BGVP is a Chinese in-ear monitor (IEM) manufacturer. In this review, I’m looking at the BGVP DN3 earphone. The DN3 is a hybrid dual-driver IEM with 1 dynamic driver with a beryllium-coated diaphragm and 1 balanced armature. It retails for $74.
Disclaimer: This sample was provided by HiFiGo for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.
- Small shells with a low profile
- Good selection of included eartips
- Great bass quality
- Moderate detail retrieval
- 5kHz peak may be too forward for some listeners
BGVP DN3
Specifications
- Impedance: 19 ohm.
- Sensitivity: 109dB/mW.
- Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz.
- THD+N: <0.5%.
- Channel difference: <1dB.
- Rated power: 8mW.
- Weight: 5.0grams (each unit excluding cable).
Packaging & Accessories
The DN3 packaging is the familiar BGVP style that we’ve seen with most of their recent products. DN3 comes in an unbleached brown box with the BGVP logo on the front. The box is wrapped in a coloured cardboard sleeve that has an image of the earphones on the front and a list of specifications on the back.
Opening the box you’re presented with the IEMs and a variety of eartips, all seated in a black foam insert. I like this approach because it’s neat and everything is easily accessible, rather than the usual fiddly little zip lock bags that most manufacturers employ. Another thing I love about BGVP bundles is that they always have a good variety of eartips including ones that are actually large enough for my ears. Here’s what you get inside the box:
- BGVP DN3 earphones
- Detachable MMCX cable
- Fabric carrying pouch
- 3x pairs of silicone ‘vocal’ eartips
- 3x pairs of silicone ‘bass’ eartips
- 1x pair of memory foam eartips

Design

DN3 has CNC crafted aviation-grade aluminium-magnesium alloy shells. The shells have a smooth matte black finish, are relatively small and weigh just 5g each. Despite their lightweight nature, the shells feel robust and sturdy.
DN3’s faceplates have a pattern of horizontal silver and black lines that resembles the look of an open-back headphone. There’s one small vent on the faceplate and another near the base of the nozzle. As expected, the nozzles have a lip for securely holding eartips and place and a protective mesh cover to protect the internals from ear wax.
I find these shells really comfortable for my ears and had no problems wearing them for very long listening sessions. The inner side of the shells contour nicely to my ears and the IEMs have a low profile and don’t protrude out from my ears.

Cable
The included cable is 5N OCC silver-plated copper with a black TPE sheath. The colour-coded MMCX connector housings are aluminium while the chin slider, Y-split and right-angled plug are hardened rubber. Although the quality and handling of the cable are quite good, it looks and feels a little cheap.

Sound
Gear used for testing includes:
- PC -> Tempotec Sonata E44
- iPhone -> Shanling UP5
- PC -> Topping D10 Balanced -> Burson Funk
The BGVP DN3 has a warm tonality infused with some lower treble energy for an overall smooth but engaging sound. It has moderate clarity but reasonably good detail which makes it a good set for longer non-critical listening sessions.
DN3 is easy to power and can be driven sufficiently straight from a smartphone. But I found the beryllium-coated dynamic driver responded well to a slightly more powerful source such as a balanced dongle DAC or DAP.

Bass
DN3’s bass is mildly elevated but not to anywhere near basshead level. Bass notes have a slightly rounded leading edge paired with good control and fairly fast decay. It’s a punchy, clean bass that puts more emphasis on the mid-bass but at the same time, it has a gratifying sub-bass presence that rumbles when needed.
I found this bass to be a pleasing one overall. It has natural weight and provides enough impact without being dominant or overbearing. Bass texture and resolution are pretty good too, perhaps due to the quality of the driver. But regardless, this is a fun yet mature bass tuning.
Mids
The midrange is fairly neutral with a subtle lift in the upper mids region. It sounds pretty clean despite having only moderate clarity. There is no muddiness or smearing but the mids are slightly smoothed over as a result of a significant 6kHz dip.
Vocals, however, are quite forward and clear. Both male and female voices are articulate and detailed. Belting female vocals occasionally sound a little too forward but for the most part, vocals are handled nicely without sibilance. Electric guitars could use a bit more bite as they come across a little soft, again because of the dip in the lower treble. In Colaris’ “Evoke (Nexus, Pt.1)”, the electric guitars a slightly lacking in texture.
Treble
The lower treble has a bit of energy, especially around 5kHz, whereas the upper treble is fairly laid back except for a peak at 8kHz. As a result, DN3 has pretty good treble energy but is not the final word in clarity or precision. Macro detail retrieval is decent but the DN3 favours musicality over micro details.
This treble tuning works well for longer listening but perhaps not so much for engagement or critical listening. But thanks to the good bass quality, the somewhat subdued core treble does not lead to a dark or dull tonality. However, in songs such as The Pineapple Thief’s “White Mist”, I would like Gavin Harrison’s excellent work on the hi-hats and cymbals to be more upfront.
Soundstage
DN3’s soundstage is average in dimensions. It’s not particularly wide but has pretty good depth and height. Vocals are upfront and the stage is neutral to slightly forward in position as if you’re sitting near the front row. Instrument separation is only average but I don’t find DN3 to sound congested either. Imaging is competent but deteriorates somewhat during busy segments.

Conclusion
The BGVP DN3 is an evolution of the previous DN2 and I think it’s a step in the right direction. Although it doesn’t really stand out in the sub $100 range, it’s a competent IEM with good build quality and a musical tonality (and great bass).