[-rowan-]

Listening to the other Penon single DD and feeling optimistic.

I don’t want to prejudge the Vortex based on a graph, but less of a scoop in the mids, and a sub bass that graphs somewhere between the Fan and Serial doesn’t look like bad news at all for fans of the Penon sound. If it performs better technically than the Fan - and it should - I would be very keen indeed to hear it.

For reference:

FR overlay between Fan, Serial and Vortex.

...and astonishing Stage height (Serials).
In the future I wish to hear increase in depth - in order to establish better layering.
Most folks will comment a better upper mid, lower treble detail retrieval and energy.
As far as the Bass and (fantastic) Mids, whatever level of tuning they currently got going - they got this in the bag...

^ This is a great wishlist for Penon.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Gonna be contrary and say right.

Right for me as well..

Both look good but I prefer right.

Right.

 

[rattlingblanketwoman]

I’m likely to buy it anyhow. I’ll be checking my emails!

Something brighter with higher resolution, with good isolation but also soundstage, with Penon fun, would be the perfect Serial complement.

 

[ssantan2]

Listening to the other Penon single DD and feeling optimistic.

I don’t want to prejudge the Vortex based on a graph, but less of a scoop in the mids, and a sub bass that graphs somewhere between the Fan and Serial doesn’t look like bad news at all for fans of the Penon sound. If it performs better technically than the Fan - and it should - I would be very keen indeed to hear it.

For reference:



^ This is a great wishlist for Penon.

This graph is kind of misleading as the vortex is not normalized compared to the other 2. When you normalize it the sub bass looks to be less than the Serial with more mid bass and lower mids as well as a similar upper mid and treble

 

[ian91]

Something brighter with higher resolution, with good isolation but also soundstage, with Penon fun, would be the perfect Serial complement.

This is what I'm after from Penon, euphonic mids but large staging and a bit more uppermid/lower treble bite and extended sparkle. The Vortex might not be the one for this but the proof will be in the pudding.

Looking ahead...I want to see a planar from Penon. I have a feeling their house sound will translate well to the planar tech, avoiding the timbre and glossing of BA and potentially retrieving more fine detail and extension than DD. I would be totally happy if they just used the Timeless/S12 driver to keep costs low and performance high.

Without wanting to sound ungrateful, as the Vortex isn't even out the door, make it happen @Penon!

 

[cqtek]

Hello everybody.

Here are my impressions of the Penon Cables Fiery and Orbit. Without a doubt, two great complementary cables.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-orbit.25904/reviews#review-28665



https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/penon-fiery.25903/reviews#review-28664

 

[ehjie]

Listening to the other Penon single DD and feeling optimistic.

I don’t want to prejudge the Vortex based on a graph, but less of a scoop in the mids, and a sub bass that graphs somewhere between the Fan and Serial doesn’t look like bad news at all for fans of the Penon sound. If it performs better technically than the Fan - and it should - I would be very keen indeed to hear it.

For reference:



^ This is a great wishlist for Penon.

Indeed...

 

[Penon]

Actually blue color is pretty good

 

[KutuzovGambit]

Actually blue color is pretty good

Agree!

 

[rattlingblanketwoman]

Actually blue color is pretty good

Definitely!

 

[-rowan-]

Actually blue color is pretty good

Indeed. My reply:

This graph is kind of misleading as the vortex is not normalized compared to the other 2. When you normalize it the sub bass looks to be less than the Serial with more mid bass and lower mids as well as a similar upper mid and treble

That’ll teach me to look at graphs without glasses then. Is there a normalized graph around?

All the same, I’m likely to pick up the Vortex. I’ve never known a Penon to be bass-deficient and the Serial was a bit atypical to begin with anyway, with its comparatively leaner mid bass and lower mids. I’d be interested to know how the Vortex compares with the Volt and Globe.

This is what I'm after from Penon, euphonic mids but large staging and a bit more uppermid/lower treble bite and extended sparkle. The Vortex might not be the one for this but the proof will be in the pudding.

Looking ahead...I want to see a planar from Penon. I have a feeling their house sound will translate well to the planar tech, avoiding the timbre and glossing of BA and potentially retrieving more fine detail and extension than DD. I would be totally happy if they just used the Timeless/S12 driver to keep costs low and performance high.

Without wanting to sound ungrateful, as the Vortex isn't even out the door, make it happen @Penon!

At the risk of wandering a bit off topic - planar IEMs like the Timeless (which I earlier compared with the Serial) aren’t without with their own issues, including aspects like note weight that DDs don’t have to think twice about. I’d look forward to better detail, texture and staging though! And I would never say no to an extra helping of treble air and sparkle. Intime nailed their treble with piezos and they seem to work well with DDs - I occasionally wonder why we don’t see more of those

 

[ehjie]

I
Intime nailed their treble with piezos and they seem to work well with DDs - I occasionally wonder why we don’t see more of those

I have the original Sora. following most Jap. in ear headphone threads, O2 build their sets in limited quantities. As soon as they're on e earphone shelves or even just announced, they're gone. My 2017 Sora was purchased on it's first week of release. Then next week came they're all gone.
Even through they're budget level sets, I believe O2 didn't compromise on quality...

 

[-rowan-]

I have the original Sora. following most Jap. in ear headphone threads, O2 build their sets in limited quantities. As soon as they're on e earphone shelves or even just announced, they're gone. My 2017 Sora was purchased on it's first week of release. Then next week came they're all gone.
Even through they're budget level sets, I believe O2 didn't compromise on quality...

Original Sora! The only IEM (other than Ety ER4S) that I have multiple backups of.

The “budget” label is a joke. They’re ridiculously good for what I paid.

I recently rediscovered how great OG Sora is after acquiring the DTR1+. Incredible synergy. Not that it isn’t already good on its own, but the transparency and power of the DTR1+ just drives it to the next level. Imaging and separation way above its price point. Band could be rocking out at full tilt and you’d still be able to hear what every instrument is doing. What sorcery is this?

Its single DD is well tuned and not at all shabby for its price, even in 2022, but I suspect the magic sauce really has to do with the upper treble and Intime’s implementation of that piezo.

Edited to add: As to what all this is doing in this thread - it goes back to why I’d love Penon to pay more attention to treble and upper treble in future. It would not be a treblehead’s treble, but it would come with all the attendant improvements - perceived or otherwise - that it can bring to imaging, layering etc. And hopefully it won’t literally take hundreds of hours to burn in like the Volt’s ESTs.

 

[Dsnuts]

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Agreed Penon sound and looks like that Done!