[Leonarfd]

Thanks for the graphs, they are super helpful... I wish I could afford the EST50 right now, maybe it's the next upgrade path.

The H40 is great, it's a reason why it was so popular when it came.

But if you ever go higher up, the EST50 is a good value tribrid that is perhaps the best one for us that like that little extra bass.

 

[StevieBats]

The H40s came in today and I got to listen to them for a bit and it sounds like what I was looking for. A lil more bass and a lil more treble as compared to the Fan 2s. I'm sacrificing a little in the mids department but, it's nothing major. Definitely worth the 195$ as of now. Tomorrow at work I'll put some hours on them and see how they turn out.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Still also waiting/wondering on the ISN D01?

 

[steevdeadman]

~GHOST~

 

[StevieBats]

Seriously, I don't think I'm ever buying another set of IEMs that does not have ISN or Penon logos on them... These H40s are MONSTERS, I never thought I'd find headphones that reproduce music the way I'd wanna hear it. Every thing is where it should be and I wouldn't change a thing, honestly. I think I might try a set of EST50's eventually, but my itch is scratched currently. These plus the Penon Fan 2, Sound Rhyme SR1 and Tangzu Wu Zetian OGs make a happy camper.

 

[F700]

Seriously, I don't think I'm ever buying another set of IEMs that does not have ISN or Penon logos on them... These H40s are MONSTERS, I never thought I'd find headphones that reproduce music the way I'd wanna hear it. Every thing is where it should be and I wouldn't change a thing, honestly. I think I might try a set of EST50's eventually, but my itch is scratched currently. These plus the Penon Fan 2, Sound Rhyme SR1 and Tangzu Wu Zetian OGs make a happy camper.

H40 surely are great sounding IEMs by nowadays standards. The ISN EST50 belong to another category, though. It would nice to try those, and why not with a Penon Vocal cable? Enjoy your journey

 

[Redcarmoose]

The EST50 and H40 are truly endgame for the style of sound for the money in replay they offer. But this hobby is sneaky in a way, where you are always keeping an eye out, looking around the corner. Still once the EST50 and H40 are in place, it makes you wonder what support from cables or DAPs to bring them slightly up in quality? Meaning we know that they change with the Vocal Cable, but what else besides the H40 and EST50 (and cable change) can we do to make the sound slightly better? Taking the DAP playback and going desktop? Getting a new source is always a freedom in possibility! Hearing the source character is always a possibility with ISN H40, EST50.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Price to be announced........soon.

 

[s2kphile]

Price to be announced........soon.

Speaking of Neo 5

Cross posting

I just wanted to throw up my first impressions on ISN Audio newest IEM, Neo 5.

Accessories are plentiful. Black and green stem are the recomended ear tips and the ISN S8 Silver cable pairs well.

Comfort wise, I was told it was designed with the Penon Globe in mind and it stands out. Construction is lightweight and easy in the ears for those long listening sessions.

Source:
Samsung Note 20 Ultra
Penon Tail DAC/Dongle
Venture Electronics OHD

Neo 5 has more than 150+ hours of burn in.

As for the sound, it has that ISN DNA but this tuning is new. Penon decided to add more to the mids and treble using 4 Knowles for the mids & highs. As a result there is a more details up top and it doesn't sound as dark.

What surprised me is how slightly forward the vocals are; it sounded similar to the AüR Audio Aure. Is it an Aure? No, due to the way the bass is tuned. But the mids are great especially male vocals as they got weight to them and female vocals sound natural.

And we know ISN loves to tune the subbass to have rumble and punch. And we have it here in droves. Texture, quality, slow decay, its all here with the single 10mm DD.

The only issue I had with this set depending on the tracks, the bass could be overwhelming but then again it's ISN. Thats the way it's tuned. All about that bass. And if one loves a musically warm sounding set with slightly forward vocals, this one be the one to get.

They haven't decided on price yet but these can compete with similar driver configurations.

Up close shots.

I like to use comparisons because its easier to describe how an IEM sounds relative to another one. So I'll compare 2 popular 4+1, Sound Rhyme SR5 & Juzear 4T

Bass: Neo5 > SR5 > 41T
Mids: Neo5 > SR5 > 41T
Treble: SR5 > Neo5 > 41T
Dark to Bright: 41T > Neo5 > SR5
Technicalities: SR5 > Neo5 > 41T
Comfort: Neo5 > 41T > SR5
Accessories: Neo5 > 41T > SR5
Tonality / Timbre: Neo5 / 41T / SR5

Musical / Neutral / Analytical
Neo 5 / 41T / SR5

Neo 5 = L
41T = flat
SR5 = W

This is a wonderful new option from Penon. The new direction ISN is going with its tuning for the newest line, I think people will enjoy it.

10th AE and now Neo 5. Penon is on a roll...I cannot wait to see what else they have in store.

 

[cobrabucket]

The Neo 5 looks awesome and I can't wait! I do have an EST50 and love it, but could you do a quick summary comparison b/n the Neo 5, the SR5 and the H40? NBD if not. Thanks!
PS, btw what is the 4th IEM in the pics not listed in the comparisons [I think the Green one]?

 

[-rowan-]

The Neo 5 looks awesome and I can't wait! I do have an EST50 and love it, but could you do a quick summary comparison b/n the Neo 5, the SR5 and the H40? NBD if not. Thanks!
PS, btw what is the 4th IEM in the pics not listed in the comparisons [I think the Green one]?

3rd one in the pic, do you mean? Aür Audio Aure. @s2kphile did elaborate a bit on the Penon thread when I asked to compare its bass (although I wouldn’t mind if he gave it the full comparo treatment as well, since the Aure is surely no less capable…)

ISN has more of it, while the Aure is better balanced with the right amount.

If scaled where 1 is no bass, and 10 is all bass, the Aure would be 5 on the scale & Neo5 is 7.

Excited about the Neo5 anyway!

 

[Dsnuts]

ISN NEO 5

The new NEO 5. It is interesting to see that ISN will be bringing out a new type of tuning for the NEO 5. 4 knowles BAs + 10mm dynamic for bass. The tuning might be new but it reminds me of the big spacious sound from the ISN H40. Forwardness in check everything sounds a bit forward on them bringing more of a musical angle to the tuning. The BAs being used seem to have a different tonal quality vs what was being used in prior ISN IEMs.

Sound quality is in check true to the ISN fame but the coloration for the sound is one that is very enjoyable. These are a departure from the likes of an ISN H50 more mature leaning style to one of the most musical listens in the NEO 5. Again going back to what made ISN so famous in the first place. Musical engaging sound.

First time I put them in my ears, it instantly reminded me of the first time I heard the H40. Think H40 but more refined. These are what I had in mind when the H50 came out. To me it is the H50 that is more of a departure from the prior ISN sound. The Neo 5 comes back to its roots.

Sound has a floaty spaciousness to it that is extremely addictive. It is one of those sounds that don't seem accurate but more dreamy in how it projects sound. Projects an incredible floaty, large spacious, full on deep and tall sound.
It's almost like the BAs seem to come at you all from different angles to fill out more details in space. Everything has body to the sound, the way sound projects to your hearing. The NEO 5 was a pure surprise to me as I had no idea about this project.

NEO series as Penon alluded to might be the first of several of this type. These are a departure from neutrality, pure coloration which clearly defines musical, now using some premium drivers to do so. A brilliant new take on the ISN sound. It's not an entirely new departure from what they have done but more like a refined version of the H40 to my ears.

Bass is forward in true ISN fashion. Mids are drenched with density and texture, trebles are clean and precise. All in a large spacious sound field. Can’t get enough IEMs that have a musical angle? I can clearly hear what these are going for. It's not the type of sound that will be neutrally accurate and nowhere near analytical. But one that kicks accuracy to the curb for music that sounds like music in the best of ways. Your music boosted, Extremely immersive, deep, forward sound signature that has everything to do with why we listen to music in the first place.

These remind me why body of note is one of the most underrated and glossed over sound aspects other manufacturers don't get or just dont do right. It's like eating chocolate that is just chocolate vs having a big pocket of caramel in between the chocolate layers. The NEO 5 is like the Chocolate with a big layer of caramel in between. These sound more like nicely warmed up high end set of vintage speakers vs your conventional IEMs in the ear. It is simple for me. ISN has another hit on their hands. These will be extremely popular.

 

[-rowan-]

These remind me why body of note is one of the most underrated and glossed over sound aspects other manufacturers don't get or just dont do right. It's like eating chocolate that is just chocolate vs having a big pocket of caramel in between the chocolate layers. The NEO 5 is like the Chocolate with a big layer of caramel in between. These sound more like nicely warmed up high end set of vintage speakers vs your conventional IEMs in the ear. It is simple for me. ISN has another hit on their hands. These will be extremely popular

Note body and weight is so underrated. I don’t even like caramel but I think I’m going to like these. Can you compare it with the 10th?

 

[Dsnuts]

The Neo 5 is all about that big bold sound. Fowardness vs a slightly laid-back wider sound profile of the 10th. In comparison the 10th actually has less coloration. Sounds a bit more referency vs the NEO 5. Both have a forward bass presence but the NEO 5 sounds a touch more mid bassy vs the 10th which leans its bass more toward the sub bass.

If you guys own the H40, these sound like a direct upgrade on that sound signature to my ears. 10th is unique as it is one of two IEMs in Penon stable that is a V signature.
NEO 5 is one of those IEMs that will appeal to folks that love speaker type sound. Thats what they remind me of in presentation. No question the 10th is a higher end IEM but that will depend on if you like your music with some extra boost and forwardness or not.

 

[StevieBats]

Did they decide on a price for the NEO 5 yet or did I miss it somewhere along the line?