TRN TA4

𝑻𝑹𝑵 𝑻𝑨4 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: 𝑨𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒔


|| 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ||

TRN is one of the namaste in this hobby, especially on the more budget end. Offering various sets from ultra cheap under $10 to well over $50. TRN stands almost toe to toe in terms of brand recognizability compared to KZ but less with audacious drama.



TRN released the TA4 starting roughly $80 depending on your seller of choice and is equipped with 2 Knowles balanced armatures and 2 dynamic drivers. This driver setup has been used lately by more well-covered sets such as the Kiwi Ears Quartet which we also took a look at


|| 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 ||

I am in no way, shape, or form affiliated with the brands I review and do not give out preview privileges.
This set is sent in exchange for an honest review. There is no material or financial incentive for me to do this review and I guarantee no exchange has been done by both parties to influence or sway our opinions on this product.

My thoughts and opinions are of my own. My experience will entirely differ from everybody else. The contents of this review should not be considered factual as this hobby heavily leans on subjectivity. YMMV.

I don’t do rankings or tier lists as they can get outdated immediately as a reviewer can change their thoughts of a product to a certain extent. If you do want a recommendation then feel free to reach out so I can help out

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𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗥𝗡 𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆.
𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻, 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗥𝗡 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗥𝗡 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁. 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀.

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| 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 |

The TA4 comes in a compact box that has a neat render of IEM ear pieces themselves and branding along with text all over. It reminds me and is very similar to the TRN Rosefinch, but this time with a more quality feeling packaging materials.



| 𝗨𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 |

Removing the initial cardboard cover reveals the main flip-up box. Opening it showcases the TA4 ear pieces encased in dense foam for shock protection. Underneath is a box that contains all the remaining accessories included with the TA4.




𝗜𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻:

Paperwork
TA4 ear pieces
TRN RedChain 4-core oxygen-free SPC modular cable(2.5/3.5/4.4)
A pair of foam tips
3 pairs of normal-bore ear tips (S/M/L)
3 pairs of TRN T-tips (S/M/L)

First things first, I’m really glad TRN decided to finally included all the modular terminations in the TA4 package along with a full set of TRN T-tips unlike the TRN Rosefinch’s package that only came with a single pair of medium-sized TRN T-tips and the 3.5m termination even thought it also has the same modular cable.



The quality of the cable is decent, nothing of note to it except for the fact that it’s modular. I find myself quite liking the TRN T-tips after having a bunch of surplus from other sets that came with them. I find that the T-tips often make the sound more airy and tends to clean up congestion.

Probably the only thing missing on this inclusion list is a carrying case or pouch otherwise it would be complete,


| 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 & 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 |

The TA4 only comes in one variant. It’s light but has good heft to not feel cheap and the design is very reminiscent of the 64 Audio Duo. The mesh on the faceplate is almost similar and the metallic silver-trim surrounding it. Both the faceplate seems to be made out of plastic whilst the remainder of the build is made out of black-translucent resin.



The faceplate seems to actually be open, though probably not the entire surface area and is also assisted by another small vent inward near the nozzle. Speaking of nozzles, it’s made of brass and has a metal mesh filter and a lip to make sure tips are in place. The TA4, like most of TRN’s options, are using QDC-connectors.


The shape of the TA4 is very akin to a custom ear piece while still being universal. It does have a protrusion or a wing that is supposed to help with the stability, but others may find it obnoxious.

Sporting a pair dynamic drivers along with a pair of Knowles balanced armature to provide the best of both worlds in the strengths of each driver type. This configuration is seen previously with the Kiwi Ears Quartet minus the Knowles-branded balanced armature drivers.


| 𝗜𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 |

Probably due to the faceplate also acting as a vent, the isolation of the TA4 is below average. Whilst this is great when conversing with someone and still kind of hear them, outside noise will in general seep into the TA4 compared to other IEMs.


| 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 |

With the right ear tips, I find the TA4 really comfortable. The protrusion didn’t bother me even after prolonged use. Fatigue is also less due to the more breathable design thanks to the faceplate mesh. It stays snug in my ear even with excessive moment and the occlusion effect is at bay with the TA4.


** 𝗞𝗕 𝗘𝗮𝗿 𝗞𝗕𝟬𝟳(𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 | 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 | 𝗭𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝟭 | 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶 | 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝟵 (𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻) **


| 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 |

TA4 requires a bit more power than I first anticipated. I find myself almost maxing the volume on my Apple Dongle and pushing my Zishan U1 for a bit more gain than what I generally set for IEMs. It’s still fairly easy to drive albeit requiring a bit more power.


|| 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 ||

The sound of the TA4 is quite balanced, with presence both in the lower and higher-end of the frequency ranges. I do find myself comparing it with the Quartet considering their almost similar driver configuration and proximity to pricing. I prefer these over the Quartet in some scenarios.


| 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝘀 |

The lower-end frequencies of the TA4 are pretty tamed. It doesn’t overtake the whole frequency response but still has presence to benefit the reproduction. The TA4 is more mid bass than sub bass. Whilst there is still a level of rumble, the thumps and hits are more present overall. The mid bass hits are decent but not the most hard-hitting and the sub bass does rumble but with little to no texture.


| 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝘀 |

With the very tame and controlled bass, the mids are clean and undisturbed. Vocals are airy but tend to sound lean. Female vocals are more forward in most instances compared to their male counterparts. Instrument sounds good albeit with light note weight. Crashing cymbals can sound a bit harsh and sibilance is very noticeable especially with female vocals.


| 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘀 |

Whilst I think this is the highlight of the TA4, it could still use some improvements. It’s not really that harsh per se, but it can be fatiguing on prolonged use or at really high volumes and from time to time sound metallic. In return, the TA4 has great detail and extension and clear presentation.
Despite being quite sensitive in this area, I find the TA4 to be still tolerable, but please do consider your own preference and tolerance may sway you in the other direction.


| 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 |

The TA4 ticks all the boxes in terms of technicalities. Staging, layering, imagine and separation are a breeze with this set. This is probably due to the treble execution and the really good amount of airiness and brilliance.

I can fully recommend these for any analytical work or competitive gaming one may perform. Although more bassier sets would world well with movies and single player RPG-style games

| 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 |

TRN TA4 vs Kiwi Ears Quartet

Almost in the same price bracket and similar driver configurations. The TRN TA4 is a much cleaner, leaner and detailed set, whilst the Quartet sounds more relaxed and warm with the abundant low-end that it has and very luscious mids. I recommend the TA4 for those who need to set for a precise identification or if you really like lean sounding sets at the cost of sounding a bit harsh.

The Quartet is a good option for bassheads or treble-sensitive people that want a more laid back sound and doesn’t put much emphasis on technicalities.


|| 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 ||

A really good attempt coming from TRN. The TA4 is a good set for the price especially considering what it offers. Weight down your preferences, tolerance and use case before buying anything as the TA4 can be the best for certain people, but is the least liked by some.




[| 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 |]

https://shopee.ph/Trn-TA4-2BA-2DD-Four-Unit-Knowles...
(𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀. 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀)

Disclaimer:

• - I don’t read and read FR graphs. I only use my ears, as how earphones should be used.
• - TRN sent this unit to me in an exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Rest assured that this review will do its best to devoid from any bias/es as much as possible.
• - The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
• - No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
• - Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.

Burn-in time: 4-8 hours per day, 5 days.

Source/s used:

• - Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• - Fosi Audio DS1
• - Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96), PC.
• - Local Files via Foobar, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: stock large narrowbore eartips, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 3.5 SE plug, 40-60% volume, low gain and high gain.
Sound signature:

• - The TRN TA4 nearly sounded “neutral-bright” to my ears, but specifically, this IEM sounds mild-u/v-shaped to bright most of the time. Its resolution and technicalities excel well when paired with a proper source.

Lows:

• - The lows are mildly elevated and clean. It is punchy and slightly midbass dominant. Bass attacks and decays are fairly fast without being “too lacking”. This is definitely not the highlight of this IEM, but those people who prefer that clean, “neutral” bass response without any presence of midbass bleed may find the bass profile of this IEM interesting.

Mids:

• - The mids do not sound too recessed most of the time during my tests. It is well-placed, and open. Lower mids are adequately thick, with an average texture. This is very evident on Hozier and Ed Sheeran’s tracks. Upper mids are definitely elevated, clear, bright, sparkly and airy. It shows a bit of mild upper mids peak, probably because of the drivers used, and it may be too apparent for those people who exhibit very sensitive ears. In a nutshell, the TA4 is for people who seek brightness to their music-listening experience, in my opinion.

Highs:

• - It is definitely, definitely bright. Airy and elevated is the game of the TRN TA4. With that being said, this isn’t for those people who have treble-sensitive ears as this exhibits that “BA timbre” on the treble, which also somehow shows that this IEM is quite unforgiving to the poorly-mastered or recorded tracks. In return, the TA4 exhibits very good detail retrieval, presenting microdetails with ease.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• - To me, this is where the TA4 excels. Despite having an average soundstage in terms of width, depth, and height, It makes up for it in the layering and separation department. It is really clean and renders heavy passages with ease. The vocals and instruments never go haywired to each other despite how busy the track is (but of course, this is my 100 USD standard so I am giving the credit where it is due). Imaging is precise as it renders all of the vocals and instrument position of the track accurately.

TRN TA4 on balanced output findings:

• Everything becomes cleaner, tighter, and may be perceived as “brighter” by some people. With this termination, it can be perceived as a neutral-bright sounding IEM.

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Pros:

• - Clean, “almost” neutral sound signature.
• - Quick, clean bass response.
• - Open, well-placed mids.
• - Bright, airy, clean treble (subjective).
• - Very good detail retrieval.
• - Very good technical performance under 100 USD particularly on the separation and imaging.
• - Very good fit, comfort and isolation.
• - Very good build quality.
• - Very good inclusion of accessories. Modular cable is always a good treat!
• - Scales well depending on the setup paired.
• - Fairly easy to be driven to its full potential.

Cons:

• - BA timbre will not please most people’s ears (subjective).
• - Very unforgiving on poorly recorded and mastered tracks (not a con for me, but some may find it so).
• - Bright sound signature isn’t for everybody (subjective).
• - Slight treble peaks may not be for sensitive ears.
• - The preinstalled eartips did not do justice to the IEM’s sound.
• - A shirt clip/cable winder and a case would’ve been a good treat for everybody for this price.

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The TRN TA4 is a bright sounding, technically competent IEM. It managed to pass my preferences in terms of technical performance under 100 USD. While not for everyone, due to its somewhat BA timbre present and evident in its treble presentation, I do believe that those people who prefer a clean, bright sound with very good separation and layering performance will like how this IEM sounds. I am included in that group!

Pairing recommendation/s:

• - Source: This sounds just fine when plugged straight to a phone, but is vastly better when used with a proper source. I suggest using a warmer source for this one.

• - Eartips: Eartips included are soft and good in quality, but I don’t like how it sounds with the stock clear eartips preinstalled. You may use your preferred eartips.

• - Cable is a modular one, soft, and as good as it gets, but you may always use your preferred cable.

Thank you for reading!

Non-affiliated link here: https://shopee.ph/Trn-TA4-2BA-2DD-F...2gpM33JR785vlFyYNykClY3X442DEyFYo5KLGbPDApxik

Additional Photos Here: