GS849?Very high quality cable. Didn't test the sound yet but this is build like a tank. I'd love to see modular plugs though.
The PENON official thread
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- Start date
I think so. It was mailed in simple plastic bag without any informationGS849?
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
https://penonaudio.com/penon-os849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gs849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gd849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/Penon-OCC849.html $99.90
Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable
Type-4 Litz configuration
Description
6n single crystal copper silver-plated cable
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver – contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Cable length: 1.2M
The OS849, GS849, GD849 and new one the Penon OCC849. Where in early 2018 the first of the series the OS849 cable was released. As such it was 68% Crystal Copper and a 32% silver core. Versatile and thick, really there was nothing like it at the time that came with an IEM. 6N purity with 8% silver in the copper wire plating. 49 stands and 8X49 stands in total so that’s how they got the name. The original OS849 cable costs $99.90 and provides a grand service and noticeably different from this new OCC849 cable. Where the original OS849 becomes more airy into how it deals with sonics, not being weighted down by the 68% copper plug of this new OCC849. I mean really there is a use for both, have a darker IEM that you want to gain stage expansion really both the OCC849 and the original OS849 do that. The difference is the OCC849 is more heavy gaining lower midrange details and added heft. Still there is nothing at all wrong with what the original does. In fact it was amazing just how well rounded of a cable the original was, never coloring the sound, but moving forward to add definition and stage over most included cables. Later in my review I will go over more details about how these two cables are different. Yet there is a good feeling finding a cable Penon released in early 2018 that still performs grand arranging the details and stage to make any modern day IEM shine. Really it is almost like pure silver in how it adds energy, yet balanced to the fact that it is a copper/silver plated cable really in the end. That simply means we don’t have to worry about the OS849 ever getting too hot or bringing too much energy to out listening.
The GS849 and GD849:
These came after the OS849 and while still the build of the original OS849 brought new flavors of density due to the metallurgy make-up. The GS849 is a hybrid cable while still versatile it contains 18K Gold which adds density and thickness in comparison to the original OS849.
I used the Penon Volt today for testing as the volt is incredibly balanced, not too dark or too bright anyway. Yet it is revealing enough to easily show the character of each cable and how they are different. Now the best part about today was that there were never any fires to put out, or dullness to try and add clarity too. As such it was simply different flavors of good. Now that will not always be the case with other IEMs, but at least today it the Volt was always correct and even sounding, yet there was a specific character from each cable which in the end shined through!
In fact yesterday it was a little daunting to think I would compare all four cables and need to note how they performed, when in reality this write-up ended one of the easiest things to do. Like almost changing the EQ on your stereo and reporting in how each setting sounded.
The GS849 is still 18K gold plated OCC copper and the other half is silver plated OCC copper making 8 cores of 49 stands each thus 849. So it is simple in playback……..here we are offered a denser playback and owning slightly more weight than the original OS849, yet not the total warmth and copper sound of (maybe) the plug……….but whatever is doing it, the OCC849 is just a tad warmer despite the GS849 added note weight and density. Where to really get into this mess, the GS849 has a new and different midrange. A kind of beautiful imaged midrange, which showed a more vibrant color than the original OS849, yet still more airy and flying slightly higher, as not as grounded as the OCC849. Yet this may be my favorite cable of the bunch. I know you were thinking I was going to say this new OCC849 was best, and it may be with other IEMs…….but today with the Volt this takes the cake. And they really are all very different.
The GD849:
More 18K Gold! Coming out in September of 2020 it was a few years later than the original OS849. Here we are witnessing a cable with weight and authority, kind-of still vivid, but less on the vivid scale. Like the ISN GC4 there are very specific reasons you may want to included this cable, or if the ESTs in the Penon Volt are too hot for you……..which would make you a different outsider, but it could maybe happen…….then you may want to use the GD849 with the Volt. Because remember the Volt is so well rounded that none of the outcomes today were bad, just that each held a new and different tone slightly which could maybe go in order?
Volt uses:
Your results may very depending on IEM in use, DAP, ear-tips and personal preference.
Cheers!
The Penon OCC849:
The OS849:
The GS849:
And finally the GD849 with all of its bling:
Thank-you for reading!
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gs849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gd849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/Penon-OCC849.html $99.90
Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable
Type-4 Litz configuration
Description
6n single crystal copper silver-plated cable
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver – contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Cable length: 1.2M
The OS849, GS849, GD849 and new one the Penon OCC849. Where in early 2018 the first of the series the OS849 cable was released. As such it was 68% Crystal Copper and a 32% silver core. Versatile and thick, really there was nothing like it at the time that came with an IEM. 6N purity with 8% silver in the copper wire plating. 49 stands and 8X49 stands in total so that’s how they got the name. The original OS849 cable costs $99.90 and provides a grand service and noticeably different from this new OCC849 cable. Where the original OS849 becomes more airy into how it deals with sonics, not being weighted down by the 68% copper plug of this new OCC849. I mean really there is a use for both, have a darker IEM that you want to gain stage expansion really both the OCC849 and the original OS849 do that. The difference is the OCC849 is more heavy gaining lower midrange details and added heft. Still there is nothing at all wrong with what the original does. In fact it was amazing just how well rounded of a cable the original was, never coloring the sound, but moving forward to add definition and stage over most included cables. Later in my review I will go over more details about how these two cables are different. Yet there is a good feeling finding a cable Penon released in early 2018 that still performs grand arranging the details and stage to make any modern day IEM shine. Really it is almost like pure silver in how it adds energy, yet balanced to the fact that it is a copper/silver plated cable really in the end. That simply means we don’t have to worry about the OS849 ever getting too hot or bringing too much energy to out listening.
The GS849 and GD849:
These came after the OS849 and while still the build of the original OS849 brought new flavors of density due to the metallurgy make-up. The GS849 is a hybrid cable while still versatile it contains 18K Gold which adds density and thickness in comparison to the original OS849.
I used the Penon Volt today for testing as the volt is incredibly balanced, not too dark or too bright anyway. Yet it is revealing enough to easily show the character of each cable and how they are different. Now the best part about today was that there were never any fires to put out, or dullness to try and add clarity too. As such it was simply different flavors of good. Now that will not always be the case with other IEMs, but at least today it the Volt was always correct and even sounding, yet there was a specific character from each cable which in the end shined through!
In fact yesterday it was a little daunting to think I would compare all four cables and need to note how they performed, when in reality this write-up ended one of the easiest things to do. Like almost changing the EQ on your stereo and reporting in how each setting sounded.
The GS849 is still 18K gold plated OCC copper and the other half is silver plated OCC copper making 8 cores of 49 stands each thus 849. So it is simple in playback……..here we are offered a denser playback and owning slightly more weight than the original OS849, yet not the total warmth and copper sound of (maybe) the plug……….but whatever is doing it, the OCC849 is just a tad warmer despite the GS849 added note weight and density. Where to really get into this mess, the GS849 has a new and different midrange. A kind of beautiful imaged midrange, which showed a more vibrant color than the original OS849, yet still more airy and flying slightly higher, as not as grounded as the OCC849. Yet this may be my favorite cable of the bunch. I know you were thinking I was going to say this new OCC849 was best, and it may be with other IEMs…….but today with the Volt this takes the cake. And they really are all very different.
The GD849:
More 18K Gold! Coming out in September of 2020 it was a few years later than the original OS849. Here we are witnessing a cable with weight and authority, kind-of still vivid, but less on the vivid scale. Like the ISN GC4 there are very specific reasons you may want to included this cable, or if the ESTs in the Penon Volt are too hot for you……..which would make you a different outsider, but it could maybe happen…….then you may want to use the GD849 with the Volt. Because remember the Volt is so well rounded that none of the outcomes today were bad, just that each held a new and different tone slightly which could maybe go in order?
Volt uses:
- GS849
- OS849 tied to 3. OCC849
Your results may very depending on IEM in use, DAP, ear-tips and personal preference.
Cheers!
The Penon OCC849:
The OS849:
The GS849:
And finally the GD849 with all of its bling:
Thank-you for reading!
Last edited:
o0genesis0o
Headphoneus Supremus
They seem like a lot of cable for just $99.https://penonaudio.com/penon-os849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gs849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/penon-gd849.html $99.90
https://penonaudio.com/Penon-OCC849.html $99.90
Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable
Type-4 Litz configuration
Description
6n single crystal copper silver-plated cable
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver – contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Cable length: 1.2M
The OS849, GS849, GD849 and new one the Penon OCC849. Where in early 2018 the first of the series the OS849 cable was released. As such it was 68% Crystal Copper and a 32% silver core. Versatile and thick, really there was nothing like it at the time that came with an IEM. 6N purity with 8% silver in the copper wire plating. 49 stands and 8X49 stands in total so that’s how they got the name. The original OS849 cable costs $99.90 and provides a grand service and noticeably different from this new OCC849 cable. Where the original OS849 becomes more airy into how it deals with sonics, not being weighted down by the 63% copper plug of this new OCC849. I mean really there is a use for both, have a darker IEM that you want to gain stage expansion really both the OCC849 and the original OS849 do that. The difference is the OCC849 is more heavy gaining lower midrange details and added heft. Still there is nothing at all wrong with what the original does. In fact I was amazing at just how well rounded of a cable the original was, never coloring the sound, but moving forward to add definition and stage over most included cables. Later in my review I will go over more details about how these two cables are different. Yet there is a good feeling finding a cable Penon released in early 2018 that still performs grand arranging the details and stage to make any modern day IEM shine. Really it is almost like pure silver in how it adds energy, yet balanced to the fact that it is a copper/silver plated cable really in the end. That simply means we don’t have to worry about the OS849 ever getting too hot or bringing too much energy to out listening.
The GS849 and GD849:
These came after the OS849 and while still the build of the original OS849 brought new flavors of density due to the metallurgy make-up. The GS849 is a hybrid cable while still versatile it contains 18K Gold which adds density and thickness in comparison to the original OS849.
I used the Penon Volt today for testing as the volt is incredibly balanced, not too dark or too bright anyway. Yet it is revealing enough to easily show the character of each cable and how they are different. Now the best part about today was that there were never any fires to put out, or dullness to try and add clarity too. As such it was simply different flavors of good. Now that will not always be the case with other IEMs, but at least today it the Volt was always correct and even sounding, yet there was a specific character from each cable which in the end shined through!
In fact yesterday it was a little daunting to think I would compare all four cables and need to note how they performed, when in reality this write-up ended one of the easiest things to do. Like almost changing the EQ on your stereo and reporting in how each setting sounded.
The GS849 is still 18K gold plated OCC copper and the other half is silver plated OCC copper making 8 cores of 49 stands each thus 849. So it is simple in playback……..here we are offered a denser playback and owning slightly more weight than the original OS849, yet not the total warmth and copper sound of (maybe) the plug……….but whatever is doing it, the OCC849 is just a tad warmer despite the GS849 added note weight and density. Where to really get into this mess, the GS849 has a new and different midrange. A kind of beautiful imaged midrange, which showed a more vibrant color than the original OS849, yet still more airy and flying slightly higher, as not as grounded as the OCC849. Yet this may be my favorite cable of the bunch. I know you were thinking I was going to say this new OCC849 was best, and it may be with other IEMs…….but today with the Volt this takes the cake. And they really are all very different.
The GD849:
More 18K Gold! Coming out in September of 2020 it was a few years later than the original OS849. Here we are witnessing a cable with weight and authority, kind-of still vivid, but less on the vivid scale. Like the ISN GC4 there are very specific reasons you may want to included this cable, or if the ESTs in the Penon Volt are too hot for you……..which would make you a different outsider, but it could maybe happen…….then you may want to use the GD849 with the Volt. Because remember the Volt is so well rounded that none of the outcomes today were bad, just that each held a new and different tone slightly which could maybe go in order?
Volt uses:
And finally last the GD849
- GS849
- OS849 tied to 3. OCC849
Your results may very depending on IEM in use, DAP, ear-tips and personal preference.
Cheers!
The Penon OCC849:
The OS849:
The GS849:
And finally the GD849 with all of its bling:
Thank-you for reading!
Is that leather cable zip thingy included or an extra purchase?
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Most of my Penon cables come with those. You know if you do research the cables used to come in beautiful wooden boxes too. Still $99.90 (now) is a far different amount of money than it was in early 2018. The thing is when I heard these cables where coming my way, you know often we are kind a programmed here to only really love new stuff. But I have to say, these cables are the cat’s meow. I was surprised how good they were. How they feel, the management of them in use. And the fact that someone could buy all four and have basically a cable which is great quality and with the four, goes with every sound of IEM. They are basically just bigger stage than the cable your IEM came with, plus there is an amount of extra detail which is not colored at all (except the GD849 is special use) still the GD849 was nice with the Volt.....though the rest offer bigger and more involved imaging, and more fun!
Cheers!
Last edited:
I've just compared the impressive new $269 Penon Renata to the Effect Audio Code 24 & Liquid Links Venom - you're invited to read my full review here.
Great review!!! Renata is like a cousin to the new EA Code 24/24c cables, if it were branded EA, it would cost more.
I've just compared the impressive new $269 Penon Renata to the Effect Audio Code 24 & Liquid Links Venom - you're invited to read my full review here.
I'm seriously a lover of these thick monsters. They all push bass, but also have wonderful staging...Code 24 is best here (and I love it with Quattro), but it's also the same price as 3 Renatas!
I recently tried these cables on the new Voltage, and found incredibly good performance and synergy with the Code 24c, which just edged out the others like they were made for each other.
Thanks again for a great review!
I'm eagerly awaiting the early adopters of Voltage posting their impressions...
I am tired of feeling alone with this secret!
This set continues to blow me away. The period between 100 and 200 hours is revelatory. After 200, you're just purely Blown Away.
I am tired of feeling alone with this secret!
This set continues to blow me away. The period between 100 and 200 hours is revelatory. After 200, you're just purely Blown Away.
With barely 25 hours of burn-in I am going to launch my first impressions of Voltage, to give some nuance to my statements I will say that during 2023 and 2024 I dedicated myself to trying all the TOTL that I can afford, it is Vision Ears Ext , Empire Ears Odyssey, Penon Impact, Craft Ears Omnium and FatFreq Grand Maestro.
The most interesting statement I can make is that Voltage can compete head-to-head with all of them and even improve some areas of said models, just as the other models can surpass Voltage in some areas.
There is a reason why I decided not to keep any of the iems mentioned, they all have an excellent and spectacular sound, but I did not feel that any of them contributed such significant value to the sound compared to their price, however with Voltage I consider that their full price is extremely fair compared to other proposals, with its launch offer it seems like a bargain to me.
Later I will describe parts of its sound because I want to see where those two DDs end up when they are burned, but without a doubt it is extremely promising
Size comparison against odyssey and GM
The most interesting statement I can make is that Voltage can compete head-to-head with all of them and even improve some areas of said models, just as the other models can surpass Voltage in some areas.
There is a reason why I decided not to keep any of the iems mentioned, they all have an excellent and spectacular sound, but I did not feel that any of them contributed such significant value to the sound compared to their price, however with Voltage I consider that their full price is extremely fair compared to other proposals, with its launch offer it seems like a bargain to me.
Later I will describe parts of its sound because I want to see where those two DDs end up when they are burned, but without a doubt it is extremely promising
Size comparison against odyssey and GM
Last edited:
If you rank Voltage among the sets you own now, what would be its ranking?I'm eagerly awaiting the early adopters of Voltage posting their impressions...
I am tired of feeling alone with this secret!
This set continues to blow me away. The period between 100 and 200 hours is revelatory. After 200, you're just purely Blown Away.
It's way up there. It's the only one I've been listening to since receipt.If you rank Voltage among the sets you own now, what would be its ranking?
As mentioned above by another happy buyer, it does compete head to head with my other sets. I like it more than my UM Indigo. It's right there with monachaa, but even exceeds that one in some ways.
As a true all arounder, it's rising to the top. You gotta spend over $3k to exceed it.
-rowan-
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2015
- Posts
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Voltage impressions
These have opened up spectacularly. I’ve been listening to them all week to the exclusion of everything else in my collection. Work has been exhausting (not complaining; it pays for these nice toys) but when I do get a moment, Voltage makes me want to spend the time listening rather than writing about it. It’s hard writing about an IEM that doesn’t even sound like it needs to try. It’s that effortlessly natural and musical.
Mids are gorgeous and liquid, it goes without saying (they would not be Penon otherwise). Driven by the N7 and Tsuranagi, the Voltage does imaging, layering and separation superbly while always organising the sound with the big picture in mind. It doesn’t get lost in the detail. But it’s of that calibre where, if your music has inner lines weaving in and out of a busy mix, you’ll not only hear them, you’ll hear the specific texture and location of the instruments or voices.
Everything is geared towards creating that illusion of perfectly natural timbre with musicians, instruments and sounds all situated on an imaginary stage. Their sheer level of texture, detail, resolution and spatiality is attention-grabbing, yet unforced. None of it is in your face.
The bass brings good, solid note weight, authority, and hits hard, deep and fast with nice decay. It holds detail and texture all the way down to the lowest frequencies, but the DDs also have no compunction whatsoever rumbling and roaring when called upon.
Impactful DD bass and a well defined, articulate midrange do not always come together well but here, the Voltage apparently makes it happen with impeccable coherence.
The treble already feels complete, and completely unforced. It’s not going to be Ragnar-bright, but still goes on for days. It extends nicely and the top end feels very airy and open. It’s evident in the atmosphere as well the imaging and positional cues that it serves up. It’s approaching 100 hours, and yet I’m under no illusion that the ESTs are quite done burning in (if the Volt was anything to go by, they may surprise me yet in a few weeks or months; check back then).
I’m generally not a fan of switches. I usually prefer to settle on one tuning and stick with it. And more often than not, I can’t help but feel that each tuning option is compromised in some way. So I will admit I was less than thrilled when I heard the Voltage would have switches. I’m happy to say my fears are unfounded. For whatever it’s worth, I really like the stock setting. Too early to say if I’ll lapse into my usual habit of settling on one tuning, but the tuning options are compelling and I actually see myself using the switches.
The cable is well chosen. I rolled a bunch and most didn’t improve the synergy substantially enough to warrant writing about.
Totem is a notable but unsurprising exception - it went well with Volt and Impact and I fully expected it to get along with Voltage as well. It’s well served by the resolution and brings a bigger stage, filled by fuller, weightier notes.
The Ronin stock cable is another good match but it’s actually quite similar to the Voltage stock, just more resolving and with more extended treble (yum) and slightly less sub bass.
I used orange Liqueur tips on the Voltage right from the get go and (again predictably) after rolling a bunch of tips, I’m right back where I started. The orange tips, as I’ve commented before, are great for natural timbre, air and staging, and that’s what they do here - amp up the best attributes of the Voltage.
Other tips I enjoyed with Voltage were the Eletech Baroque (more bass pressure, keeps the treble extension intact) and Acoustune AEX70 (more airy and open, bass takes a small hit) but neither has a massive advantage over the Liqueur.
The Liqueur tips are $10 for 3 pairs; Penon spent a lot of time and effort developing them and trying to nail the manufacturing, and I think they missed an opportunity to bundle them as stock with their new flagship tribrid.
I haven’t touched the stock tips at all. Same accessories as just about every Penon IEM in existence I can think of, except OG Fan - if you’ve unboxed one you’ve unboxed them all. Personally, it doesn’t bother me.
I love a good unboxing (Dita Project M, anyone - a carefully thought out aesthetic that steers clear of OTT packaging and waste), but with Penon’s stuff I’d like to think that what I’m paying for goes into the development and manufacturing of the actual IEM itself, and that’s what’s going in my ears anyway.
These have opened up spectacularly. I’ve been listening to them all week to the exclusion of everything else in my collection. Work has been exhausting (not complaining; it pays for these nice toys) but when I do get a moment, Voltage makes me want to spend the time listening rather than writing about it. It’s hard writing about an IEM that doesn’t even sound like it needs to try. It’s that effortlessly natural and musical.
Mids are gorgeous and liquid, it goes without saying (they would not be Penon otherwise). Driven by the N7 and Tsuranagi, the Voltage does imaging, layering and separation superbly while always organising the sound with the big picture in mind. It doesn’t get lost in the detail. But it’s of that calibre where, if your music has inner lines weaving in and out of a busy mix, you’ll not only hear them, you’ll hear the specific texture and location of the instruments or voices.
Everything is geared towards creating that illusion of perfectly natural timbre with musicians, instruments and sounds all situated on an imaginary stage. Their sheer level of texture, detail, resolution and spatiality is attention-grabbing, yet unforced. None of it is in your face.
The bass brings good, solid note weight, authority, and hits hard, deep and fast with nice decay. It holds detail and texture all the way down to the lowest frequencies, but the DDs also have no compunction whatsoever rumbling and roaring when called upon.
Impactful DD bass and a well defined, articulate midrange do not always come together well but here, the Voltage apparently makes it happen with impeccable coherence.
The treble already feels complete, and completely unforced. It’s not going to be Ragnar-bright, but still goes on for days. It extends nicely and the top end feels very airy and open. It’s evident in the atmosphere as well the imaging and positional cues that it serves up. It’s approaching 100 hours, and yet I’m under no illusion that the ESTs are quite done burning in (if the Volt was anything to go by, they may surprise me yet in a few weeks or months; check back then).
I’m generally not a fan of switches. I usually prefer to settle on one tuning and stick with it. And more often than not, I can’t help but feel that each tuning option is compromised in some way. So I will admit I was less than thrilled when I heard the Voltage would have switches. I’m happy to say my fears are unfounded. For whatever it’s worth, I really like the stock setting. Too early to say if I’ll lapse into my usual habit of settling on one tuning, but the tuning options are compelling and I actually see myself using the switches.
The cable is well chosen. I rolled a bunch and most didn’t improve the synergy substantially enough to warrant writing about.
Totem is a notable but unsurprising exception - it went well with Volt and Impact and I fully expected it to get along with Voltage as well. It’s well served by the resolution and brings a bigger stage, filled by fuller, weightier notes.
The Ronin stock cable is another good match but it’s actually quite similar to the Voltage stock, just more resolving and with more extended treble (yum) and slightly less sub bass.
I used orange Liqueur tips on the Voltage right from the get go and (again predictably) after rolling a bunch of tips, I’m right back where I started. The orange tips, as I’ve commented before, are great for natural timbre, air and staging, and that’s what they do here - amp up the best attributes of the Voltage.
Other tips I enjoyed with Voltage were the Eletech Baroque (more bass pressure, keeps the treble extension intact) and Acoustune AEX70 (more airy and open, bass takes a small hit) but neither has a massive advantage over the Liqueur.
The Liqueur tips are $10 for 3 pairs; Penon spent a lot of time and effort developing them and trying to nail the manufacturing, and I think they missed an opportunity to bundle them as stock with their new flagship tribrid.
I haven’t touched the stock tips at all. Same accessories as just about every Penon IEM in existence I can think of, except OG Fan - if you’ve unboxed one you’ve unboxed them all. Personally, it doesn’t bother me.
I love a good unboxing (Dita Project M, anyone - a carefully thought out aesthetic that steers clear of OTT packaging and waste), but with Penon’s stuff I’d like to think that what I’m paying for goes into the development and manufacturing of the actual IEM itself, and that’s what’s going in my ears anyway.
Voltage impressions
These have opened up spectacularly. I’ve been listening to them all week to the exclusion of everything else in my collection. Work has been exhausting (not complaining; it pays for these nice toys) but when I do get a moment, Voltage makes me want to spend the time listening rather than writing about it. It’s hard writing about an IEM that doesn’t even sound like it needs to try. It’s that effortlessly natural and musical.
Mids are gorgeous and liquid, it goes without saying (they would not be Penon otherwise). Driven by the N7 and Tsuranagi, the Voltage does imaging, layering and separation superbly while always organising the sound with the big picture in mind. It doesn’t get lost in the detail. But it’s of that calibre where, if your music has inner lines weaving in and out of a busy mix, you’ll not only hear them, you’ll hear the specific texture and location of the instruments or voices.
Everything is geared towards creating that illusion of perfectly natural timbre with musicians, instruments and sounds all situated on an imaginary stage. Their sheer level of texture, detail, resolution and spatiality is attention-grabbing, yet unforced. None of it is in your face.
The bass brings good, solid note weight, authority, and hits hard, deep and fast with nice decay. It holds detail and texture all the way down to the lowest frequencies, but the DDs also have no compunction whatsoever rumbling and roaring when called upon.
Impactful DD bass and a well defined, articulate midrange do not always come together well but here, the Voltage apparently makes it happen with impeccable coherence.
The treble already feels complete, and completely unforced. It’s not going to be Ragnar-bright, but still goes on for days. It extends nicely and the top end feels very airy and open. It’s evident in the atmosphere as well the imaging and positional cues that it serves up. It’s approaching 100 hours, and yet I’m under no illusion that the ESTs are quite done burning in (if the Volt was anything to go by, they may surprise me yet in a few weeks or months; check back then).
I’m generally not a fan of switches. I usually prefer to settle on one tuning and stick with it. And more often than not, I can’t help but feel that each tuning option is compromised in some way. So I will admit I was less than thrilled when I heard the Voltage would have switches. I’m happy to say my fears are unfounded. For whatever it’s worth, I really like the stock setting. Too early to say if I’ll lapse into my usual habit of settling on one tuning, but the tuning options are compelling and I actually see myself using the switches.
The cable is well chosen. I rolled a bunch and most didn’t improve the synergy substantially enough to warrant writing about.
Totem is a notable but unsurprising exception - it went well with Volt and Impact and I fully expected it to get along with Voltage as well. It’s well served by the resolution and brings a bigger stage, filled by fuller, weightier notes.
The Ronin stock cable is another good match but it’s actually quite similar to the Voltage stock, just more resolving and with more extended treble (yum) and slightly less sub bass.
I used orange Liqueur tips on the Voltage right from the get go and (again predictably) after rolling a bunch of tips, I’m right back where I started. The orange tips, as I’ve commented before, are great for natural timbre, air and staging, and that’s what they do here - amp up the best attributes of the Voltage.
Other tips I enjoyed with Voltage were the Eletech Baroque (more bass pressure, keeps the treble extension intact) and Acoustune AEX70 (more airy and open, bass takes a small hit) but neither has a massive advantage over the Liqueur.
The Liqueur tips are $10 for 3 pairs; Penon spent a lot of time and effort developing them and trying to nail the manufacturing, and I think they missed an opportunity to bundle them as stock with their new flagship tribrid.
I haven’t touched the stock tips at all. Same accessories as just about every Penon IEM in existence I can think of, except OG Fan - if you’ve unboxed one you’ve unboxed them all. Personally, it doesn’t bother me.
I love a good unboxing (Dita Project M, anyone - a carefully thought out aesthetic that steers clear of OTT packaging and waste), but with Penon’s stuff I’d like to think that what I’m paying for goes into the development and manufacturing of the actual IEM itself, and that’s what’s going in my ears anyway.
Is it worth having these and Impact? What’s the key differences in your opinion?
RunWithOne
100+ Head-Fier
The Impactas are truly impressive IEMs. It is important that they fit your preferences. Do you and these reveal?
hongky
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If you has to choose one between voltage & monachaa, which one would you choose ?
Thanks
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