DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Penon for providing this review unit.
The Penon Turbo can be gotten here: https://penonaudio.com/penon-turbo.html (no affiliate links).
SPECIFICATIONS
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM, we have:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of balanced silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Carrying case
- Leatherette pouch
- Cable
- Cable fastener
- Shirt clip
- Cleaning brush
- Card pin
- Ear wax removal tool
We have an extremely generous provision of accessories - as befitting of a MidFI pair - perhaps only lacking foam tips and a modular cable. However, when placing an order, we have options for 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm termination, depending on your source preference.
Speaking about cables, the stock cable is a 2-pin OCC and silver-plated mixed cable, and this is quite well-braided, though on the slightly stiffer side. Microphonics are minimal and there's a chin cinch for added grip. This cable strangely does not have a earhook, so identifying the polarity to insert the cable may be challenging, but no biggie using any free polarity Youtube video or something similar to verify this.
We have 3 variants of silicone tips available. The narrow-bore black ones boost bass though with some compression in soundstage, whereas the green wide-bore ones open up staging with an increase in treble. The red balanced ones are a midpoint sonically.
We have a blue zipper semi-rigid case to store the IEM; this has a soft inner lining and webbing for the contents. There is also a small leatherette pouch to store accessories.
It is a nice touch that Penon has furnished a treasure trove of miscellaneous tools, such as a cable fastener, shirt clip, cleaning brush and wax removal tool. Lastly, we have the all-important card pin tool, which is needed to flick the tuning switches on the Turbo - don't lose it!
The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock balanced tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.
BUILD/COMFORT
The Turbo features a fetching green resin pearl shell, which is certainly unique. The inner aspects are transparent, allowing audiophiles to visualize the internal drivers in all their glory.
Each earpiece is very light and compact, with no poky parts. It can be used for long listening sessions without discomfort whatsoever.
There is no driver flex. The Turbo is advertised to hit 26 dB passive isolation, and in my field tests, the isolation is certainly good but perhaps slightly less than this 26 dB value. No doubt, isolation also is dependent on eartip choice, but this IEM can be easily used in a noisy environment, or even for audio work like stage gigs.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Turbo with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone
This IEM is easy to drive, with amplification not truly necessary.
INTERNALS/SWITCHES
The Penon Turbo is a 6 BA set utilizing premium drivers, arranged in a 3-way cross-over via 3 acoustic tubes:
- 2 x vented Sonion BAs handle the bass
- 2 x Knowles BAs settles the midrange
- The treble is played by 2 x Sonion BAs
The selling point of this IEM are the 4 tuning switches on each housing. 1 switch essentially functions as a bass boost button, with the other 3 changing the rest of the frequency response. As seen from the graphs below, the Turbo can be tuned from U-shaped to V-shaped, to even a basshead L-shaped tonally, so versatility is a feather in its cap.
Graph of the Penon Turbo via IEC711 coupler.
The first number 1/0 refers to the bass boost switch toggled on or off, respectively. The other 3 digits to the right of it refer to the switch settings 1/2/3 on the Turbo. All switches off is an invalid tuning according to Penon's website. Thus, we have a total of 14 tuning options available.
For bassheads, definitely leave the bass boost switch engaged, it adds a tactile bass that punches hard, though we do have a bit of bleed and loss of texturing. For the purists, just remove the bass boost and play around with the rest of the available options, the versatility on offer is an ace up the Turbo's sleeve.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
The following impressions are done with the bass switch toggled off, with the 0-110 configuration in use. This confers a mild V-shaped profile and is my preferred tuning option.
Even without the bass boost on, considering the Turbo is a pure BA set, the vented subwoofers help to let it move air and decay a bit more than a traditional BA bass. It still isn't as natural as a pure DD set, but better than some contemporary all-BA IEMs. This is a sub-bass focused IEM, with decent extension to 20 Hz. Mid-bass texturing is decent, with nimble speed and just a slight bleed.
The lower midrange is a bit depressed as per the V-shaped tuning, but this is warmed by the mild mid-bass bleed. Thus we hear a lower mids region that isn't too thin or anemic, with some musicality joining the fray. With 8 dB ear gain, vocals are forwards without overtly pushing shouty territory.
The treble doesn't have the greatest extension, and this IEM isn't very boosted in the upper treble frequencies. Sibilance is mild and the treble is generally smooth and non-fatiguing. Treble-heads might want a bit more bite, but the Turbo will be a safe bet for the treble-sensitive amongst us.
In technicalities, the Turbo fares very well, espousing an expansive soundstage with accurate imaging. Micro-details are captured well, especially on the less bassy settings, with good instrument separation.
For a pure-BA setup, there is a inevitably a small whiff of BA timbre, with a slight hollowness to acoustic instrumentation. Thankfully, it is not the worst offender amongst all-BA tunings, as we will read below.
COMPARISONS
The Turbo will be compared against other MidFI all-BA sets. Single DDs, hybrids, and planars are omitted, as they have their own pros and cons due to the different transducer types.
The following impressions are done with the bass switch toggled off, with the 0-110 configuration.
Tangzu Nezha
The Nezha - Tangzu's erstwhile flagship - contains 7 BAs: 2 x Sonion BAs, 4 x custom BAs, and 1 x EST (the EST is an electret/magnetostat). This IEM sports a warm U-shaped tuning, and is thicker in note weight, with a darker treble and less sub-bass than the Turbo.
The Nezha is veiled and muddy in sound, and is more claustrophobic in soundstage and instrument separation. It also has weaker micro-detailing and imaging. The Nezha is an entire league behind in technical chops as such. Perhaps one redeeming aspect is that timbre is a bit more organic on the Nezha.
The Nezha has no tuning options, so its versatility is limited.
EPZ 530
The EPZ 530 is a bright V-shaped set. It has less bass than the Turbo, and the 530's bass is not vented, so it sounds more truncated with less decay and movement of air. The 530 has better bass texturing though. The 530 is more extended in the treble - but is more sibilant and fatiguing in these higher frequencies - albeit trebleheads will appreciate more air here in the soundscape.
The 530 has a more metallic timbre, but has a bit more micro-detailing. However, the 530 loses in soundstage and imaging.
The EPZ 530 has no tunability, so the Turbo is superior in versatility. I see both as sidegrades, with just different flavours in tuning.
CONCLUSIONS
For audiophiles looking for a versatile all-BA IEM, the Penon Turbo is a good option to consider. It has 14 tuning options on tap, with a generous bass boost switch for our basshead brethren. The treble is smooth with minimal sibilance, and technicalities like imaging and soundstage are a highlight.
This IEM is easily driven, with good passive isolation and a generous accessory spread added to solid ergonomics. In fact, due to these properties and solid technical chops, the Turbo is an excellent option for audio work or stage monitoring.
Some small nitpicks are that it has mild BA timbre, and trebleheads might want a bit more oomph in the higher end, but by-and-large, the proffered versatility and all-roundedness make this a formidable all-BA set.
I would like to thank Penon for providing this review unit.
The Penon Turbo can be gotten here: https://penonaudio.com/penon-turbo.html (no affiliate links).
SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver configuration: 6 x balanced armature drivers (4 x Sonion BA and 2 x Knowles BA)
- Frequency response: 10 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Sensitivity: 103 dB
- Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; OCC and silver-plated mixed cable; option for 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm termination
- Tested at: $549 USD
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM, we have:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of balanced silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Carrying case
- Leatherette pouch
- Cable
- Cable fastener
- Shirt clip
- Cleaning brush
- Card pin
- Ear wax removal tool
We have an extremely generous provision of accessories - as befitting of a MidFI pair - perhaps only lacking foam tips and a modular cable. However, when placing an order, we have options for 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm termination, depending on your source preference.
Speaking about cables, the stock cable is a 2-pin OCC and silver-plated mixed cable, and this is quite well-braided, though on the slightly stiffer side. Microphonics are minimal and there's a chin cinch for added grip. This cable strangely does not have a earhook, so identifying the polarity to insert the cable may be challenging, but no biggie using any free polarity Youtube video or something similar to verify this.
We have 3 variants of silicone tips available. The narrow-bore black ones boost bass though with some compression in soundstage, whereas the green wide-bore ones open up staging with an increase in treble. The red balanced ones are a midpoint sonically.
We have a blue zipper semi-rigid case to store the IEM; this has a soft inner lining and webbing for the contents. There is also a small leatherette pouch to store accessories.
It is a nice touch that Penon has furnished a treasure trove of miscellaneous tools, such as a cable fastener, shirt clip, cleaning brush and wax removal tool. Lastly, we have the all-important card pin tool, which is needed to flick the tuning switches on the Turbo - don't lose it!
The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock balanced tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.
BUILD/COMFORT
The Turbo features a fetching green resin pearl shell, which is certainly unique. The inner aspects are transparent, allowing audiophiles to visualize the internal drivers in all their glory.
Each earpiece is very light and compact, with no poky parts. It can be used for long listening sessions without discomfort whatsoever.
There is no driver flex. The Turbo is advertised to hit 26 dB passive isolation, and in my field tests, the isolation is certainly good but perhaps slightly less than this 26 dB value. No doubt, isolation also is dependent on eartip choice, but this IEM can be easily used in a noisy environment, or even for audio work like stage gigs.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Turbo with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone
This IEM is easy to drive, with amplification not truly necessary.
INTERNALS/SWITCHES
The Penon Turbo is a 6 BA set utilizing premium drivers, arranged in a 3-way cross-over via 3 acoustic tubes:
- 2 x vented Sonion BAs handle the bass
- 2 x Knowles BAs settles the midrange
- The treble is played by 2 x Sonion BAs
The selling point of this IEM are the 4 tuning switches on each housing. 1 switch essentially functions as a bass boost button, with the other 3 changing the rest of the frequency response. As seen from the graphs below, the Turbo can be tuned from U-shaped to V-shaped, to even a basshead L-shaped tonally, so versatility is a feather in its cap.
Graph of the Penon Turbo via IEC711 coupler.
The first number 1/0 refers to the bass boost switch toggled on or off, respectively. The other 3 digits to the right of it refer to the switch settings 1/2/3 on the Turbo. All switches off is an invalid tuning according to Penon's website. Thus, we have a total of 14 tuning options available.
For bassheads, definitely leave the bass boost switch engaged, it adds a tactile bass that punches hard, though we do have a bit of bleed and loss of texturing. For the purists, just remove the bass boost and play around with the rest of the available options, the versatility on offer is an ace up the Turbo's sleeve.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
The following impressions are done with the bass switch toggled off, with the 0-110 configuration in use. This confers a mild V-shaped profile and is my preferred tuning option.
Even without the bass boost on, considering the Turbo is a pure BA set, the vented subwoofers help to let it move air and decay a bit more than a traditional BA bass. It still isn't as natural as a pure DD set, but better than some contemporary all-BA IEMs. This is a sub-bass focused IEM, with decent extension to 20 Hz. Mid-bass texturing is decent, with nimble speed and just a slight bleed.
The lower midrange is a bit depressed as per the V-shaped tuning, but this is warmed by the mild mid-bass bleed. Thus we hear a lower mids region that isn't too thin or anemic, with some musicality joining the fray. With 8 dB ear gain, vocals are forwards without overtly pushing shouty territory.
The treble doesn't have the greatest extension, and this IEM isn't very boosted in the upper treble frequencies. Sibilance is mild and the treble is generally smooth and non-fatiguing. Treble-heads might want a bit more bite, but the Turbo will be a safe bet for the treble-sensitive amongst us.
In technicalities, the Turbo fares very well, espousing an expansive soundstage with accurate imaging. Micro-details are captured well, especially on the less bassy settings, with good instrument separation.
For a pure-BA setup, there is a inevitably a small whiff of BA timbre, with a slight hollowness to acoustic instrumentation. Thankfully, it is not the worst offender amongst all-BA tunings, as we will read below.
COMPARISONS
The Turbo will be compared against other MidFI all-BA sets. Single DDs, hybrids, and planars are omitted, as they have their own pros and cons due to the different transducer types.
The following impressions are done with the bass switch toggled off, with the 0-110 configuration.
Tangzu Nezha
The Nezha - Tangzu's erstwhile flagship - contains 7 BAs: 2 x Sonion BAs, 4 x custom BAs, and 1 x EST (the EST is an electret/magnetostat). This IEM sports a warm U-shaped tuning, and is thicker in note weight, with a darker treble and less sub-bass than the Turbo.
The Nezha is veiled and muddy in sound, and is more claustrophobic in soundstage and instrument separation. It also has weaker micro-detailing and imaging. The Nezha is an entire league behind in technical chops as such. Perhaps one redeeming aspect is that timbre is a bit more organic on the Nezha.
The Nezha has no tuning options, so its versatility is limited.
EPZ 530
The EPZ 530 is a bright V-shaped set. It has less bass than the Turbo, and the 530's bass is not vented, so it sounds more truncated with less decay and movement of air. The 530 has better bass texturing though. The 530 is more extended in the treble - but is more sibilant and fatiguing in these higher frequencies - albeit trebleheads will appreciate more air here in the soundscape.
The 530 has a more metallic timbre, but has a bit more micro-detailing. However, the 530 loses in soundstage and imaging.
The EPZ 530 has no tunability, so the Turbo is superior in versatility. I see both as sidegrades, with just different flavours in tuning.
CONCLUSIONS
For audiophiles looking for a versatile all-BA IEM, the Penon Turbo is a good option to consider. It has 14 tuning options on tap, with a generous bass boost switch for our basshead brethren. The treble is smooth with minimal sibilance, and technicalities like imaging and soundstage are a highlight.
This IEM is easily driven, with good passive isolation and a generous accessory spread added to solid ergonomics. In fact, due to these properties and solid technical chops, the Turbo is an excellent option for audio work or stage monitoring.
Some small nitpicks are that it has mild BA timbre, and trebleheads might want a bit more oomph in the higher end, but by-and-large, the proffered versatility and all-roundedness make this a formidable all-BA set.