Sound performance
For this review, I mostly used DAPs instead of desktop gear. This IEM is made for travel and commuting, so it’s much more accurate to focus on DAP and portable gear instead of home gear.
I chose three players: FiiO M5 / Shanling M2X / Cowon Plenue D2 and paired them to the DMS in random order. Most files used were FLAC 16bit/44kHz streamed from Spotify / Amazon Prime or from the internal storage.
Overall signature
I used to think that hybrid IEMs were the ugly duckling of the genre: slow bass, piercings highs and veiled mediums. Thankfully, it’s not the case anymore, and the BGVP DMS is good proof of that.
Once I found myself in a quiet place, the IEM surprised me with its neutral signature. Where the BGVP DMG puts the emphasis on the bass, the DMS sound felt much more linear, more authentic, but also not as engaging.
The sound is precise, with tight bass and clean highs. A bit too canny for me, but better play it safe when you run this many drivers. Layering is very good and no frequencies seem to overlap over the others, proof that BGVP really nailed their 4-way crossover.
The bass driver does an astounding job. The more you push it, the better it gets. For the fun of it, I plugged the DMS to the latest Astell&Kern, aka the Kann Cube, and I was literally shocked by how deep the IEM can go.
The triple duo of balanced drivers feels… balanced. Everything fits in place with ease, and no genre gave the DMS any trouble: jazz? Nailed it. Classical? Oh oui. Electro? Another win.
Dynamics are good, but not amazing either. It vastly depends on what source you’ll plug the DMS to. The Shanling M2X, combined with a balanced cable, was one of the best combinations I could find. On the opposite side, the new FiiO M5 didn’t pair well and the IEM felt constricted.
The main quality of this IEM is the consistency of the sound signature. Be it entry-level DAP, or high-end DAC, the DMS remained the same : soft vocals, no bumps, clean bass.
Tonality
Highs: clean, linear and… average. The BGVP DMS is very good, if not great. But it lacks the precision of its older siblings, which is understandable since the DM7 costs twice the price. Yet, it would be unfair to complain, as the IEM never hurt me with any sibilance at any volume. Not great, but nearly.
Good test-track: Blah Blah Blah – Armin Van Buuren
Mids: smooth operator. Mids are well-balanced and voices sound clear in any configuration. Be it jazz, pop or even heavy metal, the BGVP DMS offers performance on-par with the DMG and even the DM6. You really have to use the DM7 to get the extra-mile.
Good test-track : San-Francisco Street – Sun Rai
Lows: another win for BGVP. If you expected the DMS to be a boom-box, you’d be awfully wrong. The bass coming from the DMS is superb from 20 Hz to 100Hz, with almost no distortion. If you like electro or techno-complex tracks, you really should give these IEMs a chance.
Good test-track : Hydrogen – M.O.O.N
Sensitivity / Hiss
The BGVP DMS isn’t hard to drive, even my iPhone could get them working. They are prone to hiss though, so you better get a clean source or every listening session will be associated with a discrete “huumm”.
The review continues on Page Five, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.
