ISN EBC80

ISN EBC80

ISN is a sister company of Penon audio, not really a secret but the tuning direction of the ISN IEM has seen a slight shift. Actually we are seeing somewhat of an evolution of the Penon branded IEMs and even Tansio Mirai which is also a partner company that has seen a shift of sound direction. Traditionally ISN IEMs were the fun version of the Penon tuning angle meaning ISN IEMs always included some bass at the forefront of its tunings. The H60 and now the EBC80 both have that bass emphasis but now sound more like traditional Penon IEMs. I suppose there is no rule that says you have to strictly stick to a tuning method or a type of sound. This sub brand of Penon allows Penon to explore more different tuning angles.
Minus one Penon Turbo the rest of the Penon line up adheres to the “Penon sound.” The new ISN EBC80 sounds more like a Penon branded IEM than an ISN one which again, this tuning angle and direction they are aiming for was more than a surprise to me. If you called the EBC80. Penon Zenith or whatever you want to call it. It would fit in the scheme of their prior releases easily. Minus the naming scheme which indicates the driver make of the EBC80. Does not diminish the fact that it was designed perhaps by the same team that created their Voltage, And their flagships in the Rivals. The ultimate version of the EBC80 is the Rivals which deservedly gets the Penon TOTL title. So where does that put the EBC80?

Maybe it was because Penon did recently release their top end TOTL the Rival that they are using the same Sonion BC drivers for the EBC80. Just my opinion but if you ask me where the true start of diminishing returns begins. It starts at the mid fi level. Budget stuff for now is budget stuff, which always has some limitations for their sound. Open up the driver count, utilize higher end drivers and tunings for a well made mid fi level IEM and now we are talking something very similar to the top of the line IEMs in the industry. Sure the top end IEMs have more refinements to their sonics but going from a well designed mid fi offering to a top level IEM. We are talking about true diminishing returns. Case in point the EBC80 is ISN trying to outdo others in the price range and it has everything to do with the driver choices for its make up.

The EBC80 does not have gaudy numbers as far as drivers go. As the name indicates it includes 8 total drivers that brings the sound of the EBC80 to a nicely respectable higher end level. What makes the EBC80 sound great is a mish mash of driver tech. 2 Sonion Electrostatic Drivers + 1 Knowles BA for highs + 1 Sonion BA for Mids + 2x8mm liquid silicone dynamic drivers for the lows, + 2 Sonion Bone Conduction drivers. The shell size is on the larger side of medium in shape. Folks that currently own the ISN H60, the shell shape and its size are very similar, so you might get a good idea what I am talking about. The shell shape for the given larger sized drivers it has is compact and its looks are very clean in all blue. The classy metallic blue and gold flakes with a clean gold trim for the face plate exudes a bit of luxury and class. With the nicely matching all blue ISN C2, H2, or S2 cable it is arguably one of if not the best looking ISN IEMs they have ever made. The sound is where it's at, however.

The retail price will be sold at $699. The price on the EBC80 is quite aggressive imo. Comparable IEMs with similar drivers and more importantly their sound level will definitely cost more.

When you purchase the EBC80, you are given a choice of 3 different ISN cables. This is the first time I can recall any manufacturer giving the buyer an actual choice on which cable to get for the IEM they are about to purchase. ISN is no stranger to cables, I believe they were making cables even before IEMs. The well matching ISN C2, H2 and S2 are the 3 choices. All are well matching on the EBC80 and by design are modular meaning you will get both single ended and both balanced plugs to go with them. Depending on which cable you choose, you will get a slightly different flavoring to the EBC80 sound signature just based on what the cable introduces to the overall sound. For non-believers of cable effects, I am sure you can just get whatever cable out of the 3, but for folks that believe everything in the sound chain makes a difference these are my findings on what these cables do for the EBC80 sound.

ISN C2
Bass, you want the most impact and focus on the warmth detail of its outstanding bass, natural full bodied mids character while retaining a slightly smoother treble presentation overall. That would be the ISN C2. Its a pure copper cable and has no silver plating like the other two cables. If your main source you use is more of a neutral bright sound in tonal character. You should get the ISN C2 to match up with the ISN EBC80.

The middle ground of these 3 cables is the H2 as it has half the S2 cores and the other half of the C2 pure copper properties.
The H2 has slightly cleaner presentation from the C2 but it mostly retains the dynamics enhancing qualities of the C2 cable while having just a sliver extra better clarity on the EBC80 vs the C2 cable. If you can't choose between wanting the full bass vs the technical enhancing and clarity of the ISN S2. I would choose the ISN H2 as it is literally the middle ground between the C2 and the S2.

ISN S2
It easily will bring the cleanest tonal character out of the 3 cables, not to be confused with bright. The S2 does not have enough pure silver material to make them purposefully bright. This being said. The Copper material on the C2, H2 and the S2 is a higher end 6N OCC and is comparable to UPOCC in quality. Adding a pure silver plating over the cores brings the OCC material to a higher level of clarity and enhances the detail level of the EBC80. The biggest difference between the cables comes from when you compare the C2 vs the S2 as you're going from a pure copper presentation to a silver plated one. For folks that are detail freaks and want the most transparent version of these 3 cables that is where the S2 will be at an advantage. If you're using a warmer source. IFI, IBasso, Shanling. Fiio M15S for example. The S2 will match well.

The S2 brings out the full BA+ 2xEST implementation for its treble performance. It's not that the other two are somehow gimping the trebles here. It's just that the S2 enhances that area with highlighted detail while the C2 is the opposite or bass enhanced in emphasis. Choose accordingly

For an included cable these cables are good throw in and matches well with the Sonics of the EBC80. They are leaps ahead of your standard throw in cables. Not only do they match color wise but they match sonically as well. How you want to match cable performance with the EBC80 as its tonal character is more neutral leaning vs leaning overly warm or cool wise for tonality. So you can tip the sonic flavor toward which side of the fence you want your EBC80 to be enhanced. The smooth natural slightly warmer in the C2 to a more clean, clear, more detailed and airy side in the S2 or somewhere in between in the H2. You really can't lose with any of these cables.

However, I do encourage some cable rolling for seasoned vets at the game. The included cables will give you a good taste of what the EBC80 can do but I highly advise trying out your best cables to customize the sound to your liking. My favorite cable pairing for the EBC80 is the Penon Rivals thus far.

The ISN EBC80 was provided by Penon Audio for the purpose of a review. Was burned in for 1 week and are now ready for evaluation using my sources. IFI Signature, Fiio K9 Pro ESS, Ibasso DX180, Ibasso DX300Max, Ibasso PB5, IFI Gryphon, Fiio M15, and Fiio M15S. You can look them up on Penonaudio website. Here.

Sound of the EBC80 is utilizing one of the newer hotness in driver tech for the IEM world in the dual Sonion Bone Conduction drivers. All of the prior IEMs I have experienced using this driver tech have easily become some of my favorites of this year. The Tansio Mirai Shock, Penon Rivals and now the EBC80. IEM sound presentation becomes different. Way more engaging than your traditional hybrid or tribrid that don't use these drivers. In the past, you had to get a rather larger housing using a lot of drivers for a hybrid or an all BA IEM to present a larger more dimensional stage or at least without using BC drivers. What these drivers introduce for your sound presentation is a stage enhancing ability like nothing else in the market. We banter around the word spacious in how we describe a sound and this word when describing the use of Sonion Bone Conduction drivers takes on a whole new meaning. Sound is more spacious alright but the actual layering of the IEM sound becomes supercharged. It becomes holographic.

Sound separation within the elements of your music brings different layers of sound. How the vocals was recorded with the instruments in the background vs how the percussionists are laying down the rhythm all have their own sound field within the recording. When listening to conventional IEMs. A cohesive experience would have all these elements at play but within the same sound field of your hearing. Not so much with the EBC80. Sound separation between the different layers within the track becomes even greater, throwing out a true holographic dolby type sound. It can be quite jarring the first time you hear it and once you hear what that sounds like for your favorite tracks. Going back to how good you thought your IEMs sounded before does not sound as dimensional.

The out of your head stage on the EBC80 is one of the reasons why the EBC80 sounds more like a much higher end product than the price would indicate but then it also comes down to the tuning. The EBC80 is tuned similarly to its prior sibling the H60. The H60 was and still is a very popular IEM and so it was ideal for ISN to tune the EBC80 in a similar fashion. Now with added EST for its trebles and dual Sonion dynamic drivers. The prior H60 already had a wider stage for IEMs but you can only imagine what that would be like with these bone conduction drivers that spread the sound even more so. Big broad, wider than wide, deeper than deep. The layering of the sound is enhanced to the point where Everything playing in your tracks has a plane of sound. A floaty well recorded track of any type and you are completely surrounded by the music.


Trebles.
The trebles of the EBC80 get a nice upgrade in ability using dual Sonion ESTs. Trebles have plenty of sizzle and pop. Another reason why the EBC80 brings a higher end sound, its balanced and extended treble brings a higher level of treble detail for your music. ISN definitely brought their A game when it came to tuning the EBC80. The single Knowles treble BA does a splendid job at the macro detail level of the treble notes. ESTs handle the upper trebles which brings an articulate treble note handling a lot of the micro nuances for the trebles. Here is where burn in matters. The trebles out of the box was a touch grainy sounding, which no longer sounds like that after the burn in. Despite what you know about burn in. In my experience with EST drivers, these do need a burn in for them to function 100%. BAs on the other hand, while also needing burn in, does not benefit as much as the EST drivers or on the opposite end handling the EBC80 sound their outstanding coaxial bass. Trebles has a clean crisp detailed dynamic tonal character to the treble notes with some very nicely done airy sizzly treble notes when called for.

This track clearly lets the listener imagine the percussionist strumming along the ride cymbals. Each hit of the cymbal you can hear the input of the drummer's emphasis. This is how you can tell just how dynamic and detailed the treble notes are for the EBC80. The extended airy treble notes on the EBC80 clearly shows a higher level of refinement from something like the ISN H60 for example. It's not just a matter of tuning for more treble presence but more so its actual definition ability which I find the EBC80 to be more accurate in tonal character overall.

I was debating whether having 4ESTs or even 8ESTs vs the 2ESTs in the EBC80 makes a big difference. Having reviewed IEMs with multiple EST drivers in different IEMs for me anyways it all seems to come down to how the trebles are tuned vs the number of ESTs in question. There is more of a difference going from 2ESTs to 8ESTs vs going from 2ESTs to 4ESTs. Unless you have the hearing of a child the differences in EST ability and how they help for treble articulation is negligible imo going from 2ESTs to 4ESTs. Unless someone can prove to me otherwise this was my experience anyway with tribrids and hybrids that I have reviewed in the past and in the EBC80.

EBC80 has just as much extension, definition and shizzle as something like the 4ESTs in the Voltage, even more so vs the old Volts that both use 4EST drivers. Treble perception is all over the place due to physical and age limitations for the listener. The important treble end for a higher level of IEM I can argue is more important than even the bass end and how they are tuned. Because even budget fi has offerings that do some really good bass. What separates a higher end sound vs their cheaper counterparts have to do with the trebles and the important mids how it is ultimately presented to the listener. The very definition of articulation has to do with a clear and distinct sound, and or clarity in the production of successive notes. I would also like to add to that element of articulation just how dynamic and defined the treble notes are. The EBC80 trebles notes balances a fine line of high level of definition showing excellent transient qualities. Its extension adds to that an airy full range experience. This is what separates the ESB80. Trebles are just excellent in quality overall and that is just one of the reasons why the EBC80 is easily the best sounding ISN IEM to date.

Mids of the EBC80, when I was describing what the Sonion BC drivers are doing for the EBC80 sound. I was actually describing how its mids sounds. The dual Sonion BC drivers are a full range variety, so it covers the entire sound of the EBC80. Unlike cheaper dish BC drivers, I have heard in the past. The entire sound gets an uplift, most importantly that dolby processing you will definitely appreciate on the EBC80 mids. The mids tuning is masterful as it is not a forward or shouty type of mids character or do they have anything in recession. At the same time the sound is projected like the first time you saw the Movie Avatar on a 3D Imax screen but for your ears. The quality of the Sonion BC drivers in conjunction of the more accurate well balanced rich mids character of the Sonion BA makes it sound like you have 4 BA drivers. It's quite magical to hear your music being projected the way the EBC80 does. Its technical level is on a different level especially in the realm of sound separation and imaging due to what the BC driver is doing. I don't feel a conventional IEM even with 4BAs doing mids can really compare. I do know that using 2 BAs for the mids adds just a bit more extra for the sound imaging and layering. As that is what's on the current Penon flagship the Rivals. But if you told me without knowing a single BA driver was handling the mids of the EBC80. I would have said, you are crazy. Airy well separated, clearly defined levels of imaging that surrounds what your hearing is what I am talking about.

The Sonion BA handling the mids bring their sound character to the EBC80 sound, I would say the overall sound presentation is a rich holographic one. The rich tonal character for its mids are very familiar to me. This is the basis for the Penon house sound and is the reason why I feel these line up with more of a Penon branded IEM vs an ISN offering. Mids with its natural richness, full bodied, have the right amount of definition and clarity in space. Absolutely spectacular technical ability and layering. Imaging on a level of higher end IEMs. I feel the Sonion BC drivers while it will have an effect on all of the sound is the most effective for the mid bands. Mids clearly have a special presentation vs your conventional IEMs. BC drivers are the wave of the future my friends. If you weren't so sold on what BC drivers do for an IEM sound. I encourage you to try one with Sonion BC drivers. It is, in my opinion, a game changer.

Bass. Again rich in tonal character. Dual 8mm liquid silicone dynamics handle the bass and was the perfect choice for the sound of the EBC80. If you're going to have some special sound going on. You can’t just bring a standard bass end right? First time I heard a silicone dynamic being used for the bass for an IEM was on their older flagship, the ISN EST50. This tribrid brought a rich bold stout bass end. I can very much hear the tonal similarities for their sounds in the EST50 vs the new EBC80. However, that is the only aspect that is really similar. Minus the bass emphasis of the EST50, Just about every aspect of the old EST50 gets an upgrade on the EBC80 sound. The EST50 to this day set the standard for a rich bass end for me. The EBC80 using two of them in unison, the bass end is sheer quality. Every single bass note is clearly defined. Punchy, tactile and even edgy when called for. The bass end stays in place with a definition level that is easily as good as the bass end on its more expensive brother the Voltage.

Bass level is a moderate 8dbs of the stuff a bit less for its mid bass, which puts the EBC80 squarely in the more accurate bass category. If you have never heard a dual dynamic bass array punching the bass notes. The bass end sounds and feels like it has more physical emphasis than how it graphs. So the EST50 has about 10dbs of bass with a much more relaxed upper mid emphasis which gives that IEM a more warmer tonal character. EBC80s bass allows for a more refined balancing. It's enough bass to give an accurate punchy upper to low bass presentation. I own bass sets that might have more bass emphasis but the EBC80 has it where it counts, and that is its quality.

The bass end has a defined character that I can only attribute to higher level IEMs. Don’t know how you describe a rich bass character but the EBC80 is so well defined in character that it's nothing but rich. Providing a slightly darker tonal character the bass is the tight, punchy, textured rumbly with authority type when called for. Controlled, sculpted and highly organized. The bass clearly stays away from the broad wide mid range. The only other set that I would say has a richer bass character is its rich older cousin the Penon Rivals. Otherwise, I find the bass to be borderline special on this set. It's not surprising that ISN brought one of their all-time best bass performers on the ISN EBC80, but doubling down on the drivers. The bass end gets a nice quality upshot for its presentation that I absolutely adore on this set. This is the main reason why you want to do a nice one week worth of burn in. The silicone dynamic blooms and becomes the quality bass that it has after that burn in. The only real complaint I have is that the bass decay is a touch slower which makes it sound a bit slower at times but in reality, I don't feel it's slow at all. If anything, bass notes are very accurate with a real high quality bass performance and that is what matters to me.

In the end
ISN has done it again. I can remember their first big bang for buck hybrid that made some waves with the classic ISN H40, I still listen to them on occasion, and it was even evident with the H40 that ISN was onto something. It was more musical in approach vs being the strict harmon tuned or analytical. Nice wide stage, a fundamental warmth with a punchy bass end. The high-end flagship level version of the ISN H40, ISN H50 and the ISN H60 is the EBC80. It's the level of refinements for all parts of its sound that warrants the cost. I can easily say the EBC80 is the best sounding ISN IEM they have ever made. It still retains that musicality, a slight warmth to the mids with a punch bass end that is the house signature of the ISN IEM but now with a strikingly supreme higher end groundbreaking stage element that you have to hear to believe.

Headphone guys get open cans. In the IEM world there is no such thing as an open IEM. Well, I take that back. I do have a few that are semi open but let's be real. IEMs are in your ears and not outside of them. With the use of these new Sonion BC drivers we get something that works on an IEM level and in my opinion brings a level of imaging and immersiveness you would need to pay a premium for in other types of speakers for your ears to achieve. The imaging in space is just simply mind blowing at times and it is definitely unique to IEMs that use these BC drivers. If the true immersive grand 3D sound presentation does not get you to understand what I am talking about. Its supremely balanced tuning with its versatility will. The retail price for the sound you are getting, you better believe, is aggressive. This is a statement piece by ISN and until another IEM pushes the sonic level up one more time. These are the sets that set a new bar at the price they are asking for admission. To my ears there is nothing close and no close second. Thanks for taking the time to read.