[soundblast75]

Quattro is not dark by any stretch of the imagination, but while bass is sweet it doesn’t extend or pound as well as dte900 or Bonneville

 

[szore]

Listen to Queen Hot Space album or the remastered Beatles 2023. It's sublime ...

Hot Space! The album that destroyed Queen forever...

 

[pevinkarker]

Am using the stock cable with the white/red stock tips (orange tips otw). It's probably a source/preference issue, and I wouldn't recommend narrow bore tips as they compress detail.

I don't dislike the stock cable but quattro's combine very well with tri Grace s cable, nicehck jcally 2 and ikko ARC ctu-01, from my experience.
For tips i'm using spiral dots, the dark grey and green stock tips and cp145 (the divinus tips that i have are all M size and for this iem i needed the S). Tri clarion tips were also used with a positive response for my taste.
For source i'm using tempotec V3 and hiby m300 (surprising or contrary to some beliefs it can drive quattro's very well in my opinion).
All in all i think that there are a lot of subjective variations but the important thing is to find the combination that has the synergy you like.
I've been using the quattro's to listen mainly to classical music and i like it a lot but last night I decided to play Radiohead's In Rainbows and oh boy what a Journey...
I don't have experience with $400 sets but if i had to describe quattro's sound in one word it would have been "engaiging".

 

[bschnell9]

I don't understand how people are saying Quattro is dark.

Maybe it's the cable and eartips I'm using but it's far from being dark. If anything, it's bright to my ears and was sibilant out of the box, before burn in.

Mine was the darkest set I’ve ever heard. For example to my ears on a scale from 1 to 10 the Quattro is a one and EA500 is a 15.

 

[BlankName]

I don't understand how people are saying Quattro is dark.

Maybe it's the cable and eartips I'm using but it's far from being dark. If anything, it's bright to my ears and was sibilant out of the box, before burn in.

Same, although I didn't find it bright, at least compared to my previous iems, it had a lot more treble and upper mids than expected. What I expected was a warm and analogue sound but what I got was bassy and full with smooth upper mids that borders just perfectly between intense and recessed, and a treble that extends to heavens.

 

[jsmiller58]

I have my Quattro and 10th Anniversary with me (traveling for a few days). I can sit down for an hour or so later today and do some compare and contrast. If anyone has something they want me to play as part of that comparison (and I can find it on Amazon Music, Apple Music, or Tidal) I will be happy to do so! I also have these on on Effect Audio Cadmus 8W and Ares x Cadmus 8W cables and can see what difference they make. Some of these were Christmas presents to me - my wife doesn’t know how generous she was to me this Christmas, literally - so I haven’t really done any real comparisons yet, so it’s a great excuse to do a little critical listening…

Just keep in mind I am older than most here so my hearing of upper registers is compromised (I can pick out 13K-14K sometimes), so if you are in your 20s or 30s you can definitely pick up more in the higher frequencies. Whether or not there is much there in recordings is a different discussion!

Edit: I just read this to my wife and told her I was offering my services to the community, and she responded “So, you’re offering your services online?”

 

[emdeevee]

I don't understand how people are saying Quattro is dark.

Maybe it's the cable and eartips I'm using but it's far from being dark. If anything, it's bright to my ears and was sibilant out of the box, before burn in.

Yeah, I've not ever heard a dark Penon, although Quattro is one of the more bass prominent Penons of those I have heard. Maybe because it's not as bright as others, like 10th, it seems dark to some? Not sure.

I'm using the Code 23 (while I wait for code 24 which I found to be the perfect match with Quattro) and the Penon black tips and it's pretty impressive. Gotta try the orange tips next.

 

[jsmiller58]

I have my Quattro and 10th Anniversary with me (traveling for a few days). I can sit down for an hour or so later today and do some compare and contrast. If anyone has something they want me to play as part of that comparison (and I can find it on Amazon Music, Apple Music, or Tidal) I will be happy to do so! I also have these on on Effect Audio Cadmus 8W and Ares x Cadmus 8W cables and can see what difference they make. Some of these were Christmas presents to me - my wife doesn’t know how generous she was to me this Christmas, literally - so I haven’t really done any real comparisons yet, so it’s a great excuse to do a little critical listening…

Just keep in mind I am older than most here so my hearing of upper registers is compromised (I can pick out 13K-14K sometimes), so if you are in your 20s or 30s you can definitely pick up more in the higher frequencies. Whether or not there is much there in recordings is a different discussion!

Edit: I just read this to my wife and told her I was offering my services to the community, and she responded “So, you’re offering your services online?”

Lots more listening to do, but just two songs in, I think it is clear what **I hear** from the Quattro in comparison to the 10th Anniversary. Will do more listening and update…

Two simple test tracks: “Sweet Spot” by Lindsey Ell (good bass emphasis and huskier female voice), and “Ever Ever After” by Carrie Underwood (track that I find quite sibilant - I think poorly mastered - featuring a relatively higher pitched female voice). Listened to out of HiBy R6 Pro II, balanced.

I find the 10th Anniversary to have a W presentation, with punchy bass, prominent treble, and non-recessed mids. Brings out nicely the introductory bass in “Sweet Spot”, and emphasizes the sibilance in “Ever Ever After”. Overall the tonality is what I would describe as very clear. Easy to drive - volume at 36.

The Quattro I might describe as a slightly upside down U sounding set, with slightly recessed bass and treble. But even mids, which are more prominent, are a bit veiled - **to my ears**. There is less thump to “Sweet Spot”, and less sibilance to “Ever Ever After”. The tonality is warmer, I might call it muffled, by comparison to the 10th Anniversary. Harder to drive - volume at 46,

Now I want to stress that the Quattro sounds great, quite relaxing. But I don’t find it to be resolving, or bassy. It is, **to me**, a pleasant and warm sounding IEM. In fact four or five songs in and my brain has completely adjusted to the sound of the Quattro and they sound fantastic. That may be the secret of what people hear with the Quattro - it is just so easy to get into this set after just a few tracks.

 

[bschnell9]

Lots more listening to do, but just two songs in, I think it is clear what **I hear** from the Quattro in comparison to the 10th Anniversary. Will do more listening and update…

Two simple test tracks: “Sweet Spot” by Lindsey Ell (good bass emphasis and huskier female voice), and “Ever Ever After” by Carrie Underwood (track that I find quite sibilant - I think poorly mastered - featuring a relatively higher pitched female voice). Listened to out of HiBy R6 Pro II, balanced.

I find the 10th Anniversary to have a W presentation, with punchy bass, prominent treble, and non-recessed mids. Brings out nicely the introductory bass in “Sweet Spot”, and emphasizes the sibilance in “Ever Ever After”. Overall the tonality is what I would describe as very clear. Easy to drive - volume at 36.

The Quattro I might describe as a slightly upside down U sounding set, with slightly recessed bass and treble. But even mids, which are more prominent, are a bit veiled - **to my ears**. There is less thump to “Sweet Spot”, and less sibilance to “Ever Ever After”. The tonality is warmer, I might call it muffled, by comparison to the 10th Anniversary. Harder to drive - volume at 46,

Now I want to stress that the Quattro sounds great, quite relaxing. But I don’t find it to be resolving, or bassy. It is, **to me**, a pleasant and warm sounding IEM. In fact four or five songs in and my brain has completely adjusted to the sound of the Quattro and they sound fantastic. That may be the secret of what people hear with the Quattro - it is just so easy to get into this set after just a few tracks.

Gosh I spent 5 straight days with it. Maybe the 6th day and 200 songs later with 70 hours more of burn in I would’ve gotten into it

 

[Dsnuts]

Gosh I spent 5 straight days with it. Maybe the 6th day and 200 songs later with 70 hours more of burn in I would’ve gotten into it

I haven't seen an IEM yet that is 100% unanimous as far as suiting eveyones taste in sound. Considering the Quattros are not even officially out yet. I don't think you're going to have any issues selling it off and getting most of your money back and try something else. They don't seem to be what you're looking for.

I would sell it on the used market and move on. I am willing to be you there will be plenty of folks that would take them from you.

 

[Infoseeker]

Unless Quattro release edition has more tweaks to it. To make it a Lil less U shaped.

 

[-rowan-]

Catching up after a few days. I enjoy how we’re getting more, and more varied impressions now that more people are getting their Quattro.

200 hours of burn in.


You guys are dedicated.

I don’t always bother but it was easier than expected with Quattro. I estimate mine has about 280 hours on it. Stopped counting after 200. Yes I tried to give it some hours on the burner, especially when I was out/too busy, but a larger than expected amount of time was spent actually listening while the hours flew by, only to be rudely interrupted by the DAP and/or amp running out of battery…

I don't understand how people are saying Quattro is dark.

I don’t either, but with more people receiving their Quattro, the comments I’ve seen over the past several pages remind me that 1) we all hear things differently 2) we have different preferences 3) we have different expectations and 4) Quattro is pretty sensitive to tip, cable and source rolling.

For instance, I’ve found that it is capable of more mid bass and more extended sub bass with a different cable (e.g. Asos) or tips (Divinus) and is fairly responsive to differences in source - N7 for more sub bass, R6P2 for a more even response (read: better balancing with the mid bass). It goes on.

Surprisingly, I found Quattro's strength is not the bass, but the midrange.

Midrange is a Penon cornerstone. They’ve made big strides in bass (Quattro) and treble (Vortex and just about everything after) but I like how the mids have always anchored their house sound.

Mine was the darkest set I’ve ever heard. For example to my ears on a scale from 1 to 10 the Quattro is a one and EA500 is a 15.

This was a useful comment for me. I’d had half an eye on EA500 but a comparison like this suggests that it’s probably going to be way too bright for my tastes (and I’m speaking as a former treblehead who still needs treble air and presence).

Quattro is not dark by any stretch of the imagination, but while bass is sweet it doesn’t extend or pound as well as dte900 or Bonneville

Agreed, though Quattro is more coherent than Bonneville. I would argue that they set out to do different things and do them well. Not heard the DTE though.

What I expected was a warm and analogue sound but what I got was bassy and full with smooth upper mids that borders just perfectly between intense and recessed, and a treble that extends to heavens.

This is pretty much my impression of it as well.

I'm using the Code 23 (while I wait for code 24 which I found to be the perfect match with Quattro) and the Penon black tips and it's pretty impressive. Gotta try the orange tips next.

I might have missed it but tell us more about the Quattro x Code 23 (and 24) pairing…

I’m usually fairly tolerant of chunky cables but C23 might have been the first one I passed on because I couldn’t see myself dealing with a cable that can stand up on its own. So I hope they address that with C24.

 

[jsmiller58]

.

 

[jsmiller58]

Gosh I spent 5 straight days with it. Maybe the 6th day and 200 songs later with 70 hours more of burn in I would’ve gotten into it

Since so much of human communication is body language and tone, it is almost impossible to judge the true intent behind what someone writes. One interpretation of what you wrote would have me suggesting that you perform an anatomically impossible act, and another interpretation would have me laughing out loud with you.

Anyway, to each their own, of course. Nothing will be ideal for everyone. I do hope you find auditory happiness.

 

[-rowan-]

A couple of questions about the Penon 10AE's (as well as if you think I should be considering or waiting for any other pairs):

Welcome! I like the 10th a lot, but is there any particular reason you aren’t considering the Quattro as well?

FWIW, 10th can feel larger than life. Quattro feels more true to life and I personally prefer it for any genre that involves acoustic/unamplified instruments, and especially with live performances.

I'm stoked by the Quattro, it's up there with the 10AE but more intimate, I would say less 'technical", whatever that means. To me it decreases detail retrieval but in a good way. The sound stage is smaller but not to a level that compressed, really is more "musical" natural.

I havent heard the 10AE, but for me, the technicalities are one of the Quattro's biggest strengths. For an all DD set, the technicalities pretty much blow my mind. Throws down with the best of them IMO.

Both are fundamentally musical, engaging sets but I personally hear Quattro as being the more technical of the two, especially in the bass and mids.

In terms of bass, Quattro simply has better tyres - more grip and bite, better control, digs deeper. 10th’s bass has a bigger, speaker-like quality to it and its rumble and thump is a lot of fun. Quattro’s bass is more restrained but feels like being there and listening to actual instruments.

10th has lovely mids but in terms of technicalities the bottleneck is the BA that imo is a bit grainy and not as finely resolving as their higher end sets like the Volt; Quattro on the other hand has an unusually capable and detailed DD doing the heavy lifting on midrange duty.

I can’t compare them with the Canon (my only experience with Yanyin is the Moonlight, which is a very different creature) but I’m sure someone else can.

Do they ever have discounts on Aliexpress? If there's any way I can avoid paying full price I'd be very happy particularly as I've already lost one expensive pair!

Penon themselves seldom do sales so AE can be a good way to get a small discount on them. I see they have a winter sale coming up soon so you could probably stack a bunch of coupons and coins for something like the 10th, even if Penon themselves don’t discount them.

I’m sure folks who use AE have seen them already but if not:

Spoiler: AliExpress discount codes

Precisely why I'm glad this new ASOS cable takes that approach with 8 SPC wires that physically remind me of EA's Cadmus 8 Wire

It does. Cadmus 8W interconnect on top; Asos below: