TRN BA8

In my direct experience BA8 is possibly the most capricious IEM I ever auditioned when it comes to source pairing. When it does not “like” the source, it reacts very badly.

I discovered this the hard way: first source I plugged it onto has been my Questyle QP1R. Even before hitting “play”, I was struck by a very significant hiss, of a quite loud consistency, independent from the device volume setting.

“Bad start”, I thought, “but let’s go on” and I hit play commencing my audition of my usual test tracks first. After no more than 10 minutes I was affected by some sort of dizzyness, bordering with nausea. Please note that this was not connected to any audibly odd sound coming from the IEM: the presentation is not the best in my life (much more on this below) but I heard way worse too.

So I thought it was me – it was late one evening – I just turned everything off and went to bed.

The day after I tried again. Same setup. This time I was not particularly tired or anything. Same result: in less than 10 minutes I got an headache, an a sort of nauseatic feeling. No this can’t be casual. Again of course I switched everything off and let my senses cool down for a good while.

Long story short:

• When plugged into Questyle QP1R, Auglamour GR1, Fiio X3-III, Fiio BTR5, and nano iDSD BL “direct” phone outs BA8 yields a very annoying base hiss, of different loudness depending on the source device. Trying to “ignore” the hiss and commencing an audition, at my usual un-harmful volumes of course, I get a headache in a timeframe varying from 5 to 20 minute max. Ouch!
• When plugged into iBasso T3, ifi nano iDSD BL “iEMatch” port, or if ZEN CAN phone outs the hiss is zero or extremely faint (T3).

There’s more.

When plugged onto hiss-generating sources, BA8 yields quite crappy output frankly. Low mids in particular sound recessed but most of all thin, hollow. Male vocals sound dull, I could hear better on 10$ drivers. Tenor saxes are pitiful. Trebles are totally invasive, not “shouty” per se, but so overwhelming as to kill any calibration vs mids and bass. I’m not a treble-head, surely, but I suspects even diehard treble-heads would not like it “so much”.

It’s all somehow a matter of interaction with some amps. In my limited experience, at least. If in facts I plug QP1R’s Line Out into ZEN CAN, and let ZEN CAN bias BA8, the presentation improves to more than decent levels – I might even call that “good” – as I will describe in detail further below.

Even adopting an amp it likes, BA8’s output remains polarised by its trebles. Which bring two consequences along, one being a quick fatigue accumulation (much less dramatic than from “bad pairs” but still quite apparent), another being a quite objective “excess in the trebles”, a lack of presentation balance. This latter part might (might!) be the liking of so-called treble-heads, although I can’t tell for sure not partaking to that league.

Finally: depending on the source – the DAC source in this case – some simple, moderate EQing can help rebalance the presentation and reduce the fatigue effect at the same time.

Here’s a pair of schemes that you might want to use as a draft to reach your best liked compromise. Their purpose is taming treble without removing too much of their air, and adding some more nicer body to the mids.

Optionally and additionally, you might also want to push sub-bass up by 2 or 3 dB if you feel that missing, in which case you’ll have to correct pre-attenuation too of course.


So much for this lengthy foreword, apart from a very last but important note: I got this pair of BA8 from my friends at TRN, entrusting me to an unbiased analysis and openhearted subjective evaluation, which is what I’m reporting here. You can purchase BA8 at TRN official store.

Test setup

Sources: Questyle QP1R / Apogee Groove + Auglamour GR1 or iBasso T3 or ifi ZEN CAN / ifi nano iDSD BL / Fiio X3 mk-III / Fiio BTR5 – inverted Starline silicon tips – stock cable – lossless 16-24/44.1-192 FLAC tracks.


Signature analysis

Tonality Very treble-predominant V-shape. Timbre is sharply bright, quite clear and definitely lean.

Sub-Bass Quite extended, could be even better. Modest elevation, very good speed.

Mid Bass Pure and well executed BA-midbass: fast, tight, relatively punchy. More elevated than sub-bass but not particularly (and not enough in my own books) authoritative. Dry and unbleeding both towards the left and the right (the mids)

Mids The worst part of the show, mids are very unbalanced towards their high section.
Low mids are depressed, lean-ish, quite disappointing apart when sourcing from higher end DACs like Apogee Groove delivering a sensibly fuller mirange.
High mids are oppositely (too) forward, articulated, quite bodied, shiny. They are not shouty and get some minimal shrilling from pairing with nano iDSD BL as a DAC, none from QP1R or Groove – which sounds almost like a miracle, considering their strong (read excessive) elevation.

Male Vocals Behind, thin, even hollow depending on DAC, and untextured. Probably the worst I ever auditioned.

Female Vocals Forward – possibly even too much. Relative calibration apart, inherent quality is good: bodied, articulated and textured enough, although primarily on the soprano registers, less well on the lowest tones. Considering their elevation it’s surprising how they suceed in staying away from sibilance at almost all times.

Highs Airy, detailed, sparkly and crisp although not fully extended into the last octave. Material details do come through very very well; spatiality is good or great, depending on DAC quality. Similarly to high mids, they are too elevated in quantity.
This is the section where source pairing differences come out at maximum evidence. Using lower end DACs e.g. Fiio X3 trebles get unpleasantly ear-piercing, and badly and rapidly fatiguing. QP1R and partially nano iDSD BL do smooth treble harshness a bit. Best DAC pair is once again Groove: high mids and trebles keep coming out “too loud” but their short term fatigueness is largely attenutated. Guitars are much better. Details are still many, and inoffesive as before, general airyness is less pervasive.


Technicalities

Soundstage Very nice, wide and deep, definitely around my head. Spectacular.

Imaging Very nice, barred when instrument / layering separation limitations come in the way

Details Bass details are nice in quantity and quality, just lacking a bit in elevation/loudness, but depending on the track they are too often literally overwhelmed by treble prepondereance and invasiveness.
Treble details would be, actually they are, per se, great – too bad that they come at such an high price in terms of fatigue. I can’t bear BA8 on treble-filled tracks (e.g. bebop or modal jazz music) for longer than 30-40 minutes, even when paired to its most “sympatethic” source. YMMV a lot.

Instrument separation Normally quite nice… until a crowded track comes in, the worst so if including many etherogenous tonality instruments. Quite some mess is heard in those cases.

Driveability Seemingly extremely easy, quite tricky in facts. In spite of a declared 100dB sensitivity BA8 proves very sensitive and a very annoying hiss comes out from many sources.


Physicals

Build Convincingly sturdy full-aluminum body. The aesthetic finish also seems not particularly prone to chipping. Nice one.

Fit Very good for me. The shape is quite compatible with my concha and sits very well into my outer ear construct.

Comfort Very good for me. The shape is quite compatible with my concha and sits very well into my outer ear construct.

Isolation Very very good due to near perfect fit, and lack of vents.

Cable Stock one is not bad build-quality wise. Considering treble dominance I tried swapping a furtherly warm one namely a pure copper cable but BA8 does not appear as sensitive as other drivers.


Specifications (declared)
Housing CNC-milled “aerospace”-grade aluminum, with multilayer ceramic coating finish
Driver(s) 8 Knowles Balanced Armature drivers: 3 x customised 30095 for high frequencies, 2 x 29689 + 2 x 50060 for the mid range, and 1 x 22955 for low frequencies
Connector 2-pin TFZ
Cable 4 core OCC copper, braided, 3.5mm single ended termination
Sensitivity 100 dB
Impedance 20 Ω
Frequency Range 20-20000Hz
Package & accessories 1 sets of S / M / L silicone tips, metal carry pouch
MSRP at this post time $ 134,80 ( $109,80 street price )

DISCLAIMER

This set was borrowed from a cowriter on Audioreivews for a review. It was returned after the review was done.

It can be gotten at $141 USD from the TRN Official Store.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A picture paints a thousand words. The TRN BA8’s graph looks like a volcano that is gonna explode! (See graphs below!)

Okay, honestly the graph is scarier than it sounds. Though the TRN BA8 still sports a mild V shape tuning that is bright, with an overly boosted upper mids and lower treble. It has very good technical performance, but the upper mids/lower treble are harsh and fatiguing and the lower mids are a bit off in tonality. Fear inducing PTSD graph and dearth of accessories aside, at the $140ish price bracket this supposed flagship is releasing into, there’s honestly much better sound to be obtained for the coin.


SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver Type: 8 BA (Customised 30095 high frequency x 3 + 29689 midrange x 2 + 50060 midrange x 2 + 22955 low frequency x 1)
• Frequency Response: 20 – 20000Hz
• Impedance: 20 ohms
• Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
• Cable type: 2 pin
• Tested at $141 USD

ACCESSORIES

In addition to the IEM, it comes with:

1) Hard round case (metal) – FYI, it costs $3 USD on aliexpress.

2) Silicone tips (S/M/L)

3) 4 Core OCC Cable – tangly and thin.





The packaging the TRN BA8 came in was huge, it is easily one of the bigger packages for the last 50 – 60 CHIFI IEMs I have opened. I opened the box like a kid opening a Christmas present, only to find to my astonishment, that the dearth of accessories was shocking. I mean, I wasn’t expecting a treasure trove of accessories, but at least I expected it to be something befitting a $140 USD flagship set. (I know TRN released a way more expensive joke $15000 USD golden ears IEM Halloween prank recently, but I’ll just pretend that it never existed cause it is unlikely to be sold. Even if someone with fool’s gold buys the golden ears TRN IEM, there’s a big possibility of infamous TRN QC issues, so let’s just take the TRN BA8 as the current flagship of TRN).

Anyway, back to the accessories (or lack thereof) in the TRN BA8, I don’t really give much weightage to accessories usually, as after a few months in this hobby, most of us would have some aftermarket tips and cables lying about, but this is really astonishing for a purported flagship IEM of TRN. I’ve seriously seen $30 – 40ish USD IEMs with better accessories, eg HZSound Heart Mirror, KBEAR Lark etc! The TRN BA8’s cable and eartips are exactly the same as those seen in budget TRN gear, and perhaps they added the hard case to make it look more premium, but that hard case can be easily bought for $3 or cheaper on Aliexpress.


Yes, this TRN round hard case looks rather impressive, but spoiler alert: it can be found on Aliexpress at $3 USD or less.

I know some CHIFI companies cut costs at the accessories area to save money, but this is really a case of penny wise, pound foolish. I hope the $15000 USD golden ears TRN IEM that TRN is selling doesn’t come with the same pitiful assortment of accessories, or at least if they do, I hope TRN makes them all from gold (golden eartips, golden cables, and gold 24 carat Bellsing drivers inside too, pretty please).


BUILD/COMFORT

Personally, I found the TRN BA8 has so so comfort, it can get can be a bit painful for longer listening sessions. We all have different ear anatomies though, so some may find it comfortable, so YMMV.

I’ve no complains about the build, it is very sturdy and well constructed.

I liked that it came in a 2 pin config, generally better lifespan than MMCX in general.


ISOLATION

Isolation is good as per most all BA sets that are generally not vented.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the TRN BA8 with a Khadas Tone Board DAC -> Topping L30, Shanling Q1 DAP, Ziku HD X9 DAP -> Fiio A3, android smart phone, Sabre HIFI DAC (ESS ES9280C PRO) and a Tempotec Sonata HD Pro. The TRN BA8 is easily drivable from lower powered sources, no marked scaling of the sound was noted with higher powered sources.

Since the tuning of the TRN BA8 is on the bright side, I preferred pairing it with warmer sources to tame the lower treble/upper mids. Do note that the TRN BA8 sounds the best when played at a low to average volume. With boosting the volume, the upper mids/lower treble can get extremely hot due to the Fletcher Munson curve.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph courtesy of KopiOKaya from Audioreviews (IEC711 compliant coupler). 8 – 9 kHZ area is probably a resonance peak.


A picture paints a thousand words as they say. The TRN BA8’s graph really reminded me of Ayer’s Rock (between the 2 – 6 kHz regions). I was bracing myself for a screaming banshee on seeing it, and was getting ready to lose a few years of hearing (and ears of hearing also). This graph looked like it could really give PTSD and flashback nightmares for the next few months, but for the sake of audiophiledom and to do this review, I took a listen. I closed my eyes and said a prayer before turning on the amp. Slowly. Gingerly. Carefully. One volume pot marker at a time. Ah, I am still alive, my eardrums haven’t perforated yet! Honestly, the graph isn’t as painful as it looks, though it is still somewhat shouty, fatiguing and hot in the upper mids/lower treble, but the TRN BA8 actually ain’t as bad sounding as the graph looks. Could be worse. A eardrum could have burst there.

So scary PTSD inducing graph aside, the TRN BA8 does sports a mild V shaped tuning that is bright. Some good aspects about the TRN BA8 are that it is a technically proficient set. It has very good details, imaging, clarity and instrument separation at the $100ish price range. Soundstage is also above average in all 3 dimensions and music sounded rather spacious.

Timbre for acoustic instruments is so so, as per a set with pure BAs, definitely most pure DD sets have it beat in the timbre department, but it isn’t the worst BA timbre I’ve heard. Note weight is on the thinner side.


Bass:

Bass on the TRN BA8 is slightly north of neutral, midbass is more predominant than subbass. This is not a basshead set. The bass is tight, above average in texturing and on the faster side, as per most BA bass sets. The subbass extension is actually not bad for a pure BA bass, thought it won’t beat some DD bass in decay, movement of air and extension. There is only a slight midbass bleed, but this is somewhat source dependent. I have to say the bass is my favourite part of the tuning on this set.


Mids:

In a nutshell, the mids are the most controversial area of the TRN BA8. The upper mids of the TRN BA8 are much more forward than the rest of the mids, an almost 15ish dB difference, and this weird tonality in the mids does overemphasize vocals and guitars, making the mids sound unnatural. Female vocals are more forward than male vocals, but the lower mids are very hollow. This leads into a shrill and thin upper midrange that can get very hot, especially at higher volumes (Fletcher Munson Curve).

On the plus side, this boosted upper mids can give great clarity and details to the music, but the flipside is that the 2 kHz area is very fatiguing and harsh, though it isn’t as bad as the PTSD inducing graph looks. I found this 2 kHz area shouty especially with high vocals and horns/trumpets, and sometimes on badly recorded music.

Pure multi BA sets are commonly used for stage monitoring cause of their better technicalities and isolation (they are generally unvented) than equivalent single DD types. They also tend to have faster bass than DD bass. Fatiguing upper mids aside, I would still be hesitant to use the TRN BA8 for stage monitoring cause the tonality in the mids is rather off. Unless you have EQ on hand to somehow even out the vast chasm between the upper and lower mids.


Treble:

Lower treble carries on from the boosted upper mids, giving good details and clarity, but at the expense of harshness and fatigue.

Thankfully, the rest of the treble gradually dips thereafter, and it does extend quite well, but the upper treble isn’t that hot. The TRN BA8 sports an open and airier treble, with only mild instances of sibilance. Technicalities are good as expected in the treble, and trebleheads will like this set.


COMPARISONS

As per comparing oranges to apples, I’ve left out single DD sets from the comparisons.


TRN VX (6BA + 1 DD) ($69 USD)

The TRN VX is another banshee with a hot upper mids/lower treble and sibilance. I honestly couldn’t use the TRN VX for more than 5 minutes without EQ or a micropore mod. The TRN VX has thinner note weight, poorer timbre and technicalities and more sibilance. In stock form, the TRN VX has much harsher upper mids than the BA8. Accessories (or lack thereof) are similar between the 2, but there’s the added $3 USD metal hard case in the TRN BA8 to give some semblance of royalty to the purported TRN BA8 flagship.

The TRN BA8 is an upgrade over the TRN VX, but it is not doubly better as the price would suggest. Trebleheads and detail freaks may like these two sets, but I wouldn’t recommend both for treble sensitive folks, unless you want to play with EQ or some micropore mods.


TRI Starsea (2BA + 1DD) ($109 USD)

The TRI Starsea has better fit, better accessories, and tuning switches to give 4 different sound signatures. Hence it is more versatile than the TRN BA8. The TRI Starsea has a slightly more compressed soundstage and slightly poorer technicalities (instrument separation, clarity, details). Imaging is about on par between the two, but the TRI Starsea isn’t as harsh in the lower treble/upper mids than the TRN BA8, even on the brighter tunings.

The TRI Starsea is harder to drive and scales much more with amping, with regards to the bass heft. The TRI Starsea is also quite source picky, and benefits from a source with the lowest output impedance possible (ideally close to zero), in view of the very low 9ish impedance. On using it with higher output impedance gear, the FR may be skewed. The TRI Starsea is less dynamic and more “monitor” like. The TRN BA8 on the other hand is quite source agnostic.


TRI I3 (1DD + 1 Planar + 1BA) ($145 USD)

The TRI I3 sports a U shaped tuning, and is very coherent and balanced despite the weird mishmash of driver configuration. The TRI I3 is more power hungry and harder to drive due to the planars inside. The tonality in the mids and timbre are much more natural in the TRI I3 than the TRN BA8.

Imaging is about on par between the two sets when the TRI I3 is adequately powered, though the TRN BA8 edges it slightly in the areas of details and instrument separation. Clarity is more pronounced on the BA8 cause of boosted upper mids/lower treble, whereas the TRI I3’s treble is very safe and almost borders on dark, with less treble extension. The TRI I3 is much smoother and less fatiguing, especially in the higher frequencies as such, though on rare occasions, there is a 3 kHz spike that rears its ugly head on the TRI I3 with poorly recorded material or say in trumpets/saxaphones. When amped, the TRI I3 has a better soundstage than the TRN BA8.

Accessories are better in the TRI I3. Isolation is poorer on the TRI I3. Shell size is larger on the TRI I3, and the shell is heavier.


Audiosense DT200 (2BA) ($149 USD)

The Audiosense DT200 is a 2 BA set that is tuned warm neutralish. The Audiosense DT200 has better timbre and tonality than the TRN BA8, with less fatiguing highs. In fact, the Audiosense DT200’s treble is a bit dark. Technicalities like soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, clarity are better in the TRN BA8.

Accessories in the DT200 are one of the best at its price point, it comes with a myriad of foam tips and silicone tips, a very nice cable and brush, and a pelican like hard case (that is purportedly waterproof too). The TRN BA8 comes with a $3 hard case and some miserable tips and tangly budget cable.

Overall, even though the TRN BA8 beats the Audiosense DT200 in technicalities, I would argue it is easier to find a highly technical CHIFI than one with good timbre/tonality at this price point. The TRN BA8 is too fatiguing and harsh for me to use for longer sessions, compared to the smoother and more laid backed Audiosense DT200.


Hisenior B5+ (5 BA) ($78 USD)

The Hisenior B5+ is about half the price of the TRN BA8, and it is a midcentric (N shaped) set with more marked subbass roll off and higher treble roll off than the TRN BA8. Both are pure BA sets, but the Hisenior B5+ has knowles drivers.

Technicalities (clarity, imaging, instrument separation, details) and soundstage are better on the TRN BA8. The TRN BA8 is more harsh and fatiguing. Hisenior B5+ is more natural in the timbre and vocals department and the tuning is smoother. In view of the midcentric tuning, the Hisenior B5+ is great for vocals, but may not be that all rounded for certain genres eg bass forward genres like EDM.


CONCLUSIONS

So, the TRN BA8 isn’t that great, but it isn’t the worst tuned set. However, the big elephant in the room is why did it launch at the $130 – $150 USD price range? If TRN released their usual $30 – 50 USD fare, the expectations will be lower, but now that they try to muscle into the $100 USD pie, there’s tough competition against esteemed bigboys such as the TRI I3, ISN H40, Fiio FH3, TRI Starsea, ThieAudio gear, Shozy Form 1.4 etc. I honestly can’t recommend the TRN BA8 at its current price of $130 – 140 USD. Maybe at 50% and below of the TRN BA8’s current price, then possibly it can be a very soft recommendation.

The TRN BA8’s PTSD inducing graph is admittedly scarier than it looks, but the tuning is still rather fatiguing and hot in 2 – 6 kHz regions, as per the graph. The tonality is also a bit off in the mids, with a very hollow lower mids. Having said that, the TRN BA8’s technicalities are very good. If technicalities are of more importance to you over tonality, and if you are a treblehead, then perhaps this set may be up your alley, but mid lovers and treble sensitive folks may not enjoy the tonality or harshness for longer listening sessions.

However, to add insult to injury, the accessories (or lack thereof) provided in the TRN BA8 are pitiful for a $140ish flagship, and are almost no different from their budget IEMs (save for an additional $3 USD metal hard case to remind us that it is indeed a flagship).

I’m not really a BA bass fan, but have always appreciated that some of the pure multi BA sets I own (such as the Audiosense T800, some midfi Westones and the Hisenior B5+) can bring different benefits to the table, eg fast bass, good technicalities and good isolation (cause generally these pure BA types ain’t vented). In fact I use these pure multi BA sets mostly for stage monitoring due to the above reasons. But despite the good technicalities, the TRN BA8 wouldn’t be getting any air time as a stage monitor nor a general purpose IEM for me due to the harsh, fatiguing tuning and off tonality in the mids.

I thought that the cheaper TRN VX was not the best in stock form without EQ/mods, but TRN continues this similar tuning (or lack thereof) in the TRN BA8, with a higher price to boot. The TRN BA8 is also their most expensively priced IEM to date (let’s ignore the joke $15000 USD golden ears TRN Halloween prank iem), but unfortunately in this case, the sound does not justify the price. As they say, different strokes for different folks, some may enjoy this set, especially trebleheads. I apologize if I'm being harsh here, but I'd say at the $100 USD price bracket, there's definitely better sounding gear to be had than the TRN BA8.

Rating: 8.3
Sound: 8.2

Intro
TRN brings out its first IEM over 100 € with the BA8. Since the past models were respectively are always extremely competitive in their price range, the BA8 can arouse quite justified expectations. Somewhat sobering is the design and the choice of drivers (not their number). I don't want to say that the BA drivers from TRN, or KZ are bad, but they are usually highly bred and are not always able to reproduce this technically. Or better said, correctly filtered and integrated into a potent crossover, they could certainly sound much more natural and harmonic. Of course this is a matter of taste and my listening preferences certainly do not correspond 1 to 1 with the Asian market.



Handling
To be honest, I am not really aware that I am holding the TRN flagship in my hands because of the way it is presented. The packaging gives more hope externally than the sobering content confirms. I have a cardboard box, the size of which is much too exaggerated for the sparse content.

The cable (4-core, copper, 0.75mm 2-pin) is not really worth the price and is also used in TRN's budget models. But it works of course. Otherwise the small round transport box and the set of silicone tips won't tear me off my stool.
I could do without all the accessories if I had the feeling that the IEM itself would be worth over 100 €, but I have my doubts and so I expect at least a generous, or more qualitative supplement.

The design of the BA8 is very similar to the VX, or even the new V90s. The robust and pure metal construction looks compact and solid. Here the BA8 can hardly be reproached for anything. The wearing comfort is always quite subjective, but for me it is very pleasant. Also the isolation works very well.



Sound
On the internet I had seen some measurements before the review, which made my hair stand on end. My measurements are more or less identical to these, but here it is once again more than clear that frequency curves alone are not always meaningful. I would have expected a damn shrill mid-range and treble peaks with strong sibilant emphasis. All the more I was surprised by the sound in the listening test, even though the graph does not completely lie, of course.

The BA bass is really good. Even though the midrange and especially the upper bass are in the foreground, it has an appealing bass for a BA representative and also good dynamics. The natural pressure of a dynamic driver is a bit missing and the bass could be more balanced, but I'm quite satisfied with the quality. In addition, the bass can have texture and is far from a one-note bass. For me the quantity is on a real level. Compared to the B5 the bass is firmer and not as bloated, but still the upper bass is too accentuated for me, which is not too good for the mids.

The ratio of 200 Hz and 1 kHz is certainly not the most natural and for me a weakness of the BA8. The mids can sometimes sound a bit dry and hollow, but not imposed. The hole is audible because the highs and the bass have more assertiveness in comparison. We're talking about a good 10dB difference from the bass to 1 kHz and again to the highs. The upper mids show the most playfulness and pass on to the highs at a high level.
Even if the graph doesn't really look optimal at first glance, subjectively the BA8 sounds a bit different and better than on paper, especially when it comes to the ups and downs of the mids. I miss a bit of character in female voices, but instruments sound quite natural and credible, with slight limitations.

For me, the BA8 creates something remarkable in the high frequencies. Although it has the most energy here, sibilants are almost not an issue and it gets uncomfortable even if only very rarely. One always has the feeling that the BA8 knows the limits of what is reasonable, but also uses this to the limit without going too far. Well played TRN. Here I must say that for the first time I hear a hint of justification of the price. The BA8 effortlessly uncovers even fine details in the high frequencies and creates an open and spatial listening experience. The BA8 still sounds a bit metallic, but I find the high frequencies more differentiated and somewhat more pleasant than the BA5, despite the emphasis.

When it comes to imaging, the BA8 can then show off. The separation is a great strength and the arrangement of the instruments is finely structured. Above all, the space of the spacious stage is well used, even in depth, which allows the BA8 to produce an orderly 3D image.



Outro
Phew, 120 € is an announcement. Especially if you are aware that the BA8 basically has very similar technical features (driver models), like 50 € models from the company, or competing products from KZ etc. Unlike its predecessor (BA5), the BA8 is brighter, more detailed and more transparent. Also the imaging and the stage extension have improved. However, the warm and more natural basic tone is somewhat lost. Technically, the BA8 is definitely superior to the BA5. The jump in price is too high for me, even compared to the VX. In this price segment I would also expect a different presentation in terms of accessories and cable quality. At least there is a storage box included, but it only costs $3 when you buy it. If you prefer pure BA models for your IEM selection and you like it a bit more sparkling and lively, you can risk an ear. I don't really recommend a blind purchase in this price range, even though the BA8 is the best TRN so far from a technical point of view and independent of the price. The tuning is certainly a matter of taste and for me a bit too bright and slightly unbalanced in the middles. With a little fine tuning you can get a lot out of the BA8, because the BA8 is a little border crosser in both ends without exceeding them. TRN is also much more versatile and experimental in its variety of signatures, which I appreciate a lot in contrast to KZ.


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TLDR: Highly resolving, natural-sounding IEM, adding up to more than the sum of its parts.

The TRN BA8 is an all-balanced armature IEM, with 8 drivers per channel. Their configuration is as follows:

Treble 3 x 30095
Mids 2 x 29689, 2 x 50060
Bass 1 x 22955

TRN has made a big jump with the BA8 over last year’s BA5, and not just in terms of price. Improvements in tonal accuracy, resolution, and imaging make the BA8 a far clearer window into my music. Graphs notwithstanding, tuning comes across as only modestly brighter than neutral. For me, attention is drawn not to any tuning quirks but rather to a sense of clarity that feels honestly earned. Sometimes, it almost feels as though I can step on stage with the musicians. Subtle acoustic effects can be perceived – reflected sound from a floor or a wall near a musician, woodwinds that actually sound woody, rough frictional colors in the string bassists’ bowing – that present fascinating little surprises.

Comparisons
I recently acquired the NF Audio NM2, which is a really wonderful dynamic driver IEM. I thought it might provide a useful point of comparison for this review. I also compared the BA8 with the its older and lesser brother, the BA5. I took the time to carefully compare the NM2 and the BA8 but not so much the BA5 because it was quite evident that the BA5 is a bit out of its depth in this comparison.

My original intention was to use the same TRN tips on all these sets, along with the original cables for each, to simplify the comparison. However, the NM2 sounds much better to me with Starlines, so I used those tips instead. I used the Tempotec Sonata Pro HD throughout.

Priming makes a difference in perception. Moving from the NM2 to the BA8, the BA8 generally sounds a bit thin, with an unmistakable if inoffensive balanced armature character. But switching back to the NM2, the NM2 sounds euphonic and enhanced, as if a reverb or a Dolby effect is turned on. It sounds too bassy for me, too, but I’m sure many others will prefer this approach. My brain quickly adjusts to the BA character of the BA8, but there is just less to listen to on the NM2 and there’s no compensating for that.

For me, the choice between these two amounts to choosing the one that polishes the rough edges versus the one that lets you feel like you’re on stage. The NM2 feels more open. Isolation is limited. The BA8 feels more sealed and isolating in contrast, and I much prefer that. The NM2 sounds generally warmer and smoother in mids and lows but a bit of shoutiness in the upper mids and treble can arise. I prefer the BA bass of the BA8; it just seems more controlled and textured, and it’s in a more neutral balance. On the NM2 I don’t perceive the subtle differences in recording quality or the physical space of the recording session like I can with the BA8. I don’t feel like I can enter the space of the recording in the same way. The more layered and complex the music is, the more the BA8 distinguishes itself. In similar passages, the NM2 can sound compressed.

Turning to the BA5, it has treble and bass that come across as out of proportion because the mids are recessed. I tend to fidget with the volume as I try to bring the mids forward, but the highs and the lows hit me hard and I have to back off. Lots of information revealed by the BA8 is missing here, so the BA5 sounds relatively down-market, as it should, given the difference in price.

A comparison between two IEMs runs the risk of overplaying the contrast, which would give the wrong impression. As you can tell, I prefer the BA8, but I think the NM2 is also quite excellent and I’ll keep using it. Just to touch on some other comparisons, I briefly had a 4-Knowles BA/channel set that I remember as warmer and smoother than the BA8, but at the price of softer resolution. I tried the CVJ CSN, but the colorless and aggressive treble and the paucity of bass was not enjoyable. The UrbanFun YBF-ISS014 was very capable but its bass-heavy tuning just didn’t work for my music.

Preparing for this review, I took notes as I compared the BA8, the NM2, and the BA5. I include them below for those who are interested.

All in all, the BA8 justifies its price with a mature tuning and confident technicalities.

Notes
Bernstein, On the Town: Lonely Town, Pas de Deux (Tilson Thomas, London Symphony)
BA8: 1:46 climax has a lot of treble energy but doesn’t cross the line, and no congestion
NM2: warmer bass due to emphasis, climax seems compressed, violins are slightly glassy
BA5: violins lack color, all fine but a bit soft and distant

Strauss, Elektra: Ich habe keine guten Nächte (Bychkov, WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne)
BA8: 0:18 harp and bass pizzicato in balance but distinct; 3:00 unison passage (low clarinets, Wagner tubas(?), bass) the players blend well but they can be heard separately anyway, soprano’s articulation so clear, so much to hear; loud passages at end are a bit too bright
NM2: soprano has a slightly harsh tinge sometimes (4:00), other times more rich and smooth; some shoutiness in loud passages; generally a flatter soundstage
BA5: soprano sounds good if a bit veiled; all fine but a somewhat boring

Prokofiev, Piano Concerto No. 5: II: Moderato ben accentuato (Toradze, Gergiev)
BA8: piano sounds quite clear; 1:35 high scale passages in the piano sound even and super clear, fascinating sonic effect where the piano is very close and the woodwinds are positioned center and farther back, and those woodwinds are distinct within that space (NM2 can’t do this as well); 3:41 snare is very clear
NM2: 0:50 bass line too blended (piano + string bass); 1:35 piano is at once more shouty and less clear; 2:27-2:40 basses are too thick and dull
BA5: Right from the start, the piano’s attacks sound different depending on range, clear in the high range, softer in the mid and low; 1:10 cellos have a real cheap BA quality; 1:35 fine but a bit hazy in the piano; nothing bothersome

Hindemith, Symphonic Metamorphosis: IV: Marsch (Atlanta Symphony, Levi)
BA8: 3:18 amazing imaging effect from combination of violin and bass pizzicatos, snare drum and trombones stage reflections, and timpani crescendos (not an artificial effect); 3:33, 3:54 cymbal crashes are not punishing; imaging and layering effects are astonishing at times (1:57, 2:28, 3:18) and put this IEM on another level for me.
NM2: 1:24 exaggerated bass drum sounds ridiculous (it’s partly a fault of the recording itself); 3:10 snare not so clear; 3:20: low string pizzicato, bass drum, timpani create a very cool imaging effect within the lower frequencies; 3:34 generally thick and soupy; NM2 mostly falls behind on this track.
BA5: 1:24 bass drum is wooly, too much; 1:50 horns and woodwinds sound very far away; 3:38 lots of congestion and softness but nothing offensive

Sibelius, Symphony No. 2: III. Vivacissimo (Nelsons, Boston Symphony)
BA8: generally outstanding separation and imaging; violins a bit thin at the start; 3:23 rosin-y friction in bass bowing very distinct and natural; 3:54 mallet strike in timpani is clear and separate from its decaying tone, crescendo to end remains very well-sorted, I’m still hearing individual sections (i.e. trombones, etc.) and hearing their separate micing.
NM2: good body to the sounds of all the strings; 5:10 cello unison has a lovely tone quality; 5:32 bass lacks definition compared to BA8
BA5: violins sound a bit artificial, all nice-sounding but woodwinds are a bit far and soft, I keep raising the volume to hear them and I keep having to pull back when the basses, timpani become too loud