Shozy Magma Electrostatic IEM Review
Shozy's Magma In-Ear Monitor is one of their newest offerings in the IEM market. Shozy is a brand that's known for its wide range of IEMs at various price points, while still offering a consistent standard for quality. The magma comes in at $499, putting it at a good mid-level price point for IEMs. I've only ever experienced Shozy's lower-priced offerings, so I'm very excited to see what Magma has to offer.
What’s in the Box
- Shozy Magma Electrostatic Universal In-Ear Monitors
- High Purity Cable
- Assorted Ear Tips
- Carrying Case
Look and Feel
Shozy's IEMs have a consistency to them in terms of design and packaging that I appreciate. The Magma comes with essentials and doesn't waste your time with elaborate packaging, you get everything you need to listen and customize your listening experience. The Magmas themselves feel very comfortable, sporting a 3D Printed housing that conforms very well to most ear shapes. They feel very light but still have a sense of solidity that gives me peace of mind. The backplate design is a beautiful orange and grey pattern that resembles cracked Magma. My only complaint is that the stock cable is somewhat short, however, this is easily remedied and doesn't impact the sound.
Design
The Magma boasts what Shozy refers to as a "Quad-Driver Tribrid Design," with 4 unique drives on each side being driven through a three-way cr0ssover. The drivers are a 9.2mm dynamic driver for lows, a Knowles BA unit for mids, and two Sonion electrostatic drivers for tweeters. The ESTs are low-voltage and provide clear yet controlled highs. The housing is 3D Printed and hand polished to ensure meticulous quality.
The Shozy Magma has a frequency response of 20 Hz – 20 kHz and an impedance of 21 Ohms.
Soundstage
Magma's soundstage did justice to every mix I tested. There's nice width that has a tasteful amount of wraparound. Magma is dynamic enough that it can represent a wide range of spatial images and tends to give lead instruments a closer orbit while giving details like space and airy reverbs a great place to shine. I never felt instruments getting cluttered and details sit comfortably within the mix. The sound isolation is standard for an IEM in this price range and the dynamics are wide. Overall, I'm impressed with the soundstage on Magma.
Lows
Magma's low end is strong and supportive. While not flat, it still doesn't feel overly boosted and doesn't interfere with other parts. On the contrary, the low end enhances the other ranges by laying a solid foundation for the rest of the sound. The Subs are present and add a tangible percussiveness to bass parts and kicks that make them stand out well.
Mids
The midrange on the Magma is solid. I never heard any egregious harsh resonances and It had a great amount of clarity to mixes. That being said, I felt that some elements could have stood out more, such as leads and snares. While this is a matter of preference, I would have preferred more punch to the mids to compliment the other ranges. This is only a slight nitpick though, the midrange still sounds incredibly clear that on its own is incredible.
Highs
The dual Sonion super-tweeters on the Magma are one of my favorite parts of Magma's sound character. With low-voltage ESTs becoming more commonplace, I love to hear them used to such great effect. The high range on Magma is incredibly detailed and accentuates the other ranges well. I never felt like it was too much and it allowed the sound character to reach new levels of subtlety. Good highs are a very difficult thing to do and I'm glad that Shozy got them right on these.
Overall
Magma is an impressive IEM and easily the best I've heard from Shozy. Shozy sought to create an IEM that would deliver a detailed, subtlety-driven sound, and they succeeded. While not perfect, it's still one of the better IEMs I've tried recently, especially in this price range. The high-end alone is a reason to try these. If you're looking for a good pair of upgrade IEMs or just want to try something new, I would highly recommend the Shozy Magma.
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You can buy the Shozy Magma here