Something I forgot to mention: if you don’t like the brightness of this set, it is a HORROR SHOW to tip roll. The nozzle is probably too big for your favorite tip. I could NOT force Final Type-Es on the nozzle to combat the shout. The only tip I had that fit and put a dent in balancing the bass was Spinfit CP155s. It was a mess!
2 Likes
Tripowin x HBB Olina SE or The Time I Cannot Deny the Power of Hype
I think I might be one of six people out there that did not fall head over heels in love with the Tripowin x HBB Olina. I am not a naysayer that believes Olina is garbage and you should pass on it, and that everyone hyping it is some thoughtless sheep. The Olina is a VERY good IEM, that has a few proclivities that did not work out for me, to make me want to buy it, listen to it, or love it. But the strengths of the CNT driver Olina uses are undeniable. As far as 1DD drivers go, CNT is among the cream of the crop. And so when the Olina SE was announced, with a revised tuning that was supposed to address the most common criticisms of the OG Olina, I was put on notice. When I saw the tuning for Olina SE I knew I was in trouble. Then I bought Olina SE and listened to it…and here are my thoughts.
Songs to Listen to and Follow Along:
As usual, I’m going to write my thoughts in generalities, but I’ll give you a sample of songs that I listen to, that will relate to the concepts I write about. Feel free to ask for specifics, if you don’t keep up with my thought processes.
Hell On Earth - REZZ & Yultron (For bass elements, low-mid clarity)
Windows - Abby Gundersen (For piano and violin timbre, resolution and clarity)
Marie Antoinette (2003 Rudy Van Gelder Remaster Edition) - Freddie Hubbard (For imaging, layering and soundstage, brass and woodwind timbre)
Wood Stove Whine - Muhammad Seven & The Spring (For male vocals, resolution, layering, mids focus)
PAPERMOON - Tommy heavenly6 (For female vocals, rock bass and treble elements, layering)
A Worthwhile Concept, Revised to the Creator’s Intent
I think this encompasses the mission statement of the Olina SE, to a tee. The OG Olina was meant to be produced as a less expensive gateway into the sound of the Tanchjim Oxygen, and family of IEMs that use the same type of driver. To say this was a rousing success is an understatement. I think the narrative that Olina is an “Oxygen killer” is the wrong way to think of it. The intent was never to kill IEMs in a higher budget; the intent was to bring what existed behind an artificial paywall of sorts down to a more affordable price point. And like with much of the market in 2021-22, the success of this model cannot be understated. Olina is a wonderful achievement for the market, but that isn’t to say it was flawless.
While people found workarounds for the few nitpicks of the Olina’s sound, it never totally spoke to me that this was must-own. I found that the bass was just a bit too light for the amount of upper-mid energy Olina put out. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “shouty” but the fact that the IEM always felt like it was on the razor’s edge of getting shouty turned me off from it. The fact that Olina SE was purported to be tuned with this in mind, to clean that up, made me feel very excited to try this set out.
Let’s Get Mikey to Try it. He Hates Everything…
Okay, it’s hardly true that I hate everything. In fact, I go out of my way to find things to like and point to the positive. This is because while something might not be to my taste, it is possible that it could be exactly what someone else wants. And if I only put my perspective on it, without context or nuance, then someone will not be able to get a full picture of what’s out there. I generally find myself liking sets that don’t get all the hype and fanfare, and I’ll admit that I tend to be a little harder when I critique collaboration sets. It’s not entirely rational, but a collab has to knock my socks off to get me to gush over it.
Good thing I’m not wearing any socks then, right? The first thing I noticed the first time I listened to Olina SE is exactly how clean the sound is. The mids are a delight, with no bleed from the bass and no film from a lackluster treble. There’s no recession where some elements will stand out over the others. What is supposed to be forward at any given point is exactly what you get. It’s delightful.
The bass isn’t going to be overpowering or juicy, but that isn’t the intent of Olina SE anyway. This set has good, engaging bass that, again, is exactly where it’s supposed to be when it’s supposed to be there. You get good mid-bass slam and adequate sub-bass, which is exactly what helps set up the stellar low-mids. The upper-mids is where it just didn’t come together for me with OG Olina. Olina SE adjusts the upper-mids, bringing them down a couple of decibels, then gliding it all the way into the treble without any extra notches or dips. So basically, you get bright and present female vocals and upper-mid performance, with a gentle but steady slope through to the treble. There’s much more control, and while a little of that energy up top is taken off you get the right balance to make Olina SE much more listenable.
The treble feels a little bit tweaked, compared to OG Olina. To my ear, I would say the slightest amount of extension and air is missing compared to OG. This affects the perception of soundstage for me just enough, where I don’t think Olina SE lost a lot, but I would just edge OG Olina in front of it. The other technicalities involving imaging and layering and such are on-par. This is a wonderful technical set at this price point. I would say that Olina SE is a more balanced set than OG; OG is definitely what I would call neutral-bright, and while I wouldn’t call Olina SE neutral, it is a little closer to it than OG was.
But Why Aren’t You as Good as the 7Hz Zero?
This is one of the times where my gimmick is ridiculous. Olina SE is absolutely better than 7Hz Zero. It’s better because of the driver, first and foremost. The driver in the Zero cannot hang in the same class as the Olina driver, full stop. This is important, because while graphs would say that Zero and Olina SE are tuned very similarly, the experience shows how much the technology matters as well. Olina SE has more mid-bass, but not by so much that it should be a completely different experience, and yet it is. I’ve always nitpicked Zero that it doesn’t have enough note-weight for my taste, and Olina SE definitely takes that little bit of extra mid-bass and puts it to great use. I’m never going to mistake Olina SE for a bassy set and it wouldn’t be my go-to for EDM or a genre that depends on bass, but it is just more satisfying than Zero. Then, Olina just shaves a couple of dB off the pinna gain so that you get a little more control in the upper-mids, without losing presence. Olina SE’s combination of tuning and technology nail the sound better than I’d heard anything under $100, including OG Olina!
Versus Tri x HBB Kai - In the category of “I could actually afford to get this, and not regret my terrible life choices (in terms of being a responsible adult)”, Kai and Olina are the best you can get. We can just get right to the point here though; Kai and Olina (either version) are complements to each other. They do not do the same things, in the same ways. Olina SE’s emphasis is in the upper-mids and into the treble, Kai’s is in the bass and low-mids. Olina is for being taken for a ride by the music, while Kai is for getting lost in it. Olina is the friend that spend Saturday night out on the town with and then in the morning you feel like you lived a little, while Kai is the friend you get the coffee with on Sunday to process how great Saturday night was. And in this case, because they’re both tuned by HBB, it’s doing both things with a pair of siblings. And they get you. That’s what makes HBB so good with his tunings; if you’re on the same musical wavelength as him then you can have a fully formed relationship with all of his sets because the progression from QKZ to Olina, and I’d imagine up to Kinda Lava and/or Mahina where I’d expect the complete maturity that comes with “time’ (in the analogy sense but in the IEM hobby I really mean money and more mature tech) simply makes sense as a family. On that time curve, Olina and Kai feel like when you’re in your early 20s. You’re still young and stupid, but you’re starting to find yourself, what you stand for, and how you want to present that to the world. Moreso than Mele or QKZ, Olina and Kai have that sense of themselves and which one you’re going to gravitate to can change on the mood. But musically, I think sometimes I’d rather live a little with Olina SE just a bit more often.
Versus Tri Starsea - The two of these IEMs stand above the rest of the sets I’ve either owned or tried as of this point. They feel like they have a lot of similarities in playback, but a major divergence point exists: Olina is young, energetic, and more brash; It doesn’t have bad bass, in terms of quantity, and does what it’s supposed to there. The low-mids are well-done and clean, present but not the focus. The upper-mids are the straw that stirs the drink here. But unlike the OG, Olina SE gives you the energy here without being right up against the line of “too much”. You pay attention because you like what they’re doing, not because you need to rein them in. Starsea has a lot of those same characteristics, but there always feels like there’s a but; Starsea does what it’s supposed to in the bass, but it’s not afraid of a little bit more thump in the mid-bass. And if you’ve figured me out by now, mid-bass means a little bit more for me. Starsea’s low-mids are well-done and clean, present but not the focus. But they have that little more oomph, just being a little warmer and less neutral sounding. The upper-mids and treble give you the energy without being right up against the line of “too much” but they get there without feeling like they’re trying so hard. Maybe it’s the BA drivers doing the work in the mids and treble, but the Starsea just feels a little more effortless than Olina SE. I love the smoothness Starsea has and how comfortable it is in its own playback, but I’m growing fond of the mature brashness of Olina SE. It is a keeper to me.
What Does All This Mean?
The short version: Olina SE is really good. You probably should buy it.
The longer version: In my opinion, it’s definitive that Olina SE is better than OG Olina; if you have neither and you’re going to get one, I’d run to get SE. I would also say that if your budget cannot break $100 (besides dumb things like shipping and taxes etc.), you don’t want to futz around in the hobby and you just want something that will sound really good, play anything back, and you don’t have to think about it, then just get Olina SE and get out.
That said, I’d go to $130 (or less if you wait for a sale and get closer to $100), and get Starsea, if I could only have one. Starsea threads the needle between what Kai and Olina are, and gives me what I feel are the best characteristics of both, so I don’t have to compromise. I don’t need two sets to engender the feelings I can get from Starsea. I find myself having that fully formed relationship with one person. Starsea is just kinda wifey. But I can still have a really fun Saturday night out with Olina, on a lazy Monday morning. And there’s nothing wrong with that, at all.
Rank: B+
Rank With Personal Bias: A
4 Likes
I felt that. 
I am glad you felt it worth your money spent.
I am glad you heard the driver so to speak.
Thanks for taking the time to share with the community 
2 Likes
Alright, your write ups are becoming a lot more poetic and I’m here for it haha what an epic comparison and an easy way to put the sound into perspective. I genuinely don’t have a reason to buy the Olina SE but I wish I did - I feel like the OG Olina almost kickstarted the new budget wars that we see happening in front of us now. It was a beautiful concept by HBB to try to crack open the diminishing returns notion and give folks on a budget a fantastic option that could compete with sets triple the price.
5 Likes
QKZ x HBB or The Completion of the Sound Table
I feel like one unintentional consequence of my IEM journey is that I have come a long way in identifying what good budget sets look and sound like. I can’t do anything short of counting my blessings that I found my way to the IEM hobby this past year. Before this, the options available sound as though they were barely satisfactory. My original collection of IEMs belies this fact. 2022 has been an incredible year for getting extremely good sound into your ears at reasonable prices. As we make our way to 11.11 and the big IEM sales of the year, I think it is paramount to understand where the state of the market is. I took a giant step to this end when I did my $20 collective shootout a little while back. But, as always, a new contender has stepped forward and put its foot into the ring. So here I am, giving the QKZ x HBB a shot. Let’s see how this goes.
Songs to Listen to and Follow Along:
As usual, I’m going to write my thoughts in generalities, but I’ll give you a sample of songs that I listen to, that will relate to the concepts I write about. Feel free to ask for specifics, if you don’t keep up with my thought processes.
Hell On Earth - REZZ & Yultron (For Bass elements)
Windows - Abby Gundersen (For piano and violin timbre, resolution and clarity)
Marie Antoinette (2003 Rudy Van Gelder Remaster Edition) - Freddie Hubbard (For imaging, layering and soundstage, brass and woodwind timbre)
Wood Stove Whine - Muhammad Seven & The Spring (For male vocals, resolution, layering, mids focus)
PAPERMOON - Tommy heavenly6 (For female vocals, rock bass and treble elements, layering)
Starting Over Won’t Be Easy
Because this hobby never stops moving, impressions and opinions have to be as fluid as water. But as that goes, what you thought a year ago, a month…a day won’t be what stands today. Especially when the hype train gets onto something, it becomes hard to stay out of the way. That’s kind of what happened with the QKZ x HBB. With a slew of well-received collaborations already on the ledger, an obvious next move was to hit the ultra-budget range. And that’s how we’re here today.
The first thing to consider is “Why does this set exist, and who does it serve?” For me, that’s not as simple a question as it appears on the surface. This is a bassy set, but I don’t listen to it and feel like it is a basshead set. It definitely is not a balanced set, and certainly is not a bright set. So to get to the bottom of the question, we have to take the time to go through what the QKZ is, to figure out what it is not.
Knowing What You Know Just Makes it Harder to Think Straight
As I’ve stated, and if you know an HBB set, this is going to be a bass-emphasized IEM. In my time with it, I’ve found quite clearly that this IEM is based in the sub-bass region. And a word that gets bandied around that I think holds water for this set is “potent”. This sub-bass absolutely, unapologetically gets at you. What is surprising is the amount of control, and dare I say restraint, the QKZ shows in the mid-bass. This is not to say that the mid-bass is light or underemphasized. That is not the case at all, but the general idea would be with this much sub-bass showing up, the mid-bass would be thick and thumpy. In fact, the mid-bass is tuned to compliment the sub-bass and let the rumble step forward. Considering how you would normally have to go further up the price tree to find a tuning with this kind of craft, it is to be commended that we get it here.
The low-mids are decently forward and represent themselves well. Male vocals, particularly, get to stand up and show out. Thanks to the way the bass pulls back, they get to be a priority. Given the emphasis in the low-mids, the place the QKZ takes a step back is in the upper-mids. Female vocals are a bit pulled back and the energy you’d be accustomed to from 1-4k is muted. The area is done pretty smoothly, but this is not the set to don if you’re going to belt out a medley of, say, Celine Dion. And that is okay because it knows what kind of set it is.
But that might be my problem; the smooth control that exists in the upper-mids continues into the treble so the playback has not a hint of sibilance or sharpness. It also, though, does not carry enough energy deeper in the treble. If this is what is considered a dark sound signature I can accept that, but I struggled a bit with it. What I first heard as a bit of recess in the mids, I eventually figured out was missing treble causing a lack of resolution. This will be an important point we come back to.
But Why Aren’t You as Good as the 7Hz Zero?
The simple reason is because these two IEMs aren’t trying to do the same thing. The Zero is the IEM that sits in the middle of my Sound Table, representing what neutrality can sound like for me. The QKZ is nowhere near neutral, if I haven’t been clear by now. Where the Zero would excel with PAPERMOON over QKZ, it cannot possibly hold a candle playing Hell On Earth. So if the QKZ isn’t worthy of a seat in the middle, we need to see where it does belong.
Versus CCA CRA - This is getting closer to the answer but we’re still not there. CRA is much more balanced than QKZ. It does not have the same amount of sub-bass to my ear, no matter what the graphs say, but the CRA has better mids, both in the low and especially in the upper-mids, as well as superior treble. For all-around playback, I would certainly reach for the CRA first.
Versus KBear Rosefinch - This is the interesting comparison because of the 5 IEMs that I believe are truly worth your time and attention at the $20 price point (Moondrop Chu is the other. There’s truly no point in comparison between the two; they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum, at heart) Rosefinch shares the most space with QKZ and is the most direct competitor. And yet, I hear these sets and think it’s like an F1 car racing against an Indy car. Both of these sets are bass-emphasized sets, but the QKZ lives in the sub-bass while the Rosefinch is more prominent in the mid-bass area. Through the mids, we have another dichotomy; the QKZ is stronger in the low-mids and the Rosefinch is more energetic in the upper-mids. These two divergences lay definite philosophies at our feet: The QKZ is meant to be more authoritative in the lower registers. You are supposed to feel this IEM in all of its power and control. The Rosefinch is a bit more of a wild child. It hits harder, because of that mid-bass boom, and it keeps the low-mids out of the way to let that mid-bass thump without restraint. While I don’t think the QKZ is that far behind Rosefinch in upper-mids (both carry a smooth gain and slope through the area) Rosefinch tallies just a little more energy in this region which it needs with all of that mid-bass. Through here, I’d simply say these two sets are taste-dependent. If you are somebody that needs the low end to be powerful but have a bit more control, QKZ makes sense over Rosefinch (in stock form. Ya’ll are already tired of me gushing about modded Rosefinch so I’m going to KISS it here). By contrast, I would say that Rosefinch is more dynamic. Because my preference is mid-bass over sub-bass, Rosefinch speaks directly to me. For me, this comparison lives and dies on the treble: Rosefinch crushes QKZ on treble. Listening back-to-back, it is immediately apparent that QKZ may have treble extension, but where that extension is, my ears don’t hear all of it prominently. As my ears start to drop the sound signature at around 12k and beyond, a bump out that far does me no good. But the cut from 8-12k reduces the resolution and kills the clarity for me. It doesn’t make the rest of the signature bad, but it keeps it from excelling. When listening to QKZ exclusively, your ears can get used to its signature and they sound really good. When I put something in with better clarity, then hear QKZ, I can’t unhear the lack of resolution. And, while I can totally admit that Rosefinch has unnaturally boosted treble, between the two, I will prefer unnaturally boosted to severely dampened.
What Does All This Mean?
As I’ve alluded to multiple times, I do believe we have five Knights of the $20 Round Table: Moondrop Chu is the Bright Knight, 7Hz Zero is the Neutral Knight, CCA CRA is the Warm Knight, KBear Rosefinch is the Mid-Bass Knight, and QKZ x HBB is the Sub-Bass Knight. I think every one of these sets is valuable, they could all have a place in your collection, and that no one option stands above the others as clearly superior (except He Who Shall Not Be Named…but again, you don’t want to hear that).
For my preferences, these are the five $20 sets I would recommend, and the situations that I recommend. I will find my way to listening to other cheaper sets, because they are easily accessible, in terms of price, and I’m in this hobby. Even when you’re satisfied with where you’re at, there’s always the next hit just around the corner. And if you’re okay with it, I’ll be there to tell you why that new hotness isn’t better than the Old Guard. (For example: TinHifi T2 DLC is a perfectly competent IEM, that has a good enough tuning, but a terrible treble cut that kills the resolution. There is zero reason to buy it at $60 that I can justify).
The world, simply, has moved on and you have to be special at something. Even at $20.That’s the only way to earn your seat at the Sound Table. That’s going to be it for this review. Enjoy your days, and take care till next time!
Rank: B-
Rank With Personal Bias: B-
4 Likes
Penon Fan 2 or The Time 11/11 Became Less Relevant For Me
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for an IEM lover, as we’re gearing up for the 11/11 sales. And yet, as much fun as it is to watch the preparations being made, the secondhand sales to free up funds for new investments, and an excitement for the new gear about to drop, frankly I’m kinda not all that interested. This is mostly because Penon dropped a late-October surprise that has blown me out of the water. And I’m going to tell you about why you might want to put the Fan 2 on your wishlist.
Songs to Listen to and Follow Along:
As usual, I’m going to write my thoughts in generalities, but I’ll give you a sample of songs that I listen to, that will relate to the concepts I write about. Feel free to ask for specifics, if you don’t keep up with my thought processes.
Vertigo - Alice Merton (For bass elements, female vocals, clarity)
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love - Red Garland (For piano tonality, layering, note weight)
All Comes Crashing - Metric (For imaging, clarity and resolution, mids performance)
Holdin’ Onto Your Silence - Jozels (For female vocals, imaging and layering, bass response)
Going, Going, Gone - Wires and Lights (For male vocals, drum and guitar elements, treble response and resolution)
I Wanna Live, I Wanna Give
I followed along with the discussion and announcement of a new Fan model from Penon, especially once it was rumored to have a more neutral, mid-bass centric signature; this is said to be a departure from the rest of the Penon IEM line. I’m not saying I was interested because of the idea that I wouldn’t like other Penon IEMs, but the fact that they were making an IEM that is closer to what we understand neutral to be was something that caught my eye because I was trying to find a good set for what my ears find neutral. Sets that I’ve tried that are supposed to be more neutral simply come off as thin in the bass and brighter than what I think neutral should be. The idea that the Fan 2 could hit the sweet spot of energetic upper frequencies but having enough bass was very appealing to me. That said, I still didn’t find myself compelled to buy the Fan 2 when it was released until I received my Penon newsletter that offered up a code for the Fan 2 at a reduced price. That made the deal too good to pass on for me. The fact that for the last 10 days, I’ve barely been able to get the F2s out of my ears is something undeniable. It turns out that, for me, these IEMs may have been inevitable.
I’ve Been In My Mind, It’s Such a Fine Line
The very first thing that stood out to me on my first listen is that the F2s are an energetic set. I think a misconception I cannot wrap my head around is that sets people call “neutral” do actually lack energy, usually most pronounced in the mid-bass area. In order to get the “clean mids” that are expected in a neutral tuning the mid-bass gets reduced, if not flat out neutered, and the consequence of that is those sets get more pronounced in the upper-mids area. So in reality, the sets aren’t neutral without an emphasis in any one range, but they actually do push a particular range forward. To me, neutral actually strikes a balance that everything is appropriately present.
In the bass area, I’ve heard commentary and complaints that the F2 is bass-light or lacks presence. This is flat-out not true. In either Vertigo, or Holdin’ Onto Your Silence, there is no lack of thump in the very present bass responses. There is not a deep sub-bass response, and if that is what your focus or preference is, then I can understand this set not ticking your boxes, but even there I wouldn’t call them lacking. They have an appropriate amount of sub-bass: this set won’t make you feel like you’re experiencing a deep bass rumble, but for me there is a very forward mid-bass slam. The drums in Going, Going, Gone are not forward or a focus of the song (nor is the bass being played either) but if you wanted to pull them out and focus on them they are right there to be found too.
The mids on this set knock my socks off. With the focused amount of energy in the mid-bass, you could get too much energy that drags into the mids and muddies up the sound, but this set doesn’t do that at all. The DD provides the energy from the mid-bass but it never overpowers the mids response. They sound clean and clear, with a proper amount of forwardness. Songs that shouldn’t be dominated by bass or treble never are, and the mids have the space to exist and thrive. I Can’t Give You Anything But Love makes the piano the absolute star of the show it is, and sounds like I could be sitting in the room as the track is being recorded because the piano sounds so fresh and energetic. The bass sounds rich but never overdone. The light touches of the cymbals could not be played with better subtlety. And then when it’s time for them to back off and let the piano take back over they hand the space back like it’s nothing. Same with All Comes Crashing. The elements that are in the lead get to lead (particularly the vocals, which could get overwhelmed by the instrumentation if the balance is off). The upper mids and treble get an energetic treatment that also knows when to show restraint and not be overly pushy. Frankly, I’ve never heard a set always be this good at weaving between the bass, mid, and treble elements. It never actually puts a wrong foot forward for me.
But Why Aren’t You as Good as the 7Hz Zero?
The only thing I got for you is that you might not have the $280 budget. On a set versus set comparison, I have no reason to tell you not to get the Fan 2 over the Zero. They may be sets that can be argued are neutral sets, but the difference between these two is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. The same follows for all of the $20 sets I have shown an affinity for. They’re not in the same class as this set at all.
Versus Tri Starsea - Before my last few IEMs showed up, the Starsea was my favorite. It had the combination of balanced tuning with technicalities that were my absolute measuring stick. And nothing had surpassed them, so for that I would say that I did overlook flaws that have been pointed out about them (or they didn’t bother me). The Fan 2 makes me re-evaluate that assessment. Where I have to now address the driver pressure issues that Starsea has been plagued with, I’ll just say up front that with Fan 2, the big issue is the nozzle length. It is a longer-than-average nozzle and if that is the kind of issue that will be a dealbreaker for you, then it’s good to get that out of the way up front. But if you can deal with that, Fan 2 brings a balanced signature like Starsea does but it does it just a little better. They both have more emphasis for me in the mid-bass but Fan brings a little more presence when it’s called upon. The mids are just as clean but have a little more fullness, that never oversteps into mud, and can match Starsea in upper-mid and treble energy. They both have fantastic resolution but they have different strengths. Starsea is still my soundstage king, it just creates a bubble that makes you feel the music surrounding you like your head is in a fishbowl of audio magic. Fan 2 doesn’t fall far behind, because I absolutely have periods where it doesn’t sound like I hear the music like I’m listening to it, I hear the music like I’m feeling it. I think that that comes from the advantage it has over the Starsea that I will come to momentarily…
Versus Tripowin x HBB Olina SE - My two new kids in town are battling for my heart and mind, and I don’t know if this is a fair fight or who the bully actually is. Olina is the best 1DD I have and Fan 2 is the best hybrid, but can they really compare against each other? Olina is incredible that with one driver, at $100, it can create the sound it does. It has a good bass response, what I would call professionally proficient. You get almost exactly what is offered in the song, no more and no less. There is no color added to bass response, and it is just barely past too thin. It is appropriate. Fan is appropriate, but good. There is no extra color in the bass, especially if you are looking for that bit of sub-bass, and for me the bump in mid-bass doesn’t color the sound in a way that detracts from the other frequencies. It puts the most correct amount of weight on the sound. This is like a stack of pancakes being covered in syrup; too much and the syrup is just thick and dominating over the entire meal, to the point of being beyond excessive. But not enough, and you’re just eating a stack of dough. Which is doable but it is not the ideal experience. But the right amount of syrup keeps the pancakes moist and adds the flavor that makes pancakes the experience they are. Fan 2 is that amount of syrup for me. Which gives it an edge into the lower-mids.
That said, Olina does get a slight advantage in the upper-mids because it has a slight emphasis in that region, and the retuning that it got from the OG Olina controls that emphasis in a very pleasurable way. Fan 2 is okay with that though because it’s a slightly smoother listen in the upper registers. It gives up just a touch of the energy Olina has, in order to have better control of the whole range. Olina’s technical prowess is unmatched in its class, but at the end of the day Fan 2 just has the advantage of having multiple drivers to produce impeccable imaging for what I’ve heard. Olina is an overall cleaner reproduction, but I’m not always looking for the cleanest, most neutral listen. I want fun musicality in my IEMs, but I shouldn’t have to compromise details, soundstage, imaging, or technicalities I don’t want to in order to get it. I had thought before that I had a set where there didn’t feel like there was a compromise. But I think now, I’ve had my previous expectations and understandings shattered.
What Does This All Mean?
The short version of what this all means is that I have a new gold standard for my personal IEM journey. But how we got here is what makes this so interesting. I have an IEM in my ears at this very moment that I would be willing to put up against any set I buy or listen to going forward and say “You have to beat the Fan 2,” but I almost missed this experience completely. I would not have paid $300 for this set, as a blind buy. The only reason I got it was because I got a deal I couldn’t pass up. Now that I have heard it, I have to consider if it is worth someone else buying blind, and taking the leap I wouldn’t have for myself. I wish I could have a good answer for that, like saying “now that I know what I know, I would pay full price for it.” But that is a small bit disingenuous and a little unfair. What I can say is that having the experience with this IEM that I have, I would greatly regret it if I had missed out on having this set in my life. If you can find a deal on this set, and want a neutral leaning IEM, this is an easy no-brainer. This set has done a lot to make me question what I want or need to do in the hobby right now, because I don’t think there’s anything near this price range that isn’t a sidegrade or compliment to this set. I guess my next goal, eventually, is to find where the next upgrade to this set resides. But Today Goober is just going to let that be a Tomorrow problem. Right now, I’m going to let Fan 2 be amazing in my earholes. That’s going to be it for this review. Enjoy your days, and take care till next time!
Rank: A
Rank With Personal Bias: S-
8 Likes
I’ve listened to my set a lot today. The lack of sub-bass extension has been far less of an issue than originally. At this exact, very changeable moment in time, these and the Serial might be a finishing pair, as opposed to the Serial and the OG Fan. In comparison the OG Fan felt like it had a bit of a valley between bass and treble. Mids/vocals on the Fan 2 are really pretty heavenly.
EDIT: TBH the bass has a decent amount of clout… and whatever low-end it’s missing really does help with clarity without it being a Variations/Monarch II/EJ07M mid-bass trade-off. The longer you listen to it the less you notice any missing extension, it’s only by contrast that you really notice bass coming from underneath/buzzing the collarbone is notice. The stage really is something quite different, fully wrapped around, nothing is recessed, but nothing is spikey.
They’re definitely passing the “I don’t want to go to bed until the end of this track, or maybe the next one” test.
2 Likes
Yeah, I think you’ve hit a really good point that I think I made backwards in my review. I think Fan 2 can either be a great all-around set for most people, or if they need their set to be colored to enjoy it (either warmer and more musical, or colder and more analytical) this is probably the best complimentary set I have heard, in my limited travels.
If you like something musical like Serial, Canon, or sets that have a more relaxed treble, these will be a great compliment with fun and energy, but being more detail and technically oriented.
If you like a neutral, analytical tuning Fan 2 would be a great compliment because they are detailed and technically oriented but have fun and energy and can put some heart and soul into it.
I think they are fantastic!
1 Like
I’d say they are still warm, not necessarily uncolored in that sense… would you agree on that?
1 Like
Oh yeah, they are a warmer set. Like if Olina SE were neutral, these are warmer than neutral. So they aren’t uncolored, but they are less colored than anything in Penon’s catalog (except maybe Vortex can argue this), unless I’m mistaken?
What I’m going for is that they are less colored than fun sets, but have more warmth than analytical sets. They are a legitimately well balanced set, so they can be ideal compliments to just about any set you name
I’ve had the Fan 2 from @rattlingblanketwoman for almost a week now and I’m surprised at how good these are. It took me a bit to figure out that I need smaller tips than I normally use - went down two sizes on my radius deep mounts. I can’t A/B with the EJ07m Kinda Lava because I sold them to try other stuff out, but for rock, I think these are just as good or better. I feel like there’s not a big difference in the tuning and there’s a cleaner separation of the instruments.
4 Likes
I was thinkin’ about trying out the Fan 2s when I saw them on his for sale ad, but then I saw the ThieAudio Excaliburs he was selling and got them instead because I had been wanting to snag a pair of them ever since I sold my OG Oracles. Your post makes me think that I’m eventually going to need to get ahold of the Fan 2s still.
I currently have the EJ07Ms in resin shells and have been doing a lot of back and forth between them and the Excaliburs because they both fill the same kinda role in my collection so I’m thinking I’ll likely get rid of one and then pickup a Fan 2 to try against the winner of the Excalibur - EJ07M head to head. We’ll see. Decisions, decisions…
Anyways, thanks for sharing. I found it quite helpful.
I was trying to get his Fan 2 sold because the price he was selling for was criminal. The only two nitpicks I could have are it could use a LITTLE more sub-bass, and could do without such a large cut at 10k.
I settled on Radius Deep Mounts too, and they’re a great fit with Fan 2. A transparent tip for a truly neutral IEM. Love it!
So thanks to @domq422 and the Boston Public Library (low key, if you ever do a listening session, a library is a pretty cool place to do it), we were able to have a fun 2ish hour IEM swap. Dom can add his thoughts from his end but it was a great experience to me. So we had way too many sets between us to get more than a couple of songs for first impressions in but I got to cross three sets off my “need to try” list: Timeless, OH10, and the big daddy Monarch!
For quick shot impressions listening to everything balanced, cause Dom doesn’t mess around with single-ended (he’s no pleb!): Timeless is better to my ear than S12. It’s got less bite in the upper mids/treble which is more forgiving across genres. I’d still take P1 Max, as it sounds the most distinct of those three sets, and absolutely more neutral. Timeless is a good bright-V planar though.
Speaking of good bright-V, hi OH10. I can understand where it’s reputation precedes it now. I’d need more time with it to settle on my feelings but you wouldn’t have to twist my arm to get me to listen to it more. That’s a good freaking start!
@nymz as promised, Monarch Mk II…I listened to the first song as it settles in that “this is what a kilobuck stuck in my ears sounds like” and I had competing thoughts: it is Very Good. Like really good. I can’t rate anything off if 2-3 songs but I would absolutely enjoy a lot more time with the Monarchs, easily.
The other thought competing with that was “there isn’t a shot in hell I’m spending this much money on an IEM”. The law of diminishing return is fucking real up in that price range, and I’m not in desperate enough need to squeeze that last 5-10% out to invest that much money.
But if Dom wanted to let me have a couple of weeks with his babies, I’d take him up on it. I’m frugal, I’m not an idiot 
Dom, remind me if there was anything else I heard of yours that I should comment on. Oh, yeah I don’t need buds in my life. Fuck that’s a rabbit hole I’m gonna end up chasing down. If Dom’s whatever pairs did what they do,TGX and Rikubuds freaking scare me…
10 Likes
Dude, the time was dope! Thanks for meeting up and hooking me up with some fancy new tips. I can confirm that the Rosefinch with the deep mounts is top tier. Super comfortable. Can’t wait to experiment with them on other sets when I have a few hours to my self.
I’ll say this, the Olina SE was a fantastic set - it punches way above its price, in my opinion. I was a bit star struck at first, I must admit. Seeing them in my hands for the first time after hearing and reading countless peoples opinions was almost overwhelming - I really like the Turtle on the Faceplate btw. My Red Eared Slider named Michelangelo approves 
they sounds great. No question. Comfortable to wear as well. Timbre stood out to me as natural to my ear, bass seemed cleaned and present, without being over bearing. I like a bit more warmth and punch in the lower mids/mid bass my self, but as an over all performer, I can see why it’s a steal at $100.
The Kai was smooooooth as silk. Really enjoyed them. I can see those being amazing for classic rock. Although, I like a touch more bite for electric guitars but hey, it can’t be perfect.
I would say the most surprising set was probably the Starsea and the 7hz Zero. The specific combination @GooberBM sprung on me with the zero blew my god damned socks off. I think the overall combo was around $200 including cable, IEM, and source - I was legitimately blown away. What an amazing set. Super duper clean mid-bass. Like really clean.
Honestly, if one of my friends asks “what IEM should I get at $20?” I’d rec the Zero for a clean replay, or the Rosefinch for some F you Bass. The Zero has my respect.
Lastly, I’ll say the P1 Max 
is an amazing set. By far more organic? compared to the Timeless. It didn’t sound too much like a planar, but with all the planar goodness (resolution and layering specifically). The Timeless is still my baby, don’t get me wrong - but damn, if the upper mids and treble bite is too much for you, but you’re addicted to the resolution and layering of the Timeless, get the P1 max. Far superior Fit, super light weight, very comfortable and a more laid back approach that would probably be pleasing to just about anyone.
Besides that - all was good! Had a great time. Wasn’t a long time, but you know what they say … we’ll do it again brother!
6 Likes
Thanks for sharing, but last words are all that matters.
What buds did you try? 
They were nothing buds, not anything like the buds everyone goes crazy about. And I was like “these are crappy buds and they don’t suck. I don’t know if I want to mess with the really good buds…” lol
2 Likes
@nymz I have more thoughts to give on Monarch Mk II. I just wanted to give it the night to sit in my head.
I would need more time to decide what I’d grade/rank Monarch, but even with a couple of songs worth of time with it, it’s automatically at or above the level I have Fan 2 at (bear with me, I’m not gassing up Fan, I promise. I’m just stating the absolute floor of Monarch at the worst). The bass is really good. Sub-bass was very nice and if the graph says there’s a tuck in the mid-bass, I don’t hear it. It is NOT a thin mid-bass at all. Whatever the driver they’re using for the bass is spot-on.
Mids were just…fantastic. Good presence that wasn’t recessed in the least, vocals I got to hear were very very good. I played Hypnotic Brass Ensemble on them and the upper-mids/treble were SMOOTH. There is not a hint of bite to them at all. I didn’t do enough time to judge technicalities like details, imaging, layering and the such, but I have no reason to believe they’d be bad. None.
I just think, having listened to them, I’d have an aversion of going much over $500 for any IEM. They’re really good, but I’d NEVER wear them outside cause I’d be terrified of something happening. And I can’t imagine I’d be fully satisfied with dropping money on a kilobuck IEM that I’d only listen to sitting on my couch connected to a dac/amp. Like how my dream car is probably an Aston Martin but even if I could, I don’t think I’d ever buy one because where would I ever drive it? I don’t want to buy an expensive car for it to sit in a garage.
But I’d like to go to someone else’s garage and check out their car collection lol
PS- I’m laughing my ass off that I’ve created this hype around you @domq422 You’re welcome
6 Likes