Sound Impressions
I used a Luxury & Precision P6 Pro set to hi-gain mode at 7/60 volume to evaluate the H60s, as I listen at lower volumes. This is the Tidal playlist of tracks I use to evaluate IEMs.
The H60s use 2x 8mm DDs for bass, 2x Sonion BAs for midrange and 2x Knowles BAs for treble. They’re slightly v-shaped, with dominant bass approaching basshead levels, a forward midrange and treble that’s a bit spicier than many ISN IEMs. It’s a fairly excited tuning, yet remains extremely well-balanced.
Bass
H60 bass is terrific – it’s an IEM I’d point to as an example of bass done right. Texture in particular is impressive with lots of bite, but decay isn’t excessively slow like many IEMs with a single DD.
This exemplifies the strength of the 2xDD bass approach, where bass is impactful & visceral yet still fast enough not to lag behind the BAs taking care of everything else. Bass quantity is also spot on – there’s enough of it be considered close to basshead levels, yet it manages to stay out of the midrange’s way to avoid impacting resolution & overall clarity.
Even the balance between sub bass & midbass is really good. Maybe a slight leaning towards sub but I never feel like one’s being excessively favoured. This reminds me of the approach Penon took with their 10th Anniversary except the H60 is less polite and more meaty, yet still feels nimble.
Midrange
As a somewhat v-shaped IEM it’d be normal to expect the H60 midrange to be somewhat lacklustre or at least subtly de-emphasised, yet I don’t find that at all.
Instead vocals on the H60 are quite forward and upfront, but thankfully never shouty. I think this is mainly thanks to the upper midrange being kept relatively in check, and without looking at a graph I suspect they do emphasise the lower midrange slightly.
That’s definitely my preference when it comes to portraying real instruments believably, and though I would describe the H60s as warm their midrange balance doesn’t stray far away from neutral. There’s no shortage of clarity, and it isn’t too thick & stuffy to make things feel cloudy or slow.
Treble
Treble is more prominent than I’m used to from previous ISN IEMs, which I find a welcome change. The H60s deliver commendably high quality treble too, perhaps not quite as delicate as you’d expect from IEMs over $1000 with EST drivers, but far less grainy than is the norm for BA-treble IEMs under $500.
I love the treble tuning on these, with just the right amount of sparkle to bring out important details without imparting the feeling of fatigue you get when cymbals and such overwhelm the midrange.
Though I’ve heard far brighter IEMs than this, you should be warned they are on the slightly brighter side so if you’re especially treble sensitive that may be a factor, it may limit how loud you can push them.
Technical Performance
The H60s are hugely dynamic, a real standout attribute. I’d go so far as to call them one of the most dynamic IEMs under $1000 I’ve heard, and it can be improved further by upgrading the stock cable. Note weight is decent, maybe above average at this price. Another element improvable with a beefier cable.
Their soundstage is impressively deep, and this is a point of differentiation from many IEMs under $500 which often lack in this regard. Stage width however is merely average, though not so narrow as to be claustrophobic. The H60s are quite resolving too, and not just through the midrange but the whole frequency spectrum – brighter treble helps there.
Imaging is fine but not amazing, they probably need a wider stage & blacker background to nail that. Finally the H60s are extremely coherent, with their faster 2xDD bass being of great assistance.
Page 1 – Introduction, Packaging & Ergonomics
Page 2 – Sound Impressions & Technical Performance
Page 3 – IEM Comparisons
Page 4 – Cable Comparisons
Page 5 – Conclusion
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