The PENON official thread

[s2kphile]

Niiiiize! Is the bottom right black cable a Tri-copper from PS?

It's the Plussound EXO Series Copper+

 

[F700]

I blame myself for being weak-willed. I purchased Serial... accidentally.

You are stronger than you think. Congrats. And as the unofficial tradition goes, show us your faceplates upon receipt.

 

[F700]

It's the Plussound EXO Series Copper+

Very interested in this pairing, but even more with the Impact.

 

[Echalon]

I blame myself for being weak-willed. I purchased Serial... accidentally.

It’s an easy mistake to make. Very easy. I’m listening to my Serials now

 

[Bosk]

Penon were generous enough to send me a pair of Totem pigtail adapters for free when they sent out a replacement Obsidian cable for my Impacts, and I've been using both adapters on my N8ii & SR25 respectively since. For under $100 these are very useful. I've found the difference they make to be less than swapping cable cables and yet still significant enough that the improvements are perceptible even on my Kiwi Ears Cadenzas which are by no means resolution monsters.

One of the downsides to the portable hobby as opposed to the world of two-channel speakers is with less components in the audio chain you have fewer ways to tweak the sound, and it's much harder to alter one's system through DIY because most of us are reluctant to mod DAPs that are so tiny, contain mostly SMD parts and come in cases that leave little if any room for larger capacitors and such.

I wish other major cable brands sold adapters like these. Or perhaps they do but simply don't advertise them? If I could pick up a Brise Yanoto 8 wire 4.4mm pigtail adapter for a couple of hundred bucks I'd order one immediately.

 

[msing539]

What impressed me very much was the small R2R dongle RU6, I do believe 300 is to much for a dongle. But this one made me rethink the price of it, paired extremely well with the Penon Serial.

Man... now I bought this Cayin, too. I should probably stop reading this thread.

 

[drummguy26]

Serial owners. It may or may not be within your budget but you owe it to the Serial to try it with the N7 just once if you can (and then good luck trying to forget what you just heard and stop thinking about it after that).

Medium gain, class AB is all you need. The Serial becomes a different beast.

Astonishing internal detail and control all the way down to the lowest sub bass frequencies. Mids that just send shivers down my spine. On vocal tracks I’ve heard many, many times before. Upper mids and highs all filled out - absolutely nothing wanting there. And then the N7 brings in a whole new addictive level of transparency, 3D presentation and imaging. All the while in keeping with the Serial’s character as a natural smooth analogue operator.

Why am I saying this here? Because, among all the IEMs I tried with the N7, the Serial turned out to be the biggest surprise for its amazing synergy and musicality.

My friends, Serial scales up like crazy. I’ve said that before several times here but apparently I didn’t know what I was talking about until now. Not everyone will ever get to hear this, but just know that they’re that good.

Man, I gotta say.... this post is soooo true! The Serial scales like nothing else I've ever heard before. Im listening through my Q7 -> Lokius -> xCAN and my goodness.... it sounds like a totally different beast than what Im used to hearing! With some adjustments on the Lokius and xBass turned on with the xCAN....simply perfection. Bass is as visceral as I've ever heard in ANY IEM. Even hits harder than my old Aurisonics ASG 2.5 which had a 14mm DD in it! lol... The Serials are crazy good value. So glad I chickened out and decided not to sell them at the very last second! Sorry @msing539

 

[msing539]

Man, I gotta say.... this post is soooo true! The Serial scales like nothing else I've ever heard before. Im listening through my Q7 -> Lokius -> xCAN and my goodness.... it sounds like a totally different beast than what Im used to hearing! With some adjustments on the Lokius and xBass turned on with the xCAN....simply perfection. Bass is as visceral as I've ever heard in ANY IEM. Even hits harder than my old Aurisonics ASG 2.5 which had a 14mm DD in it! lol... The Serials are crazy good value. So glad I chickened out and decided not to sell them at the very last second! Sorry @msing539

Back story is drummguy26 posted a serial for sale here, I pretty much said I'll take them, and he changed his mind and kept them.

Catfished!

Then as I was trying to forget about it, rattlingblanketwoman commented on the closed listing two days later and was like... you're in for a treat! And I was like, curses!!

Catfished again!

 

[drummguy26]

Back story is drummguy26 posted a serial for sale here, I pretty much said I'll take them, and he changed his mind and kept them.

Catfished!

Then as I was trying to forget about it, rattlingblanketwoman commented on the closed listing two days later and was like... you're in for a treat! And I was like, curses!!

Catfished again!

Gah... I feel pretty embarrassed about that TBH. (Super sorry about all that!) I've never backed out of a deal like that. Funny, cos Im selling my Monarch MKII right now and I have zero hesitation selling that, but the Serials.... thats a different story. lol

 

[msing539]

Gah... I feel pretty embarrassed about that TBH. (Super sorry about all that!) I've never backed out of a deal like that. Funny, cos Im selling my Monarch MKII right now and I have zero hesitation selling that, but the Serials.... thats a different story. lol

No worries man, you were the push I needed to just buy them new. Plus I get to burn them in and experience the change. Plus I get that new car smell.

 

[drummguy26]

No worries man, you were the push I needed to just buy them new. Plus I get to burn them in and experience the change. Plus I get that fresh car smell.

Haha, good deal! Yes, its quite the experience breaking them in and seeing it mature through that whole burn in process. TBH, I hated them when I first got them. But after 200+ of burn in, they finally came alive! And I love them to no end...

 

[ehjie]

I blame myself for being weak-willed. I purchased Serial... accidentally.

The Leo family is so underrated these days. Or at least, hardly anyone writes about them. I’m glad anytime I see folks talking about them. I recall it being described here (possibly by @ehjie but correct me if I’m wrong) as the unsilver silver cable and I completely agree. It is not a cable that you would purchase if you wanted to discover the sound of a typical silver cable.

I concur

Makes everything neat & tidy, no typical treble excesses as the typical silver would introduce. Only better treble with a little more crisp, nothing more.
The Serial has better lower treble, clearer mids. Thus emphasizing how neutral the mids are.
There's that added clarity in the Bass as well, having the impression there's more oomph in the lower end

 

[ehjie]

Anyone here can give comparison between Serial & Acoustune 1697TI ?

Thanks

Not currently, but I have this (the 1st flagship 1670ss) on permanent edc together with the Volts. The 97ti is balance sounding, relaxed.
Technicalities include a large sound field as well as large scale of imaging, too. Including the '57, This range has very good organic mids, bright trebles and to some extent sub or mid bass emphasized. 97ti is Sub emphasized but not basshead level (that's the 1650, 1657). My '70s are on Mid bass emphasis, lower treble energy, engaging.
.

By default, 70, 77, 95, 97, 97ti possess large sound fields - and in this order of increments, better in sound quality.
The Serials fought head on in the Sound field real estate, and having the better height by a considerable margin as well as the projection of Stage Depth.
Penon depicts the venue effectively and better, albeit on a very analogue flavour. There's treble alright, but the exemplary mids and that bass! the hosts of the show.
Coherence is superb, only to be beaten (of course) by the Volts.

This is a dark album, fantastic recording and substance akin to late 60s early 70s pastiche
Despite having the best lower treble against the Serial, better 3d effect. I found out the Serial mids to be captivating and forgot all about that fantastic lower treble and 3d effect. Serial was more engaging, like I was in a private concert tribute on Natalie's show. Serial mids - very fluid, and again that bass!

Even with that lower treble energy on the 70s, I still preferred the Serial's rendition. I can lip sync (yes - you read right) on Serj's rap.
Serials put order from chaos without sounding slow at all.

After that, I just played on with the Serials what's on my entire playlist.
I never thought that the Serials are gonna be a hit. They're like Orbs on pure DDs with enhanced trebles.
Have patience, folks, with regard to weathering your Serials. From the get go, if they sit in your ears well, if you love the tuning, the signature, that enormous sound field, be prepared to weather them as much as 300 hours.
Not only Penon reco this much lengthy burning in, but another HK based IEM designer and builder of a more expensive outfit.
You'll be rewarded with pure analogue sonic bliss...

 

[Leonarfd]

Not directly about Penon Serial, but it might be of some interest here

The analogy that Penon Serial is sounding like the Hi-End speakers from 70-80s still stays true for me. Attended Oslo HiFi show last day, and I listened to many high end systems. One of the Speaker and amp combos I liked the most where not the extremely pricey KEF Blade or Marten speakers.

But Revival Audio Atlante 5 and 3 is what impressed me the most, thick, detailed and warm sound. Never overly bright like 80% of the new higher end setups.
I did AB the setup against my Serial many times and it was like hearing the Penon in a speaker.

Had a long talk with the demo guy and one of the designers even worked for Altec Lansing making the big 3 way speakers in the early 80s. And its what they are trying to produce here, a more affordable vintage sound.

I almost walked away with a set of the bookshelf speakers, as its sound was so huge. Walking straight into the room the small one sonded like full size unit. Only when ABing with its brother I could notice it slightly.

 

[msing539]

Had a long talk with the demo guy and one of the designers even worked for Altec Lansing making the big 3 way speakers in the early 80s.

Fun fact... Born James Martini, he later changed his name to James Bullough Lansing and started Lansing Manufacturing which was bought by Altec Service Corp around 1941, when it changed to Altec Lansing. In 1946, he left and started James B. Lansing Sound, later shortened to JBL.