Soundmagic E80C

£80

Following on from the success of the Award-winning Soundmagic E10CS, it’s the turn of the elegant E80CS to make their mark in the overpopulated headphones market.

Clear, solid and open – those are our first impressions of the E80CS. Play Semisonic’s Closing Time and the vocals, guitar strums and keyboards all come through loud and clear. A decent amount of detail keeps you listening, and the outlines of notes and instruments are cleanly defined.

The headphones are organised enough to handle the sweeping orchestral compositions of Michael Giacchino’s Star Trek Beyond soundtrack, with horns blaring cleanly above the thump of big drums. There’s a good deal of solidity in the sound, although we’d like a more timely and articulate approach. At this price, the Award-winning Sennheiser Momentum M2 in-ears best the Soundmagics with a richer, more nuanced and dynamic performance that’s more engaging to listen to.

As well as being small, these buds are light, and have half a dozen eartip choices included in the box to make sure you get the perfect fit, and corresponding maximised bass performance – while also staying secure in your ears.

Compatible and responsive

The E80CS are also now fully compatible with all smartphones, and the remote works intuitively too, not missing a beat whenever you need to pause, skip tracks, change the volume or answer a call.

The Soundmagic E80CS don’t quite reach the same heights as the budget E10CS, and would be hard-pressed to beat the formidable Sennheiser M2 at this price. They hold their own, though, thanks to a clean, organised, rewarding presentation.