will see if time permits. I would like to knock out these reviews as fast as humanly possible but I am a full time health care worker during the day and I have a family I have to go home to after. I just got done with my review of Fiios new FH9 which I haven't posted yet. It is one earphone after another for me. So I only have time during my 1 hour lunch break to write about earphones during the week.
I can tell you the Serial is differently tuned than the earphones mentioned. The SCB2 and EST50 have a similar sound signture with the EST50 having more refinements, more neutral in tonality, Sonion BA detail and Sonion EST treble. SCB2 is like a dynamic version of the EST50 having a richer slightly darker thicker sound profile and the H50 which is more like a Penon earphone and less like a ISN earphone. Serial is similar to how higher end cans are tuned. I will get into it much more so in my review.
The Serial is the Yin with the SCB2 being the Yang. You want to talk about contrasts of sound signtures. The SCB2 is all about the full bodied low end and lower mids emphasis. The Serial is the opposite upper mids and detail oriented well balanced earphone. This is the reason why I suggested to @Scuba Devils a serail and a EST50. Yin and the Yang.
Thank you for your response and I thank you greatly for the time you take to do these reviews as well as answering questions!!
I personally have found them very helpful as I live deep in the Sierra nevada mountains in the south of Spain and as far as I know there is no where here in Spain where I can listen to the chifi stuff before I buy and until now there are no canjam sessions here either so I'm totally dependent on the reviews and impressions on head fi
Thanks again!
Hasta luego
Brilliant, thank you. EST50 similar tribrid to MEST MKII which I'm not a fan of - do you know if they sound similar in as far as technical but less musicality/engagement? It was my love/hate for MEST that led me to a DD obsession!
Na it is different. I only have the MEST first edition, coherency of the MEST variants does not seem to be the best though I havent heard the new indego. UM is guilty of charging an extra $1K for minor tweaks. Seems that is how they make their money. EST50 is much more colored sound signature vs the serial and it does have a bold bass end. Something bassy. If your prefernce is more sub bass focused the H50 is not a bad contrasting earphone along with the Serial.
Brilliant, thank you. EST50 similar tribrid to MEST MKII which I'm not a fan of - do you know if they sound similar in as far as technical but less musicality/engagement? It was my love/hate for MEST that led me to a DD obsession!
Na it is different. I only have the MEST first edition, coherency of the MEST variants does not seem to be the best though I havent heard the new indego. UM is guilty of charging an extra $1K for minor tweaks. Seems that is how they make their money. EST50 is much more colored sound signature vs the serial and it does have a bold bass end. Something bassy. If your prefernce is more sub bass focused the H50 is not a bad contrasting earphone along with the Serial.
Yeah I often consider the massive margins made in this industry for some brands at least. As you are in the process of doing the FH9 review, is that one I should consider instead?
will see if time permits. I would like to knock out these reviews as fast as humanly possible but I am a full time health care worker during the day and I have a family I have to go home to after. I just got done with my review of Fiios new FH9 which I haven't posted yet. It is one earphone after another for me. So I only have time during my 1 hour lunch break to write about earphones during the week.
I can tell you the Serial is differently tuned than the earphones mentioned. The SCB2 and EST50 have a similar sound signture with the EST50 having more refinements, more neutral in tonality, Sonion BA detail and Sonion EST treble. SCB2 is like a dynamic version of the EST50 having a richer slightly darker thicker sound profile and the H50 which is more like a Penon earphone and less like a ISN earphone. Serial is similar to how higher end cans are tuned. I will get into it much more so in my review.
The Serial is the Yin with the SCB2 being the Yang. You want to talk about contrasts of sound signtures. The SCB2 is all about the full bodied low end and lower mids emphasis. The Serial is the opposite upper mids and detail oriented well balanced earphone. This is the reason why I suggested to @Scuba Devils a serail and a EST50. Yin and the Yang.
Is anyone willing and able to provide some comparison information on SQ for the Penon Volt vs. the Oriolus Isabellae? I listen most often to non-orchestral classical music (baroque and earlier; vocal/opera).
I see no one has attempted this. I can add two cents. I owned Volt and own Isa now. Volt didn’t sound quite right to me in upper mids with instrumental jazz. But that may have been my dap at the time contributing. Volt has a fairly warm tone.
Isa is coherent across the spectrum and has a certain tenderness to its tone. I can’t believe how good it sounds for the price. If I had more limited means it would be all I need. However, I do EQ the bass up a few steps. The only iem I use EQ for. But it sounds very natural that way. I did detect some distortion on Isa when using high gain on my WM1A.
Yeah I often consider the massive margins made in this industry for some brands at least. As you are in the process of doing the FH9 review, is that one I should consider instead?
For someone that had the MEST MK2 already don't know how much the FH9 will wow you. It is playing along a similar type of signature. Big bold full bodied signature. Whats nice about the FH9 as its tuning caps bring a legit 3 in 1 signature. It can go from a distinct L shaped, a mild v shaped to a U shaped signature for the treble caps. Its a nice hybrid but for the price of those you can get both the H50 and the Serial. If you got the FH9. I bet a part of you would be wondering if you missed out on the serail and the H50.
The SQ of the two earphones you are considering are both very nice for their given sound signatures and profiles. Both very satisfactory. A single FH9 experience will have 3 different tunings but will still have the same tonal qualities and bass presentations it will still be the FH9. The two Penon made earphones will give you two completely different sounds altogher. So that my friend you will have to ponder on.
For someone that had the MEST MK2 already don't know how much the FH9 will wow you. It is playing along a similar type of signature. Big bold full bodied signature. Whats nice about the FH9 as its tuning caps bring a legit 3 in 1 signature. It can go from a distinct L shaped, a mild v shaped to a U shaped signature for the treble caps. Its a nice hybrid but for the price of those you can get both the H50 and the Serial. If you got the FH9. I bet a part of you would be wondering if you missed out on the serail and the H50.
The SQ of the two earphones you are considering are both very nice for their given sound signatures and profiles. Both very satisfactory. A single FH9 experience will have 3 different tunings but will still have the same tonal qualities and bass presentations it will still be the FH9. The two Penon made earphones will give you two completely different sounds altogher. So that my friend you will have to ponder on.
Ok, thanks for that - I definitely don't need another MEST in my collection! Well in reality, I don't need anything else at all but that's another matter...
Appreciate the guidance, thank you and I will indeed ponder further on it!
Ya no harm in just getting the Serial for now and see how you like it and go from there. But yes they very well might open up another can of worms. Lol.
Love the Serial. I'm finding I like the H50 better than the EST50 though. I like the estats on the EST50, but I prefer the bass on the H50. EST50 has too much mid-bass for my liking. Just one person's preferences.
I already have it and enjoy it immensely. It is a totally stellar unit but for female vocals, violin, woodwinds, PIANO, and classical overall, and guitar I prefer the 2021 Hana over the Serial. the slight "roundness" of the Serial is a notable deficit for piano. I am intrigued by the H50 for a "bass-centric" IEM.
I already have it and enjoy it immensely. It is a totally stellar unit but for female vocals, violin, woodwinds, PIANO, and classical overall, and guitar I prefer the 2021 Hana over the Serial. the slight "roundness" of the Serial is a notable deficit for piano. I am intrigued by the H50 for a "bass-centric" IEM.
Your description of Hana21 sounds about wheelhouse for me. I listen to a lot of instrumental jazz.
I did order Serial today though. I like the concept of three DDs. 3DT didn’t work for me, kind of metallic and 2D, but I’ve read 3DT really benefits from external amp power. Hope that isn’t the case with Serial. Only have wm1a hi gain. Not too much of a risk tho for $300, comparatively. Hoping $10 for expedited shipping makes the long journey a little quicker!
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