I currently own the Moondrop KXXS but i'm looking for something with better bass and more details and separation. Do you think that the H40 is a worthwhile investment from an upgrade POV?
Thank you for the replies to my questions.
I did go to Penon to check out the NF Audio NA1. I had checked those out a week or so earlier but had dismissed them because of them being a 1 DD iem. The H40 is more expensive but is a hybrid model. Also, to me, these having really long nozzles is a problem. I only buy iems that are "triangle" shaped and are put in the ear from above nowadays. I started with the traditional, straight models but always got ear aches. The only model I actually have left of the early ones is a Klipsch 4S. The angled nozzles of that is what makes it acceptable. They are deep, of course, but with the oval tips they do fit well. I'm not really happy with the very bassy sound, though.
I'll see if I will get the H40. LZ A6 is another possibility but those seem to be very big. They're also much more expensive, though they're discounted right now.
I'll wait and see for a while before making a decision.
Thank you.
Just curious, if you don't like the over ear shape and nozzle of the NA1, which by the way is triangle shaped, why would you think the H40 would be a better fit. What's wrong with a single dynamic? Some of the best sounding earphones of all time are single dynamics.
I currently own the Moondrop KXXS but i'm looking for something with better bass and more details and separation. Do you think that the H40 is a worthwhile investment from an upgrade POV?
After 24hrs with H40, I am really enjoying the sound from this IEM. I initially had a trouble with original tips causing severe driver flex and feeling of suction, but after switching to a pair of JVC spiral dots, it is all good now and it even managed to tame the slightly annoying 8k peaks.
I would say H40 has balanced sound overall with great mid range density and good extension at both ends. I feel it is great companion to the Shouer Tape that I also purchased recently and have been enjoying immensely. With minor EQ, Tape is more enjoyable when listening to the classical music as it almost sounds like my HD800 SDR with cleaner and crispier presentation. ISN H40 is like my LCD2 with smooth vocal rendition and clean hitting bass to suit pop, rock and hip hop / r&b kind of genres.
Even though isolation is about average, fit is very good on my medium sized ears and it is quite easy to drive. Supplied cable is also tangle free and really good in quality (expectedly from cable manufacturer).
Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase and looking forward to their next offerings.
BTW I tried their retired version again and it still sounds bad... Going to mod it someday.
After 24hrs with H40, I am really enjoying the sound from this IEM. I initially had a trouble with original tips causing severe driver flex and feeling of suction, but after switching to a pair of JVC spiral dots, it is all good now and it even managed to tame the slightly annoying 8k peaks.
I would say H40 has balanced sound overall with great mid range density and good extension at both ends. I feel it is great companion to the Shouer Tape that I also purchased recently and have been enjoying immensely. With minor EQ, Tape is more enjoyable when listening to the classical music as it almost sounds like my HD800 SDR with cleaner and crispier presentation. ISN H40 is like my LCD2 with smooth vocal rendition and clean hitting bass to suit pop, rock and hip hop / r&b kind of genres.
Even though isolation is about average, fit is very good on my medium sized ears and it is quite easy to drive. Supplied cable is also tangle free and really good in quality (expectedly from cable manufacturer).
Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase and looking forward to their next offerings.
BTW I tried their retired version again and it still sounds bad... Going to mod it someday.
Can you compare the tape and the h40 a bit more? Like are they similar to each other and only worth buying one of them or are they different enough to justify buying both?
After 24hrs with H40, I am really enjoying the sound from this IEM. I initially had a trouble with original tips causing severe driver flex and feeling of suction, but after switching to a pair of JVC spiral dots, it is all good now and it even managed to tame the slightly annoying 8k peaks.
I would say H40 has balanced sound overall with great mid range density and good extension at both ends. I feel it is great companion to the Shouer Tape that I also purchased recently and have been enjoying immensely. With minor EQ, Tape is more enjoyable when listening to the classical music as it almost sounds like my HD800 SDR with cleaner and crispier presentation. ISN H40 is like my LCD2 with smooth vocal rendition and clean hitting bass to suit pop, rock and hip hop / r&b kind of genres.
Even though isolation is about average, fit is very good on my medium sized ears and it is quite easy to drive. Supplied cable is also tangle free and really good in quality (expectedly from cable manufacturer).
Overall I am very satisfied with the purchase and looking forward to their next offerings.
BTW I tried their retired version again and it still sounds bad... Going to mod it someday.
Glad your digging on them. I think the best aspect of the H40 is just how enjoyable the sound is. I appreciate detail and earphones that can dissect a tune at times but for casual and immersive listening you can't get much better imo. I have actually grown more fond of the H40 the more I have been using it and experimenting with cables. As if that was possible.
I remember the first time I heard the H40. It was most definitely headlining thread material. These are a discovery if there ever was one. H40 need to be in everyone's collection imo.
You have that FOMO feeling? Don't. Get one and find out. These are gonna be worth every penny you spend on a pair.Absolute highest recommend and best value of this year as far as I am concerned.
Can you compare the tape and the h40 a bit more? Like are they similar to each other and o Ly worth buying one of them or are they different enough to justify buying both?
Short answer yes, I feel they are different enough to justify grabbing both especially if you have the Tape already.
I personally think H40 outperforms Tape in most areas in stock (non EQed) form.
Bass: H40 has slightly more quantity than Tape. Both has textured and nimble bass while H40 has better impact albeit slightly longer decay.
Mids: H40 is more preferable with wide range of genre because its mids are more in line with rest of the frequency and vocals has very good weight to them with natural tone. In comparison, Tape sounds thinner and sharper in vocal range with massive 3khz peak that skews some of the instrumental timbre off without EQing it.
Highs: this area might be debatable but only area Tape may pull away with a slight win. I feel whatever shouer used here (sonion electret?) and crossover to take the duty after around 7khz from fast dynamic driver works really well, highs are well extended without noticeable peaks and show impressive details and airy scape where H40 has slight bump where I can detect little
hotness and not as detailed.
Soundstage feels more spherical with H40 while tape is more oval shaped for me.
Overall enjoyment factor I can fully agree with Dsnuts assessment. H40 is much better suited for a longer head bobbin listening session than more surgical and intense short listening session from the Tape.
Just curious, if you don't like the over ear shape and nozzle of the NA1, which by the way is triangle shaped, why would you think the H40 would be a better fit. What's wrong with a single dynamic? Some of the best sounding earphones of all time are single dynamics.
Nothing wrong with dynamics. It would seem I prefer listening to IEMs that are hybrids. All my over ear headphones except my Hifiman HE-400i are dynamics (Sennheiser HD-598, Audio Technica MSR7, Philips Fidelio X2, PSB M4U1).
As I said in my post I think the nozzle is too long for my comfort. I prefer the tips to sit in the outer part of the ear canal. The nozzle on the H40 looks to be at least 3 mm shorter. Also, I prefer the over ear fit with a triangle shaped housing, as I also wrote in my post. Sorry if I was unclear.
Straight models make my ears ache.
Not to beat a dead horse but, the fit of the H40 will have tips in the inner part of the canal (medium insertion depth). So what we have is H40 medium insertion depth vs NA1 deeper insertion depth, and as I said in my previous post the NA1 and H40 both have triangle outer housing shape. So in the end I can understand not wanting the NA1 because of the deep fit, but not because it has a triangle shape. The most important thing to remember is the H40 is "NOT" a shallow fit iem, and if you wear them as shallow you miss the great part of the bass,
Take a look at the DQ4 here: https://penonaudio.com/magaosi-dq4.html
Those look to be about the same nozzle length as H40. They are slightly uncomfortable but not enought to bother me much.
I only buy triangle shaped IEMs. That is my preference. The shape of the NA1 is not a problem.
I would call all three, DQ4, H40, and NA1 more teardrop shape because of the smooth rounded edges, whereas a triangle has straight lines and would be very uncomfortable to wear, but I understand what you mean by triangle. I measured the H40 at about .50cm and the NA1 at about .75cm. I don't own the DQ4, but it looks even a little longer than the H40 If the length of the DQ4 nozzle is not a problem for you, than maybe the H40 will be good for you because its nozzle is not as thick. Just keep in mind that the H40 has a medium insertion depth, not a shallow fit. If you buy it and it's comfortable for you, you won't regret it. My ears tell me it beats out a few of my $300 plus earphones. Good luck.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
