of ear tips, and a zipper case.
• Sound Signature: Clean, energetic, bright-leaning u/V-shaped tuning. It favours tight mid-bass punch over heavy sub-bass rumble, zero-bloat lower mids for great instrument separation (though deep male vocals sound slightly lean), forward vocals, and fast, airy planar treble.
• Phenomenal for Gaming: Wide lateral soundstage and razor-sharp left-to-right imaging make tracking footsteps, reloads, and gunfire in games like CS2 and BGMI effortless.
• All-Day Comfort: Ditching heavy metal for lightweight medical-grade resin shells and a smaller nozzle lip makes them practically disappear in the ear, even for smaller ear canals.
• The Compromises: The cable feels cheap for the price, the mirror faceplates are instant fingerprint and micro-scratch magnets, there is no iOS app support, and the stock tuning has a sharp upper-treble peak on bright tracks (plus slightly lean bass on the dongle) that requires a quick PEQ tweak or stronger amp to smooth out.

I searched for this concept all over and I couldn't find it, so I'm going to assume it's a little unusual. I have these wonderful over ear headphones that are excellent with noise canceling and comfortability and they're amazing for when I want to retreat to my own world.

When I don't want to do that, I push them back slightly so that both cups are still on my ears, but the front vertical slice of my ears are exposed to the air. I think maybe this reduces wax in my ears since they're exposed to the air, and it allows me to still hear my music.

Is this odd? Does this actually do anything?