The mix of metal and wood. The sound of nature!
The experience of SIVGA Planar Driver Earphones: Nightingale
Those who are acquainted with SIVGA might recognize their preference for naming their headphones models after various birds,symbols of freedom and beauty.For instance,the golden oriole,luan (a mythical bird like the phoenix),and phoenix models,each features elegant wooden shells that harmoniously complement their natural,captivating sounds. Despite the company's earlier earbuds release focusing on wooden components,they did not attribute a bird's name to any of the earlier earbuds.That is,until the introduction of their thousand-yuan "Nightingale" planar headphones.This oversight highlights SIVGA's importance in "Nightingale".
Nightingale, which is often seen in literary works, is actually the Xingjiang song finch. It is characterized by its excellent singing skills, and it likes to sing at night. As an middle-aged person, I can only settle down and enjoy the music when it is quiet at night, which is quite matching with this headphones. Next, I will share my recent feelings, and let's take a look at the specific performance of this "singing elf":
As the flagship in-ear headphone product under the SIGVA brand,the packaging of "Nightingale" is exceptionally exquisite.The entire box is shrouded in a profound darkness,with a captivating,bright gold plaque that contrasts beautifully with the deliberately highlighted Chinese name below. Although there is no line drawing on the cover, this white-space approach instead gives people reverie.
In addition to the headphones,the packaging box also includes a dedicated storage box for the included earplug sleeves.I counted four pairs of silicone earplugs (each pair in large,medium,and small sizes, additionally, another pair is on the earphones, totally four pairs). As for the cable,it’s a kind of Japanese square-shaped silver-plated copper wire,with a 4.4mm plug.Given the excellent quality itself,there's no need to purchase an additional balanced upgrade cable.
This storage bag is worth talking about. It is made of rhombic patterned nylon, with a durable,hard and thick shell. It can protect the headphones from damage when placed in the backpack and being squeezed. The space inside is also very large. In short, I really like it.
The headphones feature a detachable 0.78 dual-pin design,making it convenient for future upgrades and cable replacements.The black paint-coated wire matches the earplugs nicely,while the plug handle is also reinforced with a spring,reducing the likelihood of bending.
This is also a classic design of the headphone cable of SIVGA. The cable is composed of 4 strands of 7 0.23mm diameter wire cores + 250D bulletproof silk, with an imported high-gloss soft PVC material on the surface. The cable is flexible and will not be easily tangled during daily use.
Let's take a closer look at the "Nightingale". The waterdrop-shaped earphone cavity is elegant and atmospheric.The front shell is crafted from an aluminum-magnesium alloy,while the rear cavity panel is made of precious wood that has been carefully selected and processed.Although the surface appears smooth after meticulous processing,the wood grain left behind by time varies from piece to piece. As the saying goes,birds choose the right tree to perch on,and the adoption of real wood backplates and the naming of the headphones are truly complementary.
The bright silver metal earphone shell is paired with dark-tone solid wood veneers, and the contrast of the bright and dark color differences is elegant and of high grade. Decorated on the ears, it not only has a soft and pleasant sound, but also can be a decorative embellishment when going out. The combination of different materials also puts a high demand on the manufacturer's workmanship. In this regard, SIGVA is always the master. Not only is the material selection exquisite, but the workmanship details are also very solid (the weight of one earphone is about 15 grams), making the entire earphone exude a remarkable sense of high-end. It is also very comfortable to wear, and it fits naturally with the auricle, without accidentally falling off, and there is no discomfort even after one wearing it for a long time.
Let’s take a close-up of the specific part, and you can see its fine workmanship. The alloy part is processed by 5-axis CNC, and after polishing and grinding process, it emits a metallic luster. What’s more, the wooden shell panel is made through traditional handcrafts such as painting and natural air-drying, giving a round and smooth shiny feeling.
Metal mesh detail on the sound guide tube: The inner cavity of the earphone has L and R labeled indicators for the left and right ears.The "Nightingale" accurately controls the size of the sound outlet and breathability,reducing cavity resonance while extending the life of the unit and delivering a purer sound.
In terms of hardware configuration, Nightingale is equipped with SIVGA’s self-developed 14.5mm planar unit of ultra-thin composite materials, which consists of a dual magnetic field matrix structure composed of two sets of high-performance rare earth neodymium iron boron magnets, and is equipped with built-in aluminum wires. It has the advantages of high sensitivity, uniform sound field distribution, and good transient response. Compared with ordinary single magnets, the efficiency is significantly improved. In addition, its impedance is 16 Ohms, sensitivity is 100dB, and the frequency response range is between 20Hz-40KHz.
Finally, let's talk about the subjective listening experience. As a kind of planar headphones, "Nightingale" is not easy to drive. For mobile phones, it is best to pair it with a portable headphone amplifier (forget about the "small tail adaptor" with average driving power). After I got "Nightingale", I partnered it with Qianlongsheng's MUB1 “big tail adaptor” and XD05 BAL. And I continued to condition it for about 50 hours in a row, and the sound that was slightly tight when I first put it in my ears became more stretched and loose. In addition, it also has a better performance in details, dynamics, separation and sense of envelopment.
Its low-frequency response is moderate,but by no means deficient.The control over elasticity and density is impressive,with good clarity.Compared to the captivating and stunning sound that comes from instant gratification,the "Nightingale" offers a more straightforward approach.Although it doesn't contain excessive seasoning,it's not bland,either.Instead,it's refreshing and enjoyable,particularly due to its rich atmospheric presence,akin to the mist hovering over a mountain peak,providing a strong sense of presence and immersion.
The details of the intermediate frequency part are quite rich, and the layering is also very obvious, with outstanding resolution performance. Its sound is delicate and bright, the sound bottom is pure, the imaging is clear, and it has a certain cohesion, without a loose and thin feeling. The human voice is penetrative and the separation between each instrument is good. When listening to Cai Qin's "Forgotten Times", the low humming and singing at the beginning, and the belting out later, every subtle change and sound detail can be accurately grasped. The unaccompanied singing part has a mellow and vicissitudes of voice, with a relaxed and natural hint of sadness. When listening to the female voice, although it lacks a hint of sweetness and agility, it does not simply seek sensory stimulation, but tries to restore the original taste of the voice. The advantage is that it is real and peaceful, and full of charm.
The high-frequency response of the "Nightingale" is transparent,clean,and smooth,without any harshness.The linearity is clear,and the resolution and positioning are excellent.The details are rich,with ample information and good extension.Although the resolution is strong,it is relaxed and not dry or harsh. In terms of sound field,the horizontal and vertical distribution is reasonable and tidy,with a wide opening and a strong sense of immersion.Overall,the sound of the "Nightingale" is delicate and soft,smooth and silky.The vocal expression is sincere and warm.The connection between the three frequency bands is relatively balanced.
Summary: As a new in-ear flagship of SIVGA, "Nightingale" has a relatively high access threshold, which requires you to have a good front end on hand and be patient to condition it for a longer period of time. Its appearance has a unique texture under the shape of metal and wood and a high appearance level under the fine workmanship and beautiful shape, but in terms of sound, it is not the type that makes people amazing at first listening. It feels plain at first, but after a deeper appreciation, it becomes aware of the charm, the more you look, the more beautiful it is, and the more you listen to, the more pleasant it is. In short, it is a planar in-ear earbuds with distinctive features, and it is very suitable for one listening in calmness.
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