Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Planar magnetic headphones don't have to be huge and heavy — the Simphonio PH-3 (Charm)
proves it. But does compact come at a cost?
At $299 USD, the Simphonio Charm is one of the most interesting compact planar magnetic
headphones available. The resolution, punch, and imaging it delivers for its size and price
is genuinely impressive. But there are things you need to know before you buy.
In this review I cover:
→ What makes the Simphonio PH-3's planar technology so technically interesting
→ The one tuning issue that holds it back — and what to do about it
→ How it compares to the HiFiMan Edition XS, Zaylli Lyro, and Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X
→ Which ear pads to use, and how to handle them correctly
→ Who should (and shouldn't) buy these
If you're searching for the best headphones under $300 for travel or desktop listening,
this is one worth knowing about.
Learn more here: simphonio.com
Join my channel for lots of benefits! bit.ly/PFSMember
All my headphone measurements: pfs.squig.link/headphones
Need help? Message me on Minnect: bit.ly/HiFiHelp
Get MERCH! bit.ly/PFSMerch
*affiliate links help support the channel - thank you!
BEST AUDIO BARGAINS BELOW!
World's Best Cable Pro interconnects
Review - bit.ly/44b8KtW
Global* - amzn.to/3UOFtAN
Tipsy M1 IEM
Review - bit.ly/48del5v
tipsyaudio.com
Apos Gremlin headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43FZjna
Global* - bit.ly/GremlinAmp
SMSL M20 DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/4oManqu
Global* - amzn.to/3YRxG79
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Global* - bit.ly/TACypher
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US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOM21DAP
Global*: amzn.to/3HS7wfe
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Global* - amzn.to/3VWWSYS
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Review - bit.ly/480NiZQ
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Review - youtu.be/qlPbNWTQQTI
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Ampapa D1 amp
Review - youtu.be/dr7vB-HYPhk
Global* - amzn.to/49Lm3Dn
ADAM D3V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4rhHeoO
Global* - amzn.to/4hw2Doo
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Review - bit.ly/43EXDKC
Global* - amzn.to/4hgqgkJ
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Review - bit.ly/4o9LDaE
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Review - bit.ly/49nY3Yy
Global - bit.ly/3JQqkwC
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Global* - amzn.to/47U9RR1
Chord Mojo 2 DAC & headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43F0Rhg
Global* - amzn.to/3E5GNKj
FiiO K17 DAC, headamp, streamer & preamp
Review - bit.ly/42hKvIX
Global* - amzn.to/3QWziIH
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOK17
Geshelli Lbs Torc DAC
Review - youtu.be/VMvv24qgws4
Global* - bit.ly/GLTorc
SJY Horizon Closed Carbon headphones
Review - bit.ly/3DTKMd5
Global* - bit.ly/SJYHCCA
ZMF Bokeh headphones
Review - bit.ly/4hXLhAN
Global - bit.ly/42vMLwo
EverSolo T8 streamer
Review - bit.ly/4pdmo7V
Global* - amzn.to/4gjdSkx
Topping D900 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4oJNoMP
Global* - amzn.to/44D157g
US & CA* - bit.ly/TopD900
Vinshine Taihang power conditioner
Review - youtu.be/fJb7rNnUed4
Global - bit.ly/VinTaihang (not affiliate)
ADAM A7V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4i2hO8L
Global* - amzn.to/43mIbma
Burson Soloist Stellar head/preamp
Review - youtu.be/mjgFlmzTiDQ
Burson - bursonaudio.com/shop/soloist-stellar
US & CA* - bit.ly/SoloistStellar
LTA Velo headamp/preamp
Review - bit.ly/42Eeknp
Global - bit.ly/LTAVelo
Gustard X30 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4p93yij
Global* - bit.ly/GUSTARDX30
Amzn* - amzn.to/3LenKRj
Luxear Valor IEMs
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Global - bit.ly/LuxearValor (not affiliate)
00:00 Simphonio Charm (PH-3) review
00:15 Design & features
01:15 Sound quality
03:20 Pad options
05:38 Portable headphone comparisons
07:43 Final thoughts
#SimphonioPH3 #PlanarMagnetic #Audiophile #HeadphoneReview #SimphonioCharm #HiFiManEditionXS #PortableAudiophile #ZaylliLyro #PassionForSound
Planar magnetic headphones don't have to be huge and heavy — the Simphonio PH-3 (Charm)
proves it. But does compact come at a cost?
At $299 USD, the Simphonio Charm is one of the most interesting compact planar magnetic
headphones available. The resolution, punch, and imaging it delivers for its size and price
is genuinely impressive. But there are things you need to know before you buy.
In this review I cover:
→ What makes the Simphonio PH-3's planar technology so technically interesting
→ The one tuning issue that holds it back — and what to do about it
→ How it compares to the HiFiMan Edition XS, Zaylli Lyro, and Beyerdynamic DT900 Pro X
→ Which ear pads to use, and how to handle them correctly
→ Who should (and shouldn't) buy these
If you're searching for the best headphones under $300 for travel or desktop listening,
this is one worth knowing about.
Learn more here: simphonio.com
Join my channel for lots of benefits! bit.ly/PFSMember
All my headphone measurements: pfs.squig.link/headphones
Need help? Message me on Minnect: bit.ly/HiFiHelp
Get MERCH! bit.ly/PFSMerch
*affiliate links help support the channel - thank you!
BEST AUDIO BARGAINS BELOW!
World's Best Cable Pro interconnects
Review - bit.ly/44b8KtW
Global* - amzn.to/3UOFtAN
Tipsy M1 IEM
Review - bit.ly/48del5v
tipsyaudio.com
Apos Gremlin headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43FZjna
Global* - bit.ly/GremlinAmp
SMSL M20 DAC & headamp
Review - bit.ly/4oManqu
Global* - amzn.to/3YRxG79
Schiit Mimir DAC
Review - bit.ly/4r3cuaI
Global - bit.ly/484APo8
FiiO FT1 headphones
Review - bit.ly/4lfVCLd
Global* - amzn.to/4iC4VTG
Thieaudio Cypher headphones
Review - youtu.be/B7WT17V6WeI
Global* - bit.ly/TACypher
FiiO M21 digital audio player
Review - bit.ly/3K3PzeU
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOM21DAP
Global*: amzn.to/3HS7wfe
xDuoo TA-66 tube amp
Review - bit.ly/448jRoo
US & CA* - bit.ly/xDuooTA-66
Global* - amzn.to/3VWWSYS
SMSL AS400 speaker amp & DAC
Review - bit.ly/480NiZQ
Global* - amzn.to/3JkFxWi
FiiO K13 R2R DAC & headamp
Review - youtu.be/qlPbNWTQQTI
Global* - amzn.to/48r94WU
US & CA* - bit.ly/K13R2RPFS
Ampapa D1 amp
Review - youtu.be/dr7vB-HYPhk
Global* - amzn.to/49Lm3Dn
ADAM D3V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4rhHeoO
Global* - amzn.to/4hw2Doo
SMSL RAW-DAC1 DAC
Review - bit.ly/43EXDKC
Global* - amzn.to/4hgqgkJ
US & CA* - bit.ly/RAWDAC1
Singxer SA-2 headamp
Review - youtu.be/xC_qVj0pL08
Global* - amzn.to/3ZiTTeq
US & CA* - bit.ly/SingxerSA2A
SMSL PL200T CD transport
Review - bit.ly/4o9LDaE
Global* - amzn.to/3IKlkIQ
US & CA* - bit.ly/SMSLPL200T
Nitsch Pietus Maximus headamp
Review - bit.ly/49nY3Yy
Global - bit.ly/3JQqkwC
Shanling EC Zero T portable CD player
Global* - amzn.to/47U9RR1
Chord Mojo 2 DAC & headphone amp
Review - bit.ly/43F0Rhg
Global* - amzn.to/3E5GNKj
FiiO K17 DAC, headamp, streamer & preamp
Review - bit.ly/42hKvIX
Global* - amzn.to/3QWziIH
US & CA* - bit.ly/FiiOK17
Geshelli Lbs Torc DAC
Review - youtu.be/VMvv24qgws4
Global* - bit.ly/GLTorc
SJY Horizon Closed Carbon headphones
Review - bit.ly/3DTKMd5
Global* - bit.ly/SJYHCCA
ZMF Bokeh headphones
Review - bit.ly/4hXLhAN
Global - bit.ly/42vMLwo
EverSolo T8 streamer
Review - bit.ly/4pdmo7V
Global* - amzn.to/4gjdSkx
Topping D900 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4oJNoMP
Global* - amzn.to/44D157g
US & CA* - bit.ly/TopD900
Vinshine Taihang power conditioner
Review - youtu.be/fJb7rNnUed4
Global - bit.ly/VinTaihang (not affiliate)
ADAM A7V active speakers
Review - bit.ly/4i2hO8L
Global* - amzn.to/43mIbma
Burson Soloist Stellar head/preamp
Review - youtu.be/mjgFlmzTiDQ
Burson - bursonaudio.com/shop/soloist-stellar
US & CA* - bit.ly/SoloistStellar
LTA Velo headamp/preamp
Review - bit.ly/42Eeknp
Global - bit.ly/LTAVelo
Gustard X30 DAC
Review - bit.ly/4p93yij
Global* - bit.ly/GUSTARDX30
Amzn* - amzn.to/3LenKRj
Luxear Valor IEMs
Review - youtu.be/89lSyU9Mzc4
Global - bit.ly/LuxearValor (not affiliate)
00:00 Simphonio Charm (PH-3) review
00:15 Design & features
01:15 Sound quality
03:20 Pad options
05:38 Portable headphone comparisons
07:43 Final thoughts
#SimphonioPH3 #PlanarMagnetic #Audiophile #HeadphoneReview #SimphonioCharm #HiFiManEditionXS #PortableAudiophile #ZaylliLyro #PassionForSound
