Celest Pandamon Review
Intro
I received the Celest Pandamon from the fine folks at Kinera in exchange for my full and honest review and I intend to do just that. I will always provide an unbiased and truthfull account of any set I recieve. So, thank you Kinera! I will do my best to explain exactly what I hear and feature the Pandamon in a way which helps the reader get a gauge for what exactly they are getting when purchasing this set. With that, here are my impressions of Celest Pandamon. Thank you very much for reading.
Side Note: Please read Mahir’s review of the Pandamon HERE
Pandamon?
The “Pandamon” is known affectionately as the “Iron Eating Beast” which was first recorded in book form as a Chinese fantasy tale “The Classic of Mountain & Sea“. You will find this depiction in the pamphlet inside the box with a brief description. Apparently, the Pandamon has extremely brilliant military records with extraordinary combat capabilities. Enemy weapons can easily be crushed by this iron-eating bear’s teeth. I’m sure there is much more to this tale but, I’m a Dad and really don’t have the time to read further than a Google search. Forgive me.
The “Pandamon” is also a puppet Digimon? I write that but I’ll be perfectly honest… I know very little about this Digimon world or if Kinera chose this depiction (Digimon) of the Pandamon at all. I’m sure their idea of the Pandamon comes mostly from the classic tale. Regardless, the Pandamon is basically a character Panda bear who is pretty badass! As I’m sure you’ve already gathered by the appearance of this set.
Who is the Pandamon?
So, who is Pandamon? How does his character relate to the earphone, or does the tuning prescribe to these character traits at all? Perhaps Celest simply latched onto a catchy character theme to grab the attention of the younger generations. Anyways, the Pandamon is said to be a “lone wolf”. He is mostly expressionless, dismissive and stone cold at all times. Known for being abrupt, brusque and abrasive with absolutely no charm whatsoever. I’m sure the picture imposed on the faceplates gives this away a little bit. I’m gathering this fella isn’t too kind. The Pandamon strikes with powerful force, is very fast in attack and is consummately, decisively and positively lethal! The first thing I wondered was… “Does the tuning of the Pandamon relate to the Character?” Well, I’m overly curious, let’s check out how the Pandamon actually sounds. Fellas and Ladies, the Celest Pandamon…
Pandamon Pros
-Accessories
-Fit (for me the fit is great, also a con)
-Natural timbre
-Near neutral
-Fast transient response
-Clarity & Resolution
-Nice with details
-Punchy & tight low-end
-Very open and airy sounding
Pandamon Cons
-Look (I’m sure some do not enjoy the look)
-Fit (I’m sure this will not fit everyone perfectly)
-Not for big bass lovers
Gear Used
–Ibasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging
Celest went with a very well-conceived packaging. Very thoughtful of them. No, it isn’t the most luxurious box of accessories, but it is well schemed to go along with the running theme, and that is… The Pandamon himself. Still, for $59 US dollars the packaging is very nice and above what I think you would normally receive. On top of that the unboxing was well thought out and very creative.
Quick Unboxing
The box is rather small with a graphic imposed on the cover sleeve of the angry Pandamon seemingly growling or howling in the moody moonlight. Above the picture is a plastic clear window which gives us our first look at the earphones themselves. Listen, I don’t care if you like the style, picture, character theme or not, if you can’t agree that this is a very well laid out and very eye-catching design then… we must be very different from each other. I Know my former self, if I was 15 years old, I would think this set is DOPE! I say that and truthfully it isn’t my favorite design as I do like more of a bold and minimalist approach but… I can dig it. Let’s put it this way, I understand the approach and to whom the Pandamon is marketed at.
Take off the sleeve and you’ll see a copy of the graphic on the front of the box but this time it looks almost like a penciled traced image. Within this image are the earphones themselves snarling at you in a cardboard cutout. Pick up the cardboard layer and underneath you’ll find the case. Inside the case is the eartips, cable and nozzle cleaning tool. Under the case you’ll find a Keychain of the exact image of Pandamon… How thoughtful and smart is Celest or “Kinera”. Finally, the last accessory is a pamphlet with a quick description of Pandamon, some specs of the earphones and some other boring stuff. All in all, Kinera did a fine job with the presentation. Well done!
Eartips
Carrying Case
The case provided is a soft faux leather type pouch which opens in an almost spring-action by squeezing both ends. The feel of the pouch is very nice. Now, your earphones will barely squeeze inside as there isn’t a ton of room in there, but I was able to get them in and so… All is good. I certainly wouldn’t think this case would be able to protect your earphones from drops or bangs as there isn’t much in the way of physical protection, it’s a pouch after all. Still, it is great for putting into a pocket which makes carrying around your earphones very easy. Perfectly pocket sized.
Cable
The included cable we have seen before. In fact, it seems to be the exact cable given with my Tripowin Olina as well as a few others. Not a bad cable by any stretch. Also, not the best. Aesthetically this cable may not be perfectly matched but truthfully for the price it is a nice addition. The cable itself is a 2-pin, gray colored, 4-core SPC cable which ends with a 3.5 single ended jack. For this review I primarily used a Hifihear black 8-core SPC cable because it ends with a 4.4 balanced termination so I can use this set with my balanced sources. Not to mention that a balanced jack enables me quite a bit more power.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Design
The Pandamon are not a large set of earphones. Built in a circular shape the faceplates are made out of stainless steel and done so in a semi-open design. The faceplates have a very youth-oriented look with the devilish looking face of the Pandamon gnarling at you with deep-red and viciously angry looking eyes and pointed teeth. This is not a cute panda. Now, I could see many people loving the look and design language. In the same breath I could see many not liking this look at all. I have to assume that this design will be at least a little bit polarizing to the audio community. It doesn’t bother me at all, but I wouldn’t pick this design if it were me creating the Pandamon to my own preferences. It is a hair too much for me but again, so many people will think this set looks downright tough looking and will suit them perfectly.
Build
The shell housing is made out of a 3D printed black colored resin which offsets the Faceplate nicely. There is also one other small vent near to the nozzle. Speaking of the nozzles, they are slightly angled which makes fitting them into my ear very easy and nice. The grill on the nozzle appears to be the exact grill provided on the Celest Gumiho. Overall, the build is solid. It isn’t premium or decadent or beautiful but it is good enough for me to call cool-looking and durable feeling in the hand. The Shells are very light which I happen to really enjoy and make long listening a fatigue free experience.
Internals
The Celest Pandamon is outfitted with what is called a SPD driver, AKA SPD 2.0, aka Square Planar Driver. From what I’ve read the SPD used is made by Kinera measuring out to 10mm. The Gumiho used SPD 1.0 and needed a balanced armature driver to accompany it for the highs but the 2.0 SPD is actually a full spectrum Planar driver. It is able to reproduce a full frequency range which benefits from better coherencey of sound.
Drivability
The Pandamon is rated at 9 ohms, with a sensitivity of 108 decibels. Yes, this set can be driven to decent volume from less powerful sources but to truly get the most out of the Pandamon you will need a well out-putted and strong dongle dac at the very least. The Shanling UA2 does a very nice job of giving the Pandamon enough dynamic presence and begins to open up the sound with increased low-end energy as well as a wider soundstage.
Portable Use…
For a mobile option I tried out the Fiio UTWS5 and I did not have the best experience with that setup. It isn’t a bad sounding pairing but simply not enough juice and headroom to really pull out the Pandamon’s strengths. So for a better mobile option I tried out the Qudelix 5k as well as the IFi Go Blue and I found both to have plenty of power for this set. I am always trying different styles and ways of listening because I want the best I can get in different situations. A portable option is important to me, hence, I always put it in my reviews. The IFi Go Blu has fantastic synergy and forms a nice union of auditory delight on 4.4 balanced with Pandamon.
A Bit More Juice
Pairing with the Shanling M6 Ultra or the Ibasso DX240 were both very solid options. I tried out both medium gain & high gain with both Daps and found the Pandamon certainly scales well with power and is very transparent to the source tonality. I didn’t hear any distortions or unwanted peaks with more power either. Like I said, a good dongle dac with reasonable power will be more than enough. Like any planar the Pandamon benefits with some juice. All things considered the Pandamon is not the most difficult planar type of earphone to drive like some sets we have seen in the past.
Quick Sound Impressions
The Pandamon presents a nicely balanced take on my music. Near neutral with a slight warmth and more U-shaped to my ear. I hesitate to call it mid-centric, but it is close to that in my opinion. I hear an emphasis in the upper midrange which adds some sparkle to female vocals. The Pandamon has a balanced low-end approach but remains punchy and defined. Bass hits pretty hard without any muddiness. The treble has good energy while remaining non-offensive without any undue peaks. Obviously, I will elaborate much more in each of these areas as you read-on. The stage is nice, and details are not lost on the Pandamon either as the sound is very clean and airy and mostly balanced, so that no one area of the mix takes great dominance.
Bass
The bass as a whole is not over-emphasized or extended or obese in its quantity. The low-end is lean, tight, textured and precise. There is a greater rise in the mid-bass but neither area is left unheard or unfelt. I am a fan of this tight and speedy bass.
Sub-bass
I will make this quick. The sub-bass does have a roll-off beginning roughly around 50hz, but I’ll be honest, it doesn’t entirely show itself as such. I still hear enough haptic feedback and rumble for tracks which call for it. However, make no mistake, this is not a bass head’s type of juddering shudder down low. Still, there is plenty to suit my needs as well as many others as a song like “Paradigm” by The Head and the Heart, has plenty of deep vibration. I think the Pandamon shows up very well on this track with a tight and deep rumble. The sub-bass is speedy and makes its presence felt enough to enjoy.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass has a faster attack/decay/sustain in my opinion than most dynamic drivers, but replays much in the same way as far as timbre is concerned. Weezer did a remake of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean“. The first thing you hear is a huge string of kick drum booms and then followed shortly after by a deep bassline. The kick drums have a slam to them which comes across as a round thud and decays in a more natural way which is pretty satisfying. Mostly the mid-bass hits with good authority and a cleaner edge for an SPD Driver. Nothing overly pillowy, hollow or fuzzy but actually the mid-bass gives off decently good definition and separation from the sub-bass.
Midrange
The midrange seems to have decent note weight throughout, especially in the low mids. The midrange is more forward and out front. I consider the Pandamon to have a richness to the midrange but also good resolution for an iem priced at $59. There isn’t any sibilance or graininess or metallic note edges. I also wouldn’t go so far as to say the midrange is a detailed midrange, but it is punctual and precise enough for my library with an organic and rich sound. Overall, the mids are smoother than they aren’t and easy on the ears. I would consider this a warm but lush midrange which comes across natural to my ears.
Lower-Midrange
The low-mids have a bit of spill over from the mid-bass which provides some warmth and weight offering a full sounding male vocal. Males are pretty robust and come off natural to my ear as well. “Where I Find God” by Larry Fleet replays well on the Pandamon as Larry’s sharp country twang has a nice correctness and intelligibility which isn’t clouded by veil but instead has a nice bite but also a warmer sounding richness to his voice. I wouldn’t call this a high-resolution lower midrange but there is good definition and a nice body to male voices.
Upper-Midrange
The upper-mids has the greatest emphasis, which adds some levity to the entire mix. Almost like a vibrant warmth if you will… and a nice timbre as well. Females are pretty forward but not to any detriment as they sound nicely breathy and vivacious with some shimmer to them. There is an emotional and atmospheric element to females. The Pandamon do not come across as a budget planar at all to me as most instruments and vocals are positioned nicely and rendered more organic in this region.
Treble
The highs are energetic enough yet aren’t so emphasized to cause fatigue. This is a non-offensive and safer sound than many budget iems that we’ve seen. There is a natural sounding roll-off which really presents instruments nicely. Resolution is good throughout the treble which really helps to offer a clean upper 3rd. It isn’t the most hard edged or sharp upper region at all but there is a crisp nature replayed in a safe way, if that makes any sense. Truthfully, the treble has a more smooth sound all the while not losing out too bad in the details department. Nothing metallic or sibilant or grainy and nothing super piercing.
Cymbals and HI-Hats both trail off nicely and with a good enough body depending on the track and how forward they are in the mix. Generally, they sound legit, with a nice chisk and appropriate decay. They aren’t lost with rolled-off attenuation and neither is percussion, piano, violin etc. The treble is decently detailed which is mostly due to the balanced type of tuning and nice clarity throughout. All in all, the upper 3rd does a nice job at countering the rest of the spectrum and adds good levity to the overall sound.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The stage has a nice width with an average height and even some depth. Nothing colossal and not some enormous venue in your head but a good sized stage that paints a nice psycho-acoustic picture. We go too far with stage size in the iem world, really. It will only get so massive. What the Pandamon has going for it is this open sound, a neutral and airy sound which has nice clarity and a speedier driver which almost opens up different portions of a stage… almost. It’s a nice stage. I’m sure the semi-open back plays a big part in this area.
Separation / Imaging
Discerning different elements within an imaginary stage is pretty easy listening with the Pandamon. Even on more congested tracks this set just speeds right along and does an admirable job of delineating front to back and side to side fairly easily. Layers can be heard and in most songs I can hear decently partitioned instruments and voices. Placement of those instruments is as it should be. Remember this is the least we should be asking of our iems. They should image pretty nicely. Separation and definition of elements around a stage is the trickier task and the Pandamon plays above average in these areas in my opinion. I’m sure there are some chaotic tracks which they cannot keep up with and some blurring will occur but in my library these did pretty well.
Details
For a smoother sounding iem the Pandamon pick up details well. No these aren’t detail monsters, but I can hear some of the finer minutia within my songs which is great. In general, the Pandamon will come across with a more organic and not as dry and analytical as some higher detail iems. That said, resolution and clarity is such to present macro type details rather easily. Again, not a detail beast. Yes, it’s a type of planar, and yes, this driver has good speed and good clarity, but it is simply tuned to a smoother gradient across the spectrum.
Is the Pandamon worth the asking price?
Well, this is an easy answer with a couple caveats. First, this set will already throw off many people by the appearance alone. If I were designing this set, I wouldn’t have gone with such a youthful and bold faceplate imagery. You lose half the community with this alone. However, if the design is not being considered and audio is the only parameter, we are going by then most certainly the Pandamon is worth the $59. 100% yes. To be honest I don’t find the look too off-putting, and I can wrap my head around the design, but I simply think it may be a hair too in your face and young in its target demographic. Many audio-heads come into their element with some age under their belt, it’s just the truth. Still, I really enjoy the sound, the Faceplate doesn’t bug me too much personally and so I say that yes, the Pandamon is worth the asking price.
Conclusion
I want to thank Kinera again for sending out this review unit. It means a lot. I had a good time listening to my library with the Pandamon. Even if the look doesn’t exactly line up with my tastes I can appreciate the sound. Obviously, the look is the Achilles heel of the Pandamon as it will not suit everyone. However, the tuning is what separates this set from some others in its price range. Near neutral, organic, clean sounding and smooth in a mostly non-offensive manner. There is a mildly aggressive sound which can be dynamic and very fun. No this is not a bass-head banger or treble-head bright but it is balanced and can cover many genres very well. Technically the Pandamon is pretty nice and it is mostly a smooth sailor which doesn’t kill my ears with glare or sheen. I’d say that Kinera once again did a very fine job with the end result in the tuning.
Other perspectives
Please, listen to, watch or read other perspectives about the Pandamon and take in other perspectives. I am only one man and have my own preferences which to some degree affect every review that I complete. We all have different likes & dislikes, different gear, different hearing capabilities and we all have a different audio journey which greatly impacts our views. With that I want to thank anyone who chose to read my thoughts and I certainly hope it helps at least a little bit in your purchasing decisions. Take good care and stay safe.