![]() ![]() Requiring a volume of 40 on the SR35 they're just as easy to drive.īoth IEMs clearly share the same DNA with the EST50s delivering similarly elevated levels of bass, and though bass quantity is slightly higher on the Neo5s, I do prefer the EST50s' bass texture. Physically larger but similarly sculpted to one's ear geometry, the EST50s' comfort lags slightly behind the Neo5s but their extra bulk helps them isolate a bit more effectively. The Neo5s have a slight edge in resolution but the difference is slight. Tonally the Globes don't feel as dynamic or energetic, instead coming across as smoother with a midrange that feels more emphasised with extra presence and more warmth. On the other hand the Globes have a blacker background with slightly improved imaging, and a slightly deeper soundstage though it is definitely narrower than the Neo5s'.Ĭoherency is a great strength of the Globes and they edge the Neo5s in this regard. I'd describe the Globes' bass as merely adequate, whereas the Neo5s emphasise bass enormously. Immediately noticeable is the Globes possessing MUCH lower bass quantity, and bass texture isn't as satisfying either. Requiring a volume of 38 on the SR35 (vs 40 for the Neo5s) the Globes are similarly easy to drive. I find the Neo5s slightly more comfortable but the Globes are still exceptionally good. Physically the Globes are slightly larger & stick out a bit further. Resolution is quite decent without being outstanding, imaging & separation are fairly average and in general I find the Neo5's technical chops rarely call attention to themselves, but aren't so deficient that they prevent me enjoying the music either. ![]() Other technicalities are about what you'd expect from an IEM in this price range, neither dramatically impressive nor unimpressive. Unfortunately stage depth is not up to the same level, though there's enough depth that the horrible feeling of a ruler-flat stage many cheaper IEMs portray is thankfully absent.ĭynamics are superb, which is a real strength of the Neo5s - this is a quality I value extremely highly, and though they can usually be improved by swapping to a beefier cable it's always nice to start with impressive baseline performance as is the case here. The Neo5 soundstage is impressively wide for such a modestly-priced IEM with a low driver count, and I suspect that's largely thanks to its' silver-plated stock cable which excels in this regard. In many ways the Neo5s feel like going on a diet consisting solely of chocolate cake - the lurking sensation guilt only seems to amplify my enjoyment. Make no mistake though, the Neo5s are all about the bass - it will grab your attention through sheer volume, at times when other IEMs would encourage you to focus on different instruments. In fact rather than sounding like a blunt instrument the Neo5s come across as surprisingly clean, with instruments like acoustic guitars & string instruments portrayed with the sort of delicacy one does not expect from a set of bass cannons. You'll occasionally notice a little bit of bleed into the midrange, but ISN have a done an excellent job of preventing the rest of the presentation from being overwhelmed. Instead there's a huge volume of bass quantity that's biased more towards sub rather than midbass, but the rest of the frequency spectrum feels impressively unaffected. It is unashamedly elevated far beyond neutral, and despite not being the fastest I've heard is definitely not the slowest - this isn't bass that struggles to catch up with the rest of the music, nor is there any lack of cohesion because one driver is working out of sync with the others. Let's begin with bass because that's definitely what you'll notice first. The Neo5s deliver a bouncy, energetic L-shaped sound with superb dynamics and epic amounts of bass.
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