64 Audio Tia Trió

Quick Introduction​

First and foremost, I didn't buy this unit. It is actually a demo unit in a local audio store near my place, which is called 'Beyond The Music' located in South Jakarta. I gave a listen to the unit for almost an hour straight, and I can already get a grasp of what 64 Audio Tia Trio has to offer.

If you wanna see my IEM Ranking List, you can access it for free here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15FKnagMKxWUSA5DNRIoFAAwpUCSuceocMoMJGIPUqo8/edit?usp=sharing

Build & Fit​

The overall build is great and the shell feels sturdy. My only problem with the build is within the cable quality. It certainly doesn't feel premium and gets tangled too easily. Not to mention, the fit was a bit awkward. I can't use it for a long period of listening, because I simply feel uncomfortable wearing this. I think it's due to the size of the shell for being too big and bulky for my small Asian ears.

Frequency Response (Source)​

64 Audio Tia Trio is a neutral-ish sounding IEM with a considerable amount of bass boost.

Sound Quality​

Source: Tempotec Sonata E44, using the 3.5 single-ended port, with music playing on USB Audio Player Pro through my Samsung Galaxy A32.

Tonality/Tuning​

Low/Bass​

The bass of 64 Audio Tia Trio is simply amazing without being too overwhelming. It has a great punch, but it's more of a mid-bass-oriented kind of punch. That said, the bass doesn't really hit that deep and lacks a tad of sub-bass impact. Fortunately, it's the only downside of the Tia Trio in terms of bass for me. For the rest, it simply does the job really well. It has a great texture and is also well-controlled, leaving the vocals untouched. The bass also has a decent speed for a dynamic driver when listening to rock tracks such as Step Up by Inori Minase or The Rumbling by SiM.

Mid/Vocal​

The mids of 64 Audio Tia Trio is also great. It's smooth, organic, sweet, and also natural at the same time. Although there's some smoothing going on, the vocals remain clear and also clean without sounding veiled or congested. Not to mention, it is very well-controlled and well-defined too. There are no hints of sibilance when listening to poor recorder tracks like Kamisama Hajimemashita by Hanae.

The vocal balance is also great on this thing. It can represent the thickness of male vocals and the sweetness of female vocals really well. I tend to listen to female vocal songs lately, like Hikari by Lilas Ikuta for example, and 64 Audio Tia Trio has represented the heavenly vocal of the artist really well.

High/Treble​

Last but not least, let's talk about the treble. If there are two words to describe the treble on this thing, it would be airy and extended. When listening to tracks that have a lot of percussion such as Wonder Caravan by Inori Minase, I immediately noticed that the treble of Tia Trio is very extended and also being airy at the same time. This kind of treble makes the overall sound spacious and open.

The good thing is that it represents the airiness of the treble without being harsh or fatiguing, and the reason is that the treble presence around 4-6 kHz is not being pushed/boosted. 64 Audio Tia Trio can give you just the right amount of sparkle of the treble without being harsh or unnatural sounding. But still, if you're a treble-head, I doubt that the treble on Tia Trio will satisfy you enough.

Overall, the tonality of 64 Audio Tia Trio is warm neutral that is smooth and organic. I'm sure that the safe tonality of Tia Trio will suit a lot of people. Despite that, the Tia Trio can still be an energetic and fun-sounding set. Truly all-rounder.

Not to mention, 64 Audio Tia Trio is highly coherent despite running a hybrid configuration.

The sound of 64 Audio Tia Trio is simply complete. Do you want punchy bass? Tia Trio has it. Do you want organic, smooth, and sweet vocals? Tia Trio has it. Do you want an extended and airy treble with the right amount of sparkle? Tia Trio has it.

Technicality​

When it comes to technicality, 64 Audio Tia Trio is no slouch either. When listening to tracks that have a lot of instruments such as Queen of the Night by Wagakki Band and also Campanella by Kenshi Yonezu, all of the elements of the song are represented really well. The separation, especially layering, is definitely one of the best if not the best I've ever heard. The 3d imaging is also great, I can easily pinpoint instruments and notice where they are coming from. The soundstage of the Tia Trio doesn't disappoint either, because it has a good depth and width.

Not to mention, 64 Audio Tia Trio has a good retrieval. For example, in the track, Cinderella by Cider Girl and Campanella by Kenshi Yonezu, I can hear a lot of details, mainly percussions, that I didn't notice on my beloved Tin T2 Plus.

Quick Comparisons​

64 Audio Tia Trio ($2300) vs Thieaudio Monarch MKII ($1000)​

Both of the sets pursue the same sound signature, which is neutral with a bass boost. However, the bass on Thieaudio Monarch MKII has less quantity than 64 Audio Tia Trio. However, Monarch MKII has a deeper bass but with a less mid-bass punch.

The mids are similar between these two. Both have a smooth, sweet, and organic kind of profile. However, the female vocals of Monarch MKII are more forward and clear but with the price of male vocals. The male vocals sound thinner on Monarch MKII, while the Tia Trio has more thickness to it.

When it comes to the treble, they are different from each other. Monarch MKII has more air on the treble than Tia Trio (although Tia Trio is already being airy). However, the treble of Tia Trio is more forward and sparkling, while Monarch MKII has more smoothing but oddly has more micro details.

Not to mention, since the treble of those sets is done by different types of drivers, I hear a different sensation between those two. The treble of Monarch MKII has represented the timbre of electrostatic drivers really well. It's super airy with high speed but lacks weight notes overall. On the other hand, I can't seem to notice the plasticy treble timbre of a poorly-tuned balanced armature that can be seen in many hybrid KZ sets, which is a plus point for Tia Trio. Due to those differences, the treble of the Tia Trio still sounds more natural to my ears, while the Monarch MKII is more incoherent sounding because of the noticeable electrostatic timbre.

When we're talking about the technicalities, I believe that Thieaudio Monarch MKII is better in almost every single aspect, but not by a large margin. The biggest difference that I notice is that the Monarch MKII sounds more transparent, open, and spacious at the same time. That said, Monarch MKII gives a more sense of space and holographic soundstage, and also better 3d imaging as well. Moreover, due to the open and clear sound of Monarch MKII, it does a tad better in terms of resolution than the Tia Trio.

I noticed that Monarch MKII has a better detail retrieval than Tia Trio.

The transient speed of Thieaudio Monarch MKII is also superior to the Tia Trio when listening to violins and flutes. On the track called The World's End by Yui Horie, it is very noticeable. However, on the same track, I feel like Tia Trio has better layering than Monarch MKII. On the Tia Trio, the bass and violin sound very well separated, while on Monarch MKII, I can still notice that those instruments are a bit jumbled together.

Conclusion​

All in all, I think that the 64 Audio Tia Trio is a very excellent set to have. It sounds very organic and smooth, which is a great candidate for those of you who are looking for an IEM that is safe for long listening sessions. Despite that, the Tia Trio can still be energetic and also fun-sounding for EDM, pop, or rock tracks. That said, the Tia Trio is an all-rounder that can suit almost all genres you're listening to. Not to mention, 64 Audio Tia Trio does a great job in terms of technicalities as well.

However, you might want to consider buying this. At this point in time, there are a lot of IEMs that are technically better but with a lower price such as the Thieaudio Monarch MKII. But still, if you're into the sound signature of the Tia Trio, it is very worth the buy, but don't expect it to be the best price-to-performance set out there.

My current reference among the IEMs is the U12T from 64 Audio. I was all the more curious to see how the Tia Trio compares to the U12T.

The scope of delivery of the Trio is identical to that of the U12T with the difference of a rectangular transport box in contrast to the round leather case (but the newest Trio models comes also with the leather case!). I don't find the rectangular box as elegant, but more practical as there is simply more space available. I did not use the silicone and foam tips for the review. For the most part, I used the JVC Spiraldots here, which sounded best with the Trio. More on that later.

Since the Trio uses fewer drivers than the U12T, it's a bit lighter in weight and even more comfortable to wear. The shape is almost identical.



The Trio has a dynamic driver for the bass, a BA driver for the mids and the typical 64 Audio Tia driver for the treble. The U12T has 12 drivers, but only BA drivers, also for the bass range.

For testing, I used the Shanling M8 high-end DAP. Both IEMs are very easy to drive and the low gain is quite sufficient. There is very little change in tonal balance between balanced and unbalanced modes. With both, I prefer unbalanced a bit more, as they act fuller and rounder. The 4.4mm is slightly more energetic.

The U12T is a reference IEM with a neutral tuning with slight bass emphasis. The Trio is described by 64 Audio as the "perfect balance between reference sound and personal hifi" and I think that sums it up very well overall. Unlike the U12T, the Trio has a slight V shape tuning with a slightly higher bass level and slightly boosted treble, resulting in a more energetic, more dynamic sound compared to the U12T.



The bass has the typical dynamic punch and seems a bit "fatter" in the midbass area. The U12T has an incredibly good punch for a BA bass, but the Trio beats it in this discipline, even if not clear (because "punch" is something that also the U12T delivers!). But the bass of the U12T is faster and more audible down to the subbass. It seems more controlled and cleaner. However, the Trio is really fun with metal, if the U12T acts too tame and honest in some recordings. The strong punch doesn't spread to other frequencies the way it does with the Legend X. Despite its strength, it always remains controlled and the mids untouched.

The mids seem a bit more direct with the Trio. Vocals play more "in your face". The slight treble boost makes everything seem a bit more lively and energetic. One has the feeling that it is more transparent than the U12T. But if you compare directly, it's not like that. The U12T can resolve finer nuances in the mids better and seems more controlled and audible in the highs. You can already sense individual sibilants in the Trio, where the U12T still acts very smoothly. Nevertheless, the Trio is not a very bright IEM, but an IEM with a slight tendency to the bright side. The U12T, on the other hand, is a slightly warm IEM. The latter has the more "cautious" tuning that fits almost all recordings. The Trio by its more energetic appearance, however, can give somewhat darker recordings the necessary "something".

In terms of spatiality, I can attest to the Trio's very good imaging in width and depth for an IEM, with laser-accurate pin point localization of individual sound events. Since the U12T illuminates the mids a bit more, it wins in the depth staggering. However, I can't think of any other IEM that can hold a candle to both.

There are some IEMs, e.g. the VE Elysium, which I prefer to hear with Comply tips than with silicone tips. The reason is a bit too sibilant highs. Foam dampens here somewhat. However, it no longer sounds so airy. With the two 64s, however, I want to hear the full potential of the absolutely terrific acting Tia drivers and therefore reach for silicone. The 64s achieve the best sound with the normal SpiralDots and the SpiralDots++. Azla Xelastec also work very well but take away minimal airiness. With the two 64s I do not have to dampen anything with foam, there is nothing annoying!

These are already two very hot caliber in the product range of 64 Audio. The U12T remains for me the absolute all-rounder. However, the Trio complements this very well with its fun tuning with the incredibly good bass range, which conjures up a super punch. With some thinner and warmer recordings, I prefer the Trio, which virtually "breathes life" into these recordings. With both IEMs together, you'll most likely cover even more than you'll ever need. Whoever can afford both should listen to them in peace. You can't make a mistake with either one. But the decision for a Trio or U12T I can not take from anyone. If you want the absolute neutral reference, I can recommend the U12T. If you want a more fun tuning and still want to feel the status of "reference", you should go for the Trio. Both are priced in similar spheres. I have not been able to hear the Fourte yet, but it will probably sound too bright and thin for me as the measurements show. The Trio is still totally fine for me in terms of bright presentation. Less bass than a U12T or brighter than a Trio, however, I would not want an IEM. I am curious what else we can expect from 64 Audio in the near future. For me, the manufacturer with the best IEMs on the market.

Preamble:
64 Audio holds a unique place for me, having taken my CIEM virginity more than 3 years ago (Wow time flies when you're preoccupied with critical listening every kilobuck iem you can get your hands on) I've hands down owned more of their products (Empire taking a second place) than every other brand out there, so obviously they're doing something I really do like their house sound.Of course price has always been an issue with their higher end lineup, but it's 64 Audio. I'll buy open boxed/used if I have to.To date Trio is the highest in the lineup I've had the opportunity to listen to and I would say it commands that price point and backs it up (Of course there are some caveats that I personally have given the market).

I've always been a pure BA boi for most of my audiophile journey, despite loving sweet DD bass. The draw of BAs being their speed in comparison, texture and decay be damned and all that. Then of course I found BA's better for mids and treble as well, I tried dabbling in hybrids, but bass bleed and coherency issues always pushed me back. The introduction of Tribrids brought me back, but between owning the Valkyrie and some mixed reviews in the initial batch, I cooled down to it again. It wasns't until the DMagic and MEST caught my eye, being a fan both, I realized that I just can't go back to BA bass, which coupled with coherency issues being more or less resolved puts me squarely in the hybrid arena with DD bass. Most of the all, the QDC and UM implementations really fall into my cup of tea without saying.

Design + Testing and other things:
I noticed that the shell was different compared to the U series, this combined with the huge reduction in driver count compared to the u12t and the others a much better fit due to a more snug fit outside my canal as well as a much lighter weight. I still wish there was a lip to hold on to dips and a deeper insertion, but otherwise it's par for the course for my left ear. This took a bit more power to drive and I pushed to 45 on high gain on the 1A 4.4 output.

Bass:
@Colors can attest to the crap eating grin on my face when I was going through more bass heavy tracks. Subbass extends deep, I actually thought the rumble was an external sound as opposed to coming from the DD for a couple seconds. Mid bass has excellent impact and slam, harder than the MEST, but not hitting my fatigure threshold at all. Despite all this bass, there is no bleed at all into the mids at all. Feels like the Apex is helping a lot since this kind of bass on another iem would make me rant to no end. If the u12t is well represented quality bass, the MEST being fun quality bass, the Trio is FUN quality bass (The Spongebob song kinda FUN). It has AUTHORITY, it RUMBLES and it SLAMS.

Mids:
My experience with triple driver trbrids has been limited to the Valkyrie, so I honestly didn't expect much from the Trio's mids given that. Mids from a single BA driver? Sacrilegious! It would be thin at best and scooped out at worse. The to my utter amazement, was neither of those. 64 managed to make full bodied vocals come out from a single BA driver, no compromise at all which resulted in a bit more listening than needed. they're positioned slightly forward so that vocals come across as clear and more promiment. This leads to more of that Spongebob FUN with none of the issues I have with forward mids. Perhaps more of that Apex magic? I don't think I've ever had any issues or fatigure with 64 models that use Apex.

Treble:
I'm going to keep this short, otherwise I'm going to be going on about good Tia Treble is forever. So uh, Tia Treble gud. That trademark Tia smoothness is also present, but this time affords some air and sparkle without any sibilance. FUN and smooth! I've always felt it was one or the other, but this is balanced in a good way that meshes with what they want to achieve in terms of a FUN signature.

Conclusion:
Overall, the Trio is a W signature, similar to the MEST, but with a bigger emphasis on FUN and EXCITMENT, dialing both up to 11. It does it with only 3 drivers which is an impressive feat, since rare is the day 3-5 driver count iems end up being super impressive. If this signature was done on the MEST, I would most likely find it fatiguing for long listening sessions which more or less necessitates the inclusion of Apexon the Trio. And my impression line up with my experince with the tech being implemented, The MEST is lively enough by itself, but really takes a backseat to Trio. The biggest difference would the resolution, the MEST just takes that with no problem with more drivers handling the frequencies. For me, the Trio ends being similar enough to the MEST with the soundstage falling behind for a higher price point and I really can't see getting it as compliment or even over the MEST. If I still had the u12t, I would definitely be considering the Trio though.

Inversely with the price of the Trio having gone down, I would recommend going for it over the MEST if you're willing to push the price a little bit.

Get them here! Bloom Audio

From 64 Audio:


“The perfect in-ear monitor for listeners looking for the sweet spot between reference-level clarity and a smooth sound signature for extended listening. The tia Trió is a great earphone for audiophiles seeking a clear, laid back, 3D sound in any genre.



Tia Trió features our complete, three-part tia™ system housed in an ergonomic shell, machined from a solid piece of aluminum and finished with elegant, brushed aluminum faceplates.”



The Tech:

• Tia:

“The tia system is comprised of three major elements: open balanced armature tia drivers, the tia single-bore design, and tia acoustic chambers. The Trio features two major elements of the tia system: the tia driver and the tia single-bore design.”

1. Tia Driver:

“An open balanced armature speaker design for realistic resolution and transparency. By opening a balanced armature, the diaphragm becomes fully unobstructed, reducing resonance in the IEM and allowing sound to travel more naturally to the ear.”

1. Tia Single Bore:

“A huge advancement in eliminating unwanted tube resonance. The large bore itself serves as a sound-shaping chamber and aids the tia high driver in delivering a linear and coherent frequency response. The short sound path provides remarkable high-frequency extension and smoothness. The large single bore also allows for easier maintenance”

• Apex:

“Apex, or Air Pressure Exchange, is a pneumatically interactive vent that releases air pressure from a sealed ear canal. It comes in two variations, m15 (-15dB) and m20 (-20dB).”

1. Alleviate Listener Fatigue

“When you seal a miniature speaker in an ear canal, the air inside becomes trapped. Apex relieves this air pressure, allowing the eardrum to move naturally, so you can comfortably listen longer.”

1. Extend The Soundstage

“Freely moving air extends the soundstage and provides a more natural listening experience. It also preserves bass frequencies and helps the listener distinguish individual instruments.”

1. Hear Your Audience

“Custom in-ear monitors provide amazing isolation and help you hear your mix more clearly and at lower volumes than a wedge monitor or earbuds. Apex lowers decibel levels while preserving the clarity of the sounds around you, so artists on stage can connect with their audience while protecting their hearing.”

• LID:

“LID, or Linear Impedance Design, enables a consistent, reliable sound regardless of what source. This proprietary circuit corrects the non-linear impedances of the drivers, restoring proper interaction with the source and preserving the desired sound signature.”



“Whether you're a musician plugging into a variety of gear at different gigs or studios, or an audiophile listening from low-impedance sources, LID ensures your IEMs are delivering the desired sound signature consistently.”



“And like all our IEMs, this model can be used with a wide range of personal audio devices as well as all hard-wired and wireless monitor systems.”

• Trio Specifications:

Driver Type/Count: 2 precision BA drivers, 1 dynamic driver

Driver Configuration: 1 tia high, 1 high-mid, 1 dynamic mid/low

Frequency Response: 5Hz – 22KHz

Sensitivity: 104db @1kHZ @1mw

Impedance: 5.5 +.5/-1.5 Ω from 10Hz – 20kHz

Crossover: Integrated 3-way passive crossover

Isolation: -15dB internal apex technology

• IN THE BOX:

1. 64 Audio tia Trió Universal In-Ear Monitors
2. 64 Audio Personalized Protective Case
3. Dehumidifier
4. Cleaning Tool
5. Shirt Clip
6. “TrueFidelity” Eartips (S,M,L)
7. Silicone Eartips (S,M,L)
8. 48" Detachable Premium Cable
9. Round 64 Audio Sticker
10. Product Manual

• The Sound:

1. Bass: Having heard several top of line offerings, I have heard all types of bass ranging from great balanced armature bass to impossible lows from dynamic drivers. I have heard big pounding thick bass and I have heard lightning fast bass. The Trio combines nearly the best IEM bass characteristics and provides them in one neat package. The sub bass is guttural, textured well and deep enough to satisfy anyone who craves that visceral rumble off in the abyss. It is ever present but remains well separated. Mid bass nearly matches the decay and speed of some of the top balanced armature offerings. It's not quite there but for a dynamic driver it’s very impressive. It’s fast, it’s punchy and really portrays the intensity of the called upon impact.

1. Mids: One thing I have noticed about many 64 Audio offerings is that they know how to tune the mid-range. The Trio’s lower mids are fairly neutral in comparison to its elevated sub bass and punchy mid bass. This lends itself to create a bit more of a gap or separation from the coloration in the low end and maintain great clarity. The same goes with the upper-mids as they also maintain distance from the low end. Upper-mids are very detailed and clear especially noticed in vocals. They are slightly elevated and sound a bit bright but not in an offensive way. Rather, it seems clear that the Trio was created with intentions of making sure the upper mids stand apart from the bass. They didn’t want veiled vocals and that is immediately apparent.

1. Treble: Well if you have ever heard a tia driver smack dab at the nozzle opening of any 64 Audio IEM, you know what you’re in for. Trio treble is fantastic. It is clean, detailed and airy. emitting a crispness to it that often is hard to find in many other non 64 Audio offerings. It is emphasized a bit and just on the brighter side of neutral, but it manages to do so without killing your ears. The one word I often use to describe the treble is, “elegant”. It has a brightness about it while maintaining a softness; smooth. It’s not that typical dense violent brightness many associate with the term, its sparkle is always there but in a delicate, inoffensive way.

• Overall Sound Presentation:

The 64 Audio Trio has more of a “U” shaped signature than a “W”, but it almost presents like a “W” due to the vocal forwardness and clarity. The bass is deep and impactful without spilling into the mids. The mids are neutral and slightly forward in the upper registers but tastefully so. The upper mids transition with similar tonality into the dynamic and crisp treble which just adds such depth and coherence to the sound. The sound stage is nice and open; airy with a pitch-black background thanks to LID. Sounds just float around you with great precision which adds to the experience. Nothing sounds veiled or recessed, you get a bit of everything but not too much of anything.

• Comparisons:

(All comparisons done using M11 PRO, Lotoo Paw S1 and Fiio BTR 5)

1. 64 Audio u12t: The bass is a bit more elevated on the Trio but ever so slightly quicker on the u12t. The mids are more colored on the u12t whereas the Trio sounds a bit more neutral to my ears. Treble is fairly similar but a bit more forward and airier on the Trio. The u12t strives to be more of a chameleon by retaining a safe no thrills tuning but executes everything well. The Trio was tuned to do much of what the u12t does well but amplified to give it more personality.

1. 64 Audio Nio: The bass seems a bit more forward and boomy on the Nio with a definite mid bass tilt the Trio reigns back a bit. Don’t mistake it though, they both pack some boom, the Nio just more so. The mids are far more neutral on the Trio and very thick and warm sounding on the Nio. Treble is more relaxed on the Nio but still well detailed. The Trio treble has an order of magnitude more treble extension and air. The two sound nothing alike from the lower mids on. They complement each other quite well on the fun side of things.

1. Empire Ears Legend X: I’ll make this bass comparison simple… the Legend X has the best quality bass on any IEM known to date. The quantity exceeds the Trio as well but in the best way possible. The Legend X has seductive mids once you get over the small nervous breakdown from the bass department. They are warmer compared to the Trio and more coherent. That being said, they sound nothing alike when it comes to mids and neither can be faulted for their tuning and presentation. They were both done flawlessly as far as mids are concerned. The treble is very detailed but soft on the Legend X and not as far forward or bright as the Trio. The Legend X flows from the low to mids to highs and the Trio segments each frequency range to create more separation but doesn’t lose much coherency. Out of complete transparency, the Legend X are my 2nd favorite IEM and the Trio are my 3rd. It comes down to which tuning you prefer in this head to head.

1. Campfire Audio Solaris: Based on the ‘retail’ price difference this may not seem fair. Regardless, the Trio is the livelier more articulate of the two. The bass is very well executed on the Solaris variations and recently elevated on the latest 2020 iteration, but the Trio bass still stands ahead. It has more transparency to it while being deeper and more present. The mids overall are warmer on the Solaris with surprisingly smooth vocals. The lower mids of the Trio are more neutral but the upper mids come across a tad bit more colored but also more detailed than the Solaris. Treble extension is done well on the Solaris and they have that notorious Campfire Audio sparkle. The Trio takes the treble quality of the Solaris and adds a mind-bending excitement to it, overall just taking something good and making it great.

1. Noble Sultan: Probably another comparison you think is wildly unfair bearing the Sultan’s $2900 price tag. Again, at this top of line price point you’re usually splitting hairs. Notice I said, usually… In this case, I don’t feel the Sultan belongs here in the top of line conversation. It has a TOTL price but not TOTL performance. The Trio bests the Sultan across the entire frequency spectrum and does so without estats along with a fraction of the drivers planted in the Sultan. The Sultan takes what could be a tuning similar to the Trio and adds this unnecessary density to it, killing the extension. Effectively booting the attack, decay and transients of what could be. I still cannot for the life of me understand why they used estats if they tuned them the way they did. All that potential just forfeited for no reason.

1. Empire Ears Odin: (it’s humble pie time) Admittedly, this isn’t a fair comparison but there is a reason I am providing it. Reason being is to understand where the Trio falls short compared to the most outrageous sounding IEM I own and have heard. Candidly, it’s not extremely far behind. The Odin bests the Trio by its sheer depth, clarity, layering and sense of space. The Trio does all these things extremely well, as if you couldn’t tell by the glowing review, but the Odin turns them up to 11. The bass of the Trio is fantastic and lively, but the Odin’s bass is damn fast, perfectly textured and despite being tuned down, reaches as deep as the Mariana trench. The mids, lower and upper are more neutral with the Odin but so resolving that it’s ridiculous. The Trio mid-range spectrum is a bit more colored but still gives you all the information you need. Treble is a bit more contrasted between the two. Odin has estats that were tuned properly (we’re looking at you Sultan) but in such a way that they aren’t overpowering. Natural and smooth is my best way to describe the Odin. Although that may sound boring, the Treble of the Odin possess this extension and infinite space that I cannot get over. Many will demo Odin quickly but not spend the time to really explore the galaxy of overhead they can scale. Trio treble is in a league of its own thanks to the tia driver, but it sounds forced or emphasized when compared to the Odin. If you don’t compare the Trio to the Odin or $3k and $4k IEM’s it’ll eat most others alive.

• Conclusion:

The 64 Audio tia Trio is admittedly one of my favorite IEM’s to date. Only bested by the Legend X and Odin. They emit some of the most clearly defined and fun notes simultaneously. If I could make any pop culture reference to describe them, it would be the mullet… business up front, party in the back.

They have the technical chops to compete with any TOTL offering and yet they have so much life in their sound. One of the best balances between critical listening and fun tuning I have heard. The Odin bests the Trio for me as highlighted above but you have to respect an IEM that that can even be in that conversation. 64 Audio has demonstrated that they are fighting to put out unbelievably well-tuned offerings and don’t show any sign of slowing down. If you’re in the market for APEX and those crazy expensive 64 Audio Fourte’s or the limited Fourte Noir are invoking your lack of self-control, plunk the cash down on the Trio first. You’ll most likely be very glad that you did.

Rating: 9.7
Sound: 9.7

Intro
64 AUDIO, surely one of those few brands where nobody in Hi-Fi circles looks at you with astonishment and asks what you can buy from this crypto currency AUDIO, maybe 3 CDs? Surely a few more, because even with over 2000 € the TIA TRIÓ, which is the subject of this article, is still one of the cheapest representatives in the 64 AUDIO product range.

The TIA TRIÓ is a hybrid consisting of a dynamic and 2 balanced-armature drivers. In the product description you will find statements like apex, tia and LID and since these terms do not appear in my everyday review language either, I would like to briefly help myself to HEADTEK and use their description. HEADTEK is a well-stocked headphone shop in Berlin, with company origin in the UK, which kindly provided me with the TIA TRIÓ for this review.

>> ... The groundbreaking, patent pending tia system with its completely tube-free construction consists of the tia single bore design ("one bore/hole"), the tia sound chamber and the proprietary open balanced armature tia driver...

64 Audio's unique apex technology reduces pressure on the eardrum through a pneumatic interactive vent, as found in many other in-ear headphones. Hearing fatigue therefore occurs significantly less frequently.

LID (Low Impedance Design) technology ensures that the Trió retains its sound signature regardless of the source... <<

I'm usually sceptical when a company comes around the corner with such great terms and "innovations", because usually they just give the child a different name, or it's just not as groundbreaking as it seems, but just fulfils the marketing purpose.

If I understand "Tia" correctly, I have all the drivers in one sound chamber, without them being led separately to the sound opening. Well, for this to work well in terms of sound, it certainly requires some know-how and perfect tuning. However, the concept can also be found in 15 € IEMs, because this is not possible any other way for reasons of cost, or some manufacturers don't know any better, throw the drivers all together and get a hit every now and then.

With "apex" and "LID" it looks a bit different, because the notorious driver-flex, or the unpleasant negative pressure with completely closed construction is not to be recognized and also I can't really make out any serious sound differences with different sources. This is certainly a plus point, but it also takes away the possibly conscious and desired change, depending on the source.

In the end I don't really care what kind of miracle technique is in an IEM. What matters to me is the sound, and so far the TIA TRIÓ has convinced me like no other IEM. Here I find it rather difficult to find negative aspects instead of looking for positive ones.



Handling
Some of the things that actually belong in here, I have already anticipated in the INTRO, so we can concentrate on the essential.
The scope of delivery corresponds to the price expectations, but is admittedly a bit simple.
Included are: Transport hardcase, dehumidifier, cleaning tools, shirt clip, TrueFidelity foam earpieces (S,M,L), silicone earpieces (S,M,L), a removable 1.2m premium cable, a manual, and a 64 AUDIO sticker.
I can't think of anything I would miss at first, but everything is presented a bit unlovingly. Personally I don't think it's bad, but there are surely many audiophiles who fall in love with an IEM while unboxing, which is probably not the case here.

Simplicity is the keyword here in general, also in design. The design is quite universal and reminds a little bit of CHI-FI representatives like the KZ AS10, or CCA C16, only more compact, without a futuristic faceplate and of course much higher quality due to the materials used and the impeccable workmanship. Absolutely meets my taste!

The wearing comfort is also without complaint, even in the long run and the isolation can be seen, uh... heard, or not, which means it is very good!

The cable is very high quality, but I prefer silicone reinforcements rather than the flexible wire reinforcement of the TIA TRIÓ, because bending is simply a time factor and the insertion is not as fluid.

So what gets stuck here? Simple design and appearance, but everything you need in premium quality and workmanship, as well as very good haptic, comfort and isolation properties.



Sound
Since the TIA TRIÓ has fascinated me from the very first sound and will inevitably sit at the top of my IEM, I would like to build up this review a bit more as a comparison than is usually the case. For this purpose the TIA TRIÓ gets the CAMPFIRE SOLARIS and the ORIVETI OH500 in the ring and has to measure itself against three songs, which are perhaps not very versatile in terms of genre, but in principle have more or less caused problems for every IEM so far. I noticed that if an IEM exists here, he rarely has problems with other genres.
In the genre Rock/Hardcore music pieces are often full of energy and especially instrumentally overloaded. This usually ends in a salad of sounds, where the ingredients are difficult to taste. To bring an order in here, not to let voices get lost and still transport the energy and power of the tracks is a challenge that is difficult to master.
It is, so to speak, a battle of hybrids (TRIÓ 1*DD & 2*BA, SOLARIS 1*DD & 3BA, OH500 1*DD & 4*BA) in the following disciplines: Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster, Beartooth - In Between, Breaking Benjamin - Breath.

For each song, I will highlight 3-4 things I pay special attention to and then compare them. Please note that I will only describe what I subjectively would like or expect from the songs. Everyone will surely find something different, or prefer something different, but a few things can be compared quite well and be reproduced understandably.
Since some of these songs are really not IEM-friendly, this review won't be a praise for TIA TRÓ or the other two, but if you do things at least badly, you somehow do them best in comparison, right?



Let's start with Popular Monster from Falling In Reverse. Ronnie Radke (front singer) once commented on the style of his band like this: "in the same songs it sounds like Norma Jean or Underoath with Katy Perry choruses" - that's a bit exaggerated and "Popular Monster" doesn't really fit the description, but basically there's something to it.
What makes the song:
A mixture of rap and hard-core (crossover), dominant drums, with lots of double bass passages and a powerful chorus where "dirty" and not always cleanly played e-guitars, drums and voices fight against each other. For this review I pay special attention to the following: 00:28 - bass drop, 00:52 - fine 16ths on ride cymbals in the chorus, 02:19 & 02:44 - everything you can hear in this song is thrown together here, absolute stress test.

The TRIÓ faces this challenge quite unexcited. He knows that he neither has a bloodcurdling bass nor the impact to light up a real bass firework with this song, but he always knows what is important. The bass drop doesn't lift you out of your shoes, but you notice that the sub-bass is lifted and due to the linear drop towards the upper bass, subjectively a homogeneous bass is produced, which not only has speed, but also a pleasant rumbling, a crisp and dotted bass, as well as the ability to not present the bass as a whole, but always gives you the possibility to emphasize different bass tones. He strolls effortlessly over the double bass and always stays clean as long as this is also the case in the song.
The 16ths on high hat and cymbals are always audible, but could stand out a little bit more. What is really amazing is the serenity of the TIA TRIÓ when things get hectic. Admittedly, the recording is not entirely free of clipping when we listen to the song from minute 2.19. But the TRIÓ reveals this only unembellished, without losing control as well. Also to be credited is the fact that the stage doesn't collapse in the chorus and that the voices have to move slightly backwards and let the guitars take the lead, but for me this is within a completely acceptable range.
The SOLARIS occupies second place for me here. It has less sub-bass in comparison, but is just as fast and punchy. But it lacks a little bit of pressure and warmth, which makes the song sound a bit thinner. It can also become a bit harsh in the upper mids. The trebles are slightly more accentuated and even in the space available during the stress test the SOLARIS doesn't have to hide behind the TIA TRIÓ, which however shows the better balance in the whole frequency spectrum. Nevertheless, the SOLARIS seems a bit more tidy, probably because the trebles are a bit more important.
The OH500 is at a disadvantage here: it sounds much flatter and can't really convert the energy of the song. It is too well-behaved and has a nasty peak in the upper midrange, which is very unpleasant in the long run. He lacks the assertiveness and tears the song apart in dynamics. He definitely has other strengths, but they don't come into play here.

Beartooth - In Between: The song is not only badly mixed, but also musically badly transported on record. Live it is a force of nature. So here it's all about whether the three also function as a sewage plant, because as the saying goes among sound engineers during mixing: "crap comes in, crap comes out", but maybe a competitor brings a very special clarifier with him, which makes things a bit cleaner. Especially on the cymbals a lot happens here, which can quickly slip into the tin and the guitars present themselves quite lifeless on the recording. An IEM, which brings warmth and pressure from below and treats the trebles in a relaxed manner, can make a name for itself here.
The most striking here is 00:13 - where the verse starts and is fired off musically, without consideration of losses, 00:36 bright cymbals and double bass, somewhat thin but crunchy guitars, 02:01 - bridge with two guitars, which should be clearly different in the panorama, here the bad mixing also comes into its own.

Yes, what can one say, the TIA TRIÓ is not a sewage plant. It takes what it gets and spits it out mercilessly. But: it does not make it worse by appearing disharmonious or becoming unpleasant. Although he always reproduces the trebles very cleanly, accurately and above all incredibly detailed without exaggerating it, the clanging of the cymbals after the third listening is definitely enough for me. The TRIÓ is tuned very naturally, in the direction of neutrality, which means that it doesn't give the song any additional warmth and that we can enjoy a very natural sound, without discolouration, when listening to other music.
The SOLARIS is a bit bolder here and manages to give the song more dynamics. On the one hand I would like to put this down to the fact that I find it enormously stable in the high frequency range and that it simply delivers an outstanding performance here. Of course, it also has the typical clang of a song, but it still sounds more natural to me than the TIA TRIÓ. In addition, it is more powerful in the mids, especially in the upper ranges, which is good for it here, but can also be a bit strenuous. The drums also sound nice and crisp in the lower range and have a good volume, but are not quite as textured as on the TRIÓ. The OH500 has a big advantage here and that's its treble presence. This is the most restrained of the three, but is still on a par with the SOLARIS in terms of quality. This means that the OH500 doesn't deceive about the poor production, but it shows this more subtly. A big disadvantage are the mids, which become a bit shouty and steal the show from the relaxed and transparent highs. The bass isn't very prominent on the OH500 either, where all three don't take much notice quantitatively. But from a qualitative point of view, especially in terms of strength, I go with TRIO and SOLARIS.

Breath by Breaking Benjamin is probably the song in the song selection that makes it easiest for the IEMs to score. It is very powerful and melodic with a voice that is neither too warm nor too cool and brings a nice crisp. The guitars are powerful, easy to separate and take the dominant part. Here it shows who can transport the energy well and convinces especially in the mids. The challenge is not to rob the guitars of their presence, but also not to let them participate so much body and dominance so that the voice can still keep up. It is interesting to see if the separation still works with the powerful sound carpet.
Here I don't give minutes, but look at the song as a whole.
The TIA TRIÓ does not disappoint me in any way, but it is still not perfect for my demands. Especially noticeable is the electric bass, which can always be followed clearly and in detail. The TRiÓ manages without any problems to make me bob and nod and to put a smile on my face. But I have slight limitations exactly in the critical range. For my taste, the mid-range could be separated a little more directly and clearly here. The guitars are a bit overpowering in the chorus and seem a bit bloated. To make it perhaps nevertheless at an example: At minute 01:20 it goes over to the chorus, where the vocals are standing there alone first and then the instruments start to play together. Here the voice is slightly pushed into the background and everything seems too massive. Nevertheless, with TRIÓ you keep the overview. But it could be separated even more sharply. But here the TRIO comes quite close to my ideal of how an interplay of bass, mids and highs can sound, even if there are much more IEM-friendly songs in the genre (for example Escape The Fate - Live For The Day). Bravo TIA TRIÓ
I must also compliment the SOLARIS on this. The SOLARIS is musically in any case a bundle of energy due to its midrange presentation. All in all the song is a bit too forceful and direct for me with the SOLARIS. I can't keep up with my perception and my hearing that fast, when everything is just thrown in your face. Less is more. The TRIÓ makes it easier for me here without concealing anything and also has less sibilants in its luggage. Even though I am enthusiastic about the trebles of the SOLARIS, it is also a bit overwhelming here. The SOLARIS is always exciting, the opposite pole to the OH500.
You really can't do wrong to the OH500. It is an excellent, calm and relaxed IEM, with which you first have to warm up. All the more unfair is perhaps the direct comparison also in the A/B/C listening. In addition, the genre doesn't suit him with his tuning that well. Here, too, he draws the short straw especially in the mids when the volume is turned up. If this is left in a moderate range, he can even keep up in his own way. But if you want more pressure on the ears, it gives voices almost too much presence, which can become unpleasant. But what he does best here is the balance between guitars and voice. Plus the smooth trebles and the good bass foundation. In terms of audibility, however, the point clearly goes to TRIÓ.

By the way, if you're looking for another stress test, I recommend "Dreh auf!" by We Butter The Bread With Butter. If you want to check your IEM for sub-bass and generally for low and high frequencies, you should listen to "Sol" by Alef.



Outro
What is the sum total of the TRIO? Even though it might not read very well from the review, he does pretty much everything right, as far as it is in his hands.
Of course I don't judge him and the other IEMs by these three songs. I have highlighted them only exemplarily. Even if some things may sound more negative than in other reviews, you have to consider that these IEMs are at the top of my personal ranking and therefore still do their job better than the IEMs below. All other reviewed IEMs also go through this process. In this case I just write a bit more critically in the context of music selection.

The TRIÓ has an excellent balance and is for me the most complete and homogeneous IEM reviewed so far. For me it is a reference that is musical at the same time, sounding neutral and extremely detailed, three-dimensional and high resolution. But the TIA TRIÓ is certainly not a bargain and you should consider whether the sound quality is worth the price.
For me, the TRIO is the perfect balance between the SOLARIS and the OH500, taking the strengths together and bringing them under one roof, without focusing on one feature in particular. When I listen to music with the TRIÓ, I inevitably have a grin on my face and simply enjoy it without stubbornly looking for faults that don't exist.

I have to admit one thing. If you're looking for absolute high-end, you won't be able to avoid a considerable investment. There are also very good budget IEMs that perform well above their price range and outstanding IEMs in the lower three-digit range, but at some point you will reach your limits. If you want more, the financial leap is huge in my opinion and I always ask myself whether I would be willing to invest this for the last icing on the cake.
But if you take the question of money aside, 64 AUDIO has succeeded in creating a small masterpiece with the TRIÓ, which is convincing all along the line. In addition, the TIA TRIÓ's tuning appeals to a broad mass and does not specialise in a sound niche, as can often be the case with high-end models.

https://headtek.de/de/64-audio-tia-...brid-in-ear-monitor-mit-apex-tia-und-lid.html

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Preamble:
Bought from a dealer with no subsidies. I've been searching a long time for a TOTL IEM which does everything. And i can finally say, after going through about 10 sets of TOTL IEMs i have found mine.

Comparators
Empire Ears Legend X
Sony IER Z1R
Campfire Audio Andromeda
Campfire Audio Atlas
Campfire Audio Vega

Source
Hiby R5
MBP 15
Iphone X

Tracks
Bass response: Drake MIA, Ed Sheeran South of Boarder,
Mid response: Ed Sheeran South of the boarder, Toto Africa, Sam smith How do you sleep
Treble response: sam smith How do you sleep, Dj snake You know you like it, not ok kygo,
Stage: Trampoline Shaed, Heaven Avicii

Others songs listened to: Firestone kygo, dance money tones & I, Hope chainsmokers, counting stars one republic, variety of Jay z & eminem

Packaging
Average packaging by 64 Audio. To be frank dissapointing considering the packaging and tip selection provided by Sony (which is $1,200 AUD less).

The tip selection is lackluster and really doesn't afford much choice, however i foudn myself preferring the foam tips (later i changed to comply M for all models to keep it fair)

Build
Very solid build, i can safely say, even if they knock against each other, they will not scratch.

Fit
Fit can be finicky, but if you allign it properly in the ear, it fits well.

I found the stock cable (64 audio ?premium cable) to provide a great grip around the ear

Go up a size in foams and rubber/silicone for the best seal

Sound
The most apt description i can think of is, neutral with a bass boost as well as a mid boost. This results in one of the best FR i have heard. The highs are not harsh and the bass packs great punch. Albeit, not to a basshead level (unless you EQ it, which is responds very well to).

• Bass: good amount of punch. Fast decay and impact.
• Mids: Male and female vocals sound very good. Not recessed at all. yet not overpowering the FR. This is the first IEM i've heard where the balance is achieved perfectly.
• Treble: Very nicely done. Not harsh at all, no silibance. Yet there is still 'sparkle' and cymbal strikes sound fantastic.
• Stage: Extremely impressive. Not congested at all with very good sepeation.
• Instrument seperation: Excellent
• Isolation: With foam tips probably near the 15 to 20db mark.

Comparisons

• Legend X: This is the most 'fair' comparison, as both are on par price wise. The Legend X has a better bass response (impact). Both have good bass control and fast decay. The Trio anhilates the LX in the mids, the mids are far clearer and lively than on the LX. Both have nice highs, neither are silibant or harsh. The sound stage on the Trio is far superior, leaving the LX sounding congested. Seperation is also better on the Trio. In my opinion the Trio wins out here.
• Sony IER Z1R: The sony coming in at ~$1000 less. The Z1R has more body in the bass, both are on par with control and decay. I would say the Z1R has more bass rumble and sub bass extension. Again, the Trio has far superior mids, the Z1R in comparison sounds recessed (not to the same degree as the LX though). I personally prefer the highs of the trio, as i sound the Z1R treble harsh and extremely fatiguing to listen to for more than 30 mins. Both have comparable sound stages. Seperation is also on par. The build quality of both is very good, however the Z1R is very easy to damage and scratches extremely easy. The overall package of the Z1R is very appealing. I think this is a draw, as even though i prefer the trio, those who aren't as treble sensitive as me, would be hard pressed to choose between the 2.
• Campfire Atlas + Vega: This isn't really a fair comparison as the CA are single DD vs. the Trio which is a hybrid. So i'll keep the comparison short. If you want mids, a better fit and can stomach the extra $1500 or so in cost, get the Tia Trios.
• Campfire Andromeda: This was an interesting comparison, as interestingly comparison as the mids on both where on par (vs. the others which all had inferior bass to the trio). The bass is the easiest to compare, as the Trio easily wins out. The mids. 1 BA vs 1 BA. The difference being the Trios open driver design. the difference in minute and hoenstly differentiating the 2 is difficult, other than that the lower mids have more impact on the Trio (due to the DD). Highs, i personally prefer the Trio as at times the andro's were harsh (not often). Soundstage was larger on the trio and seperation was on par with one another. I personally prefer the trio due to the lackluster bass performance on the Andromeda, however, i also appreciate that those who purchase the andromeda aren't looking for extravagent bass response.

Summary
I've been searching for a TOTL IEM for over a year now. In the process i have gotten to listen to a wide variety of brands and different models. I found, after my inital excitement about one the them, i would in course find flaws and deficiencies in everything to date. Until the Tia Trio. I wasn't expecting for these to be the ones i finally setlled on, as there is barely any information about them and reviews involving the Trio usually focus more so on the Fourte or U12t. As such, when i intially purchased these i wasn't expecting to be blown away. But was i wrong, I think these are a serious contender for some of the best IEMs ever made. This is the first time, my thirst for bass impact and forward mids have been satisfied without silibance or fatiguing treble. Well done 64 Audio.

From http://www.64audio.com:

The 64 AUDIO tia Trió™ Universal-Fit earphones are the perfect balance between reference quality sound and personal entertainment. Featuring a fully-tubeless design, the breakthrough patent-pending tia™ system consists of the tia single-bore, tia acoustic chambers, and the proprietary open balanced armature tia drivers. You won’t miss a beat or a bass line thanks to the dynamic driver that provides weight and punch to the trio’s musical low end. The Frequency eXtension Chamber allows for superior mid-range control on a back-vented dynamic driver and paves the way for perfectly placed mid frequencies, giving vocals and instruments a remarkably natural sound. Detailed and reliable upper mids are relaxed in presentation and layer easily into the smooth and extended ‘tia top-end’, the signature of any IEM bearing the tia high-driver. Additionally, internal patent-pending apex™ technology vents air pressure from the ear canal for fatigue-free listening. All of this technology is housed in an ergonomic shell machined out of a solid piece of aluminum. With a stunning brushed aluminum faceplate, the 64 Audio tia Trió is a durable and equally elegant addition to the T-Series line-up.

Sensitivity: 104db @1kHZ @1mw
Freq. response: 5Hz - 22KHz
Isolation: -15dB
Transducer configuration: 1 tia™ high, 1 high-mid, 1 dynamic mid/low
Impedance 5.5 +.5/-1.5 ohms from 10Hz - 20kHz
Transducer type: 2 precision balanced armature drivers, 1 dynamic driver
Crossover: Integrated 3-way passive crossover



The tia Trio possesses a slightly warm high resolution sound that can sparkle without offense and pound out deep visceral bass with the right tips. When comparing Trio to the other top shelf offerings from 64 Audio such as the A18t, tia Fourte and A12t, the Trio is the most transparent to my ears. A natural, organic sound, accurate timbre and accurate enough tonality combine to make the Trio effortlessly transparent. This transparency is one of the Trio’s strongest abilities and something every monitor in this price range from every manufacturer should possess. A powerful low end with significant quantity meets a sparkly bright elevated high end in the tia drivers, creating a velvety butter smooth but simultaneously high resolution presentation thanks to the tia drivers shining down from above illuminating the edges of notes.

Keywords: Slightly Warm With Inoffensive Yet Far Extending High End, Good Resolution, Butter, Velvet, Transparent, Powerful Bass.


Both mid and sub bass are quite impactful with properly isolating tips (comply donuts produced the most bass response and isolation) the vibrations can become tactile. Mid bass attacks slightly faster than the low-tuned Dynamic Driver’s sub bass. Sub bass rumbles and hits with authority. Tone extension is moderate-deep but not the deepest I’ve heard. Sub bass is more prominent than mid bass. Attack speed is moderate per the typical dynamic driver delivery while decay is long, creating a warm richness to the overall sound, enhancing image solidity while taming and contrasting with the tia drivers making the sound velvety smooth but highly detailed. Bass notes are heard in full: instead of a bloated round impact devoid of texture, Trio presents an impact/rumble wherein the fluttering variations between the onset of a bass note, its’ center and end are all clearly defined.

Keywords: Impactful Sub Bass, Elevated Above Mid Bass, Detailed Bass Textures, Natural/Organic Tone, Long Decay and Moderate Attack.


Trio has an essentially neutral midrange with the exception of the upper mids being slightly elevated over the lower mids. This marginal elevation created by the tia driver combined with the warm analog dynamic driver bass that permeates the background space with its’ long decay creates female vocals that are stunning. Despite this elevation the mids remain transparent/realistic enough in tone due to the overall warmth of the signature. The mids are neither forward nor recessed while demonstrating flagship level transparency. On a sliding scale measuring image density (dense ßà airy), the Trio would be a notch off the midline favoring an airy presentation, overall moderate image density in the Mids. The mids are highly resolved and uncongested despite the powerful but well contained sub bass. Both sub and mid bass decay without congesting the midrange while the tia driver shines down from above to increase resolution.

Keywords: Neutral-ish Mids W/Marginally Elevated Upper Mids, Airy images, High Resolution, Uncongested, Transparent.


Every tia monitor I’ve heard has sparkled beautifully while extending far into the high’s but never in a harsh manner. The same is true of the tia Trio. The High end is butter smooth and highly resolute. Images generated in the highs have good body, they not afterthoughts in the back of the stage at all, they share an equal footing and placement with the rest of the sound. Tonally accurate enough reproduction similar to that which is heard at a live performance combines with excellent decay and smooth extension to create a flagship worthy high end. Trio sacrifices a bit of high end extension for image density, opting for a natural “live performance” type high end that’s weighty as opposed to the artificially bright type that just won’t disappear and isn’t transparent to the listener. It’s a tradeoff I’m happy to accept as I’m hearing plenty enough detail (definitely flagship level) to satisfy my resolution requirements and prefer the denser top end images as opposed to an airy artificially illuminated presentation of the highs.

Keywords: Butter Smooth Sparkle, Dense Images(in the highs), Share Center-Stage (Not Recessed Nor Forward) With Other Frequencies, Transparent.


Stage construction is three dimensional as opposed to an X-axis skewed design. It’s equally as deep as it is wide, it extends as far forward and back on the Z axis as it does up and down on the Y axis. It’s a natural and transparent stage tuning, nothing sounds artificially stretched, compressed, distant or close. Some monitors present lots of detail to the left and right on the horizontal plane but often images near the rear or front of the stage can lack the same resolution, resolution is spread evenly throughout in the Trio and it is of high quality. The aforementioned elevated sub bass quantity and moderate mid bass contribute a slight sense of airiness to the overall sound but somehow do not negatively affect layering and separation as the analog DD driver bass does not congest the images. Layering and separation is very good. One would imagine a sub bass elevated presentation with marginally airy image density would skew layering and separation but instead the Trio demonstrates very good layering and separation likely to due it’s medium-large intimate stage and resolution illuminating tia driver. The bass is elevated but not to an extent to make the overall sound diffuse.

Keywords: Good Layering and Separation, Three Dimensional Equally Proportioned (Density/Resolution/Size) Presentation, Uncongested.


The tia Trio is dynamic and full of life due to its’ powerful sub bass, elevated upper mids and far extending highs yet it remains transparent due to its’ smooth reproduction and accurate enough tonality and timbre. When I’m listening to the Trio it truly disappears for me. Resolution is exceptional in the sub bass and upper mids. It’s hard to find much of anything wrong with the Trio but if one must fault it in some aspect it would be the resolution of the absolute middle frequencies and lower mids. Trio trades off a bit of detail in these regions for a more organic warm and tonally accurate and transparent signature, in my opinion a wise tradeoff.

Keywords: Exceptional Resolution In Sub Bass & Upper Mids & Highs, Good Resolution In Lower Mids, Class Leading Transparency.


I had no comfort issues with the Trio’s at all.


Hugo2:

The Trio Hugo2 pairing was sublime. Totally and completely transparent and hiss free to my ears. Sub bass extended deep, the highs were butter smooth and the overall resolution was of course exceptional with Hugo2 squeezing out every bit of note texture and resolution the Trio’s were capable of reproducing.

S8+:

The Trio continues the trend of 64 Audio IEM’s sounding spectacular with all devices due to their Linear Impedance Design (LID) technology. I get a similar sound to Hugo2 just with far less detail and a bit more harshness due to the sound being digital as opposed to the butter smooth organic and analog sound coming out of Hugo2. I am quite pleased with the sound straight out of my S8+ with tia Trio and a little trick those of you with a similar phone can do is to enable Tube mode in your sound settings. It sounds truly magical as the midrange comes forward and gains weight while sub bass impact and tia extension are maintained. The tone overall becomes more alive and dynamic in tube mode. A fun feature I suggest everyone with this pairing employ, I can’t always lug around a Hugo2 when I’m on the move so this tube amp replication by the S8+ is spectacular with tia Trio.

Tips:

Vs Zeus XR:

Zeus XR achieves a more reference audio-engineer style tuning than Trio, suitable for a studio environment while in R mode. Trio’s mids are further back in-stage by comparison and less detailed. Trio has more bass quantity/impact across the board while Zeus in either mode opts for a brighter more detailed signature instead. Zeus especially in XIV mode edges the Trio slightly in layering and separation. Zeus in XIV mode has much more image solidity/density especially in the midrange while Trio counters with more at the ends of the frequency spectrum. Trio has the more natural bass sound with much better decay and extension due to it’s Dynamic Driver. The Zeus’s greatest strength is its’ eerily three dimensional reproduction of vocals, the Trio cannot compete in this regard neither can any other monitor in my opinion. They are both exceptionally transparent but go about achieving this transparency in different ways; with Zeus it’s unbelievable midrange detail adding to the sense of realism while with Trio it’s the overall slightly warm tuning, analog bass, accurate enough tonality and timbre. The crash and shimmer and extension associated with cymbals is more three dimensional and impressive with Zeus in either mode. If you’re a vocal enthusiast, value an incredibly detailed and three dimensional midrange presentation or need the ability to switch to a more reference tuning (Zeus R) then go Zeus XR. If you want a slightly warmer, transparent, high resolution, viscerally impactful presentation go Trio. Both monitors are worthy of their rankings near or the very top of the market as most reviewers have ranked them.

Vs A18t:

A18t has more resolution from mids to upper mids and through to highs while Trio has more bass texture and resolution down low. Trio’s sub bass pushes more air/impact and its’ bass presentation is more natural overall due to its’ decay from the dynamic driver. Trio has the more transparent sound. It's easier to distinguish image location with Trio due to its’ smaller more intimate stage and thus images are closer, more solid and less airy. Herein lies the tradeoff; a smaller stage with closer more concrete images vs much larger stage(especially width) with more airy images on A18t. Trio presents a three dimensional stage construction whereas A18t is more width centric-surpassed only by Fourte in this regard. Trio's more natural slightly less dynamic presentation and more intimate stage makes for a more precise layering and separation in the midrange superior to A18t but only in the midrange. A18t has the tonally deeper bass-especially sub bass while Trio counters with more analog texture. A18t extends further with a brighter sparkle whereas Trio is smoother. A18t offers the ability to fine tune the signature with M15/M20 modules which to me is a massive benefit since the modules significantly alter its’ signature.

Vs A12t:

U12t is more a reference signature than Trio whereas Trio has more elevated sub bass and upper mids. The tia driver is far more evident and illuminates the entire signature and the edges of notes more in A12t than Trio to my ears. This effect is especially apparent in the midrange and vocals. Trio has more bass quantity in mid bass but especially sub bass. I find layering and separation to be roughly similar. Soundstage dimensions are similar with Trio having the slightly more three dimensional sounding stage. Mids are slightly more forward on U12t. Both demonstrate excellent resolution but in different areas; Trio in the upper mids and lows and U12t in the lower mids and highs. A12t has the ability to be fine-tuned with the M15/M20 modules whereas Trio does not.

Vs tia Fourte:

The biggest difference between the Fourte and the Trio is the warmth of the signature; Trio being warmer. Trio has more bass quantity and impact. Fourte was not to my taste as it was quite bright and the bass seemed disjointed from the rest of the signature, the stage seemed artificially wide due to this whereas everything blends seamlessly in the Trio creating flagship worthy transparency. I found Fourte to be less transparent, I could sense it was always there while with Trio I had more of those spine tingling moments where I thought someone was behind me while listening. The unnaturally disjointed bass in Fourte was a double edged sword as it made the stage massive but decreased transparency. Fourte stage is massive, the largest I’ve heard ever and quite a bit larger than the more transparent natural sounding stage of Trio. With Trio I felt as though I was just listening to a live performance, high resolution, slightly warm and smooth. Trio was more tonally accurate to my ears with Fourte having a high end centric signature. Fourte easily bests Trio with regard to detail retrieval, if you want ultimate detail with a massive stage but at the expense of transparency and tonal accuracy then Fourte is the IEM for you. If you want a high resolution slightly warm but totally transparent signature with good bass quantity Trio is for you.


I always try to find improvements no matter how minor. Sound wise I see nothing to be improved with tia Trio the signature is precisely my “cup of tea”.


Transparency is the word that I keep coming back to with the Trio. It’s a very special monitor in this regard and transparency is its’ strongest asset. A high resolution slightly warm and buttery smooth/velvety signature with a medium-large stage that’s equally distributed 360 in all directions. A natural and organic sound reproduction save the ever so slightly tonally bright nature of the tia driver which to my ears is rendered transparent by the warmth of the Dynamic Driver and quantity of lower mids. Despite its’ balanced midrange, the Trio captures the magic of male and especially female voices. Bass is visceral as one would expect with a Dynamic and can be increased with tip selection. Bass decay is excellent. Images across the spectrum are marginally airy, I do not find them lacking density or time-presence. Layering and separation is good and uncongested across the frequency range. The high’s sparkle inoffensively and the images therein demonstrate good density. The tia Trio is highly recommended to anyone who loves a highly transparent, slightly warm, highly detailed monitor with exceptional layering and separation. Trio may seem high at it’s price but its’ providing value above its price point if we consider it vs the A18t, Fourte, Zeus XR, etc.

Keywords: Transparency, Resolution, Layering and Separation, Visceral Bass, Three Dimensional Equally Proportioned Stage.

Introduction
I do have tried tia-fourte and pp8 or other flagship, however tia fourte give me a stunning impression, its wide soundstage and performance are amazing including the price as well.

Design
Trio is the second hybrid iem after fourte with 1 dynamic driver mid low, 1 Tia high and 1 high mid and with special design on the shell which is separate each drivers. Trio and Fourte are benefited by that design and let you to have a surrounding feeling. Although the shell is made up of aluminum and it doesn’t so heavy and quite comfort to wear. Because of its apex technology, it can let you to listen for a long time without any tired

Package
The package come with a premium package including cleaning kit, a protective case and a bunch of ear tips.

Dap: WM1A (MODDED BY RHAPSODIO)
TIPS: Final Type E, Symbio w
Cable: Original cable, Toxic crystal piccolino, Rhapsodio copper wizard and siver mk3
Carrying case: Dignis

Sound performance
Bass
For bass, it will be the main point of that iem, it got massive quantity of bass under good quality, the bass are clear and transparent, you can hear all detail including each drum . The bass is so deep and with a good structure as compare to fourte

Mid
Although the bass is strong, but it will not cover up the human vocal, it has a good separate between the bass and human vocal. At the same time, it’s mid are not so close and just at the right point. The mid are warmer and more natural than Fourte, but less detail as fourte

Treble
Trio’s treble are similar as Fourte. However, trio’s treble are less sharp as fourte , it is more natural and smooth .

Conclusion
In conclusion, its always good to know that there will be more options with lower price. Trio is a stunning earphone, it’s impressive sound performance will let you addicted to it after listen the first time. However, I do think that there can have some improvement, the original cable come with the package are quite hard and if it can be softer, that will be perfect, and the trio outfit can also be improved. For next step, since finding the best match of cable to replace the original is so difficult, I probably will look for the upgrade cable for trio later on ( Toxic cable medusa17( may be)xdxd)