The Penon GS849 IEM cable 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 cable is $99.99 and you can buy it from Penon Audio.
Penon GS849 IEM upgrade cable
The Penon GS849 is an audiophile gold & silver mixed upgrade cable for IEMs. It has a braided design that comprises four cores of 18K gold-plated OCC copper and four cores of silver-plated OCC copper. Each core has 49 strands of wire, the plug contains 68% copper while the solder tin contains an amount of silver.
Build quality and handling
The cable is sold in 1.2m length with either MMCX or 2-pin connectors while you can choose the termination plug between 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm options. The high quality splitter is made from carbon fiber with metallic rings around it and the slider is from CNC machined metal. The cable doesn’t have pre-formed ear-hooks and the 2-pin connectors lack specific alignment marks so you have to remember that the grooves point outwards.
The Penon GS849 is a sturdy and very well made cable with high quality plugs, durable sheathing and strong plastic strain reliefs in every plug. The cable is thick and heavier than the average but it has the advantage that it doesn’t get tangled and has exceptionally low microphonic noise. It is a little bulky but also one of the most beautiful looking cables, the combination of gold and silver is just astonishing.
Accessories
The cable was sent in a simple plastic bag so I don’t have photos of the accessories. However, the retail package includes a stylish wooden case, a carrying pouch and a shirt clip.
Audio performance
I have used the Penon GS849 cable with various earphones, from the least expensive Penon Vortex, to the pricier Penon Quattro and even the flagship LETSHUOER Cadenza 12.
The cable is not going to miraculously transform your earphones into something else different than they already sound while it will not mess up their frequency response. Bright earphones will still sound bright, warm will remain warm and bass light earphones are not going to gain any extra low-end presence.
The Penon GS849 is a high quality cable with great sonic transparency that what it does is to effectively pass the audio signals without losses during the process. The sound remains crystal clear and defined without becoming analytical or bright. The cable is very resolving, the textures gain in weight, the layering becomes more intricate and the soundstage especially holographic given that the earphone is able to take advantage of these enhancements.
The cable is exceptionally technical, the sound is fast, tight and controlled with ample dynamics while it has the ability to highlight the blackness of a silent source. Bright earphones will still sound bright but the Penon GS849 can smooth out any potential hard edges and make the treble less grainy and metallic. The GS849 is also a cable that can help timbre to obtain more natural and organic qualities.
Please note that cable reviews are very subjective and synergy dependant so my findings are not guaranteed that will align with yours.
In the end
The Penon GS849 is an exceptionally well made and premium looking cable that can help your earphones sound even better. And while this is something that cannot always be guaranteed, I can happily recommend the GS849 for its build quality and appearance alone. For $99.99 the Penon GS849 is made like a tank and is a definite upgrade over most stock IEM cables.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ 8-cores hybrid upgrade cable
+ Gold and silver plated OCC copper wires
+ Exceptionally well made and durable
+ High quality plugs and splitter
+ Low friction noise and tangle resistant
+ Available with various plugs
+ Accessories
+ Technical and transparent sound
+ Crystal clear and resolving
+ Doesn't add brightness or alter the frequency response
+ Holographic soundstage and natural timbre
+ Excellent value
- A bit thick and bulky
- Heavier than the average
- No modular plug
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