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SoundMAGIC ES18s Review | 93 Data compared

Avg. price:~£20Form factor:in-earConnectivity:wiredBattery life:N/A hoursActive noise cancellation (ANC):no

SoundMAGIC ES18s Review: Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Headphones category and whether it is worth buying.

SoundMAGIC ES18s
5.9/10

Overall score

Score
5.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 70% of models
Score components

80%

5.3

Technical score

20%

7.9

User score

â–¼Worse than 70% of headphones
7.1

Value for money

Value for money
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
Score components

70%

5.9

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 67%
5.3

Technical score

Technical score
5.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
Score components

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.4

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

6.2

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 82%
7.9

User score

User score
7.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Score components

70%

7.3

User ratings

30%

9.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 60%
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Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
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Technical Specifications of pair of headphones SoundMAGIC ES18s

Technical score
Technical score
5.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
Score components:

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.4

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.0

Battery

4%

6.2

Calls & Controls

5.3
User score
User score
7.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 60% of models
Score components

70%

7.3

User ratings

30%

9.3

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
7.9
Popularity
Popularity
9.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–² Better than 88% of models
Popularity:
SoundMAGIC ES18s has a popularity score of 9.3 points, which is higher than that of 87.7% of products in this category.
9.3
Value for money
Value for money
7.1/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 67% of models
Score components:

70%

5.9

Overall score

30%

10

Price

7.1
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
no
This pair of headphones does not support active noise cancellation. 27.5% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
dynamic
Driver size
10 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 10 mm, smaller driver size than 87.7% of headphones and equal to 4.1% of headphones.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <1 – >4
This pair of headphones uses 1 drivers, fewer drivers than 4% of headphones and equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
15 Hz
Market range: <5 Hz – >20 Hz
This pair of headphones reaches a lowest frequency of 15 Hz, lower lowest frequency than 58.3% of headphones and equal to 5.8% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not support a noise-canceling microphone. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
yes
This pair of headphones is headset-ready, 84.8% is not. 15.2% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
1
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 1 microphones, more microphones than 26.9% of headphones and equal to 50.9% of headphones.
Boom microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not include a boom microphone. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
?
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Connectivity
wired
This pair of headphones supports wired connectivity, less flexible connectivity than 49.2% of headphones and equal to 50.8% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
N/A
Audio latency
N/A
Multipoint support
no
This pair of headphones does not support multipoint. 30.6% of headphones support multipoint.
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Ambient sound mode
no
This pair of headphones does not offer ambient sound mode. 24.9% of headphones support ambient sound mode.
EQ support
no
This pair of headphones does not support EQ customization. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
no
This pair of headphones does not work with a companion app. 21.6% of headphones support companion apps.
Adjustable ANC levels
N/A
Voice assistant support
yes
This pair of headphones supports voice assistants. 39.2% of headphones support voice assistants.
Show more
Battery life
N/A
Battery life with ANC
N/A
Charging time
N/A
Quick charge
no
This pair of headphones does not support quick charging. 33.1% of headphones support quick charge.
Battery capacity
N/A
Show more
Brand name
SoundMAGIC
Form factor
in-ear
Weight
11 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 11 g, lighter than 94.3% of headphones and equal to 1% of headphones.
Acoustic design
closed-back
Clamp force
N/A
Show more

SoundMAGIC ES18s vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • 95% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (11 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    11 g vs 218 g
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • 4.5x cheaper
    SoundMAGIC ES18s is cheaper than the average pair of headphones (£20 vs £90).
    £20 vs £90
  • 3 Hz lower bass extension
    This pair of headphones has a lower lowest frequency than the average pair of headphones (15 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    15 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • Water resistance
    This pair of headphones is water resistant, the average pair of headphones is not. 20.2% of headphones are water resistant.
  • 59.2% more popular
    SoundMAGIC ES18s is more popular than the average pair of headphones (9.35 vs 5.9).
    9.35 vs 5.87
  • 2,000 Hz higher treble extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher highest frequency than the average pair of headphones (22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average headphones reach a highest frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • 4.5x cheaper
    SoundMAGIC ES18s is cheaper than the average pair of headphones (£20 vs £90).
    £20 vs £90
  • 59.2% more popular
    SoundMAGIC ES18s is more popular than the average pair of headphones (9.35 vs 5.9).
    9.35 vs 5.87
  • 95% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (11 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    11 g vs 218 g
  • Water resistance
    This pair of headphones is water resistant, the average pair of headphones is not. 20.2% of headphones are water resistant.
  • 3 Hz lower bass extension
    This pair of headphones has a lower lowest frequency than the average pair of headphones (15 Hz vs 18 Hz). The average headphones reach a lowest frequency of 18 Hz.
    15 Hz vs 18 Hz
  • 2,000 Hz higher treble extension
    This pair of headphones has a higher highest frequency than the average pair of headphones (22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz). The average headphones reach a highest frequency of 20,000 Hz.
    22,000 Hz vs 20,000 Hz
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • 30 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (10 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    10 mm vs 40 mm
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.
  • 2 dB/mW lower sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a lower sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (100 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    100 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • 2.3% worse value for money
    SoundMAGIC ES18s has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (7.1 vs 7.3).
    7.1 vs 7.27
  • 2.3% worse value for money
    SoundMAGIC ES18s has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (7.1 vs 7.3).
    7.1 vs 7.27
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 30 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (10 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    10 mm vs 40 mm
  • 2 dB/mW lower sensitivity
    This pair of headphones has a lower sensitivity than the average pair of headphones (100 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW). The average headphones have sensitivity of 102 dB/mW.
    100 dB/mW vs 102 dB/mW
  • No battery indicator
    This pair of headphones does not show battery level clearly, while the average pair of headphones does. 56.3% of headphones have a battery level indicator.

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

8.0
Dhananjay Bhosale
≈ estimated
11/06/2015
Long-term review · sound, mic and call button tests
Verdict
SoundMAGIC ES18S has very good sound for the price, but service support is limited, so keep that in mind.
9.0
Subrahmanyam B H V S P
≈ estimated
16/01/2017
Hands-on review · sound, mic and compatibility tests
Verdict
SoundMAGIC ES18S is a top budget pick, though bass is weak and service support is limited.
Not graded
Not graded
Not graded
Overview video
Overview video
Not graded

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

techcenturion.com
11/02/2018
Long-term review · Budget earphones
Verdict
The SoundMAGIC ES18S is a balanced earphone with good bass and strong noise blocking that suits long commutes, though its cable is easily damaged.
ocfreaks.com
04/02/2017
Hands-on review · Budget earphones
Verdict
The SoundMAGIC ES18S is an excellent-value earphone with standout bass, a handy inline mic and smooth treble, though its mids are unimpressive.
teknogadyet.com
15/11/2014
Hands-on review · Compatibility and extras
Verdict
The SoundMAGIC ES18S is a well-balanced in-ear with a built-in mic and a switch that suits many phones, though it lets some outside noise through.

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: November 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about SoundMAGIC ES18s

  • Excellent value for money, often described as punching above its weight class
  • Well-balanced sound signature with deep, punchy, and controlled bass that isn't overbearing
  • Impressive clarity and detail in the mid-range and vocals for its price range
  • Lightweight and comfortable design suitable for long listening sessions
  • Good passive noise isolation due to a secure and effective ear tip seal
  • Included 'Smart Switch' and PC adapter provide wide compatibility across various devices
  • Comes with useful accessories such as a carrying pouch and multiple ear tip sizes

What customers don't like about SoundMAGIC ES18s

  • Build quality feels cheap and 'plasticky', often described as fragile or disposable
  • Poor long-term durability, with many users reporting one side failing after a few months
  • Cables are thin, prone to tangling, and can suffer from microphonics (rubbing noise against clothes)
  • Inline microphone sensitivity can be low, requiring it to be held close to the mouth for clarity
  • Lack of integrated volume controls on the inline remote
  • The 3.5mm jack design can be bulky and may not fit well with thicker smartphone cases
  • Small Left/Right indicators are difficult to read in low light

Verdict

The Soundmagic ES18S is a budget-friendly in-ear headphone featuring 10mm neodymium dynamic drivers, a frequency response of 15Hz – 22kHz, and a sensitivity of 100dB, delivering a warm sound signature with punchy bass and clear mids. Key characteristics include an integrated microphone with a universal smart switch for compatibility across different smartphone OS platforms, a 1.2m tangle-resistant cable, and a lightweight 11g design that ensures comfortable, fatigue-free listening for long periods. Main pros are its impressive price-to-performance ratio, excellent passive noise isolation from its acoustic seal, and the inclusion of a travel pouch and multiple silicone ear tips. However, common cons include a plastic build that can feel somewhat cheap or fragile, a confined soundstage compared to higher-end models, and occasionally recessed mids that lack airiness.

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