[-rowan-]

Soundstage-wise, the Kato is slighly deeper, narrower, and of equal height. I find the Serial crazy wide for soundstage, lacking in depth, but very good height after burn-in. Instruments placed in the soundstage are almost etched on the Kato. Instruments are much more naturally placed in the soundstage of the Serial. For the Kato, they almost seem like the instruments are pop-ups:

Layering is clearly superior for the Serial.

Again, the Kato irritating my auditory sensitivities may diminish its performance relative to someone else's experience with different auditory sensitivities. FWIW, I gave my Kato away. With the Serial, 2021 Hana, and the Globe, I am at a place where I do not feel I need another IEM until one of the three units breaks. It is a rather strange feeling.

I find that increasingly, I’m appreciating how natural the Serial sounds. Not larger than life, not making instruments or people sound like something they’re not.

Very likely it’s the palladium working it’s magic. Lolz

PS Series

• Pure silver & SCC - both palladium-plated
• Double frozen Litz
• Hybrid

Totem

• Pure silver palladium-plated +
• SCC silver-plated Litz type 6 +
• SCC gold-plated
• Coaxial

Palace Series

• Pure silver gold-plated +
• Pure silver palladium-plated +
• SCC/OCC
• Mixed

As long as it is positive placebo! The availability of the pigtail at a fraction of the cost to sample bits of it’s sonics is a win in my book.

We shared the same conundrum on cable inventory, happened to me last year. Most of my cables were mmcx then which I personally dreaded, not saying 2 Pins are miles better but I do favor them over mmcx. Luckily I stayed the course with 2.5mm otherwise by just looking at my inventory will induce massive headache!

I find both 2.5mm/4.4mm equally versatile as a pigtail/adapter will convert to either termination including 3.5mm. Totem at this point is missing a 4.4mm to 2.5mm adapter and I can see their point in not making one as 2.5mm seemed to have waned in popularity? Super if they did. A 2 Pin adapter also comes in handy for me on the odd mmcx in-ear purchase once in a blue moon.

Sticking to Penon in-ears for the whole of this year greatly help in my transition from mmcx to 2 Pins. And I hope it stays that way going forward cable wise at least.

Yeah I prefer 2-pin to mmcx too (although to be fair, the recent mmcx implementations I’ve seen are actually pretty decent). Anyway I’m glad Penon have stayed the course with 2-pin, although I don’t understand why ISN have to be mmcx if they are so closely related… no don’t answer that, I don’t need another rabbit hole to fall into...

Wonderful summary on the Serial and likewise I’m really close to the spot as you are right now on not getting another in-ear for sometime. Maybe just one last one before the year closes.

“Maybe just one last one before the year closes.”

 

[Dsnuts]

Someone want an upgrade on the Serial cable. Grab this. https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/penon-mix-shnix-cables.16415/

 

[Nabillion_786]

Well the Kato is my favourite iem of all time and I have owned many many good sets including the tanchjim oxygen which is supposed to be better then the Hana 2021 and also the Fiio fd5. For me the Kato's midrange is almost perfect and it does male vocals the best out of any iems I have heard and that is the main reason I really like it. All personal preferences at the end of the day as it does not come across as intense to me like some others. Also, the more I hear about the serials I am not quite sure they will be that upgrade over the Kato's for my purposes. For my next upgrade I will give it some time until another great single DD pops up in the scene.

 

[rawbine]

There’s always a spot or three for a single DD. And the Fan in my opinion is done just right, like you said a no brainer.

I’d be stoked if Penon were to come out with a higher resolving/technical unit next year in the $200 price bracket with their usual tuning prowess, i.e. great bass, forward mids, polite treble and a large soundstage.

Lest I forget, it should be as part of the Penon lineage instead of a sub category that the Fan was.

Penon Timbre​

3DD Dynamic Coherence
Better Bass rumble & texture
Penon House sound Mids
Globe energy & treble tuned
Better detail retrieval
The essence of Volt Holographic

I find that increasingly, I’m appreciating how natural the Serial sounds. Not larger than life, not making instruments or people sound like something they’re not.

Yeah I prefer 2-pin to mmcx too (although to be fair, the recent mmcx implementations I’ve seen are actually pretty decent). Anyway I’m glad Penon have stayed the course with 2-pin, although I don’t understand why ISN have to be mmcx if they are so closely related… no don’t answer that, I don’t need another rabbit hole to fall into...
“Maybe just one last one before the year closes.”

I’m loving my Serial, it’s naturalness, resolution, detail retrieval and that sub bass seals it for me.

ISN / Final purchase.

 

[ehjie]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/penon-audio-thread-post-your-impressions-here.934523/post-16587505

Hopefully, it will be released before the JW4 in May '22, LOL...

 

[yomshetan]

I have a Penon Volt and Hiby R6 combo with original cable.
I would like to buy a new cable more flexible, more pleasant to wear than the original cable. If possible adding the possibility of adding a little weight to the lower mids and basses. What are you advices in the 0-200e price range ?

 

[Dsnuts]

I have a Penon Volt and Hiby R6 combo with original cable.
I would like to buy a new cable more flexible, more pleasant to wear than the original cable. If possible adding the possibility of adding a little weight to the lower mids and basses. What are you advices in the 0-200e price range ?

Dont know if someone bought these yet but this is a steal at this price. Might be what your looking for. Sound property wise it seems the Penon OS849 is what your looking for but those are a bit bulky. Try this if no one has bought it yet. This is a great deal for what he is asking for it and it includes an extra graphene cable. https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/penon-mix-xinhs-cables.16415/

 

[szore]

Holy cow! I ordered the Serial, and it was shipped on the 13th and I was told by tracking that I would get it next Wednesday the 22nd. All of a sudden I get a text today saying the Serial is out for Delivery! That is 4 days from shipment...6 days from order...THAT is impressive...

 

[H T T]

Holy cow! I ordered the Serial, and it was shipped on the 13th and I was told by tracking that I would get it next Wednesday the 22nd. All of a sudden I get a text today saying the Serial is out for Delivery! That is 4 days from shipment...6 days from order...THAT is impressive...

Did you pay for DHL expedited shipping?

 

[szore]

Did you pay for DHL expedited shipping?

Why yes, I did!

 

[H T T]

Why yes, I did!

Yeah, Penon and DHL know how to get things done. I hope you and your Serial are a good match! Please keep us posted.

 

[szore]

6 Days from China to Brooklyn...

 

[szore]

Initial impressions of the Serial are very very positive...similiar to 3dt but the Serial seems to have better resolution and a bit more of a subbass prescence. Soundstage seems a bit wider too...gotta burn these in but out of box they sound excellent off my M8...Very generous and high quality carry case, accesories and leather pouch!

 

[hotsnacx]

And a holiday card!!!! That’s awesome one day I’ll purchase something from penon, sadly I spent my wad on source gear this year.

 

[rattlingblanketwoman]

Initial impressions of the Serial are very very positive...similiar to 3dt but the Serial seems to have better resolution and a bit more of a subbass prescence. Soundstage seems a bit wider too...gotta burn these in but out of box they sound excellent off my M8...Very generous and high quality carry case, accesories and leather pouch!

They’re great all rounders aren’t they?