Peacock obscura reviews

[Andy_Pickard]

A busy weekend finishing off reviews my impressions of the
Shozy MXN
Pros: 1.Very Comfortable
2.Warm signature
3,Carry case
4,Good build quality

Cons: 1.Non-detachable cable
2.Sub Bass is rolled off

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about flat head ear buds be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how a flathead looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right shell shape and foamsor silicone guides that suit your ears to get the best of any flat head most can be used hanging down or over ear.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the flathead eg a 5 star review of a $10 iem is not equal to one of a $300 flat head.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me it means not are the technicalities prime importance but does the music move with this particular item.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes.

Disclaimer
Penon Audio was kind enough to send me a sample set of the Shoxy MXN to review. I am not affiliated with Penon Audio and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Available on the Penon store

SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 15.4 mm dynamic driver

• Frequency response: 18 Hz - 22 kHz

• Impedance: 32 Ω

• Sensitivity: 110 dB

• Cable: non-detachable option off 4.4MM BALANCED or 3.5mm SE

• $49.90 USD

ACCESSORIES

1. Carrying case

2. Red high-density full foams

3. Black medium-density full foams

4. Blue low-density full foams

5. Donut foams

The provided accessories are excellent for a sub-$50 USD flathead packaging, .

There are 4 types of foam pads. The red full foams are the most dense, giving the most warmth and enhance bass.

The blue ones are are the thinnest foams, they decrease bass but add some brightness.

The blacks ones are somewhere in the middle

Then there’s the donut foams, which enhance the midrange which makes the bass less prominent. Its best to try all the foam options to find which you prefer.

The cable is quite the thin, with n tangle-free braiding. I didn’t notice any microphonics, the chin cinch actually works . You can opt for a 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm termination when ordering I went with the 4.4mm to suit my sources.

BUILD/COMFORT

The MXN uses the MX500 shell type, and is made from a good quality plastic. I found the shell extremely comfortable and was able to wear them all day without and problems I used the donut foams for the review as they provided the most balanced sound signature for my tastes.

The Driver is a 15.4mm good quality dynamic driver which I found relatively easy to drive although sources with more power did seem to improve the experience

I tested the Shozy MXN with the following sources:

• Cayin RU6

• Shanling H2

• Fiio M15

• Onix Alpha XI 1

• Venture Electronics Runabout + Prime DAC

• Shanling M6 Ultra

• Sony NW-WM1A

• Cayin N3 Ultra
  

  

SOUND

The Shozy MXN has a pleasing warm signature where the mids are the centre of attention . Even with the donut foams the Shozy MXN is a warm earphone so I eschewed the other foam options.

With most earbuds, there is a sub-bass roll-off, this is the case with the MXN but the mid-bass is punchy with decent texture that doesn’t bleed into the mids too much just enough to warm the mids. There’s enough detail in the bass to provide a very enjoyable listen when listening to classic rock and 80’s syth pop.

Midrange is the star of the show, the only words I can think of to describe the mids and that’s lush, smooth snd sweet. Vocals are natural with superb timbre if you want to listen to vocal centric songs like folk or Americana this is the bud for you.

The treble is smooth without any form of sibilance in fact it’s a bit on the dark side without much shimmer or sparkle I’m in the camp where when using buds I prefer it darker than peaky and sibilant so its ideal for me tastes. The MXN is analogue organic and one of the buds I would reach for to listen to my Americana library for hours and be completely satisfied.

When coming from the world of iem’s the $49 MXN would be ultra budget but in the world of flathead buds its considered midfi. So within my experience of buds the MXN is on the top end of the option available for under $100 the Soundstage is wide, much wider than I get from much more expensive in ear iems, this is for me the major advantage of flat head buds over iem’s.

COMPARISONS

Shozy Cygnus

The Cygnus is a less warm earbud, with more airy mids than the MXN. It has
Better micro-detailing and soundstage, but with higher levels of imaging. But these differences come at the expense of musicality. While the Cygnus is technically superior it also costs twice as much and I find it less engaging for my music library.

DUNU Alpha 3

The Dunu Alpha 3 definitely has a brighter tuning, with much less bass. The Alpha 3 has a slight metallic timbre with a more digital sound compared to the analogue organic MXN. This Alpha 3 does have a more detailed treble presentation but that detail comes at the expense of sibilance. If you are wanting a more analytical bud the Alpha 3 might be the better option. the Shozy MXN works better for pop and classic rock while the Alpha 3 would be more appropriate for classical music. The build of the alpha 3 is metal so can lead to fatigue as there’s a noticeable difference in weight.

CONCLUSION
If you want a bud for all day listening fatigue free, with lush musical mids with really intoxicating timbre and very natural engaging vocals the MXN is an ideal bud for the collection. Would I have preferred a detachable cable? Sure but for $49 its hard to quibble.

[Andy_Pickard]

ISN NEO 3

A Galaxy in your ears

Pros:
1,Bass
2. Natural timbre
Smooth non fatiguing treble
3. Build quality
4.Beautiful faceplates
5. Good accessories
Cons:
1.Not for treble heads
2. Not for bass phobic people
3.Cable not the best synergy
4. Can’t really find much to gripe about

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how an IEM looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips that suit your ears to get the best of any IEM.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impresseions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me it means not are the technicalities prime importance but does the music move with this particular item.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good iems but do they give me goosebumps? Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good iems.

I want the iem that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Neo 3’s bass and mids coming from the double DD’s gave me the same goosebumps from the first few bars of the Michael Shenker Groups track “Rock me to the Ground” the swinging bass and big drums literally making the hair stand up on my arms as the NEO5s had when I was using them. Its clear that ISN’s super power is their ability to tune drivers to get the most out of them and give the wonderful house sound of big bass and stunning mids.

I have a love hate history with Planar drivers there speed and ability to provide great technicalities I like but the way they produce bass has always left me feeling something is missing ISN’s master stroke of combining 2 Dynamic drivers handling the bass and mids with a 5.8mm planar dealing with treble frequencies, you get the best of the strengths of both driver types20240707_165218~2.jpg
I favour Dynamic Drivers for bass the tactility of the drums ISN using 2 6mm Dynamic Drivers in this small iem one handling the bass giving great sub bass mid bass the other supplying those silky smooth mids is very important to my enjoyment. Instruments sound anologue, natural and smooth Planars just don’t give me the organic feel of analogue instruments in the lower frequencies so Im very pleased to see they are handling the treble frequency range here and they perform admirably in providing the very natural sparkling treble. I didn’t detect any planar timbre which really shows how well tuned this iem is.

ISN is a brand under the umbrella of Penon this is not my first ISN iem, I recently received and reviewed the NEO 5 which I really enjoy I do own a couple of Penon. The Fan2 and 10th Anniversary, so I was very interested to see how the ISN Neo 3 performed compared to these iems that are loved by the the community and myself.

Disclaimer
ISN was kind enough to send me a sample set of THE Neo 3 to review. I am not affiliated with ISN and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or taken from the PENON website. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Make sure to research any iem before you buy!

The Neo 3 retails at $199 which for this configuration is extremely competitive

Details from the Penon website

ISN Audio NEO 3 1 Planar Driver + 2 Dynamic Driver Hybrid 2Pin 0.78mm HiFi Audiophile IEMS

Description

ISN Audio NEO series, different tuning style

Medical grade resin material, light and beautiful, comfortable to wear.

3 drivers hybrid earphone

Specifications

Brand: ISN AUDIO NEO Series

Model: NEO 3

Drivers:1 Planar Driver + 2 Dynamic Driver

1 x 5.8mm planar driver for high frequency

1 x 6mm dynamic driver for middle frequency

1 x 6mm dynamic driver for low frequency

Impedance: 15ohm

Sensitivity: 105dB

Frequency response: 10Hz-20kHz

Connector: 2pin 0.78mm

Cable : 8 strands , 19 cores per strand OCC wire

Cable length: 1.2M

The frequency graph for those who like those sort of things

The Neo 3 is a beautiful 3 driver HYBRID iem, small and perfectly formed they disappear in the ear. Which is very impressive with the driver count. A solid blue resin shell with a beautiful galaxy od stars shimmering in a deep blue background with a metal nozzle which really helps with fitment of eartips. I’m reviewing with the included cable which while being a nice quality cable it does hold the NEO 3 back when paired with a better quality cable like the ISN C2, H2, or S2 they all improve on the separation of the frequencies giving a more specious presentation while adding more texture and detail to the bass and mids.

What do they sound like?

Around the hifi forums I’ve heard the description “Fun” in relation to this IEM, to me, fun means the iem I reach for, when I want to really enjoy my music. Something that releases the full scope of what the artist created in the studio. The Neo 3 certainly does that with that special something. The cohesion of the drivers ensuring to there’s no jarring transition between the frequency range. Neo 3 is unabashedly a warm bass driven signature, bass is textured, dynamic and layered, digging out details . The mids are slightly warm so they do colour the vocals slightly adding body to males voval and female alike but not so much to effect the natural timbre of the vocals . The vocals don’t take a slight step back they are there front and centre with instruments placed exactly where they should be showing depth to the stage with natural unforced width. Hybrids can have coherence issues the Neo 5 sounds like a single driver no trace of Planar timbre just everything working together as one.

What do I mean by unforced width? Some IEMs give an impression of super wide stage which sounds unnatural throwing instrument placement off.

The mids are natural and organic slightly warm with just enough edge to add excitement to vocals and guitars causing me to be drawn into the music, A very engaging musical experience which ISN and Penon seem to excel at.

The Transition from upper mids to lower treble is boosted slightly but still sibilance free, even with songs that have siblence bult into the recordeing.
While the overall signature is slightly in the darker realm there’s still lots of detail. The upper treble has a pleasing amount of air and sparkle, without straying into fatigue levels.

The timbre of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is natural. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically , if a voice has gravel you feel it. Pure female vocals like Joni Mitchell are imbued with emotion and sweet rounded clarity making an overall very satisfying vocals experience very similar to the NEO 5.

The sound signature as a whole is of big bass with warm clear clean mids with a little edge in the treble, an overall satisfying feeling of immersion in the music.

When I’m evaluating IEMs I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the ISN NEO 3 I again, like the NEO 5, I found myself listening to songs rather than analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety just loosing myself in the music. I found they worked across most genres both smooth and aggressive. I don’t listen to much EDM preferring real instruments playing together as a unit.

Muse - 2nd Law album sounded Immense with thunderous bass. Matt Bellamys voice was crystalline with a little extra warmth bringing more depth to the vocals along with the searing guitar enhanced by the planar speed a very exciting experience.

Lorde - Royals with its throbbing and droning subass really digging deep with great effect her higher range voice sibilance free again with alittle added warmth.

Joni Mitchell – Blue, the acoustic guitar sounding detailed with the strings resonance reproduced well. Joni’s vocals can sound a bit shrill on lesser iems not here the added warmth and roundness to her upper register was very pleasing.

Steely Dan’s - Aja, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with musical deftness’, hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay staging was good with height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, the added warmth on this album did feel slightly less open than the NEO 5 but it was still very enjoyable.

Michael Schenker Group – Rock Me to the ground this is one of my favourites the big swinging bass line with powerful drums starting the song, then the gravely shout of Graham Bonnet comes screaming through as the guitars are take over. The Neo 3 llike the NEO 5 nails this with aplomb genuinely causing the hairs of my neck stand to attention. The added warmth worked really well here on the 1980’s dry production style giving a sense of a more “real” organic presentation.

Peter Gabriel - live album with the New Blood Orchestra. The full orchestra reproduced with clarity but had less separation than the NEO 5 but still managed to place me in the front row and centre of the stage with the strings having slightly less air but Gabriel’s voice was still intimate and detailed.

Lady Black Bird - Blackbird the subtleties of the interplay between vocals and instruments are played well, her voice warm and intoxicating. The space around the components of the song is decent but not outstanding. Black acid Soul is superb Acid jazz/soul mix produced and mastered to perfection and the Neo 3 does a good job of drawing you into the music with a great sense in intimacy.

Iron Maiden -Rhyme of the ancient Mariner - the dynamics of this track are a little dulled still reproduced with pin point accuracy , I did perceive slight congestion in the guitars, bass and drums lacking a little finesse Bruce’s vocals were still on point and unveiled just good headbanging fun

The Neo3 is very easy to drive for an iem with a planar and I had no issues using them with Daps, Dongles.

They sounded good with my cooler less coloured sources. This is not an iem that needs an expensive source but it does scale impressively.
I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is. The Neo 3 gives me this feeling with the Hiby R6 111, Cayin N3 Ultra the best it was a little too warm with the Sony NW-WMIA and Shanling M6Ultra

Sources used:
IBasso dx170
Shanling H5
Shanling M6 Ultra
Sony Zx507
Sony Nw-WM1A
HiBy R6 111
HiBy R8
HiBy RS2

ONIX Alpha X1
CAYIN N3PRO
CAYIN RU6
IFI GO BLUE
FIIO BTR7
FIIO M15

Conclusion

The upto $200 range is full of great sounding iems with more released it seems on a weekly basis the Neo 3 competes admirably, with it’s fun and exciting sound signature. The size and design of the shell does help its move up the ranks as I found it one of the most comfortable iems on the market. The Neo 3 while being less technically adept than the NEO 5 I kinda enjoy it more especially with classic rock and jazz it’s an iem that wraps you up in a cosy blanket that make the hours slip away.

[Andy_Pickard]

Blue is the Colour
Pros: 1.Newest ISN 6N OCC based cables
2.Good quality materials
3.Comfortable budget for replacement cables
4.Inter-changeable modular terminations
5.Quality aluminium plugs, pins and splitter
6.Attractive blue sleeves

Cons: 1.No earhooks
2.Friction fit Not locking modular terminations
3.Recessed 2 pin (I prefer standard 2pin which is often found on ISN and Penon cables)

I’m a cable believer, I came to this from the position of, I noticed different cables had different synergies with iems before I was really aware of the hobby and the controversies surrounding cables. If you don’t hear a difference great that’s your right to dismiss the following review. If you do read on.

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about cables be it a particular type of cable materiel that works with our iems or how it looks and feels . On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit. For me an ear hook is essential for a comforatbe and stable fit. When talking about cables were are discussing nuances, very small changes to the sound of an iem. No cable will “fix” a bad iem what they do achieve for me is to enhance a good iem sometimes to the point of me thinking it’s a great one.

A cable is just one part of the audio chain, earips and sources do make a more significant contribution to shaping the output of an iem but and it’s a big but, for me, the last 5% to 10% that a good cable synergy brings can mean the difference between an iem staying in its box or being part of my daily rotation. I’m not going to write a lot of flowery audiophile words about how a cable effects every instrument for me it’s about the changes in ambience, wether the bottom end is beefed up or the treble smoothed.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the cable a 5 star review of a $10 cable is not equal to one of a $300 cable.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources, 300 cables with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds
I share my impresseions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me it means the technicalities are not of prime importance, its does the music move with this particular item.

Disclaimer
ISN was kind enough to send me a sample set of the H2, C2, S2 to review. I am not affiliated with ISN and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me.
ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.
The cables for today evaluation are as follows

ISN H2

An Hybrid 2 cable adds a touch more perceived bass using silver slightly expand the staging of the cable inc with the NEO3.

ISN C2

The Copper cable adds a touch more warmth even smoothing out the overall signature of the NEO 3 COMPARED to the inc cable I wasn’t a fan of this with the neo 3 but could see it being very favourable with a cooler more analytical iem

ISN S2

The Silver 2 cable has a brightening effect opening up the imaging of the NEO 3 this was by far my favourite combination with the NEO 3

The above mini evaluation is pretty much what I experienced with all my experiments with all the different iem’s listed below.

Kiwi ears Quintet

The ideal comination was with the C2 the added warmth and smoothing effect really helped with the Quintets spicy treble bring an overall warmth to the signature. Don’t think its going to completely change the sound signature, I’m talking about subtle nuances enough to make me able to listen longer with this great iem.

Penon Fan2

The Fan 2 is a wonderful little iem that I believe to be one of the best bang for buck choices out there the H2 was the standout cable combination here though the C2 was close both seemed to enhance the bass presentation without mudding up the mids allowing the treble to breathe the H2 just pulled ahead with its ability to give more air to the upper mids and treble. The H2has found its permanent partner with the Fan2 especially as it a perfect colour match and lets be real, aesthetics are just as important as sound when it comes to iem/cable combinations.

Penon 10th AE

Now this iem has bean a bit of a journey for me at first I found it quite a bit too warm and not really dynamic enough for my tastes. This is where experimentation with cables and tips really helps with adapting an iems signature to your personal preferences. You’re probably already aware of where I’m heading here, yes the S2 worked its magic really opening up the sound adding tighter more authoritive bass presentation. The mids were brightened sounding more open really improving my enjoyment of them. The treble this is where the S2s super power was unleashed the ESTs reacted with such vigor to the S2 it was like I was hearing the 10th AE as it should be heard with beautiful extension the treble sparkling. A real winning combination, also another lovely asthetic combo.

Ergonomics

All three cables are a little stiff which for me and my ears did cause a little issue that would have been solved with ear hooks. Over all they are reasonably manageable cable neither too thin nor too thick. The modular terminations are a good tight friction fit with 3.5mm Se, 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced giving all the available options for use with all sources really making this a very versatile set of cables

Aesthetics

All three are sleeved with the same blue coating only the colour of the cable material slightly changing the shade. The 2pin and modular terminations are utilitarian in appearance being black plastic for the 2 pin and a carbon fibre decoration to the splitter and modular end.

Conclusion

At the price point these 3 cables are its difficult not to give a full recommendation. They would be an ideal starting point for building a good selection of cables with quality build, materials,and aesthetics being a good step up from most cables included with midfi iems and also a level above the budget offerings from the likes of NiceHCK or others on AliExpress. Especially with the modular terminations

[yogurt]

Had a chance to try this yet, A/B against some of your other reference sources?

[Andy_Pickard]

Which item are you referring to?

[yogurt]

Ah sorry, the post I replied to re: tsmr x and the VE stack. Peacock obscura reviews - #11 by Andy_Pickard

[Andy_Pickard]

Penon BS1 Official
One Earbud For All
FIVE STAR✨
Pros: 1.Comfortable
2.Superb cable
3.Warm detailed signature
4.Beautiful Wood case
5.Great build quality
Cons: 1.Non-detachable cable
3.Nothing really worth mentioning

The BS1 Official turned up in the usual Penon box but once opened it became obvious that this is a top of the line product. The beautiful wooden circular box with velvet pads to protect the quality machined flat-heads. The gorgeous cable with adapters to suit and source you would wish to use. The plethora of foam pads to adjust for comfort and tuning.
It really feels like a special experience especially when compared to the many other options available at the same price point from other vendors that turn up in bubble wrap!
I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about flat head ear buds be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how a flat-head looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right shell shape and foams or silicone guides that suit your ears to get the best of any flat head most can be used hanging down or over ear. The BS1 does come with some handy transparent plastic ear guides. I didn’t need to use these as they fit my ears securely and very comfortably.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the flathead eg a 5 star review of a $10 flat-head bud is not equal to one of a $300 flat head.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 16 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology second, what does this mean? For me it means not are the technicalities prime importance but does the music move with this particular item.
I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating audio gear is do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes.

Disclaimer
Penon was kind enough to send me a sample set of BS1 Official to review. I am not affiliated with Penon and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or taken from the PENON website. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.
The Penon BS1 Official can be obtained here (no affiliate links):

Penon BS1 Official Version - PENON Co.,Ltd

Specifications

1.Metal shell, metal mesh
2. Black carbon fiber alloy splitter, alloy slider
3. Sound signature: Impactful Bass ,Sweet Vocals ,Extended Treble, Wide Soundstage
4. Driver: 15mm dynamic driver
5. Impedance: 32ohm
6. Frequency response: 14Hz – 28 kHz
7. Sensitivity: 120dB
8. Cable: 8 shares 19-core copper & silver-plated mixed cable
9. Plug: 2.5mm Balanced copper gold-plated plug
10. Cable length: 1.2m

Package
BS1 earbud
2.5mm Balanced female to 3.5mm audio male adapter
2.5mm Balanced female to 4.4mm Balanced male adapter
Wood case
1 pair of Hiegi foam donut eartips
1 pair of Hiegi foam solid eatrips

4 pairs of donut foam eatips
4 pairs of solid foam eartips
1 pair of transparent earhook
Pouch
Clip

There are 4 types of foam covers. The red full foams are the most dense, giving the most warmth and enhance bass.

The blue ones are are the thinnest foams, they decrease bass but add some brightness.

The blacks ones are somewhere in the middle

Then there’s the donut foams, which enhance the midrange which makes the bass less prominent. Its best to try all the foam options to find which you prefer.

The cable is very well made and attractive, not too thin or thick just perfect for a flathead design, with a tangle-free braiding. I didn’t notice any microphonics, the chin cinch actually works . the cable comes with a 2.5mm termination along with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm termination adapter cables which means you can use the BS1 with all your sources.

BUILD/COMFORT

The BS1 isa metal construction shell type. I found the shell extremely comfortable and was able to wear them all day without and problems I used the donut foams for the review as they provided the most balanced sound signature for my tastes.

The Driver is a 15mm good quality dynamic driver which I found relatively easy to drive although sources with more power did seem to improve the experience.
I tested the BS1 Official with the following sources:

• Cayin RU6

• Shanling H2

• Fiio M15

• Onix Alpha XI 1

• Venture Electronics Runabout + Prime DAC

• Shanling H5

• Sony NW-WM1A

• Cayin N3 Ultra
  

  

SOUND

The BS1 has strong {for a flat head) impactful bass with decent sub-bass and dynamic mid bass attack the mids are clear natural and airy with very nice details and texture . With the donut foams the BS1 Official i found them most pleasing to my ear with little to no veiling in the midrange when I tried the other foam options they became a little too warm so I eschewed the other foam options.

With most earbuds, there is a sub-bass roll-off, in this is the case with the BS1 there was a noticeable sub bass presence with some decent rumble when the music called for it the mid-bass is punchy with good texture that doesn’t bleed into the mids much, just enough to warm the male vocals to give them more authority but not so much that female /high tenors are effected . There’s details and texture in the bass which provides a very enjoyable listen when listening to classic rock and 80’s syth pop.

Midrange is really special on the BS1 very organic and natural allowing the music to breathe, the midrange lush, smooth snd sweet. Vocals are forward, natural with superb timbre. If you want to listen to vocal centric songs like folk or Americana this is the bud for you, or if you want to listen to classic rock and blues the BS1 is equally adept. The detail in the midrange is top tier with excellent layers and pin point accurate. One can easily pick out a guitar and follow it around the stage in live recordings.

The treble is smooth without any form of sibilance but is detailed with good air in fact it’s got sparkle and shimmer without being fatiguing I’m in the camp where when using buds I prefer it darker than peaky and sibilant but this set really showed me you can have extended detailed treble and not have the negative aspects normally associated with flat head treble. The BS1 is analogue, organic, analytical, musical and the set of buds I would reach for, to listen to my entire library for hours and be completely satisfied.

When coming from the world of iems the $116 BS1 would be budget but in the world of flathead buds its considered to be at the price bracket where TOTL flatheads live. So within my experience of buds the BS1 is the top of the options available for under $200. The Soundstage is wide, spacious and detailed much wider than I get from much more expensive in-ear iems, this is for me the major advantage of flat head buds over iems .

While using my selection of Daps and DACs with the BS1 I found a particularly good combination with fabulous synergy with the Onix Aplha 1XL and the Shanling H5 these two DACs really helped to combine the details and dynamics of the BS1 with a gorgeous lush presentation that made the hours I was listening fly by. I have to say I haven’t enjoyed a flathead earphone as much as the BS1 before, their ability to play multiple genres with ease is really special.

COMPARISONS

Shozy Cygnus

The Cygnus is a less detailed with less quality in the bass department in reality this earbud while in the same price range is not on the same level in either build quality or audio playback, The BS1 has better micro-detailing and soundstage, with higher levels of imaging. Better bass texture and more bass overall .

DUNU Alpha 3

The Dunu Alpha 3 definitely has a brighter tuning, with much less bass. The Alpha 3 has a metallic timbre with a more digital sound compared to the analogue open sound of the BS1. This Alpha 3 does not have a more detailed treble presentation but the detail it does have comes at the expense of sibilance. The build of the alpha 3 is also metal but it is heavier so can lead to fatigue as there’s a noticeable difference in weight.

CONCLUSION

If you want TOTL flathead bud for all day listening fatigue free, with lush musical mids with bags of detail, really intoxicating timbre and very natural engaging vocals. Bass with both sub-bass and mid-bass balanced well to give both rumble and dynamic attack the BS1 is an ideal flat head bud for the collection. Would I have preferred a detachable cable? Sure but for $116 with all the accessories, including those 3.5…and 4.4mm adapters its hard to quibble.
This flat head earbud has me very excited to see what Penon can come up with next.

[Andy_Pickard]

ISN G4 5 STARS CABLE

Pros:

Gorgeous looks

Quality build

exotic materials

great ergonomics

Comfortable budget for quality replacement cable

Quality aluminium plugs, pins and splitter

Availple in 0.78 rcessed 2pin and mmcx

Terminations available 2.5 mm balanced 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm Balanced

Cons

No earhooks

Recessed 2 pin (I prefer standard 2pin which is often found on ISN and Penon cables)

ISN Audio G4 OCC Graphene Silver-plated + OCC Graphene Gold Paint Hybrid HiFi Audiophile IEM cable

Description

Type-6 Litz configuration

Environmental protection transparent PVC sheath

Aluminium CNC alloy cutting integrated slider

The solder joints is silver–contained tin

Secondary oxidation gold foil gold ring

Specification

Brand:ISN Audio

Model: G4

Material: Single crystal copper mixed graphene silver-plated + single crystal copper mixed graphene gold paint hybrid cable

Number of cores: 4 shares of 180 cores per share

Connector: MMCX/2pin 0.78mm

Plug: Gold-plated

Cable length: 1.2M

I’m a cable believer, I came to this from the position of, I noticed different cables had different synergies with iems before I was really aware of the hobby and the controversies surrounding cables. If you don’t hear a difference great that’s your right to dismiss the following review. If you do believe please read on.I’m a cable believer, I came to this from the position of, I noticed different cables had different synergies with iems before I was really aware of the hobby and the controversies surrounding cables. If you don’t hear a difference great that’s your right to dismiss the following review. If you do believe please read on.

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about audio gear especially when it comes to cables I like many audiophile enthusiasts have a preference for particular types of cable materials that work with my iems I pair a cable material to match the signature of the iem. The honest truth is I’m also quite OCD about aesthetics and cable thickness. I like my cable to be robust ,I really dislike thin tangle prone cables or rubbery sticky cables.

This is where the ISN G4 scores its first win as it’s a beautiful cable with a two tone appearance of silver and gold with very high quality terminations that follow the colour scheme perfectly. the bonus of the chin cinch actually being functional instead of just sitting there to look pretty is also very pleasing as this helps with fit to compensate for the lack of formed ear-guides

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the cable a 5 star review of a $10 cable is not equal to one of a $300 cable.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources, 300 cables with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me it means not are the technicalities prime importance but does the music move with this particular item.

Disclaimer

ISN was kind enough to send me a sample of the G4 to review it did not come in its retail packaging just in a plastic bag but I understand it comes with a zip up hardcase… I am not affiliated with ISN and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or taken from the PENON website. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

The ISN G4 cane be purchased for $99 from the Penon store.

Sound

So what does the G4 bring to the table? I found the G4 a dynamic cable that adds note weight and a little warmth the cables an attributes come via the single crystal copper that boosts the bass regions adding a touch more authority there’s a perception of more space between instruments the staging to my ears seems a little wider this is where the graphene comes into play. The added note weight and warmth means it’s best suited to more neutral or analytical iems. When I paired it with the ISN NEO5 that already has strong note weight, driving bass dynamics and warmth to their signature they became just a little too coloured for my tastes. The other most notable effect/enhancement is this cable does smooth the upper treble a little. When I’m talking about these changes I’m talking about nuances, there isn’t a cable created, that can fix a bad iem.

There’s no such thing as one cable for all iems, its all about finding the right synergy between iem, source, ear-tips and cable. When that synergy happens then magic occurs and audio bliss.

The G4 has a lot to like, its good looking-Check! Has wonderful ergonomics -Check! Comes in a variety of terminations to suit most needs-Check! Matches with with a variety of my iems and is not going to break the bank at $99.

The above mini evaluation is pretty much what I experienced with all my experiments with all the different iems listed below.

Sources

Sony ZX707

Cayin N3 Ultra

Cayin N7

Shanling H5

Onix X1 Alpha

HIBY R8

HIBY R6 111

IKKO OH 5 ASGARD

This combination was interesting in that the wonderful Mids of the OH5 were more or less untouched apart from a little extra air the added warmth and smoothing effect really helped bring an overall warmth to the signature The added authority in the bass and texture was welcome with the already decent staging having a perceptible added airiness. These changes improved my enjoyment of the OH 5 but don’t think its going to completely change the sound signature, I’m talking about subtle nuances enough to make me able to listen longer with this great single DD iem.

Juzear 41t

The 41t is a wonderful little hybrid iem that I believe to be one of the best bang for buck choices out there. The G4 was a standout cable combination here, the already decent bass was tightened and more dynamic without mudding up the Mids allowing the treble to breathe the G4 gave more air to the upper Mids and treble, the whole signature seemed more cohesive. It’s a perfect colour match as well and lets be real, aesthetics are just as important as sound when it comes to iem/cable combinations.

Letshouer Cadenza 4

Now this iem has been a slow burner for me with its very balanced signature sounding a little too proper missing that excitement factor not really dynamic enough for my tastes. This is where experimentation with cables and tips really helps with adapting an iems signature to your personal preferences. You’re probably already aware of where I’m heading here, yes the G4 worked its magic really opening up the sound adding tighter bass response with more authority to the bass presentation with more dynamic punch . The Mids were brightened sounding more open, really improving the special cues of the instruments within the music which really improved my enjoyment of them. The treble now has a touch more extension adding a bit of sparkle. A real winning combination, also a very pleasing aesthetic combination.

Conclusion

At the price point of $99 the ISN G4 cable is its difficult not to give a full recommendation. This cable would be an ideal upgrade for any iem which need just a little bit more in the bass department, note weight and improve the staging.

I’m obviously a believer of cables and think building a selection of cables with great quality build, materials, and aesthetics is a good step to getting more out of your iem collection. Most cables included with Midfi iems are functional at best and ISN and Penon cables like the G4 are a level above the budget offerings from the likes of NiceHCK or others on AliExpress.

[Andy_Pickard]

FIVE STARS

4K resolution for your ears

Pros:

1, Authoritative Bass with both quantity and quality

2. Natural timbre

3. Smooth well extended treble

4. great staging wide tall and deep when called for

5. cohesive sound signature

6. Build quality

7. High quality cable with interchangeable terminations 3.5mm and 4.4mm

8. Beautiful faceplates

9. Good accessories with nice leather case

Cons:

1, Needs 100 hours burn in

2. Not for treble sensitive people

3. Might not be for you if want a super smooth relaxing set

4. Can’t really find much to gripe about
   

   

The 7hz Aurora are different which is a good thing, too many iems released at the moment are almost carbon copies of each other chasing the Harmon target with only the shells being different. I’m tired of Harmon I want different.

7hz as a company have always been a company that dares to be different from the Timeless Planar, launching the planar deluge of iems chasing their lead. To the Legato a basshead iem that brought the big 2 channel speaker sound at an affordable price bracket. I’ll leave my thoughts on the new release 7hz FIVE the 5DD per side marvel for another time but spoiler its stunning.

How is the 7hz Aurora different? Well the driver configuration is not typical for starters with a tribrid setup with a 12mm Dynamic Driver, duel Balanced Armatures and a 6mm Micro Planar Driver. I think we all know that 7hz knows how to do bass and here on the Aurora we have bass that is profound, dynamic with a slight boost in the sub bass and beautifully balanced mid bass so not to miss out on the dynamic snap and attack. The bass is big but not overpowering with incredible quality. detail and texture. The special sauce of the Aurora is the blend between the driver types, its seamless, with resolution that exposes all the details while maintaining musical playback I’ve had countless moments of discovering nuances in songs that were not apparent till the Aurora.

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how an IEM looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips that suit your ears to get the best of any IEM.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me the technicalities are not of prime importance but does the music move with this particular iem.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is; do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good iems but do they give me goosebumps? Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good iems.

I want the iem that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Auroras bass and mids coming from the DD and BA’s gave me goosebumps from the first few bars of Norah Jones “Come away with me” the delicate playing of the piano with Norah’s crystal vocals full of emotion with gentle instrumentation floating in and out, outside my head literally making the hair stand up on my arms.

7hz have a super power with their ability to tune drivers to get the most out of them, the big bass and stunning mids with extended treble joining to create a mindblowing cohesive whole.

I have a love/ hate history with Planar drivers there speed and ability to provide great technicalities I like but the way they produce bass has always left me feeling something is missing 7hz’s master stroke is combining a 12mm Dynamic driver handling the bass with mids coming from the duel BA drivers and a 6 mm planar dealing with treble frequencies, you get the best of the strengths of all driver types.

I favour Dynamic Drivers for bass the tactility of the drums 7hz’s 12mm Dynamic Driver gives great sub bass and mid bass combining to give a really exciting bottom end that drives the music along. The Duel BAs supply silky smooth mids with great air, detail, and layering the timbre is just wonderfully natural with both male and female voices being rendered to perfection the amount of quality detail in voices is just remarkable you can hear every breath and nuance as their vocal chords produce the magic.

It is very important to my enjoyment that Instruments sound anologue, natural and organic Planars just don’t give me the organic feel of analogue instruments in the lower frequencies so Im very pleased to see they are handling the treble frequency range here and they perform admirably in providing the very detailed natural sparkling treble with good note weight. I didn’t detect any planar timbre after the 100 hours burn in process which really shows how well tuned this iem is.

Now I know there are those who don’t believe in burn in of iems, all I’m going to say is, with the Aurora straight out of the box, there was a hint of metallic sheen to the upper mids and treble with some tracks but this disappeared completely after the burn in process. For those, who will insist this is brain burn, I didn’t listen to the Aurora during the burn period , after burn in I noticed the sound was different, more cohesive and smoother with no metallic sheen.

Disclaimer
7hz was kind enough to give me a small discount on the Aurora with no pressure to review. I am not affiliated with 7hz and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Make sure to research any iem before you buy!

The 7hz Aurora retails at $399 which for this configuration is extremely competitive and are available for purchase from the Linsoul website see the non affiliated link below

7HZ Aurora | 1 DD+1 Planar +2 BA Audiophile IEMs (linsoul.com)

Details from the Linsoul website

Tribrid Driver Configuration: The Aurora boasts a tribrid driver configuration, optimizing a 12mm dynamic driver, two balanced armature drivers, and a 6mm planar driver for cohesive, high-quality sound across the spectrum.

12mm Composite Dynamic Driver: Explore the depths of sound with our newly developed 12mm composite diaphragm dynamic driver. Offering a wide frequency response and ultra-low distortion, this large dynamic driver ensures a rich, immersive audio experience with profound bass and pristine clarity.

Dual Balanced Armature Driver: Experience the perfect synergy of a custom-tuned midrange dual balanced armature driver, precisely developed for directional response. Paired with an accurate 3-way crossover circuit and the excellent cohesion between dynamic and planar drivers, it results in a smooth and flat frequency response curve.

Micro 6mm Planar Driver: Elevate your listening experience with the 6mm micro planar driver, delivering enhanced versatility, high-frequency detail, and an airy ambiance. Immerse yourself in a transparent and lifelike soundscape, where every nuance is captured with remarkable clarity and precision.

Custom Detachable Cable

The Aurora is featured with a detachable gold-plated single-crystal copper cable with 0.78mm 2-pin connectors, which is interchangeable. The cable has a modular 3.5mm/4.4mm interchangeable plug system to fit any of your devices.

Frequency response: 5 Hz - 40 kHz
Impedance: 30 Ω
Sensitivity: 105 dB/V @ 1 kHz

The Auroa is a quite big a iem, not huge but those with small ears may have issues with fit. The shell is a 3d printed medical grade resin with an absolutely beautiful faceplate the faceplates are composed of unique titanium filaments that create a one-of-kind design on each unit.

The frequency graph for those who like to see such things

What do they sound like?

The Aurora are tonally balanced with a U type signature 10db bass shelf with forward mids making vocals step forward, the overall signature is best described as high resolution, every detail is there but never at the expense of musicality.

Talking about resolution, when you get such a technically adept iem it is sometimes a little revealing of poor recordings and can expose certain types of music flaws. I found the best way to limit the jarring felling from less than well produced music was to use a source with a warmer playback. The sources I found the most synergy were the following; the Cayin N3Ultra, FiiO m15, onix X1 Alpha and the Shanling H5, H2 and M6 Ultra

I want to really enjoy my music. Something that releases the full scope of what the artist created in the studio. The Aurora certainly does that with that special something. The cohesion of the drivers ensuring to there’s no jarring transitions between the frequency range. The Aurora is unabashedly a bass driven signature, bass is textured, dynamic and layered, digging out details . The mids are slightly warm but don’t colour the vocals there is body to males vocals and female alike but no husky padding from the bass so there is no effect on the natural timbre of the vocals . The vocals don’t take a slight step back they are there front and centre with instruments placed exactly where they should be showing depth to the stage with natural unforced width. Hybrids can have coherence issues the Aurorasounds like a single driver no trace of Planar timbre just everything working together as one.

What do I mean by unforced width? Some IEMs give an impression of super wide stage which sounds unnatural throwing instrument placement off. With the Aurora the staging is reliant on the production of the music, if a song is intimate that’s how it is rendered if the song has wide deep and tall production values the Aurora steps up and reproduces that with elegance.

The mids are natural and organic slightly warm with just enough edge to add excitement to vocals and guitars causing me to be drawn into the music, Pianos and Guitars are given a really even treatment sounding exactly as you would expect if you were in the room with them as they were playing.

The Transition from upper mids to lower treble is boosted slightly but still sibilance free, even with songs that have sibilance bult into the recordeing. To be totally honest this is tip reliant I found with wide bore tips there was a touch of sibilance but with the Divinis Velvet tips that completely disappeared. On the subject of tips while 7hz give a generous selection of tips to choose from including their new tube style tips I couldn’t get a good seal with any of them, I have very big ear canals.

While the overall signature is slightly in the brighter realm there’s lots of detail. The upper treble has a pleasing amount of air and sparkle, without straying into fatigue levels. The very dynamic punchy bass with deep sub bass reach balances out the brightness.

The timbre and tactility of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is very natural all instruments find their own place never crowding or congested. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically with incredible resolution, every inflection, intonation is apparent as a singer climbs the scale to the crescendo is presented as well as the trailing transients, if a voice has gravel you feel it. If the vocalist slides off key its very apparent also.Pure female vocals like Norah Jones are imbued with emotion and sweet rounded clarity making an overall very satisfying vocals experience.

The sound signature as a whole is of big bass with warmish clear clean mids with a little edge in the treble, an overall satisfying feeling of immersion in the music

When I’m evaluating IEMs I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the ISN NEO 3 I again, like the NEO 5, I found myself listening to songs rather than analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety just loosing myself in the music. I found they worked across most genres both smooth and aggressive. I don’t listen to much EDM preferring real instruments playing together as a unit.

Muse - 2nd Law album sounded Immense with thunderous bass. Matt Bellamys voice was crystalline and floated, ducking and diving through the mix bringing more depth to the vocals along with the searing guitar enhanced by the planar speed a very exciting experience.

Lorde - Royals with its throbbing and droning subass really digging deep into the depths with great effect, her higher range voice sibilance free again with with air allowing it to find a perfect counterpoint to the big bass textures.

Joni Mitchell – Blue, the acoustic guitar sounding detailed with the strings resonance reproduced well. Joni’s vocals can sound a bit shrill on lesser iems not here the note weight and roundness to her upper register was very pleasing. At no point with the Aurora did I experience any form of veiling in the mids and treble the bass while big, dynamic and powerful just doesn’t encroach.

Steely Dan’s - Aja, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with musical deftness’, hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay staging was good with height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, with little to no added warmth this album did feel very open with the layering of the instruments in a class above its price bracket very enjoyable.

Michael Schenker Group – Rock Me to the ground this is one of my favourites the big swinging bass line with powerful drums starting the song, then the gravely shout of Graham Bonnet every ounce of his powerful voice comes screaming through as the guitars are take over. The Aurora nails this with aplomb genuinely causing the hairs of my neck stand to attention. The separation and layering worked really well here on the 1980’s dry production style giving a sense of a more “real” organic presentation while being quite possibly the most dynamic playback I have experienced with this track.

Fish – Man with a stick from the ex Marillion singers last album Weltshmerz the album is incredibly well produced with this track the percussion is incredible with lots of drum sticks on rims then a timpani drum its skin resonance faithfully reproduced then a low drone as the Vocals come in with a clear separation from the prominent low end the way the Aurora allows this to be rendered is just mesmerising. The progression from the sticks to full on drum and Synth filled sound rich and complex with the vocals never overpowered is just a triumph.

Lady Black Bird - Blackbird the subtleties of the interplay between vocals and instruments are played well, her voice warm and intoxicating. The space around the components of the song outstanding. Black acid Soul is superb Acid jazz/soul mix produced and mastered to perfection and the Aurora does an incredible job of drawing you into the music with a great sense in intimacy. This is possibly my favourite listening experience with this song at any price.

Iron Maiden -Rhyme of the ancient Mariner - the dynamics of this track are reproduced with pin point accuracy the driving rhythms are dynamic and punchy , I did not perceive any congestion in the guitars, bass and drums they were reproduced with finesse. Bruce’s vocals were on point and unveiled just good headbanging fun

The Aurora is relatively very easy to drive for an iem with a planar and I had no issues using them with Daps, Dongles. I will say they do like a bit of extra power and need a high resolution source to get the most out of this highly resolving iem.

They sounded good with my warmer sources. This is not an iem that needs an expensive source but it does scale impressively.
I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is. The Aurora gives me all the details available without falling into the above pitfalls remaining musical, with natural timbre when paired with a warmer source.

Sources used:

IBasso dx170

Shanling H5

Shanling M6 Ultra

Sony Nw-WM1A

HiBy R6 111

HiBy R8

Cayin N3 Ultra

ONIX X1 Alpha

FIIO M15

Comparisons

Kiwi Ears Quintet
The First comparison was obvious the Kiwi ears Quintet an iem with a similar driver configuration with the addition of a PZT driver. The Quintet is an interesting iem, the playback is on the dry side with less bass impact and noticeably less detail and texture the mids are clean but lacking that magical layering and air of the Aurora. The treble is metallic in timbre and can be quite fatiguing the Aurora is a easily a couple of tiers above the Quintet.

FiiO FH9

Now this comparison is interesting as It a DD with 6 ba and one of my favourite iems. The FH9 has big dynamic bass and smooth clean mids the treble is rolled off even with the included green treble filters. The Fh9 is smoother and more relaxed in presentation while the Aurora is not fatiguing for me, more treble sensitive listeners may prefer the smoother playback of the FH9. Where the Aurora trounces the Fh9 is in the resolution, layering and spacious treble. The Auroras technicalities are on another level not to say the FH9 is bad in this area its just the Aurora is better.

Conclusion

The up to $400 range is full of great sounding iems with more released it seems on a weekly basis the Aurora more than competes it’s sets a new standard. It’s fun and exciting sound signature. The design of the shell does help its move up the ranks as I found it one of the most comfortable iems on the market. The Aurora is the most technically adept iem I have experienced in this price bracket I would say you have to spend a lot more money to get this kind of resolution.

[Ohmboy]

Man that’s an amazing review… lots of time spent and the test tracks listed

[Andy_Pickard]

Thanks bro I really enjoyed writing it a really special iem.

[Andy_Pickard]

FIVE STARS

Beautiful Nostalgia

Pros:

1, Authoritative Bass

2. Natural timbre

3. Smooth across the whole signature

4. Holographic staging

5. cohesive sound signature 5. Build quality 6. High quality cable

6. Beautiful faceplates 9. Good accessories with nice case

Cons:

1. Needs 200 hours burn in

2. Not for neutral fans

3. Might not be for you if want a uncoloured and “correct” sounding iem 4. Niche tuning

The Penon Quattro’s are a unique sounding iem with a warm luxurious signature I would describe them like a hug from a favourite friend, warm, welcoming full of emotion, too many iems released at the moment are almost carbon copies of each other chasing the Harmon target with only the shells being different. I’m tired of Harmon I want different.

Penon don’t follow trends they make them. All Penon iems have fantastic mids,the differences between models is how the bass and treble are presented. The Quattro with its 4Dynamic Drivers is, and have now doubt about this, a niche tuning, that’s not going to work with all genres, but when it does, boy! Its superb!

The Title of this review is “Beautiful Nostalgia” why you may ask well when I heard how this iem presented my 70s and 80s Classic Rock catalogue I was transported back to my days in heavy rock night clubs where the DJ’s had PA systems that they shared with the bands that performed live. I used to hit the dance floor with my air guitar and rock out, the bass bins literally blowing my hair back, an exhilarating experience. When I got home and played the same tunes on my hifi system I was always disappointed with the sound, where was the excitement, the note weight, the visceral thump of the drums! The Quattro is the sound of those clubs, big, thick, warm imbuing the dry productions of those decades with organic, emotion filled authority.

The Quattro is built to the usual high standard Penon is famous for coming in a small box packed with all the accessories needed no frills but not lacking in any area. The included cable not only colour matches the shells to perfection it synergizes really well with the iem. The inc zipped case is the perfect size to hold the iems, cable and selection of tips you could even fit a small portable dac in there.

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how an IEM looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips that suit your ears to get the best of any IEM.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me the technicalities are not of prime importance but does the music move with this particular iem.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is; do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good iems but do they give me goosebumps? Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good iems.

I want the iem that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Quattros’s bass, mids and sprinkling of treble coming from the Dynamic Drivers gave me goosebumps with my most loved genre of classic rock which I believe to be the last bastion of instrumental authenticity just bands playing together in the studio with a sound engineer capturing the magic on tape! The Quattro’s analogue signature matchws perfectly with these types of recordings.

I Have always favoured Dynamic Drivers for the tactility and organic natural playback they produce. The Quattro’s four Dynamic Drivers give good sub bass and great mid bass combining to give a really exciting bottom end that drives the music along. The mid bass does bleed in to the silky smooth mids, giving male vocals a gorgeous deep resonant presentation the mids while warm are relatively neutral, the warmth from the midbass reaches throughout the full range. This might been seen as a bad thing but for me it’s a refreshing change from the norm allowing the thickness to enhance the types of muisic that often sounds thin and wanting. There is detail, and layering the timbre is just wonderfully natural with both male and female voices having added note weight. The treble is not prominent but it is there the leading edge of cymbals are crisp and sound very natural. The upper range of the mids and lower treble do sound very effective especially when cutting through the heavy bass on songs with singers in the higher registers. The whole sound being rendered with extra warmth that reminds me of kicking back in front of a warm fire and floating away listening to my favourite tunes.

Now I know there are those who don’t believe in burn in of iems, all I’m going to say is, Penon requested I burn in the Quattro’s for 200 hours which I did. Penon also included the Penon Tail portable DAC/AMP in my sample as the Quattros need power to shine. Disclaimer Penon was kind enough me a sample of the Quattro and Penon tail dac/amp.

I am not affiliated with Penon and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me. ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Make sure to research any iem before you buy! The Penon Quattro retails at $399 which for this configuration is extremely competitive and are available for purchase from the Penon website see the non affiliated link below

PENON QUATTRO (penonaudio.com)

Details from the Penon website

Penon QUATTRO 4 Dynamic Driver 2Pin 0.78mm HiFi Earphone Audiophile IEM

Needs to burn-in 200hrs.

Description

Handmade, the earphone shell is solid and more durable.

Using medical grade resin material, light and beautiful, comfortable to wear.

The QUATTRO uses an independent 3-way crossover and 3-independent conduit design for better layering performance.

The low frequency uses the latest horizontally opposed dual low frequency driver to further enhance the bass effect.

Middle frequency uses new generation of graphene materials, more rich details and listening.

The high-frequency uses new process makes the sound smoother and more delicate.

Specification

Model: QUATTRO

Driver：4 Dynamic driver

1 x 6mm custom dynamic driver for High frequency

1 x 8mm graphene diaphragm for Medium frequency

2 x 10mm composite diaphragm for Low frequency

Impedance: 16 Ohm

Sensitivity: 100dB

Frequency response: 5Hz-30kHz

Connector: 2pin 0.78mm

Cable lengthen: 1.2M

Package

Penon QUATTRO

9 pairs of silicone eartips (SML)

Earphone case

Pouch

Brush

Clip

Warranty

18 months warranty

The frequency graph for those who like to see such things

What do they sound like?

I have talked about what the Quattros’s sound like with my Classic rock library now I’m going to mention what the don’t really work with. For starters they really need power to perform at their best and also a relatively neutral source. They really don’t need any extra warmth! Some modern bass heavy tracks with with fast passages expose the speed of the drivers which have a longer than usual note decay this is not ideal for speed metal or hard dance tracks. I stated at the beginning of this review that they are a niche signature yet I give them a 5 star review, this is because what they do well they do really well. I choose which iem I’m going to use relative to the music I want to listen to. I mean it is fine having an all rounder that plays everything alright without any particular track standing out but I want to be have the wow! Experience when listening to my favourite tunes and I have very eclectic tastes so I have favourite iems for different genres. I use different iems when I want to listen to a playlist on shuffle.

I want to really enjoy my music. Something that releases the full scope of what the artist created in the studio. The Penon c does that with that special something with my classic rock and Americana library. The cohesion of the drivers ensuring to there’s no jarring transitions between the frequency range. The Quattro is a warm, lush, bass driven signature, bass is textured, dynamic and layered. The mids are slightly warm and colour the vocals there is extra body to males vocals and female alike the padding from the bass adding note weight but there is no effect on the natural timbre of the vocals . The vocals take half a step back, they are there front and centre with instruments placed exactly where they should be showing depth to the stage with natural unforced width. The Quattro’s 4 dynamic drivers sound very coherent no trace of uneven timbre just everything working together as one.

What do I mean by unforced width? Some IEMs give an impression of super wide stage which sounds unnatural throwing instrument placement off. With the Quattro the staging is reliant on the production of the music, if a song is intimate that’s how it is rendered if the song has wide deep and tall production values the Quattro is not the best at reproducing width and depth due to the prominent bass the staging is there its just slightly more intimate than other iems with airy signatures. .

The mids are natural and organic thick, warm with just enough edge to add excitement to vocals and guitars causing me to be drawn into the music, Pianos and Guitars are given a really even treatment with extra note weight sounding exactly as you would expect if you were in a concert hall. The Transition from upper mids to lower treble is boosted slightly but still sibilance free, even with songs that have sibilance bult into the recording. They are almost a dark iem but the little bump in this region just edges them into excitement in this area. To be totally honest the Quattro is very tip reliant I found with wide bore tips there was a much more pleasing treble and a more open sound in general with narrow bore tips the whole signature became too warm and an element of congestion was apparent. I settled on Divinis Velvet wide bore tips these gave me the perfect balance of warmth and treble extension I tried the tri Clarion tips but they took away too much of the warmth that makes the Quattro sound so special, On the subject of tips while Penon give a generous selection of tips I couldn’t get a good seal with any of them, I have very big ear canals.

The timbre and tactility of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is very natural all instruments find their own place. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically with emotion, every inflection, intonation is apparent as a singer climbs the scale to the crescendo it is presented well cutting through the thick bass, if a voice has gravel you feel it. The Quattro is quite forgiving of poorly produced music. The sound signature as a whole is of big bass with warm clear clean mids with a little edge in the treble, an overall satisfying feeling of immersion in the music When I’m evaluating IEMs I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the QuattorI again, I found myself listening to songs rather than analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety just loosing myself in the music. I found they worked across some genrres better than others always smooth and velvety . I don’t listen to much EDM but the Quattro played the Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” quite well but its real strength was with real instruments playing together as a unit.

Zodiac-Rebirth of fire – Grain of soul album sounded Immense with thunderous bass. The guitars grinding with a dense foreboding drone the drums huge with dynamic attack. The Ozzy Osbourne inspired vocals screaming cutting through the doom metal backing, ducking and diving through the mix bringing more depth to the vocals along with the searing guitar. This track nails you to the wall and the Quattro really brings that authentic Marshall stack power a very exciting experience. Lorde - Royals with its throbbing and droning subbass really digging deep into the depths with great effect, her higher range voice sibilance free this track really had good depth with her vocals more rounded and smoothwith the drone of the backing being visceral and prominent

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions – Perfect Skin, this 80s indi pop classic with jangly guitar sounding detailed with the strings resonance reproduced well. Lioyds vocals can sound a bit edgy on lesser iems, not here the note weight and roundness to his lower register was very pleasing. At no point with the Quattro did I experience any form of veiling in the mids and treble the production style of this song is very spacious as if in a large empty room the extra warmth added to this really helped to add authority to the vocals the bass while big, dynamic and powerful just doesn’t encroach on this track. Steely Dan’s - Aja, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with a musical, smooth warmth that really suited the song , hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay staging was good with height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, with a little added warmth this song still felt open with the layering of the instruments in a class above its price bracket very enjoyable.

Rolling Stones- Beast of Burden this is one of my favourites with its swinging bass line Charlie watts deft drumming starting the song, then Jaggers high vocals dancing around the backing there’s good air and space around the individual instruments a very holographic play back with extra note weight really enhancing the song

Led Zepplin – Since I’ve been loving you

The lead guitar intro is perfectly presented sweet and keening the drums with that slow heavy rhythm, then as the song builds, keyboards the cherry on the cake comes with Plants unmistakeable vocals reaching for the sky as the song builds in intensity to a cohesive whole with the wailing Plant cutting through like a hot knife in butter. The Quattro excels with possibly one of the best playbacks I’ve experienced in the hobby with Zepplin so much power with the vocals never overpowered it is just a triumph giving that feeling of being in the front row of the best concert ever.

Fugees-Killing me softly

Lauryn Hills pure vocals start the song with the electronic backing music and interjections from Wyclef Jean the subtleties of the interplay between vocals and instruments are played well, Lauryn’s voice warm and intoxicating. The spatial ques are very well executed with voices and beats interplaying the Quattro loves this type of production which can sound a bit dry on other lesser iems here it sounds rich and smooth.

Iron Maiden -Rhyme of the ancient Mariner –

The dynamics of this track are reproduced with accuracy the driving rhythms are dynamic and punchy , I did however feel there was a little congestion in the guitars, bass and drums they were reproduced well enough just a little crowded. Bruce’s vocals were on point and unveiled just good headbanging fun. The Quattro is a little exposed with faster tracks with instruments in the same frequency range and can get a little congested due to the slower decay rate of the low end. The Quattro is not easy to drive for an iem with 4 DDs I had no issues using them with Daps, Dongles in getting loud enough but the dynamics and more open sound with the texture and layering they are capable of wasn’t available unless they were driven by a more powerful source.

They sounded good with more neutral sources. This is an iem that needs a powerful source to scale impressively. I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is.

Sources used:

IBasso dx170 Shanling H5 HiBy R6 111 HiBy R8

Penon tail dac /amp

Cayin N3 Ultra

Venture Electronics VE RunAbout RA 2B-FE 2BFE FIIO M15

When using my different sources I definitely favoured the more powerful ones the extra dynamics and layering were so different from the play back with less power’

Penon TAIL HiFi Portable Type-C to 3.5mm/4.4mm Headphone Amplifier with Gain Button

Description

Penon TAIL is a HiFi digital audio decoding PCBA solution USB dongle.

Built-in USB audio bridge chip and dual-channel low-power high-performance Dual CS43131 DAC decoding chip.

Up to support PCM 384 kHz/32Bit and DSD256 digital audio codec. Select ultra-low noise power supply and high precision femtosecond crystal oscillator to further improve the performance parameters and sound quality.

Integrated 4.4 mm all balanced differential output and 3.5 mm stereo output, load support 16Ω ~ 600Ω, the output two gain switch control, can be perfect fit all kinds of earphones.

Volume button and play/pause in-one button and three independent (Vol±, Play/Pause) button compatible design, easy to listen to music control; With PCM and DSD light effect.

Excellent compatibility of mobile phones, it has been verified to support PC, Android, iOS device.(Does not support mic cable)

Specification

Model: TAIL

Chip: dual CS43131

DAC: DSD64, DSD128, DSD256

Decoding rate: PCM 384KHZ/32bit and below

USB port: TYPE-C

USB protocol: UAC2.0 protocol, UAC1.0 protocol

Support Impedance: 16-600Ω

Output: 3.5mm audio + 4.4mm balanced

Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz

SNR: [email protected]/ 4Vrms,[email protected]/ 2Vrms

THD+N: [email protected] /4Vrms,[email protected]/ 2Vrms

Crosstalk suppression: -135dB@4. 4mm/ 4Vrms, [email protected]/ 2Vrms

High precision femtosecond crystal oscillator: 100fs

Output performance

3.5mm output(low gain) 32Ω @1kHz, connect with PC

Impedance: 32Ω @1kHz

Output level: minimum: 900mV, 25.3mW; typical: 1000mV, 31.25mW; maximum: 1200mV, 45mW

Frequency response: 20-20kHz

THD+N: minimum -105dB, typical -100dB, maximum -95dB

SNR: minimum 110dB, typical 120dB, maximum 130dB

DNR: minimum 110dB, typical 120dB, maximum 130dB

Crosstalk: minimum -65dB, typical -60dB, maximum -55dB

3.5mm output(high gain) 600Ω @1kHz, connect with PC

Impedance: 600Ω @1kHz

Output level: minimum: 1800mV, 5.4mW; typical: 2000mV, 6.67mW; maximum: 2200mV, 8.07mW

Frequency response: 20-20kHz

THD+N: minimum -105dB, typical -100dB, maximum -95dB

SNR: minimum 115dB, typical 125dB, maximum 135dB

DNR: minimum 115dB, typical 125dB, maximum 135dB

Crosstalk: minimum -95dB, typical -85dB, maximum -75dB

4.4mm balanced output(low gain) 32Ω @1kHz, connect with PC

Impedance: 32Ω @1kHz

Output level: minimum: 1800mV, 101.25mW; typical: 2000mV, 125mW; maximum: 2200mV, 151.25mW

Frequency response: 20-20kHz

THD+N: minimum -105dB, typical -103dB, maximum -100dB

SNR: minimum 120dB, typical 125dB, maximum 130dB

DNR: minimum 120dB, typical 125dB, maximum 130dB

Crosstalk: minimum -110dB, typical -105dB, maximum -100dB

4.4mm balanced output(high gain) 600Ω @1kHz, connect with PC

Impedance: 600Ω @1kHz

Output level: minimum: 3800mV, 24.07mW; typical: 4000mV, 26.67mW; maximum: 4200mV, 29.4mW

Frequency response: 20-20kHz

THD+N: minimum -105dB, typical -103dB, maximum -100dB

SNR: minimum 125dB, typical 130dB, maximum 135dB

DNR: minimum 125dB, typical 130dB, maximum 135dB

Crosstalk: minimum -140dB, typical -135dB, maximum -130dB

Package

Penon TAIL

At only $75 the Penon tail is a powerful budget option if you haven’t got aces to powerful source available on the Penon website follow unaffiliated link below

Penon TAIL (penonaudio.com)

The Penon tail on high gain offers enough to drive the Quattros for decent playback and the perfect form factor a portable dac/amp.

I used it with my Samsung Galaxy 24Ultra to power the Quattro’s. I will say that there is a quirk with the 24Ultra where it insists on setting the dongle to full volume on insertion so watch out for that. The Quattro’s sound good through the Penon Tail giving reasonable dynamics and opening up the layering. Definitely good enough for music on the go.

Hiby R8, R6 111 and FiiO M15 - with the Penon tail giving good playback these daps all gave great playback with punchy more snappy dynamics a level above the the small dac the extra power on tap really open the Quattro up.

Venture Electronics VE RunAbout RA 2B-FE 2BFE Amplifier Dac & amp

The real excitement came when I plugged into the VE stack with its 3000mW RMS per channel. The Quattro’s really started to sing the abundance of power really opened up the sound the dynamics were stellar with holographic staging and more extension in the treble.

Comparison

For comparison it was obvious that the best choice would be the Penon Serial the 3 dynamic driver that preceded the Quattro. The Serial is a superb iem with a very nice balanced signature that really plays well across all genres. The Quattro. When looking at the graphs below you can see the Serial has less midbass this impacts it’s signature leading to less bass bleed leaving the mids less coloured than the quattro with less note weight. This is both positive and negative depending on the type of music you are listening to. The Quattro has more bass, warmer mids and more definition in the treble.

The Quattro is an excellent companion to the Serial if I was to compare my iem collection to a tool box the Quattro is a specialised tool that does specific jobs better.

Conclusion

The up to $400 range is full of great sounding iems with more released it seems on a weekly basis the Quattro more than competes it’s an exceptional iem in its niche with very little competition and sets a new standard. It’s fun and exciting vintage sound signature when paired with the right music. The Quattro may not be the most technically adept iem I have experience in this price bracket but it is one of the most musical I would say you have to spend a lot more money to get better at this kind of unique signature. After all the CA Trifecta is over $3k .

[Andy_Pickard]

5 Stars

Multi Genre King
Pros:
1, Authoritative Bass
2. Natural timbre
3. Smooth across the whole signature
4. cohesive sound signature
5. Build quality
6. High quality cable
8. Beautiful faceplates
9. Good accessories with nice case

Cons:

1. Zero at this price
   
   

Sound Rhyme are a new company to me I have read about their more expensive hybrids the SR7 and DTE900 so I was very interested to see what they could bring to the budget sector. When opening the box you are greeted with a pair of tiny machined aluminium iems with shortish nozzles I worried about fit but turns out they fit like a dream. The cable is of a very high quality at this price range it has great handling and aesthetically suites the iems. You also get a metal plate with tuning nozzles and a couple of set of eartips that look very similar to the ones Penon supply with their iems. The case is a screw top puck that holds the iems, cable and nozzles with ease.

The Sound Rhyme SP01 is categorically the new king of the castle when it comes to budget single dynamic driver iems and what’s most pleasing its neither Harmon or V shaped in its sound signature but rather a wonderfully balanced W. The SP01 follows the trend of tunning nozzles with three on offer. I found the balanced nozzles(the ones in place on delivery)to be best with the other either thickening the sound signature or making the treble too forward. This is a case of hitting the perfect balance in tunning then offering options to spoil the cake with alternative options. I would have preferred not to have the choice, your opinion may differ so try them out for yourself.
In the current market there seems to be a new best iem released every week. Simgot EA500 and then the EA500LM the Kefine Delci to name a few notable recent holders of the title. The SP01 enters the fray and surpasses them with ease. Fantastic build quality, very nice cable available in 3.5mm or 4.4mm, quality case and most important brilliantly tuned quality driver.
The Title of this review is “Multi Genre king” why you may ask well when I heard how this iem presented my entire music catalogue I was able to just kick back and enjoy the music without any glaring defects the SP01 just took everything in its stride confidently. The sound presented is warm, robust in body but not veiled the treble is extended but not peaky. If I was to choose an iem to be a gift to anyone outside the hobby this would be it.
I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how an IEM looks and feels in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips that suit your ears to get the best of any IEM.
My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.
I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 15 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me the technicalities are not of prime importance but does the music move with this particular iem.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating iems is; do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good iems but do they give me goosebumps? Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good iems.

I want the iem that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Sound Rhyme SP01 bass, mids and sprinkling of treble coming from the Dynamic Driver gave me goosebumps with my most loved genre of classic rock which I believe to be the last bastion of instrumental authenticity just bands playing together in the studio with a sound engineer capturing the magic on tape! The SP01’s analogue signature matches just as perfectly with these types of recordings as with any others in my varied collection. I must mention I don’t listen to classical music so cant say how this is suited.

I have always favoured Dynamic Drivers for the tactility and organic natural playback they produce. The SP01’s Dynamic Driver give good sub bass and great mid bass combining to give a really exciting bottom end that drives the music along. The mid bass doesn’t bleed much into the mids, just a hint of thickness to male vocals, they are silky smooth and are relatively neutral, with a nice sense of air and layering. There is detail and the timbre is just wonderfully natural with both male and female voices having a touch of added note weight presenting slightly forward. The treble is not prominent but it is there. The leading edge of cymbals are crisp and sound very natural. The upper range of the mids and lower treble do sound very effective especially when cutting through the warmth of the lower mids with singers in the higher registers. The whole sound being rendered with a balanced warmth that I was able to enjoy for 5 or 6 hours straight without any fatigue, these are supremely comfortable iems.
Now I know there are those who don’t believe in burn in of iems, all I’m going to say is, |I burn in all my iems to be honest I noticed little to no change in the SP01 so they are ready to go straight out of the box.

Disclaimer
Penon was kind enough me a sample of the Sound Rhyme SP01. I am not affiliated with Penon and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or sourced from the Penon website . ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Make sure to research any iem before you buy!

The Sound Rhyme SP01 available in red or blue retails at $89 which is extremely competitive and are available for purchase from the Penon website see the non affiliated link below

Sound Rhyme SP01 (penonaudio.com)

Details from the Penon website
Sound Rhyme SP01
Description
Specification
Sound Rhyme SP01 10mm Dual Magnetic Dynamic Driver 2Pin 0.78mm HiFi In-ear Earphones IEMs
Description
10mm dual magnetic dynamic drier,which is Carbon nanotube + DLC composite.
Designed based on human ear data 3D big data, the perspective of science in the ear.
Combining the advantages of mainstream earphones, taking advantage of their strengths, create a high-quality voice.
Low frequency with dynamic elasticity, continuous diving.
The sweet mid-frequency voice hits the heart directly.
High frequency clear and bright, silky and smooth.
8 strands 7N crystal copper silver-plated with 2pin 0.78mm connectors.
Configure 3 pairs of interchangeable nozzles: Clear/Warm/Balanced
Specification
Model: SP01
Driver: 1 dynamic (Carbon nanotube + DLC composite)
Shell:Metal
Sensitivity: 110Db
Frequency response: 10Hz-70kHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Plug: 3.5mm/4.4mm
Cable length: 1.25m

The frequency graph for those who like to see such things

What do they sound like?
The SP01 are more subbass than midbass in focus not to say there isn’t any midbass snap and attack its there just not dominant. The mids are at the forefront with a touch of warmth but still have some brightness without sounding thin the upper mids have enough bite to give guitars a pleasing aggressive presence. The treble is crisp but not sibilant or fatiguing, cymbals sound natural with a nice decay placed right where they should be not artificially forward. They manage to have a decently wide staging while being bassy enough to make drums and bass guitar meaty. The impressive thing is these little wonders have great depth allowing for a far more realistic layering experience than expected at this level.

I want to really enjoy my music. Something that releases the full scope of what the artist created in the studio. The SP01 does that with cohesion ensuring to there’s no jarring transitions between the frequency range. The SP01 is a slightly warm, lush signature, bass is textured, dynamic and layered. The mids are slightly warm and don’t colour the vocals there is a little extra body to males vocals, female are realistic and sweet with a natural timbre. The vocals are front and centre with instruments placed exactly where they should be showing depth to the stage with natural unforced width. The SP01 dynamic driver sounds very coherent no trace of uneven timbre just everything working together as one.
What do I mean by unforced width? Some IEMs give an impression of super wide stage which sounds unnatural throwing instrument placement off. With the SP01 the staging is reliant on the production of the music, if a song is intimate that’s how it is rendered if the song has wide deep and tall production values the SP01 presents it that way which at this price point is rare.

The mids are natural and organic, with just enough edge to add excitement to vocals and guitars causing me to be drawn into the music, Pianos and Guitars are given a really even treatment with extra note weight sounding exactly as you would expect if you were in a concert hall.

The Transition from upper mids to lower treble is boosted slightly but still sibilance free, even with songs that have sibilance bult into the recording. The little bump in this region just edges them into excitement in this area. To be totally honest the SP01 is very tip reliant I found with wide bore tips there was a much more pleasing treble and a more open sound in general with narrow bore tips the whole signature became a bit warm and thickened up. I settled on large TangzuTangSanCai wide bore tips these gave me the perfect balance of warmth and treble extension I tried the tri Clarion tips but they took away too much of the bass that makes the SP01 sound so special, On the subject of tips while Sound Rhyme give a generous selection of tips I couldn’t get a good seal with any of them, I have very big ear canals.

The timbre and tactility of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is very natural all instruments find their own place. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically with emotion, every inflection, intonation is apparent as a singer climbs the scale to the crescendo it is presented well cutting through, if a voice has gravel you feel it. The SP01 is quite forgiving of poorly produced music.

The sound signature as a whole is of natural slightly boosted bass with clear clean mids with a little edge in the treble, giving an overall satisfying feeling of immersion in the music

When I’m evaluating IEMs I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the SP01 again, I found myself listening to songs rather than
analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety just loosing myself in the music. I found they worked across all the genres in my library always smooth and velvety . I don’t listen to much EDM but the SP01 played the Lordes’s “Royals” well its real strength was with the subbass digging down deep and Lordes vocals cutting through with an expansive sense of space and layering.

a-ha - Take on me sounded wonderfully full and clean with the crisp drums and lush keyboards . Morten Harket’s soaring tenor vocals sounding full and sweet with no thinness the layering in this 80s classic synth-pop song was produced with expert precision a really enjoyable listen

Adele – Hello, this torch song classic with moody piano intro and breathy vocals reproduce with just enough warmth and weight to draw you in slowly building to the big glide up the vocal register to the masterful high notes Adele is famous for the SP01 mages to keep up without any distortion infact they present the nuances in the notes being sung so effectively I let out a little squeal in appreciation. The staging is also brilliantly reproduced increasing the atmospherics greatly.
Steely Dan’s – Black Cow, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with a breathtaking expertise at this price range, drums, keyboards, vocals , hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay space and staging with good height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, there was a little warmth in this song but it still felt open and airy with the layering of the instruments in a class above its price bracket very enjoyable.

Steven Tyler- My own worst enemy this is one starts with a sparce acoustic guitar and tambourine with Tylers gritty vocals and slowly builds with new instruments being introduced as this slow ballad builds Tylers elastic vocals stays front and centre as the song becomes a multilayered wall of sound the SP01 manages to keep the huge production in control avoiding any congestion, impressive.

Led Zepplin – Since I’ve been loving you
The lead guitar intro is perfectly presented sweet and keening the drums with that slow heavy rhythm, then as the song builds, keyboards the cherry on the cake comes with Plants unmistakeable vocals reaching for the sky as the song builds in intensity to a cohesive whole with the wailing Plant cutting through like a hot knife in butter. The SP01 excels presenting Zepplin vocals they are the star of the show never overpowered by the drums and guitar.

Steve Earle and the Dukes- The Hard Way
Crisp drumming introduces the song with piano and acoustic guitars as Steve Earles unmistakable vocals the production is big and airy with a solid bass flooring in the style of many Bruce Springsteen albums this can sound a bit dry on other lesser iems, here it sounds rich and smooth and layered. The layering is just astounding at this price point with each instrument being given enough space to be able to pick them out and follow them.

The Hu – This Mogul (with William DVall) –
The dynamics of this track are huge with drums guitars and Mongolian instruments, the Horsehead fiddle, Tovashuur, Tumar Khuur, Tsuurare and Mongol throat singing with a special guest William DuVall of Alice in Chains. The power of this dense, complex and rhythmic masterpiece is reproduced with accuracy and weight the driving rhythms are dynamic and punchy, I didn’t hear any congestion in the instrumentation despite the density of this track. The vocals of William DuVall stood out against the wall of instruments and were on point and unveiled just good headbanging fun. The SP01 didn’t feel exposed with faster tracks with instruments in the same frequency range still being given space to be heard with little to no congestion.

The SP01 is an easy to drive iem I had no issues using them with my phone, Daps, Dongles in getting loud enough, the dynamics and open sound was present with all sources the texture and layering they are capable of was available for all to some degree.

They sounded good with neutral or warm sources. This is an iem that doesn’t need a powerful source but it does scale impressively.
I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is.

Sources used:

IBasso dx170
Shanling H5
HiBy R6 111
HiBy R8
Sony ZX707
Sony nw-a55
Sony Xperia V
Penon tail dac /amp
Cayin N3 Ultra
Venture Electronics VE RunAbout RA 2B-FE 2BFE
FIIO M15

When using my different sources I didn’t favour the more powerful ones the extra dynamics and layering and technical presentation was apparent but the overall musical presentation was the same.

Comparison

Simgot EA500LM
For comparison it was obvious that the best choice would be the Simgot EA500LM both these iems are tuned with a similar target in mind while the EA500LM is warmer with more bass bleed into the lower mids giving a slightly warmer thicker mids the SP01 has more texture in the bass and cleaner mids that present further forward the upper mids while elevated are less intense than the Simgot meaning a smoother less fatiguing listen overall. Don’t think this smoothness means a lack of detail though the SP01 is more detailed and has better technicalities. Put simply in my opinion, for my tastes the SP01 is an upgrade to the Simgot across the whole range.

Kefine Delci

The Kefine Delci was my favourite under $100 single DD iem till the SP01. In comparison to the SP01 the Delci seem less dynamic, with softer more boomy bass, thinner mids, with a sharper more fatiguing upper mids and treble. Even with this seemingly elevated treble there’s less detail to be heard. Q,uite frankly the SP01 is a level above while the differences with the Simgot EA500LM could be a matter of taste, the Delci is just inferior.

Conclusion
The up to $100 range is full of great sounding iems with more released it seems on a weekly basis the SP01 more than competes it’s an exceptional iem that redefines what’s possible at this price and sets a new standard. It’s fun and exciting sound signature that lets your music flow effortlessly. The SP01 is a technically adept iem that I have not experienced in this price bracket before. A single Dynamic Driver that even plays on a level with the $200 price bracket. One of the most enjoyably musical budget buys you can get for $89 I would say you have to spend a lot more money to get better a DD with this kind of signature. This iem has become my everyday carry. I fully recommend you check out the Sound Rhyme SP01 its my choice for best under $100 budget single DD of 2024!

[Andy_Pickard]

Putting the new Dunu DTC 800 through its paces and have to say initial impressions are very positive using the Acoustune HS1650CU really good bass super clean mids and smooth treble. The staging of the DTC 800 is pretty special. Not too warm close to nuetral playback really brings the best out of the Acoustunes

[Andy_Pickard]

My first impressions of the Fidue Virgo A85 released in 2017 an age ago in iem terms

In these days of 2 week life spans of iems where an iem is released hyped then forgotten about. I received the FIDUE Virgo (A85) an iem released in 2017 that was $399. Now the build quality is fabulous even compared to today’s $400 offerings with a very professional packaging. What do they sound like, surely they can’t match up to today’s releases with all the advancement in technology? At first straight out of the box I felt they probably didn’t, but then when I started cable and tip rolling everything changed. The sound signature is a bright nuetral with mids and treble favoured of bass slam. Not my usual preferences a little bit thin sounding due to the lack of bass, then I had a what if moment! I put on my Penon Black Liquor eartips and a good quality copper cable, the Penon OCC849 and wow what a transformation.
The bass was now meaty and dynamic, the quality of that bass is superb full of details and texture. True there’s not a large quantity but there’s enough to balance out the signature. The mids are super clean and free of any bass bleed. Male vocals sound good with no extra colouration but female vocals sound amazing, pure soaring with no edge or sibilance just sweet and rounded treble it’s crystalline with no jagged edges just glorious. Cymbals sound natural with good decay guitars are detailed with every resonance clear and sweet. A perfect iem for jazz and acoustic music. Classical Orchestral music sounds wonderful with really impressive staging wider than I’m used so. So you could say I’m surprised but are they worth $400?
Probably not but here’s the good part, Penon have just reduced them to $149 Inc a a pair of their excellent Black Penon Liquor eartips as a free gift. I will be giving these a full review because they are worth it. In fact I think they are my new favourite nuetral set. Fidue are a brand I wasn’t aware of but the Virgo A85 really makes me want to dig deeper to see what other gems they have to offer. The lesson I have learned from this experience is just because it’s an older set doesn’t mean it’s not worth investigating and there’s a real possibility you’re going to strike gold.

Link to Penon store
https://penonaudio.com/fidue-virgo-a85.html

Description
FIDUE VIRGO A85 2BA+Dyanmic Driver Hybrid Audiophile MMCX In-ear Monitor

Description

Powerful·Touching Soul Reality of Vocals Spectacular Clarity of Instruments
Custom-made Premium Armature & Exclusive Dynamic Drivers

3-way Hybrid Driver Technology
Covered by3-way Hybrid Drivers, full-range frequency response makes you experience real voice of singers, as well as exquisite performance of melody.
Fidue elaborately customized the Dual-Balanced Armature for Virgo to present the full sound of beautiful vocals and distinct details of instruments.
By using polymer diaphragm with unique texture & permanent magnet in exclusive chamber, FIDUE developed an excellent Bass Dynamic driver for Virgo, which present natural & rich dynamic response in low-frequency.
Accurate Divide Design & 3D Acoustic Chamber

Due to the differences of acoustic performance between dynamic and armature, engineers from FUDE tuned the Virgo precisely by Electronic Divider & Acoustic Chamber, to make all drivers of Virgo as one.
FIDUE designed individual chamber for every driver by 3D analysis technique, to avoid acoustic interference between drivers.
FIDUE tuned the energy from three drivers by precise electronic frequency division technique, ensuring smooth transition between drivers.
Light & Robust Aluminum Jacket through CNC Technology

FIDUE carved the aluminum shell through high-precision CNC Technique to ensure the shell light and robust.
Silver-plated OFC Audiophile Cable for Full-range Balanced

Normally, voice of copper is plumper, while voice of silver is higher resolution. Virgo uses the audiophile lever silver-plated OFC music cable, combining the advantages of copper & silver, to ensure that the sound details are reproducing excellently.
Ultra-fit Wearing Experience with Ergonomic Curve Design

Over-ear waring style was originally used for personal monitoring system to guarantee the musicians always wearing earphones firmly on the stage. And now, over-ear wearing style can make you comfortable and concentrate on your favorite music, anytime, anywhere.
Specification

Model: FIDUE A85
Color: Silver
Drivers: Armature × 2 & Dynamic × 1
Frequency Range: 7-41000Hz
Impedance: 20Ω
Sensitivity: 107dB
Max Input Power: 50mW
Distortion: <1%
Plug: 3.5mm stereo gold-plated
Cable: 1.3m Silver-plated OFC Cable
Package

Fidue virgo
4 pair Silicone Tips
1 pair Comply T500 Foam Tips
Cleaning Tool
Storage Box
Airline Adaptor
3.5 to 6.3 Stereo Adaptor

[Andy_Pickard]

Is it a Headphone is it an iem is it an ear bud… no its the Fidue Thunder a combination of the technology of all the above here are my first impressions of the Fidue Thunder.

An audiophile premium “hifi system for your ears” Inside the box you get 2 aluminium machined ear pieces a premium cable with locking interchangeable terminations and a very nice grey leather carry case.

The quality of the build is outstanding as you would expect for a product that retails at $399 so the $400 question that does it sound like? Refined, technical, full bodied with details galore!

I was taken aback at how every nuance of the music was easily picked put while still retaining the musicality. The sound signature is balanced nuetral with no extra colouration. There’s a decent amount of textured detailed bass but this is bass head experience it’s more refined more correct. While playing my library ir was equally adept at classic rock as it was with classical music. Pop, RnB and country was played back with great air, spatiality and superb wide soundstage. The bass hits were clean not bleeding into the mids that are super clean with added warmth . This isn’t to say the mids are thin they aren’t they are natural with good timbre vocal both make and female are well rendered there is a slight elevation in the upper mids that give guitars a nice bite but I didn’t find them in anyway fatiguing.
Treble extension is spectacular with no distortion or unevenness just a very mature spacious sound.

The design with a single DD and two ba drivers utilising unique structured acoustic wave guides set up which pipes the individual drivers sound directly to the ear with the results meshing inside your ear to provide a unified whole.

The fit of the Fidue Thunder is extremely comfortable with its apple Airpod like earpiece that sits in your ear securely. While being made of aluminium they don’t weigh down your ear but the fit is dependent on your earsize, with my large oversize ears I had to utilise some silicone sleeves that I bought off Amazon for a couple if £s I fitted a couple to each earpiece which perfected the fit which when perfect allows the bass to come alive.

Conclusion
I’m mightily impressed with the Fidue Thunder which to date is the best ear bud I’ve had the pleasure of using compared to the best earbuds in my collection like the LRey Aurora it’s hands down superior in every aspect and is genuinely worth the difference in cost. When compared to iems I was amazed at the staging and spacious details that were without compare amongst my large iem collection.

[Andy_Pickard]

Here’s my review of the excellent Fidue Thunder an earbud that plays in the big league
Fidue Thunder 5Stars✨

TOTL EARBUDS

Pros: 1, Premium build
2. Natural timbre
3. Balanced reference tuning across the whole signature
4. cohesive sound signature
5. Hybrid configuration
6. High quality cable with changeable terminations 3.5mm and 4.4mm
8. Beautiful design
9. Good accessories with nice case
Cons: 1. Not for bass lovers
2. Not for treble sensitive
3. Fit is subjective
4.Expensive

Fidue an are an established company whose iems have garnered plaudits for their reference balanced monitor like iems so I was very interested to see what they could bring to the earbud market. When receiving the box you are greeted with a very premium unboxing experience a pair of beautifully machined aluminium earbuds with a high quality SPC 2pin cable that matches the look of the ear pieces. The Buds are shaped like Apple airpods rather than flat head with a resonance chamber on the back. I worried about fit but turns out they fit like a dream…
This what Fidue has to say about the Thunder
Fidue Thunder 1 Dynamic Driver & 2 Balanced Armature 3 Drivers Hybrid Audiophile 2Pin 0.78mm Flat Earbud with Modular Cable
Description
Brand new sound, the premium HiFi audio in ears.
Independently developed 15mm Dynamic Driver
High elasticity silica gel diaphragm
Customized high-frequency Balanced Armature
30 years ago, flat earbuds were unrivalled. IEM took place of flat earbuds gradually due to its better sound performance. While IEM also has its own problems, such as unnatural listening sensation or discomfort due to prolonged wearing.
To pursue natural, comfortable and perfect sound, “FIDUE” spent three years focusing on R&D of flat earbuds and tackled key technical problems under unremitting effort, effective method of improving flat earbuds sound was finally found out - “THUNDER” was born, which provides a totally new and fantastic music listening experience in order that music lovers would love flat earbuds and thus earbuds could remove its dust, return to the stage and shine again.

Acoustic Master Meticulous creation
Benny Tan, 3 years of polishing and carving based on 30 years of acoustic experience and toughening, taking the ultimate pursuit of sound, only for bringing incomparable supreme feedback to those who love music and giving them a surprise which is just like spring thunder after rain!
HiFi audio in ears - Patent No.: 2024209065570
Acoustic cavities of 3 drivers are separated and independent SO that the sounds do not mix and go directly into ears, which works in the similar way to that of audio. Under assist of both customized low & mid frequency DD and exclusive high-frequency BA of Fidue, the sound detail is revealed clearly, just like a mini HiFi audio in ears!
Sound multiply technology - Patent No.: 2024209065481
By applying repeatedly AI simulation of rear cavity acoustic wave, opposite its phase accurately and make full use of it afterwards, which makes sound wonderful and full of tension.

Flat-bud design Attack IEM key problems precisely
Open ear canal, No more covering ears, no more worry about ear hurt, no more safety concern, Release ears genuinely and let soul fly freely accompanying ultimate music.
Square top & round bottom, Combination of strength & flexibility
High precision 5-axle CNC process, the top shape is like shining gemstone, the bottom surface is smooth and skin friendly which ensures free putting on and taking off.
Wear with comfort
Double advantages of both exquisite design based on big data and ergonomics structure which ensures firm wear without ear tips; meanwhile, the surface is processed carefully to keep it fine and smooth to avoid tearing and hurting the auricle. “THUNDER” fits ears precisely and make wearing a king of enjoyment and fashion.
Topology weaving, non- destructive transmission
The topology weaving of 70 silver plated copper and 24 oxygen free copper achieves true non-destructive transmission.
Stable connection, easy disassembly
0.78mm 2pin 5U gold-plated durable and everlasting
Specification
Brand: Fidue
Model: Thunder
Driver: 15mm DD + 2 BA
Frequency response: 4-41000Hz
Impedance: 20ohm
Sensitivity: 103dB
Max input power: 30mW
THD: <1 %
Plugs: 4.4mm Balanced plug/3.5mm stereo plug
Cable: 2pin 0.78mm interchangeable cable
The Fidue Thunder is categorically the new king of the castle when it comes to earbud style earphones in my opinion with their reference style tuning and what’s most pleasing for me is its fit and detailed razor sharp clarity its reference style sound signature balanced with a W presentation . Now I have to say upfront my preferences would have a little more bass quantity the quality is outstanding just a few db short in quantity later I’ll be talking about how I was able to tune the thunder to my preferences

The configuration of the Thunder exotic in the fact that it uses a single 15mm DD and 2 ba drivers.
The Title of this review is “TOTL BUDS” why you may ask well with a price of $399 they are definitely not cheap but and it’s a big but they are by far the best bud style earphone with outstanding build quality that I’ve experienced.
I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs and earbuds be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how they look and feel in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips or foams that suit your ears to get the best of any earphone.
My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.

I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 18 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me the technicalities are not of prime importance but does the music move with this particular iem.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating earphones is; do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good earphones but do they give me goosebumps? Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good earphones.
I want the earphone that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Thunder has a bright reference sound signature with excellent technicalities and very natural presentation while being free of any unnatural tone or timbre colouration, the bass is there with great texture and detail just a little shy in quantity for my tastes. The standout quality is the zero amount of distortion or congestion even with fast speed prog metal. This ability combined with super comfortable fit (more on that later)had me reaching for the thunder more than any other earbud in my collection.
Now I know there are those who don’t believe in burn in of earphones, all I’m going to say is, I burn in all my earphones the Thunder really opened and up and smoothed out at the 200 hour mark.

Disclaimer
Penon was kind enough me a sample of the Fidue Thunder. I am not affiliated with Penon and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or sourced from the Penon website . ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.

Make sure to research any earphone before you buy!

The Fidue Thunder is available from the Penon website,
see the non affiliated link below

From https://penonaudio.com/Fidue-Thunder.html
What do they sound like?
Ive already covered the tuning above but I will add in more detail, the Thunder have more mid-bass than sub-bass as is the case with most earbuds the focus here is the mids and treble with the bass playing second fiddle not to say there isn’t any mid-bass snap and attack its there just not dominant. The mids are at the forefront with a clarity and detail Ive not experienced even with in ear iems they have some brightness without sounding thin the upper mids have enough bite to give guitars a pleasing aggressive presence. The treble is crisp but not sibilant or fatiguing, cymbals sound natural with a nice decay placed right where they should be not artificially forward. They manage to have a very wide staging while being bassy enough to make drums and bass guitar sound natural. The impressive thing is these little wonders have great depth allowing for a far more realistic layering experience than I expected.

I want to really enjoy my music. Something that releases the full scope of what the artist created in the studio. The Thunder does that with cohesion ensuring to there’s no jarring transitions between the frequency range. The Thunder is nota a warm lush signature, its not thin though it has an very open detailed signature bass is textured, dynamic and layered. The mids are free of any colouration and don’t colour the vocals there is a little extra body to males vocals, female are realistic and sweet with a natural timbre. The vocals are front and centre with instruments placed exactly where they should be showing depth to the stage with natural wide holographic presentation . The Thunder’s dynamic driver and double ba sounds very coherent no trace of uneven timbre just everything working together as one.
The mids are natural and organic, with just enough edge to add excitement to vocals and guitars causing me to be drawn into the music, Pianos and Guitars are given a really even treatment with good note weight sounding exactly as you would expect if you were in a concert hall.
The Transition from upper mids to lower treble is boosted slightly but still sibilance free, even with songs that have sibilance bult into the recording. The little bump in this region just edges them into excitement in this area. I have very big ears so to make the Thunder fit securely applied some Apple Airpod silicone sleeves which I bought off Amazon for a couple of dollars.
The timbre and tactility of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is very natural all instruments find their own place. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically with emotion, every inflection, intonation is apparent as a singer climbs the scale to the crescendo it is presented well cutting through, if a voice has gravel you hear it. The Thunder is not forgiving of poorly produced music.
When I’m evaluating earphones I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the Thunder I was analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety just loosing myself in the music. I found they I worked across all the genres in my library with exception of Hip hop where the bass is a little lacking for the big bass drops though always smooth and spacious and detailed .

Aerosmith - Hangman jury sounded wonderfully full and clean with the crisp drums and keyboards . Steve Tylers throaty gritty vocals sounding full and sweet with no thinness the layering in this 80s classic blues/rock song was produced with expert precision a really enjoyable listen

Marc Coen and the Alabama blind boys – Baby King, this multi-layered live vocal is a classic with moody piano intro and fabulous vocals reproduce with just enough weight to draw you in slowly building to the voal acrobatics of the Blind boys of Alabama. The staging is also brilliantly reproduced increasing the atmospherics greatly. The Thunder works incredibly well with live recordings putting you front and centre in the room with the artist.
Steely Dan’s – Black Cow, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with a breath-taking expertise at this price range, drums, keyboards, vocals , hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay space and staging with good height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, this song felt open and airy with the layering of the instruments in a class above any earbud I’ve listened to.
Steven Tyler- My own worst enemy this is one starts with a sparce acoustic guitar and tambourine with Tyler’s gritty vocals and slowly builds with new instruments being introduced as this slow ballad builds Tyler’s elastic vocals stays front and centre as the song becomes a multi-layered wall of sound the Thunder manages to keep the huge production in control avoiding any congestion, impressive.

Led Zepplin – Since I’ve been loving you
The lead guitar intro is perfectly presented sweet and keening the drums with that slow heavy rhythm, then as the song builds, keyboards the cherry on the cake comes with Plants unmistakeable vocals reaching for the sky as the song builds in intensity to a cohesive whole with the wailing Plant cutting through like a hot knife in butter. The Thunder excels presenting Zepplin vocals they are the star of the show never overpowered by the drums and guitar.

The Hu – This Mogul (with William DVall) –
The dynamics of this track are huge with drums guitars and Mongolian instruments, the Horsehead fiddle, Tovashuur, Tumar Khuur, Tsuurare and Mongol throat singing with a special guest William DuVall of Alice in Chains. The power of this dense, complex and rhythmic masterpiece is reproduced with accuracy but does lack a little bass quantity though the driving rhythms are dynamic and punchy, I didn’t hear any congestion in the instrumentation despite the density of this track. The vocals of William DuVall stood out against the wall of instruments and were on point and unveiled. The Thunder didn’t feel exposed with faster tracks with instruments in the same frequency range still being given space to be heard with little to no congestion.

The Thunder is quite easy to drive earbud I had no issues using them with my , Daps, Dongles in getting loud enough, the dynamics and open sound was present with all sources the texture and layering they are capable of was available for all to some degree.

They sounded good with warm sources. This is an iem that doesn’t need a powerful source but it does scale impressively.
I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is. Having said that the the Thunder is a very technical cooler sounding earbud with all the clarity and detail up front that grew to appreciate and really enjoy.

Sources used:
Onix XM5 Overture
Shaning M6 Ultra
Shanling H5
Cayin N3 Ultra
Cayin N7

When using my different sources I didn’t favour the more powerful ones the extra dynamics and layering and technical presentation was apparent but the overall musical presentation was the same.

Comparison

This is quite difficult as the thunder is multiple levels above all the earbuds in my collection.

LRay Aurora
The Aurora is far more bass dominant with elevated sub bass and midbass
This is the only frequency range that I find superior to the Thunder everything else is left in the dust with the levels of distortion free detail sever; levels above the Aurora.

Shozy Cygnus

The Cygnus is way less detailed, with inferior texture and timbre the bass while being greater in quantity is lacking in quality. Its almost comical how much the Thunder is superior in every aspect.

Tuning the Thunder to my preferences.
With all the iems and earbuds I have I experiment to see what I can do to enhance the experience. The thunder really reacts well to cable rolling the two best cables for me were the Penon OCC849 and OS849 these high quality cables that easily match the build quality and sound attributes of the Effect Audio Ares S 8W and Cadmus S 8W.

The absolute best combination was with the Penon OCC849 it brought a warmth and elevated the bass frequencies adding more body to the mids.
The OS849 elevated the bass without the touch of warmth the OCC849 gave it was more similar to the included cable with just that touch more bass.

The final piece of the puzzle was to use doughnut foams places over the earpiece to cover the rear vents which added a touch of warmth while not effecting the clarity and detail resolution.

Penon OCC849 (penonaudio.com)
Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable
Type-4 Litz configuration
Description
6n single crystal copper cable
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver – contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Cable length: 1.2M

Penon OS849 (penonaudio.com)

Penon OS849 Single Crystal Copper Silver-plated HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable

Type-4 Litz configuration Description

6n single crystal copper silver-plated cable
Contained 8% silver, the thickness is 10μm,
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver –contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Sound field is very big and very natural
Cable length: 1.2M

The Fidue Thunder has been a revelation to me while on the surface an earbud that goes against my preferences of warm thick lush sound signatures with its razor sharp detail forward bright signature. The revelation was that once my brain adjusted it became a really enjoyable listen that I would reach for and listen to music for hours without fatigue.
Once I tuned it, it actually became one of my favourite earphones that I reach for on a regular basis so for me its worth every penny of its $399 asking price.

[Andy_Pickard]

4 Stars
The Fidue Virgo A85 Still Relevant

Pros

1. Superb Build Quality
2. Great Mids Forward sound Signature
3. Very Comfortable
4. Affordable Price
5. Treble heads dream

Cons

1. Not for bass lovers
2. Quite Bright not for treble phobic
3. Works better with cable upgrade
   
   

Fidue an are an established company whose iems have garnered plaudits for their reference balanced monitor like iems of which the Virgo A85 was and is their mid priced offering.

In these days of two week life spans of iems where an iem is released hyped then forgotten about. I received the FIDUE Virgo (A85) an iem released in 2017 with one DD and two Ba that was $399. Now the build quality is fabulous even compared to today’s $400 offerings with a very professional packaging. Penon have reduced the asking price to £149.99

I’d just like to say upfront I believe we are all biased when giving our subjective thoughts about IEMs and earbuds be it a particular type of signature that works with our music library or how they look and feel in our ears. On the subject of ears everyone’s ear anatomy is different and this effects fit and seal which in turn effects the perception of bass response so I recommend finding the right ear tips or foams that suit your ears to get the best of any earphone.

My review star ratings are linked to the price range of the iem eg a 5 star review of a $100 iem is not equal to one of a $500 iem.I’m and audio enthusiast with a collection of over 200 iems, 30 different sources with a music collection that numbers over 100,000 tracks and 18 flathead buds I share my impressions as a way to share my enthusiasm for the hobby I approach from the premise of music first technology 2nd, what does this mean? For me the technicalities are not of prime importance but does the music move with this particular iem.

I’m a connoisseur of many different sound signatures. The only prerequisite is musicality I’m not a fan of analytical cold playback. My scale of success when it comes to evaluating earphones is; do I get goosebumps when they playback my favourite tunes. There are many good earphones but do they give me goosebumps?
Unfortunately I have a draw full of just good earphones.I want the earphone that I reach for without thinking because I instinctively know it will bring the thrill I’m seeking from my music. The Fidue Virgo A85 has a bright mid focused sound signature with excellent technicalities and very natural presentation while being free of any unnatural tone or timbre colouration, the bass is there with great texture and detail just a little shy in quantity for my tastes. The standout quality is the zero amount of distortion or congestion even with fast speed prog metal.

Now I know there are those who don’t believe in burn in of earphones, all I’m going to say is, I burn in all my earphones the Virgo’s bass response opened and up and smoothed out at the 70 hour mark.

DisclaimerPenon was kind enough to send me a sample of the Fidue Virgo(A85). I am not affiliated with Penon and of course was not asked for any copy checking before publishing, they are seeing this the same time as you. All pictures taken be me or sourced from the Penon website . ALL opinions shared in this review are my subjective thoughts.Make sure to research any earphone before you buy!

What do they sound like well they are a mids focused sound signature, surely they can’t match up to today’s releases with all the advancement in technology? At first straight out of the box I felt they probably didn’t, but then when I started cable and tip rolling everything changed. The sound signature is bright nuetral with mids and treble favoured of bass slam. Not my usual preferences a little bit thin sounding due to the lack of bass, then I had a what if moment! I put on my Penon Black Liquor eartips and a good quality copper cable, the Penon OCC849 and wow what a transformation.
The bass was now meaty and dynamic, the quality of that bass is superb full of details and texture. True there’s not a large quantity but there’s enough to balance out the signature. The mids are super clean and free of any bass bleed or ba timbre. Male vocals sound good with no extra colouration but female vocals sound amazing, pure soaring with no edge or sibilance just sweet and rounded treble it’s crystalline with no jagged edges just glorious. Cymbals sound natural with good decay, guitars are detailed with every resonance clear and sweet. A perfect iem for jazz and acoustic music. Classical Orchestral music sounds wonderful with really impressive staging wider than I’ve experienced with the $150 iems in my collection .

The timbre and tactility of drums, strings, guitars and brass instruments is very natural all instruments find their own place. Vocals both male and female are reproduced authentically with emotion, every inflection, intonation is apparent as a singer climbs the scales it is presented well cutting through, if a voice has gravel you hear it. The Virgo is not forgiving of poorly produced music.When I’m evaluating iems I have a play list of roughly 100 songs of mixed genres. With the Virgo I was analysing the different frequency ranges listening to albums in their entirety. I found they I worked across all the genres in my library with exception of Hip hop and EDM where the bass is a little lacking for the big bass drops though always smooth and spacious and detailed . They really excelled at acoustic singer songwriter music like Shawn Mullins, White Buffalo and Tori Amos
Here’s what Fidue have to say about the Virgo A85

Link to Penon store
https://penonaudio.com/fidue-virgo-a85.html

Description
FIDUE VIRGO A85 2BA+Dyanmic Driver Hybrid Audiophile MMCX In-ear Monitor

Description from Penon website

Powerful·Touching Soul Reality of Vocals Spectacular Clarity of Instruments
Custom-made Premium Armature & Exclusive Dynamic Drivers

3-way Hybrid Driver Technology
Covered by3-way Hybrid Drivers, full-range frequency response makes you experience real voice of singers, as well as exquisite performance of melody.
Fidue elaborately customized the Dual-Balanced Armature for Virgo to present the full sound of beautiful vocals and distinct details of instruments.
By using polymer diaphragm with unique texture & permanent magnet in exclusive chamber, FIDUE developed an excellent Bass Dynamic driver for Virgo, which present natural & rich dynamic response in low-frequency.
Accurate Divide Design & 3D Acoustic Chamber

Due to the differences of acoustic performance between dynamic and armature, engineers from FUDE tuned the Virgo precisely by Electronic Divider & Acoustic Chamber, to make all drivers of Virgo as one.
FIDUE designed individual chamber for every driver by 3D analysis technique, to avoid acoustic interference between drivers.
FIDUE tuned the energy from three drivers by precise electronic frequency division technique, ensuring smooth transition between drivers.
Light & Robust Aluminum Jacket through CNC Technology

FIDUE carved the aluminum shell through high-precision CNC Technique to ensure the shell light and robust.
Silver-plated OFC Audiophile Cable for Full-range Balanced

Normally, voice of copper is plumper, while voice of silver is higher resolution. Virgo uses the audiophile lever silver-plated OFC music cable, combining the advantages of copper & silver, to ensure that the sound details are reproducing excellently.
Ultra-fit Wearing Experience with Ergonomic Curve Design

Over-ear waring style was originally used for personal monitoring system to guarantee the musicians always wearing earphones firmly on the stage. And now, over-ear wearing style can make you comfortable and concentrate on your favorite music, anytime, anywhere.
Specification

Model: FIDUE A85
Color: Silver
Drivers: Armature × 2 & Dynamic × 1
Frequency Range: 7-41000Hz
Impedance: 20Ω
Sensitivity: 107dB
Max Input Power: 50mW
Distortion: <1%
Plug: 3.5mm stereo gold-plated
Cable: 1.3m Silver-plated OFC Cable
Package

Fidue virgo
4 pair Silicone Tips
1 pair Comply T500 Foam Tips
Cleaning Tool
Storage Box
Airline Adaptor
3.5 to 6.3 Stereo Adaptor

Some of yhe music Selections I evaluated the Virgo A85 with

Tori Amos–Silent All These Years
This track really shows what a fantastic upper mids and treble it has with Tori’s breathy crystalline vocals floating in space above the sombre piano you can almost feel the atmosphere as the songs airy production is excellent the tone and timbre of the piano is really correct with excellent decay on the single notes just a breathtaking rendition of a wonderful piano led classic.

Aerosmith - living on the edge
sounded wonderfully full and clean with the crisp drums and guitars . Steve Tylers throaty gritty vocals sounding full and sweet with no thinness the layering in this 80s classic rock song was produced with expert precision a really enjoyable listen

Marc Coen and the blind boys of Alabama – Silver Thunder Bird , this multi-layered live vocal is a classic with moody piano intro and fabulous vocals reproduce with just enough weight to draw you in slowly building to the vocal acrobatics of the Blind boys of Alabama. The staging is also brilliantly reproduced increasing the atmospherics greatly. The Virgo works incredibly well with live recordings putting you front and centre in a spacious room with the artist.

Steely Dan’s – Peg, one of the best produced albums in my opinion was played with a breath-taking expertise at this price range, drums, keyboards, vocals , hi-hats and cymbals were natural with excellent decay space and staging with good height, depth and width enabling me to pick out instruments in the mix, this song felt open and airy with the layering of the instruments

White Buffalo - The Woods -this is one starts with a lush strings with Jake Smiths rich baritone vocals and slowly builds with new instruments being introduced as this slow ballad builds Jake’s authorative vocals stays front and centre as the song becomes a multi-layered wall of sound the fidue manages to keep the big production in control avoiding any congestion, with every nuance present and correct, impressive.

Shawn Mullins – Anchored in You from the Souls Core Revival album
The brass section intro intro is perfectly presented sweet and detailed with great texture and the drums with that slow restrained rhythm anchor the song for Shawn’s emotive vocals which are the focus they are the star of the show never overpowered by the drums and guitar. This mid forward presentation is really great for vocal focused music.

The Hu – This Mogul (with William DVall) –The dynamics of this track are not as huge with drums guitars and Mongolian instruments, the Horsehead fiddle, Tovashuur, Tumar Khuur, Tsuurare and Mongol throat singing with a special guest William DuVall of Alice in Chains. The power of this dense, complex and rhythmic masterpiece is given more air and space than I’m used to hearing there is pin point accuracy but they do lack a little bass quantity though. The driving rhythms are dynamic and punchy, I didn’t hear any congestion in the instrumentation despite the density of this track. The vocals of William DuVall stood out against the wall of instruments and were on point and unveiled. The Virgo didn’t feel exposed with faster tracks with instruments in the same frequency range still being given space to be heard with little to no congestion or ba texture presnt.

The Virgo is quite easy to drive iem I had no issues using them with my , Daps, Dongles in getting loud enough, the dynamics and open sound was present with all sources the texture and layering they are capable of was available for all to some degree.They sounded good with warm sources. This is an iem that doesn’t need a powerful source but it does scale impressively.
I’m not a fan of analytical sounding IEMs/earphones that force details into your ears like a photograph with HDR and sharpening set at max a decidedly digital representation. I’m more Vinyl on a turntable, Leica manual focus, sumptuous colours on kodak colour gold film, kinda guy, where if you look really close all the details are there but it’s the whole image you appreciate rather than just how sharp it is. Having said that the the Vigo is a technical cooler sounding iem not quite as cool as the Fidue Thunder as the Virgo has more bass quantity it does have its own character with all the clarity and detail up front and a quality bass to make a sound signature that I grew to appreciate and really enjoy.

Sources used:
Onix XM5 OvertureShaning
M6 Ultra
Shanling H5
Cayin N3 Ultra
Cayin N7
When using my different sources I didn’t favour the more powerful ones the extra dynamics and layering and technical presentation was apparent but the overall musical presentation was the same.

Cable rolling
I’m a cable believer but if you are not then skip this bit.
While the Virgo comes with a decent 3.5mm cable I wanted to try them out with a balanced connection. The results of my experiments led me to the believe that the Virgo is a very cable dependant iem. When I paired with Penon OCC848 COPPER CABLE one of my favourite copper cables the bass became richer and fuller a touch of warmth was perceived in the mids while the treble remained sparkling and detailed the special power of this cable is that it adds a depth and warmth to the bass and mids without anyform of bloat or veiling

Penon OCC849 (penonaudio.com)Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs CableType-4 Litz configurationDescription6n single crystal copper cable8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.The plug contains 68% copperThe solder joints is silver – contained tinCarbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated sliderCable length: 1.2M

An equally beautiful cable the OS849 is a silver plated copper cable while this cable also boosted the bass is wasn’t quite as warm plus that silver coating did its job a little too well for my tastes with the Virgo and seemed to elevate the lower, mid and upper treble which made everything just a touch too bright. On a darker iem this would be an excellent choice to open up the treble area. For the Virgo I preferred the OCC849.

Penon OS849 (penonaudio.com)Penon OS849 Single Crystal Copper Silver-plated HiFi Audiophile IEMs CableType-4 Litz configuration Description6n single crystal copper silver-plated cableContained 8% silver, the thickness is 10μm,8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.The plug contains 68% copperThe solder joints is silver –contained tinCarbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated sliderSound field is very big and very naturalCable length: 1.2M

Comparisons
I dont really have anything in my collection with this sound signature apart from the Fidue Thunder which is slightly less boosted in the bass (its an earbud so thats expected due to lack of isolation) in all the other frequencies you can tell they’re related but the Thunder is the big brother, more mature, assured just better performance all round. FIDUE obviously have a house sound, one that I would have expected to like but I do. It’s so well implemented that it stands out above the crowd in both the Virgo (A85) and the Thunder.

Conclusion

You could say I’m surprised by the Virgo but are they worth $400? Probably not compared to the latest crop of $400 iems but here’s the good part, Penon have reduced them to $149 Inc a a pair of their excellent Black Penon Liquor eartips as a free gift.

Compared to other $150 iems in my opinion they are easily competitive.
The Virgo are along with the newly released Fidue Thunder my new favourite mid focused nuetral sets. Fidue are a brand I wasn’t aware of before the Virgo A85 and Thunder and these two really make me want to dig deeper to see what other gems they have to offer. The house signature of detail and clarity focused tunings is very well executed. The lesson I have learned from this experience is just because it’s an older set doesn’t mean it’s not worth investigating and there’s a real possibility you’re going to strike gold.

[Andy_Pickard]

My first impressions of the groundbreaking Penon Conductor a first in the flathead earbud market coming with

3D printed medical resin shell

1x 14.2mm N55 Sapphire Diaphragm Dynamic driver

1x 11.2mm bone conduction driver

A dial to adjust bone conduction energy that really does have the most astounding tactile effect you can literally feel the energy transferred into your ears.

The Conductor is a very attractive earbud and comes with a terrific set of accessories including a nice zip up case. A plethora or doughnut foams, silicon rings, miniature screw driver for bone conduction adjustment via the dial on the body of the earbud and a shirt clip to secure the cable.

The shell of the Conductor is not large in diameter but it is quite thick while these fit my ears perfectly in the standard downward facing position they are very comfortable and effective worn over ear which will suit people with smaller ears.

The world of flatheads has got exciting all over again the way sound wraps around me outside my head made me giggle it was so unexpected. The ability to dial in the exact amount of bone conduction isn’t a gimmick when I turned them up to max conduction using the included miniature screws driver they were literally vibrating in my ears. My personal taste was to set them to 3/4 enough to give a specious 3d holographic sound but not so much that the vibration in my ears was a distraction.

The sound signature is solid, impactful bass more mid bass than sub bass the quality and texture of this bass is the best I’ve experienced in a flathead earbud equal to many inear iems
The mids have that Penon magic I’ve come to expect, warm, open with great body and timbre. Vocals in particular sound wonderful with both male and female sounding very natural with instruments placed perfectly around the centre point of the singer. The staging is wide, tall and deep. The treble is clean siblence free, non fatiguing, enough to complete the aural picture while not being particularly sparkling it’s a nice safe treble. Not an earbud for trebleheads.

The included red mmcx cable is nice and the above listening impressions are with it but if you’re willing to roll cables a good quality cable like the Penon OCS849 elevates the playback to even higher levels adding more sparkle to the top end and opening up the staging even more

These impressions are with zero burn in straight out of the box and I’m really excited to see how these develop over the next few weeks of use.

Source used is the Onix XM5 Overture through the KAEI TAP1

The Penon Conductor is available from the Penon store for $199
https://penonaudio.com/PENON-CONDUCTOR.html

[Andy_Pickard]

It’s arrived!! The Tap1 very excited to get this up and running
Edit
This is the new version with the CS43198which is a next generation, low power audio DAC that provides a superior system-level audio performance without draining battery life. This IC minimizes board space requirements while enabling performance and features to drive design differentiation. The CS43198 features a high impedance of 600 Ω, a 130 dBA dynamic range, a THD+N rating of -115 dB, and inter channel isolation of >110 dB.

Listening now with the Fidue Thunder in tube mode with the Hiby R8 line out. A glorious warm anologue sound the Thunder really benefits from the extra warmth and depth