Simgot ET142 Planar + PZT IEM – Deep Thoughts By A Handy Guy
The $299.99 Simgot ET142 comes out blazing a path for 7Hz domination. With heavy Litz cables, a deep insertion and a “W” shaped tune the ET142 will be a strong player in the Planar driver wars.
INTRO
As another year rolled in, so did the Simgot ET142 at my doorstep, unannounced and unsure what to expect. Simgot jumped into the foray of planar power with the Supermix 4 and the ET142, with the latter actually a bit more exciting with powerful and forceful bass lines, sprinkled with a hint of extra sugar in the treble. As Marty McFly might say, “Whoa, this is Heavy”. I consider Simgot to build excellent sounding mid-tier earphones such as the EN700 Pro, and they continually hit the mark, while some that stand out more than others. The ET142 is sure to stand out.
PACKAGE CONTENTS
Rarely do I comment on the packaging, but Simgot clearly wanted some kind of experience with the ET142 as the accessories were tucked into every nook and cranny and each box labeled. When I opened the clean looking leather stitched carrying case, the 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced interchangeable jacks were Inside.
Also within the package are two nozzles- one gold, one burnished, but as far as I could tell no change to tuning. There was also some tuning foam that can be inserted into a pair of the nozzles, but must be done by the user.
While I am not a fan of fingerprint magnet shiny shells, they are heavy and brute tough. The silver twisted Litz cable is quite a looker, whip strong and heavy as well. Cable density brings to mind the term fire hose. The Simgot ET142 is not an earphone you will forget you are wearing, it demands attention.
The extra long nozzles on the ET142 ensure a clear fitment is achieved, so much so I had to size down to the small ear-tips when usually I go for medium. The sheer amount of nozzle jammed deep does help with isolation, although we are not talking Etymotic level.
SOUND
Tested with Dragonfly Cobalt, SMSL DO400 and FiiO KA15
The Planar driver inside of the Simgot ET142 does most of the work, with the piezo driver picking up somewhere in the upper treble. Perhaps Simgot felt it needed some extra zing, I would be curious what it sounds like without it. At times the treble exhibited some sibilance, which is why I think maybe not required.
ET142 bass presents punchy taut bass lines stopping short of ultra snappy. Overall it has a forceful nature that sounds warmer than the 7Hz Timeless which skews mostly sub-bass, but still has the similar tightness. At times the bass lines sound more forward and boisterous than intended on the ET142. Bleeding seems to be occurring due to the amount of boost. The Sivga Nightingale has an even darker nature to the bass with less control.
While the 7Hz Timeless offers a U shaped signature with a relatively level midrange and the Simgot ET142 adds more energy in the upper treble region. This shifts the stage forward also adding more twang to acoustic guitars. The ET142 wants you to feel those strong plucks and be up close and personal with the cymbal strikes.
Vocals sound fired up as the vocalists hit those higher notes catching lots of tongue work and breathtaking, riding that fine line between honkiness and just energetic. In comparison the 7Hz Timeless sounds softer and sweeter through this range, but you get essences of sharp slices that dissipate as quickly as they arrive. As a result it sounds sharper than the ET142 which has more harmonics to mask aggressive vocalists.
Resolution between the Simgot ET142 and 7Hz Timeless are equal partners, for me it comes down to the Timeless staging feeling further away to provide more room for instruments to fill the space. The ET142 on the other hand has more pop front to back at the expense of sitting in the front row.
FINAL VERDICT
The Simgot ET142 has a premium build quality written all over it while using what may be a standard Planar driver we have seen tuned differently by the likes of Tinhifi, LetShuoer, HIDIZS and 7Hz to name a few. The quick transient nature of the planar driver teamed with a super tweeter piezo warms your toes and smacks you in the head with the highs. Price was not published at the time of this review.
If the 7Hz Timeless U shape tuning and flatter staging does not fit the bill, the Simgot ET142 provides an alternative if the stronger bass and upper treble twang is desired. The Simgot ET142 stands out more to me than their Supermix 4, which is a non-threatening option. Unfortunately I do not have the 7Hz Timeless 2 to compare, but I would not be disappointed with this high quality pick, Salute.
Disclaimer: Sent Unsolicited and free of charge from Simgot. Availability and pricing unknown at the time of this review.
SIMGOT ET142 SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver Configuration: 1 Planar Magentic + 1 Piezoelectric Ceramic transducer
- Impedance: 14 ohm
- Sensitivity: 118dB @ 1khz
- Frequency Response: 8-40Khz
- Cable: 2 Pin 0.78mm High Purity OFC and Silver plated Litz Wire, 3.5mm and 4.4mm interchangeable plug
- Shells: Alloy Casting CNC
GRAPHS
- Simgot ET142 Left vs Right
- With vs Without foam
- Simgot ET142 vs 7Hz Timeless
DISCLAIMER
Our generic standard disclaimer.
