The Package

The iM-590 earphones ship in a very nice box filled to the rim with all sorts of extras. Even though they sell for only $59 you get everything you need plus some.


Amongst the goodies we find a shirt clip which is always handy, an airline adapter, extension cable, mini to microjack adapter (sweet! now you can actually use your earphones with your phone). The bundle is perfect from my point of view you quite simply get everything you need.


Besides that you get a neat little carrying case which provides ample protection on the move without being overly bulky.


The tip selection is alright, you get four different sizes of the same tip. The tips are a bit big because they have to accommodate the bulge where the driver is mounted in the body of the earphones.

Closer Examination

If this was a beauty competition the iM-590 would definitely be among the top contenders. Their relatively slim profile and metal exterior makes them very pleasing to look at unlike most of the sub $100 earphones available at the moment. The design of the shell is a bit unusual both because it is made from metal, but also because of the way the cable exits the earpieces. The cable exit is angled somewhat like that of the Klipsch Image X10 earphones which means that a conflict between cable exit and ear is highly unlikely.


Since the majority of the shell is made from some kind of chromed metal I did a nickel test with my test kit. The iMetal earphones passed the test with flying colors not even a hint of red on the swabs (indicator of nickel). When buying cheap in-ears you should always be suspicious of the alloy used, especially if you are allergic.


The nozzle part of the earpiece is covered with a metal mesh. The metal mesh should prevent debris from falling into the driver. If you have a lot of ear wax you would definitely want to clean this regularly because of the way the tips are designed.


One of the only major design flaws of the iM-590s is the braided cable cover. It is highly microphonic and quite annoying to wear if you have Velcro on your jacket flip. The issue with microphonic noise being transmitted by the cable is somewhat manageable with the help of the cable clip, but still it is not an ideal solution.


If you choose to look aside the bad choice in cable jack material the cable is actually of a good standard. The mini-jacks used are of a good quality.