TRI Meteor

The Tri Meteor have been loaned to me as part of a European tour that has been organized by KBear. As with the TK-2 that I recently reviewed, I was not actually part of the tour but Cqtek, from Hiendportable.com, very kindly spoke with the organizers who allowed him to send the Meteor (and the TK-2) to me while they are here in Spain.

I am obviously very grateful to Cqtek and the organizers for this opportunity. They have not requested anything from me (I haven’t even had any contact with the organizers), therefore I will include the links that Cqtek included in his review (which, as usual, I have not yet read yet, except for the first paragraph to see the links) in the version published on my blog.

This means that I will do my best to be as honest and impartial as possible but you you should always consider the fact that it has not cost me anything to try out these IEMs.

Here you can find the review by Cqtek: https://hiendportable.com/tri-meteor-english-review/



Intro…

I have not tried a set of Tri IEMs before and I really didn’t know what to expect. Reading the first paragraph of Cqteks review, I found out that these are a hybrid set of IEMs, featuring a DD and a BA, and that the cable that came with them is actually the Grace-S cable. That is the limit of what I know about these IEMs going into the review.

Well, that and the price of them, after a quick search online, seeming to come in around 100 to 120€, with the cable costing almost the same.

I am glad that his review mentioned that it was and aftermarket cable, as I obviously didn’t get to open them, so I couldn’t know what was included. My first thought was “wow, this is the cable they include??”.

I also want to mention that I have only spent a week with both the TK-2 and the Meteor IEMs, it has also turned out to be quite a busy week, spending quite a bit of time with the TK-2, so I have not spent quite as much time with them as I would usually like to. I still got plenty of time to listen to them but haven’t really had much time to do any direct comparisons with other models or play around with more sources.

My review is based exclusively on using them with the Gryphon and the Go Blu. I didn’t even test them with the TK-2 as I didn’t feel that using a set of unknown IEMs with an unknown source would be the most productive use of time as far as creating a review.



Presentation…

As I said, I didn’t get to open these so I can’t vouch that everything included is actually what is included with a retail set, but I believe it is, with the addition of the Grace-S cable.

The IEMs were shipped to me inside a semi rigid case with the Tri logo, with the Grace-S cable attached. I think that this case (and obviously the cable) are the only things that are not included in the usual package, due to there being another case inside the actual box.

The box is rather large and the contents are fairly impressive for a set of 100€ IEMs. Inside the box there are 5 sets of coloured silicone tips, plus another 3 sets in a bag, a brown (faux) leather carrying case, a single ended cable, a microfiber cloth and a little brush for cleaning purposes.

I didn’t actually use anything that was inside the box (I stuck with the Grace-S cable and my own tips), but the contents are certainly enough to not have any complaints at this price.



Build and aesthetics…

Let's start with the cable. It’s a rather chunky one. It is good looking and uses good hardware, however, it is heavy and is on the thick side for my personal tastes. I like well built cables but I mentioned in the S12 review that the included (balanced) cable was a little big for me, this one is much bigger. Therefore, I have no complaints about the cable from a functional or build point of view, but it is not a cable I would choose personally.

The IEMs are quite a generic shape, reminding me of things like Thieaudio, although maybe a little bigger. I have no issues as far as comfort, although the nozzle is a little chunky, but the right tips (I ended up using the Crystal’s) help with a slightly deeper fit and while they are not the most comfortable IEMs I have ever worn, they are not bad and I can wear them for extended periods.

As far as build, they seem to be well built and don’t have any glaring issues that jump out at me. The aesthetics are also quite pleasant, with a black tinted, transparent shell, and a black faceplate sporting the logo in silver along with some silver swirls.

I can’t say there is anything that makes me very passionate about them, good or bad, so I have no complaints.



Sound…

The first thing that stood out to me about the Meteor is the smoothness of their sound. They have a warmish tone to them without actually sounding dark or too blunt, something that I do find with a lot of IEMs with a low end focus.

Before getting to the usual sound categories, let's take a quick look at the graph in comparison to my personal preference…



(all measurements of IEMs are available on [achoreviews.squig.link)

Now it’s not difficult to see that the low end is quite a bit above my usual preferences in this zone, all the way from the subbass up through the midbass. If I was to just look at the graph of these IEMs, I would probably immediately think “no thanks” and move on. However, even though the low end is boosted, it doesn’t come across as the center of attention and it is kept very clean and articulate.

The subbass extends low and with authority, giving “Chameleon” all the bass it needs, but it still sounds articulate. While the low end rumble is no doubt there, it doesn’t overpower the rest of the bass frequencies.

In fact, the remaining bass frequencies, in other words the midbass, is also rather boosted, but as with the subbass, it still manages to not take over the whole sound signature. The dynamic driver does a very good job of keeping things clean and coherent. Listening to “I Fink U Freaky”, expected the bottom end to take the rest of the frequencies hostage with such a bass boost but it is not the case. Even with “When the party’s over”, the parts where the bass comes in strong, Billie’s vocals are still clear in the mix.

Moving into the mids, I was surprised that they keep a clarity that I really didn’t expect. Now, clarity shouldn’t be confused with “detailed”, as I feel that the mids are not really that detailed, in fact, I feel that the whole sound is general is rather smooth, throughout the whole range.

Vocals have a smoothness to them that, while not as detailed as I enjoy from many other sets, make for a very pleasurable listen. From “I Concentrate on You” to “Strange Fruit”, female vocals have a nice warmth and body to them, without becoming dull. Male vocals are just as smooth, although listening to “Hallelujah” and “These Bones”, they did give me an impression of taking just a step backwards in comparison to female vocals, but still, they are very pleasurable.

The higher ranges continue with the smoothness, without any specific sharp peaks or even sibilance, proven by the usual “Code Cool” test. The extension is maybe not the greatest but I feel that the general sound signature also adds to the sensation of roll off in this regard.

As I mentioned a moment ago, details are not the strong point of the Meteor, they don’t present you with tiny nuances, especially with regards to background details, but that really doesn’t seem to be the vibe they are going for anyway.

Soundstage does seem to be on the higher side of average, not exactly huge but still more than the majority of IEMs, with image placement that is very well done. Maybe this gives a sensation of being better due to the fact that I am not searching for the placement of all the tiny details, just the larger images in general. “La Luna” is a very pleasurable experience with the Meteor.



Conclusion…

The Meteor are quite far from my preferred tuning for a set of IEMs, yet they are a very pleasurable set of IEMs. I found that I was very happy to listen to a lot of my preferred music genres while doing other things, they didn’t make me focus on the music and dissect it, they made me enjoy listening to music as I went about my day to day.

They actually remind me quite a bit of a set of Sony speakers that I have had for a long time and have given me many hours of joy (although they have not been out of storage for quite some time now). They are not something I turn to when I want to “experience” the music, they are miles behind other speakers that I use, but they are something that always brings a smile to my face when they just fill the room with great BGM.

The Meteor have left me with a similar sensation, they are not a set of IEMs that I would usually turn to but I have not found myself not enjoying the music at any time while using them.

As always, this review is also available in Spanish both on www.achoreviews.com and on www.youtube.com/achoreviews

Introduction

As I mentioned in my previous article about the TRI TK-2, the following review is the result of a European Tour, organised by Wendy Li from KBEAR (Thank you very much!). This time the products to be reviewed are the TRI Meteor IEMS and the TRI Grace-S cable, in its 4.4mm balanced version. The Meteor is a hybrid IEM consisting of a 10mm dynamic driver with beryllium-plated diaphragm and a Knowles ED-29689 BA driver. The Grace-S cable has two strands of 6 silver-plated monocrystalline copper cores and 4 pure silver-plated copper cores. In total they form 630 wires. There is not much more to say in this introduction, so let's move on to my opinion of the set.



Specifications

• Driver Type: 1 x 10mm dynamic driver with beryllium-plated diaphragm and 1 x Knowles ED-29689 BA driver.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 105 ± 3dB SPL/mw.
• Impedance: 12 ± 2Ω
• Jack Connector: 3.5mm SE
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Cable length: 1.2m
• Cartridge material: Egger resin.
• Cable Material: 5N OFC
• Weight per capsule: 4g.

Packaging

The TRI Meteor comes in a large silver-grey box. On its upper side is an X-pattern, on its upper left corner is the brand logo and on the lower left, the model name. Both inscriptions are printed in a striking silver ink. On the back are the specifications in several languages, including English. After opening the lid you can see the capsules and 5 pairs of silicone tips in various colours and sizes, all inside a dense black foam mould. Underneath is another level with more accessories, also placed in a mould. The summary of all the contents is as follows:

• The two TRI Meteor capsules.
• 5 pairs of coloured silicone tips in different sizes.
• 3 pairs of black silicone tips in 3 sizes.
• A brown leather carrying case.
• A mini cleaning brush.
• Instruction manual.
• Cleaning cloth.
• 5N OFC 3.5mm cable.

The box is really big for the product, oversized for its contents. Except for the size, there are few complaints about the accessories, maybe I miss some foam tips and maybe the cable is too simple for the level of the capsules.



Construction and Design

According to the specifications, the capsule is made of Egger resin, with a semi-custom shape, a translucent inner body and an outer face with a flowing silver glitter pattern on a black base. The TRI logo also stands out on this side in silver. The 2Pin 0.78mm connection plate is embedded in the edge. Next to it there are two holes, one of which has a gold-plated metal tube. The inner side has the classic shape with a protrusion on the rim, for a better fit to our ear morphology. The mouthpiece is also custom shaped, and has two internal channels leading to each driver. Inside, apart from the drivers, you can see a printed circuit board with connections and some components.
The cable is simple, 4 black strands wound in a fairly standard design.
The capsules have a beautiful design and a splendid finish. The flowing silver pattern enhances the beauty and gives it a superior premium touch. The cable is not up to the mark in this respect and the whole is a bit lame. It is clear that the Grace-S cable is the perfect match for this product.
The Grace-S cable has two silver strands wound together. The connector is 4.4mm balanced and its sleeve is cylindrical with two distinct halves, one with a carbon pattern and one smooth, bluish-grey in colour. The splitter piece has a conical/beveled shape and is metallic, as is the pin, which is a rectangular piece with two holes through which the cable passes. Because these holes are larger than the cable, the cable adjustment function is in between. The sleeve of the 2Pin 0.78mm connectors is made of the same material and colour as the other half of the metal connector. The over-ear shape is achieved with a semi-rigid transparent plastic sleeve. The cable is thick, has a relative memory effect, a weight increased by its metallic parts, which together stretch the capsules once in place.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The fit is the usual in this type of capsules, it fits very well and it adapts perfectly to my ears. The insertion is superficial, perhaps it could be medium in some morphology, but the width of the channel could avoid this fact. The Grace-S cable is a bit stiff, especially in its over-ear arch and limits the remarkable comfort of the capsules and their low weight.



Sound

Profile

When I tested the TRI Meteors connected to the TRI TK-2 I experienced a slightly more extreme U-profile, much more attractive and powerful than I first thought. After measuring the frequency response, I realised that the graph did not correspond to what I was hearing. As I noted in the TK-2 review, this DAC/AMP modifies the Meteor's frequency response in a way that amplifies the bass, mid-high and treble, making the profile a more fun and extreme U-profile. Everything becomes more balanced by using sources with an impedance closer to 1Ω.
With the intention of discussing the most common version of the Meteors, I will describe their sound using low impedance sources. Also, because their sound is more technical and with a more controlled bass.



Bass

The low end demonstrated by the Meteors connected to the TK-2 is plentiful and noticeable. But somewhat more uncontrolled and rubbery. Using a more neutral source, control returns to the bass. I also feel that the Grace-S cable offers a more technical, accurate and open performance in this area. The zone, focused on the sub-bass, is deep, physically throbbing, sensory, but does not lose its good virtue of punch and weighty feel on every hit. Its texture is pleasant, detailed, with a roughness that is not too accentuated, but perceptible and absorbent. The increased level of cleanliness in the area is also attributable to the wire. The definition and resolution of the whole is high and the bass is quite precise, concise, relatively fast and tight, with good recovery and a short, controlled decay. The mid-bass appears without fear, its extension is careful and respectful of the mids, allowing a transition without intrusion, thanks to the focused tuning at the lower audible end.



Mids

Again, I think the Grace-S cable marries very well with the Meteors, adding technical virtues to the midrange. Without being a technical/analytical set, the Meteors offer a sense of cleanliness and clarity in this range, but without losing musicality, or a sense of openness. It's not a blatantly wide sound, but there is a level of separation to allow the mids to breathe and a good level of transparency and definition in their detail.
The male vocals are somewhere between a fleshier, fuller presentation and a leaner one. On first impression they seem fuller and more exuberant, but their level does not match the sensation of the lower zone. As such, they remain at a more undefined, neutral distance, slightly soft, of equal texture and without very pronounced nuances. In short, they are clean and complacent. The female voices come closer to the listener and receive a slightly more emphasised treatment, not only in presence, but also in other aspects. In this way, they no longer feel so thin, but neither are they the protagonists in the overall sound.
The instrumentation persists in the same idea: if the fundamental is part of the first half, its response will be similar to the male voices. If it belongs to the second half, its prominence will be higher, thanks to the relative elevation of the bell gain. Yes, the high-mids have emphasis, but it is not a polarised tuning in this sense. There is a good conjunction and balance, which avoids the details or nuances being more prominent than the main parts. As a consequence, the mids have sparkle and liveliness, but without losing smoothness and harmony. The central range shines without being particularly prominent and, finally, it is more resolute, defined and clear, rather than full or superior.
The tuning is pleasant and musical, I am easily inclined towards this tuning, I like the tone and timbre of their sound. I even compare these IEMS with the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk and I prefer the tuning of the Meteor, because it is more in line with my preferences, although without going into other technical comparisons between the two.



Treble

The treble response has a curve that also suits my taste, at least up to 10kHz. They do not have a high emphasis, but neither do they fall too much into a control zone, which makes them decay too much. Thus, there is a good compromise between presence, extension and naturalness. Nothing seems forced in the upper zone, nor unnatural. The development is just right, with a full flare, without building up an exaggerated or exasperating brightness. The top notes have a dynamic vivacity and just the right amount of bite. Their sparkle is measured, palpable, but pleasant. The decay is not excessive so as not to be cutting, thus respecting the naturalness of the final result. The limitation appears in the upper half. The extension of the BA is not so high and is somewhat cut off in the air area. As a consequence, you lose the echo of the final flares and a cleaner feeling in the treble, as well as a higher precision and resolution, which affects the finest details and smallest nuances. Despite this, the high end is musical and free from annoying sibilance, making it very musical, effective and suitable for long listening, without having to do without a good level of detail. In this respect, the Grace-S cable and the selection of a matching source improve the performance of this range. The pairing with the new Earmen Colibri is appropriate for increasing the perception of cleanliness and resolution. While the connection with the S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MKII + iFi ZEN CAN combo offers a more natural, pleasant sound without losing transparency or nuances.



Soundstage, Separation

I still think that much of my opinion of the TRI Meteor in this section is augmented by the use of the Grace-S cable. The Grace-S cable itself costs about the same as the IEMS, so the whole thing plays in a higher league. And, while I'm sceptical about the use of these accessories, I have to say that I find the staging or separation of the set to be significantly greater than with the standard cable. The notes have a greater weight, and are fixed in the image in a more perennial way, something that gives it more personality, as well as more marked nuances. It is true that the micro detail is not at a high level, but in my test tracks to analyse this section, the Meteor+Grace-S come close to a set with a very good resolution. The separation is realistic, neither a gap between notes, nor absolute darkness, but there is a natural representation in these respects. The recreation of the scene has a remarkable width and good depth, with a somewhat lower height. The sense of envelopment is not as evident and the image appears more frontal than three-dimensional, with no sensation outside the head. As I say, the result is more pleasing than spectacular, but the music is stereo, so it is natural.



Conclusion

The TRI Meteors have a winning tuning, which easily suits my preferences. They have a powerful, sub-bass-focused bottom end, a soft, but well represented treble, not to mention a pleasant and musical midrange. The band integration improves the sound and the combination with the TRI Grace-S cable enhances the virtues and polishes some of the shortcomings. Perhaps the set is a bit expensive, although you can always buy a cable in time. But without a doubt, the IEMS has a high quality/sound/presentation/price ratio, which makes it an easy choice without the possibility of error.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• TRI TK-2.
• S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MKII + iFi ZEN CAN.
• Hidizs AP80 PRO-X.
• HiBy R3 Pro.
• Earmen Colibri.
• xDuoo Link2 BAL.
• Burson Audio Playmate.

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 89
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 90
• Accessories: 90
• Bass: 88
• Mids: 80
• Treble: 85
• Separation: 85
• Soundstage: 83
• Quality/Price: 92

You can read the full review in Spanish here:

https://hiendportable.com/2022/05/01/tri-meteor-review/

[Full Disclaimer: KBEAR / TRI supplied the Meteor, TK-2, and Grace-S cable free of charge as part of their European Review Tour. I am under no obligation to provide a positive review. If anything in here is merde, I will call it out. Thanks to WendyLi for organizing this tour.]



I am a car guy at heart. I love them all. Classic American muscle cars. German cars. British cars. French cars. Japanese cars. Yes, Italian cars, of course. That new Chinese EV staged to compete with the Tesla looks pretty hot. So does newcomer Alpha Motor Corp with their retro ACE and SAGA lineup. But let's wind back to the 90's, a special period for hot hatches and 4 cylinder 2-door sports cars. Who doesn't like a 90's era Acura Integra, Nissan 240sx, old Honda CRX, or the bit newer Honda S2000?

That's how I'd describe the current state of ChiFi in the $50 and less category. KBEAR's own ST1 earbuds sound amazing for the lowly sum of about 10 bucks. Those little barrel shaped wonders are seriously good. KZ's rival sub-brand CCA has been trying for a scorched earth campaign, with its magnetostatic hybrid NRA serving as the opening salvo, and being supported now by the incredible single dynamic-driver CRA - both of these $25 and $15, respectively. I think that the CRA is the new Mazda Miata facing down high priced sports cars with turbo V6s and V8 engines.

Whether or not ChiFi offerings in the $75-125 range are worth their premium over these hopped up tuners is a serious chin-scratcher of a problem to both IEM collectors and single purchase IEM buyers looking to get the most sound quality for the least amount of money. Sales of Moondrop's $99 Starfield were instantly cannibalized by the $79 Aria, which, per countless reviews, has nearly identical sound quality and tuning for a sweet 20% discount.

In the same way you couldn't throw a stone without hitting a sport compact in the late 90s, it's safe to say that in the 2020's that audiophiles are spoiled for choice with a glut of very good IEM from $100-200. That glut is now competing against sets that are maybe 80-95% of the same sound quality for fractions of the price. These are golden years for the IEM market, much like 2011's peak was for DSLR camera sales with a breadth of models and accessories available to choose from in terms of tips, cables, and an endless supply of amplifiers with varying features and nearly identical sound quality. I fear the market's facing a contraction in late 2022 and 2023. Enjoy it while it lasts.

This glut of good-but-cheap, and great-and-still-cheap IEM is the sonic landscape prior to impact as TRI's Meteor silently flares through a darkened atmosphere, streaming in from outer space and leaving a dazzling trail of sparks and shimmers. But where has the Meteor flown over? Paris, City of Light, where millions of people might see them in all their grandeur, imaginations ignited, clamoring for more? Or have they flown over rural Brittany, where a few dairy cows and some kids noticed while trying to scramble back inside of their bedrooms after a midnight bike ride to places they shouldn't have been? Let's find out - but first, back to the cars.



I'm old enough to remember when Lexus launched it's first product, the LS 400 sedan. To highlight the impressive engineering and refinement that had gone into its development, Lexus made an impressive and expensive TV ad campaign that showed the car accelerating to 150 mph on a rolling road with a pyramid of full champagne glasses stacked on the hood. Despite full acceleration from a judicious smash on the go pedal, not a single glass lost its footing under the strain of the Lexus' mighty engine, potentially threatening that ominous layer of black paint. Lexus has held on to that same reputation since its 1989 introduction for exemplary engineering and, shall we say, restrained styling. Many automotive journalists panned and decried the looks of the LS 400, but Lexus buyers quickly warmed up to the new brand for it's Toyota reliability and Mercedes beating luxury interior, all delivered in an unassuming exterior package that didn't scream midlife crisis.

That's what these TRI Meteors are to the world of ChiFi right now. A nice Lexus. All of this talk on the news tonight is about Ukraine and the specter of World War III, unrest over vaccine mandates, and supply chain shortages that are not just holding up TVs, but impacting medicine, clothing, and food supplies. With so much pain in the world, it's not too much to ask for a small personal luxury - to indulge a real need to make time and room for mental well being to reflect on what's going on in the world, where we're at in it, and to give ourselves a little break. I can't take every little thing so seriously every waking minute of the day. Let's point the hood of this Trixus generally towards Paris and chase that sparkling trail in the sky, if only for the duration of a few tracks.



For starters I need a slow, deep groove. I want to hear the question in the music. Why. Why is this happening? The appropriately titled Transitions is an instrumental groove track from the Beastie Boys that quietly fades in with a whah-whah pedal on the guitar, like those news announcers on television, in a loop, all asking questions without answers, over and over.

Mashing down on the throttle, we're swiftly up to freeway speeds on a wet two-lane road on a gray rainy day. The seats are perfect. The cabin temperature is perfect. Flicks on the steering wheel directly inform a competent chassis that inspires confidence that I don't otherwise have in the rest of my day.

TRI's engineers had the idea to stuff two full range drivers into a single IEM. It's a curious choice but one that worked out well. They even carved out separately channeled sound tubes to beam straight into your earsouls, but left the main part of the shell open so it's not too heavy. Since the drivers are sealed into the sound tube, there is no excess weight and no penalty for the buildup of standing waves or odd harmonics before exiting the nozzle. The specifications indicate the presence of a cross-over and I suppose it's true because I don't hear the bottom end dynamic driver working as hard as it does in the hybrid CCA NRA, also a dual driver setup that gets most of it's sound from the dynamic, plus a treble spike from the MST unit. No, no, the Meteor is as smooth as silk, and the mids are just thick enough without stepping on the rest of the frequency curve but remain detailed, pleasant, and very well tuned.

I've had old school Etymotic in the past, and the Knowles 29689 needs little introduction and is a competent performer on its own, now serving duty in KBEARs well regarded Neon. But what about this 10mm beryllium dynamic? The opening plucks on the bass come in deep, textured, and warm. This engine has some pep. About 30 seconds into the track, a small errant noise from the percussionist is clearly audible from the snare and hi-hat, waiting to kick it down a gear and find some curves.

After setting the mood, the snare on this track cracks out like gunfire. Listen to that sweet double bass line, the drums, the insane guitar work. Just beautiful. The Knowles unit is crisp and detailed across the range with its usual neutral presentation. But that bass! The kick drum is bang on, the cymbals bright but not splashy, and nothing is out of place. After the crack of the drums comes a scream of distortion that opens up like a darkly paved highway - smooth, fast, and mysterious. I'm lucky to have the occasion to think for a minute. Thoughts are shutting down while the back beat clocks away, then opens up to reveal space for the toms and cymbal to dance around. The sound stage on the Meteor is very good. It's neither artificially wide nor is it too narrow, which I find most good IEMs to be roughly the same in this department relative to over-the-ear headphones, but the Meteor is perhaps a bit wider than average depending on the amplifier, and perfectly average on something like my FiiO BTR3K.

I don't really need gas, but lets pull over for an ocean view and a quick walk around our new ride.

When I saw the specifications on the Meteor I was afraid they'd be too mids centric and potentially a bit dark. Naturally, upon receiving them I immediately plugged in a balanced XHINS SPC wire and stole the wide bore/shallow tips that I use on my GK10 to open up the treble. And I wasn't at all disappointed. After getting a couple hours of first impressions I read the spoilers in the other reviews below, so I didn't bother testing the stock cable. The Meteors are a seductive presentation of Harman tuning and V shaped fans will need to retrain their hearing a bit. But it's for the better, I promise.

The shells have a premium feel and the face plates are tastefully executed in black resin with silver metallic swirls, and a chromed TRI triden logo seemingly floating beneath the clear acrylic. My only nitpick is the flush 2 pin connector, whose holes are easily mistaken for the two adjacent venting holes on first look. Like when you overfill the tank and gas runs down the side of a new car. Rookie mistake, but you can't help but wonder if the fuel input valve is working against you.
The tips aren't very deep and the fins on the interior of the shell prevent them from being pushed very far into the ear canal. My work around on other IEMs has been to use these large wide bore tips that require less depth to get a good seal, and this has worked fine. I suspect foam tips would work equally well but fear they'd cut too much of that sweet treble.

Pulling back onto the road, I decide to change the pace a bit - some of those worries now fading in the rear view mirror.



Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes are promising additions to the modern jazz scene with an unnatural command of the guitar and drum kit, respectively, each with enough natural talent that I hope will sustain a life long career. Yussef's mathematical use of the hi-hat, rim taps, and crisp bass kicks made me an instant fan when I first heard him on this same album last year. The bass is comes in full here, which led me to experiment with tips.

Swapping the wide bores for white KZ starlines nearly doubled the bass volume. Tuning went from neutral with a slight bit of air to warm with no air. The hi-hat was pushed back, and the bass overpowers the rest of the track. Mids? Listen out for the rim taps - almost no change. Tom's vocals still smooth on both pairs of tips. Nope, I gotta go back.... ahh that's better. Still a strong groove with plenty of detail and nice bottom end.

Pit Stop: Comparison to HZSOUND Heart Mirror with TRI's Grace-S cable

Ok, so the Meteor's have got some game. What about something a bit more bright-neutral, like the Heart Mirror? Eager to see if there was a difference between my inexpensive XINHS SPC 2.5mm balanced cable and the luxurious 2 core Grace-S, I plugged it into the Hearts, found the Pentacon input on the TK-2 and restarted the same track. Compared to the Meteors, the Heart's bass is under better control and is a bit crispier on the top end, but the details are about the same. Those same white KZ starline tips that cut the treble on the Meteor work in the Hearts favor to tame the top end and put back some warmth on the bass.

If the Meteor's are a Lexus, I'd describe the Heart Mirror as an early R32 Skyline GT-R. That factor prepped racing car from 1989 won 29 races over its first four racing seasons in the Japanese Touring Car Championship. But it's not exactly something you want to drive around every day. I feel the same about the Hearts. They're fast, purpose built, and very inexpensive as racing cars go. But there's no luxury in there. Every artifact and flaw on a recording shows up, just like hitting small stones on public roadways in a car built for the track. I love them for listening to classical music where their treble extension can be put to work. Back in the Lexus - ermm, I mean the Meteors - I'm coddled by leather seats and climate control, and I can comfortably slip back into a relaxed pose without any appreciable loss of detail.

Some tight curves are coming up. There's a steep drop past a thin guardrail but there's no one else around. The thrill of getting the back-end to break loose under acceleration before being caught again by the traction control is too good. A small straight opens up - lets find out what this engine and the brakes can do, even though this car is rolling heavy.

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This bottom end doesn't stop impressing me. It's full and gives the impression of being confronted by a wall of sound, but there's still enough texture there to reward more critical listening. The crunch of the main riff is guttural. Chris' vocals come howling in when I spot myself in a brief reflection off the side window while checking the mirrors, looking California and feeling Minnesota. Turning up the volume, the Meteors lay this track down heavy, and Kim Thayil's guitar phrasing is right there just off-center in the right channel, intertwining around the vocals, pushing the track forward between the chorus.

The dual driver thing just works for me. Single dynamic driver IEMs are like steering a powerful car on wet pavement. You can accelerate and decelerate, or you can steer - doing both is really over taxing what the tires are able to do. Trying to EQ a single dynamic doesn't bring much joy on strongly tuned phone because you run out of tire. Small adjustments here are there work, like on the Hearts. But they still sound a bit thin on the bass end even after warming them up. More drivers == wider tires and more grip, but this too comes with it's own trade-offs. For those IEMs stuffed with 4 or more drivers per side, tweaking around on the EQ has better results because there is more room in the crossovers and frequency response of each driver to absorb adjustments. The Meteors respond well to EQ, owing primarily to the quality of the Knowles unit. But they didn't need it. The dual driver setup sounds like a single driver but with better dynamics. I think this is the most coherent multi-driver IEM I've heard to date.

Briefly, about amplifiers. Along with the Meteor came the TK-2, which is an impressive amplifier at a good price. With my balanced cables, the Meteors allllmost have too much bass gain on the TK-2 for heavy rock and orchestra. It's right on the limit, and a swap to narrow bore tips or foams resulted in similar results to earlier reviews. My E1DA PowerDAC and BTR3K leaned them out just enough on the bottom end that I didn't experience any bloat, veiled treble, or congestion. Soundstage is widest with the TK-2, imaging is about the same between TK-2 and PowerDAC. These need some power to sound their best. Powered straight off my phone or laptop was good, smooth, and still very coherent as before but missing the deepest and highest frequencies. The more power there is, the better too is the bass quality.

As I'm getting older, I'm okay with not passing other cars at every opportunity. I don't need to race between stop lights or pretend roundabouts are a public skid-pad to measure G-forces. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy a nice drive in something with plenty of pep. I don't need affirmation from horsepower numbers, nor do I wish to tolerate unpleasantly hard and bolstered seats. Finding a little bit of luxury for $100 to kick back with is a great thing before we have to re-focus on these trying times.