By Nick Smith, 15th October 2023
I’ve always wondered if there’s an underlying audiophile stigma towards bass.
Do we politely nod our heads when others confess their lust for massive woofers, but privately scoff & assign them second-tier status because they choose to prioritise lower frequencies?
Certainly it’s true newcomers to the hobby are frequently bass-obsessed, whilst its been claimed long-time audiophiles often become midrange aficionados. I suspect there’s far more to it, and that one’s taste in music plays the greater role.
So almost with a sinking heart I noted Penon Audio offering to send me a pair of thumping ISN Neo5s in exchange for a review, threatening to drag me deeper down a whirlpool of bass-driven degeneracy my audio cred may never survive.
Did I plug my ears & mime mantras at 15khz to resist all temptation, or have I mutated into a naked cultist of the heathen Bass Gods, howling blasphemous incantations into the night as we dance around a bonfire of bongos & tom-toms? Read on if you dare!
The ISN Neo5 are a set of USD $289 earphones in a hybrid 4xBA 1xDD configuration. Many earphones aim to represent bass frequencies in a delicate, tastefully subdued fashion.
…this is not one of them.
The Neo5s understand you’re a low-frequency fiend who craves bass and the correct amount is always MORE, and they’re very happy to give it to you!
Bass is the star of the show here, so you’re going to feel all the rumble & punch that forms the backbone of so much modern music that moves your soul.
Packaging
As was the case with the ISN EST50s I previously reviewed, the Neo5s arrive in a small cardboard box, and inside is a robust leather carry case.
Three sets of eartips are supplied, plus a cleaning tool & shirt clip. The overall package is acceptably minimalist given the Neo5’s modest price. The stock cable – an ISN S4 – is a very comfortable 4 wire silver-plated OCC copper cable, in your choice of 4.4mm, 3.5mm or 2.5mm terminations.
Ergonomics
The Neo5s feel very similar to the Penon Globes I recently reviewed but are slightly smaller, stick out less and are even more comfortable.
In fact for my ear geometry their fit is as perfect as any hybrid IEM I’ve tried, owing largely to their small size & very sculpted shape. I may be particularly lucky here, since they happen to fit me almost as well as custom IEMs would and can be kept in my ears for many hours without discomfort.
They’re also vented which is vital for relieving pressure build-up. The stock cable is light & flexible, with no microphonics or memory effect. My only minor complaint is the metal nozzles – eartips don’t grip them quite as securely as nozzles sculpted from the shells theselves, so my Spinfit W1 tips occasionally dislodge from the nozzles as I’m removing the IEMs from my ears unless they’re removed very gently.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – More IEM Comparisons
Page 5 – Cable Comparisons
Page 6 – Conclusion
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