The ISN Audio H60 was kindly provided free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I didn’t receive monetary or any other kind of compensation and I don’t use affiliate links. The price of the ISN Audio H60 is $349 and you can buy it from Penon Audio.
ISN Audio
ISN Audio is a Chinese audiophile brand under Penon Audio, specializing in making in-ear monitors (IEMs), earbuds, and premium earphone cables. Their products combine premium built quality and excellent sonic performance at very reasonable prices. Some popular ISN Audio earphones are the H50, the EST50 and the NEO 5, just to name a few.
ISN Audio H60
The H60 is the current flagship of ISN Audio’s H Series, a lineup of hybrid-driver IEMs. In this series, the number following the ‘H’ indicates the total driver count. The full range includes the H20, H30, H40, H50 and the H60 models thus far.
The ISN H60 is a 6 driver hybrid IEM with 4 balanced armature and 2 dynamic drivers per side. The driver breakdown is 2 x Knowles balanced armature for the high frequencies, 2 x Sonion balanced armature for mids and 2 x 8mm liquid silicone gel diaphragm for the low frequencies, all drivers are combined with the aid of a 3-way crossover.
Design and wearing comfort
The ISN Audio H60 is 3D printed from skin-friendly medical-grade resin and then gets hand polished. The design is typical to ISN Audio, modern looking yet simple and minimalistic. The H60 is available in two versions, black shells with black faceplates and light blue semi-transparent shells with dark blue faceplates. The faceplates are adorned with marble-like patterns and the ISN logo is engraved on them.
Both versions are beautiful looking, it is either the timeless appearance of total black or the transparency of the light blue that allows a glimpse at the internals. Build quality is excellent, the earphones are solid made and smoothly finished without any visible blemishes.
The ear shells are very lightweight (weighing just 5g each) and have a custom-like shape that follows the natural curves of the ear. They are a little bulky (not surprisingly considering the driver count) and the fit is good but not super comfortable. The sound nozzles are somewhat long so they make the shells protrude outside the ear. Passive noise isolation is above average but not excellent because the shells don’t fit like a glove.
Stock cable
The package includes the ISN Audio C4 cable that is made from high purity single-crystal copper in 4 twisted strands. This is a 2-pin detachable cable that is well made and robust yet soft and flexible enough with low microphonic noise.
A high quality cable for the price that you have the option to order with either 3.5mm, 2.5mm or 4.4mm plugs at no additional cost. However, it should be noted that at this price point all the competition comes with modular cables so it’s time for ISN Audio to follow if they want to stay competitive.
Accessories
Except for the cable, the package also includes a high quality carrying case with a magnetic lid and three different types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes. This is the typical ISN Audio package that is good and inclusive but it needs some reworking to adjust with the current trends.
Sensitivity
The H60 has a low impedance (18Ω) and high sensitivity (112dB) design so it is easy to drive but also very sensitive to source noise. High quality USB DAC dongles, like the FiiO KA15 or the iBasso DC07PRO, can do the job but do consider that the H60 scales pretty well and higher quality gear can make it sound even better. I have enjoyed it very much with the iBasso DX180.
Listening impressions
Between all the ISN Audio earphones that I have reviewed, the H60 has the most balanced tuning and the best tonal accuracy. ISN Audio has made an earphone that sounds almost neutral and quite precise yet musical and engaging. The H60 lets you communicate with the music and enjoy your favorite tunes, all while staying technical and transparent enough.
The low-end surprises with its excellent sub-bass extension while maintaining a good balance of warmth and sufficient tonal accuracy. The tuning is not absolutely neutral but the amount of the mid-bass emphasis is just enough to make it sound fun and exciting while retaining satisfying precision for critical listening. The H60 is like a chameleon as it easily adapts to every tune you throw at it. It is captivating with modern music and at the same time it can convincingly reproduce all the low pitched instruments of the symphony orchestra without making them sound out of tune or too colored.
The technical behavior is impressive for the category, the two dynamic drivers work in perfect harmony to produce punchy and impactful bass that is also fast, tight and controlled without echoes. The textures are very balanced, elastic and quite weighty with excellent layering and definition.
The mid-range of the H60 is rendered with gusto, balanced and cohesive with good transparency and very realistic timbre. Voices and instruments sound lifelike and alive while the H60 goes without the usually fatiguing upper mid-range emphasis that is found in almost every earphone these days. The textures are lush yet refined and articulate with good separation and depth.
More listening impressions
The H60 stands out for its exceptional ability to capture the harmonic richness and the colorful overtones of the music. This is why it sounds so engaging and emotionally intense just from the first few minutes, you don’t have to listen a lot in order to get the feeling.
Resolution and definition are not always synonyms for emphasized treble and good earphones can stay resolving and energetic without sounding bright or sharp. The H60 uses high quality drivers for the higher frequencies and a sophisticated tuning so it can do excellent detail retrieval and have plenty of sparkle without the need for an artificiality boosted treble. It never sounds analytical or clinical while its timbre is always natural foregoing any traces of metallic glare.
The overall sound signature is very cohesive and the transition from the lows to the highs is seamless with good continuity. The H60 is not perfect though, you can spot differences in textural qualities between the three different groups of drivers but it is rather unfair to be so critical at this price point.
The soundstage is wide and spacious with natural and realistic proportions but not that deep. Interestingly enough, the H60 sounds more open than many open back headphones and can convincingly convey the scale of the music. You can easily follow the various instrumental groups and single instruments but I have occasionally wished for some better imaging accuracy and extra layers of depth.
Like a chameleon
The ISN Audio H60 is a true all-rounder earphone that can shine and sound good with all kinds of music, from modern EDM to classical. It might not excel and be the leader in specific areas like some specialist earphones do, but only a few are as adaptable as the H60. Another benefit is that it also matches well with all kinds of sources, as long as they are silent enough and not too dark.
In the end
The ISN Audio H60 is unique and stands out from the crowd thanks to its exceptionally musical and captivating yet natural and balanced tuning. An earphone that sounds good with all kinds of music and is going to please almost everyone except those seeking very popular or specialized tunings. The H60 performs admirably well and much better than someone would have expected for the price. It has become one of my favorite earphones and there are many chances that it might do the same for you.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Extra musical and captivating
+ Balanced tuning with natural timbre
+ Excellent bass with strong technical performance
+ Expressive mids and pleasing treble
+ Resolving yet not analytical or sterile
+ Full bodied and weighty textures
+ Open and spacious soundstage
+ Ideal for all-rounder use
+ Very lightweight and well made
+ High quality cable and carrying case
+ The sonic performance punches above the price point
- Not the most technical treble presentation
- Not for those seeking popular or specialized tunings
- Soundstage could use more depth and spatial accuracy
- Bulky ear shells may feel uncomfortable for some
- The cable is not modular
Leave a comment