INTRODUCTION
 
I've been working with Trinity (Trinity Audio Engineering) for a couple of years now. I don't get paid, but I do get listened to, and it has given me the opportunity to be part of the development process. Basically I try the new prototypes, give my feedback, and then it is up to Bob (the man who is the brains behind Trinity's product range) who ultimately makes the decisions on how to proceed – and whether to incorporate our feedback (myself and a couple of other Head-Fiers) along the way.
 
The underlying vision and philosophy behind Trinity is that high quality audio should be affordable to everyone – and without compromising on build or materials. And just because it is high quality – it shouldn’t mean it has to be high cost.
 
Bob has been incredibly busy over the last couple of years, and this has led to the release of the original range (Hyperion, Techne and Delta original), and since progressed to the Atlas and Delta V2, and now the latest releases of the Phantom/Master series (Sabre, Master4, Master6, Phantom Air and Hunter – I should have most of these soon). One thing I really appreciate with a company like Trinity, and a designer like Bob, is the willingness to involve his consumers in some design decisions, so that the end result is (hopefully) exactly what the target audience is looking for.
 
I count myself incredibly lucky to have been able to work with Bob on this project – via email, PM and phone – and must admit a little personal pride in what Trinity have achieved. So without further comment – let’s have a look at the new Sabre – the first of the Trinity IEMs to employ push/pull dual dynamic drivers.
 
DISCLAIMER
I was provided with the final model of the Sabre on its completion. These were given free of charge for the purposes of reviewing them after the public release. Bob does not expect them back. In the past I have purchased Hyperion (2) and both versions of the Delta (V1 and V2), but have been also provided free review samples (either prototypes or finals) of the Hyperion, Techne, and Atlas.
 
Apart from my obvious involvement in feedback on the development, I am not otherwise affiliated with Trinity in any way, nor do I make any financial gain from my contributions.
 
PREAMBLE - 'ABOUT ME'.
For the purposes of this review - I mainly used the Sabre straight from the headphone-out socket of my FiiO X3ii + E17K, and also used (at different times) my iPhone 5S, and a variety of the other DAPs I have around me. Although I tested them with an amplifier, I do not think they benefit from additional amplification (I use mine mainly for consistency when reviewing and also to extend battery life on the X3ii). In the time I have spent with the Sabre, I have noticed no changes in the overall sonic presentation, but am aware that I am also becoming more used to the signature of the Sabre as I use them more often (brain burn-in).
 
This is a purely subjective review - my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please take it all with a grain of salt - especially if it does not match your own experience.

THE REVIEW

 
PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES
The Sabre arrived in a slightly different Trinity retail “book style” retail box – still measuring 125 x 190 x 55mm – but this time in a darker charcoal grey with red and silver text. The box is well presented, with the Trinity logo and model (SABRE) on the front cover, and specifications, accessories and a little about the Sabre on the back. There is also a window so you can see the Sabres nestled nicely in their foam cut out.
 
 
Opening the front flap reveals a foam inner with appropriate cut-outs to house the Sabre, carry case, provided tips, and filters.
 
The entire package is massively comprehensive and includes:

1. The Sabre
2. The Trinity zippered carry case
3. 5 pairs of long tuning filters
4. 5 pairs of short tuning filters
5. 4 sets of silicone tips (1 pr small, 2 pr medium and 1 pr large)
6. 1 set of dual flange silicone tips
7. 2 sets of foam tips (1 pr med and 1 pr large)
8. 1 multi braid cable with formable ear-guides, 1 standard multi braid cable (no ear-guides), and one cloth covered microphone enabled cable
9. 1 shirt clip
10. 1 straight to right angle jack converter
11. 1 fold-out manual
12. My Sabre did not come with Spin-fit tips, but I understand that Bob is now including these also.

 
 
The Trinity standard case is black, has an internal mesh pouch for tips etc, is triangular shaped, and zips to open/close. It is reasonably spacious, has a good mix of both flexibility and strength – so it is comfortable to pocket, but still protects your IEMs really well.
 
 
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(From Trinity)
 
 
FREQUENCY GRAPH
The graphs below are generated using the Vibro Veritas coupler and ARTA software. Ken Ball (ALO/Campfire) graciously provided me with measurement data which I have used to recalibrate my Veritas so that it mimics an IEC 711 measurement standard (Ken uses two separate BK ear simulators, we measured the same set of IEMs, and I built my calibration curve from shared data). I do not claim that this data is 100% accurate, but it is very consistent, and is as close as I can get to the IEC 711 standard on my budget.
 
 
The graphs are provided merely as a point of discussion, and later in the review I've included comparisons to other IEMs for similar reference. The graphs in this section are the Sabre with gold (or middle) long filter. I will discuss all filters and their effects in the “filter” section of the review
 
What I’m hearing:

1. Mildly elevated bass response, mainly mid-bass, but with good definition.
2. Typically “Trinity House Sound” slightly recessed lower mid-range (relative to bass), with comparatively lean lower-mids, and raised upper-mids – particularly in the presence area from 2-4 kHz. This leaves deeper vocals a little thin in body but quite clean and clear.
3. Upper mid-range is emphasised, and this does colour female vocals (adds euphonic warmth), and indeed female vocals are a little more full.
4. A bit of recession in the lower treble, but climbing to a peak at around 8-9 kHz. Quite smooth for the most part, but can expose sibilance in some tracks.
5. Overall it is a V shaped signature with warmer bottom end, clean and clear vocal area, and somewhat smooth upper end which also manages to portray upper end detail (cymbals ) pretty well.

 
I included the CSD also, and you will see evidence of some ringing at 5 and 9 kHz, but comparatively little overall bass bleed into the mid-range frequencies (which is good considering the mid-bass hump with the gold filter).
 
BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN
The Sabre is quite different to Trinity's previous designs, and this time consists of a circular 15-16mm polished aluminium alloy shell with a vertical/angled forward cable exit and forward angled nozzle. The shell on this pair is gun-metal, nicely polished, and very smooth (no rough angles) – so it is very comfortable when worn. It's depth is approx 10mm.
 
 
The shell is two piece with a visible but well matched seam (more on this later). The external face is flat, and has the Trinity name/logo on both earpieces. The interior face is nicely rounded with easily seen left and right earpiece markers. On the side of each ear piece is a single port of vent for the dynamic drivers.
 
The nozzle socket is approximately 5m in diameter and takes the skinnier type nozzle filters (also utilised on the original Atlas and Techne). The nozzles extend out and up or forward on an approx 45 degree angle (depending on how forward you wear the cable when over ear). The shorter filters have an exposed length of approx 5mm, whilst the longer ones extend this out to almost 8mm – and this has a massive difference for me in achieving a comfortable seal. The filter ends are approx 5mm in diameter and covered in a stainless steel mesh. There are 5 sets of tuning filters included, each in short and long lengths. We'll look at them in more detail later in the review. Each filter this time has a small rubber ring to aid in getting a proper lock once threaded.
 
 
The connector socket is 2 pin, and is exposed/raised. The Trinity male connectors are sheathed with the pins protected by the sheathing, and there is a small tab on the interior of the socket so that the Trinity cables can only go in one way (so you can't wire them out of phase – its a neat solution). The cables connectors are quite tight to mate together, and may require a lot of pushing and wriggling on the first couple of attempts. The good news is that you can also use some standard 2 pin cables (see pictures of the FiiO balanced 2 pin cable RC-UE2B). I had to modify the FiiO cable slightly – but it fits pretty well.
 
There are three cables included – the standard Trinity multi-braid cable (1.3m), a second Trinity multi-braid, but this one has moldable ear guides) and a cloth covered single button remote and mic cable (1.4m) – with separate volume controls.
 
The multi-braid cables are both practically identical with the only difference being the moldable ear guides. These work pretty well, but I've found that the standard cable fits and hangs over ear so well that I simply don't use the other cable. Both have Trinity's excellent braid – consisting of 4 OFC wires – both sets of two tight woven into a spring like weave. These two weaves are then woven again together below the Y-split. The end result is an extremely flexible, and gorgeous looking cable with virtually no memory. The weave also gives it strength. So far in my testing (over-ear), cable noise is minimal – unless it comes into contact with a rough surface (zipper etc). The cable can be slightly tangle prone – but careful winding and storage solves that easily.
 
 
The jack, y-split and connector housing are all a brushed aluminium which looks pretty classy IMO. All have very good strain relief, and the Y-split has a cinch which works extremely well. The jacks are gold plated, straight, and very smart-phone case friendly.
 
The secondary cable is cloth covered, very slightly longer than the standard cable (1.4m), has a 4 pole straight jack, and this time has a combined single button for track control, volume up and down controls, and microphone port on the left hand earpiece. The push button control is a universal standard (one-click pause/play, two click next track, three click previous track, and press and hold activates Siri for me). The control unit hangs about 10-12cm below my ear if worn over ear, so just below my chin. The microphone is pretty clear, and I had no problems being clearly understood when calling my wife. The cable is slightly micro-phonic but this disappears with careful management. The volume controls are universal and worked on both my iPhone and my wife's Galaxy. The control unit worked perfectly on both – except for the previous track not working on Android (seems to be a common problem). One of the nice things about this cable is that it also perfectly fits my Delta V2 – and it is the one I often prefer to use for the Delta (the volume controls are really handy).
 
All in all the build quality is pretty good – but I would be remiss if I didn't mention a couple of small issues. The first one has been mentioned by a relatively small number of owners – I can sometimes get connection issues with one of the connectors on the cloth cable and the Sabre. I mentioned earlier that getting the connector all the way down can be quite problematic – and it is the case with that particular cable and the Sabre. The standard cables I have no issues with – they fit well. Funnily enough the cloth cable has no such issues with the Delta V2. If you do get this issue, simply drop Bob or Jake a line at Trinity Audio. They'll have advice how you can overcome it, and if it happens consistently their quality service will make sure the problem is fixed.
 
 
The other issue has happened to both earpieces. They may have had an issue with one particular batch and glueing the two sides. Both sides have cracked open on me. The fix is easy, and one you can make yourself. A small smear of elephant glue or epoxy around the shell internal join, and stick them back together. For me it's worked perfectly on both earpieces and I've had no issues since. It did give me an opportunity to take a quick snap of the drivers – so I've included that for anyone interested.
 
FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION
I have one ear canal slightly different to the other one (my right is very slightly smaller) - so I tend to find that usually single silicon flanges don't fit overly well. If I was using the shorter filters on the Sabre it would be a shallow fit, and I would tend to have issues. With the longer filters, the extra length has meant I get a perfect seal every time, and most tips have been successful (with a couple of caveats). My usual preference is for the included Crystal foam tips – but I often found that they would slip off the nozzle and remain in my ear. Because of the small diameter of the nozzles, this mean also Spiral Dots suffer the same issue. But I got good results with Spin-fits, Ostry tuning tips. Comply 200, Shure Olives, and either Sony Isolation or the new Trinity Kombi tips (although even those slipped off the nozzle sometimes). My go to with the Sabres most of the time is theKombi tips – providing good fit, durability and seal. Depending on the seal achieved there is sometimes mild driver flex.
 
 
Isolation with the Sabre will depend on the seal you achieve and insertion depth. I would call the isolation average for a dynamic driver. With music playing, isolation is pretty good. With nothing playing I can faintly hear the keys on the keyboard as I type.
 
Comfort for me is excellent – the Sabres are one of those designs which simply disappear when worn. They sit well within my outer ear (inside the external ear cavity – between tragus and anti-tragus), and are extremely easy to sleep in. On my recent business trip, I used the Sabres practically every day, and I often slept with them intact in hotel rooms etc. The photo bleow shows the original prototype I had - but the fit is the same.
 

 
So the Sabre looks good, has a pretty nice build, and is comfortable to wear. Let’s have a look at the filters, and then move onto sonic impressions.
 
SABRE FILTER SYSTEM
The Sabre comes with 5 sets of filters in two different lengths. Each of the short filters stand just under 7mm tall (4-5mm when exposed), with a 4-5mm diameter threaded base, and 5mm nozzle. The filter screws easily into the main body of the Sabre, and can be replaced for different tuning. This time the filters come with rubber rings for easy locking when tightening. Most of the filters have a very small tuning vent located toward and just above the threaded section. The vents control the bass quantity.
 
The long filters are just over 10mm tall from bass to tip (7mm exposed when fitted) and have the same diameter and outward appearance. There has sometimes been small variances in some of the filters (getting those micro holes is not always easy), but generally the actual channel matching has always been excellent.
 
 
Lets have a look at the shorter filters first. On my pairs each filter changes the mid and sub bass from about 200 Hz down – with the bass quantity ranging from highest to lowest – Red, Orange, Gun-metal, Gold and Purple. All of the short filters are near identical from about 300 Hz up. Even with the gold or purple filters, mid-bass is around 10 dB above the mid-range at 1 kHz. The red and orange filters are another 5-6 dB above that – particularly with the sub-bass around 40-60 Hz.
 
The longer filters on my set are somewhat similar with minor variations in the upper treble (from the short filters), but generally the same shape curve overall. The difference with my set is that this time gold and gun-metal swap places for bass response – and also the response particularly with the purple and gun-metal are a lot flatter. For me this is great, because I really like a much more neutral bass response with just a slight mid-bass hump. This also brings the mid-range recession to far more manageable levels, and balances the overall signature a lot more.
 
 
Rather than go through each filter, I'll let the graphs speak for themselves. Suffice it to say, if your preference is for deep impactful sub and mid-bass, the red and orange filters will easily deliver. If you prefer more balance, then the purple filter may be more to your liking.
 
The spare filters are housed in the now familiar little aluminium tubes with the screw on caps. This is brilliant as the tubes fit neatly in the case pocket so that your filters are always with you – and the tubes should be big enough so that they won’t get easily lost. The tubes this time are a little skinnier and a little longer – and will accommodate a full set of 4 (2 long and 2 short) for each colour.
 
My favourite of the filters is the long purple, but my one wish is that the Sabre had damped filter options. Lets take a look at that now …
 
SOUND QUALITY
The following is what I hear from the Trinity Sabre. YMMV – and probably will – as my tastes are likely different to yours (read the preamble I gave earlier for a baseline). Most of the testing at this point (unless otherwise stated) was done with my FiiO X3ii + E17K as source, the purple filter in place, and Bob's Trinity Kombi tips.
 
For the record – on most tracks, the volume level on the E17K was around 17-19/60 (on low gain) which was giving me an average SPL around 65-70 dB (with peaks around 75 dB). Tracks used were across a variety of genres – and can be viewed in this list http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks.
 
Thoughts on General Signature
The sound signature of the Sabre is very much Trinity's “house sound” - with typically forward upper-mids, slightly recessed lower-mids and bass that can be either quite robust (red/orange filters) especially with respect to sub-bass, or dialled back to be more of a gentle mid-bass hump (purple filter). There are two main peaks around 4 kHz and 8-9 kHz and depending on your sensitivity to these particular frequencies, could enhance sibilance.
 
Overall Detail / Clarity
Tracks used: Gaucho, Sultans of Swing, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town
 

1. Overall balance and clarity is somewhat dependent on the filter used. At the two extremes, the red filter gives very much a bass enhanced V shaped signature, and upper register detail can occasionally be subdued or masked. The purple filter is the complete opposite with a much drier and leaner presentation which tends to expose all details – but can be a little lean.
2. Detail retrieval, particularly around the mid and especially upper-mid frequencies is very good.
3. Both guitar and brass instruments (sax) have very good presence.
4. Vocals tend to be presented fairly well – with female vocals having slightly more body.

 
Sound-stage, Imaging, and Sibilance Test
Tracks used: Tundra, Dante’s Prayer, Let it Rain
 

1. Very good directional queues, and just outside the periphery of my head space – so average width and depth
2. Good spherically presented stage – not too much emphasis on width at the cost of depth
3. Imaging is very clean and clear and separation of instruments is very good – especially with purple or gun-metal filters.
4. Contrast between vocals, piano and cello is excellent with Dante's Prayer. Loreena's vocals are really nice with the Sabre, although there is a touch of sibilance for me at higher volumes.
5. Immersion (applause section of Dante's Prayer) is extremely good with the impression that crowd is around you (you are sitting right in it). There is very slightly more width than depth. “Let It Rain” also had a very holographic presentation – spatial ability is very good.
6. Sibilance is present in “Let It Rain” - I know it exists in the recording – and the peaks for me are revealing it (and it can be quite sharp).

 
Bass Quality and Quantity
Tracks used: Bleeding Muddy Water, Royals
 

1. Personally I find the bass impact from both purple and gun-metal filters to be more than sufficient with good speed and reasonable impact.
2. Switching to the red filter and the Sabre becomes a bass monster – warm lower end with visceral impact.
3. With the red filters there is an increase in quantity but a drop in quality (less texture and slight signs of mid-range bloom)
4. Average to good speed and bass resolution with purple filters. Slower and less resolving with red filters.
5. With red filters there is massive sub-bass for tracks like “Royals”, and when the really low bass kicks in there is a lot of rumble (too much for me – but some will no doubt love it). With the purple filters bass is far more balanced and there is still some sufficient sub-bass rumble, but subdued.
6. With both filters there is good separation between mid-bass impact and vocals with “Royals” - Ella's voice still comes through quite clear.

 
Female Vocals
Tracks used : Aventine, Strong, For You, Human, The Bad In Each Other, Howl, Safer, Light as a Feather, Don’t Wake me Up, Ship To Wreck.
 

1. Really nice transition from lower-mids to upper-mids – this is one of the strengths of the Sabre. Very vivid though, the mid-range is not subdued in any way.
2. Very euphonic presentation with plenty of air and a definite touch of sweetness (colouration) to female vocals
3. Very good contrast between vocals and lower pitch of instruments like cello
4. No signs of stridency with Aventine and Strong
5. Good contrast with tracks having more dynamic impact (Feist, FaTM) – and even with the purple filters, the presentation is extremely vivid and a lot of fun.
6. Seems to be brilliant with all female vocals and in particular slower jazzy type music from artists such as Gabriella Cilmi, Norah Jones and Sarah Jarosz.

 
Male Vocals / Rock
Tracks used: Away From the Sun, Art for Art’s Sake, Broken Wings, Hotel California, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Keith Don’t Go, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town.
 

1. Differences between red and purple filters more pronounced – with red having male vocals appear a little thinner (comparative to bass), while the purple sounds a little more balanced.
2. Male vocals feel as if they have just a little distance than female counterparts.
3. Brilliant portrayal of classic rock artists like 10CC and Jethro Tull (that upper mid-range boost really makes older recordings pop). Mix of detail and tonality is very good.
4. Fantastic with acoustic tracks – stand-outs were Eagle's “Hotel California” and Nils Lofgren's “Keith Don't Go”. Really good with stringed instruments.
5. Very good dynamic contrast with rock tracks, and the bass can be dialled up or down depending on the filter chosen.
6. With purple filters, Pearl Jam was very enjoyable – texture on Eddie's vocals was really good – just maybe the slightest touch thin (overall tone/timbre). Cymbal decay and detail was excellent in this track.

 
Genre Specific Notes

1. Very good with everything I tried, and I found myself enjoying almost everything with the purple filters – but then swapping out gold or orange for bassier tracks if I wanted more impact.
2. Only critique with some recordings was that if sibilance was present it did tend to be emphasised for me. One of the tracks that was really quite sharp was Adele's “Turning Tables”
3. Overall very vivid presentation with every genre I tried, and I particularly enjoyed the presentation of both jazz and blues.

 
AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Sabre is easily powered straight out of the portable devices I have, and I haven’t experienced any issues with the iPhone 5S, or any of the FiiO DAPs. With typical pop/rock songs on the iP5S at a volume level of around 30-35%, on the E17K around 17-20/60 on low gain. I did try amping with the E17K, but noticed no obvious signs of improvement. I also used the IMS Hybrid Valve Amp with the purple filters and I did really enjoy that overall presentation (perhaps smoothing the upper end a little – or that was how it seemed to me). Form my tests, the Sabre neither benefits from nor needs additional amplification.
 
EQUALISATION

You can alter the bass to your liking with the filter system, but it is the upper mid-range and lower treble which are just a little over-done to my tastes. So as I was using the E17K, I simply used the purple filter, and then applied -8 treble adjustment. It definitely took away a lot of the additional vividness or colouration, and for me was a welcome adjustment overall. I'd imagine most may prefer the default frequency response – but for me the extra balance is just about perfect. I've graphed the two so you can see what the adjustment did to the overall frequency response.
 
COMPARISONS
When the Sabre came out, the introductory specials made it a very low ~$110 (an incredible bargain). It is now at a regular price of USD 165, but this comes down to approx $130 with Head-Fi 20% discount. So to compare I decided to use the two of its siblings (the exceptional Delta V2 and also the Atlas), and for a similarly priced and tuned IEM, DUNU's Titan 5. I've avoided higher priced IEMs like the FLC8S simply because it wouldn't be fair at over double the price.
 
All of these comparisons are very subjective – and influenced by my own preference, physiology and bias. Comparison was once again with the X3ii + E17K, and the Sabre had the purple long filters. All IEMs were volume matched with a 1 kHz tone and using a proper SPL meter.
 
Sabre (~$130 with discount) vs Delta V2 (~ $120 with discount)
Build quality is comparable on both. Fit and comfort fall more to the Sabre – and especially so for those with smaller ears. Accessory package similar. Sonically both are excellent. They share a very similar overall signature, with the Sabre just being a little more vivid and accentuated through the upper mid-range. Overall though, I find the Delta to have greater configurability with the tuning, and the ability to tame and balance out the upper mid-range and lower treble is what makes the Delta so good.
 
Sabre (~$130 with discount) vs Dunu Titan 5 (~ $139)
Both again have very good build quality, and accessory package, and this time on overall fit and comfort I would call a tie. Sonically both have similar signatures with the T5 having a little flatter and quicker bass, and also more overall extension. Both have very vivid signatures, especially in the upper mid-range. Lower treble peaks are relatively pronounced in both, and preference here may be dependent on where your own personal trigger points for sibilance lie. I tend to be very tolerant of peaks at 6-7 kHz, but have issues higher. Two fantastic earphones at two incredible prices. Both represent excellent value.
 
Sabre (~$130 with discount) vs Atlas (~ $175 with discount)
Again both are pretty evenly matched in terms of build and accessories. The Atlas has the slightly more ergonomic shape overall and also has the water-resistant coating. In terms of signature, the standard Atlas is bassier and warmer – but both undoubtedly share the Trinity house sound with upper mid-range. If I was to choose between the standard Atlas and Sabre, my choice would be with the Sabre – it has the same vivid mid-range, but less bass emphasis. But I also have my special Atlas (with the lower bass response), and as you can see in the graph this aligns the bass closely to the Sabre response. When pairing this with the slightly better shape and comfort, and the slightly lower peaks, I would personally take my Black Atlas (remember this is a slightly different tuning though).

TRINITY SABRE - SUMMARY

The Trinity Sabre is the first dual dynamic push pull IEM I've heard, and it has been a pleasure and privilege to put it through it's paces.
 
The build is typical Trinity with precision machined aluminium shells, some great cable choices, and a filter system which is very handy for adjusting the bass to suit either a very V shaped or comparatively more balanced signature. The build is pretty good overall, but as I mentioned earlier, I have had some minor single issues with the cable connector and shell joins.
 
What sits Trinity above some other manufacturers though is their willingness to communicate with the Community here, and allow input into making their products better. They also have top notch customer service – and if anything breaks or has issues, they respond quickly to make it right again.
 
The Sabre has a bass response you can vary to your own personal tastes, a vivid and sweet mid-range which is coloured in the upper mid-range, and particularly good with female vocals. The lower treble may have issues for some (especially the peak around 9 kHz), but it does respond very well to EQ.
 
In it's price range, the Sabre once again represent really great value, and my only deductions are for the minor issues with build, and the connectors. It is an easy recommendation for anyone who really enjoys the Trinity house sound, and well worth its comparatively low price. 4 stars from me.
 
My thanks once again to Bob for the chance to be involved in both development and review.
 

At the time this review was written, the Trinity Sabre was listed for sale on Trinity Audio’s website. Here is a link to their listing of the product:
 
https://trinity-audio-engineering.myshopify.com/collections/phantom-series/products/trinity-phantom-sabre-push-pull-twin-drive-in-ear-monitor
 
Introduction
Trinity has established themselves as one of the best earphone manufacturers around when it comes to price and performance. The company is headed up by a guy from the UK named Bob (formerly of Rockjaw). If you’ve been on Head-Fi long enough you probably know him well.  
 
Bob’s vision continues to remain the same. His designs start by asking the Head-Fi community what they want want to see/hear in an earphone. He takes ideas directly from the enthusiasts who participate on the Head-Fi threads, and turns their ideas into fantastic products.
 
Trinity was launched last year with three earphones in their line-up; the Delta, Techne and Hyperion. After that came the Atlas and Delta V2. I was fortunate to partake in the beta testing process for the Atlas. To this day I still adore Atlas’ fit and sound. They rank very high on my list of preferred monitors.
 
One thing I’ve learned from my communications with Bob is that once he’s done designing and bringing an earphone to market, the guy doesn’t relax for a second. It’s like he sets a new benchmark for himself with each new product, and tries to beat it with the next earphone he makes. Great design and sound isn’t his only concern. Trinity products come in at prices that can be afforded by the masses. The end result is consumers who feel like they walked away a winner, as well as a camaraderie and loyalty between Trinity and it's target market.
 
When Bob told me that he had something special coming soon and asked if I would be interested in beta testing another earphone, I didn’t hesitate for a second. The guy called me later that day and unleashed one of the most entertaining “mad scientist” laughs I have ever heard to go along with his distinct British accent. He explained that his brother was big into car audio, and when he showed Bob his “push/pull” subwoofers he just installed in his car, a light bulb was lit in Bob’s brain. If it can be done in car audio and improves overall fidelity, why can’t it be done in earphones as well? This marked the start of the Trinity Phantom Sabre. Although the Sabre isn't the first push/pull hybrid earphone to come to market (that title goes to Audio Technica with their CKR series if I'm not mistaken) it is one of the first drops in what I assume will become a large bucket of earphones with this successful twin driver design.
 
Push/pull drivers consist of two dynamic drivers that either face each other, or face away from each other. One driver is ran in phase, and the other is ran out of phase. When this is done the cones work off of each other’s momentum. It's similar to two lumberjacks with a crosscut hand saw. When one pushes, the other pulls, making their cuts more efficient, controlled and with less resistance. Apply these physics to audio, and a dynamic driver's cone resistance and air movement is more controlled. The result is a response with less distortion and higher resolution.
 
Although it was initially promising, the beta unit had some minor flaws and tweaks which needed to be addressed. Feedback on the Sabre beta was shared by a few seasoned Head-Fiers and shared with Trinity. Bob finished his tweaks and the Sabre is now one of the latest releases, and the first in the new Phantom lineup. Let’s go over them with a comprehensive review, shall we?

 
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to review a free sample of the Sabre in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with Trinity audio aside from offering some constructive criticism via beta testing. I would like to take this time to personally thank Bob for the opportunity to experience and review the final version.
 
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
 
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me. I want to hear any earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I can share my impressions with  enthusiasts and help them find the audio product they’re looking for. My Head-Fi profile has a list of audio products ranked from favorite to least favorite. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and having a variety of different gear to mix and match. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
 
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are solidly built, with ergonomics and sound that is pleasing to my ears. It’s my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based on gear I have owned and used.
 
REVIEW

The Sabre comes in a medium size black box with red and gray accents. The front of the box has the product name and a clear plastic coated cutout revealing the Sabre housings.
 

The back of the box displays specifications, and the benefits of push/pull drivers.
 
Specifications and Accessories

 
Specification:
All aluminium CNC machined shells
Twin push/pull driver set up
Titanium diaphragm drivers
Impedance: 16Ohm
Sensitivity: 108 +/- 3DB
Frequency response: 20 - 20000Hz
24ct Gold plated 3.5mm Jack
 

Accessories:
2 Pin detachable cables x 3 (included as standard) 1 x standard Trinity multi-braid 1 x memory wire multi-braid 1 x Fabric cable with mic/remote/volume control
5 x pairs tuning filters in standard length for shallow insertion and long length for deep insertion.
OFC copper cables
Huge accessory package inc our standard case, 6.3mm adapter, 11 choices of eartips (S/M/M/L silicone, double flange,  M/L Memory foam, SPINFIT ear tips (SS/S/M/L)
 

As with all Trinity models, the accessories package is insanely good. You have everything you need to enjoy your Trinity earphone. I have the utmost confidence just about everyone who purchases a pair will have no problem finding a combination of tips and filters that is ideal for their fit and sound preference.
 
Housings

The Sabre housing is a CNC milled and polished aluminum housing. The shape is similar to a stack of dimes. They are lightweight and have a striking appearance. A driver venting hole can be found on the outer back part of the housing.
 

Sabre uses a two pin connector along with a rubber/plastic fitting that helps make the connection more secure than just the two pins. The Trinity tuning filters operate as the nozzles wihich screw into a threaded fitting on the housings. There are two different lengths for each filter for fitting purpose. More on this in a bit.
 
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
Sabre comes with three different cables. They are better than average quality and cover the diverse bass tuning preferences of most earphone enthusiasts. All three earphones come with matching two pin jacks and somewhat exclusive fitting to help secure the connection. All three cables come with identical straight 3.5 mm gold plated jacks. A metal jacketing leads to a metal spring strain relief. Y-splits on all three consist of a metal jacketing and a rubber strain relief. A convenient and effective chin/neck slider comes on all three cables and works well with Sabre’s over the ear fit.
 

The first cable we will go over is the cloth coated phone cable. It's covered in a cloth jacketing and features a three button microphone and remote. The cable is decent but comes with some minor flaws. The cloth cable is prone to kinking if twisted or bent in a way that promotes crimping. If not handled carefully, you will catch yourself getting knots and having to fix them. The remote is all plastic and seems to be on the more generic side things. Although I didn’t have any issues with the remote, I don’t have a lot of confidence in it lasting forever. The chin slider doesn’t snug up as far as I would like due to the mic/remote placement. I don’t mean to be too critical of this cable because overall it’s very decent. To be completely honest I’m not a fan of the increasing instances where new earphones will come with a cloth coated cable, especially ones on the thinner side like this one. In my opinion the negative aspects outweigh the good and I’ve opted for one of the other cables in the package for my pair of Sabre. Even so, it’s nice to see Trinity offer a cable with a microphone and remote. On a positive note, the the cable has very little in terms of spring and memory.
 

The second cable is a four strand braided black rubber coated cable. If you already own a Trinity earphone, you will be very familiar with this offering. Aside from the two pin connector, it is almost, if not identical to the previous models released by Trinity. I really like this cable a lot. There is very little if any spring or memory, and the soft rubber coating creates a secure fit when looped over my ear. Although it is prone to tangling and knotting, it can be avoided for the most part by handling them in a way that prevents this.
 

The third cable in the set is almost identical to the second, with the only exception being memory wire near the earpieces. If you are a fan of memory wire this will most likely be the best option out of the bunch for you. Personally, I feel the memory wire hindered my ability to get a fit more than it helped. Your mileage may vary.  
 
Functionality
The three button microphone and remote was tested and works for both Android and Iphone. Functionality was great and I didn’t get any lag or hang ups when using it. When talking to friends and family they reported my voice to come through at a three or four on a scale from one to five. The remote did pick up a considerable amount of wind noise, and also noise from rubbing against my collar. All in all, the remote cable performed reasonably well. Again, the plastic construction raises a small red flag. Handle it with care and you shouldn't have any problems.
 
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation

I had no problem getting a secure fit with the Sabre. The over the ear fit works well for my ears. Previous concerns/comments from customers in regards to the Atlas and some other Trinity earphones were that the fit of the Sabre was too shallow. Well, Bob addressed this by offering two different lengths of the same filters (without altering the sound for the most part). That’s right, an entire second set of the same tuning filters in a slightly longer length just to guarantee nobody encounters a fit that’s too shallow. I prefer the shorter filters due to my ear anatomy. When/if your pair of Sabres arrive, make sure to spend the first day or two dialing in a filter you prefer (both for sound and fit). There's lots of options to tinker with. Bob has done just about everything I can think of to make these work for everyone who buys a pair.
 

The large tip selection makes getting a seal easy. Trinity is one of the first companies to include Spinfit tips in their accessories package. These are some of the best tips you can get. I am confident many will agree with that statement.
 
The Sabre’s over ear fit makes microphonics pretty much non existent. Isolation is better than average. These earphones create a vacuum like seal. So much so, there is a mentionable amount of driver flex. Bob guarantees that the flex won’t impact the Sabre sound. If it does, I’m sure Trinity customer service would help with the situation. Lifting the top of your ear with the opposite hand (which opens your ear canal), inserting the earphone, then letting your ear go will allow your inner ear to rest on the earphone tip and create an airtight seal rather than causing pressure build up by jamming them in your ears. This applies not only to the Sabre, but any earphone (especially those with driver flex).
 
Sound Review
I did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-V10 for smartphone use, and either my Shanling H3 or iBasso DX80 DAP/Bushmaster D14 DAC/Amp for high fidelity portable use. For desktop use, I used my Toshiba Satellite Laptop in combination with a ifi micro iDSD playing at 32/192 kHz. I tested them with several other sources as well. I used Google Music in its highest download quality (320 KBPS), and also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I also used purchased and downloaded tracks in MP3, FLAC, WAV and DSD. I make sure that any gear I test has sufficient playtime before writing a review.
 
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
 
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to assess and break down the gear’s response.
 
Source Selection
Coming in at 16 Ohms, the Sabre is very easy to drive. They will sound good with just about any low powered source thanks to the diverse range of tuning filters that come in the package. Plug the Sabre into whatever low powered device you plan on using them with (preferably in low gain), then tinker with cables, filters and tips until you have an earphone dialed in perfectly for your listening preferences. On a whole, the leaner (less bassy) filters worked better with warmer sources, while the bassier filters worked well with leaner and cleaner sources.
 
The Sabre has a fairly high level of resolution, so it will be revealing with poor recordings and low bitrate files. The filter you use will determine how forgiving it is. Once you find the perfect source and filter/tip combination, a high bitrate and high quality recording will help maximize your listening experience with the Sabre.
 
Sound Signature

*Measurements of all five filters were taken with my Vibro Veritas coupler and ARTA software. The Veritas is not an industry standard measuring device, but this should give you an ideal of the Sabre tuning as well as how the filters differ
 
The Sabre has five sets of filters which alters the bass response while doing very little if any measurable difference to the midrange or treble frequencies. I will explain the differences and characteristics with as with most of my reviews, and generalize how the different filters alters the Sabre sound. When measuring the Sabre filters there was little if any variance between the longer and shorter filters. If anything, the longer filters were a little bit leaner in measurements, but I couldn’t hear an audible difference. There may have been a slight improvement in soundstage, but other than that they are relatively the same. On a whole, I would say the Sabre borders on being considered a V-signature without going far enough to earn that title. It’s an adjustable bass earphone with aggressive midbass and upper midrange tones.
 
Bass
The Sabre’s filters are nozzles with variances in driver venting holes. With the more linear filters the Sabre has a noticeable roll off at sub bass frequencies and a more noticeable mid bass punch. With the bassier filters sub bass came forward and was perceptually overall more warm in character. I personally preferred the Sabre with the bassier filters (primarily the Orange filters). With the bassier filters I felt the focus was taken off an aggressive upper midrange and midbass, and offered a soundstage depth that made them overall more fun and engaging to listen to. Your mileage may vary.
 
In terms of response it’s pretty fantastic. Linear filters will make them have more punch than rumble. Bassy filters will give them a nice combination of both. The thing I appreciated the most about the Sabre bass response (regardless of what filter used) was the speed and punch push/pull drivers achieve without sacrificing midrange clarity. During James Blake’s “Limit To Your Love” the bass throbbed at an elite pace, and James’ voice played with great clarity. Bassier filters occasionally struggled with sub bass tones and bordered on being slightly monotone at the lowest frequencies. Despite midbass being forward, there is no “bleed” or distortion to speak of.
 
Midrange
Lower midrange is slightly forward and continues from where the midbass tones leave off. Male vocals and lower midrange toned instruments will have weight, but they will also sound very responsive and clean.
 
A slight rolloff takes place from 100 Hz to 1 kHz takes place while maintaining a very high level of resolution. This dip makes things very enjoyable. What I enjoy most about the Sabre is the amount of detail I pick up in the midrange. This is one of the earphones that people will listen to and catch things in their music they haven’t heard before. To my ears, the Sabre midrange isn’t the most natural thing I’ve ever heard, but it’s better than most of the stuff out there in this price range, and the level of detail is pretty phenomenal.
 
Upper midrange seems a touch aggressive to my ears and borders on being shouty depending on what track I’m listening to. I’m not sure if it’s due to the dip around 1 kHz or the peaks at upper frequency ranges, but there is a slightly dry and colder feel at upper midrange frequencies. This is the main reason I prefer a bassier filter with the Sabre, as it seems to balance out the lower and upper frequencies to my ears and takes the edge off of things. I know other people will hear them differently so I’m curious to hear other people’s impressions on this.
 
Treble
My Vibro Veritas isn’t an industry standard measuring device, but I’ve measured enough earphones with it to determine radical differences from one earphone to another. With that being said there is rather large roll off at 6-7 kHz, then a fairly sizable lift at 8-10 kHz. Although this tuning takes some of the edge and harshness off where the dip takes place, it sounds a bit unnatural. Vocals finish at upper midrange frequencies with a very forward and almost shouty presence, but most pronunciations of the letters S and T are for the most part relaxed. I think many people will enjoy this tuning because a lot of the edge has been taken off of the sibilant ranges. From what I can hear the lift at around 8-10 kHz saves the Sabre from being overly warm and dark sounding. Overall, some ranges are smooth while others are crisp. You can’t say it’s one thing or the other because there’s elements of both in this frequency range.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
Soundstage on the Sabre is somewhat intimate. With bassier filters the soundstage has more depth. The somewhat wonky treble presentation is a mixed bag for me. It could be more balanced and maybe a touch more extended. Doing so would allow me to say that they have a nice sense of height. Although this is the case, the fairly high level of resolution prevents me from wanting to give them a bad score in this criteria. I would say that they are average/better than average in terms of soundstage. Combine the somewhat intimate soundstage and high resolution aspects into evaluating the overall imaging, it’s bitter sweet. There’s a nice sense of instrument placement on a stage that isn’t huge
.
Comparisons
Trinity Atlas (Discontinued)
I’ll start this comparison by saying that the Atlas is my favorite Trinity earphone that I’ve heard to this point. Despite others reporting that they got a shallow fit, they fit my ears almost perfectly. I really enjoy their engaging and natural sound. In this comparison I will evaluate them with the orange filters installed on each pair, as they were my preferred filter for both earphones.
 
Comparing the two, the Atlas seems to be more natural and spacious sounding to my ears. The Sabre has a more warm and forward lower frequency range that is richer, more engaging and more controlled. In terms of treble response, they are perceptually somewhat similar in terms of how forward they project. Although this is the case, the Atlas treble seems just a bit more extended and balanced to my ears.
 
Build quality is a draw. They are both wonderfully built. I will give an edge to the Sabre for having two pin connectors as opposed to the MMCX connectors of the Atlas. I also give a slight edge to the Sabre’s accessory package thanks to the included Spinfit tips and extra sets of longer tuning filters.

 
Dunu Titan 3 ($125 to $140 USD on many sites)
The Titan three is known as a “vocal lover’s” earphone, offering a responsive tuning that emphasizes vocals.
 
Comparing the two, they can be somewhat comparable in tuning with the leaner filters installed on the Sabre. Even still, the Sabre is an all around more relaxed sounding earphone. The Titan 3 reveals more sibilance. Bouncing back and forth, I far prefer the sound of the Sabre with a bassier filter. The Titan 3 may seem to be more clear at first listen, but critical listening revealed more micro details in with the Sabre, primarily in the midrange. Both earphones seem to have a somewhat dry and cold response at upper frequencies, with the Titan 3 being more balanced slightly harsher overall at this range. At the end of this comparison, I couldn’t help it feel like the Titan 3 was a bit hollow sounding in comparison.
 
Build quality is a draw. Both earphones have all metal housings and are well constructed. Fit is also a draw. The Trinity accessories package runs circles around the Titan 3 which isn’t an easy feat, considering the Titan 3 accessories package is really decent.
 
Conclusion
The Sabre has a lot of really unique and cool aspects about it. The Tuning is really engaging, and I enjoyed the heck out of the bass performance and overall sound (especially with the orange filters installed). The accessories package is insanely good for the asking price. I honestly have no idea how Bob makes money off of these earphones with all the goodies that are included. The accessories package is so good, I can’t imagine very many people being able to say that they couldn’t find a combination that matches their fit and sound preference.
 
The Sabre isn’t the most natural sounding earphone I’ve ever listened to, but the push/pull driver setup brings some very unique and special traits to the table, primarily the fast response and ability to reveal micro details at an elite level.
 
When rating this product, I have to take all criteria into account. The Sabre gets an easy five stars for accessories and fit, three and a half stars for sound, four stars for price to performance, and I have to deduct a half star for driver flex. All in all I give the Sabre four stars. They are a very respectable earphone for their price.
 

Thanks for reading and happy listening!