By Nick Smith, 14th March 2024
Occasionally something comes along that shifts your perspective, and nothing’s quite the same again.
I recently had such an experience I’d like to share with you.
Since demoing Campfire Audio’s USD $3375 Trifecta last year I found myself embroiled in controversy, and worse yet of my own making! Let me explain.
Upon first hearing Trifecta at my local dealer they were terrible – nothing but a wall of bass, with no treble to speak of and drivers so slow I wondered if they were faulty. Repeated Trifecta demos with different sources over the following months yielded similar impressions.
Naturally I did what anyone would – sharing my candid Trifecta thoughts online to what I assumed would be measured and constructive feedback…. you can probably guess how that went!
Having since detached the last of the pitchforks from my behind I’ve deconstructed what made Trifecta so disagreeable; In a world of BA driver dominance the notion of an IEM with three dynamic drivers felt a bit like a P.T. Barnum novelty I wondered if the world really needed.
Fast forward to earlier this year when Penon Audio announced the release of their new Quattro IEMs which boast not three, but four DDs and my eyebrows shot up, as I kept an eye on the forums as ownership impressions trickled in.
Much like Trifecta, Quattros have generated polar reactions – many owners adore them, others complain they’re not what they expected. So when Penon offered to send a pair in exchange for a review I agreed, knowing this is one evaluation that’ll probably end in triumph…. or disaster.
Packaging
The USD $399 Penon Quattros arrive in the usual small yellow Penon cardboard box, inside of which is a fairly plush & well-made leather carry case that strikes a nice balance between being small enough to pocket but roomy enough to house the IEMs with a large 8 wire cable.
There’s also a small leather accessories case, inside of which are three sets of silicone eartips in 3 sizes along with a shirt clip & cleaning tool.
The Quattros come bundled with a seriously impressive blue 2pin silver-plated & graphene cable, in your choice of 4.4mm, 3.5mm or 2.5mm terminations.
Ergonomics
The Quattros’ medical-grade resin shells are vented for pressure relief and are on the chunkier side of the spectrum, which is understandable given each earpiece houses 4 dynamic drivers.
Earphone fit is a personal thing. I find the Quattros are solidly comfortable even for long listening sessions, though smaller hybrids IEMs with only a single DD can be better. There’s a moderate amount of heft to the Quattros & they stick out a bit, but given there’s 4 DDs in there I’ve no complaints.
I’d prefer resin rather than metal nozzles which tend to grip eartips more firmly, but that’s a minor quibble. Ergonomically the stock cable has given me no complaints, being very pliable & draping nicely.
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
Great review Nick. They sound like they are well worth checking out at that price.
Glad you liked it John! They’re the best I’ve heard for this kind of sound under $1000, a very safe recommendation for folks looking for something smooth & warm.