[MudEnjoyer]

Kilobuck isn't value, but $399 for this is?

IER-Z1R is seriously a steal considering how crap the manufacturing of pretty much everything out there is.

 

[MidnightSun]

Edit: removed my unnecessarily aggressive statements

LOL

 

[o0genesis0o]

Hmmm... You do have these "aggressive" moods once a week I notice!

That’s my secret

 

[lgcubana]

Quick questions for others that have the Trio: what settings are you liking and why? Also are the switches upside down on one of the shells or is it just mine?

Saves the manufacturer from having to use two boards.

 

[bithalver]

That’s my secret

Welcome to the club ! Rage is my primary emotion (not because I want it ...).

 

[jbfps116]

uudd for me, love my bass.
the trio is stupid good. i took a break from them for a week and I am still wowed. i don't even care about kilobuck anymore.

But is the Vader better??? lol why buy the trio when the KZ version might be slight better haha

 

[OceanOfLight]

Here's my latest review for the TRN Conch (Head-fi and blog). This set includes fantastic accessories and the tuning is good to boot. I had a lot of fun taking pics too. If you can find them on sale around $20 just grab one to have a beater pair of iems . Thanks to everyone who checks out my reviews. I'm really enjoying this reviewing thing and I hope some people are getting something from it too.

Very nice review. It’s good to finally see the Conch getting the love it deserves. I use it quite often despite having many more expensive options because its sound is stupidly good for how much it costs. Also, as you said, it is one of the (if not THE) best accessorized IEMs under 50 dollars; it puts the competition to shame (and it can cost even less than 20 dollars when on sale). Also, very nice photos!

Personally, I would go as far as saying I prefer it to the EW200 in many more ways than not. The bass is simply better, the midrange is more lively, it's more versatile and the soundstage is less congested and way more open-sounding. Let’s add to that it comes with three tuning nozzles (Reference, Atmospheric Enhancement, Transparency), and it’s bundled with a great modular cable (3.5, 2.5, 4.4); all of that while costing considerably less.

 

[PhonoPhi]

There are now a TON of great sets under $100 but I would be remiss to not mention the Aful MagicOne right around $140 (but can be found on sale closer to $100). I think below $150 and above $500 might be a better target.

Under $150 became my self-imposed limit from the moment one in this hobby. It worked, better and better IEMs (like Trio to most, and AS24 for me) and DACs nowadays.

This hobby is weird. Let me explain.

We all start by chasing that ultimate sound reproduction that is as faithful as can be to the original recording. We chase and chase, until realising our ears are apparently unlike everyone else's and our understanding of faithful reproduction is totally or only slightly different to the norm.

We then chase and chase some more with this newly acquired knowledge about these two funny looking things that hang on each side of our head.

And then some day, Boom! We've got a winner in our hands ears. Happy days!!

... but quite literally, only DAYS. Then we listen to various genres and find that we could do with some more/less bass rumble, more/less bass punch, more/less treble extension, more/less vocal forwardness,... And the chase continues.

Before we know it, we've got 6(++) IEMs that all serve the same purpose of enjoying music, only that they are specialized in certain genres. Fantastic!

Months or years into this hobby - depending on how insatiable our thirst for more is, we come to realise lots of stuff sounds fantastic, especially nowadays.

Game takes a swift turn towards chasing uniqueness, be it in technological/aesthetic/form factor/branding... aspect.

This hobby can be a bit easy if to realize that ultimate/perfect sound reproduction is hardly possible, at least due to current limitations of recordings that are done or reduced to two channrls - just two points of a three-dimensional space. Then good transducers attempt to reconstruct 3-D out of the reduction of recordings, and there can be different renderings - not ultimare or perfect but very much enjoyable at the given moment - that what life is about

P. S. For the "kilobuck" debate - the enjoyment is the difference between desired and achieved, and it is a dangerous illusion of just getting "one good one", there will be always cravings for more hurting either wallet or mental state, causing rage, etc...
I can nominally afford kilobucks by disposable income, but I have learned previously: hobby is a hobby - know your safe limits and enjoy responsibly

 

[fidgeraldo]

Why get 10 mediocre ones rather than 1 excellent one.

Or buy 10 mediocre and 1 royalty. Hmm, why stop there?
Continue the game if you like it; if you don't, then...get the f out of there.

Continue buying; buying is cool, and spending money, if you are lucky enough to have it, is cool.
Stop chasing anything (don't mean you particularly )...stop worrying...enjoy...it's simple

But, people tend to complicate everything, life, especially...

Cheers!

 

[fidgeraldo]

Welcome to the club ! Rage is my primary emotion (not because I want it ...).

No, it's because you Hungarians are crazy mf

And I mean it in a good, positive way!
So you don't get me wrong, I love Bela Hamvas!!
My mentor was born Hungarian, the best man and mentor ever!

Cheers!

 

[o0genesis0o]

Welcome to the club ! Rage is my primary emotion (not because I want it ...).

We should spend less on IEM and more on psychologist

---

Anyhow,

Explorer is coming

Less time blah blah online, more time writing reviews. They are stacking up.

 

[activatorfly]

Under $150 became my self-imposed limit from the moment one in this hobby. It worked, better and better IEMs (like Trio to most, and AS24 for me) and DACs nowadays.

This hobby can be a bit easy if to realize that ultimate/perfect sound reproduction is hardly possible, at least due to current limitations of recordings that are done or reduced to two channrls - just two points of a three-dimensional space. Then good transducers attempt to reconstruct 3-D out of the reduction of recordings, and there can be different renderings - not ultimare or perfect but very much enjoyable at the given moment - that what life is about

P. S. For the "kilobuck" debate - the enjoyment is the difference between desired and achieved, and it is a dangerous illusion of just getting "one good one", there will be always cravings for more hurting either wallet or mental state, causing rage, etc...
I can nominally afford kilobucks by disposable income, but I have learned previously: hobby is a hobby - know your safe limits and enjoy responsibly

Until there's further advancements in the Holophonics™ 3D rendering process (- by inventor Hugo Zuccarelli) then recording only utilising two channels will invariably limit the final mastered mix.

 

[JEHL]

I mean, I’m not saying that “if your IEM is not $1000, you don’t know IEM”. But if one keeps buying and buying $100 IEMs many times a year, they could have bought TOTL IEMs, perhaps multiple times over the years.

We have only 2 ears and a few hours to listen to music a day.

And I only have a HiFiman HE400SE and a Truthear Hola, so I think both points that you're trying to make in an attempt to explain value fall deaf on my ears.

I have a $110 headphone and a $20 IEM.

 

[PhonoPhi]

Until there's further advancements in the Holophonics™ 3D rendering process (- by inventor Hugo Zuccarelli) then recording only utilising two channels will invariably limit the final mastered mix.

Very much true!
I long time hoped for multi-chanel (e g. 5,7) recordings becoming a reality.
The multidriver transducers are very much there.
Thick 8,16-core cables can be readily purposed for multiple channels.
Just proper recordings are needed and some initial synchronization with transducers.

Multichanels can bring not just few notches up, but the whole new dimension in audiophile experience.

Imagine listening to a symphonic orchestra and selecting your position just by the multichanel balance, moving close to your favourite woodwind or violin section, or doing it dynamically depending on the solo part.
Truly three-dimensional stage will naturally be there, not just some glimpses of partial recreation with current two channels.

 

[r31ya]

But is the Vader better??? lol why buy the trio when the KZ version might be slight better haha

their "update" might not always better
they change a thing or two that deemed "lacking" by them but in the process of doing it, might killed the magic or the performance/tuning sweetspot that the OG iem have.
CRA+ was such a thing, they "fixed" all the weakness and it ended becoming a whole different iem.

And I only have a HiFiman HE400SE and a Truthear Hola, so I think both points that you're trying to make in an attempt to explain value fall deaf on my ears.

I have a $110 headphone and a $20 IEM.

Hows Hifiman He400SE, i have the 400i (2020) but the right side died after 2 year of uses.