The Penon Quattro 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 Quattro is $399 and you can buy it from Penon Audio.
Penon Audio
Penon Audio is a large online shop that except for selling audio products from various brands they also manufacture their own earphones and audio accessories, like the Penon Vortex and the Tail. Penon Audio is also behind the famous ISN Audio brand that makes some well regarded earphones like the ISN NEO 5 and the ISN H50.
Penon Quattro
The Penon Quattro is a multi-driver earphone that uses a full dynamic driver array instead of the usual hybrid or full balanced armature configurations. The Quattro features the unique combination of one 6mm custom dynamic driver for the high frequencies, one 8mm graphene diaphragm driver for the mids and two 10mm composite diaphragm drivers for the bass.
The low frequencies use the latest horizontally opposed dual low frequency driver to further enhance the bass effect, the mids use a new generation of graphene materials driver for more rich details and the high frequencies use a new process of driver manufacturing that makes the sound smoother and more delicate.
The Quattro uses a 3-way crossover and a three independent conduit design for better layering performance and combination of the drivers.
Build quality and wearing experience
The ear-shells of the Penon Quattro are handmade using medical grade resin material that is lightweight and skin friendly. They have a custom-like shape that follows the natural contours of the ear to offer the best ergonomics. The faceplates feature a marble-like pattern design in blue and black color while the rest of the body is a deep black.
The ear-shells are somewhat bulky but not as much as someone would expect from the number and the size of the drivers. The fit is actually good and comfortable for extended periods of use and the ear-shells don’t protrude too much outside the ears. The sound nozzle is relatively short and some people might need double flange ear-tips to achieve a stable fit and good noise isolation.
Cable and accessories
The Quattro comes bundled with a high quality, 2-pin detachable cable that is beautiful looking thanks to the blue-electric color of the outer sheathing. The cable is soft and lightweight, it bends easily without getting tangled and doesn’t induce friction noise. The cable is not modular but you have the option to order it with either a 4.4mm, 2.5mm or 3.5mm plug of your choice.
The package also includes a high quality carrying case with a side zipper that is big enough to store the earphones together with your favorite USB DAC dongle. You will also find three different types of silicone ear-tips in three sizes each, a leather pouch, a clip and a cleaning brush.
Drivability
The earphones are rated at 16Ω of impedance with 100dB of sensitivity and are relatively easy to drive but a little sensitive to source noise. They scale quite well and respond to upstream and more powerful gear. The Penon Tail is good for starters but you can do much better with gear like the iBasso DX180. The source should be able to handle 16Ω loads without clipping, something that not all portable USB DAC dongles can do.
Listening impressions
Let’s be straight right out from the beginning, the Penon Quattro is not made with audiophiles in mind and is not that good for reference listening. Critical listeners or detail lovers should look elsewhere but all others stay tuned and keep reading because the Quattro is really good for everything else.
The Quattro has a bass emphasized tuning with exceptional sub-bass extension all while maintaining good tonal balance from the lower mids up to the higher frequencies. The low-end is not tonally accurate and it doesn’t want to be one because the Penon Quattro is purposely tuned to sound fan, enjoyable and bass prominent with most kinds of music, however without compromising with mid-range and treble presence.
The bass is not only boosted to the point that it sounds like a subwoofer but it is also quite technical and of high quality. The lower frequencies are generously emphasized but they don’t end up clouding the mid-range or overpowering the treble too much so you can enjoy a great variety of tunes and not only electronic music. Be it classic rock or contemporary pop and even jazz, you can feel the bass rumble but without losing track of the vocals or other acoustic instruments.
The bass is weighty, visceral and physically impactful like having a subwoofer stuck into your ear drums. The Quattro is incredibly dynamic and at the same fast, tight and controlled enough without audible cup reverb. Don’t be hasty and judge the performance out of the box because the manufacturer suggests 200 hours of burn-in time to let the dynamic drivers loosen up and reach their optimal performance. Layering and clarity are not class leading, there is plenty of room for improvement but as said earlier the Quattro is not made for critical listening and technical performance is not its strict priority.
More listening impressions
The mid-range is harmoniously blended and very musical, the timbre is natural and organic to help voices and instruments sound realistic and lifelike enough. The Quattro has strong mid-range presence and clarity without becoming sibilant or fatiguing. The music flows like spring water while the earphone resolves and articulates very well for the category.
The treble is smooth and polite but still extended and energetic enough. It complements well with the lower-end and the mids to avoid an overly dark or romantic sound while steering away from any brightness. The timbre manages to stay natural even at the top frequencies so high pitched instruments sound realistic and not metallic glary or piercing. Detail retrieval is adequate enough, you get plenty of useful information without any clinical or monitor-like sterile elements.
The ingenious decision to design the Quattro with a full dynamic driver array made an earphone that is exceptionally cohesive and texture stable throughout the whole frequency band. The Quattro doesn’t sound leaner at the higher frequencies and is devoid of the metallic artificiality that plagues most earphones of the same category that use balanced armature drivers.
Where it lags a little compared to the competition is in the soundstage dimensions that might be devoid of congestion elements but is not wide, deep or too spacious. You can still localize and pinpoint various instruments but the Quattro doesn’t offer that out-of-the-head listening experience while it is quite lacking in expansiveness.
For comparisons please read related earphones reviews and reach your own conclusions.
In the end
The Penon Quattro is a comfortable and well made earphone with a unique driver arrangement and a special tuning that is not afraid to yield that is made to sound fun and bass prominent.
However it does so without forgetting the mids and the treble as it manages to offer plenty of low-end excitement while staying tonally balanced and technical enough to sound good with most kinds of music. The Quattro brings something new on the table, it is an earphone that is going to appeal to many users that are fed-up with the more common tunings and are looking for something really different and exciting.
Copyright – Petros Laskis 2025.
+ Bass emphasized yet balanced tuning
+ Excellent sub-bass extension
+ Weighty and impactful bass
+ The bass is tight and controlled
+ Mid-range presence and resolution
+ Smooth yet not romantic treble
+ Solid and visceral textures
+ Natural and musical timbre
+ Exceptional driver cohesion
+ Lightweight and comfortable
+ Well made and beautiful looking
+ High quality cable and plenty of accessories
- Slightly lacking in bass resolution and layering
- Average treble technicalities and resolution
- Not the best in terms of clarity and definition
- Moderate soundstage dimensions
- The cable is not modular
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