[nibe90]

Angelears is a close affiliate of Linsoul.
I personally have poor experience with them not due to their products or services per se, but due to AE shipping with XXXX (kindly put your strongest expletive) Netherland post - that takes forever to deliver (months vs 2 weeks). Fiio is now in the same boat with their FD11 shipment (1+ month and still waiting...)

DD is a Linsoul store in AE - just FYI.

F&$%

Last summer while at my parents I ordered the S12 from hifgo and had it shipped in the NL. Post NL was OK, although took longer than it would have if I were in Germany.

Ok then I might need to use the Shenzen ALlie Express store, because there they prepay taxes unlike the normal shenzen store

 

[Ferdinando1968]

It looks like this thread becomes a Penon temple (which I am quite indifferent to - I equally do not buy from Linsoul and Penon )

What problem did you have with Penon,
if I may ask and if you can say it publicly?

 

[PhonoPhi]

What problem did you have with Penon,
if I may ask and if you can say it publicly?

My reason not to order from Penon is due to their price factoring all those reviewer samples sent, and then being averse to all the hype trains generated - personal and subjective.

My only item ordered from them was a.specific interconnect - the price was relatively high, but the "quality and presentation" were at the high level. A good item it was overall.
So the Penon shrine is fine

Then there are those Penon palladium, bass, vocal, etc cables (not quite at the NiceHCK level of zinc and lanthanum "audiophile" alloys, but the same story to me) - to each their own...

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Kiwi Ears Quintet MRSP $219

early bird $1RC purchase get $15 off.

Hmmpricing is

Wow! A quadbrid with a planar in it for $219?! This is the deal of the year if it comes close to being well tuned?

 

[Ferdinando1968]

Wow! A quadbrid with a planar in it for $219?! This is the deal of the year if it comes close to being well tuned?

We all stand in confident hope
Otherwise it's another 200 cards thrown away.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

My reason not to order from Penon is due to their price factoring all those reviewer samples sent, and then being averse to all the hype trains generated - personal and subjective.

My only item ordered from them was a.specific interconnect - the price was relatively high, but the "quality and presentation" were at the high level. A good item it was overall.
So the Penon shrine is fine

Then there are those Penon palladium, bass, vocal, etc cables (not quite at the NiceHCK level of zinc and lanthanum "audiophile" alloys, but the same story to me) - to each their own...

Ok ok, that was just asking.

Following my madness, I buy cables only because I like them aesthetically.
(but, on the other hand, I do even worse. I bought some IEMs only because I liked them aesthetically. Can you be crazier?).

However, I found a way to recover the faux purple cable that I had taken for the QUARTET, the color of which doesn't suit the QUARTET well, but works well with the TANGZU.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Ok ok, that was just asking.

Following my madness, I buy cables only because I like them aesthetically.
(but, on the other hand, I do even worse. I bought some IEMs only because I liked them aesthetically. Can you be crazier?).

However, I found a way to recover the faux purple cable that I had taken for the QUARTET, the color of which doesn't suit the QUARTET well, but works well with the TANGZU.

Absolutely, I have 50+ balanced cables based on their fit and aesthetics (and a good cable can be better (with the tangible difference perceived/measured) compared to a poor high-resistivity stock cable), but then I could not justify any cable purchase past $35+, contactig manufacturers asking for the difference and getting only "some can hear the difference" - I am not among those "some" unless I turn on my imagination ). DACs are totally different to me, so much difference, hence my fascination rabbit hole

 

[lgcubana]

Cables
For me there are three categories:

Naysayers

Then there are those Penon palladium, bass, vocal, etc cables (not quite at the NiceHCK level of zinc and lanthanum "audiophile" alloys, but the same story to me) - to each their own...

Fashionistas

Following my madness, I buy cables only because I like them aesthetically.
(but, on the other hand, I do even worse. I bought some IEMs only because I liked them aesthetically. Can you be crazier?).

Believers
the majority of Penon sub thread participants

I’m an unapologetic fashionista, with a moderate lean towards believer. Like @Ferdinando1968 , aesthetics are a big influence on my purchases. But pliability and feel are also factors for me. Most of my cables are sourced from either KBEar or NiceHCK, for the cost to desirability ratio. The KBEar Hazy and NiceHCK GreyFlag being my current go to choices.

Why I’m sliding into middle ground, between Fashionista and Believer: Effect Audio was gracious enough to invite me, to try out one of their new “economical” lines (Cadmus) and it did change the sound signature (for the better) of my FiiO FD5, in tonality.

Sometimes I wish that I was an ardent Naysayer. During the current Summer sale and the last 11.11 event I spent more on “pretty’s“ than I should have. Need to add a filler (or three) to use a $200 coupon code, no problem
[edit to add]
I do have my limits though. e.g. oil soaked cables or zinc as a good conductor.

 

[gooberbm]

Cables
For me there are three categories:

Naysayers


Fashionistas


Believers
the majority of Penon sub thread participants

I’m an unapologetic fashionista, with a moderate lean towards believer. Like @Ferdinando1968 , aesthetics are a big influence on my purchases. But pliability and feel are also factors for me. Most of my cables are sourced from either KBEar or NiceHCK, for the cost to desirability ratio. The KBEar Hazy and NiceHCK GreyFlag being my current go to choices.

Why I’m sliding into middle ground, between Fashionista and Believer: Effect Audio was gracious enough to invite me, to try out one of their new “economical” lines (Cadmus) and it did change the sound signature (for the better) of my FiiO FD5, in tonality.

Sometimes I wish that I was an ardent Naysayer. During the current Summer sale and the last 11.11 event I spent more on “pretty’s“ than I should have. Need to add a filler (or three) to use a $200 coupon code, no problem
[edit to add]
I do have my limits though. e.g. oil soaked cables or zinc as a good conductor.

I’d say rather than 3 distinct camps, the three categories make up a Venn diagram with some overlap across camps

 

[szore]

Wow! A quadbrid with a planar in it for $219?! This is the deal of the year if it comes close to being well tuned?

HawaiiBadboy raved about it...

 

[Surf Monkey]

HawaiiBadboy raved about it...

I’m not a fan, but that’s a good sign at least. I want to see some of these exotic hybrid type sets succeed.

 

[PhonoPhi]

I’d say rather than 3 distinct camps, the three categories make up a Venn diagram with some overlap across camps

Exactly!

WhIle I am a non-apologetic "non-believer" in believers, I got multiple cables not only for their look/colours, but the value of the great fit enabled by a good flexible cable that should not be underappreciated - for the comfort and the seal!
At the same time, no palladium/unobtanium and exhorbitant prices for the gullible in my Universe (or I can happily beleive in blue cables - the last time I talked to electrons - they clearly expressed their strong affinity for the blue )

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Don't know how it is in Norway, at least from germany etc. Hifigo and and Allie express are the only reasonable options since they prepay the import taxes for you. Linsould and Shenzhen don't do that. Thus ordering somewhere else is kinda a PITA. AND it would be way more expensive.
An example: I order an IEM worth 200$ from Shenzen and Hifigo to Germany.

Shenzen Audio : 200$ + 0 shipping + 7$ fee for post /dhl so that they loan you the import duties temporaliy + 19% import taxes ( headphones have no import taxes just VAT) = 245$
Hifigo: 200$ + 16$ shipping + 0$ import taxes + 0$ post/dhl fees. = 216$


BTW any expierence with the angelears store on alieexpress?

Yea I’ve purchased some from angelgear‘s aliexpress store before, no issues and they respond to inquiries pretty quick

 

[baskingshark]

Cables
For me there are three categories:

Naysayers


Fashionistas


Believers
the majority of Penon sub thread participants

I’m an unapologetic fashionista, with a moderate lean towards believer. Like @Ferdinando1968 , aesthetics are a big influence on my purchases. But pliability and feel are also factors for me. Most of my cables are sourced from either KBEar or NiceHCK, for the cost to desirability ratio. The KBEar Hazy and NiceHCK GreyFlag being my current go to choices.

Why I’m sliding into middle ground, between Fashionista and Believer: Effect Audio was gracious enough to invite me, to try out one of their new “economical” lines (Cadmus) and it did change the sound signature (for the better) of my FiiO FD5, in tonality.

Sometimes I wish that I was an ardent Naysayer. During the current Summer sale and the last 11.11 event I spent more on “pretty’s“ than I should have. Need to add a filler (or three) to use a $200 coupon code, no problem
[edit to add]
I do have my limits though. e.g. oil soaked cables or zinc as a good conductor.

Speaking of cables, just saw on Aliexpress that CVJ has an interesting Oxygen free copper cable with modular plugs for 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm.

$15 USD for all 3 modules.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/1005005708215526.html

One of the cheapest modular cables?

Could be something useful if you have various different single-ended and balanced sources.

Kara looks interesting.
Was wondering though how is the isolation compared to the hexa, S12 and P5 thinking of getting either of them as beater IEM for commute, blessing 3 is a bit heavy and flashy for that. Looked through your signature and saw that you have those 3.

cheers.

and yes I also looked into the moondrop quarks, tanchjim zero , with or without dsp ( they are still on the potential buy list)

I currently am out of the house but I will do some isolation tests with these IEMs later.

Off the top of my head, I would rate the isolation from aural memory as best P5 > HEXA = Kara > S12. S12 has the worst isolation of the lot for sure.

BTW kind woried about the size: How is the insertion depth on scale of Final A/B series to Blessing 3 ? xD

I used the Kara yesterday for about 4 hours non stop haha. It is very ergonomic for my average sized ears. Very lightweight too.

I don't have the Blessing 3 so can't compare in terms of fit/size.

 

[psykanoc]

isolation from aural memory as best P5

Aful right? If so great! Hoping to use it in my gym which has gotten quite noisy recently