Bring Back The Woah Effect – Simgot ET142 IEMs Review
Simgot ET142 is a $219 USD IEM / In-Ear Monitor / Earphone with a 12.5mm planar magnetic driver, and a multilayer piezoelectric ceramic driver in its configuration. It is made as an upgrade over the EA1000 Series that we’ve previously reviewed, so our review today will explore how the ET142 compares to EA1000 and broadly how it compares with other IEMS too, all while diving deeper into the world of music and sound produced by ET142.
Introduction
Simgot is now one of the most popular Chifi manufacturers, after it was noted by me, other reviewers and customers too, that Simgot is offering a performance far above the market, at a far lower price. So far, the company has made some really nice IEMs, and although they are still playing in the entry-level range, if you want IEMs with metallic shells, and high resolution / detail resolving abilities, they are one of the best brands to purchase from. As this sample was send by Linsoul, I want to add as a testament to their commitment that they learned Simgot changed the packaging, and although it is very similar to the default one, they made sure that everyone who got an ET142 also got the upgraded package, so if you want a reliable HiFi dealer for all your ChiFi needs, Linsoul is currently the most reliable source you can order from.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Linsoul and Simgot for providing us with the sample for this review.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4h2CvRh
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_olnz7Be
Build Quality / Aesthetics
Simgot keeps improving their IEMS, and ET142 now comes with a slightly different design than all of the other Simgot IEMs, but they are still using those large metallic shells known to be reliable and to scratch quite hardly, staying pristine after many years of usage. Those shells are magnets for fingerprints, but they really live well to usage.
Simgot ET142 is an upgrade over the original EA1000 as the new ET142 is also planar magnetic, and this one shows a planar driver combined with a PZT driver. This planar magnetic driver is double sided, and uses an ultra-thin diaphragm, and the MultiLayer Ceramic PZT driver is designed for the high and ultra high frequencies.
To deliver the sound to your ears, ET142 uses blazed titanium sound tubes, crafted using a high-temperature flame bluing process. There are four nozzle filters inside the package of the ET142, and I will copy over what the company has to say about each nozzle and the sound you can expect from them
- Blazed Titanium Nozzle (Transparent Silicone Ring): Extended treble and airiness for classical and instrumental focus.
- Gold-Plated Copper Nozzle (Yellow Silicone Ring): Warm and balanced tuning, perfect for versatile listening.
- Stainless Steel Red-Circle Short Tube Nozzle: A refined sound profile with enhanced clarity and precision.
- Stainless Steel Black-Circle Short Tube Nozzle: Smooth and dynamic tuning with a balanced response across the frequencies.
Simgot also includes the premium LC7 cable with the ET142, and this is a modular cable, with a silver-plated copper structure, with a 732-Core Litz Structure, designed for the best dynamic range and resolution. The tuning follows the Simogt-Golden 2023 Target, which is known to be on the brighter side of things, with a fuller bass.
If we want to get more technical, ET142 has an impedance of 14 OHMs, a SPL of 118dB, and a detachable cable with a 2-Pin 0.78mm pin size. This cable comes with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors. To disconnect the cable you just have to pull on it really hard, from the connector side.
Fit / Subjective Usage
Starting with heavy and solid IEM shells, ET142 shows good construction quality, and fairly good comfort, although the fitting is on the shallow side, just like all of the other Simgot IEMs I have reviewed to date. There’s a weak sense of passive noise isolation, and ET142 has at most 15 dB of passive noise isolation, most of the time offering around 10 dB of passive noise isolation.
We get no tangling from the cable, but it is very heavy and not flexible, so together with the heavy IEMs, it feels like ET142 was made for someone who goes a lot to the gym. I like the transport case, it is reliable and does not get damaged easily. The rather thick cable is impervious to handling noise, feeling perfect for both desktop and portable usage.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To provide a complete testing range for the Simgot ET142 I have paired it with Shanling EC Smart CD Player, FiiO BTR17, Creative Sound Blaster G8, Dethonray Listening M1, iBasso DC07 PRO, Astell&Kern Activo P1, and Hiby R6 PRO II. All of those sources are more than enough to drive the ET142, as it is sensitive although they seem somewhat sensitive to source noise and hissing.
Overall Signature – Just like Simgot E1000, the new ET142 is fairly bright sounding, with an open, brilliant treble, but also a strong bass to contrast the top end, and we get a very natural voicing with no compression, the tuning working really well for both male and female voices. We get a nice wide sound with good instrument separation and a highly resolving tuning. For most of my testing I have used the titanium nozzles, which are the trademark of the best sonic quality you can get from Simgot ET142.
Bass – Starting from the bottom, Simgot ET142 can easily reach around 30 Hz, below which it dips quickly. This can be improved with certain eartips, but I try to judge them with the default eartips and default nozzle as that’s what most customers are likely to experience. We get a fairly neutral bass overall, and it can be warmed up with the other filters, and with using aftermarket eartips like ddHiFi ST-35, but the price of the ET142 is too low to recommend aftermarket eartips.
Midrange – Voicing is natural, and it works very well with both male and female voices, there’s very little coloration and next to no compression in the midrange, and with a detailed upper midrange. There is a slight tilt towards the upper midrange sounding a bit stronger and more obvious, but there’s an excellent balance for rock and metal, even with male lead voices. Classical music is sublime, rich and fun with ET142, although the same can be said for rock, including bands like Accept that have a rich and impressive sound.
Treble – We get a bright, sharp and detailed, with extension up to 18 kHz, audible air and brilliance. This being said, the presentation is more balanced, more natural and less bright, less aggressive and less fatiguing than all of the other Simgot IEMs, as ET142 is rather clean and natural sounding rather than bright and fatiguing.
PRaT / Textures – Happily, it is hard to tell that there are two different drivers inside of the ET142, both are fast and accurate, but the internal acoustic and tuning makes it feel like they have a natural decay, a somewhat wet character that’s pleasing to the ear despite the brighter tuning.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – ET142 handles high volumes well, but the sonic presentation changes quite drastically with the volume, from a warm, natural and balanced tuning at lower volumes, to a brighter, more aggressive, more direct presentation at higher volumes. Happily the dynamic level and resolution is consistent across all volume levels, and Simgot ET142 is always very detailed.
Soundstage – Simgot generally has a semi open design for their IEMS, which leads to a larger than the average size for the soundstage, with an equally good lateral and depth for the sound. This being said, the separation is average, and ET142 blends instruments more than it separates them, creating rich and natural sound that works very well for all styles, but never feels like a surgically precise instrument.
Value and Conclusion
Simgot is continuing the tradition of offering high quality at low prices, and they still are a sight to behold, and even considering Linsoul’s rich list of products, ET142 is remarkably good for the price point.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a high-end pair of IEMs with excellent resolution, high detail resolving ability, reliable construction, and with a wide, holographic sound and brilliant treble, Simgot ET142 is fully recommended and ordering from Linsoul should give you the best customer experience possible out of all Chifi sales channels.
PROs
- Beautiful Finish and Design
- High-End Flagship-Level Modular Cable
- Reliable transport case that does not get damaged easily
- Easy to Drive
- Multiple Modular nozzle filters that can fine tune the sound
- Bright and detailed tuning, with a sharp treble, but a full bass too.
- High resolution and clarity
Cons
- Signature is a bit bright
- Cable is a bit heavy, and thick
- IEM shells are also heavy
- Very low passive noise isolation
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/4h2CvRh
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_olnz7Be
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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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