ISN Earphones impression thread. New ISN NEO 3!
Apr 13, 2024 at 5:38 PM Post #5,026 of 5,044
Those are next on my list. The Clarion Tri give me the best seal out of every tip I tried so far. I forget the EST50 are in my ears. Its super comfy and fits my ear canal perfectly. Interested in how the Liqueur compares, how are they in terms of comfort?
I will be clear and concise to answer your question. If you consider that in terms of sealing the Clarion TRI is the best you have tried, then I definitely recommend buying the Penon ones and then you will see what happens here. I also forget that I have the NEO 5 in my ears and I don't need to try others. I can assure you that you will not regret it. Use the same size as the Clarion model.
 
Apr 15, 2024 at 11:07 AM Post #5,028 of 5,044
I just finished my review of the EST50 after about 200-300 hours of listening. Its my first "proper" review, would appreciate some feedback :) Overall I can say that they went above and beyond my expectations and I can wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone who is looking for a fun but highly detailed presentation!

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/isn-est50.25254/reviews
 
Apr 17, 2024 at 11:07 AM Post #5,029 of 5,044
I have just one issue with the Neo 3 and it is fit. I half expected it to be a slightly more comfortable Serial, but it is quite a bit worse for my ear and I've tried a bunch of tips. Something about the stem and shell shape gets my ears fatigued in less than an hour. I don't want to sell them, but I really wanted something I could wear all day. Anybody have any thoughts on how the IE600 compares to the ISNs and Penons like the Serial?
 
Apr 17, 2024 at 12:55 PM Post #5,030 of 5,044
I have just one issue with the Neo 3 and it is fit. I half expected it to be a slightly more comfortable Serial, but it is quite a bit worse for my ear and I've tried a bunch of tips. Something about the stem and shell shape gets my ears fatigued in less than an hour. I don't want to sell them, but I really wanted something I could wear all day. Anybody have any thoughts on how the IE600 compares to the ISNs and Penons like the Serial?
You could try some more tips like Penon Liqueur orange or Dunu S&S XL size. Those make many IEMs more comfortable.
 
Apr 18, 2024 at 11:50 PM Post #5,031 of 5,044
DSC01772.JPG

ISN T-OCC Audiophile IEM Cable
Model: T-OCC
Triple copper combination, three diameters
2 shares, 181 cores per share
Outer diameter is 2.5 , 18AWG wire
98 cores 0.08 frozen single crystal copper
48 cores 0.06 Quenched single crystal copper
35 cores 0.05 Copper-silver alloy
OFC 2-pin 0.78mm connector
3.5mm audio/4.4mm balanced OFC plug
Aluminum CNC alloy cutting integrated slider
The solder joints is silver–contained tin
Secondary oxidation gold foil gold ring
Cable length: 1.2M

T-OCC is the newest creation from our friends at Penon/ISN. This one in particular is interesting for several reasons. It is using 3 types of copper based materials and while that alone is nothing exotic or new to the market. There seems to be specific reasons why they chose the materials they have for this product. The material descriptor for the cable is 3 different copper based cables with 3 different diameters. Unlike most companies that use a whole sale product to make a cable. Each element was chosen to bring a specific type of sound for these and even on open listen I can already tell the resolve of these cables are much greater than something that comes with your included cables.

The idea of making an aftermarket cable you specifically spend money on has to do with upgrading a sound profile for the IEMs you attach them to or at least that should be the idea right? So it would be a completel fail if something like the ISN T-OCC was not actually an upgrade.

However, I can say. These will be an upgrade to most cables that come with your IEMs. I say most because I do know TOTL level IEMs sometimes come with premium grade IEM cables that adds another $1,000 or more to the end cost of an IEM and of course that manufacturer will charge accordingly.

The ISN T-OCC is a solid 2 core cable with 181 shares of the material per core. The shares of the material has a weave of 3 distinct copper cores. 2 different types of crystal copper and the last type being what seems to be a mixed copper and silver alloy material. If any of you guys have owned prior “alloy” based IEM cables like the Penon Renata or ISN CS02 you will get a good idea of the resolving ability of the T-OCC. So you can say the T-OCC is a continuation of the alloy sound design from those prior cables.

Quality
T-OCC is a softer bendable good-looking cable in all brown, no issues with microphonics or usability. It's not a noodly cable or is it so weak to cause tangling. These are excellent ergonomically for IEM use. I believe you can order these with ear guides or without. My unit I have on had does not have any ear guides. If you plan on being active with your T-OCC I recommend the ear guides to help keep the cable draped over your ears. They are soft enough to work without guides but I do notice the occasional movement will cause them to unhook over my ears. So that will be up to you. The chin slider believe it or not actually works on these. I have had similar chin sliders that slide right out of position but these seem to work well enough and keeps place as long as your not doing aerobics while using chin slider it should function just fine.

Performance
The sound of the T-OCC is interesting as it seems ISN has specifically chose the 3 elements to line up with the 3 zones of sound that we hear from our IEMs. Basic metallurgy for IEM sound profiles indicate, Copper is the foundation for all things related to sound. So a natural tonal character is expected of a cable based on 3 types of copper used. We get that. The breakdown in material goes as follows 98 shares of frozen single crystal copper, 48 shares of quenched single crystal copper, and lastly 35 shares of copper-silver alloy. Just a guess on my part but it seems these 3 was chosen to enhance each part of a sound make up. Single crystal copper for bass and mids, Quenched crystal copper for mids tonal, timbral character with the copper- silver alloy for its imaging and resolving highs. Then it is finished off with Penons OFC copper material for connectors and terminations. When put together you should have the T-OCC.

The T-OCC literally enhances every part of an IEM sound profile with an added stage and depth of sound all good upgraded cables should have. The first time I heard them. They immediately reminded me of the Penon Renata cables and to a lesser extent the ISN SC02 but somewhat different than both. I can hear the family resemblance to those cables but has a greater skew toward bass and tonality. The Renata is a more technical cable but the ISN being true to the ISN House sound profile seems to have addressed the bass foundation of their sound in the T-OCC. Its technicalities are where I thought they sounded like the Ranata and somehow is a more musical version of the ISN CS02 cable. More weighty, airy for trebles, a solid sense of slam for bass. If the deliberate use of the 3 elements that make up this cable was designed in this manner to address each part of the sound profile. Well it worked.

Testing the T-OCC yields very good sound separation, before you ask, it is not quite at the level of the Renata. These seem to enhance the bass end a touch more while the Renata is a more balanced type cable. I could have guessed they were using that copper- silver alloy material just due to their similarities for tonal enhancement, clarity and detail level. Again while not as spacious sounding as the Renata. It is close and if you didn’t have a Renata cable to compare it to. Yes I can officially say these will enhance stage, depth, and technicals: imaging, layering, sound separation, details. Enhances all 3 parts of a sound profile, trebles with a bit of extra shimmer, the mids get an upgraded sense of space and contrast. Bass gets a touch extra impact with a better sculpting ability. These don't quite reach the note weight like the ASOS or the new + model, they don’t quite reach the level of technicalities like the Rentata, they don't have the bass emphasis quite like the Penon bass cables but this could be it presenting with a more substantial mid band emphasis. On the other hand they don’t quite have the mid forwardness of the Penon Vocal cable. What they do have is a bit of the sound enhancement going on from all of these cables mentioned rolled up in one. Which is pretty astounding.

This would be the very definition of a cable that upgrades your sound. These are expertly engineered IEM cables that do the one thing they were made for. Upgrade your sound. My basis for this impression was based on going back n forth from a standard ISN C4 cable which uses single crystal copper for its cores. If you took the ISN CS02 material and braided that with the ISN C4 cable and then used the Penon OFC copper plugs and connectors. You would get something very similar.

Adding the extra material mix for the T-OCC clearly yields an enhancement to its base crystal copper cores. Making the T-OCC perform in a much higher end capacity vs standard copper type cables. Going back n forth from these two cables there enhancement for sounds as noted prior just makes your IEMs sound more spacious, sound elements better separated but one with full dynamics. And that my friends makes up what the T-OCC is about to my ears. Yet another compelling cable offering from ISN.
 
Last edited:
Apr 18, 2024 at 11:58 PM Post #5,032 of 5,044
quanto dinero amigo :)
 
Apr 19, 2024 at 4:20 AM Post #5,035 of 5,044
DSC01772.JPG
ISN T-OCC Audiophile IEM Cable
Model: T-OCC
Triple copper combination, three diameters
2 shares, 181 cores per share
Outer diameter is 2.5 , 18AWG wire
98 cores 0.08 frozen single crystal copper
48 cores 0.06 Quenched single crystal copper
35 cores 0.05 Copper-silver alloy
OFC 2-pin 0.78mm connector
3.5mm audio/4.4mm balanced OFC plug
Aluminum CNC alloy cutting integrated slider
The solder joints is silver–contained tin
Secondary oxidation gold foil gold ring
Cable length: 1.2M

T-OCC is the newest creation from our friends at Penon/ISN. This one in particular is interesting for several reasons. It is using 3 types of copper based materials and while that alone is nothing exotic or new to the market. There seems to be specific reasons why they chose the materials they have for this product. The material descriptor for the cable is 3 different copper based cables with 3 different diameters. Unlike most companies that use a whole sale product to make a cable. Each element was chosen to bring a specific type of sound for these and even on open listen I can already tell the resolve of these cables are much greater than something that comes with your included cables.

The idea of making an aftermarket cable you specifically spend money on has to do with upgrading a sound profile for the IEMs you attach them to or at least that should be the idea right? So it would be a completel fail if something like the ISN T-OCC was not actually an upgrade.

However, I can say. These will be an upgrade to most cables that come with your IEMs. I say most because I do know TOTL level IEMs sometimes come with premium grade IEM cables that adds another $1,000 or more to the end cost of an IEM and of course that manufacturer will charge accordingly.

The ISN T-OCC is a solid 2 core cable with 181 shares of the material per core. The shares of the material has a weave of 3 distinct copper cores. 2 different types of crystal copper and the last type being what seems to be a mixed copper and silver alloy material. If any of you guys have owned prior “alloy” based IEM cables like the Penon Renata or ISN CS02 you will get a good idea of the resolving ability of the T-OCC. So you can say the T-OCC is a continuation of the alloy sound design from those prior cables.

Quality
T-OCC is a softer bendable good-looking cable in all brown, no issues with microphonics or usability. It's not a noodly cable or is it so weak to cause tangling. These are excellent ergonomically for IEM use. I believe you can order these with ear guides or without. My unit I have on had does not have any ear guides. If you plan on being active with your T-OCC I recommend the ear guides to help keep the cable draped over your ears. They are soft enough to work without guides but I do notice the occasional movement will cause them to unhook over my ears. So that will be up to you. The only other complaint is that the chin slider is more for looks than actually functionable. It does not clinch at all.

Performance
The sound of the T-OCC is interesting as it seems ISN has specifically chose the 3 elements to line up with the 3 zones of sound that we hear from our IEMs. Basic metallurgy for IEM sound profiles indicate, Copper is the foundation for all things related to sound. So a natural tonal character is expected of a cable based on 3 types of copper used. We get that. The breakdown in material goes as follows 98 shares of frozen single crystal copper, 48 shares of quenched single crystal copper, and lastly 35 shares of copper-silver alloy. Just a guess on my part but it seems these 3 was chosen to enhance each part of a sound make up. Single crystal copper for bass and mids, Quenched crystal copper for mids tonal, timbral character with the copper- silver alloy for its imaging and resolving highs. Then it is finished off with Penons OFC copper material for connectors and terminations. When put together you should have the T-OCC.

The T-OCC literally enhances every part of an IEM sound profile with an added stage and depth of sound all good upgraded cables should have. The first time I heard them. They immediately reminded me of the Penon Renata cables and to a lesser extent the ISN SC02 but somewhat different than both. I can hear the family resemblance to those cables but has a greater skew toward bass and tonality. The Renata is a more technical cable but the ISN being true to the ISN House sound profile seems to have addressed the bass foundation of their sound in the T-OCC. Its technicalities are where I thought they sounded like the Ranata and somehow is a more musical version of the ISN CS02 cable. More weighty, airy for trebles, a solid sense of slam for bass. If the deliberate use of the 3 elements that make up this cable was designed in this manner to address each part of the sound profile. Well it worked.

Testing the T-OCC yields very good sound separation, before you ask, it is not quite at the level of the Renata. These seem to enhance the bass end a touch more while the Renata is a more balanced type cable. I could have guessed they were using that copper- silver alloy material just due to their similarities for tonal enhancement, clarity and detail level. Again while not as spacious sounding as the Renata. It is close and if you didn’t have a Renata cable to compare it to. Yes I can officially say these will enhance stage, depth, and technicals: imaging, layering, sound separation, details. Enhances all 3 parts of a sound profile, trebles with a bit of extra shimmer, the mids get an upgraded sense of space and contrast. Bass gets a touch extra impact with a better sculpting ability. These don't quite reach the note weight like the ASOS or the new + model, they don’t quite reach the level of technicalities like the Rentata, they don't have the bass emphasis quite like the Penon bass cables but this could be it presenting with a more substantial mid band emphasis. On the other hand they don’t quite have the mid forwardness of the Penon Vocal cable. What they do have is a bit of the sound enhancement going on from all of these cables mentioned rolled up in one. Which is pretty astounding.

This would be the very definition of a cable that upgrades your sound. These are expertly engineered IEM cables that do the one thing they were made for. Upgrade your sound. My basis for this impression was based on going back n forth from a standard ISN C4 cable which uses single crystal copper for its cores. If you took the ISN CS02 material and braided that with the ISN C4 cable and then used the Penon OFC copper plugs and connectors. You would get something very similar.

Adding the extra material mix for the T-OCC clearly yields an enhancement to its base crystal copper cores. Making the T-OCC perform in a much higher end capacity vs standard copper type cables. Going back n forth from these two cables there enhancement for sounds as noted prior just makes your IEMs sound more spacious, sound elements better separated but one with full dynamics. And that my friends makes up what the T-OCC is about to my ears. Yet another compelling cable offering from ISN.
Why don't they do a cable like this modular?
 
Apr 19, 2024 at 6:13 AM Post #5,036 of 5,044
New!
435678064_2075587792821477_1698897353369177777_n.jpg

435687984_2075587782821478_3770274171172646650_n-1.jpg

436405975_2075587779488145_1826991323928888960_n-1.jpg

$119.00
https://penonaudio.com/ISN-Audio-T-OCC

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/isn-t-occ-triple-copper-hybrid-audiophile-iem-cable.27177/


ISN Audio T-OCC 2 Shares Triple Copper Hybrid 2Pin Audiophile IEM Earphone Cable

Specification

Brand:ISN AUDIO
Model: T-OCC
3 kinds of copper combination, 3 kinds of diameters
2 shares, 181 cores per share
Outer diameter is 2.5mm, 18AWG wire
98 cores 0.08 frozen single crystal copper
48 cores 0.06 Quenched single crystal copper
35 cores 0.05 Copper-silver alloy
OFC 2-pin 0.78mm connector
3.5mm audio/4.4mm balanced OFC plug
Aluminum CNC alloy cutting integrated slide
The solder joints is silver–contained tin
Secondary oxidation gold foil gold ring
Cable length: 1.2M
 
Last edited:
Apr 19, 2024 at 10:39 AM Post #5,037 of 5,044
Why don't they do a cable like this modular?
Good question. It has to do with the actual design of them. Believe it or not what seems to be very average or plane looking connectors and plugs are actually specialized just for the T-OCC. OFC plugs are different than your standard gold plated copper. This plug was chosen to give the T-OCC a spacious presentation. If you look on Penon site they actually have OFC plugs to use with their modular cables. So it was an added ingredient to come up with how these cables perform and they are splendid in performance especially at their price at $120.
 
Apr 23, 2024 at 1:35 AM Post #5,038 of 5,044
DSC_0078.jpegtwo.jpeg



While many have already taken the chance on a T-OCC purchase, I can tell you (those who are skeptical) the sonic effects are real and valuable.........

TINHIFI T5S
Kiwi ears Singolo
7Hz Sonus
TSMR FEAT
NiceHCK DB2

The ISN T-OCC which is a kind of three copper alloy blend along with a specific build configuration. At a retail of $119.00 the T-OCC finds itself holding much of the imaging and stage/density results from the Renata, and in many ways a continuation of the ISN CS02 cable. Where I’m going to included the ISN Neo 5 with the T-OCC in my review……….but also I was curious about other brand IEM examples of the T-OCC results. Right now I can say the Singolo has the benefits of the T-OCC in spades. That single Kiwi ears IEM seems to open-up and get the desired stage size, that and noted image density for miles? Another fun one was the TINHIFI T5S……..this IEM is my love affair in what TIN has progressed to over the years………and sure enough the T-OCC has the T5S in its sights to alter and improve playback. This will all be in the review, but just let me say the T-OCC opened the midrange and vocals, plus gave that slight detail to the treble that was always lacking. The T5S has the best bass of any TINHIFI I have tried and the T-OCC seemed to leave that untouched, yet I was mostly concentrating on the midrange and treble.

Why results:

3 kinds of copper combination, 3 kinds of diameters
2 shares, 181 cores per share
Outer diameter is 2.5mm, 18AWG wire
98 cores 0.08 frozen single crystal copper
48 cores 0.06 Quenched single crystal copper
35 cores 0.05 Copper-silver alloy

Plus the T-OCC shows use of the solid oxygen free copper 4.4mm or 3.5mm plug, and solid oxygen free copper 2Pins. Just the Japanese Brand Pentaconn OFC Plug is US$60.00-$80.00 by itself.

DSC_0069.jpegqd.jpeg

DSC_0068.jpege.jpeg

DSC_0066.jpegwd.jpeg

DSC_0065.jpegx.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Apr 23, 2024 at 9:53 AM Post #5,039 of 5,044
DSC_0078.jpegtwo.jpeg



While many have already taken the chance on a T-OCC purchase, I can tell you (those who are skeptical) the sonic effects are real and valuable.........

TINHIFI T5S
Kiwi ears Singolo
7Hz Sonus
TSMR FEAT
NiceHCK DB2

The ISN T-OCC which is a kind of three copper alloy blend along with a specific build configuration. At a retail of $119.00 the T-OCC finds itself holding much of the imaging and stage/density results from the Renata, and in many ways a continuation of the ISN CS02 cable. Where I’m going to included the ISN Neo 5 with the T-OCC in my review……….but also I was curious about other brand IEM examples of the T-OCC results. Right now I can say the Singolo has the benefits of the T-OCC in spades. That single Kiwi ears IEM seems to open-up and get the desired stage size, that and noted image density for miles? Another fun one was the TINHIFI T5S……..this IEM is my love affair in what TIN has progressed to over the years………and sure enough the T-OCC has the T5S in its sights to alter and improve playback. This will all be in the review, but just let me say the T-OCC opened the midrange and vocals, plus gave that slight detail to the treble that was always lacking. The T5S has the best bass of any TINHIFI I have tried and the T-OCC seemed to leave that untouched, yet I was mostly concentrating on the midrange and treble.

Why results:

3 kinds of copper combination, 3 kinds of diameters
2 shares, 181 cores per share
Outer diameter is 2.5mm, 18AWG wire
98 cores 0.08 frozen single crystal copper
48 cores 0.06 Quenched single crystal copper
35 cores 0.05 Copper-silver alloy

Plus the T-OCC shows use of the solid oxygen free copper 4.4mm or 3.5mm plug, and solid oxygen free copper 2Pins. Just the Japanese Brand Pentaconn OFC Plug is US$60.00-$80.00 by itself.

DSC_0069.jpegqd.jpeg

DSC_0068.jpege.jpeg

DSC_0066.jpegwd.jpeg

DSC_0065.jpegx.jpeg
Looks stunning!

I'm waiting for it; let's hear how it fairs :)
 
Apr 23, 2024 at 10:41 AM Post #5,040 of 5,044
I emailed Penon about the lengths of the 2pin recessed post, they cannot be changed… does that cable work for recessed 2pin IEM? Just looks really short.
 

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