SIVGA M260 Wired Earbuds Review

Build

Sound

Style

Value

Summary: retro styled, with the kind of sound and build quality their forebears couldn't ever hope to match.

4.3

Back to the noughties

It’s a rare event that a pair of headphones sends my mind spiralling back to the days of my youth tramping through the streets of a provincial English town, hood up, headphone wire pulled through my clothes, Discman carefully concealed in my front pocket. Ignoring the world. But that’s exactly what the SIVGA M260 earbuds made my nostalgia-addled brain clamour for.

These are the headphones of my youth — well, in shape and style anyway. A translucent MMCX cable runs up to the detachable buds, handy if the cable gets a fault, but I wouldn’t recommend detaching it otherwise. If you owned a Discman in the late 90s or early 00s, you know exactly the kind I’m talking about. The moulded, foam-covered kind you don’t see anymore that comfortably sit in your ears for hours.

The SIVGA M260’s also have a stylish metallic finish and feel solidly built. These aren’t the kind of headphones you could easily trample underfoot, and they even have a lovely little hard case to keep them in to make sure this never happens.

However, unlike the headphones of the early aughts, the M260’s deliver crystal-clear, well-layered sound thanks to a 14.2mm dynamic audio driver powered by a copper ring-enhanced diaphragm in each bud that ensures the sound quality is several million magnitudes better than the tinny, distorted mess the actual headphones plugged into my long-dead Discman could ever achieve.

There are two versions of the M260s available: the more powerful USB-C version I’m reviewing, and another with a 3.5mm jack. If you have a PS5, I would recommend the 3.5mm ones (since the USB-C ones don’t work).

Other than that, though, for the sake of $10/£10, the USB-C version is far more feature-packed with a built-in Realtek ALC5686 DAC (digital audio converter) that supports up to 32-bit/384kHz Hi-Res audio, and a sensitive built-in microphone that works really well while taking calls or using Gamechat on the Switch 2. There’s also a volume and a call answer button on the wire.

Usually, I test headphones by having a monster gaming session as I did with the Sendy Egrets, though this time it seemed more appropriate to relive my youth for a few hours. So on went the oversized hoodie, and I headed for the shops with the M260’s neatly tucked down my shirt and plugged into my phone.

If you’re looking for a pair of headphones to drown out the world and listen to some tunes while you pick up a few bits at Lidl, these are ideal.

What first struck me when I went on another Pixies binge was how loud they are. Usually, I’m reaching for max volume on my phone whenever I pair headphones with it, but I wouldn’t want to push these past 50%. They don’t have noise cancelling, but they don’t need it at all.

Listening to “Here Comes Your Man” as I desperately hunted for the last of the cheap Shōchū in the middle aisle, I could clearly pick out all three guitars on the track, something I don’t think I‘ve ever been able to do on a pair of “reasonably priced” headphones before.

The clarity really is something, while grabbing some fake Pringles (seriously, they’re better than the real thing) in the snack aisle, I’m bouncing along to “Debaser”, accidentally singing along – I am un chien andalusia – scaring at least one pensioner by the cornflakes as Black Francis enunciates that catchy chorus without a hint of distortion.

Stomping home, it was time to kick up the pace with a little Slipknot, and it sounded (sic). Puns aside, considering how busy Slipknot is by design, songs that my 2000’s headphones didn’t do any favours were well balanced, and my trip back to the noughties was complete.

As I previously stated, the M260’s with the USBC don’t work on my PS5 or my Series X. You’ll need the 3.5mm jack version, so I can’t speak to how well they work with them. But if they are as good as the USB-C ones, you’re probably onto a winner.

Thankfully, though, they worked wonderfully on my trusty Switch 2. I started my testing with the wonderful retro tunes from The Disney Afternoon Collection, DuckTales Moon Theme in particular sounded absolutely lovely, managing to avoid sounding tinny like 8bit-midi sounds often do through your average pair of headphones.

Likewise, when I decided to go for a spin on Mario Kart Tour, I could distinctly hear the different parts of the orchestra, and was able to really appreciate the fantastic solos on the soundtrack as I rumbled around as Luigi in a Tonka truck while I completed a few map-based challenges and snagged a few more costumes.

As a result, these buds have earned a permanent place in my backpack for gaming and listening to tunes on the go. However, their tendency to prioritize high-frequency sounds and make them sound overpowered means I won’t be hanging up the best gaming headsets any time soon.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in the market for some reasonably priced headphones, and, like me, understand the value of a good, solid wire, and are looking for the perfect musical accompaniment to your low-key musical midlife crisis, the SIVGA M260s are an easy recommendation.

For music, these have become my go-to earbuds for impromptu shopping trips and even when I’m typing into the early hours and don’t want to annoy the neighbours or wake my girlfriend with my particularly aggressive musical choices. Thanks to how comfortable they are, and how great the sound quality is. It is worth bearing in mind to

Likewise, they’ve often found a home tucked in my Switch 2 case as my go-to pair for gaming on the go, as they’re ideal for short sessions while you’re waiting around or simply want to ignore the world while travelling.

About the Author

Gareth Newnham

SIVGA M260 Wired Earbuds Review