[Laleo]

I've recently re-acquired the Serial... Man what a mistake it was to sell it previously. This is an IEM you can just listen to all day and forget you're even using an in-ear. It just disappears comfort wise, and with the inoffensiveness of the presentation. Just so rich, lifelike, and spacious in its reproduction. It gets out of the way and lets you enjoy the music you've got playing.

@cn11 I know it's not fair comparison, but I saw you re-acquired the Serial, though you had the SR8.
Can you say why?
Because I am considering of buying SR8 or Buying the Serial and maybe another iem.

 

[dharmasteve]

Just to remind people that the excellent PAC 480 Cable

Is $49.50 (half price) at Penon. Top cable.

 

[cn11]

@cn11 I know it's not fair comparison, but I saw you re-acquired the Serial, though you had the SR8.
Can you say why?
Because I am considering of buying SR8 or Buying the Serial and maybe another iem.

I had the Serial previously and really enjoyed it... I just wanted to own it again due to its uniqueness, with the triple DD configuration, and what I feel is one of the most gorgeous shell designs in all of IEMdom. I've been pleasantly surprised by the sound signature once again, even in the company of the SR8. It is so mellow and fatigue free, while still being quite dynamic at the top and bottom ends. It is not a 'competitor' per se for the SR8, but it is totally unique in the way it sounds.

 

[-rowan-]

Unmistakably Penon, uncannily next level Globe.



Shibuichi Coaxial “Bass” snitched top spot as primary cable partner. It’s pretty, I couldn’t resist. It’s futile. Both had five days worth of music playing into thin air.



Post unboxing thoughts based on sporadic listening blocks, two hours total tops, maybe more, I didn’t keep track.

Wall of sound, bombastic lows was what I was greeted with, consistent for the next few tracks I selected for it. Deep woofer humming, Penon’s infamous mids, forefront treble highlight, dash of twinkly ultra-highs. I was impressed despite some shortcomings.

Days after—

Cloudiness dissipated, almost crystal clear, near transparent, impressive detailed lows, better spaced and layered, improved fluidity, less heaviness and tonality shifted slightly lukewarm it seemed, or just my brain playing tricks.

Almost escaped me, strings and brass are so melodiously reproduced, the full band.

If only I’ve more listening time but the weekend is almost upon me.


/to be continued…

Glad you got on board with these!

Starting the weekend listening party with this one and it plays to the 10th’s strengths, from the EST ultra highs for the whispers to the DD sub bass when it kicks in.

Looks like an awesome pairing, the Bass and 10th AE. Are there any microphonics due to the Bass' cloth sleeves?

Not going to sugarcoat it - there will be some microphonics from the fabric sleeve. And the Bass cable is quite thick and stiff and difficult for me to keep in place without the chin slider. The upside is that the slider, along with the stiffness, keeps the cable from moving around, creating less microphonics than it otherwise might have. But like @rawbine I’m quite a sedentary listener so ymmv. At any rate, I don’t notice any microphonics once the music starts playing.

I had the Serial previously and really enjoyed it... I just wanted to own it again due to its uniqueness, with the triple DD configuration, and what I feel is one of the most gorgeous shell designs in all of IEMdom. I've been pleasantly surprised by the sound signature once again, even in the company of the SR8. It is so mellow and fatigue free, while still being quite dynamic at the top and bottom ends. It is not a 'competitor' per se for the SR8, but it is totally unique in the way it sounds.

Totally agree - the Serial is still unique after all this time.

 

[emdeevee]

Fan2 in the house and settling in for a 100+ hr burn in!!! Still loving the SR7, it will be by the pool this 4th of July

 

[anyone007]

So I'm done with the 500 hours IEM burn for 10th AE. The grain I'm hearing on the upper mids and highs disappeared, it's a lot smoother and refined now. The sub and mid bass is a lot more controlled and tighter with a quicker decay. The most improved is the highs. It's more airy, refined and detailed. It's already there out of the box but it's now much more obvious and polished.

If I summarize the sound of 10th AE (at least on my ears), it has the W-shaped tuning of IT07 and its bass, but with a quicker decay and less sub bass quantity. Then the Volt's mids but less refined and less full sounding. As for the highs, I'd say it's in between of Volt's and Serial. It's refined as Volt's but snappier, more energetic and also got the analogue-ish timbre of Serial's.

So I'm basically rambling at this point of how good the sound is. lol

 

[Neithan]

You should take serial

The os133 is already a good cable but the space open the wide stage, has better separation, and is veeery dynamic and also play microdynamics and is textured. Mids is already well presented in fan2. I would skip S2 I don't like it and with fan2 it will dry subbass than are not too much in fan2 and give tiring highs( fan2 has a deep hole in 15kiloherz u will always feel them not enough to give the presence in highs so it's better not try to increase highs) . I don't know if it is possible to add purple plug to Space and to get it better.
G4 could be also good but you won't have interchangable plugs.

BTW what's the purple plug you were talking about?

Any recommendations for tips?

@Leonarfd @ToneDeafMonk what cables are you using with you FAN2?

 

[BrokenHill]

BTW what's the purple plug you were talking about?

Any recommendations for tips?

@Leonarfd @ToneDeafMonk what cables are you using with you FAN2?

Purple plug is this one:
https://penonaudio.com/penon-purple-copper-plug.html

valid for all modular Penon/ISN cables

About tips: my personal preference are the Dunu S&S, and I'm using the Penon Mix with Totem adapter in my FAN2

By the way, I've been on vacation for a few days, without writing. Back!

 

[Leonarfd]

Don

BTW what's the purple plug you were talking about?

Any recommendations for tips?

@Leonarfd @ToneDeafMonk what cables are you using with you FAN2?

I don't have Fan 2 anymore, but when I tried it last I really loved to use Dunu DUW-03 SPC cable.

Tips depends, tri Clarion worked good for me. Same with my trusty Kbear 07.

 

[t4t3r]

Purple plug is this one:
https://penonaudio.com/penon-purple-copper-plug.html

valid for all modular Penon/ISN cables

About tips: my personal preference are the Dunu S&S, and I'm using the Penon Mix with Totem adapter in my FAN2

By the way, I've been on vacation for a few days, without writing. Back!

How do the S&S work with the unique shape of the Fan 2? The S&S are one of the only set of ear tips that fit actually fit and seal well in my ear canals, but curious how they do on the Fan 2 with its longer nozzle.

 

[Neithan]

Purple plug is this one:
https://penonaudio.com/penon-purple-copper-plug.html

valid for all modular Penon/ISN cables

About tips: my personal preference are the Dunu S&S, and I'm using the Penon Mix with Totem adapter in my FAN2

By the way, I've been on vacation for a few days, without writing. Back!

The plug is already in my cart

I will be starting with the Penon Space Cable and then, I will try the Penon Mix, as it already one cable the cables from Penon that I wanted to adquire.

I already have the Dunu S&S tips, so I will try them

Next IEM from Penon will be the Serial for sure

 

[-rowan-]

Penon 10th and Aür Aurora

I’ve been taking some time to burn in and get to know these two excellent sets.

Switching between the two on the OSG - my original cable choice for the 10th & also a good pairing for Aurora as it helps bring out its treble.

The 10th has both ends well taken care of. Good extension and energy. Abundance of positional cues. Live recordings simply sound more electric - from the reverberation of sub bass to the shimmer of cymbals and crowd presence and how all these sounds are experienced in a room or a space.

If the 10th is like being in the thick of a live concert, the Aurora is a more relaxing listen - being closer to the musicians or listening to an excellent soundboard recording with audience sound picked up on the mics, easily locatable on a large soundstage but occupying a different part of the hierarchy.

Bass

Both are 2DD and neither is short on bass. The 10th did a magnificent job with its well extended sub bass. Yet it’s the Aurora that has greater sound pressure in its sub bass while 10th has more mid bass.

Both handle bass with a good amount of texture and grip; 10th seems a bit faster.

Mids

Compared to the 10th, Aurora’s vocals are more forward, lusher, more layered and more resolving.

I’ve noted this before - 10th’s vocals can be a bit grainy and this is noticeable compared to Aurora (as well as the Volt), but they are otherwise very well tuned.

The 10th’s mids are in no way sucked out; I would still describe it as W-shaped but with a less pronounced middle hump, where the mids are seen in totality of the whole image.

Treble

10th’s time to shine. Crowd noises, harmonics all come across as being quite complete.

Aurora’s highs are more relaxed. Ymmv, but I for one found myself wanting a bit more air and presence, and a cable like the OSG helps bring this out.


At the end of the day, nothing is significantly missing from either. They are very complementary sets, there is space for both and I’m not trying to be diplomatic here. They are both coherent, differently but very persuasively tuned sets and even in switching between them, I find it takes only a short period of adjustment to be able to enjoy them without reservation.

 

[Leonarfd]

Penon 10th and Aür Aurora



I’ve been taking some time to burn in and get to know these two excellent sets.

Switching between the two on the OSG - my original cable choice for the 10th & also a good pairing for Aurora as it helps bring out its treble.

The 10th has both ends well taken care of. Good extension and energy. Abundance of positional cues. Live recordings simply sound more electric - from the reverberation of sub bass to the shimmer of cymbals and crowd presence and how all these sounds are experienced in a room or a space.

If the 10th is like being in the thick of a live concert, the Aurora is a more relaxing listen - being closer to the musicians or listening to an excellent soundboard recording with audience sound picked up on the mics, easily locatable on a large soundstage but occupying a different part of the hierarchy.

Bass

Both are 2DD and neither is short on bass. The 10th did a magnificent job with its well extended sub bass. Yet it’s the Aurora that has greater sound pressure in its sub bass while 10th has more mid bass.

Both handle bass with a good amount of texture and grip; 10th seems a bit faster.

Mids

Compared to the 10th, Aurora’s vocals are more forward, lusher, more layered and more resolving.

I’ve noted this before - 10th’s vocals can be a bit grainy and this is noticeable compared to Aurora (as well as the Volt), but they are otherwise very well tuned.

The 10th’s mids are in no way sucked out; I would still describe it as W-shaped but with a less pronounced middle hump, where the mids are seen in totality of the whole image.

Treble

10th’s time to shine. Crowd noises, harmonics all come across as being quite complete.

Aurora’s highs are more relaxed. Ymmv, but I for one found myself wanting a bit more air and presence, and a cable like the OSG helps bring this out.


At the end of the day, nothing is significantly missing from either. They are very complementary sets, there is space for both and I’m not trying to be diplomatic here. They are both coherent, differently but very persuasively tuned sets and even in switching between them, I find it takes only a short period of adjustment to be able to enjoy them without reservation.

Nice comparison, two great sets. On last part for my Aurora review now, and the great bass and mids are superb. The relaxed treble has grown on me, but going from a more forward treble intense IEM the Aurora might be too relaxed the first minutes.

Probably getting to try 10th after summer, will be fun to se some more of Penon tuning magic.

 

[-rowan-]

Nice comparison, two great sets. On last part for my Aurora review now, and the great bass and mids are superb. The relaxed treble has grown on me, but going from a more forward treble intense IEM the Aurora might be too relaxed the first minutes.

Thanks! I do like my upper treble so certainly noticed it out of the box, but when comparing the two, I was surprised how easily I could switch between them and not miss a thing before long. Looking forward to your Aurora review (as are many others I’m sure).

Probably getting to try 10th after summer, will be fun to se some more of Penon tuning magic.

It’s interesting to hear Aür’s take on a musical midcentric approach that has very much been a mainstay of Penon tuning, as well as Penon mixing it up by dialling up the low and high ends without losing their midrange special sauce.

 

[BrokenHill]

How do the S&S work with the unique shape of the Fan 2? The S&S are one of the only set of ear tips that fit actually fit and seal well in my ear canals, but curious how they do on the Fan 2 with its longer nozzle.

On some short bore IEMs, like the Vortex, I have to use an L, but on the FAN2 I have to use the M. Previously I had the Azla Crystal M/L. Here some quick photos.