Trinity Atlas Beta Sample Initial Impressions and Review
First things first, I’ve been spoiled with lots and lots of phenomenal gear in the last year. Reviewing has opened doors that I otherwise wouldn’t be able to. It’s a result of my love for this hobby and the Head-Fi community. It has given me a chance to experience and report on many of the best personal audio gear there is. I’ve met a lot of very cool people and experienced some of the most phenomenal products there are.
When I first started chatting with Bob, it was a result of me complaining about the time it was taking to get my hands on the Delta/Techne/Hyperion Kickstarter products. Bob was quick to respond and reached out to me personally via PM on Head-Fi. To be honest this was a first for me. Never before has a company, let alone the main man in charge tried to contact me personally to resolve any issue(s) I was having. Long story short, we got things sorted out and the end result was more insight into the Trinity brand. And before I forget to mention it the Delta/Techne/Hyperion package DID NOT disappoint. I was very happy with my purchase of all three.
There are some very different companies that exist within the realm of high fidelity audio. There are the big dogs that operate on endless budgets that pump out earphone releases with the sole intention of maximizing their profit margin while keeping their faithful following happy. Then there are companies that are middle of the pack, offering a variety of products that are geared towards a select group, whether it be the high end and high priced products or the budget-fi world I’ve grown to know and love. Before all is said in done, what’s left are unique companies like Trinity.
Trinity has the same vision as the Head-Fi community, and it’s a beautiful one. Bob and the team at Trinity has set out to give the Head-Fi and Kickstarter community what it wants, which are great earphones that punch above their price that the masses can afford. Trinity’s products are based on OUR feedback, making it a win-win for everyone in the end. Anyone who participates on the Trinity Head-Fi and Kickstarter thread understands how personable and involved Bob is in the shaping of Trinity’s products. He is almost too transparent at times with his products and design, but let that be a testament to his goal which is to give all of us headphone enthusiasts the products we are looking for. High five Bob! We love ya!
When the Head-Fi community wanted a solid hybrid IEM with phenomenal sound quality, along comes the Delta, one of the first hybrid earphones that offers three tuning filters (and two more rumored to come.) Along with the Delta Trinity released an ergonomic single dynamic with three tuning filters called the Techne, and the widely popular micro dynamic Hyperion. Trinity has put themselves on the map for sure with their inaugural releases.
While the products are awesome, there are some things that I thought could be improved on. One was the fit and features. I mentioned to Bob that I wished the Delta was designed to be better set up for an over the ear fit. Other ideas came from the community, and sure enough Bob listened.
Bob contacted me shortly after that to see if I would partake in some beta testing for the soon to be released Atlas, I was really excited. After some communications back and forth, I think he understood my intentions as a reviewer and Head-Fier. I want everyone reading this to understand that my intentions are to help the Head-Fi community get their hands on the best product they can and at the best price possible.
Before I continue, I first and foremost want to thank Bob. Not only for the opportunity, but also his vision in designing his products. On behalf of all of us on Head-Fi and Kickstarter, we salute you for what you are doing sir! Cheers!
The Atlas beta came in a bubble wrap package. There was no retail packaging so I can’t comment on this at the moment. When the retail packaging arrives I will edit this and attach it to a formal review.
I received two versions of the Atlas. It didn’t take long to decide which one I liked more. Needless to say it was pretty unanimous between all beta testers which version will be used.
The Atlas is a remarkable build. The housing is made of all CNC machined metal housings that are very solid. I understand that they will come in a variety of different colors (Purple,Polished Aluminum, Orange, Gunmetal, Matte Black, Red.), I LOVE the polished mirrored look that came on the beta model. The shape is phenomenal and I have no complaints about them. Their design follows along the line of many over the ear designs like Shure, Westone, and Fidue.
The Atlas has detachable MMCX connectors. They seem solid and well placed. The location of the MMCX jack sets up perfectly for their over ear fit. I have no problems with the placement.
Another great design on the Atlas is the filter system. The filter design follows more along the lines of the Techne model rather than the Delta, offering five sets of threaded tubes that are shaped to hold ear tips and have venting that helps shape the earphone’s response. While I didn’t get the exact finishes of the filters, I did receive what could be the final production of filters in terms of tuning. I will report that there has been discussions of tweaking the filters to possibly maximize the listening experience. With that being said, even if we can’t come up with another filter option, the ones I received are excellent and everyone should be able to get a filter that matches their preferred tuning.
Along with the housings I received two cables. One was a MMCX cable that is the same material as the first line of products. If you aren’t familiar with the original cable it is a braided cable with virtually no memory and very little spring. I love this cable and the MMCX application makes it even better. The other cable I received is a MMCX rubber coated cable with a universal single button microphone and remote. This cable seems very durable and reminds me of the RHA T20 cable in terms of thickness and durability. This cable has very little memory and less than average spring. The Trinity Atlas package will consist of three cables. To be honest I almost chuckle at this. At the current asking price I really don’t understand how Bob is making money off of these. The three cables by themselves should be more expensive than the Kickstarter asking price! There are also other cables that can be purchased like a bluetooth cable or Pono balanced cable. Don’t forget, because these are MMCX cables they can most likely be used on your other earphones with a MMCX connection.
As far as tips are concerned, I got the same gray and yellow silicone stock tips that come with the first line of products. While these tips are very formidable, both Paul (Brooko) and myself were in agreement that Sony hybrid tips worked better. Because of this Bob will be supplying a similar style tip called “KOMBI” hybrid tips. Thank you Bob!
Other tips that will ship in the package are S/M memory foam tips and double flange silicone tips. The other accessories that will come in the package are a shirt clip, a carrying case and a jack adapter. I can’t comment on any of this at the moment as I didn’t get any of this in the beta package. If they are anything like the first line of products they are excellent.
Here are some specifications and lists of accessories before I begin with sound impressions:
SPECIFICATION
Balanced Armature + 8mm neodymium dynamic drivers
5 x Interchangeable tuning filter system
Impedance 16Ohm
Sensitivity 110 +/- 3DB
Frequency response 19 - 21000HZ
24ct Gold plated 3.5mm Jack
ACCESSORIES
- S/M/M/L silicone ear tips
- S/M memory foam ear tips
- 1 pair of double flange silicone tips.
- S/M/L "KOMBI" hybrid tips
- Shirt clip
- Carry case
- Jack adapter
COLORS AVAILABLE
You will be able to chose the colour of your Helio or Atlas IEM, choosing from the following selections:
- PURPLE
- POLISHED ALUMINIUM (excludes Helio wireless)
- ORANGE
- GUNMETAL
- MATT BLACK
- RED
FILTERS EXPLAINED
- RED = Enhanced bass. Offering a V shape signature while retaining plenty of musical detail
- ORANGE = V shape signature with slightly decreased bass
- YELLOW = Neutral + Offering a more balanced sound signature with a very slight increase bass over neutral with a great mid and high range sparkle
- PURPLE = Neutral - Offering a more balanced sound signature across the frequencies.
- GUNMETAL = Treble. Offering a reduced bass signature with an focus on upper mids and treble.
Sound Impressions
Okay, so now you want to know how it sounds?
It sounds awesome!
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
JKJK guys, the Atlas offers FIVE different tuning filters that all bring something different to the table. Here is a graph I made with my Vibro Veritas and ARTA software. It gives an idea of what to expect from each filter.
The filters are vented to control the earphone’s bass response. As you can see by the graph, upper midrange and treble regions are almost identical, and from 2K and over it is pretty much an identical earphone. With that being said the tuning in this range is phenomenal, offering lots of detail and no sibilance from what I hear. There is no significant spike from what i can hear and everything sounds very natural and not overdone in any range.
Red Filter
This is the bass cannon filter from what I hear. The bass is there in abundance and is the star of the show in this configuration. You will still get good dynamics and better than average details, but the forward bass presence overshadows the reduced midrange presence. This will be the filter that will appeal to bassheads and those who like Hip Hop and EDM. Expect a consumer friendly tuning with excellent upper mids and treble presence and detail in this configuration.
Orange Filter
This filter sounded and measured almost identical to the red filters. I am wondering if I possibly got a red filter that was mistaken as the orange. For now all I can say is that it is pretty much the same as the red filters. I assume once Bob reads this he will contact me and see if there is a mishap in the filters I received. If there is a mix up I will be sure to edit this.
Yellow Filter
This is one of my personal favorites. I am a big fan of the Fidue A73 and this is very similarly tuned. To my ears the bass on the Atlas is just a touch slower in comparison, but the treble has just a touch less spike and is a touch more natural and resolving than the A73. This filter will be a favorite to many who buy the Atlas, as it is somewhat consumer friendly and enjoyable with just about every genre.
Purple Filter
At first listen this one was just a touch thin, but over time the purple filter’s sound grew on me and ended up being a tie with the yellow filter. The overall sound is very balanced to my ears, and the bass has better speed at the cost of less sub bass extension. Still, bass response isn’t necessarily lacking. I really enjoyed the purple filter with warmer sources.
Gun Metal (gray) Filter
This filter is the thinnest sounding, yet still carries a bass that can be heard and felt. Upper mids and treble are the star of the show in this configuration. It honestly has the sound of a high quality single balanced armature to my ears. Those who despise throbbing and thumping earphones and want to enjoy a thinner and more linear sound with a nice and complimentary bass presence, these are for you.
Source Selection
The Atlas is pretty source dependent. Because of it’s configuration and tuning filters, owners will enjoy tweaking their listening experience by experimenting with various sources and filters. For all you future Atlas owners, I promise that Bob has provided enough filters and cables to allow you to find what you consider to be a perfect, or darn near perfect combination for your preference and application.
Conclusion
With an array of cables and filter options, I would buy the Atlas if it cost twice as much as the current asking price. They have provided enough options that I can honestly say that they have pretty much eliminated the chance of anyone being able to say they can’t find a configuration that is ideal for their preference. Aside from being a Beta tester I have also jumped aboard the Kickstarter and ordered myself a retail pair. This is going to be a remarkable package at a price that is almost too good to be true.
Thanks for reading and happy listening! (this time I’m serious)
