[alexandros a]

It's a big Statement... I'll take it as a complement to PENON.

and in order to be more precise.... here you are paying for the top clarity,the top head stage/image the absolute top bass,actually..........the TOP EVERYTHING you can imagine .......

 

[doubletrobbel]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life and made me appreciate female vocals on a whole new level. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully. I highly doubt I will find something to surpass these unless I spend at least three times the amount these cost.



I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

 

[vandung2510]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some more nuanced comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully.

I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

Very nice impression. Nice to see a DJ in here

 

[dharmasteve]

IEM's are very much a subjective matter for enjoyment factors. "One man's meat is another man's poison" even if they are identical sounding. Something that is very overlooked is....Unit Variation. I'm sure if you checked the classifieds you would find 'Duff' IEMs on sale. People end up being sold a 'pup'. With the 10th I luckily got a 'desert island' copy and rate it as highly as Alexandros. I have on a few occasions ended up with IEMs that don't sound like the good reviews up there....unit variation is often the culprit not just subjective likes or dislikes.

 

[Okcerg]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some more nuanced comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

Thanks for the detailed description! What's your opinion on Fan2 vs 10th? (if you heard them)

 

[Leonarfd]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life and made me appreciate female vocals on a whole new level. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully. I highly doubt I will find something to surpass these unless I spend at least three times the amount these cost.



I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

Not trying to stomp on 10th, I know it's very personal what we like.
I am also in the same conclusion as @doubletrobbel about the Penon 10th, it's overall a good IEM. But not God's gift blessed upon us, personally I find it quite average when we look at cost and sound.

I also would pick EST50 as a tribrid over 10th. Bass quality is in a different league(subjective opinion ofc), as the 10th is soft and on the slower side. Treble also gentler while still being more sparkly in EST50, while more forward on 10th without the same sparkle.
What 10th does much better is vocals, it has a lusher thickness and warmth to it.

DTE900 I understand is in a higher price bracket, 10th on steroids? With faster, more impactful bass. Lush and full vocal and instrumental range, very much what Penon is known for. Treble with similar energy, but more airy and resolving.

Same for Okavango, not saying it is better technically than 10th as an IEM. But bass, no competition really. I think this is what ruins the 10th for me, low end is not giving me satisfaction. Soft, fluffy, unnatural, slow.
And then its plenty of other releases from Penon I find better: Serial, Neo5, Globe, FAN, H30, H40, EST50.

And as @doubletrobbel said: Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, just not the one to end all competition.

 

[BrokenHill]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life and made me appreciate female vocals on a whole new level. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully. I highly doubt I will find something to surpass these unless I spend at least three times the amount these cost.



I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

I can only add to your impressions, that I am a fan of the Penon sound, and yet I have fallen in love with the DTE900 since I had it. Maybe the Volt has more organic vocals, the Impact is something more elegant and clean. But Sound Rhyme has nailed it with the DTE900: musical, fun and versatile without losing detail or leaving the mids far behind.

 

[Neithan]

Great! Hope you've found them satisfiying. Whats your experience and impressions on it?

I have mixed feelings about it.
For the price I bought it, it's solid, but I have a Sound Rhyme SR5 that costs around the same and I wonder if technically the FAN2 isn't inferior... or at least at the same level (with a different sound signature).
Again, if I payed full price, I would have been pissed...
But I only payed half so, not so bad... But after the initial period, I end up almost never listen to them...
I don't feel that they do nothing especial... I don't listen to them since the end of July so I don't want to talk much about the sound signature, expect that they are very safe and mellow...
I prefer a bit more engagement with my IEMs

 

[iscorpio71]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life and made me appreciate female vocals on a whole new level. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully. I highly doubt I will find something to surpass these unless I spend at least three times the amount these cost.



I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

Thanks for your feedback and impressions!

I had no idea of some of the iem you've mentioned, and will look more into them.

I'm currently waiting for the Penon Fan2, which is my first PENON.

Cheers

 

[alexandros a]

I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

As far as this one goes man I think it's totally normal for anyone who feels enthusiastic about a new monitor to speak up more frequently than any other....
I mean it's just the way things go... It usually happens this way around at this and any other hobby.....
Everyone gets to attend here to express his/hers own thoughts as well... Everything is totally acceptable and subjective as well.....
And just for the record EST50s is (beyond any doubt) a basshead's dream, while the 10th isn't supposed to be basshead's cup of tea.........

 

[anyone007]

Let me start off by saying everything anyone writes about any IEM is very subjective. Factors like preference, musical library, experience in audio, physical shape of our ears and hearing are just some of the factors involved in forming our perception of sound. The 10th is by all means an alright IEM, but it is by no means a gift from some deity to mankind. I feel some less one-sided comments are worth sharing since it's been a lot of praise and the people who didn't love it as much may be more silent than those who praise.

The Penon 10th is like a nightclub in an IEM. If that is your jam, then great! I had high hopes because I love v/w-shaped IEMs. To give some context; I've worked as a DJ and always help the sound engineers with tuning the sound to best play my music for the evening. I love the sound of a properly tuned nightclub with a great sound system. Having said that, I would not call the 10th an amazing sound system. The bass on the 10th is to my ears fluffy. At first I was severely let down by the Penon 10th... Bass was honestly terrible. Not hard hitting, and lost some of it's quickness due to the odd fluff. With serious burn in, it got better, but it remained fluffy, like being hit by two small pillows. Sure there's an impact, but nothing visceral about it.

I can honestly say I prefer my Hisenior Okavango to the Penon 10th, which is 299 USD. I think the bass is thumpier, natural and more impactful. It sounds more versatile and goes well with every genre.
I also own the Sound Rhyme SR8, which is way less "fun" tuned, and also prefer that to the Penon 10th. Not as much bass amount, but still feels more impactful and the soundstage is massive compared to the 10th. The 10th is average in terms of soundstage and depth, if not a bit closed in. Honestly, no better than most sets I've tried below it in price. These things often vary from person to person, but this is my perception of it.

For Penon/ISN alternatives, I much preferred my ISN EST50. I would call that a true basshead IEM. Chest thumping, window rattling bass. Much less pronounced top end vs. the Penon 10th, but I still thought the ESTs in the EST50 somehow showed more sparkle than the 10AE.

For roughly the same price, I would also recommend the Xenns Top: It has a very solid amount of bass, a bit boomy though, but incredibly fun with any electronic music genre. Soundstage, depth and imaging was also far superior to my ears. I would call this a "pop" set, as it made me appreciate certain modern pop songs for the first time in my life and made me appreciate female vocals on a whole new level. Also perfect for house music. I sold this one off in order to fund the SR8, but even after getting the 10th after the SR8, I still sometimes consider getting the Xenns Top again, because it super fun. It's only caveat for me was the boominess of the bass.

Now come to what I truly hoped the Penon 10th would be like: The Sound Rhyme DTE900: A truly energetic, fun, W-shaped IEM. It has it all. It has hard-hitting bass, it's fast and impactful. It has a massive soundstage, sparkles and clarity and still very forward vocals so nothing really ever sounds recessed. One of the hardest things to get right is have energy, bass and not have the vocals be drowned by the other two. The DTE900 does this beautifully. I highly doubt I will find something to surpass these unless I spend at least three times the amount these cost.



I get that my comparisons have two IEMs priced 250 dollars above the Penon 10th and I am not one to simply throw more money into am IEM and believe that makes it a better IEM. But I would say both the SR8 and DTE900 at 750 dollars are significantly more impressive to me than the Penon 10th. And for the price, the Hisenior Okavango too. Personally, I even prefer my modded Simgot EA500 at 80 USD, and saving the remaining money for something else.

Finally, I want to emphasize once again that the Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, but there are plenty of amazing options out there as well. To me, some of them are better than the 10AE when you take into account all the factors involved in spending money on an IEM.

People are likely going to get upset about me mentioning other brands, especially two sets from the same brand and I could talk about other sets, but I felt these were the most relevant, especially when taking into consideration what people looking at the Penon 10th should be hoping for.

Not trying to stomp on 10th, I know it's very personal what we like.
I am also in the same conclusion as @doubletrobbel about the Penon 10th, it's overall a good IEM. But not God's gift blessed upon us, personally I find it quite average when we look at cost and sound.

I also would pick EST50 as a tribrid over 10th. Bass quality is in a different league(subjective opinion ofc), as the 10th is soft and on the slower side. Treble also gentler while still being more sparkly in EST50, while more forward on 10th without the same sparkle.
What 10th does much better is vocals, it has a lusher thickness and warmth to it.

DTE900 I understand is in a higher price bracket, 10th on steroids? With faster, more impactful bass. Lush and full vocal and instrumental range, very much what Penon is known for. Treble with similar energy, but more airy and resolving.

Same for Okavango, not saying it is better technically than 10th as an IEM. But bass, no competition really. I think this is what ruins the 10th for me, low end is not giving me satisfaction. Soft, fluffy, unnatural, slow.
And then its plenty of other releases from Penon I find better: Serial, Neo5, Globe, FAN, H30, H40, EST50.

And as @doubletrobbel said: Penon 10th is NOT a bad IEM, just not the one to end all competition.

I can only add to your impressions, that I am a fan of the Penon sound, and yet I have fallen in love with the DTE900 since I had it. Maybe the Volt has more organic vocals, the Impact is something more elegant and clean. But Sound Rhyme has nailed it with the DTE900: musical, fun and versatile without losing detail or leaving the mids far behind.

Good thing I'm not the only one. lol I love Penon and their tuning is great. It just so happened that I own a better sounding IEM (but a few dollars more) that almost has the same tuning as the 10th (IT07). It was quite a let down to be honest. But again, it's just a subjective opinion and like what was mentioned, it is not a bad IEM. It's still a part of my collection.

Until now, I'm still looking for an IEM that has the same (or better) bass than IT07 (still the best that I've heard). Been reading reviews about DTE900 and I'm willing to give it a shot, but since Penon is planning to release a 4DD, I might hold off in the meantime.

What I like about this hobby is the waiting game. With time, inexpensive IEMs are getting good. And good IEMs are getting inexpensive (competitively priced).

 

[doubletrobbel]

As far as this one goes man I think it's totally normal for anyone who feels enthusiastic about a new monitor to speak up more frequently than any other....
I mean it's just the way things go... It usually happens this way around at this and any other hobby.....
Everyone gets to attend here to express his/hers own thoughts as well... Everything is totally acceptable and subjective as well.....

Don't get me wrong, it absolutely makes sense that the vocal majority will be the ones who love the set the most. I really wanted to love it. Everything was lined up for a perfect alley-oop for my preferences and yet it seemed to fumble the ball for me.

And just for the record EST50s is (beyond any doubt) a basshead's dream, while the 10th isn't supposed to be basshead's cup of tea.........

This will again be entirely subjective, but I had heard from a lot of folks before I ordered mine that the 10th were supposed to be the bee's knees in the bass department. Obviously it turned out I had differing opinions on the matter. Which is fine, but worth mentioning none the less

 

[krenky]

My theory for perfect iem is:

Buy one iem, anything you like really.

Then...
* avoid reading and watching iem reviews
* stop visiting head-fi
* never compare it to other iem

The result is you will have the best sounding IEM. That's all you need.
As a bonus you will save tons of money.

Have all great weekend and happy listening

 

[wew01]

My theory for perfect iem is:

Buy one iem, anything you like really.

Then...
* avoid reading and watching iem reviews
* stop visiting head-fi
* never compare it to other iem

The result is you will have the best sounding IEM. That's all you need.
As a bonus you will save tons of money.

Have all great weekend and happy listening

This is what I have been doing all these times. Granted I did do some checking on a few selections that may fit me, which currently EST50 definitely tick the most boxes. Moondrop's Variations, Shuoer EJ07M, Dunu EST112 were amongst the 4 listed due to the easeness of purchasing in my country and these models fit my budget.

I came from Westone UM pro 50 (I know this model is pretty old at this point), so I knew what I wanted. EST50 ended up being way better in all aspects while being cheaper than the UM pro 50 a decade ago. The only nitpicking I had with EST50 was that I found the set lacked a bit more treble to bring out more details etc, so I decided to get a cable from local brand to address it. Much to my surprise, the cable ended up making everything cleaner and tighter too. Hopefully "endgame" for at least 5-6 years before my hands get itchy again...

Edit: I would have gone for the EJ07M if not for the known driver flex

 

[Leviathant]

Don't get me wrong, it absolutely makes sense that the vocal majority will be the ones who love the set the most. I really wanted to love it. Everything was lined up for a perfect alley-oop for my preferences and yet it seemed to fumble the ball for me.


This will again be entirely subjective, but I had heard from a lot of folks before I ordered mine that the 10th were supposed to be the bee's knees in the bass department. Obviously it turned out I had differing opinions on the matter. Which is fine, but worth mentioning none the less

Hey, thanks for your posts. I don’t want to just sound like I’m jumping on board now to stick the knife in ( I did say a little while ago that I prefer Fan 2 over 10th) but I concur with your views.

I quite like the 10th but I doubt I’ll keep it around for long. I too find the bass somewhat soft, which over time I think really will be the dealbreaker. It also doesn’t really have the soul or that special spark that makes me want to reach for it more than other IEMs I have in my possession currently. BUT, I really don’t hate it either. It’s staging and technicals are really decent for this price range. It’s nice with a lot of my stoner/doom rock where I want something a touch smoothed over and relaxing, and the vocals still pop. I wish I could articulate it another way; but I maintain that to me they are decent IEMs, but i don’t find them special.

Fan 2 and Serial are better in that regard as they are cheaper and, to me, really nail what they are doing (either uniqueness or a bit of added magic that helps them stand out against other IEMs I own). Fan 2 at the discount price are just amazing value and I don’t think I’d recommend 10th over them.

As an aside, I managed to get a good deal on a used Tia Trio recently. They were still twice the price of the 10th new. I won’t labour the point too much as they really aren’t in the same league, but they do hold similar traits (tonally). Trio does everything 10th do just much better across the board. I’m getting closer to parting with 10th now.