ISN Audio - EBC80

I agree with this 1000%. However, I had to return mine. I listen mostly at night in bed and they have significant sound leakage and kept my wife up. Besides that, they are about as good as I can imagine an IEM being.

Check out my full review of the ISN Audio EBC80, here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/isn-audio-ebc80-review/ ISN Audio EBC80 Review -Quad-brid (2DD, 2BA, 2EST, 2 BC) -$699 I hope everyone is doing well. At the link above is my full review of the ISN Audio EBC80 from ISN Audio. The EBC80 is an 8-driver quad-brid iem which employs two dynamic drivers, two balanced armature drivers, two electrostatic drivers, and two full-range bone conduction drivers. All drivers are of very high quality. Friends, I could not be more impressed with this iem. It's truly a complete package which will likely be an end game purchase for many (I know there's no such thing as “End Game”). The EBC80 offers none of the most immersive and grandiose holographic sound fields that I've heard with a wonderfully balanced and very dynamic sound. The bass hits hard, deep, fast, defined, and totally authoritative. The midrange is absolutely spellbinding. Vocals are so wonderful folks. I won’t get into much detail here as I've already stated it all in my review, but the midrange is wonderfully forward, beautifully textured, with organic timbre and very high resolution. The treble is non-fatiguing but carrying great treble bite, as it's a clean and defined treble with very good extension up top. Technically the EBC80 is at the top in its class for many attributes. It has wonderful detail retrieval, fantastic pin-point imaging, transient tight, it's very well layered and the EBC80 honestly has a 3D stage that is very vast, full, and out of my head. I really feel like I'm downplaying this set right now friends. It truly is that nice. I couldn't be more impressed. If you are in the market for an under $1k set or if you simply like reading about what's on the market then I do hope you'll click the link and learn a bit more about the EBC80. This was a very fun review and one that I greatly enjoyed. Thank you to Penon Audio and to Audio Geeks for making this possible. Also, thank you for reading. Take good care everyone. 🔥🔥 EBC80 Pros 🔥🔥 -Build Quality is the usual Penon resin, very nice, durable in hand -Extremely comfortable (will they fit you as well?) -The design is striking in appearance -Great dynamic balance with boisterous macro-dynamics -Wonderfully holographic sound field, great layering abilities -Bass is very well textured, deep, palpable, visceral, clean for its emphasis -Midrange is absolutely delectable, creamy, full bodied, vocals are truly awesome -Non-fatiguing treble, nice bite, great clarity, nice extension, textured -Highly detailed (w/some obvious small caveats) -Imaging is spot-on -Very high resolution across the board, even with a richer sound -Soundstage is a vast, chasmic, multi-layered experience 👎 EBC80 Cons 👎 -The cable is somewhat puzzling. It’s very nice but the earhook situation? -Could use a hair more lift throughout the treble (I’m really stretching) -Fans of an analytical tuning may not want to pick this set up -May be too bass heavy for some (again, stretching) Check out my full review of the ISN Audio EBC80, here: https://mobileaudiophile.com/in-ear-earphones-iem-iems-reviews/isn-audio-ebc80-review/

To be as honest as I can be, I haven't heard any iem under $1k that's better than the EBC80. I adore this set. Good for you! I cannot say enough good things about this set. The EBC80's imaging and layering are fantastic and so for gaming it should be a no brainer. Enjoy!

the monarch mkiv can sound jarring if you’re coming from a warmer iem (i have the sa6 mk2 and it’s hard for me to categorize. sometimes it sounds warm, sometimes it sounds open and bright—not sure how you hear it). but, since it’s already in your hands, i’d give it some more time. just today, i put mine on and found them to be warmer than i remembered. sometimes it just depends on what you heard last, how tired you are, etc. otherwise, maybe the mega5est. it’s more vocal forward than the sa6 mk2 and more conventionally tuned, so it would complement your sa6 by giving you something that sounds a little more proper while being more laid back and natural than the monarch mkiv. you also don’t give up too much in terms of technicalities. coming from the monarch mkiv, the bass will definitely sound less defined, but i think it fits the overall sound signature well. some people call the mega5est boring, but musicality is subjective and hard to define. i’m a neutral head and the mega5est has a touch more warmth and bass than what i consider neutral, so in that sense, it’s musical to me. if you want to be risk-averse, the ziigaat arcanis has pretty much replaced the sa6 mk2 in my rotation. it’s what i expected the sa6 mk2 to sound like (and what i wanted the mega5est to sound like). a bit more sub bass and bit more satisfying bass overall. i find the upper mids and vocals of the sa6 mk2 to be too recessed and the arcanis addresses this by bringing them forward just a smidge (but not as much as the mega5est). vocals have a vibrant quality to them that you might consider musical. and there is just enough treble extension to give it air and sparkles. it doesn’t come across as technical as the sa6 mk2, but all of the details are still there. it’s unique and i actually like it more than the mega5est, but that comes down to how it fits in my collection penon/isn has been recommended a lot. i can vouch for the ebc80. its warm, has phenomenal sound stage, and is super fun. it isn’t fatiguing at all to me, but it doesn’t really fall under the category of laid back. their other iems might for the bill, though. these recommendations i think would be an “upgrade” to the sa6 mk2. however, my philosophy is that for a laid back sound, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. so personally, my warm, laid back iem is the ziigaat arcadia. it’s warm, punchy, has just enough treble, and with the right tips, can sound just as well-executed and beautiful as anything in the $200-$250 range. i prefer it to my penon serial and canon 2 for this purpose. i’ve also been going to the odyssey 2 a lot for a laid back listen, though it is not as warm. the punch audio martilo is also a good choice if you think you can tolerate a lot of sub bass. it sounds mostly normal and conventional, which, like the mega5est, could complement the sa6 mk2 well. when there isn’t a lot of sub bass in a song, it doesn’t sound like a bass head iem. but when there is, the bass sounds like you have a sealed subwoofer in front of your face.

To the first part of your post, that price range will vary greatly with your musical experience/exposure, expectations about what you identify as mind-blowing, and your personal exposure to listening gear. Currently, IEM tech is changing at an accelerating pace- you can find mind-blowing products at several price ranges from the $100s to the $1000s. There is no potential endgame with IEMs in my experience. Specific designs will excel with certain genres of music and certain models are designed for very specific types of listening, including studio production- in my case, the Thieaudio Oracle is one of the only iems I can use for recording. For listening pleasure and study, I currently keep a handful of IEMs that can rival my headphones. In particular, I love my ISN EBC 80s for their astounding depth, immersion and dynamic breadth during active listening. I enjoy my Soundrhyme Sr7s during the day for their enveloping richness and soundstage experience. When I take the dog for a walk, I use my audiosense T800s and often take the 7Hz Auroras in my pocket. The warmer bass tuning make these a fun combo on the move. When I listen to live orchestra and chamber music I reach for the BGVP-DMA and the new NiceHCK Himalayas- they are astounding IEMs for the price. All these IEMs are in the $190 to $800 range, if you shop wisely. For professional work, I edit in a sound-treated room using Genelec and KEF monitors- they are both outstanding. I’ll move to HD 800 and Arya Organics at night to keep my neighbors happy. I have worked with far more expensive gear for years now, and cannot tell you that I’ve been blown away by more expensive hardware, specifically IEMs. I think this will change going forward, and we will probably hear breakthroughs that will indeed rival the likes of HD 800s and HE1000se. Lastly, IEMs cannot really compete with Supra-aural headphones imo. The physical design and anatomical challenges are pretty complex. There are other variables that will definitely affect your experience- your health, your ears and physiology, your eartips/fit solutions, your audio chain from power source-pre amp, to DAC and amp choice. The question remains, at what price point do you personally find the mind-blowing threshold ? IMO, the more you spend, the less you will experience that threshold. Late in life, I continue to have mind-blowing moments with my IEMs when I listen to new music every single night. Fundamentally, it’s bout the music in your head and heart. We live in an awesome tech moment that can afford us superlative listening for a relatively small investment.

ISN EBC80 — brilliant IEMs. $699 USD is more than I typically spend on IEMs, but don’t regret it for a second.

hey sorry for the late response. I just got the ebc80 and here are my comparisons between the 2: Bass: Que takes the cake easily especially in its subbass. Faster, better textured, slams harder and rumblier than the EBC80. Overall bass for the EBC80 sounded meh but the only redeeming quality was its slightly thumpier midbass lol. Que wins. Mids: Que sounds bit more forward, drier and cleaner. Whereas the EBC80 sounds slightly recessed but sounds thicker and lusher. Me personally, I would still go for the Que only cuz I prefer forward vocals. So, another point goes to the Que Treble: Que has better extension and sparkle at the top end. But the EBC80 sounds smoother overall while retaining details but isn't as sparkly as the Que. Both retain similar amount of detail. It's a draw, hard to decide which one I prefer depending on my mood lol. Comfort and fitment go to the EBC80, much easier to wear and I can wear it for longer before I feel pain/discomfort than the Que as the ebc80's shells slightly smaller and much more ergonomic. The winner goes to the Que: 2-1. It is an exceptional IEM that's under $400. Swap the 2 and the pricing would make more sense given their sound quality. Also, the hype is justified and I'm glad that chi-fi racing to the bottom isn't slowing down.

I ended up blind buying it since I'm assuming tariffs will drive up the cost of iems like this. The soundstaging and imaging is what really sold me, since I'll be using it for gaming. How would you say this iem competes with similar iems such as the thieaudio origin and TSMR shock?

ISN EBC80. It's a quadbrid that has better bone conduction driver implementation than anything out there under $1500. I'm listening to it right now and I have to say that nothing comes close to the type of soundstage produced with this iem. The bone conductors actually connect with your ear outside of the ear canal. If you look at a picture of the IEM, you'll see what looks like a vent hole just below the nozzle. That's actually where the bone conductor is. They facilitate a very expanded soundstage, creating a distinct perception of depth and height. The imaging with this set is next level, another aspect you can only ever achieve with these sonion bone conductors. Comfort is good, despite the size of the IEM. The cable is especially comfortable because it doesn't have ear hooks, nor will you hear any rubbing of the cable on the back of your ear like you get with braided cables and most plastic ear hooks. As for tuning, this IEM has a W shape sound signature. The bass is fairly boosted but does not overtake any other frequencies. Lower midrange is smooth with a lot of weight to it. Upper midrange is pretty elevated. Keep in mind that any graphs you see on squiglink will show a very recessed 1khz area. This is because the full frequency bone conductors are left out of the equation when the IEM is graphed. Basically, ignore graphs of this IEM and all others with bone conductors. All high frequencies are pretty elevated and would sound sharp if it weren't for the electrostatic drivers keeping it technical and detailed yet smooth enough to listen to for hours on end. After what was probably a hundred hours of searching and keeping an eye out for new releases and reviews, I ended up with the ISN EBC80 because I have always wanted a bassy iem with top notch technicalities without feeling like there's a frequency range that's left out or being recessed like you'd find with a V-shape tune, U-shape, or neutral tunes. This IEM is absolutely the best you can get under $1000 and the only competitor would be the Penon archangel that will be released soon. During side by side comparisons, I very much prefer the ebc80 over the thieaudio origin. Technicalities are on par with the monarch mk3...

Bone conductor IEMs have a unique ability to enhance positional audio which makes them the best tool for gaming. I have tested the IEM that is considered the best for gaming, the 64 audio Volür with fps games like COD and battlefield but it actually falls short of the isn ebc80 because of that extra dimension of soundstage and headspace. It adds a bit of sound layering which makes it easier to pick out individual sounds like footsteps within a busy battlefield with vehicles, explosions, gunfire, etc. The bone conductors are located on the side of the shell, behind the eartip so that the sound is sent around the ear canal and straight to the inner ear. This bypasses the eardrum, giving you better directional audio that isn't competing for the eardrum with other audio queues. This soundstage and imaging is on another level. Avoid piezo (PZT) bone conductors because they're located on the inside of the shell and tend to be geared towards low-end enhancement rather than the more useful mid-upper frequencies and technicalities that you get with sonion BCDs. Use tri clairion eartips which will boost sound separation and imaging capabilities of the isn ebc80. Another good option is the Penon liqueur black eartips that I personally use quite often. Both eartips are widebore. The divinus velvet wide bore tips are the comfiest and good all-rounder eartips. I can listen with these iems all day with either one of those equipped, not that I'm proud to admit that I have done it Since I first started using this IEM, I've been playing with a 2.45 K/D average on my fps games because I know where every single enemy player is within 50-100 (virtual) yards! When I'm clearing buildings, I can tell what floor an enemy is on thanks to those bone conductors. There does not appear to be a better/more expensive IEM that uses full-frequency bone conductors aside from the penon archangel but I hear it isn't good for long sessions due to fatiguing upper midrange and treble. If you're intent on spending within that budget of yours, the volür is the one recommended most.

As a watchdogs 2 enjoyer and competitive fps gamer, I find the ISN EBC80 is the best option out there. You will notice a significant advantage with bone conductors due to the boost in technicalities that cannot be matched. They are full-frequency drivers that send sound through cartilage and straight to the concha (inner ear), bypassing the eardrum. It makes the soundstage feel out-of-your-head. With those drivers, gaming is much more immersive (movies and music as well) and makes it very easy to keep track of what is going on around you in busy/noisy environments. The tuning is very energetic and benefits from using Penon liqueur eartips and angel ears ae100 eartips in my experience.

You will want to try the Penon archangel or ISN EBC80. They are great value because they have the technicalities that are better than or compete with $1000+ IEMs. They are worth every penny and I can't say the same for any other IEMs I've tried in that price range. They excell in creating an out of your head soundstage that cannot be replicated by other IEMs or even headphones because of the full-frequency bone conductors that they use. Now, that's not to say that headphones have a smaller soundstage than these iems. It really feels like a different dimension in comparison, which is kind of an exaggeration but it's the best way that I can explain it.

It's worth every penny and has a soundstage that I would consider to be above average, but layering and separation is average when compared to other IEMs in that price range nowadays. Great bass on that set

They're both gonna have a 3D soundstage that is holographic. They both have good subbass rumble but the EBC80 has more Midbass than the archangel's subdued Midbass. The ebc80 therefore has an energetic lower midrange while the archangel has a natural, uncolored low midrange. The ebc has more treble extension and detail thanks to the electrostatic drivers but the BA treble coming out the archangel is no slouch. As for upper midrange, they're both fun but the archangel is more refined. EBC80 is tuned to be more musical in comparison. They're both on sale for $120 off on ali express. EBC80 can be had for $515USD, Archangel is ~$600USD with the coupon. The archangel is more expensive because of the nicer cable from what I can tell (it's an effect audio cable, so top shelf quality)

I think that the EBC80 is the riskier set if you're sensitive to fatigue when using them for long periods of time at volumes loud enough to pick out the sound of footsteps in a gunfight. It's not vocal-focused or even vocal-forward, but it does have emphasis just because of how there's a lot of energy across all frequencies. It's a W-shape tune, after all. You might be better off with the archangel's reference style tune. It's analytical with bass boost so there's great imaging and soundstage, giving it a bit of an edge over the EBC80 when it comes to gaming. As for the treble sparkle, the ebc80 does have a bit more of that. There isn't any sibilance but it can very possibly become fatiguing depending on how sensitive you are to upper midrange frequencies.

EBC80 is really impressive in technical aspects. Tuning wise, the bass is just the right amount, BC driver doing it's stuff of making the sound fuller, and EST drivers making the treble extension better. Personally I really like my Mega5EST Bass. The tuning is just right for my preference. If you are looking for super resolving sets, then DUNU DK3001 BD might be a better choice.. Tea Pro is the best meta tuned set you can get under 400USD, period. Don't expect it to punch above it's price tier though. EST and BC drivers are there for a reason lol.

Yes. There is no debate about this.

I had Sennheiser HD 660s and now Focal Azurys, went into iems early last year. Man I have a 70$ Sivga Que that has a beryllium coated driver and is all metal/wood built iem that is better tuned than the Focal… and imho 90% of it’s technical ability. I also have other sets but my flagship is ISN EBC80 with 2 Dynamic drivers for bass, 2 balanced armatures for mids, 2 electrostatic drivers for highs and 2 full range bone conduction drivers. It is 699$ though, but it smokes all other headphones I have tried in my life. To be honest though, the best price/performance in lies in the 250-350$ range. To get a noticeable improvement you have to spend more and more and the improvement gets less and less. I currently ordered Ziigaat odyssey and that may be the nee ~200$ benchmark. On the 350$ I swear by ISN H60. As for planar iem try the new Artti t10 pro.

Well the nature of est iems is that they are pricier than the „usual” BA hybrids, as the drivers themselves are more expensive. When thinking new we are talking 450-550$ at least. Well they may exist a decent set I’m not aware of as I don’t know all iems or even half that are out there, but it is what it is. The EST in it’s character though is worth ot imho, as it sounds way more natural than BA treble or Planar treble. Think DD naturalness yet with way more extension. Then the implementation must be good, as when the iem is not tuned in a way to fully utilise the est potential then there is not really a point to spend extra for them is there. On the cheaper side You have something like: 450$ Sound Rhyme DTE500, a fantatic, warm set with good sparkle. Kiwi EarsxHBB Punch, 400-450$ ( depends if you can get linsoul discount ) latest basscanon from Kiwi and HBB it uses est. Hisenior mega5EST/Mega5est bass+ ( bass+ has nicer treble as welll ). This is a gret choice for most, 550-589 $ I/O VOLARE is at around 600$ has 4 est, very nice set There was also Penon 10th anniversary, but it is no longer being made. 450$ Penon also owns ISN audio and they have ISN EST50, their previous flagship around 420$, but DTE500 is a better choice. I currently own their new flagship the ISN EBC80 2DD 2BA 2EST 2 Bone Conduction drivers set. It’s a fantastic set with a bit large nozzles though, so is not for everyone. And is 699$

They should be available in black as well, heck when doing ciem you can request to be Pink if You’d like! Haha! You need to have big bälls to drive a pink cadillac! - Elvis What is your source though? EBC is the one iem I preffer on my Shanling UA3 or BTR17. As to me it has a bit too little note-weight on my iBasso DX180. I basso does a scoop in the 200-350 hz region to my ear to make the sound ultra clean. But that detracts from EBC’s full character, on the other dacs I mentioned male vocals are a chef’s kiss. Powerful, grounded, with authority.

Yeah, but EBC is not a basshead set, I’d say it’s a kilobuck sound allrounder for 700$ with nicely, elegantly boosted bass, to not feel dry.

I actually bought mine on sale 3 days after launch haha! Bought em for 395$ from Linsoul Aliexpress store with 3€ import fee ( lol ) Just got em, they are super solid. Very nice texture, separation and clarity. Still prefer my ISN EBC80, especially in the treble and tonality, the Bone Conduction+ EST make them sound more organic and natural but this will be a close second with a slightly different tune. This sounds like Elysian Pilgrim on Steroids

Comfort wise Top Pro is the clear winner, smaller shells, smaller nozzle. Sound wise hands down the ISN EBC80. I get enjoyment, pure enjoyment factor while listening on EBC. Top Pro was technical, had great layering and separation. But the sound was too dry for me. It has this Linsoul Tuck* where the bass cuts off and does not bleed into the lower mids which I’m not a fan off. Male vocals suffer from this as they lack power and authority. Female Vocals and electronic genres should sound great on top Pro. But my library is classic rock, hard rock, some metal, indie etc mostly. About 90%. EBC80 has much more mid bass, sounds fuller, more organic and simply put, Fun. While not lacking the technical department at all, and EST drivers > BA treble. No BA timbre here at all. Sold Top Pro to a friend of mine.

Well I kind of came to a similar conclusion but after owning and enjoying the Ziigaat Odyssey, I wish I tried the explorer first but it is what it is. Glenn Gane has the Moonlight sound demos on YT and I was thinking that it can be an endgame relaxing smooth set and then found this post. We often find eachother here on reddit, so Hi again! My current end game is the ISN EBC 80 and it is a fantastic set, but I cannot stop listening to the Odyssey, maybe the Moonlight would make more sense to me as well… and they are roughly the same price Oh and regarding the dacs. I was curious about the DC elite and I also work on a mac, had the m1 pro and it was a „good” one, apple then upgraded their amps and dacs a d now I have the brand new mac mini m4 and maaaan. The 3.5mm on this thing is FIRE! AMAZING,smooth, natural sound. If one cna live with 3.5 alone there is really no need to buy a separate dac..