Vintage Looks. New Build. Pure Nostalgia.

Open earbuds have been the cornerstone of portable audio long before in-ears took center stage. With the M300, Sivga pays homage to those classics, a premium open earbud that blends vintage aesthetics with modern acoustic expertise. Beautifully crafted from African Ebony wood with elegant gold metal accents alongside a large 15.4mm dynamic driver, it showcases Sivga’s meticulous tuning. Priced at an approachable $65, the M300 is designed to evoke nostalgia for seasoned enthusiasts while offering newcomers a genuine taste of open-ear listening.

Gratitude to Lily from Sivga for providing the M300 for an honest review. We are not affiliated with the brand, nor have we received any monetary compensation. This review is based solely on our genuine opinions.

Functions & Specifications

Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Sivga M260 taken from their site;

The Sivga M300 can be purchased directly at their website directly or any other platforms worldwide.

SIVGA M300 Dynamic Driver Flat-Head Earbuds – 64Ω, 3.5mm SE / 4.4mm Balanced

P/S: this review is solely done from a flathead earbuds point of view.

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging here is simple yet feels premium with a small, unique textured paper box that feels well made. Here’s a list of what’s inside the box.

• M300 earbuds
  
• Ear Tip (foams): 4 pairs (2 donut, 2 full size)
  
• Oxford Fabric Carrying Case
  
• User Manual
  

Design

The design here is a vintage look that has a drum-like shaped body that is crafted from African Ebony wood that is highly durable with gold coloured CNC aviation aluminum alloy that is really premium and it feels robust and well made with a lightweight body. The design here is original and steers away from the usual MX or PK style while still having a superb fit for open earbuds. The size here is bigger and bigger than the newer brother, the M260 but it fits really well with a short stem that is suitable to wear even over the ear. The left and right indicators are printed at the stem and preferably, I would like them to be more visually obvious.

Driving the M300 is a 15.4mm graphene coated diaphragm dynamic driver with high strength magnets and a high purity copper coil for improving control and distortion. The implementation of African Ebony wood for its body has the perks of absorbing unwanted vibration to give a smoother overall sound with enhanced clarity and resonance.

The front vent is a unique fan design with the aerospace grade aluminum alloy shell with metal mesh to prevent dust and moisture from entering.

The M300 is a well vented earbud and it doesn’t have major isolation which is usual for an earbud of this type. There are a total of 6 hole vents on the back of the housing for the dynamic driver breathing room.

The cables are fixed which may deter some users who prefer removable cable for longevity but the cable included here is rather high quality with a selection of 3.5mm or 4.4mm balanced. It is a braided 4 core high purity silver plated oxygen free copper in black PVC sleeve. Constructed with 0.06 mm x 7 cores x 7 strands of wire, which minimizes resistance for the electron flow and ensures a lossless signal transmission. The cable is very soft and pliable with metal parts used alongside a spring stress reliever at the headphone plug.

Gears Used for Comparisons

Songs list

Tone and Presentation

The tone of the M300 has a warm overall sound with a boost to the lower region giving an almost L shaped sound with thick, velvety tone that is lush and highly musical. It has a highly enjoyable sound signature that excels in giving an intimate, analogue sound that has the unique diffused, open atmosphere sound that is detrimental to an open earbuds sound signature. It has great detail retrieval capabilities with a clean and clear sound across the whole frequencies. Dynamic range is decent and they have an organically rich, full-bodied sound especially on the midrange and lower region. There is some mild coloration present here but still capable of sounding natural in their overall presentation. The tuning here caters more on musical enjoyments rather than focusing on neutrality and they are an uber fun earbuds to listen to.

Soundstage

The soundstage here is as expected from open flathead earbuds, expansive and even from an earbuds stand point, it is great as the M300 has a diffused sound projection, giving a big room sound while still having the intimacy from their thick midrange. It has an airy staging capability that has good width and height that is present only in flathead earbuds. It also possesses a holographic soundstage with great accuracy making a good pair of earbuds even for gaming and movies. Being an open earbud, isolation understandably isn’t their strength and there are some sound leaks but they are good for most usage scenarios.

Separation and Timbre

Separation is superb and they are one the main strengths of the M300. The drivers are matched well and they are well balanced from left to right without any crosstalk issues. Dynamic range here is great with extended lows and high range with a harmonious, full sound typical of a well tuned single dynamic driver. Timbre here is warm, breathy with an organic and natural sound that is inoffensively smooth. The tonal balance here is fairly equivalent with it leaning slightly towards the darker side with a good degree of clarity present across the whole spectrum.

Drivability

Rated at around 64 ohms at 108 dB sensitivity, the M300 does need some power to perform to their best with adequate volume and they are not as sensitive in picking up noise. Feed it with powerful sources will incur improvements in their overall dynamics, clarity and soundstage. In terms of loudness, a dongle with a dedicated DAC chip provides just enough of loudness but a bigger, more powerful source will actually suit them better, giving a fuller sound. In terms of source matchings, a neutral bright source works well to balance out their warm sound and to push some extra details out from them. As for file selection, they are not a really revealing type of earbuds but they do show some minor flaws that are present on bad recordings, therefore a good earbuds for casual usage.

The Bass (Low)

The bass here for an earbud is strong from an earbuds standpoint with a good dose of mid-bass lift with an extended sub-bass. The bass here has a meaty, authoritative with a punchy impact that has a good airy extension with an energetic and full overall bass. They can be classed as bass cannon earbuds suiting light bassheads that want a good bass presence without overpowering the other frequencies. Details here are good with great clarity and they do not sound muddy nor have any bleed present in their overall presentation. Texture in the bass is superb with layers of bass notes well presented in a clean manner. The sub-bass amount does also have a boost that complements the mid-bass to give a full, meaty low end that may change one’s perception of earbuds being light on bass. The sub-bass dives deep and has an authoritative rumble that is clean and natural but the focus is more on the mid-bass region.

The Mids

The midrange here is warm with a forward sound that has a focus towards the lower mids and they are intimate with a luscious and velvety presentation. The mids here have a good thickness producing a full-bodied midrange that gives an immersive presentation that is intimate but the space here is actually pretty good which is hard to achieve. Details here are good with macro and decent micro details well displayed with a clean and clear manner but more towards the latter. The upper midrange here has a smooth peak that is inoffensive with an average amount of brilliance that makes vocals a little livelier that is free of harshness but it may come off as a little polite or lacking bite. There is some coloration present here but they are acceptable and don’t really interfere with the natural state of the music but not for those who seek sterility in the midrange. The overall mids here articulates well with a vivid resolution and decent transparency. Vocals are rendered well with a sweet, velvety smooth presentation that matches well with male and some female vocals albeit lacking some top end brilliance.

The Highs

The high range here has a neutral to flat signature with a decent presence that has a smooth, inoffensive overall sound. The transition from the upper mids into the high region is smooth without major peaks and they produce a rather relaxed high range that gives a velvety overall sound. The sparkle here is great and they are slightly crisp with an engaging high range but they do lack authority here not suiting users who want extra bite in the highs. Extension here is great and they do have a slightly slow roll off that gives a good amount of air and a lingering decay. Resolution here is vivid with nuances well portrayed and they have an accurate, transparent high range that has a natural, organic timbre. Treble here is slightly laid-back that contributes to their velvety sound but it may lack energy on certain genres. The high range here is well suited for those who are treble sensitive users that seek a laid-back sound signature that is sibilant and fatigue free but not so great for those who want an energetic sound that has some aggression.

Comparisons

VS Venture Electronics Zen Lite

The classic simpler version of the venerable flagship Zen earbuds from VEclan and they were launched way back in 2023. The shell here is plastic with the earlier version of Vita cable which is a better cable than the M300. It has a 300ohms driver and is priced slightly more than M300.

• High range amount is on the Zen Lite has better presence and they have better details but similar clarity
  
• High range extension is better on the M300 with more air
  
• M300 has a more analogueish and organic sound while Zen Lite has better accuracy
  
• Treble is stronger on the Zen Lite
  
• Midrange of the M300 is thicker, warmer and forward while the Zen Lite is more neutral
  
• Clarity is better on Zen Lite with higher brilliance
  
• Vocals are more intimate on M300 while the Zen Lite is more balanced
  
• Bass on the M300 is tighter, punchier and deeper while the Zen Lite is more neutral
  
• Sub-bass on both are similar
  
• Soundstage on Zen Lite is a little wider and airier
  

VS Blur DaBass

Blur is a brand that is custom made by Wong Kuan Wae from Singapore and it is a hidden gem that is well known in the earbuds enthusiasts community and DaBass is a limited run of 20 pieces based on their MX150 line. Built here is simple and nothing noteworthy but they do cost more than the M300 at 169USD and it is hard to obtain.

• High range of the M300 is smoother and extends better while DaBass is livelier and slightly more energetic
  
• Treble on the DaBass is more balanced and has better clarity
  
• Midrange of the M300 is thicker and more resolving while DaBass is clearer and more detailed especially in the micro details
  
• Mids on both has similar thickness but the M300 is warmer
  
• Vocals on both are similar that goes well with male vocals but DaBass has a touch more brilliance
  
• Bass on the M300 has a bigger amount marginally but DaBass extension is deeper with a bigger sub-bass rumble
  
• Soundstage on the DaBass is slightly wider and taller but the M300 is airier
  

Synergy

Good matching with neutral bright sources that aren’t too warm nor too bassy.

Examples;

Questyle M15, Qudelix T71, FiiO Q7, EPZ TP30, IFI Diablo, VE Devastator Pro & Max

Not so good matching with bassy, warm sources

Examples;

EPZ TP35 Pro, FiiO Q15, Hiby FC6

Who Is It For?

Suitable genres: EDM, rock, metal, pop, classicals

Suitable usage: Audiophiles to casual users, gaming, movies

Not suitable genres: Jpop, ACG, certain female vocals

Not so suitable usage: Extreme bassheads, treble heads, monitoring, on stage

Final words

With its solid African Ebony wood built with CNC grade aluminum alloy, the Sivga M300 delivers a unique warm tuning with a full-bodied, bass-rich tuning that possesses an expansive soundstage that flathead fans adore. It really brings back memories of the 90’s analogue sound and when earbuds were the main portable gear to go around. It is not a clinical sounding earbud, instead a sweet and luscious, velvety smooth presentation that excels in their musicalities but it does need a decent source to shine. All being said, at $65, it’s a steal in my honest opinion. Whether you’re chasing memories or discovering flathead earbuds magic, the Sivga M300 proves nostalgia has never sounded this good.

4½ stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Pros

• Ergonomic fit 
• Open, airy soundstage even for an earbuds
• Spot on analogue, warm, highly musical tuning
• Great clarity and details
• Good imaging and separation 
• Meaty, punchy, high quality bass
• Natural, organic timbre 
• Warm, thick, full-bodied midrange with great space
• Good overall resolution and transparency 
• Inoffensive, sparkly high range
• Laid-back treble that is fatigue free 
• Good value versus performance index
• Good quality cable with solid plugs

Cons

• Not suitable for treble heads/strong high range users
• Not a clinical or neutral sound
• Coloured mids
• Average midrange micro details
• Upper mids a little too smooth/lack brilliance 
• Non removable cable