[Dsnuts]

Impacts definitley need some burn in. They sounded more controlled with better precision after 24 hours. I would do at least 50. Don't seem to need much time.

They are on a loaner to a friend at the moment and I miss them dearly. Lol. I feel a part of me left when I mailed it in the mail.

@-rowan- you try your totem cable on them yet?

 

[-rowan-]

Hi. I'm still thinking about buying the Impact. I was listening to the Serial today, and one thing I wouldn't want to miss out on is the percussion textures. I understand that at that level it shouldn't be a problem, but I've never had BA-based bass IEMs. How is the Impact in that regard? Would any of you lucky enough to have it these days care to check how you hear the percussion and bass guitar textures on these tracks? I consider the Serial as a benchmark in terms of percussion textures.

(Some of these songs have been discovered by other forum members, and I have added them to my test list)











Thank you!

Tl;dr - Instrument textures are a forte of the Impact, along with positional and environmental detail (along with mids of course, but we all knew that about Penon already).

Hand drums like the djembe are just made for the Impact to show off. Tone and slap sounds on well-recorded tracks ring out. Hands striking a drumhead, the skin of the drum vibrating, fingers moving on the strings of a bass, sounds as they resonate in a wood cavity - the Impact captures these things without forcing detail on your ears.

I went to considerable lengths to optimise my Serial's treble to capture more of this sort of detail, but listening to these tracks, the Impact, with its ESTs, is simply several levels above in this respect. It's much more resolving and refined, very natural, and projects a much fuller, more complete stereo image as it should.

And I guess folks want to know about dat bass

The Impact's sub bass rumbles, kicks and roars when it needs to, and has a convincing amount of decay. If you specifically want the sheer physicality of large amounts of air being moved (as some listeners might want in the first and last tracks you posted), then a good DD may be the more obvious option.

But the Impact is able to create that illusion of physicality through the speed and crispness of its transients, sub bass extension, dynamic swing and textural detail. At the moment I’m not picking up the telltale softness that can characterise BA bass transients. Or even if it’s here, the Impact is doing a good job of disguising it. I think that, at the level that the Impact is playing, it’s going to come down to a matter of taste and the sort of presentation you prefer.

Some percussion tests of the sort of thing that the Impact does well:

 

[-rowan-]

Impacts definitley need some burn in. They sounded more controlled with better precision after 24 hours. I would do at least 50. Don't seem to need much time.

They are on a loaner to a friend at the moment and I miss them dearly. Lol. I feel a part of me left when I mailed it in the mail.

Impressions from your friend!

@-rowan- you try your totem cable on them yet?

I did, briefly, but while it made the Impact bigger, richer and all the Totem things, it seemed to detract from the balance that Impact was going for. But I will try again when the Impact has had more run in time.

I’m honestly curious about EST burn in and why the Volt seemed to take so long compared to this. Even 50 hours would be no time at all in comparison.

 

[Dsnuts]

Ya the Volt was a strange one in just how much burn in time it needed. I think it had to do with using the ESTs on the Volt for the treble region vs the Impact using two Sonion BAs for treble and the ESTs for upper trebles. I am wondering if the Impacts need more burn in time. They certainly sound complete.

Buddy hasnt gotten them yet but he will chime in once he gets them.

 

[-rowan-]

Ya the Volt was a strange one in just how much burn in time it needed. I think it had to do with using the ESTs on the Volt for the treble region vs the Impact using two Sonion BAs for treble and the ESTs for upper trebles. I am wondering if the Impacts need more burn in time. They certainly sound complete.

Buddy hasnt gotten them yet but he will chime in once he gets them.

Exactly. And whatever the tweeters are doing, they’re so coherent I don’t hear the seams between the BAs and ESTs.

 

[Leonarfd]

Having different type of IEMs make you appreciate them more for their qualities, also while a set cost 2.5k or 100$ they can give the same amount of enjoyment.

Taking a short break from the Impact… because why not?

Still happy with the FAN, must admit I enjoy this more than I expected. A foot tapping gem well deserving its price.

 

[BrokenHill]

Tl;dr - Instrument textures are a forte of the Impact, along with positional and environmental detail (along with mids of course, but we all knew that about Penon already).

Hand drums like the djembe are just made for the Impact to show off. Tone and slap sounds on well-recorded tracks ring out. Hands striking a drumhead, the skin of the drum vibrating, fingers moving on the strings of a bass, sounds as they resonate in a wood cavity - the Impact captures these things without forcing detail on your ears.

I went to considerable lengths to optimise my Serial's treble to capture more of this sort of detail, but listening to these tracks, the Impact, with its ESTs, is simply several levels above in this respect. It's much more resolving and refined, very natural, and projects a much fuller, more complete stereo image as it should.

And I guess folks want to know about dat bass

The Impact's sub bass rumbles, kicks and roars when it needs to, and has a convincing amount of decay. If you specifically want the sheer physicality of large amounts of air being moved (as some listeners might want in the first and last tracks you posted), then a good DD may be the more obvious option.

But the Impact is able to create that illusion of physicality through the speed and crispness of its transients, sub bass extension, dynamic swing and textural detail. At the moment I’m not picking up the telltale softness that can characterise BA bass transients. Or even if it’s here, the Impact is doing a good job of disguising it. I think that, at the level that the Impact is playing, it’s going to come down to a matter of taste and the sort of presentation you prefer.

Some percussion tests of the sort of thing that the Impact does well:

just what i needed to hear! Thank you for your comments!

 

[hotsnacx]

That’s pretty interesting. I was thinking about getting fd5 or 7 again lol could spring for vortex!

 

[s2kphile]

Penon is great with DDs. OG Fan, Serial and Vortex. VOLT too

 

[hotsnacx]

Penon is great with DDs. OG Fan, Serial and Vortex. VOLT too

That’s what I was trying to compare was fd5 and fan.

 

[-rowan-]

Nice side by side photos you included, looks like the Impact and Volt are near identical at a glance in terms of size, even its overall driver’s placement on top of what you’ve shared. Really cool…

Fit wise the Impact feels closer to Serial, especially after listening to them. The main difference is Serial’s nozzle needs to go deeper to sit snugly in my ear.

That’s pretty interesting. I was thinking about getting fd5 or 7 again lol could spring for vortex!

Haven’t heard the FD7, but the Vortex is the other Penon that imo gives a taste of the percussion and string textures that the Impact does so well.

 

[SQ13]

Fit wise the Impact feels closer to Serial, especially after listening to them. The main difference is Serial’s nozzle needs to go deeper to sit snugly in my ear.

i personnally feel the Serial is nozzle is slightly short, had to use a longer tip or insert deeper to be snug.

is the Impact nozzle to housing about the same Serial? Does it fit better as it seems slight shorter from the picture?

 

[Sunstealer]

Currently on holiday in Cornwall but searched this thread for "Vortex filter mod" over coffee and have gotten lost in the subsequent opinions and comparisons. Do I want a Vortex next to mod or keep the EST50 at the top of the list? A gold-plated problem if there ever was one!

 

[Leonarfd]

Currently on holiday in Cornwall but searched this thread for "Vortex filter mod" over coffee and have gotten lost in the subsequent opinions and comparisons. Do I want a Vortex next to mod or keep the EST50 at the top of the list? A gold-plated problem if there ever was one!

If I understand right the mod can be reversed back on the Vortex, remove the filter and fit it back again if you want.

The EST50 is different, audiophile tuning with a big sub bass shelf. You will notice it if compare with your FAN.
Bass rumbles more when the song, game or movie ask for it. Sub bass should be more elevated with more dB in the lowest notes.


More neutral mids in EST50, FAN has romantic mids that's forward just the right amount. Something that FAN is very similar with the Volt and Serial also.

Treble is better refined for me on EST50, also some extra lower treble energy that's excellent with trance/techno giving some good energy. While upper treble relaxed. Would have loved some measurement of it.

Perhaps I'm going to invest in measurement rig, need to research. Still it's money that can go to audio gear

 

[Sunstealer]

If I understand right the mod can be reversed back on the Vortex, remove the filter and fit it back again if you want.

The EST50 is different, audiophile tuning with a big sub bass shelf. You will notice it if compare with your FAN.
Bass rumbles more when the song, game or movie ask for it. Sub bass should be more elevated with more dB in the lowest notes.


More neutral mids in EST50, FAN has romantic mids that's forward just the right amount. Something that FAN is very similar with the Volt and Serial also.

Treble is better refined for me on EST50, also some extra lower treble energy that's excellent with trance/techno giving some good energy. While upper treble relaxed. Would have loved some measurement of it.

Perhaps I'm going to invest in measurement rig, need to research. Still and it's money that can go to audio gear

Thank you for comparisons, very helpful. Ideally I would like the depth of the Serial with the tone and treble energy of the FAN = Modded Vortex? I still think EST50 is next. I have tried the Monarch mk2 and LETSHOUER EJ07M and liked the EST implementation.