Sabbat E12 Wireless IEM Review

Introduction:

Sabbat is a Chinese company which is specialized in the production of Wireless In-Ear Monitors. The Sabbat E12 that I will now review for you is a True Wireless In-Ear Monitor with a 10mm Dynamic Driver, Bluetooth 5.0 support and IPX3 Waterproof certification.

Disclaimer:

The Sabbat E12 was provided to me by the company Sabbat via Penon Audio for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Sabbat or Penon Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.

Price:

The MSRP price for the Sabbat E12 (without the wireless charging dock) is 74,99 USD. The charger case of the E12 supports the QI wireless charger standard and the wireless charging dock is available for an additional + 5,00 USD.

The purchase link for the Sabbat E12 is below;

Purchase Links 1: https://penonaudio.com/sabbat-e12.html

Purchase Link 2: SABBAT E12 Penon AliExpress

Package and Accessories:

The Sabbat E12 Wireless In-Ear Monitor is coming in a white box that is wrapped with a white cardboard which features some product descriptions/illustrations.

The box contains the following items;

• 1 pair x Sabbat E12 Wireless In-Ear Monitor
• 1 pcs x Charging case
• 7 pairs x Silicone ear tips (1 pair came pre-installed)
• 1 pcs x Micro USB cable
• 1 pcs x Wireless Dock with QI wireless charger standard (available for + 5,00 USD)

The Design, Build Quality, Fit & Comfort:

The Sabbat E12 is a Wireless In-Ear Monitor with a 10mm Single Dynamic Driver unit. Each Monitor has a build in Battery + Bluetooth receiver that support the Bluetooth 5.0 standard.

The size of the monitor is pretty small and lightweight for a device with a build in battery, DAC and Amplifier, while the design has an very ergonomic shape that makes longer listening periods possible.

The monitor shell is made of plastic and has a glossy surface that is available in silver, coffee, cyan, copper, purple and red color options.

On the front of the monitor housing is Bluetooth/Power indicator and the multifunctional button which sports the Sabbat brand logo. This multifunctional button is quite responsive and supports the following actions;

Power on /off, play/pause, call answer, Siri/Google Assistant activation, next/previous track, etc.

On the top of the E12 is a small vent slot.

The sound nozzle is on the back side of the device. This nozzle is quite small in diameter and sports a fine woven metal mesh on the top to prevent the insertion of dust and earwax in to the monitor.

Here are also the connectors (charging ports) which are helping to charge the monitors inside the Caring Case, the microphone and the Left / Right markings.

The Sabbat E12 is coming with a very small and carrying/charging with a capacity of 750 mAh. This case is in black color and is made of plastic. On the backside of this case is the hinge mechanism that is in silver color and that sports the Sabbat branding.

Here is also the USB Type-C charging port and the led indicators for the charging status.

When you open the case you will see the seat for the Wireless Monitors.

These seats have a magnetic surface to ensure the right connection for the charging process and to avoid any drop out of the Monitors.

This case supports the QI wireless charger standard and can be charged with the charging dock that is available for additional 5,00 USD.

Technical Specifications:

• Driver Type                             : 10mm Diameter Single Dynamic Driver
• Frequency response               : 20Hz-20kHz
• Sensitivity                               : 120±dB
• Bluetooth version                   : BT5.0
• Battery Life                             : approx 6 hours
• Standby time                          : 3 days
• Bluetooth distance                 : ≤10m
• Earphones battery                  : 3.7V 60mA*2
• Charging time                        : ≤1 hours
• LED light color                       : Red-blue
• Three-way call                        : Support
• Supported Protocols              :  HSP1.2/HFP1.7/A2DP1.3/AVRCP1.6/SPP1.2/PBAP1.0
• Charging battery capacity      : 3.7V / 750mAh
• Dustproof performance         : IP5X
• Waterproof performance       : IPX5

Battery Life:

The Sabbat E12 has a build in battery with a capacity of 60mAh. The battery life of the E12 is around 5 / 5.5 Hours which is pretty good for such a small sized Wireless In-Ear Monitor. The charging case with its 750mAh capacity is a nice accessory to increase the operating time on the go.

Pairing, Navigation, Call Quality and Signal Strength:

The pairing of the Sabbat E12 is pretty easy. You only need to turn on the left and right monitors when you first use them. After you have pair the left and right monitors by the first use the pairing action will be done automatically. You only need to take it out from the charging box/case at the same time.

The Signal strength is ok for a maximum distance of 10m while the voice transmission and call quality of the build-in microphone is on an average level.

Equipment’s used for this review:

• IEM’s                          : Sabbat E12 Bluetooth Wireless IEM
• Source                       : Samsung Galaxy S9+, iPad Air2

Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Massive Attack – Angel (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (Spotify)
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• First Aid Kit – My Silver Lining (Spotify)
• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Leonard Cohen – You Wnt it Darker (Spotify)
• Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Alboran Trio’s – Cinque Lunghissimi Minuti (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)

The Sound:

The Sabbat E12 is a Wireless IEM with a V shaped sound signature that offers warmish tonality. The bass and the treble range are more pronounced than the midrange.

Please note that the Sabbat E12 is not an IEM for critical listening of your Hi-Res collection, but the overall sound and the way it’s represented is quite pleasant for a Wireless IEM in the sub 100 USD price category.

Bass / Midrange / Treble:

The Bass quantity and intensity will satisfy many users who are looking for a wireless IEM to get in the mood while listening to genres like EDM, Trance, RnB, Pop, etc. The sub-bass rumble will satisfy many bass lovers with great rumble and full bodied presentation. The sub-bass is going pretty low and has an extension, which is on a moderate level, followed with average control and speed.

The mid-bass quantity and character give the sound a full-bodied and warm presentation, while overall bass detail is on a moderate level. The bass performance and character of the TFZ X1 is quite suitable for listening genres like EDM, Pop, Trance etc.

Instruments like guitars, drums or for example contrabass are sounding warmer and thicker than in natural.

The midrange of the Sabbat E12 has a fairly smooth and relaxing tuning with moderate transparency and a warmish tonality and didn’t shows negative situations like sharpness/harshness.

Male vocals are showing a thick and emotional tonality, while female vocals sounding lush, but lacking some transparency and sparkle. The midrange sounds fairly musical while it is missing some clearness and air. Instruments like guitars, violas or pianos sounding emotional but thicker and warmer in tonality than in natural.

When it comes to the treble range, I can say that the Sabbat E12 is showing a fatigue free presentation with average speed, extension and control, which makes it ideal for longer listening periods on the go or gym / exercising.

Soundstage:

The soundstage performance of the Sabbat E12 is quite ok for a True Wireless Bluetooth IEM for on the go. The soundstage of the E12 soundstage has an average wideness and depth.

Conclusion:

The Sabbat E12 is a very comfortable to wear Wireless Bluetooth IEM, which offers an entertaining music experience on the go or while exercising and has some nice futures like a IPX3 Water & Dust Proof certification and a charging case with QI Wireless Standard.

Pros & Cons: 

• + Powerful Bass and Entertaining Presentation
• + Great fit and comfort
• + Charging Case supports QI Wireless Standard

• – Midrange Clarity