Important preliminary remark
The fact that this article is a little shorter than usual today is also due to the fact that I failed to take the measurements. This is due to the shape of the earbuds, which somehow sit on the ear but not quite in the ear. This also illustrates the dilemma and the part with the fiddling in the title. While I was able to find a good position in my own ear after some trial and error, this was not really possible with the rubber ear of the measurement setup if you really set high standards for the measurement result. So better no measurement at all than a botched one with 5000 hp.
Sound check
Let’s start down in the basement. The biggest surprise for me was that I actually heard a very deep and pitch-black bass. Yes, the real bass and not some greased-up mid-bass that only pretends to be bass. This is something I’ve never experienced in this form in an earphone before, although I’ve tried quite a few. The bass reproduction is really good when the earphones are properly seated, without much drop-off, but with good levels.
The whole thing is characterized by excellent reproduction quality, resulting in a tight and very well layered bass with sufficient body and fullness. Of course, I’m not expecting subwoofer performance in the style of my XW-1200 or extremely dynamic behavior. But it’s also important to remember that I’m writing about earphones here. In real life, I prefer to enjoy most types of music across the board, and I think most listeners will be very satisfied if it’s not a representative of the bass bomber faction.
The mids, which for me are more or less independent of the fit, stand out as the highlight, with a tastefully emphasized pose that results in a lively and full-bodied performance with a very natural sound. Beyond that, there’s enough room to resolve details clearly and the EM5 sounds airy and transparent to me with good note extension and decay, but never sharp or sibilant. It’s a shame I couldn’t measure this, but a burst-decay diagram like this would certainly have provided good evidence. The precision and clarity, particularly with complex guitar solos, are unparalleled, especially when the levels are a little higher.
With open earphones, where I lose passive noise isolation, I naturally gain an immense amount of space in return thanks to their open design. And this is exactly where the EM5 really shines with a sound presentation that is reminiscent of large, good open headphones. For me, it has the unique ability to project a spatial and quasi-holographic scene with excellent imaging and the correct proportional placement of instruments, individuals and groups even during the most complex and loudest passages. An excellent performer that surprises me with its openness and the unique out-of-head experience it can provide, even in the quietest passages.
In the treble and super treble it becomes a little more trivial, but never really bad. This is again the usual, adapted mainstream, but this is not meant to be derogatory.
Summary and conclusion
The sound is expansive and airy, with a fairly warm tonal characteristic. The bass is fast and controlled, while the midrange is lively and open, with good transparency and detail. The treble offers clarity and sparkle, giving the sound a lively presence. I also liked the soundstage and imaging. It is wide and precise, with excellent instrument separation and source localization, which certainly makes the EM5 one of the best earphones in its class in this area. The EM5 really does offer a unique combination of forward presentation, richness of detail and fullness of sound. You have to achieve that first.
The EM5 also doesn’t require extreme amplification, making it very user-friendly and compatible with pretty much anything you can plug it into. It works excellently with a wide variety of audio sources without the need for expensive amplifiers. However, the choice of playback device can still affect the sound character, with a higher quality source bringing out the detail and clarity of the EM5 better. Otherwise you will quickly lose what you have previously purchased at great expense.
In terms of customization and accessories, the EM5 offers modular cable connections and a variety of ear cushion options, which contributes to the overall high value. Although the price is quite high for an earphone, the exceptional build quality, comfort and above all the sound quality justify the price. On the other hand, the difficulty of making every ear canal happy could be a cause for concern. And so our family was split in two. Personally, I can’t really cope with wearing them for long periods of time, but others can. That’s why I’m not making this a blanket criticism. But it should be pointed out.
In a nutshell: Despite the minimal isolation levels due to the open design of the earbuds and the potential noise permeability, the EM5s offer a thoroughly immersive listening experience with a clear, vibrant and diffuse open soundstage, fantastic separation and an inviting midrange presentation that other earbuds often lack. The bass is in a class of its own anyway.
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