[Leonarfd]

After many hours burn in and listening, H30 is a very good and technical set of IEM for the price. I changed out the cable for Penon OS133, according to me this makes the them sound more natural and not as intense(still intense). The H30 is definitely not a true V shaped sound its more W.

Still its not the IEM I would take with me when i'm tired and sitting down with a glass wine, its quite intense and full sounding. And the more you listen to it the more some other IEM's I have sounds dull. For me its good to have different sounding IEM's and headphones in my collection, this fill one of them.


I like to test Deeply Disturbed, sounds energetic, clear and low end that rumble.


Guitar sounds really good, drums hits hard and snappy. Vocal sounding very close to how he sounds live.


I like how the Sax plays here also the it sounds quite full and complete.


Allan's guitar sounds great here, again drums sounds good and is snappy.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The new ISN H30 Universal IEM

 

[SenorChang8]

Quick question for H50 owners, what’s your tip of choice!
I’m using Ear Fit Lites now and they are fine but thinking Xelastic’s might offer more?

Thanks in advance!

I preferred Final Type E black.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Real Impressions:

So it's been eight days of burn-in and I'm sure the H30 is settled down and folded together within-itself in coherency. WOW.

I had cynicism and lack of respect for ISN for doing something different and taking a risk. As with all risks there is an element of danger. While success is only temporary, failures are momentary too! As with all new IEMs created you have to ask yourself questions.......

Does this play all music?
Is the IEM well rounded?
How's the technicalities?
Is the FR even, balanced and correct?

How's the build and look?

How is the value in relation to comparisons for sale in the market at equal price, slightly less money or slightly more money?

Is the IEM at all worth buying, and what is it exactly that makes it that way?

Are there traits that only would appease certain buyers and reject others?

But most importantly does it rock? Does it have that (unmeasurable by graphic) representation of filling in the groove with pace and sway?




Well:

It turned out way different that I originally thought upon first hearing the ISN H30!

The groove became created, the sway started.......the separation began, but probably my most important love affair is with the stage. There is bigness and imaging which has never been found for this style of money. Never. It's just that these BAs aren't messing around. Name brand creations of tone and detail blended with the sonic know-how only ISN could pull-off. Is it their sound.......................yes...............it's their new sound, and darn good too. When you compare against the slew of $40 Hybrid IEMs by the other guys (like KZ) you start to understand the finish here...........the polish and the luster that is taking place. Now to compare against cheep competition doesn't always mean much, but the other builders have increased in quality and finesse too. So going up line to above price points, what's the deal here?

I will have comparisons in my review.

The ISN H30 is like a brighter yet detailed rendition that fits in the line due to Frequency and Technicalities. They are new and different. There is no rewriting the same story........no, this is a new chapter for ISN. A new animal so to speak. While an incredible imaging and transient response (due to the midrange) is always with the H30 as it's calling card........there is more, wonderfully more.........common what, what is more?


Bass:
Ha, not what you would think I would write! It's because I'm listening to the H30 with the included cable, my favorite wide-bore, low profile tips, and Sony Walkman WM1A with MrWalkman's firmware. But now the bass it totally present in a balanced yet still fully grooving way. With rock tracks it bring this wonderful expansion into the outskirts of the stage.........the vibe is here...............................there is nothing more asked for or personally wanted. Yet due to the ultimate stance the H30 places itself into......we are met with Super Fast pace, and quickness. Yet a thorough amount of authority, it's just dialed in to a slightly reserved fashion, yet totally adequate and involving. No one I think is going to have an issue with just how the bass is portrayed? The thing is the bass is fast, full-featured and equals total fun. Fun is the most important quality of bass....................way beyond any scientific understanding of graphs or theories!



Timbre:
This is a given reality due to how we are accessing the BA qualities. Thus yes, there is the unavoidable slight sheen of the glass surface. Let’s continue to be real here, and make this MINI-REVIEW as centered and pertinent to a possible purchase as humanly possible. While the Knowles and Sonion BAs are specifically chosen and give the H30 its inherit tone................ISN has optimized the tone, creating a perfect blend which takes the BA timbre down 1/2 the amount in comparison often to no-name drivers. Do you think these BA builders know about the inherent weakness in BA music delivery? They do, and they do their best to overcome such drawbacks. And the results with the ISN H30 is a shining (sorry)..................example of how a modern day manufacture can dial-in the character and optimize the tone to become only slightly noticed as being BA driven.......though it's noticeable. The opposite side of the sword in the liveliness and clarity which I would never trade for anything. Remember Hybrids are my favorite methodology and here is the stunning example of why!

 

[Leonarfd]

Nice mini review @Redcarmoose
I'm not used to BA timbre but I think i understand what you mean, need to try some more BA in the future to grasp it more.


Since you have already burnt it that much, do you have a destinated burning rig? I just put my old Sansa clip together with gear inside a cupboard to not make my wife go mad with the noise

 

[Redcarmoose]

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/leonarfd.346233/

I have 4 different ways I burn-in, none of them optimal. That is something I need to work on. Meaning I’ve seen phones hooked-up to a six-way out 3.5mm, as that’s what I’m maybe looking to improve with. I simply plug them into various players or an old phone. I play a list of about 1500 songs. Yes, they stay often inside a drawer, as to not aggravate the Missis!

 

[Redcarmoose]

Nice mini review @Redcarmoose
I'm not used to BA timbre but I think i understand what you mean, need to try some more BA in the future to grasp it more.


Since you have already burnt it that much, do you have a destinated burning rig? I just put my old Sansa clip together with gear inside a cupboard to not make my wife go mad with the noise

No, you don’t need to hear BAs more, you need a real life reference or a good playback reference........the opposite!

Truly I’m not an expert on timbre, meaning how it’s created in sound replay. But my ears recognize it as “off” when it’s off. I’m a guitar player and for slightly over 45 years I’ve played the guitar, so I’m close to how the sound is when played back correct. There is a process where a tone can be even, correct and complete. When at times guitars just don’t sound real.....maybe they are too bright, or often too bright and off tone. Or even placed backwards in the mix and jumbled up (next-to) other instruments. Through really that’s separation at hand. But BAs will often walk a thin line (when they are good) where yes, they will hold a gloss, but it will be in a respectable manner. Meaning, I actually don’t know how they do it, but often if a BA frequency is mixed lower it seems to naturalize it, yet at times too the BA is firing blatantly in-front and still it’s OK. So there are many ways to interpret BA tone and timbre. At times listeners go by what ever they are used to, like someone into vocals will instinctively know when their performer sounds correct. Either they saw them live, or they have heard the correct rendition in second hand (reproduction) playback. Remember too, there can still be a wide range of correct, due to the circles of confusion in the recording process. No two studios for mix down are exactly the same, there is no standardized way to set-up monitors in a room to hear the same playback across the world. So it’s a guess as to is it or isn’t it real life. What we have is a generalized approximation of replay. And that’s still OK, as timbre can still be found to be natural or fake. The only way you know as a listener is to be exposed to correct timbre either by hearing it correctly in reproduction or actual music playing. This BA sheen is only a slight effect (at times) and is impossible to fully remove from BA playback, but when you are on the winning end, and hear it evolved into simply a fraction of the metallic tone, it brings a smile to your face, as you know they (ISN) have been able to still integrate BAs into IEM production for the clarity and transient qualities, and work with the negatives.

 

[Leonarfd]

Wife plays the cello, and I have recording gear. I have used this sometimes to check how natural sounding gear is, still this changes even with a microphone. Still its a good guideline for me when evaluating. One of my best items I have heard that is pretty close is my Verite Open with Suede pads. I had basically found my end gear setup, so why did I tip my toes into iem world? Comfort when its hot, or just the convenient factor. And now I also want a DAP

Favorite type of genre so far with H30 is different rock genres, prog metal and jazz. Basically the more acoustic genres I like. While some electronica genres and even some metal gets to much if they are already on the sharp intense sound. This doesn't happen with models like ER2XR, Ttromso, Blon 03, SG01 OVA or my old X10. What they all have in common is the dynamic driver.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Wife plays the cello, and I have recording gear. I have used this sometimes to check how natural sounding gear is, still this changes even with a microphone. Still its a good guideline for me when evaluating. One of my best items I have heard that is pretty close is my Verite Open with Suede pads. I had basically found my end gear setup, so why did I tip my toes into iem world? Comfort when its hot, or just the convenient factor. And now I also want a DAP

Favorite type of genre so far with H30 is different rock genres, prog metal and jazz. Basically the more acoustic genres I like. While some electronica genres and even some metal gets to much if they are already on the sharp intense sound. This doesn't happen with models like ER2XR, Ttromso, Blon 03, SG01 OVA or my old X10. What they all have in common is the dynamic driver.

Well, you have a totally great point, that some bass heavy genres which use the full-on emotion of bass may be compromised as to replay. Yet I still think that may be a style of bias. But yes, I agree that the H30 does rock better than DUB like this. Though I still find this song totally entertaining (with the ISN H30) even though the bass is not over the top, or maybe even totally adequate. But I have a rock song (slow rock) in sequence right after this song (as it's the last song on the album) and yes, it shines more with standard rock.

The whole IEM vs Full-size is a difficult and maybe an impossible argument, meaning they are two totally different things, and just when you think you figured it out, a day or will pass and your own personal opinion will change again as to the question as to which is best. I've been a full-size headphone guy my whole life, then slowly started to cross over to IEMs in 2010.

 

[Leonarfd]

Well, you have a totally great point, that some bass heavy genres which use the full-on emotion of bass may be compromised as to replay. Yet I still think that may be a style of bias. But yes, I agree that the H30 does rock better than DUB like this. Though I still find this song totally entertaining (with the ISN H30) even though the bass is not over the top, or maybe even totally adequate. But I have a rock song (slow rock) in sequence right after this song (as it's the last song on the album) and yes, it shines more with standard rock.

The whole IEM vs Full-size is a difficult and maybe an impossible argument, meaning they are two totally different things, and just when you think you figured it out, a day or will pass and your own personal opinion will change again as to the question as to which is best. I've been a full-size headphone guy my whole life, then slowly started to cross over to IEMs in 2010.

Fun track, sounds great on H30. Never heard it before, Yello both old and new is fun and full sounding on the IEM.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Fun track, sounds great on H30. Never heard it before, Yello both old and new is fun and full sounding on the IEM.

I'm totally a fan of that album. I have used it in reviews (once in a while) starting in 2020. It came out maybe in 2019? I will have to give it a listen on the ISN H30. Though you have to realize that a band like YELLO are more on the synthetic side of the street. Meaning you will have familiarity with the vocals, except there is no real-life accessible reference to the electronic instrumentation tones, as they don't exist in real-life. So they can be found as abstract and hard to pin down in tonality, timbre. The other crazy thing about that album is................the bass is so well produced that even if it is compromised by playback, it will still be totally defined/deep and enthralling! Meaning even 1/2 the bass replay will seem adequate. Then you hear it on a bass heavy system and say.........Oh?

 

[Leonarfd]

Aye didn't specify, but Yello while being on the more digital side of sound sounds great here while being made with synths etc. Still for me its borderline what I like with the H30, depending on the song.

Over to another thing there my serial Penon Serial got shipped, I bet they will be good complementary set to have. I still wanna try the EST50 onetime or V50.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The crazy thing is how (modifiable with a cable) the sound of the ISN EST50 is, meaning the H50 came later to my ears after the EST50, and it was a new sound for ISN......which in a way they continued with the H30. But changing cables with the EST50 brought a whole new sound to it. The problem I can't try the ISN G4 cable on the H50 as I don't have the MMCX to 2 pin adaptors. I need to get them. But the H50 is truly fine by itself, I feel....it almost doesn't need a cable change in my eyes. Though it is reported to jump higher in quality with a different cable.......so maybe it does............maybe it would jump? It's one of those, you don't know......till you know..........then you know!

Aye didn't specify, but Yello while being on the more digital side of sound sounds great here while being made with synths etc. Still for me its borderline what I like with the H30, depending on the song.

Over to another thing there my serial Penon Serial got shipped, I bet they will be good complementary set to have. I still wanna try the EST50 onetime or V50.

 

[Leonarfd]

Using the Penon OS133 with the H30, also tried a Tripowin Grace. Prefer the OS133 the most, good cable to a very good price atm.

 

[Echalon]

Using the Penon OS133 with the H30, also tried a Tripowin Grace. Prefer the OS133 the most, good cable to a very good price atm.

Same, the OS133 just lets the H30 breath properly. More full and open than the stock cable.