The HiSenior Mega5P
Specifications
Who is HiSenior?
They make the $549.00 Mega5EST a 2EST/2BA/1DD Hybrid, the $299.00 Okavango a 6BA/1DD Hybrid and the T4, a 4BA IEM.......just to name a few. In reality besides the $239.00 Mega5P..........they make 5 different audiophile cables and 5 other IEMs of coming-in at both greater and lesser cost………many of them also CIEMs.
Cables:
Air8S
Air4C
Mix2Dragon
Mix4G
WhiteWhale
IEMs:
T2
T2 CIE
T4
T4 CIEM
Okavango
Okavango CIEM
Mega5P
Mega5 EST
Fe8
Fe8 CIEM
Fe12 CIEM
Cases:
HiSenior 1010A 2 IEM case
In testing:
As an introduction I wanted to simply explain how I came to terms with the Mega5P. Due to the personal product introduction sequence I may review a $300.00 IEM or a $500.00 one. Discovering one of the tricks in this business can be to become fooled into believing the IEM you have in your ears is of a different value than the money asked. This phenomenon takes place because you are actually not judging the IEM in your ears…….nope, you are judging the sound by the few IEMs you have heard prior. This concept may even be only affecting a segment of replay, meaning you just reviewed a bass heavy IEM, then reviewed a lesser bass heavy IEM, which in-turn sounds bass lite? When it is anything but bass lite? So the cure for these illusions is time, simply taking time off. Or……….some members have a palate cleanser. Yep, the IEM in their collection that neutralizes the character effects of the prior IEMs, to realign their hearing to neutral.
Because all we are doing in the end is discovering personal musicality….......mostly. While nothing is perfect, often more expensive IEMs go about their day replaying a more realistic idea of music……..and we all know the realistic realm acts to generate (musical) involvement with the listener. Now one way to look at it is a sonic picture, one that is either drawn with more detail or less detail. Being audiophiles we can all agree that the IEMs they give you on the plane produce only a certain level of sound, that depending on how many Martinis you’ve had may sound good, or still not. The other aspect is exposure, meaning this reality in sound replay could be better than imagined simply because you have never heard such recreation of music before (in-your-life) between you ears. Also there is the aspect of personal tone preference. Part of this is not understood, but it simply means some lean towards a thicker warmer sound, or others valuing a thinner more analytical sound. No one way is wrong or right, it is just how it is. Though what inexperienced reviewers will do is judge an IEM wholly on how the tone aligns with their personal self-owned signature. Truth to be told, all reviews are subjective anyways, they all are…….except if many relate to what is in the review, and make purchases to find the review explained about an IEM to be true factually, then maybe there is some objectivity to be found. Yet typically you do get what you pay for. Meaning there is a cost to this musicality.
While more drivers often draw a more detailed rendition of music, less drivers also hold a charm in that at times the replay can come-off less busy and more clear with a focus of intent. Yet maybe all of us are here for immersion. How that is found seems to be in a number of ways. So to sum this up, we want to be immersed in a synthetic reproduction of a musical reality………..however that is found. And even though different people latch onto different audio hand-holds to gain perception into this illusion, often the same ideas of replay will be found to be effective. What I mean by this is actually pretty simple. Take a group of three IEMs to a total non-audiophile and try and get an idea (guessed) as to their value. You would be surprised at just how accurate their observations are. They as people may invest at a future date into personal audio, but as of this place in their life, they simply don’t care enough about it, that or they haven’t had any seeds planted until now. What does this have to do with the Mega5P you ask? Well at $239.00 the price is just starting to offer a threshold to really get into better sound. To many of these beginner listeners the HiSenior Mega5P will be all they need, maybe for years? But more than that...........the question arises if they spent (the new listener) just $60.00 more and made the upgrade to the $299.00 7 driver Okavango……..or even a bigger jump (don’t tell the Wife) to the Sound Rhyme SR7 for $369.00? What would happen then................
From left to right: HiSenior Mega5P, Sound Rhyme SR7 and HiSenior Okavango
The Sound Rhyme SR7 (6BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$369.00
The HiSenior Okavango (6BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$299.00
The HiSenior Mega5P (4BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$239.00
Maybe this team of test subjects is not comparable? I mean there is a $139.00 difference between the SR7 and the Mega5P. And I will tell you right now, before we even get started the SR7 stage is enormous! So………..what does that mean for the little Mega5P?
Let’s get started, shall we!
Equipment and settings used:
1) WM1Z DAP
2) A 4.4mm White Whale HiSenior aftermarket cable for both the Mega5P and Okavango.
3) The stock included 4.4mm used for SR7.
4) My regular wide-bore silicone ear-tips used on all three, because the three IEMs fit so very well.
5) Both SR7 and Okavango were used just like they came out-of-the-box, with Dip-switches set to UU.
The Sound Rhyme SR7 (6BA X 1DD Hybrid):
Well first off (this is crazy) the SR7 was way louder than the Mega5P………..maybe the biggest volume discrepancy in my listening history? So what this means is right off........I need to equalize volume, because at times more volume can be interpreted as better sound when it is (possibly) not. SR7 bass is slightly less controlled…….yet it is both more forward and more vibrant. Actually even with volumes adjusted the overall stance is just the SR7 is slightly more vivid than the Mega5P. But this is where it gets interesting……the Mega5P has an unexpected forward vocal stance, now maybe this is just due to tuning, as the SR7 (while bigger in stage) has also slightly less forward elements where it’s almost like a flatter imaging display in places, mixed with farther-out fall-off of stage elements. Where the Mega5P has an amazingly impactful bass, but not to the extent of the bass heavy SR7. But surprisingly the Mega5P bass was closer the SR7 from memory in the same in side-by-sides? Adding to an understanding about this bass replay, I went over to the Sony WM1A just to see what was up, and sure enough, the Mega5P was still fully resilient to any source and delivering the bass goods as wanted.
Any source:
That is one of the single greatest finds I found in many of these 2023 releases (Not sure if the Mega5P was a 2022 release?) that the series of recent IEMs seem very good from any source and hold onto their musicality regardless of signal? Later we will investigate how good the Mega5P bass is from a simple cellphone.
SR7 v Mega5P:
So yes, you can kinda hear that there are 2 less Mega5P BAs, plus the SR7 is supplied with name-brand BAs, and the Mega5P is not. Still both IEMs are really very close to the same, with the SR7 actual physical IEM size difference being totally different. Where you do notice the size difference in the ear. But the other surprise was the Mega5P is 6 grams in weight and the SR7 is only 5 grams. I had to check this twice as I was going to use my previously recorded weight for the SR7, but due to the differences I had to weigh them (again) side-by-side! So just look at the pictures here and wonder, the small IEM is the heaviest!
As far as sound goes really they are approaching music in much of the same fashion, more so than you would guess from memory, but in side-by-sides they are birds feather. Still the SR7 is on the smoother side of the street with upper midrange additives not showing so stand-outish and separated from the mix, even vocals show a more integrated stance, smoother and slightly more refined except not as clean? At the end it gives the Mega5P almost a feeling of better technicalities in general, even though instrument and vocal replay (individually) is slightly more realistic with the SR7. Still, I can’t see someone having both? They are just too much the same. But the Mega5P does offer a comparable stance into basically the same overall vibe as the SR7, where at first and out-of-the-box I would have thought they would be worlds apart. Same response to source too, so it wasn’t a change of source that made them closer or farther away in character, as they sound wonderful from the WM1A or the WM1Z………..holding onto their personal IEM intrinsic attributes. The vocals between the two are probably of the most different, as the HiSenior Mega5P has a great forward vocal positioning that in side-by-sides goes to really put-the-pants-on the SR7. Reason being is the Mega5P vibrancy and forwardness almost winning-out on the SR7………and the SR7 is kinda known for doing great vocals………….and while the SR7 vocals sit back slightly, they are toned-down………except (more realistically) filled in. This same SR7 demeanor was found in the midrange imaging too, where it fell farther outside in the stage (then the Mega5P) and was of a slightly smoother creation.
So to sum this up, the SR7 is slightly more lush….and that single trait is across the board in tone and demeanor. You are getting extra lushness for your money, that and some extra realism.
The HiSenior Okavango (6BA X 1DD Hybrid):
This is really where some crucial small differences are found. And curiosity got the best of me. I mean how could you not write a review about the HiSenior Mega5P and not do a side-by-side with the Okavango? You have to, no matter what. My Okavango review was placed on Head-Fi October 4th, and this review is put on-line on October 16th. Just enough time to try and get over the Okavango. I’m trying to find both similarities and differences…….but most of all I will truly conclude right at the start that you can totally tell both IEMs were made at the same company. They both offer a warm take on Harman and have this image sculpturing thing that they do which is different from the SR7. Where images are clearer and cleaner, and that single trait is endearing. The part where I explain how the Okavango was named after a Jungle, the biggest Jungle region in the world, except the Okavango doesn’t remind me of a Jungle at all. Nope, it reminds me of a household where everything is in its place, refinement and composure in stance. While we do have added bass authority on both the Okavango and Mega5P, it is truly kept in line, and seems to not ever interfere with the mids. Yet with both IEMs that bass is both adequate and satisfying? That 10mm Dynamic Driver is the single thing that can offer a quality pure BA sets just don’t have. The best way to describe this bass would be having the correct density, and there is a slight decay difference that BA bass just can’t do. Inside of that decay is a little loss of detail, but it’s up to you which ideas you were to enjoy, as both ways have their benefits.
Okavango v Mega5P:
Let’s start off showing the weight difference. Even though the Mega5P is smaller it is 1 gram heavier. That’s right, Mega5P comes in at 6 grams and the Okavango is 5 grams. As seen by the photos here there is definitely a size difference, and the Mega5P doesn’t have the switches. When trying both side by side again the Mega5P is harder to drive (by a lot) though the Okavango is bigger in imaging placement, wider and more forward. The Okavango bass is more yet holding what seems like less detail, maybe just because it’s bigger? The Okavango bass is giant now, and lumbering forward, possibly not as controlled? But when the Okavango vocals come in we now realize that everything is bigger, and even slightly more vibrant? When from memory the SR7 was the odd man out, yet in these side-by-sides the Mega5P with its size of stage and imaging realization is to the Okavango…….what the Okavango is to the SR7.
So they really do follow the pricing in stage size.
Size of stage:
1) SR7 = biggest
2) Okavango = bigger
3) Mega5P = big
Yet I don’t want to ever sell the Mega5P short, as if that was what you had, its world offers (still) big size and vivid involvement. In fact after burn-in and mental acclimation the Mega5P was truly a full and (fun) entertaining experience. Where it's different here is the Mega5P bass is slightly more controlled when volume is lowered with the Okavango to match. But the real standout feature here, above everything else is the vocal forwardness, Yep, the Okavango and Mega5P have many similarities being made by the same company except if you wanted a more forward and clear vocal stance you would (in the end) choose the Mega5P! And while (yes) you can kinda hear that there are 2 less BAs in action, that action means the performance of the 4 BAs is actually more clear and less distorted. Yep, there is truly a clearer intent of purpose to this show of music, and while slightly stripped-down in comparison to the Okavango, there is a finite value that comes from getting the feeling that you’re not missing a thing. So really in the end I found an understanding and a realization of why both IEMs exist to offer a slightly different take on the HiSenior tone. When at the start of this test, and going by memory……..the two seemed very much the same and the Mega5P having lesser respect, but not now. I now realize that (before) I was hearing a more forward vocal stance, yet failed to pinpoint the differences, which now I will always note. It’s one of those things that hindsight is 20/20.
Side-by-side conclusions:
So in conclusion of these comparisons, it’s like the added drivers of the SR7 and stage make it the most fluid, yet still with great vocals, except the Okavango is to the SR7 what the Mega5P is to the Okavango. Stages go in order of magnitude 1)SR7 2)Okavango 3)Mega5p. But if that was the only quality of life, the world would be simple. Except the Okavango shows a more sculpted imaging over the SR7 and the Mega5P is showing even more sculpturing than the Okavango, and within that sculptor the vocals are presented more forward and cleaner. Does this make the Mega5P the best? It’s simply doing a lot with 5 drivers in that those 5 drivers seem to be placed perfectly to generate a full tone. Except the SR7 offers a slightly more filled-out and detailed experience with the business that comes with extra drivers. As time passed I started to truly cherish the Okavango for what it was, even more than when I wrote the review. I thought that the Mega5P would be less of an IEM, due to costing less and having less drivers, but in the end it held its own……..showing just how correct and complete you can be with only 5 drivers used…………..and in the end showed itself to be sonically original.
Package:
Extra Foams:
2 sets in medium.
Penon product shot below:
Build:
Understated really. What else would you call the look? In so many ways its the opposite of the Okavango. Though when it truly comes down to it, size and shape mean a lot, and while both the SR7 and Okavango would be looked at as medium, the Mega5P could be looked at as almost small. Really if anything the Mega5P is the perfect shape being designed with semi-custom curves and fitment. Only a single vent off to the side, means you never have to worry about the vent being occluded. The steal nozzle goes about its daily ways of holding tips perfectly. And the nozzle length is just right, really if you were to choose an optimal size and weight, this would be it, feeling like a million. Due to the limited venting and snug-fit the was world-class sound occlusion is found……the size, fit and sound blocking makes the Mega5P the perfect out and about IEM!
Cable:
As shown the White Whale to the right, and included 3-in-1 to the left. An 8 core silver plated OCC included cable with ear-hooks. While truly I do have issues with recommending an aftermarket cable that's $96.00 by itself with a $239.00 IEM, except that it did offer noticeable improvements? Stage was slightly bigger and bass was of a darker fuller tone. Still to try and be realistic, White Whale improvements were in the range of 10% over stock. While the Okavango IEM also showed more White Whale improvements........there was potential for more improvements to be found there.
Music highlights:
During the music demo listening part of the week, I often will not have the test music readily available on one of my DAPs. So both DAPs will share the playback duties.........often reconfirming the IEM in question will work with both sound signatures. Meaning this describes the Mega5P playback, where even though the WM1A and WM1Z are opposite in playback style, listenability could be found with both DAPs replay. That while different, a magic was still found in both ways of interpreting music playback.
Delain
Chemical Redemption
Apocalypse & Chill
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
My first choice is to demonstrate timbre. Why? Because with less drivers (at times) timbre can be more noticeable. While trying to understand this playback, the guitars at 00:08 seem to be my guitar timbre test. And while showing a slight brightness over what is found with single full-range DDs, there is a style of walking-the-line. Where this single song is expressive of a tweaked-up and over-the-top tone that is a rarity in recorded music. The other noticeable thing here revolves around bass ability, where the throbs (at 00:00) could be heard better with both more expensive and lesser expensive IEMs…..there is once more a reminder that this tune is incredibly careful and tactful. What I’m trying to say is this is a very busy song and we are not finding every detail present? At 00:24 we come to realize it’s really the vocals that have emphasis, emphasis over the instrumentation.
At 00:40 the chorus hits and we are both relieved and slightly underwhelmed that this is all there is?
As much as I found simpler music somehow better and more of the Mega5P forte, this song ends in challenge. And while tonally it’s just right, I can’t help but hear tree-topping in the details? The issue is not pace, as I can hear the pace of the lows? In the end what this poses is a question. To answer such a question I simply switch IEMs, and go right over to the SR7. I also quickly switched over to the more mid-centric WM1Z and tried it. In the end here, probably not the very best song to use with the Mega5P, in that sure it was acceptable, but somehow the details and fullness harmonically was not as realized as with other IEMs……thus not as thrilling as other music choices. And while we know nothing is perfect, I was surprised to find such character……so much so that I broke-out the Okavango and had much better luck using both the 1A and 1Z? Next!
Hans Zimmer
The Dark Knight Rises OST
On Thin Ice
I92 kHz - 24 bit
Using the provided stock cable with the WM1Z was a treat, included were my standard wide-bore ear-tips. The prior song really must have been a fluke, like the worst possible song to choose? Also it’s a little of an enigma as I will with further listening try to understand why the last song took place like it did, as in my weeks of prior listening to writing this review, I had not encountered such effects? Back-in-the-saddle again………..totally! As the very first clue that we are inside the drama of such a song takes place at 00:00. Yep, the bass from held over in transition from the previous song! Big low-end…….at 00:53 the theme strings approach and hold a nice tone and texture……being as remembered and natural. At 02:06 the layering is appreciated and while the stage has nice left to right and really good up and down and truly good forward and back…………all the things we choose a Hybrid for! When the real bass hits it is careful and clear…….such a character goes to show what this IEM is about. And of course with a big song like the one chosen, a lot of the stage naturally comes from the recording. But more than that, we are fully in success at the layers of stings found at 01:43…….seemingly making our day here at Redcarmoose Labs. Attempting to find the bass at even the next level I have randomly switched to a more narrow bore ear-tip. Just for this single song, to learn if with different ear-tips there will be a found change? And sure enough, an added bass focus. Now that doesn’t mean my wide-bores are not the way to go, except if you want a little more bass focus and density………tips like the included red silicone ear-tips may be the way to go. This of course all depends on personal preference, and really it’s all good with either playback being great. To summarize this song, this was exactly how the song sounds.................with the Mega5P doing a coherent and complete rendition. While sure IEMs like the IER-Z1R will make the stage a little bigger and offer greater degree of layering and realness……..there is absolutely nothing to take offense to with this style of replay…………and when price is taken into account…….well you can read between the lines here.
Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch
Blade Runner 2049 OST
Mesa
44.1 kHz - 16 bit
Laughably right this instance I’m going for it. I’m going for gold, you know why? Because you only live once, and I want to try and make this Mega5P live up to its fullest potential as an IEM. So I joined it with the optional $96.00 HiSenior White Whale cable add, that and my regular wide-bore ear-tips and the Sony WM1Z DAP. Also something that could be disputed is this is one of the biggest songs in my library, one that pull-off all that stage, and it is incredibly atmospheric and moody. At 00:00 the intro walks that line of timbre, where these piano notes could be interpreted and both slightly steely, or not? Lol Why, because they are out front and showing us that BA drivers are involved. All of a sudden this bass kicks in! And truthfully this is the very first time I’ve tried this song out with the WM1Z. The bass here is a tad more visceral and you can almost feel the physicality resonating in your ears………….and I don’t have it that loud? Still I’m not experiencing that edge of hearing phenomena that some IEMs do? Where bass kHz will at times seem to go lower than is humanly possible to perceive, with this song. Still, the outcome is dramatic and most of all fun ...and really big, the biggest I ever heard the Mega5P sound. And you may be mistaken to think I was talking about bass, but I’m not……..no it’s the giant Blade Runner synth washes at 01:29………….yep, they are positioned way out to the right and left, both thick and wide……oh and tall.....and low? Making this be all it can be, in my Mega5P history anyway………..as your history with the HiSenior Mega5P is yet to be discovered?
Conclusion:
Well, there you have it, my second HiSenior review. And to try to delineate how the Mega5P and Okavango are different means maybe primarily how your personal stance is on vocals? Maybe you are looking for a smaller fit.....that is not so big an IEM as the Okavango? And while the closeness and farthest imaging are just that with the Okavango, it offers a slightly bigger stage, but smaller than the SR7.
Talking about soundstage, the HiSenior Mega5P truly holds its own, and while being of less girth (than the other two in comparison)...........is in a way cleaner and somehow more direct. The bass is different too, than the Okavango, being a little tighter with composure, being tones slightly less wild in nature. Now this is not saying the Okavango is wild, because it’s not……not at all…..especially compared to the SR7. The Mega5P and Okavango show how they are very close to the same, same tuning and same overall vibe. To me I probably like the Okavango better, but that’s just because I like dramatic bigger stages and don’t put so much emphasis on vocals. That’s not to say the Okavango doesn’t do great vocals because it does……..they are just slightly less forward and clear due to such (lack of) forwardness.
This Mega5P standard idea is when you go about adding two less BAs, those BAs that are there with the Mega5P are simply more finite in their response, and hold slightly less harmonic fall-off. Such a lesser part of the tone turns-around to bring a cleaner more focused forwardness, even though it doesn’t (in imaging) sit as forward as the others in comparison. As in reality something about the Mega5P is more dampened in the end, the 1 gram more weight, yet smaller in size? Such a build means business as this is truly a lot of sound for the money……………but also an interesting sound, one that walks that line between boring and wild, between fun and careful. In the end such prowess holds a conservative musicality that is difficult to argue with........even though I’ve tried. With my personality I gravitate towards the Okavango, and even like the smoother, more playful, yet strange SR7. That doesn’t mean that what I have described here today wouldn’t work best for you in what the Mega5P offers. Truth to be told, the Mega5P was way, way more IEM than I gave it credit for at the start? With mental acclimation and burn-in the Mega5P started to smooth-out and coalesce into respectable replay ...finding all the charms that make it a favorite and top-dog in its price category. You see (nowadays) $239.00 buys you way more IEM than it did back in 2020, add too the fact that they have this fit thing down. Wild enough..........I took the Mega5P to the output of an old Samsung phone…..and yes, the Mega5P accessed 80% of its potential output power, yet what we were gifted with was 100% likable. Big separation and woody natural bass, nice vocals and an enchanting treble……..except I couldn’t get that dampening thing out of my head. Such dampening was responsible for an extra density and note weight, maybe.......like the Mega5P has something inside to make that extra gram of weight count? And that in-and-of-itself made the Mega5P unique and special, I know you will find it special too.
Such tone made the bass extra clear (and imaging while siting a little farther back) still wonderfully separated and imagined? Maybe I would hold the Mega5P as an addition to the SR7 and Okavango in a collection, and truly contradict what I wrote, saying it wasn’t needed in addition? As the more I get used to the stage and positioning.......the Mega5P has me spellbound? Why…….because it truly is different in a small way? Sure I like IEMs, and that makes me like all of them despite any drawbacks.
$239.00
https://penonaudio.com/hisenior-mega5p
$96.00
https://penonaudio.com/Hisenior-White-Whale-Cable
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Penon Audio for the love and for the HiSenior Mega5P Universal IEM review sample.
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Penon Audio for the love and for the White Whale review sample.
Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Samsung Phone 3.5mm
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm
HiBy R3 II DAP 4.4mm
Specifications
| Drivers | Hybrid 5-Drivers (10mm DD+4BAs) |
| Tuning | 4-Ways System/ 1Low+2Mid-highs+2S-highs |
| Freq Response | 10Hzz-22Khz |
| Sensitivity | 112db |
| Impedance | 19Ω |
| Noise Isolation | -20db |
| Cable | Default: 8Core Silver-plated OCC Cable (Angled 0.78mm 2pins) |
Who is HiSenior?
They make the $549.00 Mega5EST a 2EST/2BA/1DD Hybrid, the $299.00 Okavango a 6BA/1DD Hybrid and the T4, a 4BA IEM.......just to name a few. In reality besides the $239.00 Mega5P..........they make 5 different audiophile cables and 5 other IEMs of coming-in at both greater and lesser cost………many of them also CIEMs.
Cables:
Air8S
Air4C
Mix2Dragon
Mix4G
WhiteWhale
IEMs:
T2
T2 CIE
T4
T4 CIEM
Okavango
Okavango CIEM
Mega5P
Mega5 EST
Fe8
Fe8 CIEM
Fe12 CIEM
Cases:
HiSenior 1010A 2 IEM case
In testing:
As an introduction I wanted to simply explain how I came to terms with the Mega5P. Due to the personal product introduction sequence I may review a $300.00 IEM or a $500.00 one. Discovering one of the tricks in this business can be to become fooled into believing the IEM you have in your ears is of a different value than the money asked. This phenomenon takes place because you are actually not judging the IEM in your ears…….nope, you are judging the sound by the few IEMs you have heard prior. This concept may even be only affecting a segment of replay, meaning you just reviewed a bass heavy IEM, then reviewed a lesser bass heavy IEM, which in-turn sounds bass lite? When it is anything but bass lite? So the cure for these illusions is time, simply taking time off. Or……….some members have a palate cleanser. Yep, the IEM in their collection that neutralizes the character effects of the prior IEMs, to realign their hearing to neutral.
Because all we are doing in the end is discovering personal musicality….......mostly. While nothing is perfect, often more expensive IEMs go about their day replaying a more realistic idea of music……..and we all know the realistic realm acts to generate (musical) involvement with the listener. Now one way to look at it is a sonic picture, one that is either drawn with more detail or less detail. Being audiophiles we can all agree that the IEMs they give you on the plane produce only a certain level of sound, that depending on how many Martinis you’ve had may sound good, or still not. The other aspect is exposure, meaning this reality in sound replay could be better than imagined simply because you have never heard such recreation of music before (in-your-life) between you ears. Also there is the aspect of personal tone preference. Part of this is not understood, but it simply means some lean towards a thicker warmer sound, or others valuing a thinner more analytical sound. No one way is wrong or right, it is just how it is. Though what inexperienced reviewers will do is judge an IEM wholly on how the tone aligns with their personal self-owned signature. Truth to be told, all reviews are subjective anyways, they all are…….except if many relate to what is in the review, and make purchases to find the review explained about an IEM to be true factually, then maybe there is some objectivity to be found. Yet typically you do get what you pay for. Meaning there is a cost to this musicality.
While more drivers often draw a more detailed rendition of music, less drivers also hold a charm in that at times the replay can come-off less busy and more clear with a focus of intent. Yet maybe all of us are here for immersion. How that is found seems to be in a number of ways. So to sum this up, we want to be immersed in a synthetic reproduction of a musical reality………..however that is found. And even though different people latch onto different audio hand-holds to gain perception into this illusion, often the same ideas of replay will be found to be effective. What I mean by this is actually pretty simple. Take a group of three IEMs to a total non-audiophile and try and get an idea (guessed) as to their value. You would be surprised at just how accurate their observations are. They as people may invest at a future date into personal audio, but as of this place in their life, they simply don’t care enough about it, that or they haven’t had any seeds planted until now. What does this have to do with the Mega5P you ask? Well at $239.00 the price is just starting to offer a threshold to really get into better sound. To many of these beginner listeners the HiSenior Mega5P will be all they need, maybe for years? But more than that...........the question arises if they spent (the new listener) just $60.00 more and made the upgrade to the $299.00 7 driver Okavango……..or even a bigger jump (don’t tell the Wife) to the Sound Rhyme SR7 for $369.00? What would happen then................
From left to right: HiSenior Mega5P, Sound Rhyme SR7 and HiSenior Okavango
The Sound Rhyme SR7 (6BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$369.00
The HiSenior Okavango (6BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$299.00
The HiSenior Mega5P (4BA X 1DD Hybrid)
$239.00
Maybe this team of test subjects is not comparable? I mean there is a $139.00 difference between the SR7 and the Mega5P. And I will tell you right now, before we even get started the SR7 stage is enormous! So………..what does that mean for the little Mega5P?
Let’s get started, shall we!
Equipment and settings used:
1) WM1Z DAP
2) A 4.4mm White Whale HiSenior aftermarket cable for both the Mega5P and Okavango.
3) The stock included 4.4mm used for SR7.
4) My regular wide-bore silicone ear-tips used on all three, because the three IEMs fit so very well.
5) Both SR7 and Okavango were used just like they came out-of-the-box, with Dip-switches set to UU.
The Sound Rhyme SR7 (6BA X 1DD Hybrid):
Well first off (this is crazy) the SR7 was way louder than the Mega5P………..maybe the biggest volume discrepancy in my listening history? So what this means is right off........I need to equalize volume, because at times more volume can be interpreted as better sound when it is (possibly) not. SR7 bass is slightly less controlled…….yet it is both more forward and more vibrant. Actually even with volumes adjusted the overall stance is just the SR7 is slightly more vivid than the Mega5P. But this is where it gets interesting……the Mega5P has an unexpected forward vocal stance, now maybe this is just due to tuning, as the SR7 (while bigger in stage) has also slightly less forward elements where it’s almost like a flatter imaging display in places, mixed with farther-out fall-off of stage elements. Where the Mega5P has an amazingly impactful bass, but not to the extent of the bass heavy SR7. But surprisingly the Mega5P bass was closer the SR7 from memory in the same in side-by-sides? Adding to an understanding about this bass replay, I went over to the Sony WM1A just to see what was up, and sure enough, the Mega5P was still fully resilient to any source and delivering the bass goods as wanted.
Any source:
That is one of the single greatest finds I found in many of these 2023 releases (Not sure if the Mega5P was a 2022 release?) that the series of recent IEMs seem very good from any source and hold onto their musicality regardless of signal? Later we will investigate how good the Mega5P bass is from a simple cellphone.
SR7 v Mega5P:
So yes, you can kinda hear that there are 2 less Mega5P BAs, plus the SR7 is supplied with name-brand BAs, and the Mega5P is not. Still both IEMs are really very close to the same, with the SR7 actual physical IEM size difference being totally different. Where you do notice the size difference in the ear. But the other surprise was the Mega5P is 6 grams in weight and the SR7 is only 5 grams. I had to check this twice as I was going to use my previously recorded weight for the SR7, but due to the differences I had to weigh them (again) side-by-side! So just look at the pictures here and wonder, the small IEM is the heaviest!
As far as sound goes really they are approaching music in much of the same fashion, more so than you would guess from memory, but in side-by-sides they are birds feather. Still the SR7 is on the smoother side of the street with upper midrange additives not showing so stand-outish and separated from the mix, even vocals show a more integrated stance, smoother and slightly more refined except not as clean? At the end it gives the Mega5P almost a feeling of better technicalities in general, even though instrument and vocal replay (individually) is slightly more realistic with the SR7. Still, I can’t see someone having both? They are just too much the same. But the Mega5P does offer a comparable stance into basically the same overall vibe as the SR7, where at first and out-of-the-box I would have thought they would be worlds apart. Same response to source too, so it wasn’t a change of source that made them closer or farther away in character, as they sound wonderful from the WM1A or the WM1Z………..holding onto their personal IEM intrinsic attributes. The vocals between the two are probably of the most different, as the HiSenior Mega5P has a great forward vocal positioning that in side-by-sides goes to really put-the-pants-on the SR7. Reason being is the Mega5P vibrancy and forwardness almost winning-out on the SR7………and the SR7 is kinda known for doing great vocals………….and while the SR7 vocals sit back slightly, they are toned-down………except (more realistically) filled in. This same SR7 demeanor was found in the midrange imaging too, where it fell farther outside in the stage (then the Mega5P) and was of a slightly smoother creation.
So to sum this up, the SR7 is slightly more lush….and that single trait is across the board in tone and demeanor. You are getting extra lushness for your money, that and some extra realism.
The HiSenior Okavango (6BA X 1DD Hybrid):
This is really where some crucial small differences are found. And curiosity got the best of me. I mean how could you not write a review about the HiSenior Mega5P and not do a side-by-side with the Okavango? You have to, no matter what. My Okavango review was placed on Head-Fi October 4th, and this review is put on-line on October 16th. Just enough time to try and get over the Okavango. I’m trying to find both similarities and differences…….but most of all I will truly conclude right at the start that you can totally tell both IEMs were made at the same company. They both offer a warm take on Harman and have this image sculpturing thing that they do which is different from the SR7. Where images are clearer and cleaner, and that single trait is endearing. The part where I explain how the Okavango was named after a Jungle, the biggest Jungle region in the world, except the Okavango doesn’t remind me of a Jungle at all. Nope, it reminds me of a household where everything is in its place, refinement and composure in stance. While we do have added bass authority on both the Okavango and Mega5P, it is truly kept in line, and seems to not ever interfere with the mids. Yet with both IEMs that bass is both adequate and satisfying? That 10mm Dynamic Driver is the single thing that can offer a quality pure BA sets just don’t have. The best way to describe this bass would be having the correct density, and there is a slight decay difference that BA bass just can’t do. Inside of that decay is a little loss of detail, but it’s up to you which ideas you were to enjoy, as both ways have their benefits.
Okavango v Mega5P:
Let’s start off showing the weight difference. Even though the Mega5P is smaller it is 1 gram heavier. That’s right, Mega5P comes in at 6 grams and the Okavango is 5 grams. As seen by the photos here there is definitely a size difference, and the Mega5P doesn’t have the switches. When trying both side by side again the Mega5P is harder to drive (by a lot) though the Okavango is bigger in imaging placement, wider and more forward. The Okavango bass is more yet holding what seems like less detail, maybe just because it’s bigger? The Okavango bass is giant now, and lumbering forward, possibly not as controlled? But when the Okavango vocals come in we now realize that everything is bigger, and even slightly more vibrant? When from memory the SR7 was the odd man out, yet in these side-by-sides the Mega5P with its size of stage and imaging realization is to the Okavango…….what the Okavango is to the SR7.
So they really do follow the pricing in stage size.
Size of stage:
1) SR7 = biggest
2) Okavango = bigger
3) Mega5P = big
Yet I don’t want to ever sell the Mega5P short, as if that was what you had, its world offers (still) big size and vivid involvement. In fact after burn-in and mental acclimation the Mega5P was truly a full and (fun) entertaining experience. Where it's different here is the Mega5P bass is slightly more controlled when volume is lowered with the Okavango to match. But the real standout feature here, above everything else is the vocal forwardness, Yep, the Okavango and Mega5P have many similarities being made by the same company except if you wanted a more forward and clear vocal stance you would (in the end) choose the Mega5P! And while (yes) you can kinda hear that there are 2 less BAs in action, that action means the performance of the 4 BAs is actually more clear and less distorted. Yep, there is truly a clearer intent of purpose to this show of music, and while slightly stripped-down in comparison to the Okavango, there is a finite value that comes from getting the feeling that you’re not missing a thing. So really in the end I found an understanding and a realization of why both IEMs exist to offer a slightly different take on the HiSenior tone. When at the start of this test, and going by memory……..the two seemed very much the same and the Mega5P having lesser respect, but not now. I now realize that (before) I was hearing a more forward vocal stance, yet failed to pinpoint the differences, which now I will always note. It’s one of those things that hindsight is 20/20.
Side-by-side conclusions:
So in conclusion of these comparisons, it’s like the added drivers of the SR7 and stage make it the most fluid, yet still with great vocals, except the Okavango is to the SR7 what the Mega5P is to the Okavango. Stages go in order of magnitude 1)SR7 2)Okavango 3)Mega5p. But if that was the only quality of life, the world would be simple. Except the Okavango shows a more sculpted imaging over the SR7 and the Mega5P is showing even more sculpturing than the Okavango, and within that sculptor the vocals are presented more forward and cleaner. Does this make the Mega5P the best? It’s simply doing a lot with 5 drivers in that those 5 drivers seem to be placed perfectly to generate a full tone. Except the SR7 offers a slightly more filled-out and detailed experience with the business that comes with extra drivers. As time passed I started to truly cherish the Okavango for what it was, even more than when I wrote the review. I thought that the Mega5P would be less of an IEM, due to costing less and having less drivers, but in the end it held its own……..showing just how correct and complete you can be with only 5 drivers used…………..and in the end showed itself to be sonically original.
Package:
Extra Foams:
2 sets in medium.
Penon product shot below:
Build:
Understated really. What else would you call the look? In so many ways its the opposite of the Okavango. Though when it truly comes down to it, size and shape mean a lot, and while both the SR7 and Okavango would be looked at as medium, the Mega5P could be looked at as almost small. Really if anything the Mega5P is the perfect shape being designed with semi-custom curves and fitment. Only a single vent off to the side, means you never have to worry about the vent being occluded. The steal nozzle goes about its daily ways of holding tips perfectly. And the nozzle length is just right, really if you were to choose an optimal size and weight, this would be it, feeling like a million. Due to the limited venting and snug-fit the was world-class sound occlusion is found……the size, fit and sound blocking makes the Mega5P the perfect out and about IEM!
Cable:
As shown the White Whale to the right, and included 3-in-1 to the left. An 8 core silver plated OCC included cable with ear-hooks. While truly I do have issues with recommending an aftermarket cable that's $96.00 by itself with a $239.00 IEM, except that it did offer noticeable improvements? Stage was slightly bigger and bass was of a darker fuller tone. Still to try and be realistic, White Whale improvements were in the range of 10% over stock. While the Okavango IEM also showed more White Whale improvements........there was potential for more improvements to be found there.
Music highlights:
During the music demo listening part of the week, I often will not have the test music readily available on one of my DAPs. So both DAPs will share the playback duties.........often reconfirming the IEM in question will work with both sound signatures. Meaning this describes the Mega5P playback, where even though the WM1A and WM1Z are opposite in playback style, listenability could be found with both DAPs replay. That while different, a magic was still found in both ways of interpreting music playback.
Delain
Chemical Redemption
Apocalypse & Chill
44.1 kHz - 24 bit
My first choice is to demonstrate timbre. Why? Because with less drivers (at times) timbre can be more noticeable. While trying to understand this playback, the guitars at 00:08 seem to be my guitar timbre test. And while showing a slight brightness over what is found with single full-range DDs, there is a style of walking-the-line. Where this single song is expressive of a tweaked-up and over-the-top tone that is a rarity in recorded music. The other noticeable thing here revolves around bass ability, where the throbs (at 00:00) could be heard better with both more expensive and lesser expensive IEMs…..there is once more a reminder that this tune is incredibly careful and tactful. What I’m trying to say is this is a very busy song and we are not finding every detail present? At 00:24 we come to realize it’s really the vocals that have emphasis, emphasis over the instrumentation.
At 00:40 the chorus hits and we are both relieved and slightly underwhelmed that this is all there is?
As much as I found simpler music somehow better and more of the Mega5P forte, this song ends in challenge. And while tonally it’s just right, I can’t help but hear tree-topping in the details? The issue is not pace, as I can hear the pace of the lows? In the end what this poses is a question. To answer such a question I simply switch IEMs, and go right over to the SR7. I also quickly switched over to the more mid-centric WM1Z and tried it. In the end here, probably not the very best song to use with the Mega5P, in that sure it was acceptable, but somehow the details and fullness harmonically was not as realized as with other IEMs……thus not as thrilling as other music choices. And while we know nothing is perfect, I was surprised to find such character……so much so that I broke-out the Okavango and had much better luck using both the 1A and 1Z? Next!
Hans Zimmer
The Dark Knight Rises OST
On Thin Ice
I92 kHz - 24 bit
Using the provided stock cable with the WM1Z was a treat, included were my standard wide-bore ear-tips. The prior song really must have been a fluke, like the worst possible song to choose? Also it’s a little of an enigma as I will with further listening try to understand why the last song took place like it did, as in my weeks of prior listening to writing this review, I had not encountered such effects? Back-in-the-saddle again………..totally! As the very first clue that we are inside the drama of such a song takes place at 00:00. Yep, the bass from held over in transition from the previous song! Big low-end…….at 00:53 the theme strings approach and hold a nice tone and texture……being as remembered and natural. At 02:06 the layering is appreciated and while the stage has nice left to right and really good up and down and truly good forward and back…………all the things we choose a Hybrid for! When the real bass hits it is careful and clear…….such a character goes to show what this IEM is about. And of course with a big song like the one chosen, a lot of the stage naturally comes from the recording. But more than that, we are fully in success at the layers of stings found at 01:43…….seemingly making our day here at Redcarmoose Labs. Attempting to find the bass at even the next level I have randomly switched to a more narrow bore ear-tip. Just for this single song, to learn if with different ear-tips there will be a found change? And sure enough, an added bass focus. Now that doesn’t mean my wide-bores are not the way to go, except if you want a little more bass focus and density………tips like the included red silicone ear-tips may be the way to go. This of course all depends on personal preference, and really it’s all good with either playback being great. To summarize this song, this was exactly how the song sounds.................with the Mega5P doing a coherent and complete rendition. While sure IEMs like the IER-Z1R will make the stage a little bigger and offer greater degree of layering and realness……..there is absolutely nothing to take offense to with this style of replay…………and when price is taken into account…….well you can read between the lines here.
Hans Zimmer & Benjamin Wallfisch
Blade Runner 2049 OST
Mesa
44.1 kHz - 16 bit
Laughably right this instance I’m going for it. I’m going for gold, you know why? Because you only live once, and I want to try and make this Mega5P live up to its fullest potential as an IEM. So I joined it with the optional $96.00 HiSenior White Whale cable add, that and my regular wide-bore ear-tips and the Sony WM1Z DAP. Also something that could be disputed is this is one of the biggest songs in my library, one that pull-off all that stage, and it is incredibly atmospheric and moody. At 00:00 the intro walks that line of timbre, where these piano notes could be interpreted and both slightly steely, or not? Lol Why, because they are out front and showing us that BA drivers are involved. All of a sudden this bass kicks in! And truthfully this is the very first time I’ve tried this song out with the WM1Z. The bass here is a tad more visceral and you can almost feel the physicality resonating in your ears………….and I don’t have it that loud? Still I’m not experiencing that edge of hearing phenomena that some IEMs do? Where bass kHz will at times seem to go lower than is humanly possible to perceive, with this song. Still, the outcome is dramatic and most of all fun ...and really big, the biggest I ever heard the Mega5P sound. And you may be mistaken to think I was talking about bass, but I’m not……..no it’s the giant Blade Runner synth washes at 01:29………….yep, they are positioned way out to the right and left, both thick and wide……oh and tall.....and low? Making this be all it can be, in my Mega5P history anyway………..as your history with the HiSenior Mega5P is yet to be discovered?
Conclusion:
Well, there you have it, my second HiSenior review. And to try to delineate how the Mega5P and Okavango are different means maybe primarily how your personal stance is on vocals? Maybe you are looking for a smaller fit.....that is not so big an IEM as the Okavango? And while the closeness and farthest imaging are just that with the Okavango, it offers a slightly bigger stage, but smaller than the SR7.
Talking about soundstage, the HiSenior Mega5P truly holds its own, and while being of less girth (than the other two in comparison)...........is in a way cleaner and somehow more direct. The bass is different too, than the Okavango, being a little tighter with composure, being tones slightly less wild in nature. Now this is not saying the Okavango is wild, because it’s not……not at all…..especially compared to the SR7. The Mega5P and Okavango show how they are very close to the same, same tuning and same overall vibe. To me I probably like the Okavango better, but that’s just because I like dramatic bigger stages and don’t put so much emphasis on vocals. That’s not to say the Okavango doesn’t do great vocals because it does……..they are just slightly less forward and clear due to such (lack of) forwardness.
This Mega5P standard idea is when you go about adding two less BAs, those BAs that are there with the Mega5P are simply more finite in their response, and hold slightly less harmonic fall-off. Such a lesser part of the tone turns-around to bring a cleaner more focused forwardness, even though it doesn’t (in imaging) sit as forward as the others in comparison. As in reality something about the Mega5P is more dampened in the end, the 1 gram more weight, yet smaller in size? Such a build means business as this is truly a lot of sound for the money……………but also an interesting sound, one that walks that line between boring and wild, between fun and careful. In the end such prowess holds a conservative musicality that is difficult to argue with........even though I’ve tried. With my personality I gravitate towards the Okavango, and even like the smoother, more playful, yet strange SR7. That doesn’t mean that what I have described here today wouldn’t work best for you in what the Mega5P offers. Truth to be told, the Mega5P was way, way more IEM than I gave it credit for at the start? With mental acclimation and burn-in the Mega5P started to smooth-out and coalesce into respectable replay ...finding all the charms that make it a favorite and top-dog in its price category. You see (nowadays) $239.00 buys you way more IEM than it did back in 2020, add too the fact that they have this fit thing down. Wild enough..........I took the Mega5P to the output of an old Samsung phone…..and yes, the Mega5P accessed 80% of its potential output power, yet what we were gifted with was 100% likable. Big separation and woody natural bass, nice vocals and an enchanting treble……..except I couldn’t get that dampening thing out of my head. Such dampening was responsible for an extra density and note weight, maybe.......like the Mega5P has something inside to make that extra gram of weight count? And that in-and-of-itself made the Mega5P unique and special, I know you will find it special too.
Such tone made the bass extra clear (and imaging while siting a little farther back) still wonderfully separated and imagined? Maybe I would hold the Mega5P as an addition to the SR7 and Okavango in a collection, and truly contradict what I wrote, saying it wasn’t needed in addition? As the more I get used to the stage and positioning.......the Mega5P has me spellbound? Why…….because it truly is different in a small way? Sure I like IEMs, and that makes me like all of them despite any drawbacks.
$239.00
https://penonaudio.com/hisenior-mega5p
$96.00
https://penonaudio.com/Hisenior-White-Whale-Cable
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Penon Audio for the love and for the HiSenior Mega5P Universal IEM review sample.
Disclaimer:
I want to thank Penon Audio for the love and for the White Whale review sample.
Disclaimer:
These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Samsung Phone 3.5mm
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm
HiBy R3 II DAP 4.4mm
DISCLAIMER:
FOREWORD:
Rock-Alternative-Metal
Different eartips. I think two pairs of very size. There is a also a pair of foam tips. A pair of double flanged eartips and pair of triple flanged eartips
.Anyhow, Mega5p’s bass is approaching neutrality with a touch of warmth and presence. It is not as tight as I wanted it to be, but it does the job well in supporting the rest of the frequencies. I do not feel it is lacking, nor do I feel it is too much. It resolves details pretty well and can handle busy tracks like double peds from metal. If you go slow on Bossa, they sound rich and full with a good subbass reach, although not at bass head levels. However, there is something in the bass that is missing for me and I do not think it is the lack of slam from midbass. To put in context, I like the bass of my modded Moondrop Chu and it has a significantly lower bass shelf. Or maybe I am just spoiled by Myrinx DD which has very good speed. Nonetheless, this is just a nitpick in terms of texture preferences. When you experiment with eartips, you will find that you can fine tune how much subbass you want.
PROS
in the track “the closer I get to you” by Nina, the stage was surprisingly realistic and I had to look at my right when I heard people clapping.
CONS
Timbre isn’t that true to life on instruments, or should I say the harmonic extension isn’t that natural. Not that it is bad, but I have heard better in expensive hybrids, and single DDs also sound more natural.
TO PLANARS (PR1, Dioko, S12, WU, Talos)
See Audio Bravery- Bravery is a bit bassy when compared to Mega5p. Maybe a touch arier on the treble too. The mega5p has a more linear and smooth tuning from Bass to treble extension. This is just a question of tuning preference. If you want more engagement, then pick bravery. If you want a more smooth and matured presentation, then the Mega5p is for you.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
