[silverfishla]

I just got a pair today from Penon. These, even right out of the box, are really good. Great fit for my ears and really nicely made,in my opinion. Going to burn them in overnight but then just listen to them because they sound really good already.

 

[Sound Eq]

Tried the ibasso it03 with my x7 last night. Not a good combo. Tried it with the teac DAP also last night. That was the perfect combo.

Sounded like heaven. Perfectly balanced highs lows and mids.

Sent from Nokia 3210

why not good with fiio x7

 

[SemRumo]

Just got the Linum Music, stock cable is too thick.
DX90 coax to Xduoo, very good combo.

 

[kousik1946]

  for this price i am willing to give them a try
 
but i am reading bit conflicting reviews so i have few questions
 
1- is there any harshness in the highs or peaks, for example ref1 was amazing except its peaky highs which i had an issue with, which is strange as i also own the ie800 and some people say its harsh although to me, the harsh one was the ref1
 
2- are mids thin, as i like full blown rich mids that are not taking a back seat, that was also the issue i had on ref1 with mids sounding a bit thin 
3- sound stage, does it have a nice sound stage
 
as for bass i assume it is the one thing you all agree on so i guess no need to ask about anything related to bass
 
i want to give it a try but i appreciate you guys help in answering and i will using my fiio x7 and mojo for listening

I have got these for only two days. So take my opinion with pinch of salt. I am using them with xDuoo x3.
1. No, for me they don't have any peaky highs and not at all sounds harsh. For comparison FLC8s has some.
2. Also no. Maybe a liitle bit on the back sit. But not at the level you are expecting. Also from reviews what I collect that the sound will be more balanced over time.
3. IMO they have very good soundstage. You will feel the sound out of your head. It has comparable soundstage to FLC8s which is regarded as iem with excellent soundstage. Although I feel FLC8s has better precision at locating the instruments.
Overall if you like the bass, this iem is excellent. Sometimes I feel the strings of the bass guiter are plucking inside my body. I mean you will literally feel it. It's like you are standing in front of the speaker system of a rock concert.
 
Although one thing you did not mention is that the shape of the iem. It fits on my ears but not perfect. Though there is no discomfort, it fits little awkwardly to my ears. So it will be better if you can try before you buy. Anyway this is in excellent iem in all aspects. So you won't regret buying. This is only my opinion but some experienced head-fiers can comment in-depth.

 

[mashuto]

Just got mine in this morning. Been listening to them a bit on and off. First impressions are very positive. Granted these are now the most expensive pair I own so I dont have anything higher end to compare to, but I am really liking them so far.
 
My thoughts about the fit are slightly mixed. On the one hand they are a very interesting shape and they fit snugly and I had no problems getting a good seal. On the other hand, they are slightly large and there are a few pressure points in a few spots on my ear which causes a slight amount of discomfort. Not sure how they will be for more extended listening periods, but hopefully I will adjust to them.
 
The sound though is really nice and I am looking forward to doing some a/b testing against my other personal "high end" iems, the Pinnacle P1 and the trinity PM4. The first thing that immediately jumped out to me about the sound was the bass. I am not a basshead, but I do enjoy a bit of extra bass, especially for some of the types of music I listen to. So this was a nice surprise, the bass hits nice and hard and is just so full, which I am guessing is due to how far it extends to the subbass. Just really nice. And even better, it doesn't overpower the rest of the music. The mids and trebles both seem well represented. I am finding these very detailed and they have that clarity I like since I first got my hands on the P1's a few months ago. And I am not finding these harsh or sibilant really either, with maybe the exception of a few very select tracks with very very forward female vocals when listening a bit louder.
 
I know all the reviews mentioned it, but the case really is very small...
 
I hate to sound like I am just fueling the hype train, but for these I can definitely see what everyone was saying. These seem very good, and if they only improve with burn in, well thats a bonus, but I am not planning to do any special burn in, just to listen and enjoy.

 

[powasky]

  Just got mine in this morning. Been listening to them a bit on and off. First impressions are very positive. Granted these are now the most expensive pair I own so I dont have anything higher end to compare to, but I am really liking them so far.
 
My thoughts about the fit are slightly mixed. On the one hand they are a very interesting shape and they fit snugly and I had no problems getting a good seal. On the other hand, they are slightly large and there are a few pressure points in a few spots on my ear which causes a slight amount of discomfort. Not sure how they will be for more extended listening periods, but hopefully I will adjust to them.
 
The sound though is really nice and I am looking forward to doing some a/b testing against my other personal "high end" iems, the Pinnacle P1 and the trinity PM4. The first thing that immediately jumped out to me about the sound was the bass. I am not a basshead, but I do enjoy a bit of extra bass, especially for some of the types of music I listen to. So this was a nice surprise, the bass hits nice and hard and is just so full, which I am guessing is due to how far it extends to the subbass. Just really nice. And even better, it doesn't overpower the rest of the music. The mids and trebles both seem well represented. I am finding these very detailed and they have that clarity I like since I first got my hands on the P1's a few months ago. And I am not finding these harsh or sibilant really either, with maybe the exception of a few very select tracks with very very forward female vocals when listening a bit louder.
 
I know all the reviews mentioned it, but the case really is very small...
 
I hate to sound like I am just fueling the hype train, but for these I can definitely see what everyone was saying. These seem very good, and if they only improve with burn in, well thats a bonus, but I am not planning to do any special burn in, just to listen and enjoy.

 
What are your thoughts compared to the PM4?  They seem to have been received favorably so far. 

 

[mashuto]

   
What are your thoughts compared to the PM4?  They seem to have been received favorably so far. 

Based on initial impressions, I think the IT03 are probably more to my liking for a couple reasons. The bass is one. The bass on the PM4 is really nice, but the IT03 I think definitely extends farther and I like that. Its a sound I dont recall hearing on any other iem (at least in my limited experience). The other thing too is that the treble on the PM4's has a tendency to run a bit hot and seems to have a peak that can make certain songs sound pretty bad (a lot of cymbals and certain voices can almost sound ringy and can get a bit congested). Treble on the IT03 seems to be a bit smoother and easier to listen to and seemingly without losing any detail or clarity. The PM4 can be tuned though, and the treble can be tamed a bit, but with the bassier filters, it has a tendency to make the overall signature a bit darker, which for me is not my preferred signature.
 
I have followed the thread for the PM4's and I know I am not the only one that feels that way about the treble, but there are also other people that dont seem to be bothered by it. And I will say that whether I just adjusted a bit or from burn in, but things definitely settled a bit. And of course with the filters you can always tune the sound. I didnt mean to sound overly negative about the PM4 as I do think they are quite nice, and can be had quite a bit cheaper than the IT03. Though with the announcement trinity just made, it might be worth waiting a bit for the upgraded version as it seems trinity is going to be redoing a lot of their headphones with new stainless steel shells, a newer dynamic driver, and more tuning options.
 
Hope that was helpful, you definitely get more for your money in terms of accessories and being able to tune things with the PM4, but on sound alone, at least for my personal preference, I think the IT03 is definitely the winner. Just take that for what it is, I have about 2 hours of listening on the IT03 vs... well, a good amount on the PM4.

 

[Dany1]

  Based on initial impressions, I think the IT03 are probably more to my liking for a couple reasons. The bass is one. The bass on the PM4 is really nice, but the IT03 I think definitely extends farther and I like that. Its a sound I dont recall hearing on any other iem (at least in my limited experience). The other thing too is that the treble on the PM4's has a tendency to run a bit hot and seems to have a peak that can make certain songs sound pretty bad (a lot of cymbals and certain voices can almost sound ringy and can get a bit congested). Treble on the IT03 seems to be a bit smoother and easier to listen to and seemingly without losing any detail or clarity. The PM4 can be tuned though, and the treble can be tamed a bit, but with the bassier filters, it has a tendency to make the overall signature a bit darker, which for me is not my preferred signature.
 
I have followed the thread for the PM4's and I know I am not the only one that feels that way about the treble, but there are also other people that dont seem to be bothered by it. And I will say that whether I just adjusted a bit or from burn in, but things definitely settled a bit. And of course with the filters you can always tune the sound. I didnt mean to sound overly negative about the PM4 as I do think they are quite nice, and can be had quite a bit cheaper than the IT03. Though with the announcement trinity just made, it might be worth waiting a bit for the upgraded version as it seems trinity is going to be redoing a lot of their headphones with new stainless steel shells, a newer dynamic driver, and more tuning options.
 
Hope that was helpful, you definitely get more for your money in terms of accessories and being able to tune things with the PM4, but on sound alone, at least for my personal preference, I think the IT03 is definitely the winner. Just take that for what it is, I have about 2 hours of listening on the IT03 vs... well, a good amount on the PM4.

Can you give a comparison of pinnacle p1 to it03 ? what similarities,what differences etc. 

 

[mashuto]

  Can you give a comparison of pinnacle p1 to it03 ? what similarities,what differences etc. 

Hmm, been a little while since I listened to my P1's since I have been trying out the PM4's lately. But off the top of my head the biggest difference is that the P1 is brighter. I don't think its bass light, but the bass doesnt hit very hard, doesnt extend as far down as the IT03 and just sounds less full bodied because of it. I would really have to go back and do some comparisons to really see how the rest of the sound differs. I like both very much, but always found the P1 lacking just a little bit in the bass department.

 

[mashuto]

So after a day of owning these I definitely still really like the sound. However, I am having issues with the fit. I can get about 10 minutes before I start to get a bit of discomfort that turns into pain fairly quickly, especially as I try to adjust them and they push up against my ear in different spots. They fit very snug and seem to be held in place from multiple spots on my ear, but those spots eventually start to hurt from the pressure on them. Is there a way to alleviate this? Is it that I need to just keep trying different tips to find a better fit? Or are these maybe just not the best fit for my ears? Maybe try a cable without memory wire and see if that relieves some pressure too?

 

[pr0b3r]

  So after a day of owning these I definitely still really like the sound. However, I am having issues with the fit. I can get about 10 minutes before I start to get a bit of discomfort that turns into pain fairly quickly, especially as I try to adjust them and they push up against my ear in different spots. They fit very snug and seem to be held in place from multiple spots on my ear, but those spots eventually start to hurt from the pressure on them. Is there a way to alleviate this? Is it that I need to just keep trying different tips to find a better fit? Or are these maybe just not the best fit for my ears? Maybe try a cable without memory wire and see if that relieves some pressure too?

 
I feel the same.  But I found a solution, well at least for my ears.  When the IT03 is worn, the upper part of the shell has the pointy section that we rest on the upper part of the concha, which is the cymba.  I think it is here in the cymba that we most find the discomfort.  What I usually do is rotate the IT03 clockwise or counterclockwise until I get a good fit.  They lock on a certain angle.  It will also depend how deep the insertion is, both at the cymba and at the cavum.  I hope you find the comfortable fit.  Just explore and experiment on them a little more.  Good luck!

 

[mashuto]

   
I feel the same.  But I found a solution, well at least for my ears.  When the IT03 is worn, the upper part of the shell has the pointy section that we rest on the upper part of the concha, which is the cymba.  I think it is here in the cymba that we most find the discomfort.  What I usually do is rotate the IT03 clockwise or counterclockwise until I get a good fit.  They lock on a certain angle.  It will also depend how deep the insertion is, both at the cymba and at the cavum.  I hope you find the comfortable fit.  Just explore and experiment on them a little more.  Good luck!

With all the talk of how amazingly comfortable these were, I started to worry that I wouldnt be able to use my new 250 dollar purchase (and my now personal top of the line) due to comfort issues. But glad to know its not just me and it can be made better by proper tip selection and placement. I think I may have found my winners too, medium large red spin fit tips. Gets me a good deep insertion and I can angle them in such a way that seems to alleviate most of the issues. There is still a bit of pressure and slight discomfort, but I am going on 2-3 hours of listening right now and they arent really bothering me, so thats good. Might try out the cable from my P1's since they dont have memory wire and see if that relieves some more pressure, never been a huge fan of memory wire anyways.

 

[pr0b3r]

  With all the talk of how amazingly comfortable these were, I started to worry that I wouldnt be able to use my new 250 dollar purchase (and my now personal top of the line) due to comfort issues. But glad to know its not just me and it can be made better by proper tip selection and placement. I think I may have found my winners too, medium large red spin fit tips. Gets me a good deep insertion and I can angle them in such a way that seems to alleviate most of the issues. There is still a bit of pressure and slight discomfort, but I am going on 2-3 hours of listening right now and they arent really bothering me, so thats good. Might try out the cable from my P1's since they dont have memory wire and see if that relieves some more pressure, never been a huge fan of memory wire anyways.

 
For me, these IEMs can take me through a long time for my daily dose of hi-fi audio. Heck, I might even buy a new pair if these get worn out over time!  No hyping, just pure satisfaction.  I've heard the Andromeda countless times, used to own the Nova but sold them for sound sig preference, I still ended up with the IT03 as my only pair.  I might get something from the higher priced ones like the Andromeda or A91 but it will take time and the IT03 keeps my desire to upgrade almost close to zero.  2-3 hours of listening session is enough for me, 2-3 sessions in a day is already plenty.  I'm just saying I'm good for now, and only trying out some other mid-fi DAPs to discover the best synergy.
 
I tried Spinfits for these but the bore is quite narrow, lessened the soundstage a bit if my hearing is correct.  Also tried Sony hybrid tips.  Better fit for me compared to the Spinfits but still has a narrow bore.  Don't get me wrong.  I've enjoyed using Spinfits with some other IEMs.  But for these, I ended up with the stock tips, medium, wide bore, nozzle pushed all the way inside till the mesh is showing almost flushed with the opening of the tips.  Better clarity, soundstage, and appreciated the dynamic bass much better.  YMMV of course.  What I can tell to you all is that these IEMs are quite tricky just as @Paul - iBasso always say.  Not because your first try was bad, it will always be bad.  No.  Some experimenting and tweaking of the fit will reward you something good for sure, not unless you prefer a totally different sound sig.

 

[mashuto]

   
For me, these IEMs can take me through a long time for my daily dose of hi-fi audio. Heck, I might even buy a new pair if these get worn out over time!  No hyping, just pure satisfaction.  I've heard the Andromeda countless times, used to own the Nova but sold them for sound sig preference, I still ended up with the IT03 as my only pair.  I might get something from the higher priced ones like the Andromeda or A91 but it will take time and the IT03 keeps my desire to upgrade almost close to zero.  2-3 hours of listening session is enough for me, 2-3 sessions in a day is already plenty.  I'm just saying I'm good for now, and only trying out some other mid-fi DAPs to discover the best synergy.
 
I tried Spinfits for these but the bore is quite narrow, lessened the soundstage a bit if my hearing is correct.  Also tried Sony hybrid tips.  Better fit for me compared to the Spinfits but still has a narrow bore.  Don't get me wrong.  I've enjoyed using Spinfits with some other IEMs.  But for these, I ended up with the stock tips, medium, wide bore, nozzle pushed all the way inside till the mesh is showing almost flushed with the opening of the tips.  Better clarity, soundstage, and appreciated the dynamic bass much better.  YMMV of course.  What I can tell to you all is that these IEMs are quite tricky just as @Paul - iBasso always say.  Not because your first try was bad, it will always be bad.  No.  Some experimenting and tweaking of the fit will reward you something good for sure, not unless you prefer a totally different sound sig.

While its a nice thought to think that something at 250 can reach the performance of something much more expensive, I just have never heard anything that expensive so I have no basis to compare. But the sound signature is very very enjoyable. Just going to keep working on trying to find a better fit and hopefully find something that works for me that wont irritate me over longer listening sessions (like when im at work all day). I think its just a really snug fit and getting it just right is tough as it seems that any pressure on the outer parts of my ear starts to bother me after a short amount of time.

 

[silverfishla]

  While its a nice thought to think that something at 250 can reach the performance of something much more expensive, I just have never heard anything that expensive so I have no basis to compare. But the sound signature is very very enjoyable. Just going to keep working on trying to find a better fit and hopefully find something that works for me that wont irritate me over longer listening sessions (like when im at work all day). I think its just a really snug fit and getting it just right is tough as it seems that any pressure on the outer parts of my ear starts to bother me after a short amount of time.

I just got these too.  I use a small medium B-flange tip.  I find these to be the most comfortable for me.  I've also used some spiral dots and those were quite good too, but my left ear would release it's seal after a bit (probably need one size up for my left ear, as it's slightly different from my right).  I find it best if I don't shove them in too far, just enough to get a seal and stay there.  They are more lively that way for me.