Oriolus Traillii (JP)

I own these since march 23. These are about sobriety above all else.

Oriolus Traillii (JP) - Hybrid (8BA/4EST)



Preamble:

To me, it’s remarkable how a fairly new iem can already have a legendary status without having the adjective “legend” in its name!? The price alone polarized an entire section of the audiophile world. Then once purchased, the packaging caused another tizzy-ing whirlwind of assault on our visual minds, not to mention the audio threads with the incessant distaste for the package as a whole. Forget about the aural delights, consumers have to justify there purchase and for some reason, cost and opulent packaging somehow go hand in hand to the psyche. Or maybe it’s just that those that can afford such an iem have become spoiled and do not consider the world of waste around us? Are we too lost in the music? Whatever it may be, I am not sure, but I do think the talk of price and packaging has only highlighted a truly wonderful tuning and product. All of that aside, The Traillii is nothing short of a great audio product, if not one of the best of all time. A subjective argument but again I think we should give credit where credit is due. Oriolus took the iem world by storm. A literal storm. I like how this shook things up and started a lot of great threads, conversations, and over all enthusiasm for this hobby. Whether it was; praise, hate or ambivalence. This polarizing iem has indeed pushed other brands to buckle down and we are now seeing some remarkable tech and creativity coming from competitors. These are all positives from a seemingly controversial product. I welcome this competition and controversy. I also welcome the conversation and debates. For me, this keeps me enthused and passionate within this hobby.



Now where do I start? I have been so full of anxiety knowing its time to review the Traillii. The best way for me is to tell you the story of how it all began....

I have to admit, that I knew about Traillii and the Empire Ears Odin at around the same time frame. I was fairly new to the hobby, coming from many years in the cassette and turntable 2-channel world. My first iem was the Blessing 2, quickly upgrading to the Thieaudio Monarch and then to a Sony Z1R, to a Mest, to a Anole VX. I evolved quickly buying blindly, as that was the only option at the time. I was scaling to understand my preferences. I am still learning, to be honest! After some time with the Z1R, Mest, Monarch and VX, I decided I wanted something at the summit to further understand my preference as well as wanting to hear “the best.” Now I understand “the best” does not exist. I remember scouring over reviews of Odin, Noble Sultan and Traillii. I honestly just skipped the Traillii altogether due to it not having a DD, as this is what bored me so much with VX (or so I thought). So I put my focus on the Odin and sold most of my stable to fund the Almighty God and at that time, the most expensive audio purchase I had ever made. I loved the Odin as soon as I put them in my ears. Full of energy and details, it wasn’t boring and delivered the most potent bass I have ever heard. To this day, I still miss the Odin bass. The more I listened and started to understand my preferences, the Odin’s upper mid energy was fatiguing my listening sessions and was becoming increasingly frustrating. So, I decided to look further into head-fi and came across a few threads discussing the Traillii and those threads are what really convinced me that I needed to hear it. So I decided to sell my almighty Odin to help fund the Traillii. I did also acquire the Mest MkII during my transition from Odin to Traillii and I really connected with the Mest II. Ultimately I sold it, as Odin by far outclassed it with the exception of soundstage width.

During this time of buying and selling to try out new sound signatures, I started to see where my preferences where at. If you are familiar with the iem’s I listed above you will understand my preference more. I am split down the middle. I love detail and treble that has air and sparkle but I also love analogue texture, natural mid’s and a large soundstage with potent bass(more quality than quantity). Traillii hits this mark with extreme precision.



I vividly remember the day Traillii came in the mail. I was as giddy as a little boy going down the toy aisle or getting my first bicycle. The anticipation was dizzying. What I remember most is the feeling I got when I first put them in my ears. Which is quite funny now looking back, at that time I owned an older DAP that has an almost religious following called the CALYX M DAP. It’s a class A amp driving this little DAP and it sounds extremely textured, full and weighted. No streaming capabilities, so the first album I pulled from its built in hard drive was The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and I distinctly remember feeling like I had a hi-fidelity Blessing 2 in my ears (super coherent hybrid). My heart sunk! “How did I just spend so much money on this?” I asked myself and “how did I let go of my most favorite iem for this?”I kept listening and decided to change the song, trying Miles Davis Kind of Blue and yes the technicalities and layering were great but nothing better than the Odin...I was breaking out in nervous sweats...when my brain(burn) finally started noticing the huge soundstage...LIGHTBULB MOMENT! “AHA” I SHOUTED! My brain was so used to Odins aural assault that the Traillii seemed ultra tame even “normal”. The next track I selected solidified my decision and all of my anxiety lifted away. I played Aretha Franklin’s (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and I wept. I could hear this woman’s plea to her man. I could not only hear her emotion but I could feel it. It overwhelmed me to tears, quite literally. I then understood the power of The Traillii, the venerable BIRD!

It’s that time...for an analogy. Come sit around now, I have a tale to tell.
Traillii reminds me of my grandpa. A very quiet and humble man with a notorious and hateful past that he overcame to become an almost mythical character to me. When he did speak, it was with Authority, Wisdom and Love. He could be polarizing but he had true grit and wisdom that rang true in the way he carried himself and the beliefs he held firm. Traillii to me, is full of wisdom in the way its tuner is wise and the way he tuned the bird to soar and radiate with emotion not lacking in clarity, detail and dynamics. A firm, unabashed and deliberate tuning that rings out with some of the best technicalities and biggest sound stage in the hobby. TRUE GRIT! And the best way to be polarized.



The Traillii has also been widely criticized for its “plain” faceplate. I am one of the few that is actually fond of the design, as I enjoy more minimal design elements. However, it is built extremely well with a medical grade resin from Germany. I have no complaints with the quality. I also love the stock cable, which is a very expensive PW Audio cable specifically made for the Bird. I am not sure how much it differs from the 1960’s 4-wire, but it practically looks identical. Another criticism across the board has been about the stock cable and its micro-phonics. I do not get much of that personally as I am very much a stationary listener. However, if you are on the move, you may have a similar complaint. Tip selection can also be somewhat frustrating. I am using the large stock tips which give the best balance to Traillii sound signature. However at first these do create some suction effect, but after several hours of use, this stopped. I am chalking this up to the silicone needing to warm and loosen up a bit. These are of course minor nitpicks and to me, tip rolling is a huge part of the fun with getting a new iem. YMMV as always...The fit is extremely comfortable and does not require a deep insertion. They are light and compact for the tech inside these shells. I can listen for many hours without pressure or fatigue.



SOUND

The overall sound signature of the Traillii to me is very W shaped. A slight emphasis in all frequencies that come together in a harmonious, balanced and highly detailed manner. In general what stands out first and foremost is the surreal soundstage. I can feel the music all around me, outside of my head. This is highly unusual with iem’s as this is a psychological effect due to the way they are made, being stuffed into our ears. In my review of Isabellae, I wrote that it made music palpable like I could reach out and touch it. Traillii is like this but to the ultimate degree. Each and every instrument/vocal/sound has a sense of space, air and natural reverb in the decay to easily pin point where each player is at on the stage. It is so natural to Traillii that one does not have to close the eyes to imagine it, because once the bird starts to sing her song, the visual unfolds naturally. Layers of detail and air create an organic soundscape that revels in its ability to dig micro and macro detail while sounding natural and warm. Traillii is so refined and easy on the ears that I am often left wondering where is that special magical element to make me jump out of my seat or a single moment of “WOW!” Traillii does not need a special magic trick or a single moment of “WOW!”. The Traillii tuning as a whole is the WOW! Traillii Is The Magic!



BASS

Sub-Bass anyone.......

For only using 2BA for the Bass tuning, Traillii sure does have a lot impact and natural sub-bass decay for being BA. Along with a healthy dose of Mid Bass thump, this iem is extraordinarily balanced in the bass frequency. While no BA will ever be able to reproduce the rumble and impact of a DD, these BA’s hold their own. The Bass while boosted, presents itself in a linear fashion, never overtaking the mid range nor decaying so rapidly to create a thin body across the frequency range. What I love most about this bass is that it was tuned correctly. What I mean is that it has nuance and layers. The lack of visceral attack allows for space around the note, letting you see into it, so to speak. Bass is not and should not be one note(Thieaudio Monarch), if the decay is accurate, one can hear the scaling of notes within the sub to mid bass. This creates a sound so natural that you will “feel it”! But, in a different way than we associate “feeling bass” with. This is not a feeling of guttural vibration but a feeling of pure titillation within your soul of how nuanced and natural it sounds. It becomes more than a head rattling experience and more of a euphoric and transcendent one. Listening to the upright bass is one of the most compelling and exuberant experiences with Traillii. I can hear every note scale up and down on the fret board with clear harmonics and a slight reverb that is as intoxicating as it is sobering. Traillii bass is veracious.



Nevertheless Traillii is no one trick pony. It not only does natural bass exceptionally well, but it manages to take on synthetic bass without a chip on its shoulder. The faster decay of a BA definetly holds up to this style of music with its dynamics and quick transients. It won’t plow you over with fortissimo but it will give you loads of quality thump, timbre and nuance. The bass works in conjunction with the rest of the tuning for multiple genre satisfaction. In EDM I feel the bass works because of the Sub bass boost, but also because the mid bass decays quicker supporting the Sub bass giving it room to bloom and decay naturally while not bleeding into the mid’s. For reference, this is the opposite of how the Isabellae was tuned. The mid bass of Traillii gradually dips around 100hz-200hz into a linear mid frequency that creates a great space for every kick drum hit to strike through with clear and concise ease. This gradual dip is what gives detail to the macro and micro elements of the bass. Giving it a wonderful image and precisely placing these sounds on the stage as intended. I will say the right tips are needed for a tight seal, otherwise the bass will come off anemic sounding. Tip roll and find what is correct for you. As stated above, the large stock tips are my personal favorite and what I used for this review.



MIDS

The mid frequency may very well be the trickiest part of the FR to speak to for me.
It is as if they just exist. Organically and emphatically resound within the sound signature. The emphasis here is super subtle and has been placed in the lower mid’s to give the instruments a full and weighted sound. Locking them in place on the stage. This is not a negative thing due to how natural the sounds decay with texture and reverb, the rise to the upper mid’s strays from the almost neutral lower mid’s to create some heft in both male and female vocals. The Upper mid are detailed without harshness or fatigue but they do roll off around 3k and rise again at 4k. I feel this is what is giving the male vocals their heft without derailing the female vocals. This tuning like all of the Oriolus I have heard is a very direct decision from the tuner to make vocal’s stand out while simultaneously harmonizing with the rest of the frequency response. This gives the vocals a bit of a distanced effect, they are not recessed by any means but the scoop out of the lower treble from 4k-7k spreads out the signature creating a cavernous vocal effect that is as captivating as it is head scratching. The downside of this is some upper harmonics are blunted, most noticeably with piano. But what I feel this also doing, is setting up the treble to shine with sparkle and air.



Besides vocals, the 4BA running the show of this frequency replay with soul. I do not hear any typical BA timbre, toy or plastic like texture to the bite of instruments. Everything sounds full and engaging much like on my 2-channel turntable and tube pre amp. Dynamics with tom toms and snares are fast, authentic and felt. Never blunted. Drums sound full and real. Guitars have crunch and authority. There is a smoothness to the mid’s that do smooth over some of the micro detail. The midrange here is not as wide open as on the Isabellae. The mid range of Traillii is more dynamic and layered, concentrating on macro detail rather than micro. Giving a sense of grandeur to the whole picture rather than purely focusing the tuning on the mid’s. This is a smart decision on Oriolus, as this lends Traillii to be more of an all rounder for all types of genres. As previously mentioned, the Traillii replays music much like at a live show. The music washes over you and one feels immersed in the sounds. In the audience you would be hard pressed to hear the players moving or taking breaths between words, etc while the music is going. Listening to Traillii’s mid range makes me feel like I am at the venue sitting front row without distraction, consuming every moment of bliss.

TREBLE

The Upper mid peaks and valleys at 3k and more specifically at 4k that creates a scoop below neutral linearity through 7k which then sharply rises up to 8k. This is what we now know as the lower treble scoop. This does cause a few minor issues in harmonic/sub-harmonic overtones, especially to the piano. But what it also creates and does with control and definition, is the sharp rise that creates a zing for the treble to ride on up to 8k, letting the treble soar with air and sparkle before coming down to more grounded idealizations. The balance is uncanny, and one of the best I have heard. The 4 EST drivers sound ethereal and somewhat wet in comparisons to BA tweeters. I for one really enjoy the Trailli treble the most out the entire FR. EST drivers in iem’s have not received the best reception from the audiophile world. They take power to sound their best. Traillii is the exception here. Traillii sounds good on any and every source, although the better the source the more the Traillii scales. Too much juice though and those EST drivers can be piercing.



The tonality of the treble is another great tuning decision as it’s so clear, natural and extended, without any harshness or sibilance. Bells, harp and cymbal crashes ring through with clarity, sizzle and tintinnabulation. A medium to quick decay helps keep things clean and transparent, along with the macro-detailed mid range and correct yet forthright bass really emphasize a massive soundstage and center image. The treble literally sounds as if it’s dancing in adoration to the rest of the FR. This is the mental image I get because the Treble never comes off as congested or abrasive. It is radiating with twinkle and a controlled restraint that only makes me want more. I love the air the entire response imparts around instruments and vocals, separating them from one another while harmoniously coming together in a beautiful forte. The treble gently rolls off at 10k for more of a vintage tone, hence the “natural” and “organic” vocabulary. This vintage tone is subtle because another small peak happens at 12k that imparts the cleanliness of this “hi-fi” sound. I find the Traillii to toe the line between hi-fi, audiophile and analogue sound.



Select Comparisons

Empire Ears Legend X

The LX is much more warm across the FR. The huge bass shelf promotes this. I’ve been switching between the PW Audio1960’s 4-wire and the Eletech Iliad. The Iliad tightens up the bass and makes LX sound closer to Traillii but still far far away. LX is a bit of a chameleon and can almost transform into entirely different sound signatures with a simple cable swap or source change and even a tip roll. At its core LX is an L shape iem. Bass boosted with great technical detail retrieval. The bass is intoxicating, full and weighted. I feel the Sub and mid bass are meshed together utterly well. For this massive bass I’m surprised the rest of the FR is not destroyed in its wake.(sometimes it is) The mid’s can come off recessed, especially some female vocals, sometimes sounding far off and uninspired. Due to the weight of the bass, male vocals come off chesty and husky, just the way I like. The bass to me definitely creates this tube like essence that draws me into each track I play. The LX is a fun monitor but it also takes itself seriously. Meaning, it has technical chops and slightly airy treble but mostly smooth. The mid frequency instruments are focused and up front, having bite, texture and plenty of attack. The only element in the mid’s to come off soft/blunted is female vocals. Soundstage width with 60’s 4-wire is almost wider than stock with depth and height the same. The biggest caveat is the vocals and upper treble air and sparkle. Traillii reigns supreme here. This is not to say that LX is bad here, just not as extended. I find the LX to balance out with TOTL cables, however no cable has been able to notch up the dynamics of the LX, where I feel the LX lacks the most! It is a fairly two dimensional monitor.
Traillii is the better overall monitor, better technicalities, layering, treble and mids. It cannot compete with LX bass. LX is comparable in the soundstage, however imaging is much more natural and nuanced with the Traillii.

edit: LX and Traillii are very different presentations entirely. LX is most definitely a bass driven iem, but with the correct source and cable it scales to a more balanced sound with a larger soundstage. The LX in its stock form would not be near the level of Traillii in my humble opinion. But with the right cable it does in fact scale. No Traillii by a long shot.



Rhapsodio Eden

I know this sounds crazy to compare a single DD iem to a 12 driver (8BA / 4EST) hybrid iem. To my surprise the Eden most definitely holds its own compared to Traillii. The Eden is a neutral monitor with beautifully detailed and clear mids, a linear, nuanced and potent bass with a slightly airy treble. Eden is a much more intimate affair, lacking the enormous soundstage of Traillii. Traillii also excels in dynamics moving air faster than Eden. The Eden decaying with more ease and expelling micro elements across the mid range with eloquence and grandeur. This is where the Traillii smoothes over things, with a tilt toward macro detail in mid’s. Traillii treble is also more smooth and vintage sounding. Where, as the Eden treble is detailed, sparkling, allowing sonic clarity from the upper mid’s to soar without harshness or sharpness. Technically the two monitors are very similar and both have a natural warmth to them while not coming across warm or cold. They are both very balanced and tuned to enjoy the music rather than study it. The Eden is tonally accurate across the FR. This is my go to monitor for neutral uncolored sound that also sounds emotional and musical. Not an easy task, but I feel both the Eden and the Traillii pull this off and while not on the same level, they share a refinement that most only wish to achieve.

No graph of Eden available on the web…



Conclusion

The Traillii, the legend, the myth, the bird, the list will go on. This elusive and polarizing monitor may go down in history but whichever way the story of Traillii goes, I will be happy to have been a part. I have enjoyed every moment. The Traillii not only gave me musical bliss but also propelled me into wanting to learn more about this hobby. Being fairly new to this hobby, I often come across the term “end-game.” I think many thought Traillii as this and for some I am sure it has been that. After all “end game” is a relative term. If anything, owning Traillii has made me want to seek out more iem’s to understand more about frequency range, sound signatures, tunings, etc. I love listening to music for the sheer pleasure of it but I am also one that loves learning about how things work and what makes me like this or that. I enjoy the tech, engineering and philosophy that goes into this hobby as a whole. Traillii has only solidified my desires and made me crave more. I do not think I would be reviewing and as deep into this hobby if not for Odin and Traillii. The Traillii is still the single best iem I have ever heard. Is it “end game” for me? That is a resounding “No” as I will never have an “end game.” My brain is much too curious and insatiable. I also believe that with the new technology rapidly among us, the iem’s of the future will only get better.



Sources Used for Review:
Cayin N6ii w R01 Module using UApp bit perfect
Roon upsampled to Dsd256 to Denafrips Pontus II with a Iris DDC to a Schiit Lyr 3 hybrid tube amp with Vintage Tung Sol Black Plates Tube.

Traillii reviewed in complete stock form.

Music used:
Ola Kvernberg-Arpy/Devil Worm/Get Down
Mongo Santamaría-Miedo
Damien Rice-I don’t want to change you
Gabriel Marvin-Say Somethin’/Feels
Lady Blackbird-Fix it
Ray Lamontagne-Gossip in the grain
Arooj Aftab-Saans Lo/Suroor
Maridalen-S/T album in full
Dave Holland-Hands
Terry Callier-Cotton Eyed joe
Ada Lea-Damn
Chick Corea Akoustic Band-Japanese Waltz
Sufjan Stevens/Angelo De Augustine-Reach Out
Sven Wunder-Snowdrops
Pete La Roca-Turkish Women at the Bath
Billie Eilish-Happier than ever
Nala Sinephro-Space 2
Big Head Todd & the Monsters-Boom Boom

I'll come back to the subtitle of the review at the end...

How does one write a credible sounding review when faced with inevitable superlatives and claims that it's hands down the best iem I've ever heard.. and mean that in a completely unqualified way.
So.. I'll probably keep this brief as most will probably roll their eyes at the price, wonder how can the constituent elements possibly add up to such an eye watering price.. Well I was a bit skeptical too coming from what I had previously though a near perfect iem in the Vision Ears Elysium... There are days when I think, this is crazy, I should sell this, get something around $1k and be done with it.. and then I listen again and the justification comes back and I figure I'll just "rent" this a bit longer until the "inevitable" sale..


(photo credit @Rockwell75 - I use the M8 as well and after all it is my Traillii in the photo )

As you can see, a big part of this iem for me is the price, so how did this come about.. Well audiophilia is a bit of an illness at times who's main symptom is justification. Through a combination of a discount and a desire to mitigate a restocking fee on another item, I figured I would try out "the best" and then if it wasn't better enough than the Elysium, I would sell it and count the restocking fee into the loss I would take on the resale.. Bullet proof logic, no? Well, that's all great if it worked out that way but the Traillii is just so good that I figured I would just hold onto it for a wee bit longer and then any loss in the resale could be considered a "rental fee"... well... even in my paroxysms of guilt I still manage to figure out a way to push aside the thoughts of the price, for the time being at least..

The Traillii is simply the best iem I have ever heard.. period... I think all other iems have had some qualification.. The best midrange timbre..., the best bass..., excellent balance..., etc etc.. but there was always a "but"... attached. The Traillii though has amazing timbre and realism, excellent bass that has the texture of a BA bass but the power and thump of a DD.. The detail retrieval is stunningly good and even that mouse farting at the back corner of the stage blushes as he realizes he doesn't get away with it. Imaging is precise and the air around instruments gives a convincing 3d quality that borders on synaesthesia, where the music crosses into the visual realm.. I can't quite see the colour of the suit the violinist is wearing but I suspect it's black based on the quietness of the background.

There is not an album that does not come across as new and fresh, offering new insights and emotions to what were once considered familiar songs.

I've had analytical gear in the past and this is not the same. It's not that the details are laid bare in a forensic sense but that they are so clear that you cannot help but "see" that the drummer is using a different cymbal for that strike, or that the bassist's lines are so profoundly integral to the track but an amazing "song" in and of itself. I can't help but drift to my thoughts of Joni Mitchell as I write these lines as I've been listening to her for about 35-40 years and I have never heard these albums as perfectly crafted genius like I do with the Traillii. She was always surrounded by an all-star cast of musicians and the Traillii lets you hear them all, both individually and as a group. And that’s where the true difference is with the Traillii. Just as you would find your focus shifting at a live concert, the fact that the whole band is visible makes sure you never lose track of the whole even while listening to each musician weave his lines through the piece. The Traillii does this keeping the sense of the whole while being enraptured by this line or that harmony or the choice of cymbal at this moment or the particular timbre of that instrument..

The synaesthesia comment I feel I should maybe add more too as it really is a phenomenon with these iems unlike any I've heard.
synaesthesia

1. the production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body.

So, what do I mean..? When I listen with the Traillii, say to Rolf Lislevand playing the lute, I can hear the timbre difference of each string. When I listen to Joni Mitchell I can hear the individual tuning of each string on the 12 string.. Different cymbals have never sounded to precisely different. Add to that the expansive staging, the pin point imaging and me sitting in a quiet room with my eyes closed, I go into a "minds" eye scenario so precise and so "real that I am bordering into the realm of dream imagery and even memory. Perhaps "synaesthesia" is a bit of a misnomer but the imagined scene is so real that I figure I could open my eyes and be exactly in the space I am hearing. There really is a sense of hearing with my eyes as well as my ears.. It's quite uncanny.
On that front, this is not an iem that I can really do much else with but listen as they are so thoroughly captivating. I've tried even to peruse Headfi while listening but they have a way of drawing my attention to the music utterly.
This can be mitigated by gain settings somewhat as the low or high has a tendency to make them more polite sounding but on turbo, they come alive, slightly more forward but retaining their beautiful separation and staging, just more...

Is it all roses? When I first heard the Traillii and having made the mistake of looking at a graph first, I saw that dip in the upper mids/lower treble and then figured I heard it. The Vision Ears Elysium had a bit more bite there and in some tracks that translates for the better.. For instance, listening to an early 90's anthem "Fade into You" by Mazzy Star is a real trip into a nostalgia best described by someone as "for a time that never was".. It reminds me of the feeling of hope and love and desire, living in East Vancouver, surrounded by many "Mazzy Star types".. looking ahead at my life but also suffering the sense of not knowing how.. Anyway, on the Elysium, there is a bit more sense of youth in her voice that I attribute to having more energy in that frequency region. On the Traillii, her voice seems more mature, as if she were singing the song 10 years later with that same nostalgia, not the raw feeling of when it was current and when the feelings were current.. I know that this is very very specific but it does highlight a feature of the Traillii that could translate into one's music choices. Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" has some similar effects at times as if I'm used to hearing the emotion in a different way. On KD Lang's "Hymns of the 49th Parallel", I felt sometimes that her voice was a little more "hollow" sounding than the Elysium but that seems to have faded as in later times, just before I finally sold the Elysium, the Elysium started to sound a bit sharp where the "smoothness" of the Traillii's delivery started to sound more "right".

I saw BBGAR's review on Youtube and mostly skipped it but got to the end where he mentioned (I paraphrase perhaps wrongly) that this iem seems tailored for people who listen to small ensemble live music or some such. That happens to be my main listening music and in that style of music for me the Traillii is absolutely peerless. But truthfully, maybe minus those instances mentioned, there hasn't been an album that hasn't been a true joy to listen to with the Traillii. Even those songs I mentioned could be down to "burn in" or "brain burn in" or some such phenomenon that may or may not exist. For instance, that sense of hollowness in the vocals seems to be no longer anything that I notice.
I would say I mostly listen to baroque music but actually the Traillii has me exploring a lot more singer songwriter stuff as vocals and acoustic instruments just sound so amazing.
But that said, I find myself listening to almost anything on my 1tb card because as I've said, everything is new and so exciting to listen to.

I don't listen to any metal or edm really so you have to consult others for impressions on that type of music.

Perhaps this isn't truly a review as much as an anecdote of my experience but I'm not "objective" enough to break the sound down into the parts and pronounce actual judgements on them.. I may come back and add impressions as I have them, perhaps adding something more concrete.

But... for now, suffice it to say that if you really want the best sound I've ever heard (ha ha), and you like to get lost in your music then there is no better I've heard than the Traillii. The price of admission is very steep but the more I listen, the more is seems worth it.
Which gets me to the subtitle... "when the hobby eats it's own"..
This is part of why it's worth it.. I feel "done".. The hobby has stopped in me. I can't see any reason to look further that isn't just a lingering resonance of, as Alanis Morisette put it in “Uninvited”, "I... simply wanted an object to crave"... Simply being off the hamster wheel of buying and selling and the inevitable bleeding of money in shipping fees and depreciation, the price will justify itself rather quickly. Add into that the premium cable...
I occasionally look through the classifieds, see what's for sale, but there is no sense of wanting anything better. Maybe it could get better but my sense of satisfaction with the sound is so complete that I don't ask for more and further I feel like I know that everything else would have that "but" attached to it.
Even in the height of my love for the Elysium, I did not get this full a sense of impeccability.

Well done Oriolus,... well done "Old Man"...

The Oriolus Traillii is the most expensive, and yet the absolute best IEM I have ever tried. I feel comfortable calling it the Summit-fi in the IEM world. If you do not completely agree with me in its sound, at least you will agree with me for its price - it retails for a shocking $6000. In this impression, I will try to use my own experience with the Traillii to explain what makes it stand out among all the TOTL IEMs. Whether it is worth the price tag? I hope my review can help you draw your own conclusion.

Disclaimer

This is a loaner unit I requested from @MusicTeck.

Packaging and Accessories

The packaging of the Traillii is among the simplest I have ever seen. You get a Van Nuys protective case, a bag of ear tips, a twin-tube double sleeve (in red) to keep the earpieces separated in travel, and the Traillii itself. I was not impressed by its packaging at all, as I was clearly expecting more for an ultra-high-end IEM. However, after using it for a couple of days, I find that these accessories are exactly all I need. The case is large enough to comfortably put the Traillii inside it (my Eletech leather case is in fact not big enough). The case looks and feels very durable and low-profile - perfect for traveling with such an expensive item. The red double sleeve is also very useful in keeping the Trailli protected on the way.

The Build of the IEM and Cable

Traillii is a gorgeous IEM. It has a darker red faceplate (just like the little bird Traillii) and a transparent shell on the other side that allows you to clearly see all the units inside and the internal wires. The Traillii is also very comfortable to have on. It is slightly bigger than my 64 Audio U18t, but smaller than UM MEST. I also don't need to push the Traillii all the way in to get a good seal - it just comfortably sits in my ears and delivers a nice fit. I use the AZLA SednaEarfitLight as recommended by some other Traillii users, but the stock tips work just fine.



The cable is a collaborative one with PW Audio - a custom-made one from PW 1960 4-wired terminated in 4.4mm. The cable is soft, durable, and aesthetically paring very well with the earpieces. Tuning-wise, Oriouls says the cable is specially tuned to optimize its synergy with the Traillii. I did not bother to do cable swapping as I feel that they two work really work together.



General Sound Analysis

The source I have been using the Traillii with is Cayin N6ii (A02) + C9 in tube mode (class A). The sound signature of this source is relatively warm and smooth. I also have an LP P6 Pro coming in a couple of days and will be able to add a quick section to discuss the pairing afterward. 80% of my listening is done with vocals, with the others being some rock and classical music (orchestra).



Traillii is the most balanced and natural IEM I have listened to. When listening to it, you feel the smooth flow of music delivering to you. The bass is tight and fast. The mid is smooth with great textures. The treble has a nice extension. I rarely hear sharpness in any part of the music, and the details and clarity of the music are always there. The soundstage is the highlight of Traillii as it is expansive and well-organized. It surely gives me the feeling of listening to my headphones. Because of its excellent balance in sound, the Traillii is a very non-fatiguing IEM and I can easily enjoy my music with it for hours and hours.

If I want to better explain what "balanced" means for the Traillii, it is that none of the bass, mids, or treble is too forward; nor are they too recessed. And, this is accompanied by an expansive sound stage. From reading this, you may say "Sure! Isn't this what all the (good) IEMs do?" However, this is not the case based on my experience with several TOTL IEMs. For each of the IEM I have experienced, there are always parts of the music that the IEM emphasizes. I tend not to cheat this as deficiencies. Instead, I think these emphases are what give the IEM a characteristic that appeals to a certain group of customers. Just to give a quick example, to me the Sony IER Z1R excels in its expansive sound stage, clarity of the music, and outstanding treble. These characteristics are what keep me engaged when listening to this IEM and drive what I choose to listen to with this IEM. Meanwhile, some of these characteristics come with tradeoffs. Again for the IER-Z1R, some people have found its finds to be a bit recessed, and this is what makes me move away from it eventually.

For the Traillii, I don't find it to put a particular emphasis on any part of the music. However, it is able to deliver different aspects of the music really well and keep me engaged throughout. The soundstage and layering of the music are excellent as I get to enjoy the depth of the music. It is overall a very 3D listening experience with a balanced, natural tuning that I have not experienced in any other IEMs.

Selected Comparisons

I am able to compare the Traillii side-by-side with my two most-used IEMs: 64 Audio U18t and UM Mest. I also had a short demo of the VE Elysium and had some interesting comparison results.

Traillii and U18t (with Eletech Socrates)

Both are quite neutral with respect to the sound. The details and imaging are on the same level. There are two major differences: (1) U18t is a more intimate, or some may say more "engaging" IEM, than the Traillii. The vocals from U18t are noticeably closer to you. This could be very enjoyable when you want to dance to the music, so I like it very much with fast songs. The vocals in Traillii, on the other hand, is further away but without being recessed, so it is more enjoyable for long listening sessions. (2) The soundstage is also better for the Traillii. I can more clearly recognize what is happening in the background, and those information does not distract me away from the vocals I listen to.

Traillii and UM MEST (with Eletech Iliad)

I find both of them to have a similar size in the soundstage. The position of vocals are also similar. The biggest difference between them is the smoothness in sound. N6ii + C9 already helps the MEST to smooth out most of its edges, but the smoothes and rich textures in the sound from Traillii are at the next level, making the vocals truly enjoyable. The details and imaging are also better with the Traiill.

Traillii and VE Elysium

I find the mids and vocals between them to share lots of similarities. The textures and richness in sound are all there and are the best I have ever listened to. However, as has been mentioned by many users, the Ely is a very mid-focused IEM. Threfore, when compared to Traillii, I do not get as much from other parts of the music. The Ely somewhat strikes me as being a not-so-balanced IEM while the Traillii is able to maintain and deliver all the aspects of the music in addition to its intoxicated mids. Overall, if you are a big fan of mid-focused IEMs, you are going to enjoy both of them immensely.




Verdict

Listening to and writing the review of Traillii reminds me of how a reviewer (Josh) describes the TOTL headphone HiFiMan Susvara. The Susvara is able to achieve at least 90% of the very best in the market for every dimension it is evaluated at. However, if you narrow down to a specific angle, you could find a "winner" that slightly outperforms the Susvara in that specific region, such as HD800s's advantage in the soundstage. What makes Susvara a truly summit-fi headphone is that it is able to pack all of these excellencies into one headphone and delivers it to the user. I find this description applies to the Traillii in the IEM world as well.

Would the Traillii be a good fit for your need? I think it really depends on your "habit" in collecting and using IEMs. For some of the users, we would like to have a collection of IEMs and we can enjoy the diversity from these IEMs with different characteristics. For some others, they primarily use 1 IEM to listen to all kinds of music, and it is for this group of listeners that I think the Traillii could be a good fit, especially if you are into vocals like I am. In my own experience, if I can only own one IEM, then Traillii is the one.

Read several reviews about the Oriolus Traillii including in this Forum - I joined now to share my experience - simply because those reviews made me decide to bite the bullent and buy this IEM together with a Luxury & Precision W1 DAC that is connected to my Huawei P30 pro Smartphone.
If used on a regular basis (3x a week = 100 listening experiences per year) for let's say 5 years - the price of "one concert" would be around 12 USD and that puts the price tag in perspective for me and justifies the investment.
I used in the past On-Ear (AKG 240, Grado RS-1) and In-Ear (Sennheiser IE-800, A&K T8iE-MK2) and they are all in a decent acceptable price range. Is it justified to spend 3-4x more for the Oriolus ? I had doubts about it, but sadly for the wallet - the answer is 100% YES, if your aim is to get the perfect sound, which not everybody is aiming for of course.
This IEM beats everything I ever listened to and by a large margin to be honest - it simply blows my mind and overachieves every single expectation - from perfect fit in the ear to sound and built quality and built comfort. I will benefit from it for a long time to come with pleasure.
I used a Fiio BTR5 DAC with the P30 Phone and the Traillii and the sound was incredible, but then i got the Luxury and Precision W1 and from that moment on I was in audio heaven. When one listens to his digital music collections for years and all of a sudden discovers new musical details that were obviously blurred before - then it is amazing and proof that the ceiling was higher than thought. One IEM left, one right and how achieves the Oriolus a 3D sound stage with every musician and instrument clearly positioned holistically around? I wonder, but that is how it is. Since I bought the W1 and Traillii simply by studying the internet and the few reviews available, I felt kind of obliged to write my own review to share my experience. I can confirm every of the previous reviewers comments - this IEM is the best possible reproductive audio device that one can eventually imagine, at least compared to the ones I owned or had a chance to test, not saying that there are other IEM's out there who are inferior - what I don't know about I can't comment about.
Price not always buys good quality, and often the bling bling is more in the foreground than the real value. No question here - Oriolus uses Photopolymer which is a harder and better quality material that Acrylic and its packaging is simply "environmental friendly" - or in other words - minimalistic. I like the fact that clearly almost ALL the money is invested in the IEM and NOT in plastic boxes, nice foam and other often useless but shiny items to lure oneself into a purchase. Here it is straight to the essential and I feel some sense of honesty in the way this product is marketed - humble on the outside but what a sound! (like the little bird who gave his name ?) I can absolutely recommend this IEM and give my sincere respect and admiration to the Oriolus engineers who managed to produce such a marvel, almost like a best kept secret.
I want to also spend a few seconds on the LuxuryPrecision W1 which complements the Traillii in an outstanding way. This DAC delivers the level of precision and details that the Traillii can project - The W1 is very small for what it is, it has a button for the menu, a display and a very smooth button for increasing or decreasing the sound level. I don't understand its filters but that does not matter much. Also very practical is that the Traillii comes with a 4.4 mm connector and the W1 also has a 4.4 mm balanced input - that is also very practical.
W1 is light, simple to use and not too expensive but delivers spot on.
I realize that spending on a normal decent Hifi system = around 1500 USD for loudspeakers, a 1000 USD for the AMP, another 800 USD for a CD player or let's say 1200 USD for a Music server and a few cables to complement and we end up almost in the same price range as this IEM with W1 and a decent Smartphone for the music storage.
Having said that - we talk about some enthusiasts (like me) who really want to push the limits and are picky on sound quality. For every day pop music listening it may be a total overkill to invest so much money, but for music lovers of jazz, classics and other music genres that demand focused listening and extracting all possible details of the music - these items that I describe here are the ultimate solution to my humble opinion, maybe there are others too - but from what I know - this is as good as it gets.
LATEST INFORMATION:
If you buy a Traillii i recommend to change the stock earbuds to Spinfit CP 155 (S,M,L) - They really boost the bass power while maintaining the open airy sound. The increase in punch is very noticeable and make the listening experience even better.
A good test can be done with the album Tales of Marcus Miller, where you have bass, jazz tunes, voice, percussion, guitar and other instruments - combined with magic musical arrangements that really show the performance capabilities of the Oriolus Traillii.
Why a few USD of Spinfit CP155 are needed to boost a 5-6K USD IEM to its real power and performance remains a mystery to me - but that seems to be how it is.
So all Traillii users are welcome to make the test and comment.

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The product was provided to me on loan from MusicTeck for the review purpose in exchange for my honest opinion.

Manufacturer website: Oriolus Japan. Available for sale from MusicTeck.

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Preamble.

The only time I use preamble in my reviews is when I talk about cables because I find that discussion to be a rather controversial topic which needs some additional explanation before the Intro. So why would I start IEM review with a preamble? Because I need to address the elephant in the room, the price tag of Oriolus Traillii which is $6k. When I heard how much it cost, a thought ran through my mind that we crossed yet another price threshold and now entering a new chapter of premium IEMs. But is this really a new chapter?

Every time I review flagship IEMs, I get asked about different premium cable pair ups. And some of my readers are well aware of Nic’s thread on Head-fi where I see a lot of discussions from head-fiers who use their kilobuck IEMs with high end cables. The price of Traillii is not for everybody, but there is a number of audiophiles who already own $5k-$6k IEM/cable combos because they want to squeeze out every ounce of performance, don’t mind diminishing returns, and still find it cheaper than 2 channel home systems where a power cable alone can cost as much.



So, let’s put down pitchforks and torches, and if you are still curious about this new IEM release from Oriolus with a premium PWA cable, proceed further to read my review of Oriolus Traillii latest hybrid flagship.

Intro.

Actually, this review feels a bit like a déjà vu from 2018 when I visited Oriolus/Hyla table at CanJam NYC and heard Oriolus Mellianus for the first time. I couldn’t get its tuning out of my head and just had to review it. Now, 3 years later, I continue to use and to feature Mellianus in a number of my reviews as part of comparison and cable pair ups. Fast forward to 2020, and I saw the announcement from MusicTeck about a new Oriolus Traillii flagship which of course caught my attention even before I read the price.

My original plan was just to hear them without a commitment to review, and I was happy for the opportunity to spend a few days with Traillii. While I’m trying not to use the word “spoiled”, I do feel a bit jaded after having a chance to hear and to review so many different flagship IEMs, to the point where it is hard to get excited about another one. And as usual, I didn’t know what to expect, but after putting these in my ears, I immediately asked MusicTeck if I can hold on to them for a few extra days so I can write full review.

Another interesting thing was Traillii being released under Oriolus and not Hyla name. For those who are not familiar, Oriolus was formed in 2015 under the umbrella of Cyras Co. in Japan, and had a number of successful IEMs, DAP, DAC, and Amp releases. In 2017, Cyras added a more upscale line of IEMs under Hyla name, though this latest premium flagship release ended up under Oriolus name. But regardless of the name, what really counts here is how this little bird sings, so let’s proceed to find out more.



Unboxing and Accessories.

Arrived in a smaller size plain carboard box, inside you will find a custom VanNuys storage carry case which is pretty much the whole packaging of the product. VanNuys (Japan) are well known in audiophile world and usually hard to find outside of Japan. This ballistic nylon multifunctional case with Oriolus name on the cover has a padded poly mesh inner lining and adjustable velcro partition to make a separate pocket for storage of other accessories like eartips. Plus, it comes with a twin-tube double sleeve (in red) to separate earpieces so you can keep them apart and secure during transportation. Though I do like VanNuys storage case, it is not exactly pocket friendly.



Other included accessories are a set of S/M/L regular wide bore silicone eartips, a set of M size double-flange eartips, and a set of S/M foam eartips. You will also find a cleaning tool, and a removable cable shirt clip, though the spring-loaded mechanism to attach to the cable won’t work with the included thick PWA cable. I assume this cable clip is a standard stock accessory for use with thinner cables.

Overall, the packaging and accessories are practical, but at this price the unboxing lacks a wow-factor.



Cable.

The stock cable is a customized version of a popular PWA (Peter Wong Audio) 1960 4-wire (8conductors) cable which retails for over $2.2k by itself. As I mentioned in my EE Odin review where they also used PWA 1960, these cables are quite popular and in demand even considering their premium price.

The cable uses 26AWG gauge wires and FEP jacket for a positive signal (as part of the core) and 24AWG gauge thicker wires and PVC jacket for a negative signal (as part of the shielding). The wires are insulated and combined under a tightly braided black carbon fiber sleeving which has a nice touch and still feels very flexible. Don’t expect a see-through jacket which showcases the wire. This cable is not about pretty looks but performance and isolation, using UPOCC Litz Copper premium wires presumably sourced from Cardas.

Since positive and negative signal wires are combined under the same sleeve inside of a coax cable design, you can only see two Left and two Right wires, thus a name of 4-wire cable, but you have a total of 8 separate conductors, 4 on each side. The cable comes with a brand name genuine Pentaconn 4.4mm plug, carbon fiber black y-split, and PWA signature wooden round chin slider designed to minimize microphonics effect. Toward the connectors you have a flexible clear heat-shrink earhook going into PWA 2pin connectors with red/black ring marking and red/black short strain relief to indicate Right/Left sides.



Design.

Before I go into the design details, I want to point something out. Often, people make assumptions that a flagship IEM should have a fancy look. If you Google “Traillii” you will see that it is a type of a small flycatcher bird that looks rather plain from outside, until it starts to sing. As Wikipedia says “… their song is the only reliable method to tell them apart in the field” from other similar birds. That pretty much describes how I felt about Traillii when I put these small shells in my ears and let them sing! Don’t know if this is what Oriolus guys had in mind, but it sure does make sense to me. While Traillii doesn’t look as flashy, once you hit Play you will hear a BIG sound.

The IEM itself has a 12driver design with a 3-way crossover that partitions drivers into 2BAs for lows, 6BAs for mids, and 4ESTs for highs. And despite 8BAs and quad ESTs along with voltage transformers, everything is squeezed inside of a very compact clear shell with a unique brownish/reddish faceplate finish covered in hairlines of fiber strands. Oriolus also offers a selection of 36 alternative custom faceplates, but they do have a warning it will delay availability of Traillii if you decide to customize it.



What is interesting, despite packing a more advanced hybrid design config inside, Traillii shells are nearly the same, and maybe even a touch smaller than all-BA Mellianus. The body of the shell is made using Photopolymer material, and as I already mentioned, the shell design is very compact with a transparent body and standard universal faceplate selection which can be customized. The nozzle is a bit thick and shorter, has a secure lip at the top, and has one large bore opening and 3 smaller ones. Also, 2pin socket is recessed, just like in Mellianus.



The fit was very comfortable and secure with stock eartips, and with shells being so lightweight I didn’t even feel them in my ears. I do know that some people prefer CIEMs, but I’m not aware if one is available for Traillii.

The fit.



Sound Analysis.

I analyzed Traillii paired up with LPGT while playing a variety of test tracks, such as Agnes Obel “The curse”, Sandro Cavazza “So much better” (Avicii remix), C-Bool “Never go away”, Ed Sheeran “Shape of you”, Alan Walker “Darkside”, Galantis “Hunter”, Iggy Azalea “Black widow”, Indila “Boite en argent”, Dua Lipa “Love again”, Counting Crows “Big yellow taxi”, David Elias “Vision of her”, and Michael Jackson “Dirty Diana”.

To my ears, Traillii has a big open sound typical of full-size dynamic driver headphones with nearly a holographic soundstage expansion. The soundstage and the imaging are the first things that stands out when you start listening, feeling like you are right in the middle surrounded by the sound, able to pin-point and "touch" every single element in space due to a rather accurate and realistic placement of instruments and vocals. And thanks to a very good layering and separation of the elements in 3D space, every sound, every nuance is easy to distinguish and to focus on.

I usually don't start my sound analysis with soundstage description or the talk about layering and separation. But since I did, some could probably assume that Traillii might have a more reference quality analytical sound. After getting over the initial soundstage impression, you realize the tonality is very natural, with a full body organic sound which at the same time has a rather good level of detail retrieval approaching nearly a micro-detail level, not a typical combination for IEMs which don’t have analytical tuning. We are talking about a natural tuning with a balanced W-shaped signature where the bass, mids, and highs stand out in their own domain and blend in a coherent harmony.

To break it down further, each bass note is weighted with a deep textured sub-bass rumble and tighter dynamic-driver quality mid-bass punch. During my listening sessions, quite a few times my brain got tricked into thinking I'm listening to a dynamic driver bass performance even though Traillii has 2BAs to cover low end. The bass was so visceral and hitting with such well-articulated authority that for a second, I felt like I was listening to a powerful dynamic driver. But at the same time, while bass is powerful and elevated, it is not overwhelming to a point where it overpowers the mix. The bass is there, it hits hard with authority and control, and it does feel like DD performance with a little slower attack and longer decay but without spilling into lower mids. This is not L-shaped tuning, it is W-shaped, though I still think it will satisfy equally bassheads and audiophiles with a basshead fetish, but stay clear if you want a more neutral bass.

Mids are very natural, soulful, organic, and at the same time quite detailed and layered. Lower mids are above neutral, giving a fuller body to the sound and also helping bass to blend in more naturally with upper mids. It has just the right amount of quantity and tuning quality to make sure the overall sound is not muddy or veiled considering the organic nature of the tuning. Upper mids are very detailed, I rare combination of being close to micro-detailed level without being cold and analytical. Vocals sound very natural and realistic as well, regardless if it is male or female. And again, after the extended listening I almost forgot that these are BA drivers because of the organic texture of the sound which is more typical of DD performance.

Treble has a very natural balance of clarity and airiness, excellent extension, and a well control sparkle without a hint of harshness. It was hard to believe there are 4xEST drivers because the tonality of the treble was so natural, so well defined and well controlled without any harshness or sibilance, and yet fine-tuned to be extended, super clear, and well balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum. For me personally, Traillii treble tuning really hit the sweet spot because I’m really picky about the treble and harsh upper frequencies drive me nuts.

The two things that really stood out for me was a natural holographic soundstage and the coherency of the 12-driver hybrid tuning where BA-bass, BA-mids, and EST-treble were in a perfect harmony, sounding like full size open headphones with one large dynamic driver. And also, I was impressed how well the sound tuning scaled up at low and high levels of volume. With some IEMs raising the volume up brings mids more forward, or while listening at lower volume pushes mids back and brings up bass more forward. Here, the relative tuning balance stayed intact as I was varying the volume up and down.



Eartips selection.

The selection of eartips is crucial with any universal in-ear monitor and will affect the sound, especially the bass impact depending on the seal and the soundstage depending on insertion depth. Due to a large opening of my earcanals, I usually go for the largest size eartips to get a better seal. Please, keep in mind, these impressions are subjective and relative to my ear anatomy which affects how I hear the sound.

Stock silicone tips - gives sound the best balance between lows, mids, treble; my baseline natural detailed tonality.

AZLA Sedna - adds more sub-bass rumble and lifts mid-bass higher, great if you want even more bass impact.

JVC Spiral dot (original) - these shrink the soundstage a little bit; soundstage is still wide but not as wide which loses the holographic effect.

Final Type E - the narrow bore opening here messed up the sound, vocals became congested and a bit muddy and soundstage was narrow.

Symbio F - was surprised how well these fit Traillii thick nozzle; and found a very interesting effect of bass being a little attenuated, especially sub-bass, while mids/vocals being a little brighter, more forward, and more transparent.

SpinFit - similar to Symbio F, bass has a little less sub-bass, bringing more focus to mid-bass, and vocals are a little brighter, more forward, and more transparent.

After I shipped out Traillii, I realized that I forgot to take pictures with various eartips.

Comparison.

The comparison was done using Traillii with a stock PWA cable, stock eartips, LPGT as a source (High Gain, balanced output), volume matched in every comparison. In this test I tried to compare Traillii to a handful of other premium IEMs with a specific premium cable in each pair up, noting a price of each combo so you can see that in some comparisons it is not too far off from Traillii price.

Traillii vs 64 Audio Fourte Noir w/EA Horus X - Both have a similar soundstage depth and height, but Traillii spreads even wider, making the sound more holographic. I specifically used Noir in this comparison because regular Fourte doesn't have as much body in mids, though you have to keep in mind that with Horus X cable Noir cost even more than Traillii. Here, the overall signature and tonality are very close, especially when I use Noir with foam eartips to tame down the treble sparkle. Both have a balanced W-shaped signature with a fuller body more natural tonality. And 2BA Traillii bass has an even deeper sub-bass rumble than DD Noir. Treble of 4EST Traillii matches very nicely with TIA Noir, but I did have to use foam tips with Noir. Mids is where they vary and it is quite noticeable. While both have a natural organic tonality, the presentation is different with Noir mids being pushed a little more back, more confined (narrower), more colored and thicker, and by far not as layered or separated as in Traillii where mids are more detailed, more layered, a little more transparent and more expanded in width. Fourte Noir with EA Horus X cable retails for $6.3k.



Traillii vs 64 Audio A18s M15 w/Eletech Iliad - Here, the soundstage depth/height is quite similar, but the width is different with Traillii being wider, creating more holographic effect while A18s being more focused and a little more intimate in soundstage presentation (tuned for studio and stage performing artists). In this pair up I picked A18s instead of U18t since A18s is a better match for comparison with its fuller body more organic tuning. When it comes to bass, both have a very similar mid-bass punch, but Traillii has a deeper and more textured sub-bass rumble; A18s sub-bass extension is no slouch either, but Traillii just has more quantity and more weight in sub-bass. Mids are actually quite similar in this comparison, with fuller body lower mids and natural detailed tonality of upper mids/vocals, though technically Traillii has better layering and separation of sounds in mids. Both have a natural well-defined treble without any harsh peaks, but Traillii has more sparkle and airiness in comparison to smoother treble extension in A18s. A18s with Eletech Iliad cable retails for $4.8k.



Traillii vs VE Elysium w/EA Code 51 - This was another interesting comparison, and to start off, the soundstage expansion in width/depth/height is actually quite similar here; maybe with Traillii expanding a touch wider but it is a minor difference. When it comes to bass, Ely can get you deep and with a nice punch, but it is scaled down when compared to Traillii. Ely bass has rumble and well controlled BA bass, but Traillii sub-bass rumble and texture is on a whole different higher level of quantity, hitting harder and with more visceral authority. Now, here comes the best part of the comparison. I always hold Ely Dynamic Driver mids in a very high regard, and Traillii mids sound very close to Ely's, which goes back to my sound analysis where I felt like I was listening to DD driver. Traillii mids/vocals actually sound a little smoother and a touch more organic but this is due to a difference in treble. I know, we are comparing 2EST (Ely) vs 4EST (Traillii), but the tuning of Ely treble is brighter, more vivid, crisper, while Traillii treble has better control with a more natural revealing tonality which is not as vivid. Elysium with EA Code 51 cable retails for $5.2k.



Traillii vs FIR Audio M5 w/1960 4wire (w/2pin-mmcx adapter) - Both have a similar soundstage depth/height, while Traillii spreads wider, giving it more 3D holographic spacing. Also, both share a very similar mid-bass impact typical of a dynamic driver where M5 lows are actually covered by a dynamic driver while Traillii got BAs pushing the bass. But when it comes to sub-bass, Traillii still goes deeper with more elevated textured sub-bass rumble that surpasses DD here. Mids in Traillii have a fuller lower body, giving mids/vocals more organic warmer tonality in comparison to M5 having lower mids a little south of neutral, still above neutral but a little thinner in comparison. Both have very detailed layered upper mids, but the fuller body of Traillii gives vocals more natural organic tonality. Also, the presentation of mids/vocals is a little more forward in Traillii, while slightly pushed back in M5. Treble response is very close between these two, both are well controlled, natural, and airy, but Traillii is a little smoother in comparison. M5 with PWA 1960 4wire cable retails for $4.8k.



Traillii vs EE Odin w/1960 2wire - Finally, we have a soundstage match with a nearly identical width/depth/height 3D holographic expansion. But other than that, there are quite a few differences in tuning. Odin has double DD bass but it wasn't tuned with the same impact and depth as their Legend X, and that is where Traillii has the advantage if you are craving deeper rumble and more authorative impact. In a way, Traillii takes Odin bass and scales it up in quantity across sub-bass and mid-bass. In mids comparison, Traillii has noticeably fuller lower mids, adding a lot more natural body to the sound, to the vocals, while in comparison Odin has more neutral body. Upper mids are more micro-detailed and with a more precise analytical layering and separation of the sounds in Odin, while Traillii has a more natural more organic tonality of upper mids with a very good layering and separation but not with the same surgical precision as Odin. Treble also follows the same direction, being brighter and crisper in Odin and more tamed and natural in Traillii. Both have next gen quad EST drivers covering the treble, but Odin follows a tuning theme of a more revealing micro detailed sound while Traillii gives you a fuller body more natural sound while still reaching for micro-detailed technical performance. Odin with PWA 1960 2wire cable retails for $3.4k.



Traillii vs Oriolus Mellianus w/PS PPH8 - I know, Traillii little brother is not in the same league, but I still wanted to give this comparison a shot after enhancing it with PPH8 cable. Mellianus comes with a premium silver cable and that pair up is smoother and more neutral, but PlusSound PPH8 expands the soundstage, improves retrieval of details, and improves the overall technical performance of Mellianus. Traillii still stretches the soundstage wider, even when I tried Mellianus with PWA cable. Mellianus bass has a good sub-bass extension with a rumble you can hear but it doesn't go as deep or has as much quantity as in Traillii. And the same with mid-bass punch, Mellianus is still closer to neutral, not exactly neutral (above it), but the punch of Mellianus bass doesn't have the same authority or articulation as Traillii. Both have natural detailed mids/vocals, but Traillii has fuller lower mids body which gives overall sound more natural coloring while Mellianus is relatively thinner and a little brighter in comparison. Surprisingly, treble has a lot of similarities, just a little smoother in Traillii. The big difference in this comparison are in quantity/quality of the bass and fuller body of lower mids in Traillii. Mellianus with PPH8 cable retails for $4.4k.



Traillii vs MMR Thummim – I don’t have Thummim with me at the current moment, but very recently spent some time with it, took lots of notes and measurements, so it is still fresh in my mind to compare with. Both have a wide holographic soundstage expansion, but due to a thicker sound of Thummim mids, in comparison the Traillii soundstage perception spreads a little wider, making the sound more open and expanded. Both have a powerful bass impact with a deep rumbling sub-bass and strong mid-bass, but Thummim sub-bass is more elevated, making its bass thicker, while in comparison Traillii mid-bass punches a little stronger with better articulation and more control due to a shorter decay of bass notes. Both have a fuller body lower mids, though Thummim is thicker and meatier with more recessed upper mids while Traillii adds just enough body to give the sound more organic tonality while still keeping it transparent, less colored, and with a better retrieval of details in upper mids/vocals. When it comes to treble, Thummim has more sparkle while Traillii is smoother and at the same time extends a little further. Thummim with its stock Plato cable retails for $4.5k, and those who prefer to pair it up with Eletech Iliad cable could bring up to $6.3k.

Traillii vs Vision Ears Erlkonig LBE (switch setting #2) - The first thing you notice in comparison is Erl being more sensitive, requiring me to lower the volume by about 12-13 clicks. Starting with soundstage, there are some noticeable differences. Traillii soundstage spreads wider left to right and has a little more depth with sound being just slightly more out of your head, placing you farther away, while Erl brings you closer to the sound and also slightly narrows down the left/right spread. As a result, Traillii gives you a more holographic soundstage presentation while Erl give you more intimacy, though both have excellent imaging with accurate placement of sounds in space. Both have a natural fuller body organic tonality, but when you start analyzing the sound closer, it is easy to spot differences. Both have a big bold bass with a deep sub-bass rumble, though Traillii has a little more lift in subs, while Erl has a little stronger punch in mid-bass. Upper frequencies vary with Traillii having a little more sparkle in lower treble, lifting upper frequencies with more natural definition in comparison to Erl being a little smoother. But when it comes to treble extension, Erl's treble goes further and has a little more air in upper treble. The biggest difference is in lower mids. The bass and the treble difference are something you need to focus in order to spot it, with lower mids it is clear from the moment you start listening and comparing. Erl's lower mids are thicker with more body, giving overall mids and vocals a smoother fuller body organic tonality. Traillii lower mids are a little leaner, still having a full body but it is leaner in comparison to Erl, which makes Traillii upper mids and vocals to sound more revealing and more transparent (less colored). But overall, both have detailed resolving natural tonality mids. I didn’t go through cable rolling, Erl used in this comparison ($5k retail price for Limited Black Edition) had its stock pure silver cable, and as many are aware, Erlkonig has been discontinued and completely sold out.



Source Pair up.

With Sensitivity of 112 dB and Impedance of 21 ohms, Traillii is very easy to drive and has a great hiss-free pair up with many sources. In some pair ups it needed a few extra clicks of volume, but nothing too extreme.

Lotoo PAW Gold LPGT - holographic soundstage expansion, balanced W-shaped signature, very natural fuller body detailed tonality. Deep sub-bass rumble, authorative visceral well controlled bass punch, natural organic layered mids/vocals, and well defined airy treble extension.

A&K SP2000 SS w/AKA 4.4mm adapter - nearly identical to LPGT, just will a little more sub-bass rumble and slightly warmer upper mids.

iBasso DX220 MAX - I would say this pair up takes Traillii performance to the "MAX". The soundstage is still holographic, but I hear the bass being tighter and more articulate, with cleaner blacker edges, mids/vocals still being natural and detail, but now even more resolving and more layered, and treble has a little more sparkle and airiness relative to LPGT.

Hiby R8 (w/Turbo) - nearly identical to LPGT, just with a little more sub-bass rumble and slightly warmer upper mids, similar changes as I heard paired up with SP2k SS.

L&P P6 - very similar to LPGT with a natural detailed tonality, but the sub-bass tickles you with more rumble, going even deeper. Also, mids/vocals are a little smoother and more organic which affects layering and separation a little bit, but also makes the sound more musical and even more natural.

Cayin N6ii w/E02 - another "variation" of LPGT pair up, but with N6ii I hear an even deeper, more textured, more velvety sub-bass rumble, making bass sound like a floor standing speaker. Plus, I also noticed that treble is a little smoother here, less sparkle; still well defined but just a little less sparkle and airiness.



Conclusion.

As I started to write Conclusion to this review, Traillii was already on its way to another lucky listener waiting to audition these IEMs, and as you can probably sense, I miss them and looking forward to borrow again. I heard and reviewed many different flagships and usually very neutral and restrained without any overhyping emotions, but spending a week with Traillii was a different experience. It is almost misleading when you see a pair of small hybrid BA/EST iems, put them in your ears, and do a double take because you don’t expect such a big and bold sound.

Traillii is not exactly basshead tuned IEM, yet its double BA lows produce a powerful authorative bass slam and a deep sub-bass rumble you would expect from full size dynamic driver headphones driven by a proper desktop amp or from the floor-standing speaker. Its mids are smooth, natural, organic, with a full body sound that surprises you with a high level of detail retrieval and layering which is again atypical for BA driver performance. Its quad-EST highs are very natural and still airy and resolving. And on top of that you get a big holographic soundstage.

The price tag of Traillii will put these premium IEMs out of reach for many audiophiles, that is just a fact. But if you have a collection of high-end IEMs and cables, it is also a fact that you probably spend as much on your pair up combos as Traillii which comes with a special edition PWA 1960 4wire (8conductors) cable. And based on what I’m hearing after spending a week with Traillii, there are not too many other IEM/cable combos that match or overlap its performance. So, if you can afford it, give Oriolus Traillii a listen because its tuning is very addictive.

Oriolus Traillii Review - Absolute stunner

It is no surprise that the portable audio game is nowadays running to the extreme. The middle-priced products are making lesser appearance polarizing the price tag to either end of the spectrum, going completely affordable or completely premium. Well, our good old Oriolus had to get their ultimate flagship rolling out, featuring Oriolus Traillii.


Since Oriolus is a brand created upon the collaboration of CN and JP, until now most of their products have been divided into two variants, each being called CN version and JP version. The difference between these two versions was mainly found from the cable, as the JP version was usually equipped with a PW audio cable which also brought some price increase. Though this time, Oriolus has decided to release Traillii as the JP version only.


So how much does this product cost? Traillii is retailed for $6000, which is not only the most expensive product ever released from Oriolus but also one of the most expensivest earphone that exists to this date. This price is more than twice their previous flagship IEMs, which I would now like to lead to a question: is it worth it? Let us find that out.




Packaging

Traillii comes in a simple if simple, solid if solid packaging. Other than the earphone, it includes a Van Nuys earphone case, Van Nuys earpiece divider, silicone eartips, and a cleaning tool. This sturdy case is large enough to store thicker custom cables and comes in very handy in usage. Along with that, the included IEM divider protects the earpieces from rolling around or bumping into each other. Barely any finesse has been done with the box but the included accessories are equipped with the highest quality. That is surely an aspect where I could detect the Japanese spirit.




Earpieces

The shape of the earpiece is very similar to one of their previous flagship models, Oriolus Mellianus, but actually a bit smaller and rounder in shape. The nozzles are rather a bit short and thick, but the dimensions are pretty much the same as other Oriolus IEMs and the fit is actually better with this one, so no need to worry about bumping into a fitting issue. Traillii is comprised of Sonion 8BA+4EST drivers which are distinguished apart from Oriolus Percivali which uses a DD+BA+EST combination. Oriolus has claimed that creating each earpiece is very challenging and often ends up to a faulty production as they have to house 12 drivers into an even smaller shell, also including two large voltage converter for the EST drivers.


Anywho, the nozzles are divided into 4 bores, each connecting the lows/mids/highs/tweeters. The bore for the lows is metal-tubed with the tweeter bores drilled to have a large semicircular shape. For the design, Traillii has a transparent body with an opaque crimson red faceplate highlighted with white fiber strands. Grading the design would be more up to personal preference, though I quite like the looks on these.




Cable

Believe it or leave it, a cable plays a major role in sound quality and an endgame earphone like this sure deserves an endgame cable. That is why Traillii is followed with HYLA's flagship cable Arthur RT-1 as the stock cable. Arthur RT-1 is an ultra high-purity OCC copper cable applied with additional shielding, planned by HYLA and produced by PW Audio.


The cable alone retails for roughly $2200, so you are getting the best of the best option as default without the need to seek for another cable. I suppose that makes the price sound lesser insane, at least some degree. It is also worth mentioning that the Arthur RT-1 cable used to be available in 3.5mm unbalanced only when purchased separately, but upon purchasing Traillii you get to decide the termination of your choice, varying between 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm. Another interesting fact is that "Traillii" is the name that refers to this set of a combo, including both the earpieces and the cable.


So again, no CN version or any "cable-excluding" variants. This might come along to be a piece of sad news for some, though the more I test the stock cable and compare with other cables, the more I understood why they had to go for this cable. I own several other cables that are just as expensive as this, but none of them would bloom the sound beautifully and appropriately as Arthur RT-1 did. We will be covering detailed sound impression in the latter part of the review, but I suggest to maintain this original combo if you wish to enjoy the unique tone and reverbs that Traillii create.




Sound impressions - Lows

Although there is a good amount of full-BA IEMs with stellar bass reproduction, it still leaves me doubted about the bass performance when a company releases a full BA IEM. I was prepared not to be surprised and embraced with high expectations since the extreme price, I couldn't help but be amazed by the bass quality - the bass quality is too good on these. Traillii takes full advantage of controlling the tension and dynamics of the bass. Lows dive deep in a virtuous manner, making a calm and weighty punch that follows up with a fast and snappy decay. The extension and depth of the bass are outstanding - the bass drop nearly rings to the heart, which is not an exaggeration.


Lows are packed full of density and bass details as if an on-ear headphone has been pressurized into an earphone size at least. The bass lines are clear and highly thick in both size and concentration. The bass rumbles are clean, clear, and expansive. Perhaps the size of the bass exceeds the earpiece size, filling the lower end of the headroom with a full of dark bass presence and a pinch of reverbs. Just before letting any bassheads get hyped, I must note that Traillii is not a bass machine. Although these rumbles are deep, dark, and meaty, the bass punches are brought very calmly, softly, and precisely controlled in quantity.


Traillii focuses more on the latent energy of the bass rather than bursting it out in the face, having the sound to keep its posture and dignity. Along with that, Traillii seems to be paying much attention to keeping the atmosphere free of any stuffiness or overwhelming bass reverbs - which means that while the basslines and the imaging are massive, the slam of the bass is not exceptionally strong. Of course, the music does not sound light in bass as the depth and thickness are very plentiful and should be more than enough to satisfy most users.




Sound impressions - Mids

If the bass was already impressive, Mids are where you feel the true power of Traillii starts to shine. The imaging size for the vocal is massive, possibly one of the largest that in-ear monitors could produce to this date. Not swollen or loosen to sound bigger, but feels large in its original, unaltered state. Mids are up-close with blissful finesse on top with the outstanding texture and layering details. Mellianus is well known for its richness and beautifully articulated layerings, but Traillii takes them to another level, escalating the liveliness of the sound, near to a real-life level. Both male and female vocals perform equally well as they are.


Though I must mention that Traillii would open up its full potential once played with complicated tracks - so this "Traillii effect" would not be much effective on simple sounding tracks, such as solo ballad tracks. Possibly one of the very few cons Traillii would have, but this is something I would point out only if I have to insist on calling out a drawback. Other than that, the vocals are near flawless and show perfect stability throughout the range without any noticeable spikes and dips. Vocals would gradually spread its liveliness and openness even further as it approaches the upper mids. The sibilance area is smoothly finished and delivers a crispy bite instead of fatigues, allowing the listener to solely focus on the rich layerings.


The tone feels fresh and vivid but within the boundaries of keeping the sound natural and organic. The lower mids show a bit of a husky tone that is driven with force and power, which is another element that well mimics what a real-life human voice would sound like. Traillii is full of splendor, but it is done in a very natural and realistic manner that somewhat leaves you with a captivating "unconscious" impression - a kind of experience where you may think Traillii does not sound as stunning as expected, but then you get rear blasted once you go back using your old IEMs, finding them to be sounding boring or condensed.




Sound impressions - Highs, etc.

This is the part where EST drivers really kick in. Highs are full of air and the sparkling textures approach in a careful, soft manner. Its presence is just as vivid as other frequency ranges. But of course, it never gets overwhelming or breaks the harmony. The opened-up atmosphere powered by the airy trebles, the massive basslines, and the large vocal imaging. Pairing these three all together maximizes the staging and the headroom to a truly extensive level.


Speaking of treble, let us go for another short comparison between Traillii and the other two flagships from Oriolus - Mellianus and Percivalli. Incorporating Mellianus's splendid signature as the base sound, Traillii matured its EST performance once again beyond Percivalli. Highs are significantly more detailed with an up-lifting and fluffy presentation. While Percivalli had more of a straight-forward attitude in direction, Traillii is a lot more adaptable while having an even better resolution. Having enough rigidity to deliver sufficient crispiness, Traillii allows the treble to be flexible as demanded by different kinds of tracks. This makes the rigidity rather closer to Mellianus than Percivalli, but Traillii still provides a stronger impact/slam on the trebles whatsoever.




Verdicts

Traillii truly presents a monstrous sound and performance, but I still would not call it perfect. Not only the performance leap gradually decreases as you climb up the price range, but an eye-popping price tag of $6000 is more than enough to cross one's psychological "line of defense" for justifying the price. In fact, this psychological state greatly impacts the way how someone actually perceives the sound. It is a matter of answering the question of "can I accept this price to enjoy this level of sound", so if you are listening to this IEM with the pre-decision that you cannot/would not buy, there is a good chance of falling into a pit of bias. Even though I was used to dealing with flagship IEMs, the $6000 price tag has been bothering my listening session to be unbiased which I eventually got over it after a lengthy listening session and experience Traillii "as it is".


There is no doubt to call this an eye-opening experience in terms of sound. I remember someone commenting on Traillii for it to be sounding like Nerva-X, Percivali, and Mellianus combined all together. As someone who extensively listened to Percivalli and as an owner of Nerva-X and Mellianus, I do agree with that statement. If you are ready to spend some serious money and looking for one of the best earphones money could buy or for the ultimate Oriolus sound, Traillii is the one.