[SenorChang8]

I`m falling in love with some of my old tracks all over again They render older recordings of rock music so beautiful... I love this treble! Never heard an iem with EST drivers and I am just amazed at the detail and sparkle in the upper region. It just sounds so lively. Not a hint of artificial timbre, its just a nice organic sound that is very "Hi-Fi" without sounding digital. And the bass gives every track such a nice foundation while the midrange has a nice warmth to it. I ain`t missing a single thing when listening to rock with these, seems like they are made for each other

Also got a freebie with my order (https://penonaudio.com/isn-audio-type-c-dac-adapter.html), gonna try it later but since I got the Hiby R5 ii I`m not sure how much use its going to see. Anyone has experience with this adapter? Could be a nice alternative when I just want to grab my phone and listen on the go Just tried it, its not bad at all, especially for the price! Definitely going to see some use on the go. But it almost destroyed my eardrums on first listen because I forgot to turn it down

Yeah the bass is the star of the show but by no means are the mids and treble overshadowed. I love DDs but when Sonion BA and ESTs are really well implemented, it really hits the spot.

 

[-rowan-]

Which cable would you recommend for giving them a bit more mid-bass? Or just give them more bass overall?

Penon Asos will do that and keep that lovely top end intact as well. Welcome to EST treble!

Thanks a lot, that`s a great starting point! Silver Cat and Xinhs sound like the right fit for me. But honestly, what are those sale prices?! They won`t go back to full price after the timer runs out right? In the eu such a price foolery would be illegal

NiceHCK mess around a lot with prices. At the sale prices, they are usually good value. Outside sales, they jack up the prices too much (though not as high as the sales claim). I don’t agree with that practice, but they do make good cables. So long as you get them on sale.

Even at “full price” they usually have coupons that bring it down to almost sale prices - e.g. a cable that’s say, $90 during sales may be priced at $500 at other times with a $400 coupon. But yeah, don’t ever pay full price for them. XINHS also messes with prices a bit as well but not to the same extent.

 

[jotaerre]

With practically the same price, has anyone compared the NEO 3 with the Dunu Falcon Ultra?

 

[Idontevenknowmyname]

After some more tip rolling on the EST50 I can understand why someone would call them a bit too bassy


Spinfit CP145 - Stage feels more boxed in, the bass is definitely elevated compared to the W1. They are by far the most comfy but not my favorites sound wise

Green Tips (the ones it came with) - These definitely give the strongest bass response while still offering a decent stage. Sound wise I like them a lot for electronic stuff, with Rock/Metal it can get a bit too much/muddy at times (bleeds a bit into the mid range on some tracks). Also they are slightly to big for my ears. With that comes the best isolation but the comfort is not optimal

Spinfit W1 - Overall still my favorite as all rounder. Not as comfy as CP145 but the stage opens up considerably. The bass is tighter/more focused than with the other tips and there is no bleed into the mid range at all. Probably explains why I called them rather balanced at first The more I listen to them, the more I like the signature these give. I had a similar experience with the S12 Pro and the W1 -> They are very good at giving a bigger stage while also making the bass more BA like (with the added DD impact though)

So if you are looking for tips to get a more neutral/balanced sound of the EST50 -> W1 does a pretty good job at that

 

[DrewVz]

Try Clarion TRI tips on the EST50. They'll change your life.

 

[Idontevenknowmyname]

Try Clarion TRI tips on the EST50. They'll change your life.

Ordered

 

[DrewVz]

Whomever is tuning these IEMs over at ISN really knows what they're doing. Just threw on some old tracks that I know like the back of my hand, but this is the first time I've heard them through the Neo 3. Just spectacular clarity, separation, tonality, and texture. Sure, there are some soft spots overall (sub-bass could use some help, decay is a bit fast in general, etc.), but nothing that detracts from the experience. Somehow, the Neo 3 manages to spread out the staging wide and deep, without cutting back on the upper mids/treble at all. Cymbals and guitars are accurately represented but still somehow provide a deep soundstage, which is NOT easy to do. There is some sort of sorcery afoot here.

Honestly, Neo 3 has the best planar implementation I've heard yet, and I've heard a few (Timeless, Dioko, Szalayi, EDP ACE, S12). Really a groundbreaking achievement by ISN, which has been largely overlooked by the audiophile community from what I can tell here and on other forums. I remember when the 7Hz Timeless was released and everyone was creaming their jeans about how revolutionary it was. Sure, it was superbly tuned and overall an excellent single-element IEM, and it had some obvious flaws, but for the price tag it was heralded as a breakthrough. The Neo 3 is several levels above the Timeless (quite frankly it pains me to even mention them in the same sentence), with a smaller planar element and tuning that is FAR superior, at a very slightly higher price tag. And yet here it sits in relative anonymity. Go figure.

Hopefully it will eventually catch on with the general crowd and finally gain the recognition it deserves. Really spectacular unicorn they have created.

 

[jotaerre]

Hopefully it will eventually catch on with the general crowd and finally gain the recognition it deserves. Really spectacular unicorn they have created.

I see that you have connected with a very musical spirit. That's very good. Although we already know that depending on the frequency ranges that humans can hear, our ears will perceive some tones or others.

And you haven't had the opportunity to try the older brother NEO 5? Great and natural balance...with juicy and beautiful bass. Right now I'm having a hard time diverting my attention to another IEM.

 

[Okcerg]

Whomever is tuning these IEMs over at ISN really knows what they're doing. Just threw on some old tracks that I know like the back of my hand, but this is the first time I've heard them through the Neo 3. Just spectacular clarity, separation, tonality, and texture. Sure, there are some soft spots overall (sub-bass could use some help, decay is a bit fast in general, etc.), but nothing that detracts from the experience. Somehow, the Neo 3 manages to spread out the staging wide and deep, without cutting back on the upper mids/treble at all. Cymbals and guitars are accurately represented but still somehow provide a deep soundstage, which is NOT easy to do. There is some sort of sorcery afoot here.

Honestly, Neo 3 has the best planar implementation I've heard yet, and I've heard a few (Timeless, Dioko, Szalayi, EDP ACE, S12). Really a groundbreaking achievement by ISN, which has been largely overlooked by the audiophile community from what I can tell here and on other forums. I remember when the 7Hz Timeless was released and everyone was creaming their jeans about how revolutionary it was. Sure, it was superbly tuned and overall an excellent single-element IEM, and it had some obvious flaws, but for the price tag it was heralded as a breakthrough. The Neo 3 is several levels above the Timeless (quite frankly it pains me to even mention them in the same sentence), with a smaller planar element and tuning that is FAR superior, at a very slightly higher price tag. And yet here it sits in relative anonymity. Go figure.

Hopefully it will eventually catch on with the general crowd and finally gain the recognition it deserves. Really spectacular unicorn they have created.

Agree with everything you said. Neo 3 has completely removed the itch to try new iems. (But I know it will come back, it always does lol)

I think MP145 is a very good planar. But take from 2 mins into this song, when the piano and sax starts. MP145 plays everything perfectly, but since I got the Neo 3 it sounds flat and boring to me in comparison. Neo 3 is so much more engaging and makes you FEEL the music in another way.

 

[ldo77]

Whomever is tuning these IEMs over at ISN really knows what they're doing. Just threw on some old tracks that I know like the back of my hand, but this is the first time I've heard them through the Neo 3. Just spectacular clarity, separation, tonality, and texture. Sure, there are some soft spots overall (sub-bass could use some help, decay is a bit fast in general, etc.), but nothing that detracts from the experience. Somehow, the Neo 3 manages to spread out the staging wide and deep, without cutting back on the upper mids/treble at all. Cymbals and guitars are accurately represented but still somehow provide a deep soundstage, which is NOT easy to do. There is some sort of sorcery afoot here.

Honestly, Neo 3 has the best planar implementation I've heard yet, and I've heard a few (Timeless, Dioko, Szalayi, EDP ACE, S12). Really a groundbreaking achievement by ISN, which has been largely overlooked by the audiophile community from what I can tell here and on other forums. I remember when the 7Hz Timeless was released and everyone was creaming their jeans about how revolutionary it was. Sure, it was superbly tuned and overall an excellent single-element IEM, and it had some obvious flaws, but for the price tag it was heralded as a breakthrough. The Neo 3 is several levels above the Timeless (quite frankly it pains me to even mention them in the same sentence), with a smaller planar element and tuning that is FAR superior, at a very slightly higher price tag. And yet here it sits in relative anonymity. Go figure.

Hopefully it will eventually catch on with the general crowd and finally gain the recognition it deserves. Really spectacular unicorn they have created.

With which DAP do you listen to this Neo 3 ?

 

[DrewVz]

With which DAP do you listen to this Neo 3 ?

I use my desktop system. It's in my signature.

 

[dharmasteve]

Whomever is tuning these IEMs over at ISN really knows what they're doing. Just threw on some old tracks that I know like the back of my hand, but this is the first time I've heard them through the Neo 3. Just spectacular clarity, separation, tonality, and texture. Sure, there are some soft spots overall (sub-bass could use some help, decay is a bit fast in general, etc.), but nothing that detracts from the experience. Somehow, the Neo 3 manages to spread out the staging wide and deep, without cutting back on the upper mids/treble at all. Cymbals and guitars are accurately represented but still somehow provide a deep soundstage, which is NOT easy to do. There is some sort of sorcery afoot here.

Honestly, Neo 3 has the best planar implementation I've heard yet, and I've heard a few (Timeless, Dioko, Szalayi, EDP ACE, S12). Really a groundbreaking achievement by ISN, which has been largely overlooked by the audiophile community from what I can tell here and on other forums. I remember when the 7Hz Timeless was released and everyone was creaming their jeans about how revolutionary it was. Sure, it was superbly tuned and overall an excellent single-element IEM, and it had some obvious flaws, but for the price tag it was heralded as a breakthrough. The Neo 3 is several levels above the Timeless (quite frankly it pains me to even mention them in the same sentence), with a smaller planar element and tuning that is FAR superior, at a very slightly higher price tag. And yet here it sits in relative anonymity. Go figure.

Hopefully it will eventually catch on with the general crowd and finally gain the recognition it deserves. Really spectacular unicorn they have created.

I concur with @DrewVz. The OG cable was pleasant but it was clear a cable change was needed. A XINHS Copper/Silver cable and Divinus Velvet tips cured that. What I hear with the Neo 3 is the most coherent IEM I have heard and the small, impressive' Planar effortlessly melds with the little DDs. On my HiBy R6 III DAP, increasing bass in the Dynamics plugin does add some mid-bass punch, but sub-bass just can't be increased, but it hardly matters because music is so listenable through the Neo 3. Top Notch for little dosh.

 

[DrewVz]

I concur with @DrewVz. The OG cable was pleasant but it was clear a cable change was needed. A XINHS Copper/Silver cable and Divinus Velvet tips cured that. What I hear with the Neo 3 is the most coherent IEM I have heard and the small, impressive' Planar effortlessly melds with the little DDs. On my HiBy R6 III DAP, increasing bass in the Dynamics plugin does add some mid-bass punch, but sub-bass just can't be increased, but it hardly matters because music is so listenable through the Neo 3. Top Notch for little dosh.

If you like the Neo 3, make the jump to the EST50. It's the Neo 3's big brother. Impeccable bass, next-level imaging and separation, with a more balanced signature. The funny thing is that even though the EST50 has more bass, the Neo 3 is more "fun" to listen to. Not sure exactly why, but it seems to have a more dynamic presentation, even though the EST50 is just plain better in all aspects. Both of them together make a formidable pair. As I said, someone over there at ISN really knows how to tune IEMs.

 

[theintention]

Big weekend plans

 

[DrewVz]

Big weekend plans

What cable is that? Looks like a stock Oriolus.