Fit and Comfort

The SoundMAGIC S20BT use a neckband bluetooth design, this is favoured by some users, whilst others prefer the more premium true wireless style. Either way, the neckband on the S20BT is soft and very lightweight which means it’s barely noticeable in use. The length of cable to the earphones is perfect, giving you freedom to move your head without constraint, yet not too long so as to snag on things or get in the way. The earphones have an angled nozzle with specifically shaped tips for optimal comfort and fit in the ear, and it works wonders. They S20BT sit securely in your ears once you find the right size tips and they are secure and work well for more active use.

Sound

The S20BT are full and warm, which makes them an easy recommendation and also an earphone that will please a lot of users. Coming from cheaper models you will definitely notice an increase in clarity and control, but they are not tuned to be clinical or critical of what tracks you play through them. What they might lack in refinement they make up for in easy listening and an overall enjoyable sound signature.

Starting down low they have enough body to make them a warm and full sounding earphone, there is moderate punch but overall they are more full than overly punchy. Luckily the warmth down low only moderately affects the midrange, and you still have relatively clean and clear vocals with a little added body to them. This is great, as you can clearly hear vocals and guitars without them being pushed to the back of the mix, yet they are delivered in a very smooth way to not cause fatigue. The same goes for the treble, which is probably where they fall behind slightly, there isn’t a lot of presence or bite in the upper region which means high-hats and cymbals do come across very muted.

These are not designed for the critical listener, they are a budget wireless earphone that just wants you to enjoy the music. They work well with most genres you throw at them, but do sound better with more modern pop music.

The post SoundMAGIC S20BT Bluetooth Earphone Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

SoundMAGIC have added large 13.5mm drivers with Bass Up technology that is able to delivery powerful and clear audio in line with SoundMAGIC’s legendary sound performance. Perfect wireless performance is made sure with the latest Bluetooth version that increases transmission distance, offers more connection stability and high definition sound quality.

For full control while on the go the SoundMAGIC S20BT have been equipped with three-button inline controls with built in highly sensitive microphone providing absolute control of playback and voice calls. IPX6 waterproof rating that provides protection from sweat and rain makes the S20BT an ideal wireless sports earphone for everyday use.

Technical Specifications

• Bluetooth version: 5.0
• Driver: Dynamic, 13.5mm Neodymium
• Frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Transmission range: up to 10m
• Impedance: 16?
• Sensitivity: 107dB
• Continuous talk time: 10-12
• Continuous playback time: 24-30 hours
• Standby time: 140 hours
• Quick charge: 1 hour (10 hour playtime)
• Weight: 19.5g

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Shanling M1 DAP Review

The Shanling M1 is the perfect everyday DAP, also doubling up as the perfect gym companion, offering a clean and detailed sound for under £150, very impressive.

Pros:

• Size
• Features
• Price to performance

Cons:

• Button layout could be more like the M2s

Aesthetics, Accessories and User Interface

The Shanling M1 is a tiny player, it is shaped like the later iPod Nano and is sleek and easily slips into your pocket. The front is glass, the edges are aluminium and the back is plastic, you have a volume wheel (which is also the select button) on the top right hand side and the power button underneath. On the other side you have playback buttons (skip track and back), on the bottom you have the USB C port for charging and also file transfer along with the headphone jack and MicroSD slot. The power button also works to unlock the screen, overall the look and feel of this player is excellent.

The M1 comes with a USB cable, Card reader and 4 screen protectors, all you need is a microSD card with music on. Available separately is a leather case, and you can also purchase extra screen protectors.

The user interface is easy to get around, you have plenty of settings and then when in your music you can either browse by Artist, Album, Genre, Playlist, Favourites or display all tracks. The wheel acts as the scrolling mechanism, and click inwards on the wheel to select. The playing screen displays the album artwork, with the format below and the track name and artist. The button layout is not as intuitive and natural as the M2s, but it doesn’t take long to get used to it.

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READ MORE: Thomson WHP3311 Wireless TV Headphone Review

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This player has some added functions, it can be used as an external USB DAC for your computer.
The USB C port can feed a digital signal to an external DAC too, it has high and low gain settings, EQ, two way Bluetooth (AptX) support and more.

Sound

I would class the Shanling M1 as one of the more neutral sounding players, it’s sibling the M2s has a noticeable warmth to the sound that the M1 doesn’t have. The M1 has plenty of gain, but the actual output power is lower than the M2s, meaning the M1 is best paired with in-ear headphones and easier to drive full size ones.

There is still a slight smoothness to the sound, which makes this an easy listen. The lows are slightly full and easy to follow, they are not lacking in extension are definition but they are slightly fuller than a strictly neutral sound.
The mids are detailed and present, and the highs are well extended with possibly a hint of softness making this a non fatiguing and easy listening player.

Conclusion

The M1 is the perfect player for everyday easy listening and also for sports use. It’s size and aftermarket case allow you to clip it to an armband, and the bluetooth support allows you to go wireless when out jogging.

It has some great features like USB DAC support, USB output support, Bluetooth and more, it may not be the most powerful player but for under £150 you get a surprisingly clean and detailed sound.

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