Penon Fan2

Do you listen to hear the music, or feel it?

Recently I reviewed Penon's 4xDD Quattros and was starstruck from first listen, in fact they've become my #1 choice under $500.

The Quattro magic lies in their tonality - effortlessly rendering instruments & voices in a way that feels right, but without sounding "correct" in audio parlance.

Fascinating how when we absorb music what we hear, as opposed to what we feel, can be so different. Perhaps that's why less & less I enjoy earphones that portray melodies coldly & clinically.

So when Penon sent me a pair of their new Fan2 IEMs in exchange for a my thoughts I had no idea they're much akin to the Quattros - born to magnify musical enjoyment through feel, rather than thought.

...and discovering this delighted me.

Yes, I'm ready to abandon the world of analysing every note to the nth degree, fixating on the minutia whilst losing sense of the whole. Are you prepared to embrace this path with me? Then read on.

Packaging​

The USD $279 Penon Fan2s arrive in a small cardboard box, inside is a synthetic blue carry case large enough to comfortably house the earphones whilst remaining flat enough to fit in a jacket pocket.

The IEMs and cable, two sets of silicone & one set of foam eartips are included along with a shirt clip.

Speaking of the stock cable, Penon have included their 2pin black nylon-sheathed OS133 which uses OFC silver-plated conductors & sells separately for $99, with your choice of 4.4, 3.5 or 2.5mm plug.

Ergonomics​

The Fan2s are 3D printed from medical grade resin and feel extremely smooth against the skin, fully vented for pressure relief.

They're on the larger side by the standards of IEMs with lower driver counts, without being enormous. Fit is a personal thing, and though I find them nicely sculpted to my ear geometry they do stick out quite far.

Comfort is reasonable and can keep them in my ears for hours without issue, but wouldn't say they're the most comfortable IEMs Penon have sent me with the DOMES being more shapely & Turbos smaller.

The stock OS133 cable is incredibly thin & light which aids comfort, in fact I almost wish it contained four rather than two wires but I do have a preference towards chunkier cables these days.

Sound Impressions​

I used a Luxury & Precision P6 Pro set to hi-gain mode at 6/60 volume to evaluate the Fan2s. My taste consists largely of EDM, Orchestral, Film Scores & Vintage Rock and I listen at lower volumes.

The Fan2s use two 6mm 'crystal-plated biological diaphragm' DDs to deliver powerful sub bass, one Sonion BA for the midrange which is very smooth & rich, and a Knowles BA for treble which is quite dark.



Bass

The Fan2 dual-DDs deliver impressive bass with an emphasis on midbass, but sub bass isn't lacking. It isn't slow or bloated, but is kept in check to avoid overshadowing the midrange with excess warmth.

Bass texture is satisfyingly visceral with an impressive amount of thump - this is a real highlight where the Fan2s punch well above their weight, with punchy being an apt description.

However bassheads may be left wishing for greater bass quantity, as although there's sufficient low end for bass-driven genres to be satisfying, Penon have elected to keep things more neutral.





Midrange

The Fan2s' midrange is the star of the show, with a refined tonality befitting more expensive IEMs.

Vocals aren't shouty or excessively forward, with an even balance between the lower & upper midrange. Voices are rendered with pleasing warmth and smoothness and are capably resolving with superbly delicate texture.

Penon IEMs often deliver a superb midrange experience and the Fan2s carry on that tradition.



Treble

This is Fan2's weakest area, which Penon have wisely de-emphasised to focus attention on its' strengths.

The single Knowles BA does a capable job but upper treble sparkle is largely absent, resulting in fairly dark treble that's less likely to fatigue, cementing the presentation's feeling of smoothness & refinement.

The Fan2's aren't as dark as the Quattros I recently reviewed, but you may prefer slightly brighter IEMs for genres like classical where string instruments will benefit from more definition in this area.

Technical Performance​

Fan2 technical performance is something of a mixed bag, so let's start with the good.

Coherency is excellent, contributing to the Fan2s being very non-fatiguing for longer listening sessions. By contrast dynamics are on the weaker side, perhaps a culprit of the smoother presentation.

Soundstage dimensions are nothing out of the ordinary for this price, width is fairly good without feeling artificially stretched, avoiding claustrophobia. Depth is decent without being exceptional, thankfully not completely flat like many budget IEMs.

Imaging is solid, though greater treble emphasis would've improved it further, and resolution is very impressive through the midrange where vocals are well articulated but weaker in the treble area.

IEM Comparisons​

I compared the Fan2s to other IEMs with a Luxury & Precision P6 Pro set to hi-gain at 6/60 volume.



NiceHCK F1 Pro – 1xPlanar (USD $99)



The F1 Pros are much brighter to the point some may find them slightly sibilant, and by comparison sound thin with a palpable lack of note weight.

F1 Pro vocals can be shouty but less resolving than those of the Fan2s, the NiceHCKs are also much less bassy with bass texture not as satisfying either.

The F1 Pros do boast better dynamics with a blacker background & better imaging, but the Fan2s feel more refined with greater midbass & lower midrange presence creating a smoother, darker sound.



Simgot EA1000 - 1xDD 1xPassive Radiator (USD $219) – used with Simgot LC7 Cable (USD $69)



Simgot's LC7 cable elevates the EA1000s' technical performance substantially so I generally keep them paired, making this a tough matchup for the Fan2s.

The EA1000s have a much more fun & bouncy v-shaped sound which is significantly brighter than the Fan2s but less smooth & refined. The EA1000s possess deeper sub bass but slightly mushier bass texture, with better dynamics, a wider soundstage, and slightly improved resolution.

The EA1000s' DD driver also feels slightly faster, but tonality is a problem with excessive upper midrange leading to vocals that lack weight. Whereas the Fan2s possess much more midbass and a deeper soundstage, and generally sound far more earthy & natural but also significantly darker.



ISN Neo5 – 4xBA 1xDD (USD $289)



The Neo5s are much brighter, energetic & v-shaped with a thinner midrange than the warmer Fan2s, emphasising the upper midrange slightly more which result in vocals being occasionally shouty.

Neo5s are more bombastic with slower, more satisfying bass texture and more powerful sub bass making them a better choice for bassheads, and they're also far more dynamic.

However the Neo5s are more aggressive whereas the Fan2s are smoother & more coherent with a blacker background and slightly wider soundstage, painting a more refined but less excited picture.



Penon Quattro – 4xDD (USD $399)



The Quattros are similar to the Fan2s, but smoother & darker with an even thicker, warmer midrange.

Quattro sub bass goes deeper and bass quantity is higher in general, note weight is superb and dynamics are also a step up from Fan2, as is Quattro midrange resolution.

I find the Quattros' tonality is almost flawless since no BA drivers are used, but the Fan2's DDs feel slightly more nimble. I recommend purchasing the Quattros if you want to double down on that smooth, dark & refined sound whereas the Fan2s feel slightly more neutral & excited but less bodied.



Penon Turbo - 6xBA (USD $549)



The all-BA Turbos sound quite different, being much brighter with greater upper midrange emphasis, definitely more aggressive and occasionally shouty.

The Turbos' BA bass is very capable but lacks the texture of the Fan2s' twin DDs, though overall bass quantity may be higher and their bias is weighted towards midbass.

The all-BA Turbo configuration results in higher technical performance with greater resolution, a blacker background and sharper imaging, and instruments that stay separated during busy passages more easily. However the Fan2s have better note weight with a much smoother, warmer tonality I prefer.

Cable Comparisons​

I tested the Fan2s with a number of aftermarket cables to gauge how effectively they scale.



NiceHCK Blacksoul (USD $50)



A surprisingly great pairing right off the bat, BlackSoul thickens the lower midrange even further, improves dynamics and slightly deepens the soundstage.

Vocals come forward & midrange resolution goes up a notch, note weight is also a bit better. I don't hear BlackSoul darkening the treble in this pair-up either, despite it being known for that.



NiceHCK FirstTouch (USD $89)



This is another satisfying pairing with FirstTouch widening the stage and improving note weight as BlackSoul did.

However FirstTouch's shielded (or at least heavily-sheathed) nature also creates a blacker background with resolution up across the board, along with sharper imaging.



Penon Obsidian (USD $149)



I'm using the 4.4mm Rhodium plug on the modular Obsidian cable in this pair up, and immediately notice higher midrange resolution with a blacker background & sharper imaging.

Note weight is also improved, as are dynamics, stage dimensions feel largely unchanged but treble seems slightly less prominent, though it doesn't negatively impact tonality.



Effect Audio Ares S 4 Wire (USD $179)



Ares S increases resolution across the board, improves note weight and dynamics in particular are improved substantially.

The entire presentation feels punchier and more bass driven, and the stage is also slightly deeper. This is a very impressive pairing for the excellent dynamics alone.



Penon ASOS+ (USD $215)



This is something of a sneak peek as I'm currently working on a review of this impressive new cable.

ASOS+ widens & deepens the stage more than other cables I tried, boosting the impression of space between each instrument substantially.

Bass is deeper though it's mostly midbass that benefits, resolution & dynamics are both improved and treble is a little brighter too. This is the sort of pairing that exemplifies the difference cables can make.

Conclusion​

I've gravitated to a warmer sound over the last few months, so the Penon Fan2s have tickled my fancy.

They're capable all-rounders with a beautifully organic midrange & satisfying bass thump, plus great cohesiveness. All three of those traits I value highly in earphones, so it's no surprise I'm impressed.

Nitpicks? My experiments suggest the stock cable leaves much room for sonic improvement, the shells aren't as petit as some other Penon IEMs, and the Fan2s are quite dark in the treble which won't appeal to everyone. Oh, and dynamics could be better.

What they do have is a lovely smooth refinement one rarely encounters for $279, allowing us to sit back & listen for hours in complete security our ears won't be pestered by troublesome peaks.

The Fan2s remove those impediments to enjoyment, leaving behind sonic landscapes of richly emotional texture I will relish exploring.

Introduction:-

The Only Fan you will ever need!

Today I will review the Penon Fan 2. I have heard a lot of Penon as a company and as to how they make some of the amazing IEM at their respective price range. Penon started as a cable manufacturer and then they started making IEM’s. The Penon Serial, The Penon Globe, Penon 10th anniversary and most of their IEM’s have a separate fan base including today’s star of the show the Fan 2.

When I got the opportunity to review the Fan 2 I was giddy and I was very excited for this review and glad to say that excitement only increased when I heard it more and more.

I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.




Would like to say a big thanks to Penon for sending me this review unit, all the thoughts and opinions you are about to hear are my own.

You can buy the Penon Fan 2 here (Unaffiliated Link)


I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.

Lets get started!

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Build Quality, Comfort, Accessories:-



1. They come in a simple yellow box which has the big protective case which has cutouts for the iem and the cable.


2. It also comes with 3 sets of tips among which includes 2 pairs of foam tips, a shirt clip, cable tie and a cleaning tool


3. These added accessories are really great, I wish more companies did it.


4. The case although big and impractical for pocketing it daily, it is great for carrying the iem around in the bag. The cut-out can be removed from the case.


5. The cable that it comes with is the Penon OS133 which retails for around $40 and is a fantastic cable! It doesn’t have any ear hooks but they are top notch when it comes to quality. But at this price range they should have come with a modular cable. I have the 3.5mm, but you can choose between 2.5mm, 3.5mm or 4.4mm


6. Beware of the reverse polarity when using the cable as there are no ear hooks you might use it wrong with the fan 2


7. They retail for around $279


8. The face plates of the Iem looks really good! They are so photogenic.


9. One big issue is the nozzle length they are quite big and many might have issues with it, I didn’t have issues with it that much. But for greater comfort I started using the wide bore tips from the geek wold gk20 and they opened the treble a bit and they offer better comfort too. I highly suggest going a size or 2 down than you normally wear because of their fit.


10. After some tip rolling these fit like a glove to me almost feels like a custom IEM for my ears now. The isolation is really really good, probably the best I have had.


11. Although they are comfortable and I tip rolled I can wear them for maybe an hour or two after which I would have to take them out. Which even generally is a good idea to do.


12. The Fan 2 has 4 drivers
2 x 6mm DDs for the lows
1 x Sonion BA for midrange
1 x Knowles BA for treble

13. They are really really easy to drive


14. They don’t have any driver flex

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Sound Impressions:-


1. Overall they sound mildly W shape with a tinge of bass boost. But yet they are overall very neutral


2. In the sea of Harman tuned iems the fan 2 is a breath of fresh air


3. They are probably the most coherent iem I have ever listened to, its just so good! The bass, mids and the treble all lie in the same plane and it is so refreshing to hear that.


4. I paired the fan 2 with the Fiio Btr5, Muse Hifi M4, Hiby FC6, Razer USB-C Dongle Dac, My smartphone


5. With the fc6 and fan 2 paired together I cannot take them out of my ears! They sound so good. The warmness and sound signature of the fc6 and the coherency of the fan 2 matches so well. This setup sounds so analogue and it reminds of the old speakers I heard as a kid.


6. The analogue nature of the FC6 and the Fan 2 are a match made in heaven.


7.The sound the Fan 2 produces is very very very tip dependent. So it can defer for others specially depending on your ears anatomy.


8. Has a slight BA timbre


9. The overall tonality of the IEM is perfect!


Bass-


- The overall bass is just shy of neutral


- In tracks like “Waltz by Sunny” or “Crack Crack Crackle by Classy”. But that doesn’t mean the bass isn't good, the bass has fantastic quality the texture of the bass is absolutely fantastic and it hits really cleanly but it lacks that punch and thump I personally would like for these songs.


- The sub-bass is hear lacks that punch and thump but has that great quality I talked about previously


- The mid-bass is also very good here, it has that good overall texture continued over here. They have more of a mid-bass than the sub-bass. So if you like a good mid-bass than the sub-bass this is the iem for you.


- The overall bass although lacks that punch and thump I am generally accustomed too, but I am never wanting for more in the fan 2. Both the sub-bass and mid-bass has that great analogue speaker like texture which I really love. This isn't a basshead iem.


- When listening to the 1985 Live Album By Casiopea it had amazing instrument textures specially the bass played.


Mids-


- They have really good mids overall


- But when listening to Chris Cornell, Bill Withers although it sounds good and their rich voice has really good texture present, I personally would have liked it a bit more presence here.


- Female vocals surprisingly sound ok here, but I am someone who likes their female vocals to be borderline shrilly. For example Hako Yamasaki “Ano yume Ni” although her voice sounds good it doesn’t have that richness over in the fan 2 another song I would like to say is “Happy End Princess” by Sumire Uesaka (Tearmoon Teikoku Monogatari OP)


- But this controlled upper mids is also a boon to those people who are very sensitive to upper mids like most chi-fi iems out there. This allows them to enjoy the


- But the overall coherency of the vocals with the other parts of the song is really good be it male vocals or female vocals. It sounds very controlled, maybe thats a trade off here.


Treble-


- It has quite a good of openness here and sparkle here without being too much in the face


- It is not the most airy iem out there


- Although I wouldn’t call it a dark treble but it has an overall very smooth treble. This is a boon to people who don’t like sibilant treble found in most chi-fi iems


- The treble extension in my opinion is not the best out there. This isn’t a treblehead iem


Technicalities:-

They are quite average when it comes to technicalities. It does struggle with songs when they get too busy, but overall they are bang on average


Soundstage:-

- It is a bit weird over here. That is it has no width for the soundstage but the depth of the soundstage is very very good and it is evident when I am listening to “Asayake 1985 live by Caisopea”.

- But then again this is a boon for those people who like narrow soundstage for iem’s as there are many who likes that in an iem. I am someone who loves a big and wide soundstage and this doesn’t have that, it has a cramped soundstage.


Imaging:-

The imaging and the layering of the sound is fantastic in my opinion. The “1985 live album by Casiopea” sounds amazing here because of it very good imaging.


Gaming Test:-

They are quite average when gaming, for the occasional sessions they are quite ok I wouldn’t suggest buying them for that.

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Recommendation:-

1, The Fan 2 are a fantastic iem, they are the most coherent iem I have ever heard.


2. They don’t offend anyone in any way but also is really enjoyable. It sounds really analogue and pairs really well the a warm sounding source like the Hiby FC6 . Although not the best female vocals out there but there I still keep them in my ears, there is just something about them.


3. I think so you should definitely try to buy the Fan 2 or atleast keep them on the top of the list when shopping for an iem at this price range. In the sea of harman tuned iems the Fan 2 stands out by being something different which is awesome. While it might not suite certain genres like modern day J-pop or some female vocals that much it still sound very coherent and is an excellent iem for easy listening daily.

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Again a big thanks to Penon for making this review possible. They have had no inputs in this review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Have a great day ahead

PENON FAN 2​

Introduction: -

Penon Fan 2 is a hybrid In-ear monitor from the popular online audio products store Penon Audio. The same store we used to look for purchasing HiFi IEMs and DAPs, and now they are focusing on their own brand of IEMs and offer exciting items across the price range. Fan 2 consists of two Balanced armature drivers and two dynamic drivers. One Sonion BA for Mids, one Knowles BA for high frequency and two 6mm crystal-plated biological diaphragm dynamic drivers for handling low frequencies. One thing that makes this IEM special is the use of biological diaphragm dynamic drivers, which is a high-quality dynamic driver and as per our knowledge, Penon was the first brand to adopt this dynamic driver in their IEMs. Penon fan 2 comes with a 2-Pin Penon OS133 cable, and an OFC Silver plated cable and can be terminated as per your needs while placing order on their website. The item consisting of two variants of silicone ear tips, one wide bore, which helps with treble and soundstage and another one is a narrow bore is primarily for improving the sub-bass. The tips help a lot while listening to different genres of music. For our review, we would be using the wide bore as we believe it sounds best with wide-bore blue tips. Penon Fan 2 retails for 279 US$ with frequent discounts.



Specifications: -

• Driver Configuration: 2 Dynamic Driver + 2 Balanced Armature
• Impedance: 13Ω ± 10%
• Freq Response: 20Hz-20Khz
• Sensitivity: 112dB/mW
• Cable: OS133 -2 shares, single share is 133 cores, a total of 266 cores
• Plug: Gold-plated copper + Carbon fiber plug accessories

Disclaimer: -

Penon gave us a small discount on the price of the IEM, we’re thankful to them. We were also delighted with the opportunity to review it.

Packaging & Accessories: -

The Penon Fan 2 comes in a small Penon box, inside of it we have the IEM carry case. The IEMs and all the accessories are packed inside of the beautiful carry case. It comes with a Penon OS133 cable which is a high-quality OFC Silver plated cable and for our case, we chose 2.5mm balanced termination. The cable alone usually retails on the Penon Audio website for around 50 US$ depending on the offers. Lastly, it comes with two variants of silicone ear tips, both Narrowed and Wide Bores.





IEM Build & Design: -

It looks like a Semi-Custom design to us. Penon Fan 2’s shells are 3D printed using medical-grade resin and are quite light and comfortable for the ear. The design of the IEMs is kind of semi-custom with long nozzles which provides amazing passive isolation. Nozzles are a bit long which can be a love-hate thing for the users. The faceplate is beautifully crafted with resins with blue and rusty red accents in it.



Sound Analysis: -

Credits: @Soundcheck39 (Squiglink)

• Tonality: - Penon Fan 2 comes with Penon’s house sound with a modest inoffensive tint of warmth, musical and yet balanced and smooth across the spectrum. The sound is balanced from lows to highs where the bass doesn’t split to the mids and highs are airy and right at the point thus can be used for longer listening.

• Lows: - Penon Fan 2 has two 6mm crystal-plated biological diaphragm dynamic drivers for handling bass, which results in a well-rounded textured bass. The bass takes the lead in quality rather than quantity. The mid-bass is slightly forward with a beautiful texture. For testing bass, we made use of the Remix Version of Timmy Turner on the SoundCloud app and Nakshatram by Jean du Voyage’s offline FLAC file. The two 6mm dd is used in a smart way to keep with the tonal balance of the IEM which is quite fun in the EDM genre. As it results in faster takeoff along with the right balance. But we would like to add here that the bass doesn’t hit hard, so if you are looking for a deep and boomy bass with the deepest decay this isn’t the IEM for you. Where the sub-bass is really good with above-average layering. The transient response is seen on those dynamic drivers, where the kick is there with faster decay.

• Mids: - Mids is one of the shining aspects of Fan 2. The Penon Fan 2 makes use of Sonion BA for the mids. The Sonions are quite famous for their full-bodied mids without a hint of BA timbre, and we are happy to see that the BA is beautifully implemented by the Penon Audio team. For testing mids, we’ve listened to “In Your Eyes” by the Weekend and Skyfall by Adele through Apple Music. The mids have a soul and are very musical. The Fan 2 offers a rich tonal presentation. It offers a very dynamic and smooth mids across the frequency. The male vocals especially have beautiful textures, have controls, and sounds sublime.

• Highs: - The Penon Fan 2 makes use of one Knowles BA and comes with the buttery treble if we can say that. The treble is clean and airy without a bit of harshness. So, listening for a longer period won’t lead to any kind of fatigue (at least for us). For trebles also, Penon Fan 2 strikes a good balance. They are vivid, open, almost airy, almost sparky, without ever getting into excess leanness, let alone scanting into metallic or artificial sheen, thus keeping with the musical tonality of the IEMs. While listening to “In Your Eyes” from the Weekend the saxophone doesn’t really shine which should be due to the lack of upper treble. Keeping in mind that it costs that low.

• Soundstage & Imaging: - The soundstage of the Penon Fan 2 is intimate, organic, and very musical. We really enjoyed listening to blues music on Fan 2. The soundstage is decently wide and deep. Macro dynamics is amongst Fan 2 fortes, but micro details are not so nicely pronounced. Instruments are very pleasantly and distinctly positioned on the stage, and there’s air, and clean space between them. Fan 2’s detail retrieval capacity is above average but not the best in its price category. Separation between the instruments across the frequency is really wide and deep whereas the imaging is just average at best.

• Synergy: - After trying it with different sources (Astell and Kern AK100, SP1000m, Dethonray DTR1, DTR1+, Pegasus SG1 Gold, Aune M1p and Tanchjim Space and Space lite dongles) it mostly shines with analytical sources. With Peno Fan 2, DTR1+ pairs and makes the bass more thumpy and deeper. In the case of cables, high-quality copper cable, say UPOCC Copper cable with Fan 2, mids will be more organic. It makes it almost unbeatable in that region.

Conclusion: -

The Penon fan2 along with wide bore tips + Analytical DAPs + High-quality copper cable sounds sublime, especially with the blues genre. Penon Fan 2 is a unique offering from Penon Audio. It is made from love and not ego by Penon Audio for its fans across the world. It doesn’t try to show off but believes in keeping things beautifully balanced across the frequency. The best thing about Penon Fan 2 lies in its organic timbre, musical tonality and intimate soundstage which stands strong across the genre of the music. The thing which we didn’t like about the Penon Fan 2 is its average imaging ability and limited technicality. So, we would end this review by saying that if you love the blues genre of music and searching for semi-custom kinds of musical IEMs then this is the best way to boost your audiophile journey.

Non-Affiliated Links-
- https://penonaudio.com/penon-fan-2.html