EarMen TR-Amp

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The EarMen TR-Amp is a powerful neutral but not sterile of generic sounding integrated headphone amp (dac/pre-amp) that drives headphones up to 300 Ω) with ease. Made in Europe.


The EarMen TR-amp review was previously published at www.audioreviews.org
You also find it on the blog's Wall of Excellence: https://www.audioreviews.org/wall-of-excellence/

INTRODUCTION

EarMen recently appeared big on our radar out of nowhere, with their two models the TR-Amp (“transportable amp”) and the Sparrow dongle. The company is a subdivision of premium manufacturer Auris Audio. Earmen is registered in the US, where most of its stakeholders are from. The new Chicago warehouse has its focus on the North American market. The production is currently in Krusavec, Serbia [video of production facilities]. EarMen is “Made in Europe”.

I have used the EarMen TR-amp for 4-5 months, mainly with the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. This worked so well and the TR-amp so so easy to operate that I had real problems writing an actual review other than telling you that it “works well and is really good”.

I apologize to EarMen that it took me so long to write this article.





SPECIFICATIONS

ES9038Q2M SABRE dac chip

Inputs: USB C (DATA & charge)
Outputs: 6.3 mm/3.5mm (stereo)

Headphone Amp with Texas Instruments TPA6120 chip:
THD+N: (2.7V, 32R) <0.005% SNR: >114dB
Dynamic Range: >107 dB
Power: >2.5V/400 mW (16 Ω); >3.4V/350 mW (32 Ω)

Output Impedance: <1 Ω


...More Specifications
Manual: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0250/1758/1634/files/TR-Amp_1_2_3_4.pdf?v=1593165092

Tested at: $249

Product page: https://earmen-shop.com/products/tr-amp


PHYSICAL THINGS

In the box are:

• TR-amp
• USB-C to USB-A cable, 1 m
• rubber ring (for strapping TR-amp to phone)
• storage meshbag
• manual/warranty card

The case is of sturdy aluminum, knob and switch are metal, there is nothing plastic. Rubber feet on the bottom prevent the metal chassis from being scratched/scratching the underlying surface such as a smartphone. The build is so sturdy that you can probably use it in self-defence – and it will still work thereafter.

The EarMen TR-amp features the TOTL ES9038Q2M SABRE dac chip and the Texas Instruments TPA6120 headphone amplifier chip.





FUNCTIONALITY

The EarMen TR-amp connects to smartphones vial plug ‘n’ play, it needs a driver for Windows (download) and none for the Mac.


WHAT IT DOES

• Can be connected to phone or Windows/Mac computers or Android/iOS sources
• Works as a pre-amplifier or dac when connected to a dedicated headphone amplifier
• Plays two earphones/headphones simultaneously through its two outputs (3.5 mm/6.3 mm)
• Drives small loudspeakers through its RCA outputs
• Plays and charges simultaneously through its two USB-C ports (5V power supply/charger)
• …Or runs on its built-in 3700 mAh battery
• Handles even power-hungry headphones well, imo up to 300 Ω

WHAT IT DOES NOT

• There is no choice of different digital filters
• It has no gain switch
• The output impedance is fixed
• Cannot be used as an amp only as it has no analog inputs

The EarMen TR-amp is a rather large for use on the road – I’d store it in my pocket rather than strapping it onto my phone. I like using it in bed with my phone, where size does not matter…at least amp size does not.


OPERATION

Operation is straight forward. “The music plays” – as they say – in the front and back panels…


Front Panel

The front panel of the EarMen TR-Amp features 2 outputs: a 3.5 mm and a 6.3 mm, which points to its particular suitability for full-sized headphones. The “On-Off/Volume” is nicely protruding out and therefore convenient to handle. That little LED serves mainly as an audio format indicator, and less so than a battery indicator: EarMen TR-amp is on (“white”), connected/PCM (“green”), MQA (“magenta”), DSD (cyan), charging (“flashing blue”), and low battery (“flashing red”). It is well visible while inconspicuous.





Rear Panel

The back panel sports two USB-C ports, a Pre Out/Direct switch, and RCA outputs.

One of the UBS-C outputs is used for charging, the other for data transfer. Both can be deployed simultaneously. When the EarMen TR-amp is connected to a computer, it is running on battery by default. You have to connect the other USB-C port to a USB-charger or external battery pack for charging.




To clarify: difference between pre-out and direct (line out) is, pre-out will make the volume control work, direct will bypass it so that line out is the full volume (will need external volume control).

The EarMen TR-amp’s amplifier function can be bypassed when connecting it to a (more powerful desktop) amplifier through the 2 RCA outputs. The switch serves the purpose of specifying the volume control. in the “Direct” position, the EarMen TR-amp’s volume knob is being disabled and the full-strength signal is being transferred through the”Line Out” into the external amp, which requires its own volume control. In the “Pre Out” position, the TR-amp’s volume control is activated.

Independent of the switch position both headphone outputs are always operative and two people can listen simultaneously.


AMPLIFICATION

The EarMen TR-amp works well with the Sennheiser HD 300 Ω impedance headphone (and therefore most on the market), but its 350 mW into 32 Ω would probably not drive more exotic 600 Ω headphones well. Power details in the specs above.


POWER CONSUMPTION/PLAY TIME

Ear Men claims up to 10 hrs of play time but does not give you specifics on the setup. I tested with the power-hungry Sennheiser HD 600 and iPhone 5S at a “normal” but pretty healthy volume level. After 6 h and 15 minutes, the indicator light started blinking, which means the the battery level and dropped below 20%. This points to 7-8 h playtime with this setting.

I value this as being in line with the manufacturer’s claims.


SOUND

My tonal preference and testing practice

My test tracks explained

Equipment used: EarMen TR-amp; Macbook Air, iPhone SE 1st gen.; Apple camera adapter, ddHifi TC28i adapter; Schiit Magni 2U headphone amplifier with Audioquest Forest and Snake Oil Taipan RCA interconnects; 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 headphone, 16 Ω Sennheiser IE 300 earphone.

The “ingredients” of the EarMen TR-amp are top notch, but how good is the “cooked meal”? Such a device works well with your phone on the go (if you like strapping it around it), but it can also be deployed as a desktop amp, and it can also be used as pre-amp or dac, when connected to a “bigger” dedicated headphone amplifier.

I tested the TR-amp in these scenarios:

1. …as dac-amp with MacBook plus headphones/earphones
2. …as dac-amp with phone
3. …as dac AND pre-amp with Schiit Magni 2 Uber, sourced by MacBook

The EarMen TR-amp, just like the Sparrow, produces a neutral sound with a tinge of warmth added to spare us from a clinical, lifeless, or overwhelming sonic reproduction. Straddling that thin line, it allows for harmonizing with both, neutral and warm headphones/earphones.

Extension towards both ends is very good and so are headroom, sense of space, and dynamics. The punch is natural and works with electronic, rock, and acoustic music such as symphony or jazz. The image has a good volume and body, it does neither sound lean or syrupy thick. The TR-amp preserves the music’s midrange clarity and brings vocals out intimately.

I also could never hear any noticeable hiss, not even with the sensitive 16 Ω Sennheiser IE 300. But it brought out the bassy side of these naturally bassy iems without muddying or congesting the sound.

It is really boring to report the sound of an amp that does not alter music and reproduces it as should be. The EarMen TR-amp simply works and has been for quite some time for me.

Using the EarMen TR-amp with as a pre-amp (“Pre-Out”) and dac (“Direct”) with the warmer Schiit amp adds a bit of colour and results in added power and heft. This is only valid for this particular setup . Sonic results will vary with different amps connected.

What I’d like to see is a gain switch for easier volume fine adjustments with sensitive earphones.


EarMan TR-amp connected to Schiit Magni 2U with Audioquest Evergreen RCA cables.


EARMEN TR-AMP COMPARED

I can only offer the $199 British nano iDSD Black Label (“BL”), which is a bit smaller and less powerful (285 mW vs. 350 mW @ 32Ω) – both feature a 3700 mAh battery. The BL does not drive the Sennheiser HD 600 as well as the TR-amp, but it has two 3.5 mm outputs, one of which (“IE Match“) offers increased output impedance for sensitive iems. The more powerful TR-amp is rather designed towards full-sized cans with its 6.3 mm output – whereas the BL caters more to the less power hungry peripherals…although both play both well.

The BL is warmer sounding and therefore more limited to the more neutral headphones/earphones, it may sound muffled with warm earphones/headphones. The EarMen TR-amp is more versatile in this respect. The BL has the choice of two audio filters, the TR-Amp does not. And the BL has a pseudo 3.5 mm balanced circuit.

In terms of connectivity, the EarMen TR-amp has a L and R line out, the BL has a single 3.5 mm line out. Both can be used as dacs, and only the EarMen as pre-amp. The TR-amp, with its separate UBC-C ports for charging and data can be charged while playing, the BL with its USB-A port can draw power from the source (“computer”) or run on battery, but it cannot play and charge simultaneously.



CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Earmen TR-amp has been playing everything I threw at it in the last few months, from sensitive iems to the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600. And it played them all very well. It is a robust classic design that feels and sounds good, that is powerful enough for almost anything, and that is reasonably priced. It simply works for me and don’t want to miss it.

What else can I say?

Until next time…keep on listening!




DISCLAIMER

The Earmen TR-amp was provided by Earmen upon my request. I thank them and also the Audiofool who had established the contact.

There’s something about Chicago-based, European-made company EarMen that breaks the ice even before you’ve heard their expertly tuned audio products. Perhaps it’s the tongue-in-cheek naming (I mean, Donald DAC and TR-Amp, classic!).

But beyond marketing smarts, the products themselves are designed to break the mold of tried-and-tested designs, especially at their price points, and the burgundy-red TR-Amp is no different. The portable DAC/amp market is a crowded one, and there are literally dozens of options for every wallet. But very few originate outside China, or have the high-end audio heritage of EarMen’s sister company Auris.

The TR-Amp is not my first experience with EarMen. I was first introduced to the brand with the remarkably miniscule-yet-powerful Sparrow, followed by the similarly miniscule-yet-capable Eagle. So, I probably should have guessed there’d be more to the TR-Amp than meets the eye.

For starters, I’m a firm believer in the benefits of an end-to-end balanced audio chain, be it for portable applications or full-blown desktop systems. The balanced-vs-single ended debate is beyond the scope of this review, but suffice it to say I’ve rarely used a single ended system that I felt couldn’t benefit from some balanced goodness.

But strike me down and call me Wally, the TR-Amp eschews any type of balanced output…and I don’t really care, such was the clarity and immensity and power of sound I heard at first listen. But before I get ahead of myself, let’s take a closer look at what the whole package has to offer.


What you get

Like its EarMen siblings, the TR-Amp ships in a nondescript solid black box with a simple line diagram of the TR-Amp on the front and a detailed schematic of the product and its technical features on the back. This way you can see exactly what you’re getting before you even open the box, and you’re getting quite a lot:

• A high-end mobile DAC in the ESS Sabre ES9038-QM2
• TPA6120 current-feedback AB amplifier with 2-channel 300mW output at 32 ohms and 128dB dynamic range
• Super low ESR tantal capacitors, high grade power-supply components and four-layer golden plated PCB technology for ultra-low-noise playback
• XMOS USB decoding
• Support for 32-bit 384kHz PCM and native DSD256/DXD playback
• Full MQA hardware support
• A 3700maH battery for up to 10-hours of portable use (with separate data/power USB-C inputs)
• Pre-amp support with coax line-out and a pre-out toggle switch
• 3.5mm portable and 6.3mm full-size headphone outputs

These specs are all par for the course for this level of portable DAC/amp, but at least there are no glaring omissions (other than balanced output). More important is how EarMen have taken the basic ingredients and integrated them into something more than the sum of the parts.

Lifting the lid, you’re greeted with your first look at the TR-Amp itself, its silky red shell set into a firm foam cutout. The TR-Amp is reassuringly solid, yet fairly compact. A closer inspection shows expert machining, no hard edges, and all-metal parts in its 129mm x 66mm x 30mm 240-gram CNC aluminium frame. Four rubber feet suggest the device is best used flat on a desk, but also serves to protect your phone or DAP when used in a portable stack.


Speaking of which, EarMen provides a branded elastic strap to hold a phone or DAP in place, along with a nicely made USB-A to C cable. For some reason they don’t supply a shorter USB-C to C or C-to-Lightning cable for mobile use, which is an oversight for a product that’ll likely be used as often with a smartphone as it is with a laptop or PC (most of which sport USB-C outputs nowadays anyway).

Other than a quickstart guide and warranty card, the only other accessory is a mesh-lined pouch for safely carrying the TR-Amp in your pocket or bag. It’s not exactly a smorgasbord of accessories, but other than the extra cables which would have been genuinely useful, you get everything you need in the box. And, like all other EarMen products that are made in Europe, you get a full two-year manufacturers warranty.


How it sounds

I was going to spend some time to describe how to best use the TR-Amp, but really all you need to do is hook it up to a device with a modern OS and voila, it’s recognised as an external audio device. This was the case with each of the Android, iOS and MacOS devices I tested it with. If you use a Windows machine, Windows 10 should have native drivers built-in, otherwise you can download the necessary Windows drivers here.

My own testing was mainly done with an LG V30+ Smartphone using UAPP as the client. Plugging the TR-Amp into the phone (using the USB-C to C cable supplied with the Sparrow) and turning the device on (using the physical volume dial) immediately registers a playback device in UAPP, with nothing else left to do but connect a headphone or IEM and press play.

Before I dive into the sound impressions, a quick note. Depending on how you hear them, sources can have very little or quite a significant impact on the sound of your IEMs, but fundamentally what you’re hearing will be mostly determined by your IEMs (I’m using IEMs as a blanket term here since I don’t own any headphones). I definitely hear a difference between sources, and quality is not always improved with price. It really comes down to your own listening preferences.

With all that said, the TR-Amp is a remarkable performer at any price, especially if you’re using it as part of a portable system like I am and aren’t trying to drive high-impedance, low sensitivity headphones. The first thing that struck me was the sheer size and space of the sound. It was like walking your audio from a quiet room into a vast recording studio, complete with an ink-black, sound-dampened background, instruments and vocals seemingly appearing from nowhere.


Compared to the sound coming straight from the V30+, which in itself is a very good performer for a smartphone (complete with a Sabre Quad DAC), the TR-Amp adds a much larger sense of space – both width and depth – to whatever you’re playing. Details are more easily apparent, and instruments are better separated from each other and the vocals. The difference isn’t subtle either. Make no mistake, this is a big jump up in sound quality, whether you’re using $50 or $1500 IEMs.

Tonally, I’m hearing the TR-Amp as brighter overall. If your IEMs are prone to a thicker, more midbass-coloured sound, I think the TR-Amp would make a good complement, lifting the veil typically imposed by the midbass blanket and pulling out finer details from the mix. Conversely, if you’re already using a bright-leaning IEM with excellent clarity and detail retrieval, the TR-Amp might tip it a touch too bright for some.

For example, playing smooth live Jazz by Norah Jones using a BLON BL-03 with its warmer-leaning, more organic sound, the TR-Amp clears the cobwebs, so to speak, and presents a crisper, slightly cooler sound overall, maxing out the technical capabilities of the BLON and giving the performance a realistic sense of stage.

Switching to the 64 Audio Tia Fourte, on the other hand, straddles the line between class-leading resolution and soundstage and overly-bright inflection, further magnifying any and all imperfections in the recording (in the case of Norah Jones’ …’Til We Meet Again Live, there aren’t many, so it sounds sublime).


I’m hearing plenty of detail in the deep bass notes of Lana Del Rey’s It’s Dark But Just A Game, from her chart topping Chemtrails Over The Countryclub LP. The TR-Amp seems to get a solid grip on the dynamic drivers of my IEMs, helping them eek out detail and texture in abundance from the sub-bass, without pushing the midbass any further forward than it should be. It’s definitely not a thick bass presentation, and won’t necessarily emphasise bass impact if your IEM is lacking in that department.

Midrange is where I find the TR-Amp is really doing the business. There’s a ton of detail and separation happening here that I’m not even hearing with the flagship $1900 R8 DAP, although it’s less a case of detail retrieval as it is an emphasis and clinical separation of some specific notes.

Sticking with Lana and another breakout track from Chemtrails, Yosemite, there’s are some stick hits that sit well within the upper midrange spectrum that are almost surgically extracted from the mix by the TR-Amp. The same sounds are set further back in the mix with any of the other sources I used to compare it with. They’re still there, just not emphasised quite as much. Whether or not this is the ‘correct’ presentation is moot – it’s what you prefer to hear that matters, and I’m really liking what the TR-Amp does with this track.

The flipside – and there’s usually a flipside – is that the trailing edges of female vocals can sound a touch glassy on occasion, and vocals as a whole are thinner and less organic compared to a more natural sounding source like the R8.

There’s not so much a treble glare (not atypical for Sabre DACs) as a treble shine with the TR-Amp, which serves the dual purpose of highlighting detail and revealing flaws. While the TR-Amp won’t add sibilance if it’s already absent from your IEMs (Missy Higgins’ Shark Fin Blues is a great test track for sibilance), but if your IEMs or recordings are sibilance-prone you might want to tweak the volume down a touch.


Other than that, treble is very well extended, and while it’s not the last word in resolution, I’m not left wanting for detail. More importantly there’s very little harshness I can detect. Across the FR, the TR-Amp presents a super-clean sound that’s almost entirely devoid of signal noise other than what’s in the recording itself.

How it pairs

To be honest, I wouldn’t be buying a portable DAC/amp of any description to drive hard-to-drive headphones. I mean, you could – and the TR-Amp has far more power in reserve than its meagre spec numbers suggest – but larger headphones really do benefit from Class A amplification and brick-sized power supplies. There’s just no escaping the laws of physics.

For a single-ended amp, and a diminutive one at that, the TR-Amp has so much power in reserve, I struggled to get past 10 o’clock on the dial with any of my IEMS – even with the power-hungry woofers of the Empire Ears Legend X. Not only that, it displayed tremendous deft, controlling the drivers like a maestro expertly conducting a 100-piece orchestra without breaking a sweat.

This, for me, was the biggest surprise of the lot. I’m so used to connecting all my gear with balanced cables to make the most of an IEMs capability, that the effortlessness of the TR-Amp’s drive was seriously eye opening. If I had to nitpick, I did hear some static noise come through when turning the volume dial with nothing playing, but this is a minor quibble and doesn’t affect the sound in any way when actual music is playing.

As such, my rec for a perfect pairing is easy or moderate sensitivity IEMs (and headphones). I’m not sure if the power on tap would overwhelm ultra-sensitive IEMs like Campfire’s Andromeda, as I tend to avoid them for that very reason, but worst-case scenario, an ifi IEMatch should sort out any noise issues. With all three IEMs at my disposal, there was zero hissing, even at max volume with the amp engaged, always a sign of a well-designed amplification circuit.


What I think

If the EarMen Sparrow is a high-water mark as far as ultra-portable DAC/amp sound quality is concerned, the TR-Amp sets a new bar for portable/transportable DAC/amps. It may not be as powerful, flashy or well-known as ifi’s iDSD series, or as plentiful as the various Chi-Fi variants from the likes of FiiO, but for $249 it’s easily the best value portable I’ve heard that’s equally at home on the desk and on the go.

Like its siblings, the craftsmanship is first class, and there’s quite obviously a very experienced ear that’s tuned it. With a Sabre DAC at its core, the sound may not be to everyone’s taste, at least not if you like your sound warm, thick and gooey. A tube-like sound it’s not. But if you favour precision, detail and transparency with plenty of space for your music to live in, the TR-Amp should definitely make the shortlist.

If EarMen someday manage to build a TR-Amp that takes this package and adds a well-implemented balanced circuit for more demanding headphones and a few extra cables for convenience at a reasonable price, it could set a new benchmark for budget-conscious desktop replacement portable sources. As it stands, the TR-Amp isn’t too far off that mark.

EarMen TR-Amp

The TR-Amp impresses right from the first moment of listening. I have only had it for less than a week and it has become the most enjoyable DAC/Amp I have. In fact I have already sold my Chord Mojo and my iFi hip-dac after the TR-Amp arrived. I got more money for my 3 year old Mojo than I gave for the brand new TR-Amp. The Mojo never really gave me the same musical enjoyment as the TR-Amp does or maybe I just need some fresh air and the TR-Amp helps a lot with that decision. Nothing bad being said about the Mojo, it is a well designed product - except for the ball-buttons. I never used the optical input on the Mojo, so USB from Tidal is enough for me and what I am using from my iPhone and when at the office. The Mojo has served me well and has been with me on many adventures.



TR-Amp blows new sparkling life into my headphones. Specially the Beyerdynamic DT-1770 Pro and Etymotic ER4XR are really driven well with the TR-Amp. There is more micro-detail, more slam and punch. More air and a less fatiguing sound than the Mojo. TR-Amp is less in-your-face and it feels more relaxed. Listening to Tidal Masters is super satisfying and simply better sounding to me than the Mojo - for the headphones that I use. It was an easy goodbye to the Mojo for me.

I used TR-Amp with my newly purchased Grado Hemp as the first headphone to try it out with. But that combination was the darkest sounding combo. The bass is very tight and fast and detailed though. The Hemps is a dark sounding headphone on its own. The Grado SR225e is a better pairing with TR-Amp. TR-Amp is not as neutral as the Mojo but adds a bit more musicality to the sound, yet offering the same level of resolution and it just plays all file-formats I have from HD Tracks or other high-res files.

It is immediately clear, that this amplifier does not a have a perfectly neutral sound but color the sound a bit with a V-shaped signature. Bass and treble are lifted slightly, but without leaving the mids out of the picture. Vocal music is still close and intimate sounding but with a real weight to it and the Mojo sounded thin and lifeless in direct comparison. TR-Amp will probably not pair well with all headphones. ER4XR, DT-1770 Pro and SR225e are what I would call bright to neutral and for them, TR-Amp is a nice combination.





The best pairing for me, that I think I will use when travelling is Etymotic ER-4XR. The bass is never too much but driven with the right weight and control. This combination is very good. Tight, high resolution and lots of air and instrument seperation. Another fantastic combination is with Beyerdynamic DT-1770 Pro. This will probably become my favourite combination for the office after I got the TR-Amp. They sound so good together.

The TR-Amp has enough power to also make my headphones grow and scale up in a way that opens up the music. I think it might even be as pleasurable to listen to as my desktop amp, the Meier Classic ff. I only miss the crossfeed function from the Meier amp to avoid listening-fatigue but compared to the Mojo, the TR-Amp is much less fatiguing after long listening sessions.

My iFi hip-dac has also been sold after getting the TR-Amp. TR-Amp is just better with all my headphones and the battery life of the hip-dac was too short for office use since it could not last a full working day. As far as I can tell the TR-Amp can play between 8-10 hours after a full charge. The hip-dac was down to around 6 hours.

Hip-dac was also not able to kick life into the music like TR-Amp is. I really liked the design of the hip-dac and hip-dac was easier to use for portable use, but for walking around and commuting I only use my AirPod Pros anyway. Changing from TR-Amp to hip-dac made the hip-dac sound a bit lifeless and flat. It did not take me long to discern, that I might as well put the hip-dac up for sale as well. In all fairness I never got to try the 4.4mm balanced output from the hip-dac but only the normal 3.5mm jack. I just don’t want to buy new cables for all my headphones and my DT-1770 Pro cannot be balanced unless it is modified with cables in both sides. My Grado’s also cannot go balanced without an expensive modification. So, I could not get to hear the full value of the hip-dac and just another reason that the TR-Amp suits me better.

The last portable amplifier that I will keep, is my old trusted reference, the Meier Corda Quickstep. The Quickstep in direct comparison with the amp-section in the TR-Amp, is a win for the Quickstep just because the signature is more neutral but the TR-Amp is more engaging and musical.

For testing the TR-Amps DAC-section alone, I have been using the DAC with the line-out into the Quickstep and it is more neutral with less bass but with the same level of power and detail-level. The Quickstep is also a better pairing with the Hemps.



I really think TR-Amp is a bargain for me and I can trim down my collection of portable amps. 249 Euro and with free shipment, this is a super good deal.