BGVP is one of the rising brands of the Chi-Fi game, especially this year. DMS, DM7, DS1 Pro, DH3 and ArtMagic are the new proposals of their line-up. After reviewing the DMG last year, here’s my review of the DM6, after the passage of the train of hype. I want to kindly thank Lillian from Linsoul for providing this review sample. You can buy them here: https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/BGVP-DM6-Earphone
Specifications
- Headphone Drivers: 5 balanced armature
- Sensitivity: 122dB/mW
- Frequency Response Range: 10-40000Hz
- Impedance: 20Ω
- Distortion:<0.5%
- Plug type: 3.5mm
- Cable type: Detachable MMCX Cable
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Plug Type: straight plug
- Waterproof Grade: IPX3
Unboxing
The DM6 come in a simple cardboard box, very similar to the one of DMG. Inside we find the buds, the cable, a set of 3 black silicon ear tips and another set of 3 blue silicon ones, a cleaning tool, and a pair of medium sized foam tips. It would have been nice finding a carrying case, like many competitors do. My model came in a translucent red, which lets you see the balanced armatures through the shell. The shell itself is made of resin, and it gives a premium feeling. The MMCX connectors are well embedded, too. The nozzle hasn’t got any filter, so you have to pay attention to your wax. That’s why I suggest using some Comply foam ear tips with waxguard, which I find extremely comfortable, really nice for isolation and secure because of that filter (I used the ones that come with the ADVANCED M4). The other tips I’ve enjoyed the most here are the NiceHCK N3 white silicone eartips. The cable is a nice unit, an 8 core silver plated which is worth 30/40$. The fit is great, but a little bit unusual because of the shape of the shell in the antitragus zone. For me, they are extremely comfortable and they perfectly isolate from the external noise. For my tests I’ve also used a HiFiHear 16 core single crystal copper cable and a NiceHCK 8 core copper cable.
Sound
I’ve tried the DM6 with various setups. My classic production configuration: MacBook Pro > Focusrite 2i2 > DM6; my listening configuration for the month: FiiO M7 > iFi xDSD > DM6 (Bluetooth and wired); other stacks, like Mi MIX 2 > XDUOO XP-2 > DM6 (Bluetooth and wired).
Music for this test: “Colour the Small One” by Sia, “Djesse Vol.1” by Jacob Collier, “Where are You?” by Frank Sinatra, “Ghost Stories” by Coldplay, “O” by Damien Rice, and many other tracks by Queen, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Radiohead, Billie Eilish, Tash Sultana, …
Files in DSD, FLAC, ALAC, MP3, M4A and MQA via TIDAL Master Quality.
So, knowing BGVP from the DM3 to the DMG gave me an idea of the direction(s) and the sound signature(s) of this brand. In reality, after trying the DM6 I can say they are not very similar one another. I would describe the sound of the DM6 like this: the tuning is on a dark side, with a warm background, a slight U shape, and a solid treble. That means the bass is prominent on the mid side and really deep on the sub side, giving a punch that’s surprisingly good for an all-balanced-armature set. That bass is amazingly quick and its body is thick: I could totally think they had a dynamic driver on a blind test (just for the bass: they don’t sound like a hybrid, in the end). What I can tell is the difference between the hybrid configuration of the DMG in comparison to the DM6: there’s more air and musicality on the DMG (not only in their bass, but in their overall listening experience); the DM6 are more precise and let you perceive a lot of micro details. The midrange of the DM6 is more forward than the one of the DMG, which is good. There’s still some recession, but vocals have more space and the layering is very impressive: every instrument is well discernable in the mix. I like neutral sounding earphones because of their mid-oriented tuning; this midrange is really pleasant for an U-shaped IEM, even for a person like me who’d rather a non-colored sound. Treble is nice: I was scared about the sibilance, because I found it annoying on the DMG, but here I hear no strange picks or harshness, at all. If you look at some graphs, you can notice a pick in the 8kHz range, but I honestly don’t hear anything wrong in the highs (and I’m pretty sensitive). Notice that there could be some differences between the models (the DM6 are half hand-made) and obviously between my hearing and yours too. I would have liked to hear more air in the vocals in the treble area. What I’m not stunned by is the soundstage: this is not a crazy wide sounding IEM. I think DMG were even better than these on that side. Unique Melody Mason V3 have a crazy wide stage; ADVANCED M4 too. As you can see, it’s not a matter of price (2700$ vs 50$): this earphone is very precise in the imaging, but the stage is average. And I can assure this is not a problem, you just have to expect something crazy good for some features and not that much for some others. I absolutely love the bass here, as much as the tuning which is suitable for music listening but also for music production or stage exhibition, by being pretty balanced, between neutrality and fun. And there’s something I appreciate a little bit less, like the impression of an unexpressed potential. Maybe in the future I’ll go balanced with these IEMs and I’ll find the best synergy. Don’t get me wrong: they are one of the best IEMs I’ve tried, but they are obviously far from being perfect. I believe the DM7 will have the musicality that I miss here, and correct some unnatural feels that I get with these. That being said, DM6 absolutely deserve the success they’ve got: a high-quality cable, a top notch build quality, some great Knowles drivers which are maturely tuned. This is, no doubts, the right way. I have to admit I was really hyped by this particular product. And I’ve luckily got it after a long period, so I knew what to expect from other reviews. Well, sometimes I understand the hype, sometimes not. After trying the DM6, I can understand it, but I don’t share it. Their amazing build and look and their stunning sound make them easy to fall in love with; however, I love them with reserve, because they sound like they need to be refined (and they are now, because at the time of this review, the DM7 will be already out). With a wider stage and more air, with the same timbre and body in the bass, the same controlled treble and the nice mids, I’d totally go with them. 200$ is an honest price, and I’d totally give them a chance. But I haven’t tried the competitors (Fearless, TFZ, …) so this is the only 200$ IEM that I have. Does it sound overall better than my sub-200$ earphones? It absolutely does. But if you have particular needs, then you have to be careful.
Comparisons
BGVP DMG: the interchangeable filters were kind of a gimmick, but the IEMs themselves were solid in their sound. Well, they still are. The sibilance was the only real disadvantage of the DMG. I think I appreciate them more than the DM6, for certain features, like the comfort or the wider stage. They are more musical, more affordable and easier to find. But if you need a better tuning, DM6 are superior and more precise, yet bassier and more congested.
FiiO FA1: strange comparison? The FA1 cost half the price of the DM6 and their driver configuration is different (single balanced armature vs 5), but the performances are similar. The signature of the FA1 is more neutral, with a lighter bass and more flatness. The shells are similarly shaped; personally, the DM6 fit better inside my ears. The cable of the DM6 is superior (remember I’m talking about their stock cables).
YinYoo D2B4: when they came out, they were priced at the same price as the DMG: 140$. I don’t think they are worth that price, and in fact now they are way cheaper. But they are interesting and somewhere they sound similar to the DM6 in the tuning (somehow congested, bassy). I don’t know how to properly judge the D2B4: sometimes I’m impressed by some aspects of them, but I’m always not convinced about them: they are boomy in the low range, and they sound unnatural. Overall, I’d go for the DM6 even though they are pricier. The D2B4 in my opinion lose even against the DMG (and I’m saying that because the DM6 surely are an upgrade from the DMG, even though they can be considered radically different products).
Conclusions
If you check the pros and cons of the DM6, you effectively struggle to find real cons. For 200$, this offer is amazing and it’s crazy to think about the progress of Chi-Fi. I like the way they sound, in the end, even if they are a bit colored: they have the punch, they have the detail. And their mid dip is absolutely controlled, so I can rely on them even for music production. I’m now curious to try the DMS and the DM7, to better understand the way BGVP took.
Pros
- Build quality
- Fit
- Cable
- Tuning
- Bass response
- Micro details
- Improved midrange from the DMG
- No sibilance
Cons
- Lack of air
- A bit congested
SIMPLY AUDIOPHILE 