Soundmagic  - Soundmagic E10

Soundmagic

E10, intras to listen to in peace

Aprox. 29€ - see price -

This is certainly not a novelty that we offer you today, but a product which, due to its great popularity, was sorely lacking in our comparison of in-ear headphones. The famous SoundMagic E10 promise a sound that is both bass and detailed (a V-shaped signature, what), solid construction, comfortable wearing, all packed in an unbeatable price - in short, the recipe for success. But there is no coinage that fits on our test bench: what are the E10 really worth?

Our review

Ergonomics

The E10 are in-ear headphones reduced to their simplest expression: two chassis, a Y cable, a mini-jack. If the absence of remote control raised heated questions within our dear audio section (can we consider this absence as disabling, these days?), We finally decided not to sanction the product, but to warn the reader straight off.

So be warned: impossible to pause or play music, adjust the volume, navigate between tracks, and therefore ... no hands-free kit! It is therefore necessary to drop your portable music player / smartphone at each desired change, and obviously during a call. Note that for a few extra euros, you can get the E10C, identical model equipped with a remote control.

The chassis is made of metal, a very rare material in this price range where plastic is usually found. The cable sheath, on the other hand, is made of plastic, and recalls the texture of the Scoubidous - by the way, did you know that they were baptized after a song by Sacha Distel? Robust during the first uses and anti-tangles, we can not swear the durability of this sheath. Finally, the mini Jack is very well made, but, being not bent, also makes us fear poor resistance over time - particularly at the joint.

To protect them, do not hesitate to put them back in the small case provided for this purpose. Next to it, there are no less than 7 pairs of silicone eartips, including a biflange. Unfortunately there are no Comply tips, an absence which, given the cost, remains completely understandable.

Wearing the E10 is at first sight very comfortable, the intras sliding without any harm in our ears. After half an hour, on the other hand, it is another story: certain body types are tortured by a pressure point which does not inconvenience others in the least. Indeed, depending on the shape of your shell, the outer edge of the metal frame can start to press painfully against your cartilage. It is even possible that only one of your two ears is affected (this is the case for your servant). To find out, there is only one solution: try them!


Ergonomics

Audio

In a calm environment (and without walking), the E10 offer a correct sound performance. The bass is deep, the midrange is intelligible and the treble, slightly behind, still enjoys a level of detail quite acceptable.

The distortion is excellent throughout the spectrum, outside of the classic peak around 1 kHz. We would then tend, in view of these two curves, to say that the E10s are balanced and clean ... Error, that's without taking into account the low reactivity of the membranes! They struggle to master the first half of the spectrum, generating bass which, despite a fairly precise attack, lingers. Symmetrically, this lack of precision considerably colors the mids and creates in the high mids a confusion which, when the musical content is frequently rich, blurs everything that is not mixed in the foreground (tablecloths, choruses, etc.).

In noisy and moving environment, the silicone tips unfortunately do not offer the support that we hope. The approximate blockage of the ear canals causes a real loss of bass and general sound level. We are then tempted to push the level, and patatras: the membranes panic and deliver a pinched sound, sometimes even garish. We then have two choices: reposition its intras every five minutes ... or buy memory foam tips!


Audio

Conclusion

If used seated and in a quiet environment, the Soundmagic E10s are very good value for money. On the other hand, on the roads, the absence of remote control and the silicone tips can constitute a real handicap. You can then turn to the E10Cs by adding a pair of shape memory tips.


Conclusion

Reviews