ISN Earphones impression thread. New ISN H60!
Jul 25, 2021 at 6:33 PM Post #2,776 of 5,320
Well the reason why I haven't posted much is due to my review obligations. I have a backlog of earphones I have to review. I am a one earphone guy meaning I concentrate my listening time on the earphones I am writing about. Reason why I do this is I found out if I am listening to my high end stuff it is difficult to adjust to cheaper stuff objectively.

You can imagine how good the EST50 here sounds in comparison to the new Reecho SG-01 I just posted a review for which cost $39. I can't be listening to the EST50 during this time or I might just out right hate the new earphone I am reviewing. Lol. Not really fair to do that. So I decided a while ago I can't be listening to my nicer earphones while I am getting to know a sound. My brain is not wired that way I guess.

But since I just posted about the SG-01. Listening to the EST50s again. Love the sound and I just got the IKKO cable last week. Pairs extremely well and for folks that don't like heavy cables.
 
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Jul 25, 2021 at 6:37 PM Post #2,777 of 5,320
Wow, looks amazing!!

Is it heavy or stiff?
It is a thinner cable. Not too heavy or stiff. This cable is a silver plated OCC. Higher end copper cable plated in silver is what it is. It is a thinner lighter cable and is easily worth its price tag of $59. Comes with some usable tips too.
1627252662300.png
 
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Jul 25, 2021 at 7:16 PM Post #2,778 of 5,320
It is a thinner cable. Not too heavy or stiff. This cable is a silver plated OCC. Higher end copper cable plated in silver is what it is. It is a thinner lighter cable and is easily worth its price tag of $59. Comes with some usable tips too.
1627252662300.png

Might get one. Love the looks and the single cable!
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 2:58 PM Post #2,780 of 5,320
Just got the EST50s in. Twenty four days to US. Express.

What was the out-of-the-box impressions of these? My impression is that the highs are very good. The mids and bass however are not very well developed. Rather monotoned, flabby and not very extended.

Hopefully this will change with burn in. Otherwise, this one's a dud.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 3:01 PM Post #2,781 of 5,320
Just got the EST50s in. Twenty four days to US. Express.

What was the out-of-the-box impressions of these? My impression is that the highs are very good. The mids and bass however are not very well developed. Rather monotoned, flabby and not very extended.

Hopefully this will change with burn in. Otherwise, this one's a dud.
Every single review I've seen say they get better with time. Burn them in, running non stop for the next few days and then relisten.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 3:07 PM Post #2,782 of 5,320
Just got the EST50s in. Twenty four days to US. Express.

What was the out-of-the-box impressions of these? My impression is that the highs are very good. The mids and bass however are not very well developed. Rather monotoned, flabby and not very extended.

Hopefully this will change with burn in. Otherwise, this one's a dud.
Sorry for your luck and to be disappointed but as @Dsnuts said before, the bass was laughable before burn in. Hope it gets to your liking!
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 3:21 PM Post #2,783 of 5,320
Just got the EST50s in. Twenty four days to US. Express.

What was the out-of-the-box impressions of these? My impression is that the highs are very good. The mids and bass however are not very well developed. Rather monotoned, flabby and not very extended.

Hopefully this will change with burn in. Otherwise, this one's a dud.
Congrats! Better late than never...
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 3:25 PM Post #2,784 of 5,320
Sorry for your luck and to be disappointed but as @Dsnuts said before, the bass was laughable before burn in. Hope it gets to your liking!
The dynamic drivers as well as their crossovers need some micro current.
The (driver) mechanical properties will improve after the breaking in period. Some say after 70 hours, they start to take away the Bloat.
As for my own listening experience, after 100 hours should do it...
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 3:35 PM Post #2,785 of 5,320
Just got the EST50s in. Twenty four days to US. Express.

What was the out-of-the-box impressions of these? My impression is that the highs are very good. The mids and bass however are not very well developed. Rather monotoned, flabby and not very extended.

Hopefully this will change with burn in. Otherwise, this one's a dud.
The bass end for me was a one hitter quitter. Never expected one note bass. There was almost no tone to it. But as they say. ISN is not gonna make a sub $500 earphone with one note bass. Lol. Burn my friend. You will have the benefit of your initial post to go by. Aha the magic of burn in.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 6:10 PM Post #2,787 of 5,320
Ya just let them breathe some music for a few days and nights. The transformation is gonna surprise you.

Be careful of BA burn in though. I tell folks burn in is necessary but just use your music at listening levels meaning. Do not blast music or your burn in files as that will damage BAs and EST drivers which would be tragic. Moderate actual listening levels is fine.
 
Jul 26, 2021 at 10:59 PM Post #2,789 of 5,320
That is most definitely not wise. Dynamics can handle some volume. Not so much BAs and ESTs. They will burn in regardless of volume and there is a very good chance at prolonged high volumes you can damage these drivers. The EST50 implements some premium drivers why would you want to damage any of it.

I blew out the treble BA on a LZ A5 earphone with a higher volume burn in. Learned my lesson from that.
 
Jul 28, 2021 at 7:29 AM Post #2,790 of 5,320
Took a quick listen to the EST50s after they've been burning in for ~30 hours. To my ear, they still sound like ***. In my experience, it is very rare (though not unprecedented), for something that sounds this bad to improve to the point of being a keeper simply through burn-in.

I am hoping to be proven wrong, but there may be a pair of those nice pretty orange/wood ones (4.4mm termination) up for sale soon.

Edit: I don't recall going through this with the H40. That was love at first listen and never looked back.
 
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