SoundMagic E11Ds: brand-new £60 USB-C headphones

By Becky Roberts
published

They're the brand's first digital in-ears

Headphone jacks on smartphones are disappearing quicker than you can say “dongle”, not only giving Bluetooth headphones their day but also digital USB-C and Lightning Connector headphones too.

There hasn’t quite been a tidal wave of the digital-ended type, but many brands have one or the other or both in their artillery - including SoundMagic. 

The Chinese brand, which has won several Awards and five-star reviews for its budget E10 and E11 in-ear line, has now launched the £60 SoundMagic E11Ds: USB-C-ended versions of the standard (3.5mm-ended) E11Cs, designed to plug straight into the increasing amount of Android smartphones, and some Apple devices, with the popular connection.

While more niche than their siblings, the E11D in-ears look to follow the same success route. After all, the E11Cs gained five stars thanks to their entertaining sound.

There’s a fair chance they will; they retain the materials, design, three-button remote and drivers - just adding a dedicated DAC (which handles files up to 24-bit/96kHz) and USB-C connector. 

Prefer to go wireless or very, very (‘true’) wireless? Then you may be pleased to hear that SoundMagic’s E11BT Bluetooth in-ears and the E11TW true wireless earbuds are just around the corner.

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.