Triad L3 - A review and pics (long)

I have had the Triad L3 now for over 10 days and it has had at least 200 hrs of current passed through it over this period.

 

It was purchased from a specialist Headphone store, here in Hong Kong. No box, just presented in a jiffy bag. The actual L3 is fine in fit and finish but nothing to write home about and definitely not as slick and well presented as a Ray Samuels or ALO portable amps. It comes with nothing besides batteries inside. No charger! No instructions! Atleast, the batteries had some charge so turns the L3 on and checking it functions properly, a relief!

 

Some background information - It took me over 4 hours to find a suitable power supply and I am in Hong Kong. My first power supply was as per the recommended spec, that I found on these forums, from Triad 24v 500mA 2.1mm center pin positive and I ended up buying one, similar to mobile phone charges, so the power supply is actually plug into the socket with the connection wire.

 

Found the original charger getting fairly warm when charging, so the next day I went looking for another charger. I bought a MITEC 24v 1000mA power supply as per a recommendation from someone with some knowledge regarding L3 and he directed me to the store too. Much better!

 

 

Mitec power supply. Cowon X7 for size comparison

 

 

I will be using the L3 initially for IEMs in which I have a SE535ltd and W4 cable removed and Shure compatible socket installed. Both IEMs are used with third party cables in which I have quite a few.

 

 

SE535ltd 

 

 

W4 cracked and Shure compatible socket installed

 

 

Lots of swapping out

 

As the Triad L3 does not come with instructions, let me enlighten on some of them. The front panel has an on-off switch, 3.5mm input for mini i/c, 3.5 output for headphones. a bass and volume pot. (left to right)

 

 

Flip on/off switch up to turn on. 3.5mm input/output too little space to accommodate 2 large plugs, so cannot have two Viablues. I am having all my Viablues plugs changed to Oyaide.

 

 

The back has RCA inputs, a gain switch and DC input socket. Gain switch - flip up for low gain! Very quirky illogical the on/off and gain switches. Also no lights to indicate charging unless you turn the L3 on where a blue LED emits on the front panel left of the volume pot.

 

As of yet I have not had the opportunity to open the L3 up but will do so as I am hoping to change out the batteries for better ones.

 

I bought the Triad L3 as I was amp less. I had sent my little amp to a fellow Head fier in Europe to try. My little amp, an absolute giant killer, bettering most portables US$450( with the exception of the 2Step) and some over. I have a/b'ed with many amps in the mentioned price range and nothing compares to it. The fellow Head fier bought it to replace a Continental V2.

 

Anyway, back to the Triad L3. 

 

On first listen, you can tell it is a class act. Although, it sounded thick and very heavy, you couldn't help noticing that there are qualities in abundant. The width (x axis) of the staging is incredible, extending the sound field beyond your shoulders. I was using the unmodified W4 at the time. Proportions of vocals and instruments clicked into place straight away. The phenomenon that you will notice is the mouth of the vocalist is much smaller. Before the L3, I thought the vocals sounded so large, as in the singer having a ten feet diameter face, I just thought this was the way IEM presents music. The proportions between the instruments are portrayed in such a life like manner. Piano and violin emanates as in real life, proportionately. The piano sounding 25 times bigger than a violin!

 

With more hours on the L3, depth (y axis) and height (z axis) improved dramatically and now the soundstage was complete. The heaviness lessened and L3 started getting clearer and cleaner. The dynamics are out of this world, from silent backgrounds, drums  sounds incredible on the L3. The attack, the impact, the sizing, the power, the leading edge, the bloom and decay is mesmerising. I listened to Dire Straits' Private Investigations and when the drums are played across the soundstage right to left in the second part of the song. It was almighty scary experience.

 

With all this power and dynamics how is the finesse and what is the resolution like? two words, Class leading. The xylophones (left side) at the beginning of Private Investigations, usually you can make it out as xylophones, hear the melody it is playing but not the individual notes. I can hear the individual notes played. The trebles are sweet, clear, clean and incredibly airy. It is downright difficult for amps to portray trebles as a frequency that is powerful and dynamic, the L3 does this with ease. Other portable make splashing sounds on crash cymbals, the Triad crashes!

 

To the body of the music, the mids. The Triad is lush with a tinge of warmth making music sound just that more engaging and intimate. Vocals are a real joy to listen to on the L3. All characteristics, nuances and power of different vocals are accurately heard. How singers pulls from the mic, the little smacking of the lips, little breaths in between words, the breathing through the nose. Wow this is really high end! To achieve something similar in a high end home system, we are talking at least half a million dollars, or more if analogue is included.

 

Ok after a few days, I am preferring listening to the L3 off the mains but the Mitec power supply is pretty noisy. I scoured around through Head Fi Threads and found that the Firestone Audio Supplier is compatible. I, hmmm, rushed out to buy it straight away.

 

 

Now, remember above I described sounds emanating from quiet backgrounds, well now they are from pitch black backgrounds with the dynamics markedly improved as well. Trebles even sweeter and vocals are really to die for now! The soundstage has increased not so much on the x axis but the y and z axis. Taking realism to a breathtaking level. I am getting such an "out of the head' experience.

 

Another plus for me is that even without touching the bass knob the L3 comes with 3 sound signatures using IEMs.

 

On high gain on the mains supply - the sound is rich and musical with great leading edge on notes and great decay on bass.

Low gain on mains supply - sound is more analytical and very open and airy. The tinge of warmth in the mids is removed.

High gain off batteries - Sounds very similar to the Low gain on mains.

Low gain off batteries - Sounds a little anemic compared to the above.

 

The circuit boards and parts on the Triad, I am told, are of a very good quality. In practice I will believe it as with most portable amps there is always an imbalance at very low volumes, this imbalance just does not happen on the L3. Sounds comes in at the same time and level together.

 

At this stage, I know the Cowon X7 however much I love it and its 160gigs storage and quick transfer speed is just not good enough a source. This should be rectified with a Ibasso DX100 arriving in mid March.

 

I am using the L3 with IEM and attaining sonic heaven. I will progress to cans and see how things pan out after I finish having fun with IEM as JH13 and 16, plus one more, should come into the fray May/June. This is about my 6th month being into this interest and boy am I having fun.

 

To sum up, The Triad L3 is not really a portable amp as it sounds so much better off the mains (I need to add, that I will have to earth the case better, as there are minute cracking noises when the volume pot is touched or adjusted). It is transportable though and easily at that. If only it could have come in better packaging, with a charger and instructions it would be so much better. At the moment it reminds of a hobbyists ground breaking amp using good parts and only suited to real enthusiasts of our hobby. Having said that, the case is very nice and the fit is good on my one. I should add that on one other Triad that I have seen, had a little gap running down the length of one side of the case! 

 

I am in contact with Brad Taylor at Triad via emails and he seems a very nice person to deal with and replies emails readily, which gives me faith in the company and it's customer support. He indicated that Triad is in the process of designing a new dedicated power supply. I for one would be interested. He also mentioned that he has had quite a few returns as customers have shorted the circuit board by using negative center pins. Futures buyers and users PLEASE CHARGE USING THE CORRECT SPEC'ED CHARGERS as the Triad is built like a tank and I am sure will provide years of enjoyment.

 

On a final note, I am still in the market  for a portable amp!!!

 

EDITED-

Forgot to add this.

 

 

 

Transportable audio bliss!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by spkrs01 - 2/15/12 at 7:10pm

Saved for further opinions

Well it was an analogy to show with a few thousand dollars one can have a taste of what real high end is about. The pleasure I gain from the L3 is similar to experiencing an uber system a few years back. In Hong Hong many stores have uber systems on demo and access is readily available not to mention in homes of many people. It was not meant to say that the L3 sounds better but just a taster for very little money by comparison. If one took it the wrong way, sincere apologies. ........and I will blame my English teacher.
Edited by spkrs01 - 2/14/12 at 1:31am

Wow this is a tough crowd and one that are all economists. I thought I was on the Econmist's forum.

 

Well to reiterate, you are not really gonna achieve the type of realistic micro dynamic nuances that I described on a home system, unless one is prepared to spend the amount I gave as you need room treatment, great source, amps and cables. Then there are the speakers, bi amp, tri amp??? That is really going to up the cost. And finally the vibration and electrical management. The ballpark amount I gave really maybe too small an amount.

 

I highlighted the amount because it is a shocking revelation at least to me, that such quality of sound and enjoyment deriving from this portable system, can be had and in % terms for such a small amount-  0.5% of the price of a full size system,  and you are getting in all essence 75-80% of the performance. If that is not worth high-lighting then what is? Well maybe my English is not good enough to get my thoughts across succinct and accurately.

 

Besides, I think the review will help potential buyers because for me it was a nightmare, getting the power supply, dealers not knowing where to buy a compatible power supply etc.etc. not much information as to which setting is high or low gain etc. So hopefully, people can see things from a different perspective iso focusing on an amount.....sigh

 

It was the monetarists that got us into this mess anyway. Chill out folks enjoy this great hobby that we share!!!

Firstly, Thank you very much for the kind words!!

 

I have now had the Triad for just over two weeks and have not taken it out once, as it has been permanently situated on my bedside table, powered 24hours a day by the Firestone Audio Supplier. The sound improved dramatically when it had hit around 250 hours. I will write more later and am waiting for the Ibasso DX100 to arrive for the next comprehensive write up. I have no qualms taking the Triad L3 out, as messenger bags are very popular here in Hong Kong and weight wise I suppose, it is no different from when I took my Motorola Xoom out and listened to music from it.

 

However, the question that I have posed myself in the last couple of days is:-

 

If it is a permanent fixture, why buy the Triad L3 and not a desk top amp which I am sure will sound even better?

 

I believe the Triad L3 powered off the mains by a suitable power supply, such as the Firestone, is head and shoulders, sound wise, above any other portable amp in the market place today. But it's not portable and at best only transportable??!! I have been in this hobby for only 9 months and I only use IEMs, at present the SE535ltd and Cracked W4 with Shure compatible socket attached. I will be adding to these IEMs with the JH13 & 16 in May/June and something else.

 

Now, for the purpose that I use the Triad for, I really have no reservations in saying the L3 powered off the mains is actually the best sounding amp for IEMs! Because, I have looked around shops for high end desktop amps, and have always been advised by the sales person that they are best suited to Cans and what Cans do I have? No, I don't have Cans yet.  I have to quickly mention the SR Stax 009 and its dedicated amps, wow, sounds gorgeous....................

 

I would welcome fellow Head-Fiers to enlighten me if I am drawing the wrong conclusion as really I am pretty much a novice in this hobby and definitely have no technical knowledge whatsoever, sigh.

 

Unless, I am told otherwise, I will draw the conclusion that the Triad L3 is definitively the best amp for IEM at the moment in the market place, with the option to drive Cans reasonably well, before one embarks on dedicated desktop amps and Cans!

 

Edit: I would like to add that the Triad L3 is really very much a niche product and does not appeal to all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by spkrs01 - 2/18/12 at 7:15pm

I did not anticipate updating until my iBasso DX100 arrived as I feel the Cowon X7 is simply not good enough a source at this level.

 

A new cable have arrived recently that can be used for both the cracked W4 and SE5353ltd. This cable is a silver/gold hybrid and was bought for the W4 and it does exactly as expected! The W4 are surprising everyday, just so revealing! Having the 3.5mm to RCA made up to daisy chain using this silver/gold cable when the DX100 arrives.

 

This is a thread about portable amps and not cables so I will start:-

 

It popped into my mind that the Triad L3 is so reminiscent of a real Class A solid state power, and, the one that comes to mind is the Gryphon Antileon Class A power amp with green bias that I used to own. Why this particular amp you may ask? Well, because the Antileon had a green bias function settings on it! The similarities, the Triad has a High and Low gain switch. At high gain, it is such a powerful, full and rich sounding amp that it is, without a shadow of a doubt, truly addictive. Just like the Gryphon......I never listened to it besides it being set at Class A. 

 

I have listened to the L3 on it's low gain setting and probably it is more detailed due to the lessened heaviness of the sound signature, but at the low gain setting, one just can't help but think about the thick sweet syrupy sound that the high gain setting offers. So after about 1 song I flip the switch back to the high gain setting! Colouration......indeed!! but aren't all concert halls coloured? And from that perspective doesn't everyone have their favorite concert hall?

 

This is based on IEMs and not Cans.

I have only heard the Sr-71B in SE mode and did not think it a worthwhile improvement over the A to justify purchase at the price premium. Having said that RSA amps are wonderful sounding. I think at this level is not really a matter of whether its warm, cold, dry etc etc sounding. It is really down to the characteristics of the individual amp and whether it rocks your boat. 

 

One thing that I do like of the L3 especially for IEM is the different gain setting. I do like my sound to be rich and full, and on high gain I get this signature. But at times this can be over bearing and by flicking a switch to low gain, the sound changes quite significantly to a more analytical character. Another thing is, the L3 is not really portable in all honesty and on batteries, it's sound is not as good as running off the mains and especially with the Firestone Supplier PS.

 

Really it's best to try and audition both and take it from there.