Penon sent through some new goodies I plan on reviewing in due course, in the meantime here are a some brief impressions from my last few days with them. 
Penon Liqueur Eartips come in two varieties (4 sizes each), orange and black which vary slightly in construction – the black ones are thicker walled, as a result the two sound slightly different.
If you’ve ever tried Azla Sedna Xelastecs you’ll know they feel very tacky/sticky which helps create a really strong seal. The Liqueur tips feel similar but thankfully nowhere near to the same extent, as I could never get along with the Xelastecs for that reason. Instead they’re much closer to regular silicone, but sized quite large – the largest are actually too big for my ears, whereas I typically use the largest size on most eartips. Good news if you’re someone who struggles to find tips large enough.
Both the orange & black versions are quite soft & comfortable, in my early tests the orange tips seem to emphasise upper midrange more & sound a bit airier than the blacks, which highlight midbass and seem a bit darker. I turned on my very noisy robovac to conduct some noise tests, and the black versions in particular are superb at creating a very strong seal – they seem to isolate better than any other tips in my collection (except Xelastecs which I don't like) so I plan to use them on public transport.
ISN Neo3s are extremely light, I wouldn’t call them small but they’re very comfortable as the stems are long enough that the portion of the shells that makes contact with my ears is fairly slender. As expected from an ISN IEM they’re very bassy with sub bass that goes quite deep, but I wouldn’t call it exaggerated or excessively dominant. In fact they sound quite balanced, even polite.
Compared to the Neo1s I recently reviewed the Neo3s have a much wider soundstage, are smoother & less shouty with a greater sense of refinement. The Neo5s by contrast feel more bass dominant than the Neo3s, with a much slower DD bass driver. They’re also brighter, more dynamic & v-shaped whereas the Neo3s are more neutral. I’ve quickly A/Bed the Neo3s against the NiceHCK F1 Pros which are also much brighter and perhaps faster but don’t sound as natural.
Penon OS133 USB-C Dongle is on the smaller & more ergonomic side of dongles I’ve tried over the years, and is way less expensive than those I use – however I’m very much a DAP lover out & about, and only ever use dongles with my laptop. However for maximum portability the OS133’s design is much less burdensome than the usual dongle form factor, and feels like plugging an IEM directly into your phone with a slightly longer & heavier cable.
Sonically the OS133 isn't as refined as the Penon Tail, with a background that’s not quite as black & instruments that aren’t as separated, though the OS133 has more emphasised sub bass and is more v-shaped overall which is going to suit energetic genres, whereas by contrast the Tail is fairly neutral.
Swapping to the far more expensive RU7 unlocks a whole new level of refinement with a more analogue tonality, though for some reason I find my iPhone 15 Pro’s USB-C port doesn’t do any of these dongles full justice – they all sound much better through my Macbook for some reason… but for $35 the OS133 feels like a super convenient way to use IEMs through my phone.
Penon ASOS+ Cable is identical to the regular ASOS I recently reviewed, except the ASOS’ modular plug & 2pin connectors have been replaced by a higher quality ‘purple copper’ plug & 2pin connectors with the ASOS+. As someone who’s DIYed my own IEM cables I’m well aware connector quality (especially 4.4mm plugs) can have a substantial impact on performance but have never had the chance to A/B identical cables where only the connectors differ.
After briefly comparing the ASOS+ with the ASOS on the ISN Neo5s, I find the ASOS+ has better dynamics, improved note weight & deeper bass. Vocals sound smaller & more recessed on the ASOS, everything feels more mechanical and less organic whereas the ASOS+ feels much more direct with music flowing more effortlessly.
This lines up with my prior experiences with modular friction-fit connectors - that they tend to rob musicality. For an extra $46 I’d strongly recommend spending the extra on the ASOS+ if you’re considering purchasing either cable, as I would personally never dream of purchasing an expensive cable with friction-fit connectors because what you gain in convenience IMHO simply isn’t worth putting up with sound that's more robotic, mechanical & less natural. Of course it’s easy for me to say that given all my IEMs use 2pin connectors and my sources have 4.4mm sockets, but that’s very much by design.
Penon Liqueur Eartips come in two varieties (4 sizes each), orange and black which vary slightly in construction – the black ones are thicker walled, as a result the two sound slightly different.
If you’ve ever tried Azla Sedna Xelastecs you’ll know they feel very tacky/sticky which helps create a really strong seal. The Liqueur tips feel similar but thankfully nowhere near to the same extent, as I could never get along with the Xelastecs for that reason. Instead they’re much closer to regular silicone, but sized quite large – the largest are actually too big for my ears, whereas I typically use the largest size on most eartips. Good news if you’re someone who struggles to find tips large enough.
Both the orange & black versions are quite soft & comfortable, in my early tests the orange tips seem to emphasise upper midrange more & sound a bit airier than the blacks, which highlight midbass and seem a bit darker. I turned on my very noisy robovac to conduct some noise tests, and the black versions in particular are superb at creating a very strong seal – they seem to isolate better than any other tips in my collection (except Xelastecs which I don't like) so I plan to use them on public transport.
ISN Neo3s are extremely light, I wouldn’t call them small but they’re very comfortable as the stems are long enough that the portion of the shells that makes contact with my ears is fairly slender. As expected from an ISN IEM they’re very bassy with sub bass that goes quite deep, but I wouldn’t call it exaggerated or excessively dominant. In fact they sound quite balanced, even polite.
Compared to the Neo1s I recently reviewed the Neo3s have a much wider soundstage, are smoother & less shouty with a greater sense of refinement. The Neo5s by contrast feel more bass dominant than the Neo3s, with a much slower DD bass driver. They’re also brighter, more dynamic & v-shaped whereas the Neo3s are more neutral. I’ve quickly A/Bed the Neo3s against the NiceHCK F1 Pros which are also much brighter and perhaps faster but don’t sound as natural.
Penon OS133 USB-C Dongle is on the smaller & more ergonomic side of dongles I’ve tried over the years, and is way less expensive than those I use – however I’m very much a DAP lover out & about, and only ever use dongles with my laptop. However for maximum portability the OS133’s design is much less burdensome than the usual dongle form factor, and feels like plugging an IEM directly into your phone with a slightly longer & heavier cable.
Sonically the OS133 isn't as refined as the Penon Tail, with a background that’s not quite as black & instruments that aren’t as separated, though the OS133 has more emphasised sub bass and is more v-shaped overall which is going to suit energetic genres, whereas by contrast the Tail is fairly neutral.
Swapping to the far more expensive RU7 unlocks a whole new level of refinement with a more analogue tonality, though for some reason I find my iPhone 15 Pro’s USB-C port doesn’t do any of these dongles full justice – they all sound much better through my Macbook for some reason… but for $35 the OS133 feels like a super convenient way to use IEMs through my phone.
Penon ASOS+ Cable is identical to the regular ASOS I recently reviewed, except the ASOS’ modular plug & 2pin connectors have been replaced by a higher quality ‘purple copper’ plug & 2pin connectors with the ASOS+. As someone who’s DIYed my own IEM cables I’m well aware connector quality (especially 4.4mm plugs) can have a substantial impact on performance but have never had the chance to A/B identical cables where only the connectors differ.
After briefly comparing the ASOS+ with the ASOS on the ISN Neo5s, I find the ASOS+ has better dynamics, improved note weight & deeper bass. Vocals sound smaller & more recessed on the ASOS, everything feels more mechanical and less organic whereas the ASOS+ feels much more direct with music flowing more effortlessly.
This lines up with my prior experiences with modular friction-fit connectors - that they tend to rob musicality. For an extra $46 I’d strongly recommend spending the extra on the ASOS+ if you’re considering purchasing either cable, as I would personally never dream of purchasing an expensive cable with friction-fit connectors because what you gain in convenience IMHO simply isn’t worth putting up with sound that's more robotic, mechanical & less natural. Of course it’s easy for me to say that given all my IEMs use 2pin connectors and my sources have 4.4mm sockets, but that’s very much by design.
