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The
HE 150, is named directly after its 150ohm impedance, is a new model to rise in the emerging world of earbuds.
-All photography in this review was taken by me-
**
Disclaimer, the HE 150 Earbud was provided for my honest review with the help of Penon Audio.**
[
Product Page]:
http://penonaudio.com/Earphones/earbuds/HE-150ohm-HiFi-Earbud
*Specifications*
Unit diameter: 15.4mm
Impedance: ≈150ohm
Cable Material: Handmade twisted wire
Sensitivity：120+-5 db
Frequency range: 16-23000Hz
*Packaging*
Nothing too exciting, just comes in a normal shipping box. Money spent on quality of sound and not fancy packaging.
*Content*
- Earbud Case
- HE 150 Earbud
- Four Pairs of Foam Covers (3 Normal and 1 Donut)
- Penon Audio Velcro Cable Management.
The case is nice and large for this type of earbud. The Foam Covers were all in perfect condition, like they were handpicked for the HE 150. The Velcro Cable Management wrap works well with a little earbud.
*Build/Design*
Many budget earbuds share the basic MX500 earbud mold and the HE 150 is no exception. While the build is of a standard design, it is put together well. The cable is simple, though built thick and comes free of any signs of microphonics. The HE 150 also has a robust strain relief at the L shaped 3.5mm plug.
The only way to separate this earbud from many others like it is the small “HE” on the top of the housing.
*Sound*
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All Sound and Comparisons Testing was done with my ORB Jade Casa DSD & Amp -
Lows - There is no loss for the low end with the HE 150. The even mix of sub/mid bass leads to a touch of warmth below. Everything stays clean, though there is bias of bass that does come through in its presentation.
Mids - I find there is the slightest drop in mids, vocals are full, though bit deemphasized
. It is barely noticeable and there is still a lot of detail that shines through.
Highs – Not Sibilant, well at least to my ears, though they can get hot depending on the track. I’d say this have a nice sparkle in the treble range. These might not be ideal for longer listening, but they are good when you want details in the higher end.
Soundstage – Earbuds can be known for having a nice helping of soundstage, though the HE 150 is on another level. IT has a VERY wide soundstage, one of the largest I have heard in a MX500 style housing. I feel it is this wide soundstage that gives the HE 150 a sophisticated sound that shines through.
Isolation – It is an earbud, it does not isolate. Forget I even put this here.
Driving – At 150ohm, this is not the hardest earbud to drive. I can confirm this over and over as I had no issues playing this through my Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Tab 7, FiiO M3, xDuoo X2/X3 and Onn X5. Of course, as expected, the HE 150 gave its best performance when played with my ORB Jade System. Power allowed the HE 150 to mature into its full potential.
*Comparisons*
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For testing purposes, I used the EXACT same medium thickness foam covers on all earbuds -
Before I even start, let’s just put it up against the Monk Plus, because if I don’t, someone is going to bug me to do it anyways.
Vs. Monk Plus – VE is well known for its budget Monk + being the comparison standard for budget earbuds. The first thing I noticed, before I even put them in my ears is how similar the build is. Not just because of the MX500 housings, but because they both have thicker cables. While neither has a microphone or inline controls, the Monk Plus does have an optional version that you can purchase directly from them that does. The HE 150 at the time of this review, it did not have an option for a mic. Sound wise these two could not be ANY different. Wow, it is signature shock when listening to these back to back; it really messes with your head. Like the EQ got flipped upside-down listening to these one after another. The HE 150 for sure has a thicker sound, while the Monk Plus is much more focused, both in signature and soundstage. I always wished the Monk Plus just had a bit more sub-bass and the HE 150 has a little extra to share. As for the mids, it is a close call, with the edge going to the HE 150 as it has just a slim more detail. The highs were handled with care by the Monk Plus, the HE 150 on the other hand could get a little hot on tracks like "La Grange" by ZZ Top.
Vs. MusicMaker/Toneking TP16 – For the record, I own every earbud that MusicMaker/Tokening have made. The TP16 is a quality earbud through and through and stacks up very well against the HE 150. Though for design, these two earbuds do look quite different. Matching black matte housings are really all they have in common with the build. The TP16 has a smooth, rather nice looking silver cable with the option for a mic or no mic. The cable on the HE 150 is still a bit thicker. Sound wise they are similar. Going back and forth, I just noticed that the HE 150 has a tad more power in the low and highs. Midrange seems to be almost even-steven. As for the highs, the TP16 has a smoother, easier on the ears roll off, while the HE 150 extends up the range farther, but not the best for extended listening.
Vs. TY Hi-Z 150 – I wanted to test these two back to back because they both share the exact same 150ohm impedance. Build is different with these two earbuds. The HE 150 goes for the simpler tough look, while the Hi-Z 150 has a much daintier, fancy look. Of course, this exquisite appearance of the TY Hi=Z 150 come with a premium price bump of $10 more than the HE 150. Like the Monk plus, the TY Hi-Z 150 and HE 150 have distinct signature difference. The TY Hi-Z 150 has a cleaner playback, with a minor focus on the lows. The Hi-Z 150 seems to roll off earlier as well, leaving the HE 150 to a slight advantage of the details to be heard in the highs.
*Conclusion*
The H150 also has the distinct pleasure of being one of the only earbuds (that I am aware of that) has in Impedance rating of 150ohm and costing less than $15. For those wanting to venture into the higher impedance earbuds, the HE 150 is a great starting point. With a lot to offer in both their ability to be driven by most devices, but at the same time scaling up to bring out more focused details. They have a fun sound, without a loss of detail. The HE 150 has an overall warmer than neutral tone that plays out with a touch of sparkle in the highs. The mids can sometimes take a bit of a step back when vocals are prominent.
I can easily recommend these to both people getting into the world of earbuds and to those, like myself who are collectors. The HE 150 has already found a permanent spot in my earbud rotation for quite some time to come.
P.S. - As I was just about to finish this review. the song "Monolith", by Pyramid came on; talk about a perfect song to show off the HE 150, kickin' bass with a wonderful distance showed off by the great soundstage. Mmmm.. I was actually bopping my head as typed this. Going to hit repeat now....
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I've also started a Facebook Group for earbud fans:
Earbuds Anonymous:
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