Simgot SuperMix 4 Review
Intro
Hello, today I am reviewing one of Simgot Audio‘s latest iems appropriately named the Simgot SuperMix 4, or SM4 (for review purposes). The SM4 is actually a four-driver hybrid with a very ambitious and very cool driver configuration. Simgot chose four-drivers in total, those being 1DD, 1BA, 1Planar, and 1 PZT. That is a crazy assortment of drivers, and I cannot wait to hear it. I realize I am late to the party with this set as it’s been out for a while now and many folks have already reviewed the SM4. So, the best I can do is give you my perspective and hope it helps you to make an educated decision that you’ll enjoy. At any rate, I’ve reviewed a number of Simgot’s products, and I can promise you, each one is fantastic. Each set has its own flavor and its own reason to be labeled one of the best in each relative price point.
Class & elegance
I’m talking about the legendary Simgot EA500 (EA500 Review), which took the audio world by storm. Quite literally. People were in a frenzy to hear it and rightly so, it’s a great set. Next, I reviewed the equally impressive Simgot EW200 (EW200 Review) which I am completely drawn to. Just a fine set that exudes class and elegance for the price. You really cannot lose with that set. Next, I reviewed the Simgot EM6L (EM6L Review) which offered a slightly different take on sound. It is a hybrid set and truly is a smooth king. Just a joy to have in my ears. Then came the Simgot EA500LM (EA500LM Review) and I gotta tell you folks, you won’t find many better under $100. Flat out and hands down one of the best you can get. Truly a phenom. Then I reviewed the Simgot EA1000 (EA1000 Review) which is one of my personal favorite iems of any price point and constantly stuck in my rotation. My word is that an awesome set. After that I reviewed the Simgot Dew4x (Dew4x Review), which is actually a dongle dac and one that I use every week for reviews and casual listening. I’ve been very happy with it. So much so that I’ve kicked more expensive dongle dacs to the curb. They’re collecting dust while the Dew4x is singing to me everyday almost. Simply awesome audio devices which deserve all the praise they’ve gotten.
It’ll be a good one!
The point of saying everything I’ve just said here, is that I have a history with the brand and that history is one of respect, admiration, and joy. The folks over at Simgot are top class as well. It seems that everything which comes from this brand exudes that class, elegance, and the ability to wow people. I’m just a true fan of Simgot. I promise I won’t let that skew my thoughts, but I’ll just tell you all right now, the Simgot SM4 is dubbed by many as one heckuva set and I do intend to find out why, this review will be a fun one to complete for me!
Simgot
I’ve said it a few times in my Simgot reviews that there was once a time when Simgot didn’t get the love that they get now. Not that they didn’t have great products, because I certainly enjoyed sets like the Simgot EN700 Pro and a few others. However, they simply didn’t make the same waves as when the Simgot EA500, EN1000, EA1000, EA2000 etc. hit the audio scene. I’m telling you people (not that you don’t already know) that Simgot has been on a tear through audio like nothing we’ve ever seen. Okay, at least like nothing I’ve ever seen. They are my idea of what the “Audio Golden Child” should be. They seem to do no wrong! Every design, build, tuning and overall theme of every set is like a masterclass on how to bring a product to market. It’s to the point now that you are hearing those detractors who go against the grain simply because of how good Simgot has been. They complain just to upset the apple cart, so to speak. Now that’s when you know you’ve made it. At any rate, what would a Simgot review be without some praise. Truly a standard in the hobby.
Fierce competition
One thing the SM4 has going against it is the same thing every set has going against it and that is the enormous amount of competition breathing down its neck. This set costs $150 MSRP and it’s fair to say that between $100 to $200 there are many sets which can easily compete against the SM4. I’m here to try to find out why the SM4 is special against those sets. The $150 range of iems is one of the more congested price points where many brands are really going over the top to draw in some of the market share. There are many examples of this. We’ve seen countless brands offer sets which can rightfully compete with sets that are more expensive.
Can it stand with the big boys?
It’s a tricky price point actually. Right above budget, three figures, better drivers, R&D, and the competition is breeding better quality as this price point is the next step past those budget “under $100” sets. So, any iem that even dares jump into the fray against some of the big boys of this price point will have to do something special. Be it the accessories, the driver count, the this, the that. But it really all comes down to the sound and how far these brands are willing to go to stretch that quality and grab that share of the market. It’s all just steppingstones my friends. The question I really want to know is if the SM4 can stand against (not just hybrids) some of the behemoths which are already standing tall, feet locked into the ground and established. It’s a tough price. Eh, who am I kidding, they are all tough price points. I could say the same thing for the $20-$40 price point or the $300-$400. It’s a good time to be a fan of audio, that’s for sure. Anyways, enough of that, I have a review to complete. A real fun one too which I’m excited to talk about. So, without further ado, the Simgot SuperMix 4 everyone…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
Disclaimer:
I received the Simgot SuperMix 4 from Simgot as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. Simgot has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to Simgot and thanks for reading.
SM4 Pros
-Very comfortable and lite on the ear
-The design is simple and sleek for my tastes
-Nice cable included
-Price to performance is very good
-Nice lean-lush note weight
-Fast, deep, impactful, articulate and well controlled bass
-Midrange is forward, clean, good body, musical
-Treble is just outstanding
-Details aren’t bad at all
-3D holographic stage
SM4 Cons
-Build Quality may not be to the usual Simgot standards (still nice)
-Warm and dark fans won’t exactly jump over themselves for this set
-Not the most brilliant treble ever
Gear used for testing
–Ifi Go Blu
–EPZ TP50
–Simgot Dew4x
–Aful SnowyNight
–Fiio Q15
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
–Shanling M6 Ultra
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
The unboxing experience with the Simgot SM4 is about what you should expect from a $149 set of earphones. The box arrived with a sleeve covering, medium sized. I’m guessing about 6″x 4” (rough estimate). The box is a pearly metallic green color with a shot of the SM4 on the cover and some stats on the back. I don’t know how many box-aficionados I have reading my review but… Not bad. Anyways, take off the sleeve and you’ll see a small flap which opens “book style” and uncovers the handsome looking SuperMix 4 sitting pretty in foam cut-outs. Next to the SM4’s is a box of accessories which is actually a box containing the carrying case (which is a nice-looking case btw). Inside the case you’ll find the cable. Next to the “Accessories” box is another box labeled “Eartips” which has…um… Eartips inside. Anyways, it’s a decent package. Nothing that is going to wow anyone, but all accessories are made of good quality and are worthy of a $150 price tag.
Eartips
So, the eartips provided are white silicone eartips (S, M, L) with a semi-wide bore and a very stiff internal stem and more rigid flanges. I love tips like this. Folks, in all reality these are just yet another version of KBear 07 style tips. Same firmness of flange, bore size, height, width, same everything except the color. I’m okay with that. More of these tips is always a good thing for me. However, I didn’t actually use the included tips all that long because my curiosity got the best of me, and I tried a bunch of other tips. I tried maybe 20 styles of tips and finally landed on the EPZ M100 tips. The M100’s seems to dial in the dynamics a bit better than the included tips as well as add stage size, treble density, balance. At least that’s how I perceive it. Still, the included tips are perfectly fine and work just as intended. Let’s put it this way, if I didn’t use the M100 tips then I would’ve likely gone with the included tips. By the way, the M100’s are really fantastic semi-wide bore tips that I would give a try. They are cost effective and very sticky. They seal tremendously well. Just a side note. So not bad at all. At the end of the day, if I was you, I would not go with anything narrow bore in this set. Anything narrow bore just meshes the dynamics together and pollutes the sound field a bit more. I like semi-wide the best. Just enough that it isn’t clogging the sound path from the three-bore nozzles. I didn’t like wide bore as much but that’s just me. You may love it.
Carrying case
The case provided is a very stylish black faux leather case with a perfectly contrasting gold colored zipper. The faux leather has almost a sheen of gloss to it and the nice-looking zipper just makes it look very nice. I don’t ever really use cases, but I could see someone liking this one. It’s of a decent size, big enough to house your earphones and cable. I don’t think I could fit a dongle dac too, but I didn’t try either, so forgive me. What I do enjoy about this case is the thinness of it from bottom to top. It’s just small enough to fit in my front jeans pocket which is something the slay I do value.
Cable
There isn’t much about the cable within the promotional material other than the fact that it is a white cable with bronze-colored accents and a gold-plated plug. It is a 0.78 2-pin cable which terminates in a 3.5 single ended jack. To be exact, it’s a silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable and has a very nice braiding to it. I also enjoy that the SM4’s cable is pretty thick and not overly so. It’s a solid cable for the price. So, for any single ended listening I used the included cable. However, most of my sources have a 4.4 balanced connection and so I used a 4.4 most of the time. I did have to swap cables for this. I went through a myriad of different cable and finally ended up using the KBear Chord 4.4. What a pairing. I feel that the Chord was made for this set. Maybe it has something to do with the graphene wires inside of the Chord. Who knows. It’s a nice pairing though.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
At first sight I thought the SM4 looked rather cheap for whatever reason. It looked to be nothing more than a $30 build at first. However, the moment I picked them up I realized how wrong I was. The build is actually quite nice. The Shells are made of 3D printed solid resin which feels durable in hand. There is a slight transparent quality to the Shells which you can see in the right light. The faceplates are CNC machined, all metal, and you’ll notice a copper ring placed in the center of the faceplates for aesthetic purposes. Looking at the nozzle you’ll notice three separate bores which each belong to a different driver for better frequency control. Using my calipers, the nozzle itself measures in at a hair under 6 mm which is about the norm anymore. I’d also say that the nozzle length is about medium. Meaning, not too deep and not too shallow. I see one vent on the faceplates as well. The size is great as the SM4 should fit just about everyone. I’d call it a medium sized set. Also, it’s a very light iem too which is one of the benefits of a resin iem. Folks, the build is completely solid. I realize I judged this set a bit too quickly.
Design
It was the design that initially threw me off. However, it didn’t take long for me to appreciate the understated and simple aesthetic. I love the simple brown faceplates with the copper ring in the middle. So simple yet so sleek. The shape is of a normal universal iem style, nothing out of the ordinary. Friends, I don’t know what it is about a simple look for me. Especially when the sound is so articulate and unordinary inside. Almost like it has this hidden magic inside. I love that. I can appreciate it. Simgot has wowed us time and time again with their builds and designs but this time they let the sound do the talking and simply gave us a bare bone look. That all said, I still think it looks cool. Nice work Simgot.
Internals
Now this is where we get into the weeds a bit. The SM4 is outfitted with four drivers in total. That’s 1 dynamic drivers, 1 balanced armature driver, 1 micro-planar driver, & 1 piezoelectric driver as well. Hence the name “SuperMix 4”. I find it entirely appealing that Simgot goes from all of these single DD sets to something so involved and ambitious and still ends up nailing it. All of the drivers are of high quality. The dynamic driver is a 10mm driver with a high-Polymer diaphragm and covers the lows as far as I can tell. From what I understand the BA is a full range larger sized BA which covers the midrange, and the planar and piezo drivers cover the highs and ultra-highs. Pleas correct me in the comments below if I’m wrong. At any rate, these drivers are separated each by independent sound tubes for a good mechanical means of delineating the frequencies. Simgot also employed an RC four-way crossover as well. So, as you can see a lot of R&D must’ve gone into this set trying to coherently mix each of these drivers without getting any of the ill wanted effects of having these particular drivers.
Fit
The shape and size of the SM4 is such that I’d assume most people would get a good fit. Again, this is a light weighted pair of earphones which does actually make a difference when listening for longer periods of time. For me the fit is nice. Of course, I have to find tips which seal well and for me the EPZ M100’s really did the trick. Now, as always, I don’t know how the SM4 will fit you but the universal shape of the SM4 should provide a good fit for most. Isolation from outside noises is about the same as most iems. Certainly not to the point of canceling out any noise but the second music begins playing I hear absolutely nothing besides that music.
Drivability / Pairings
The SM4 is rated with an impedance of only 7.2 ohms and a sensitivity of 120db/vrm. What this means is that the SM4 is fairly easy to drive though I would be mindful of your source. The SM4 is a true chameleon folks. It’ll react to what your source gives it. I do believe that you want something with some decent output to it. However, I don’t think that source tonality will alter too greatly in how the SM4 synergizes with you. At least that’s how it went for me. I used roughly about 12 sources during my time with the SM4 and I honestly enjoyed all except for the Fiio KA3 and the Roseselsa RS9039. For whatever reason both reacted to the SM4 in opposing negative ways. However, every other source sounded very nice. I mainly listened to each source using 4.4 balanced which I felt uplifted the sound, tightens the sound, less spiky and more controlled with more power. The SM4 did react well with most of my sources, but again, be aware that the SM4 will alter how it replays your music with whatever source you are using more-so than most sets. So, keep that in mind but your mileage may vary of course.
Mobile Listening
Out and about I mainly use my Ifi Go Blu. It is my trusty little Bluetooth dac/amp that could. The Go Blu has a bunch of power on tap and the SM4 responds perfectly to it every time. My favorite dongle dac was Simgot’s own Simgot Dew4x (Dew4x Review) which has just the right amount of warmth and dynamism for me. Even more so than the EPZ TP50. Though the TP50 is a certified baller and doesn’t sound bad by any stretch. I just like the slight bit more low-end warmth with the Dew4x. Again, no source besides the two I explained gave me any fits. Now, the SM4 will react to whatever source tonality you are pairing it with. It is slightly like a chameleon in that way. However, the SM4 is a warmer sounding and energetic iem with a spritz treble region and so bare that in mind when picking out a dongle dac or any dac for that matter. That said, the SM4 adapts very well too.
Daps
The best listening that I did was with the Fiio Q15 (attached to my LG-V60). These two simply sing together. Just a fabulous pairing. That said, even my warmer sounding Shanling M6 Ultra was very nice too. I love iems that aren’t picky of source. I love them. The SM4 is just that. Still, the SM4 does seem to scale its sound when fed with more power. Even more so the SM4 will scale to the quality of the source you are using. I certainly found that out over my time with the SM4. Hence why the Q15 did such a nice job.
What do you need?
At the very least I would use a decent dongle dac. Something with some juice to it. You don’t need a $200 dongle dac either as there are plenty out in the market which can be had for less many than you’d expect. Thankfully the SM4 seems to go with most sources fairly well.
Sound Impressions
This is one set which took me for a ride. At first, I wasn’t entirely impressed as the highs were a bit sharp for my ears at the time. I came from the Adonis New Review which is a very warm set. Prior to that I did another very warm set as well. So that didn’t help matters. However, as listen-in and burn-in commenced I began to enjoy this set whole heartedly. Truly it is a great option if the tonality agrees with you. So, I would probably call the Simgot SM4 a W-shape sound signature. Better said, a bass enhanced and warm leaning W-shaped sound signature. Like I’ve already stated, the SM4 has a lot of energetic dynamism to it. This is the furthest thing from dull that you’ll hear. Most definitely it falls in line with other W-shaped, mid-forward Simgot iems. Yet it’s just a bit warmer, but just as energetic. I hear a nicely rounded sound to instruments, some 3D effects, a bit of holographic stage presence. Friends, it is very nice for the price. You don’t find many which offer such clean-lined clarity with such a mid-friendly sound signature which can also bang down low and remain sparkly enough up top. Truly this set can play many genres very well.
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
What you have is a fairly deep and rumbly sub-bass with a nice crisp vibrance to its impact and bass drone. It isn’t weak or pillowy at all. I hear decent to good density which is great for this type of signature. The midrange is quite intriguing folks. It’s forward, it’s musically gifted, great for vocals and technically proficient. Details come through nicely though resolution isn’t its key strength. You still have nice separation of elements too. The mids are just nice. Perhaps they aren’t completely natural sounding, but they are nice all the same. Maybe a hair bit too much pinna for some folks and slight BA timbre… but man, it sounds nice! The treble is absolutely awesome! Probably my favorite peice of the puzzle. You have sharpness without the shrillness. Each note has a true bite! The treble has great control, nothing sporadic and edgy or peaky. Also, it isn’t really emphasized a ton-up top which is kind of what makes it special. It’s just a good treble experience of sparkles and glass lined clarity, bite, and details, but without the overburdened brightness that so many brands try to force down our throats. It’s just a very nice sound and I’m glad to be featuring this set.
Not for everyone
That said, there are subtle issues and folks will have some gripes. The SM4 will not fit everyone’s needs and will turn off some folks. This hobby is so subjective and what I enjoy will likely not be what the guy to my left enjoys. The energy alone may turn some off. The awesome treble performance may turn folks off too. Too much bass will turn some off. So, nothing is for everyone, and I just want to establish that as you read further. Let’s deep dive a bit into each 3rd of the mix shall we…
Bass Region
The bass region is one of low droning fullness and hard rumble paired with a fast attack, defined edges, lean density, but also a rounded slam. This is a bass of very nice note definition that laughs at faster bass passages, even with its more emphasized expression. I think of the SM4 bass as a more refined version of a bass-boi caliber replay but without the basshead moniker. It’s too well done for that, and I wouldn’t do it. There isn’t anything even remotely close to muddy, veiled, fuzzy, pillowy, or soft and it is not a bass with a wide slam presence. It’s tight, it’s “Right-Now”!! Basically, it’s a big boy bass that’s got plenty of meat, yet it always stays in its lane. Also… the SM4 hits hard folks! However, you don’t get those big and bulbous resonances that balloon the harmonics which ultimately would mask over other frequencies. Shoot, even the sub-bass and mid-bass are separated from each other in a nice macro-detail and layered presentation. Hard and fast is its motto and the transient attack through release doesn’t stick around to partake in any of those lingering harmonics, to an extent anyways. Obviously, some tracks will defy what I’m saying. Anyways, the rumble generally has a hard-edged haptic reverb at the sub levels and a heavy mid-bass boom is accompanied by good low pitch vibrance. The bass is most certainly one of the highlights of this set. Especially if you enjoy a heavy sound in a tighter package. Man am I impressed by Simgot! Without question this is my favorite bass they’ve ever crafted and tuned. My words may get a bit confusing to you as I try to explain the bass from my weird perspective but just know this… It’s darn good!
Sub-bass
Listening to the SM4 sub-bass really caught me off guard. Friends, I didn’t even look at a graph of this set prior to hearing them for the first time. Boy oh boy…. hearing “Paradigm” by The Head and the Heart was so delightful for me. The song begins with a very low pitch bassline which reverbs in a razor-edge vibrant vibratory thrumming that comes across like a low-pitched & droning hum on the SM4. It’s nicely gratifying. I’d say it really does well with many instruments which partake in the bass region as well as bass vocalists too. I don’t ever hear the sub-bass drowning into the mid-bass adding any murky fullness, but instead there seems to be a good separation with more definite distinctions between the two areas of the low-end. “Take Me Love” by The String Cheese Incident is a track I use from time to time for critical listening because it has that deep and rotund guttural pitch to its bass guitar and the SM4 is able to reach down pretty deep to pull it off nicely. It sounds very warm, very rich, and more than adequate in its replaying of the instrument to come across naturally. I could repeat this for so many tracks.
Mid-bass
Moving onto the mid-bass I can tell that this area of the mix is a bit less endowed with emphasis in comparison to the sub-levels. The thing I always worry about is the sub-bass intruding, creating a wider and more hazy presence, muddier, with a less detailed portrayal. The SM4 is nothing like that, thankfully. Here the sub-levels are so taught and delineated that the mid-bass only gains some added density & fullness, but keeps it clean lined and refined thump and boom. The mid-bass carries a solid impact without intruding into the midrange. In fact, the mid-bass rolls off in just the right spot to not affect the mids. Which can be a good or a bad thing. Anyways, the mid-bass has good note definition and resolution with nice layering of sounds. It has rounded notes that have texture to them, they’re tactile and have a palpable impact and slam. Yet not overdone, never blurring the lines of any frequency.
Mid-bass cont…
“2040” by Lil Baby and Lil Durk has a bass drop which slams hard and the SM4 does so in a tidy way and a very satisfying way. Also, “Move Along” by The All-American Rejects begins with some ultra heavy kick drums with long and dawn out resonant harmonics. The SM4 has that snappy attack with that wet and tacky edge followed by a slightly less hollow boom than I’m used to. Not bad at all, just more concise than I’m used to I suppose. Also, the mid-bass can take on some very speedy passages of music while keeping control and not losing the note contour as easily as some sets. Songs like “Run to the Hills” by Iron Maiden. The SM4 doesn’t flinch when the bass starts coming in hot. It’s a talented bass on the SM4 folks, and I like it, a lot.
Downsides to the Bass Region
The first and most obvious downside would be that the bass is simply too much for some people. I get it, not everyone wants hard hitting low-end activity. In fact, a lot of people don’t enjoy that. However, I think the issue isn’t with the emphasis mostly, but instead it’s with what the bass does to surrounding frequencies. People don’t like the muddiness that bass can bring. Also, people don’t want the masking that can happen with a bigger bass. It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure. I would say that people who enjoy that atmospheric style of low-end with the strung-out harmonics, they might not enjoy the SM4 as much. That said, I really don’t think that’s going to be an issue with many people. Ya know, there was one point when I considered this bass to be slow and not textured. I was about to post on it, but it wasn’t until I gave this set some play time and the bass just tightened up so nicely. So, I would advise you to not judge right away on this one. I really mean it friends. At first, I felt this bass was sluggish, which is the polar opposite of what I feel now. Just an FYI.
The bass on this set is pretty special for the price. It’s a nicely tuned area that Simgot should be proud of. The fact that this set is $149 and replays the low-end with such a hard hitting, deep, agile and tight way is cool to hear. Granted there are sets which may do it better in this price point, I just can’t think of which ones.
Midrange
The midrange in the Simgot SM4 is very well done. The balanced armature controlling the midrange has such a sweet and smooth fullness to it with just a touch of edginess. A little added texture to each note. There’s this natural weight to each note as well which is also accompanied by a more transparent sound. The cohesion between the dynamic driver low-end into the midrange of this BA is really a nice thing to hear. Both drivers are snappy and very nimble, and both offer a smooth transition into each frequency. The mids are not overtly recessed to my ears. In fact, I wouldn’t call them recessed at all, I’d actually refer to the midrange as slightly forward. The sound of the midrange is smooth throughout with no artificial sounding peaks or glare. Perhaps for those who are very sensitive there may be a hair too much emphasis in certain areas
But to the majority I’d say the midrange keeps a very well controlled loudness without veering off into shout. It’s a smooth sound with hints of crispness rather than a crisp sound with hints of smoothness. However, the midrange also has a very nice and rich note weight and presence in the mix. Instruments have a more natural hue to them. Maybe the upper portions of the midrange have that slight BA timbre at rare times, but I really could care less because the sound is fantastic.
Technically nice too…
Also, the midrange notes on the SM4 do have a certain transient tightness and agility. This is a balanced armature, and it doesn’t have those lagging harmonics like some sets. There is space between instruments and an open quality to an otherwise full and holographic sound which really comes across as engaging and immersive. But transients perceivably come and go in a kempt and nimble way. So yes, the midrange notes have a certain fluidity to them, but they’re also nicely limber and textured. It’s a happy middle ground in this set.
Lower-midrange
The low-mids are where most male vocals reside and the SM4 seems to really have a good handle on how they sound when they reach your ear holes. They sound smooth and slightly warm with a forward sounding richness. Most males carry their voices as though they are set with a spotlight, slightly forward, lush and with nice clarity. Perhaps texture is a bit lower in this region due to the smooth nature, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Foy Vance in “Signs of Life” usually comes across illuminated with his deep vibrant edgy voice and in the SM4 he’s still illuminated, still deep with that energy to add some vibrance but it isn’t edgy or abrasive. His voice is clean yet velvet, smooth yet still crisp enough to feel realistic. I consider many males this way on this set. Now, so much has to do with the recording and to a slightly lesser degree is the source you are using. However, for the most part males come across very well laid out. Instruments in this region share this smoother demeanor that stands out front and center. Not quite vocal-centric but definitely very good for male vocals.
Upper-Midrange
If the low-mids usually take on the males, the upper-mids usually take on the females. Female vocalists have an effervescent quality to them, some spritz of shimmer coupled with good air, throupled with a subtle richness. The words which come to mind are dulcet and birdsweet. Not too dull or lacking energy, not flat and on the flip, females aren’t really strident or too artificial. Females also have that lean-lush style of note body (for the most part) and come across a bit more forward than males which is not uncommon. In the case of the SM4 they have a subtle weight to them. Definitely not thin, definitely not dry or papery. Not thick either. I say lean-lush because I have no other words or combo of words which make sense to me. In fact, lean-lush could describe the entirety of the midrange. However, female vocalists do shine the brightest as the upper midrange is certainly the crown jewel of the mids. The balanced armature used has such a nice timbre to it. No, it isn’t perfectly natural, there’s some hints of skewed timbre to a very slight degree. At times it can be a hint metallic. That said, those moments are very few and far in between.
Upper-mids cont…
I love the forward nature of the sound. Listening to Ilsey singing “Yellow Roses” really drives this home. Her voice sounds a few feet from me, silvery in tone, the slightest edginess to an otherwise smooth inflection which adds some texture to her voice. This goes for any track and really shows up in instrumentation. For instance, the violin carries that subtle sharpness at the crest of each note. Take any track off of Lindsey Stirling‘s latest album “Duality” and you’ll hear what I’m referring to. It simply has that satisfying edge. Meanwhile the overall sound could be described as melodic. No doubt about it. Not perfectly natural but really nice. At any rate, females generally sound airy in voice, not veiled or closed in sounding. Again, they also come through with that lean solidity to notes as they don’t feel hollow or lacking proper weight. Really an underrated vocal set. Beyond vocals though, the SM4 is a nicely detailed sound. Maybe not the picture of technical perfection, but still very nice. You aren’t missing much. The upper mids, shoot, all of the midrange is nicely separated for a lean-lush approach with clean notes, decent resolution and good clarity. So, details aren’t bad at all.
Downsides to the Midrange
I could call out a couple subjective qualms that some may have with the midrange. First, those perfectly natural lovers will probably hear that tinge of artificial within the midrange and be turned off. Now, I don’t hear it and think it is a problem and also it really depends on the recording which is something that we don’t speak about enough. In fact, I’d probably say that the great majority of tracks sound very pleasing to my ears. I’d also probably say that warm and dark lovers or those who enjoy a warmer and darker presentation, thicker, juicer, even smoother, will probably feel the sound is a bit too thin for them. This is not a thickly weighted sound folks. I meant it when I said lean-lush. Yes, there’s some density of notes and yes there’s some body to notes, they aren’t frail and weak, but they also aren’t so warmed, so smoothened, so weighted and robust. I know so many of you enjoy that, and I’d probably steer you away from the SM4 if that’s the case. Unless of course you want a different sound for your collection.
Treble Region
Now, the treble region was the area which sold me on this set. It is not very often you hear an extremely well-done treble such as the SM4 is tuned with. In my opinion the sound you’ll hear in the treble has a ton to do with the drivers employed to take in this area of the mix. You have a micro-planar and a piezoelectric driver and each seems to give their best effort to give the treble some actual body to notes. I mean texture and bite. It isn’t often you hear anything close to this at $150.
Some brilliance without the brightness
The treble does have a nicely balanced emphasis with the rest of the mix, which peaks out in the lower treble and does a gorgeous slide down into the air regions, with tiny little moguls to give the sound some spice. Just a bit. You have a nicely extended treble that gives more than enough info out past 10k. Basically this is secondary harmonics and overtones. Friends, I want to get across that the SM4 is not your usual “heightened and ultra lifted” treble. This is not a bright treble per se. I mean, it has its moments, but the SM4’s treble is not one I would call “brilliant”. Anymore, you hear so many sets with that overtly elevated treble in hopes to eke out some sort of resolution and detail illumination. I usually cannot stand that. I’d rather have a perfectly smooth and rolled off treble before that. However, the SM4 is one of the few which has a treble response that isn’t lifted to the moon yet is able to draw out all of the subtleties and textures just on account of how well tuned it is and because of the skill and tunability of the drivers themselves. The SM4 is mildly brilliant at best, but that’s also more realistic to life. Don’t get me wrong either, a bright instrument will come across bright. You simply won’t have the treble sheen and treble sharpness of a forced emphasis. I don’t hear any of that. Furthermore, I hear nothing splashy. Not one cymbal in any track raised a red flag while listening…for example.
Bite and separation
Listening to Billy Strings play his banjo in the track “Ice Bridges” at reckless speeds should invoke some blending of sound with most sets at some point. Folks, the SM4 literally carves a path around each note. There’s this miniscule distinction in the form of space created by the clean-lined surface at attack and the smaller decay. On top of that, the SM4 adds some very nice bite and a solid bodied crunch with the sort of crispness that isn’t followed by grainy edginess. Does that make sense? The SM4 has real contour. You can only have good contour if you have a mass to outline. Otherwise, the treble would simply sound smoothened. Which isn’t a bad thing, but there is a distinction that should be talked about to anyone who wants to hear some damn good treble. The SM4 has that. I’ve been using Lindsey Stirling tracks of late to try to explain treble response because there is simply so much of it and so well recorded. The track “Untamed” is one with fast violin play, with intricate and concise notes. The Simgot SuperMix 4 has such a nice abrasive attack to each note. The crest of each note has that perfectly wonderful and shrill edge with an equally wonderful and wholly tuneful fundamental tone and harmonics. Each note has its own atmosphere, they’re rounded, euphonic, silvery and harmonious too. However, it’s the separation that forms the distinction. This all happens with a treble that isn’t boosted to the moon, it’s naturally toned with nicely bodied notes and nothing about it is fatiguing to me.
Great ensemble cast
I feel the treble may be the Star of the show on this set. The crazy thing is that I have a hard time saying that out loud when the bass is as good as it is, and the midrange does what it does. Really this set is a “Three Banger” iem which keeps great balance across the mix. The treble is not just a supporting actor here, it shares the lead role in an ensemble cast. It’s quick, transients rapid in their speed and recovery and are as agile as they can get. You also miss nothing; details are easily heard without boosting the treble past comfort. Extension into the air regions is very good providing plenty of “icing on the cake” style harmonics. The timbre almost has a warmth, yet the texture, clarity, and definition provide the illumination of details rather than other sets methods of boosting the treble etc. Man Simgot, you folks did a fantastic job with this set.
Downsides to the Treble Region
As good as the treble is, there’s always some issues. I could say that those who enjoy a sparkly and bright treble may want to think twice. Like I said, the treble is almost warm but with splashes of brilliance, the sparkles are more like glitter than they are outright luminance. I’m assuming this will not be to everyone’s liking. I know plenty of friends who really dig brightness. I don’t know why, but I’m not them. Also, those who want a dark, rolled-off and moody treble that shows up only when the recording desperately needs it, those people may not enjoy the SM4.
But it’s good…
A Lot of people are all about tone. Not everyone wants the intricacies, the textures, the bite. So many people are more attracted to the outer layer of enjoyment when it comes to timbre, tonality, musicality and how the sound makes them feel. I get that! I really do. So many sets that I recommend are sets which thrive on the emotional aspect of sound rather than the analytically inclined style set. I suppose this is where I say that the SM4 kind of does both. The SM4 is all about tonal and dynamic balance. The treble is a huge part of that. It is balanced against the mids and the bass. However, the quality and pairing of the drivers used in the treble frequencies is what creates the intricate detail, textures, bite, crunch, and any other audiophile word that describes something articulate and sophisticated. You might as well throw in “cohesion” too, because the people at Simgot took four completely different drivers and coherently blended them and got the most out of each one of them. The planar and piezo drivers work seamlessly in tandem up top with no obvious or discernable sound characteristics that would cause me to say anything other than cohesive. Did I say that this set costs $149?
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage is not typical. I don’t think so anyways. I’d say it has average width, probably average height and depth is pretty good too. However, it’s how the stage is arranged that makes this one special. The sound field is closer to the listener, intimate, yet not congested at all. There’s nothing which would force me to give a mark against the soundstage. There’s a holographic “feel” to the sound. You almost have this veneer with overlaid layers that are easy to pick apart. There’s a left, a right, a front and a back. These points don’t intermesh. They don’t blend together, but they keep their spot and hold their position, for the most part. Every track is different, and some recordings will make a liar out of me. But for the most part the SM4 has a nice sized stage, about average, close, but also very full. I don’t feel the stage is confined, or small. There is an openness to the sound. Maybe not the best stage in the price point, but also…what defines “best” when discussing soundstage with in-ear monitors? Let’s put it this way, I really like what I’m hearing.
Separation / Imaging
Separation is generally very good for the price, until you get to something that is really complicated. Like most sets at around $150. That said, I feel separation of elements within a psycho-acoustically rendered imaginary stage actually do quite well. Certainly, above average. The SM4 does have an emotional musicality to it and so it isn’t all analytically refined. This is not a dry, ultra-sprightly, illuminated and ultra-wide, deep, or planar-fast set in every frequency. It just isn’t… thankfully. Thankfully, Simgot tuned this set with a balance. With that balance you’ll get a smoothness that isn’t always perfectly precise and chiseled. Again, thankfully. So, separation of instruments and vocals is better than your average set. Imaging is also quite good. Again, until you get to more congested music or music with a bigger bass section. I wouldn’t say the SM4 would be the best for gaming for example. It does well enough that I never have to wonder where anything is located. Nothing is floating around the sound field and mishmashing together. So, it’s good, not the best, but good for the tuning and for what Simgot was going for.
Detail Retrieval
Just like the other sections (Soundstage, Separation & Imaging), the detail retrieval ability of the Simgot SuperMix 4 is pretty darn nice. Depending on the track. Better than your average set to… much better than your average set. It really depends on the song choice, even genre to an extent too. However, by-and-large the SM4 does a very nice job of picking up the subtleties within my music except during complicated tracks or tracks that display a dominant bass. On more simple tracks the SM4 will show off very subtle details extremely well.
Is it worth the asking price?
The big question, is the Simgot SuperMix 4 worth the $149 that Simgot is asking for? The answer to that question is an easy yes. Like I said, when I 1st received this set, I was not in love with it. If I were to answer then, I would’ve told you it wasn’t worth $100, let alone $149. Boy was I wrong. Brain burn and burn-in hours later and it is one of the sets I most highly recommend. Truly a performer across the board. An all-rounder type iem that can play multiple genres very well. I realize there are a tone of iems in this price point. However, I don’t feel there are many quite like the SM4. Usually, I’d list out about 15 sets that I think should also be considered but, I think that’d just be a waste of digital ink. I say that because the SM4 is different from most sets in this range. I do feel it is a nice set for most any collection and I most certainly recommend the SM4.
The Why
Because not only is it built rather well, but it also has this very minimalist approach to design that I find completely appealing. I didn’t always feel this way. At first, I thought the build looked cheap and not worthy of the price tag. That said, I came around the second I got my hands on the SM4. The build is actually quite solid, and the look is so understated and clean. I just like it. Next, the SM4 is accessorized to the standard of the price point. Though that cable is very nice as Simgot provides an excellent wire with this one.
But that sound!
However, it’s the sound that will always garner our love the most. This set is equipped with four completely different drivers which orchestrate almost perfect cohesion with each other. It’s truly a great feat. Friends, the SuperMix 4 comes with a very versatile sound that can be considered a true all-rounder type listen. It has a great dynamic balance across the mix where no one frequency overtakes another. The sound is just as musical as it is technically able. I hear very good note definition with a solid lean-lush and rich note body that doesn’t skimp on details. The bass hits deep, resonant, guttural and it has very nice impact and slam without ever mudding up the midrange. I hear no veil, no shout, no sibilance and the sound are very well controlled. The midrange is very nice for vocals as the mids are forward, good presence, bodied, great texture and energy with nice timbre and they are very melodic. The treble is awesome folks. There’s a crisp and clean bite, treble punch and good extension. Each note has good roundness and comes across layered with good energy while never crossing the line into sharpness, shrillness, or splash. The stage is nice, 3D holographic, and nicely layered. I am very happy with the sound now and I’m happy I persisted with this set. 100% the SM4 is worth every penny and more.
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Simgot SuperMix 4 ratings below, that would be $100-$200 hybrid style iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $100-$200 US hybrid iems is an enormous sized scope of iems, and it’s also extremely competitive. It should mean something pretty special to see a rating above a “9.0”. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 8.2 Built well.
–Look: 8.5 Simple, clean, classy.
–Fit/Comfort: 9.3 Fit and comfort is great for me.
–Accessories: 9.0 Great case, great cable, nice presentation.
–Overall: 8.8🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 8.9 As natural as 4 different drivers can sound.
–Bass: 9.5 Big, extended, fast, defined.
–Midrange: 9.3 Musical, engaging, technically very good.
–Treble: 9.7 Simply awesome treble for $149.
–Technicalities: 9.1 Technically a very good set across the board.
–Musicality: 9.1 Very musical sound.
–Overall: 9.3🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
There really isn’t much I have to say about these ratings. I garnered ratings for the SM4 against any hybrid iems between the prices of $100 and $200. Stop and think of how many that is. Take your time. By the way, it’s a lot. I have about 15 on hand (give or take) and it was an easy comparison for some of these ratings. I’m sure you won’t all agree on all of these as I know from comments that not everyone is as big a fan of this set as I am. At any rate, I wouldn’t put much stock into ratings. I do them because I have to, so I begrudgingly walk through the process. That said, I actually enjoy busting out all of these iems and doing quick comparisons. I choose one song for each of these attributes, and I go through each one. Usually, my wife looks at me like I’m some dorky crazy person, I laugh, she rolls her eyes and I carry on. By the way, confirmed dork, and I’m okay with that. Maybe I’m like… kind of a cool dork. No? Moving on. Anyways, the ratings I give are my subjective opinion and I really don’t think they are what we should be gauging our purchases on. $149 is a ton of cash and ratings don’t tell anything of nuance, nothing intricately explained. They just aren’t helpful and probably hurt more than they don’t. Also, ratings should be obsolete after about six months. Unless you are a reviewer who is going back every six months to update your whole review ratings catalog.
Explain Yourself!!
I don’t feel these ratings really need much explanation. Despite that, I realize I talked the build up a bit in my review. I suppose I did this because I honestly felt this set was pretty cheap before I handled the SM4. So, I may have gone a bit “hard in the paint” if you know what I mean. Having said that, a “8.2” is a solid rating against the enormous crop of iems. That’s much better than average. I think the “Bass” category will always be one which draws comments from the peanut gallery. Mainly because there’s so many ways to look at bass. The cool thing about the SM4 is that not only does it have the quantity, but it also has the quality. So, I don’t feel that it is too polarizing. Some may want to know how or why I gave the “Treble” rating a “9.7”. The honest answer is… because it’s really good. It deserves a “9.7”! Flat-out and hands-down! Not changing it. Except in six months if I ever choose to go back through and re-rate my reviews. I told you; ratings are dumb. The other ratings are pretty on point, I think. Maybe I went a bit high on some when I did those ratings (which were done about five days before writing this sentence). But I don’t think they are far off at all.
Locked in
The SM4 is that good folks. If the tuning agrees with you, I think you’ll enjoy this set. Granted, nothing agrees with everyone and so it’s understandable to see some folks disagree with me. Which is perfectly natural and is possibly one of the best things about our awesome hobby. We are different and that is a strength as a consumer as brands have to adapt and keep moving forward making new and cool and interesting sets, kind of like the SuperMix 4. Anyways, the ratings are locked in (5 days ago).
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review and feature of the Simgot SuperMix 4, I first have to thank Simgot for being wonderful and sending the SM4 in exchange for a full review. Folks, Simgot is a standard setter. They seem to make no mistakes and have zero fear of a reviewer’s words. Basically, they believe in their product, which is understandable. Never have they asked me to provide the review so they can read ahead of publishing. They’ve also never asked me to change a thing or skew my words. Never asked to offer payment. These are all things which would stop me from working with them or anyone else. So that’s great. But really, it’s the incredible professionals who design and tune these sets and the people who work as contacts for Simgot which make it a special brand. They are true professionals, and it shows in the class products that they send to market and for the class way that they do business. Anyways, this review has been an absolute joy to conduct, and I’ve loved explaining this set. So, thank you Simgot, it means a lot. I also thank you for reading this review and clicking the link. This action is more helpful than you know for mobileaudiophile.com. We want as many of you as possible to read and grow in your relationship with this hobby. To think we are a part of that is very fulfilling. Thank you!
Other perspectives
As always, I have to implore you all to check out other reviews and thoughts about this set. I guarantee that not everyone is going to share the same opinion of the sound. Which is as it should be. We are all different and $150 is a lot of money for the great majority of our world. So, it really does pay for you to get this right. Again, each person has their own perspective, likes and dislikes, musical library, source devices, and we haven’t all been down the same road in audio, which means something. Just think about it. So please, listen to, watch, or read other perspectives and I truly hope when you are done that, you’ll find the perfect set for you. I envision you listening to your iems, eyes closed and with a slight smile across your face. Checking out every opinion will hopefully help to get you there. Beyond that, I think I am done folks. Please take good care, stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!
