Soundmagic ST80 Sport Earphones – Not So Fast, Punk
ST80 is the new sporty IEM from Soundmagic, a company focused on an awesome selection of products. This one is a really entry-level one, priced at 56 USD, and today’s review will mostly focus on it as my collection of reviews about products priced similarly is rather thin.
Introduction
Soundmagic is a nice company from China, and they offer a wide range of products, from entry-level gems, all the way to some pretty amazing headphones, like their HP1000 series. ST80 sits right in the beginning of their product range, being one of the most entry-level products they have. They never forget their customers and they offer a 10/10 customer experience, plus support.
That being said, it should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Soundmagic. I’d like to thank Soundmagic for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in Soundmagic ST80 find their next music companion.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/2Y2uKbM
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3EYcZe6
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3ENG8bY
Packaging
First things first, let’s get the packaging out of the way:
We receive so much for so little with ST80, and the package alone would be enough for it to make it to Audiophile-Heaven’s Hall Of Fame.
This one is more of a sport-oriented IEM, but it comes with a beautiful carrying case, and an aptX capable bluetooth receiver, which is far more than most IEMS come with at this price point.
That receiver also supports microphones, and you can use ST80 for taking phone calls.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort
ST80 is fairly comfortable, made of metal, and adjustable. The ear hooks slide and you can adjust them to sit as you need them for your own ears. They have a mic / remote, but the audio quality of the microphone is just ok for the price. There is a huge selection of tips included with ST80, but given their shape and over-the-ear hooks, they almost always feel like they might slide out of your ears. Because the cables are always straight-down, they are prone to some cable microphonic noise.
The Bluetooth module replaces the default cable, and uses MMCX connectors. It has microUSB connectors, and you can use the remote / microphone on it to control the BT receiver. Given the shape / ergonomics, the bluetooth module almost always ends up being at the back of your head, clipped to a shirt, while the microphone sits comfortably around your neck. The overall comfort is good, and they are an ok IEM for sports and physical activities.
There is no driver flex, and ST80 is reasonably easy to drive, so an awesome IEM to plug into your phone and run away. They offer a good 15-20dB of passive noise isolation, and they do not leak much, so they are great for the gym. I can still hear myself typing this review with music at max on my Black Shark 4 Phone though, and my gf can hear my music.
Because ST80 has a large dynamic driver, they have a large vent that is never covered, so that is where leaks will happen. The bluetooth module sounds worse than the wired connection, and is not worthy to mention for me. At this price it is perfect, but not as good FiiO BTR5 driving ST80. Still better than nothing for those rocking a phone with no jack or those who don’t want wires.
The portability is so good, we even made a friend while take the shots for today’s review.
Sound Quality
Speaking of that large dynamic driver, it offers some amazing bass, and the whole sound is natural, lush, deep and slightrly dark. The overall resolution is mostly similar to other ~60 USD IEMs, so I am not one bit disappointed.
The bass is at similar levels with the midrange, and they both are central elements to the sonic presentation of ST80. Generally, the sonics are open, with a huge soundstage, and the bass is also large, almost like what a high quality subwoofer would produce. The overall sound of ST80 is natural in speed, to slightly slow, and this applies to the bass as well. Generally, it is not quick enough for technical death metal, but it is absolutely perfect and hits the spot for gym music, pop, EDM, Dubstep and other pumped up music.
We’re looking at a natural, smooth and slightly dark midrange, which combines well with the uplifted bass, creating a lush and smooth signature for ST80. The detail levels are okay, but nothing special, while the soundstage is large, and instrument separation is ok too. I can hear quite a bit of sweetness with female voices, and some textures too, but at 60 USD we get the typical level of detail. I am surprised by the great dynamics that ST80 is able to present, and the midrange is pretty musical and fluid, stress-free, and in the end pairs really nicely with the natural – slightly – slow bass, having the same character. I want to emphasize this, but the mids and bass are really clean and grain-free. The sound is not muted nor exaggeratedly deafened in the upper midrange. It sounds natural-dark, fun, enjoyable.
There’s not much treble with ST80, and the highest notes reach around 9kHz, everything above rolling off gently and smoothly. This means you can’t really get much air and sparkle with ST80, but they’re fatigue free. As long as you’re not purchasing them for metal, rock or aggressive music with lots of emphasis on detail, you should have a pretty fun experience.
Value and Conclusion
Soundmagic ST80 has a great overall value, and they offer a good affordable IEM for gym. The sound is deep, full and has a beautifully rounded bass, plus they won’t fall while you take them for a run, plus no driver flex is always nice to have.
At this price point, they even come with a bluetooth cable / module with good overall performance, and if you’re looking to do some light sport, running and for an IEM with a sporty style, and a nice bassy presentation with excellent clarity, then ST80 is a really great choice.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/2Y2uKbM
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3EYcZe6
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3ENG8bY
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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