[WilliamBlake]

How can you guys find all these sound differences for a little adapter, I can barely hear any changes swapping cables

 

[zikarus]

How can you guys find all these sound differences for a little adapter, I can barely hear any changes swapping cables

The differences are indeed subtle, at least to me

Anyone already grabbed one of the NICEHCK offers (link with the chinese chracters in red in the 3rd line...)? Please do not hesitate to share...
Trendspotting

 

[Redcarmoose]

https://penonaudio.com/penon-leo-plus.html
$249

https://penonaudio.com/penon-space.html
$99.90

https://penonaudio.com/penon-obsidian.html
$149.00

https://penonaudio.com/isn-audio-c2.html
$79.90


So I get a PM about a gentleman getting the Fan 2 IEM and he wanted to know about alternative cables. So I went to work doing side-by-sides with the Fan 2 as well as my kind-of cable test unit the Nobel Audio Encore Universal.

In fact using these two IEMs together with the above cables showed many nuances which may have been lost to infinity with use with other IEMs. My first issue was I was thinking the Leo Plus was going to be too bright. I have never even tried the cable before but I had pre-test biases. Guess what! The Leo Plus was hands down the best cable out of the group, with both IEMs.

In fact I fell into tears due to the rendition of playback with the Encore! It was both detailed and offered a upper midrange expansion, but what killed me was the deep end detail.

To cut to the chase here I can recommend any of the four with either the Fan 2 or the Noble Encore and surprisingly rate them in order of price. Yep, that is what it is. Where by far the ISN C2 was the best bargain, yet to spend more for the Leo got you an expanded soundstage as well as details. There was an organic quality, actually I can’t find a description for it, like maybe golden, that the Leo does?

Prior to testing the Leo Plus my favorite out of the group was the Obsidian when used with the Encore. Besides the Totem. Really the price of the Totem keeps it from being referenced in this sale group. But if you must know the Totem was the very best with both the Noble Encore and the Fan 2.

And I should say a thing or two about the Space. The stage was cool in what it did, I just slightly had better low end detail with both the Obsidian and the Leo Plus. The Space also did something unique in terms of a frequency, as it almost enhanced in the upper mids, but I need to spend more time with the Space to get my head around what it’s doing there. But the Leo Plus is insane, the tear creator.

 

[Redcarmoose]

https://penonaudio.com/penon-leo-plus.html
$249

https://penonaudio.com/penon-space.html
$99.90

https://penonaudio.com/penon-obsidian.html
$149.00

https://penonaudio.com/isn-audio-c2.html
$79.90


So I get a PM about a gentleman getting the Fan 2 IEM and he wanted to know about alternative cables. So I went to work doing side-by-sides with the Fan 2 as well as my kind-of cable test unit the Nobel Audio Encore Universal.

In fact using these two IEMs together with the above cables showed many nuances which may have been lost to infinity with use with other IEMs. My first issue was I was thinking the Leo Plus was going to be too bright. I have never even tried the cable before but I had pre-test biases. Guess what! The Leo Plus was hands down the best cable out of the group, with both IEMs.

In fact I fell into tears due to the rendition of playback with the Encore! It was both detailed and offered a upper midrange expansion, but what killed me was the deep end detail.

To cut to the chase here I can recommend any of the four with either the Fan 2 or the Noble Encore and surprisingly rate them in order of price. Yep, that is what it is. Where by far the ISN C2 was the best bargain, yet to spend more for the Leo got you an expanded soundstage as well as details. There was an organic quality, actually I can’t find a description for it, like maybe golden, that the Leo does?

Prior to testing the Leo Plus my favorite out of the group was the Obsidian when used with the Encore. Besides the Totem. Really the price of the Totem keeps it from being referenced in this sale group. But if you must know the Totem was the very best with both the Noble Encore and the Fan 2.

And I should say a thing or two about the Space. The stage was cool in what it did, I just slightly had better low end detail with both the Obsidian and the Leo Plus. The Space also did something unique in terms of a frequency, as it almost enhanced in the upper mids, but I need to spend more time with the Space to get my head around what it’s doing there. But the Leo Plus is insane, the tear creator.

Weird talk about coincidences? This guy has the Noble Encore Universal too......only the limited Brass Edition. And he says the Leo Plus is the best cable he has ever heard in his life.


This comment is taken from Dsnuts Leo Plus Review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-leo-plus-iem-cable-from-penon.24270/reviews

I only just noticed this!

@EdgarBear
Hi
I went on a cable buying frenzy and bought 8 cables
1. OSG
2. Leo plus
3. GD849
4. Dunu blanche
5. Effect audio ares 2 8 core
6. Oc studio monarch
7. Oc studio caelus pure copper
8. CS819

I have 7 iem
1. Noble encore brass
2. Noble tux5
3. Noble k10
4. Empire ears zeus
5. um mest
6. Jh audio Diana
7. IE800

Player:
SP2000

Let me put it as simply as possible the leo plus is the best sounding cable I have ever heard, nothing like osg, it's 100 better in my opinion then osg, the osg adds brithness which I don't like but the leo is perfect. The stage is enormous

I'm actually going to buy another leo plus

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Weird talk about coincidences? This guy has the Noble Encore Universal too......only the limited Brass Edition. And he says the Leo Plus is the best cable he has ever heard in his life.


This comment is taken from Dsnuts Leo Plus Review:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-leo-plus-iem-cable-from-penon.24270/reviews

I only just noticed this!

@EdgarBear
Hi
I went on a cable buying frenzy and bought 8 cables
1. OSG
2. Leo plus
3. GD849
4. Dunu blanche
5. Effect audio ares 2 8 core
6. Oc studio monarch
7. Oc studio caelus pure copper
8. CS819

I have 7 iem
1. Noble encore brass
2. Noble tux5
3. Noble k10
4. Empire ears zeus
5. um mest
6. Jh audio Diana
7. IE800

Player:
SP2000

Let me put it as simply as possible the leo plus is the best sounding cable I have ever heard, nothing like osg, it's 100 better in my opinion then osg, the osg adds brithness which I don't like but the leo is perfect. The stage is enormous

I'm actually going to buy another leo plus

Very interesting,
Because the Encore's are very picky with cables and tips selection

 

[Redcarmoose]

Exactly. I know you sold your Encores. But here is the thing, normally I would think a darker cable would be the choice? Here we have silver, palladium and gold. They go together to add depth and stage, but expansion and bass texture......really textures across the board the whole stage now is textured?

But the Penon Mix was too intense for the Encore maybe, here we are just right. I mean you can hear that it’s brighter and more vivid, closer and farther away, yet everything is somehow coated and subdued. It’s the final cable for the Encore in my book?

Read the comments in Dsnuts Leo Plus review, I’m not alone in this style of amazement.

The Leo Plus is one of the best sounding cables I’ve ever heard. Now I have to find more combos for it.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Exactly. I know you sold your Encores. But here is the thing, normally I would think a darker cable would be the choice? Here we have silver, palladium and gold. They go together to add depth and stage, but expansion and bass texture......really textures across the board the whole stage now is textured?

But the Penon Mix was too intense for the Encore maybe, here we are just right. I mean you can hear that it’s brighter and more vivid, closer and farther away, yet everything is somehow coated and subdued. It’s the final cable for the Encore in my book?

Read the comments in Dsnuts Leo Plus review, I’m not alone in this style of amazement.

The Leo Plus is one of the best sounding cables I’ve ever heard. Now I have to find more combos for it.

I have sold the Encore's not about the tips (Raptgo adaptative eartips or Sedna xelastec = perfect match ) and the cables (Plussound Tricopper x 8 = magical ), only because I needed at the time money to finance other earphones and cable (Aure Elixir and Penon Totem = incredibly couple too... one of my G.O.A.T too).

But I've had them for 5 years, I've compared them with a lot of things, including much more expensive ones, and for me, even with the current Noble range, they're still TOTLs.

A friend of mine bought mine. So I know where to find them.

But yes, these are like Formula 1 cars. And so a Formula 1 can't be driven just any old way, and there's no ignition key on it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I have sold the Encore's not about the tips (Raptgo adaptative eartips or Sedna xelastec = perfect match ) and the cables (Plussound Tricopper x 8 = magical ), only because I needed at the time money to finance other earphones and cable (Aure Elixir and Penon Totem = incredibly couple too... one of my G.O.A.T too).

But I've had them for 5 years, I've compared them with a lot of things, including much more expensive ones, and for me, even with the current Noble range, they're still TOTLs.

A friend of mine bought mine. So I know where to find them.

But yes, these are like Formula 1 cars. And so a Formula 1 can't be driven just any old way, and there's no ignition key on it.

I don’t really know how to compare the Encores as I only have heard a few TOTL IEMs. The only other IEM I own that is at that level is the Sony IER-Z1R. And while I have tried a few TOTL IEMs, still it’s not like owning them and going threw the trials with them. I have had the Encore for 5 years too. And I can guess that there are other IEMs that are better than the Encore, but I would be surprised to find people (any IEM designer) who would purposely emulate the Encore’s tuning. To me it’s a strange duck, that’s why finding this Leo Plus cable to enhance what is strange about it, and make it even more technical.......well that’s what is a surprise?

But the Leo Plus did the same magic with the Penon Fan 2? Because the Leo Plus is so thin you think it sounds thin, but it sounds totally thick? Lol

 

[DaveStarWalker]

I don’t really know how to compare the Encores as I only have heard a few TOTL IEMs. The only other IEM I own that is at that level is the Sony IER-Z1R. And while I have tried a few TOTL IEMs, still it’s not like owning them and going threw the trials with them. I have had the Encore for 5 years too. And I can guess that there are other IEMs that are better than the Encore, but I would be surprised to find people (any IEM designer) who would purposely emulate the Encore’s tuning. To me it’s a strange duck, that’s why finding this Leo Plus cable to enhance what is strange about it, and make it even more technical.......well that’s what is a surprise?

But the Leo Plus did the same magic with the Penon Fan 2? Because the Leo Plus is so thin you think it sounds thin, but it sounds totally thick? Lol

Well... the Z1r are good ones but :

- too "V" for me
- Good technicalities but not so good
- lack of consistency between drivers's signatures
- complicated fit (personal, no problem, but it should be noted)
- Very poor passive sound insulation...

But they are quite spectacular in their way...

About the Encore's :

- Timbres and tones "BA" typed. But not a concern for me
- Very good low end, but not in a "earthquake" manner. Very quick and snappy decay. Very "neutral" quantity. But extreme qualities : density, pace, speed, texture, agility and balance. Not a concern for me too.
- Among the best transitory response I know... and I know real killers about that (A8000, Mentawai, Infinity mk2...)
- High technicalities, balanced... extremely good.
- High extension and bite, treble end. One of the best I know, ever
- Very good human voices rendition. Very precise but not sterile.
- Very picky about cables and tips.... very. Very. Very.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well... the Z1r are good ones but :

- too "V" for me
- Good technicalities but not so good
- lack of consistency between dirvers' signatures
- complicated fit (personal, no problem, but it should be noted)
- Very poor passive sound insulation...

But they are quite spectacular in their way...

Well somehow I find the IER and Encore to be complementary. In that the IER is actually a reference for me, and the Encore is more crazy. The Encore goes to always remind me that a tuning can slightly diverge from balanced, even and correct and still be entertaining? Where the IER is stuffy in a way, except for that bass, that’s not stuffy, but thrilling to me. But I listen to the Encore more?

And once in a while I come to realize that I could still judge music quality with them, even though part of me wants to call them messed-up. The Encore could be an IEM that you loved when one night drinking and purchased then the next morning thought “what did I do? “ Of course I purchased with a sound mind. Actually Pinky Powers review sold me on them. I somehow knew exactly how they sounded (just from the review) before even hearing them. Then I tried them and the Katana Universal. But the Katana only because it was there, I already knew I was buying the Encore.

But maybe I will hear another IEM that has that globe of treble around your head again like the Encore? That imaging, totally different from the IER.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Well somehow I find the IER and Encore to be complementary. In that the IER is actually a reference for me, and the Encore is more crazy. The Encore goes to always remind me that a tuning can slightly diverge from balanced, even and correct and still be entertaining? Where the IER is stuffy in a way, except for that bass, that’s not stuffy, but thrilling to me. But I listen to the Encore more?

And once in a while I come to realize that I could still judge music quality with them, even though part of me wants to call them messed-up. The Encore could be an IEM that you loved when one night drinking and purchased then the next morning thought “what did I do? “ Of course I purchased with a sound mind. Actually Pinky Powers review sold me on them. I somehow knew exactly how they sounded (just from the review) before even hearing them. Then I tried them and the Katana Universal. But the Katana only because it was there, I already knew I was buying the Encore.

But maybe I will hear another IEM that has that globe of treble around your head again like the Encore? That imaging, totally different from the IER.

So agreed !

You should try the Fir Kr5 : Guilty Pleasure²

 

[DaveStarWalker]

interesting, know it :

went on a cable buying frenzy and bought 8 cables


3. GD849 : Good with Encore's
4. Dunu blanche : Exceptionnal with Final A8000
5. Effect audio ares 2 8 core : Good with Encore's but terrible ergonomics

8. CS819

I have 7 iem
1. Noble encore brass : never heard them... very curious...

3. Noble k10 : not my cup of tea. Too polite and safe... Acrylic version...
4. Empire ears zeus : I had the Zeus XRA for a very long time... at the same time as the Encore's. I ended up keeping the Encore's because it was kind of a duplicate. The Zeus XRA's (important precision, XRA...) were even crazier than the Encore's!


7. IE800 : good but well... good.

 

[Redcarmoose]

interesting, know it :

went on a cable buying frenzy and bought 8 cables


3. GD849 : Good with Encore's
4. Dunu blanche : Exceptionnal with Final A8000
5. Effect audio ares 2 8 core : Good with Encore's but terrible ergonomics

8. CS819

I have 7 iem
1. Noble encore brass : never heard them... very curious...

3. Noble k10 : not my cup of tea. Too polite and safe... Acrylic version...
4. Empire ears zeus : I had the Zeus XRA for a very long time... at the same time as the Encore's. I ended up keeping the Encore's because it was kind of a duplicate. The Zeus XRA's (important precision, XRA...) were even crazier than the Encore's!


7. IE800 : good but well... good.

You have so much experience. I’m curious about the Brass Encore as just because I know the OG Encore is aluminum, I subsequently hear aluminum. Haha. But researching the brass ones, they scratch really easy. But still maybe who cares when they have brass harmonics......maybe?

 

[DaveStarWalker]

You have so much experience. I’m curious about the Brass Encore as just because I know the OG Encore is aluminum, I subsequently hear aluminum. Haha. But researching the brass ones, they scratch really easy. But still maybe who cares when they have brass harmonics......maybe?

Exactly the same questions and concerns

 

[Redcarmoose]

Very interesting,
Because the Encore's are very picky with cables and tips selection

Exactly the same questions and concerns

Well, in the last 5 years I went from needing longer ear-tips and firm ones to both give the Encore shells distance (due to non-custom semi-custom shape) and firmness to hold them in place.....to now using wide-bore tips and getting fit with an array of ear-tips? So my ears changed?

I don’t think we ever have to worry about encounters with the Brass ones, not in this lifetime anyway.....due to rarity.