Symphonium Triton

I loved Symphoniums’s Helios and it was well received by everyone who tried it and I also thought it was truly something special. They managed to make an all BA IEM sound better than most TOTL hybrids and had some neat tricks going on in general. So when I heard a new IEM that was meant to be a more relaxed listen was coming out I was thrilled. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a unit for a bit via a local tour. The Triton is a hybrid design consisting of a single DD and at least two BA drivers. I didn’t see much info on the driver setup for the Triton but I’m simply guessing the BA driver count here. The Triton comes in at $899.00

Quick shoutout to Symphonium for sending the Triton to review. While I always appreciate the chance to test and review products sent in from manufacturers or dealers, it never affects the rating of my reviews.

The Triton can be picked up from Symphonium at their website below.
https://www.symphoniumaudio.com/products/triton

Onto the review of the Symphonium Triton! My personal preference is a hybrid/tribrid IEM where I get good hitting bass and have a detailed treble with decent mids. When it comes to an over ear headphone I prefer a spacious sound with a deep low end, the mids to be more forward and the highs to be a little bright with some sparkle. I listen to a lot of genres but I hover in the classic rock, blues and edm music with some rap here and there.

Gear Used​

IPhone 12 pro with headphone adapter, Lotto PAW S1, Moondrop MR2 and SMSL SU-9 feeding the SP400 amp.

Looks and fit​

I absolutely hate the Triton shell when it comes to fit and comfort. I was more forgiving in my Helios review but they both use the same shell. The size of the shell is fine but it's the long nozzle that kills me. It requires a deeper fit in order to sound the best. I’ll get into the nozzle length sound differences later but the Triton/Helios shell normally causes too much of a seal in my ears and this causes everything to sound tinny and causes pressure discomfort. I have finally found a pair of tips that allow a deep fit and not as much seal pressure. With the stars aligned right, the right time of day, in the right position and the right fitment, I find the comfort ok but I can feel a little pressure from the nozzles on the inside of my ear canal after an hour or two. While I do complain about the shells a lot, I do believe the right fit will produce some very good sound.

Isolation and sound leakage​

The Triton shell is fully sealed and it feels like a CIEM to my ears in terms of seal. It does block out sound really well when it comes to passive isolation. It also leaks almost no sound either so this makes for a good IEM in quiet places.

Packaging and accessories​

We get a nice average sized box with the case and IEMs sitting on top. On the front side of the box is a little shelf which holds the ear tips and metal card which has the serial number. I think the included accessories are perfectly fine, though I don’t like the case as much as the threads can squeak when undoing the case. Not the end of the world but something to note.

Sound(overall)​

These final impressions were done off the SMSL SU-9 connected to the SMSL SP400. These impressions are what the Triton sounded like to my ears. This was also using the W2 eartips from Spinfit. I opted for the silver cable that was provided with my tour unit(it was already attached to the Triton out the box). Things like ear tip selection and DAC/amp selection will produce different results and impressions vs what my ears hear on my specific gear.

With a deep fit in the ear, the Triton has a clear but somewhat fun tuning. The bass hits well enough but it is very controlled and has a nice quality to it. It has a fast decay so it lacks a little fullness to the bass and in all honesty, I wish it were a little slower and I would prefer it to just hit a bit harder. It’s so close to my preferences and it bothers me that it needs just a bit more haha. I am appreciating faster bass lately so I give the Triton a pass here. The mids are pretty clear and they bring in good details on instruments like guitars and trumpets. I think vocals sound just a bit more relaxed detail wise on the Triton but it still has a clean presentation. Just feel it’s missing a little something. The upper mids are fairly controlled and less intense which is a nice change of pace since I feel everything I’ve reviewed lately are all upper mid focused. I think the Triton gets sharp enough but never gets harsh. I do like the treble on the Triton and I think it pulls in details up top fairly well. It still sounds a little tame to me but it has good resolution and the decay is quick. It’s not Helios treble but I do enjoy the detailed sound I hear on the Triton. Overall I like this tuning and it reminds me a little of my favorite IEM, the THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance in a way.

Nozzle depth issues(for me)​

So the Triton(and Helios) require a deep fit to sound the best IMO. The company reps recommend a deep fit as well. Most ear tips I used caused the seal to become too intense which caused pressure discomfort so I went with a bigger ear tip which meant the Triton shell stuck out quite a bit. Even though I had a good seal that was comfy, this caused the sound to be somewhat lean and almost hollow. It lacked some bass impact, mids sounded thin and treble came in a little too wonky for my tastes. I recently bought the new Spinfit W2 tips to try for some other IEMs and after trying the small size on the Triton, I was able to get the deep fit without pressure issues. The Triton ended up sounding vastly different to me. This is one of the few IEMs I get too much seal pressure from. I know many people who don’t have the same issue so keep that in mind if my complaints seem like it's a common issue, cause it’s not for most people.

Soundstage/Imaging​

The staging is above average in width and depth. This could be due to the fitment but I remember the Helios having more space in the stage. The imaging is very good here and I could pick out all the normal things I look out for on specific tracks. It unfortunately doesn’t have the neat imaging tricks the Helios provided.

Sensitivity/Drivability​

I think the Triton is easier to drive, so it can be powered from probably all dongles just fine. It's a little sensitive but I didn’t notice any hissing off my source gear.

Stock cable​

The Triton comes with a stock copper cable. My unit came with two silver plated cables in both 4.4mm and 2.5mm. I think the stock cable is fine but I wouldn’t cable roll these unless you use cables that don’t have ear guides built in. The Triton sticks out a lot(even with a deep fit) so guides on cables can cause all kinds of fitment issues. I like the way the stock cable looks and feels so I wouldn’t change it out personally.

IEM comparisons​

THIEAUDIO Clairvoyance​

I am biased towards the Clairvoyance since it’s my favorite IEM so take this as you will. Both do bass pretty well but the Clair has just a bit more impact and body to the bass that I really like. The Triton is no slouch but it just doesn’t hit like the Clair does. The mids are good on both but I feel the Clair has a slight advantage. The vocals sound better on the Clair as well. The Clair has a slightly stronger upper mids so I believe this is why I find the mids to be better overall. The treble sounds about the same in terms of sparkle and sharpness. Though I do feel the Triton does detail retrieval better and it provides a cleaner sound up top. The staging is wider on the Clair but imaging is about the same between the two. I like the Clair tuning over the Triton but it feels like the Triton is 95% of what I love about the Clairvoyance. Both are great but I can get an easier and more comfortable fit on the Clair. I simply have more issues here and there with the Triton’s shell.

UM MEXT​

The MEXT does come in $200 more than the Triton but it's a good comparison nonetheless. Both go for different tunings but I find the Triton works better as an all rounder. The bass is stronger on the MEXT and the impact/slam is noticeably better at a very small hit to bass quality. The mids are more recessed on the MEXT but the upper mids are stronger as well. I like the mids of the Triton better since It never gets too harsh like the MEXT can. The treble is way better on the Triton IMO and while the MEXT has a specific focus, the Triton really does pull in good details over the MEXT. I would pick the Triton over the MEXT if I only could have one but I find the MEXT more fun sounding in certain genres. Fitment again is way more comfortable on the MEXT over the Tritons shell.

Amping Combinations​

Moondrop Moon River 2​

The MR2 does make the Triton sound just a bit brighter but it still manages to produce good bass with the loss of a little fullness. The mids are a little thinner sounding due to the brighter focus but the treble does have a noticeable added sharpness. This sound signature makes the Triton sound a bit more analytic but I don’t believe the MR2 ruins the sound of the Triton. The staging stayed about the same and I didn’t notice anything special.

Lotoo PAW S1​

The PAW S1 has a warmer signature that I preferred with the Triton. Bass on the S1 is nice and full sounding which makes the Triton feel like it has just a bit more going on down low. The mids are warmer with a little less quality in vocals. The treble is pulled back a bit more and there is a little less sparkle up top but I still felt details came through just fine. Staging was a little wider here and while I think a neutral or brighter source might be a better pairing for the Triton, I liked this pairing a lot.

SMSL SU-9/SP400​

All my sound impressions are done off this specific stack. While I rarely think IEMs need a hardcore amp, I find scaling can sometimes occur with better DACs. I did find the best sound overall to come off this stack but I felt something like the Moondrop MR2/PAW S1 dongles got me 90 percent of the way there and that’s absolutely acceptable IMO.

Overall thoughts​

So is the Triton the only sub $1k IEM that matters to me now? Nah, I still like the Clairvoyance tuning and comfort over the Triton so it will continue to be my favorite all rounder for the time being. The Triton’s tuning is wonderful and minus the weird fitment issues I personally have, the Triton is an easy recommendation! Symphonium yet again has another winner on their hands. The only thing I think holds the Triton back is the Symphoniums own Helios. I complained in my Helios review that I felt the Helios was priced too low at $1099(sounds like a $1500+ IEM) and the Triton feels it's priced correctly at $899. With the Helios only costing $200 more, I think the Helios will be most people's choice over the Triton. Which is a bummer since the Triton is a really good IEM and more my tastes personally. I really like Symphonium and Subtonic so I’m happy to see another winner released from them. I look forward to seeing what the Storm is brewing and as always! Thanks for reading!!

Background

A little background on myself and my audio preferences. I listen to IEMs throughout my workday so I generally get to put a lot of hours into listening to IEMs. I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to listen to a number of IEMs. Generally speaking, I enjoy a well balanced sound overall and I appreciate bass quality over quantity with slight forward-mids and a touch of brightness (less warm). Like the seasons, I cycle through a number of genres though my current library is a bit more mid/vocal-centric including but not limited to electronic, pop, rock, acoustic, etc. The following are my impressions which I hope can convey my feelings and thoughts when listening to a set of IEMs. I leave the reviewing to professionals who are much better at doing reviews

I was able to get about 60-80 hours on Triton with the mixed listening on the HiBy RS6 and the Qudelix 5k using the stock medium red/black silicone tips.

Triton, named after a Greek god of the sea, ebbs and flows like the ocean. Triton can be smooth like a calm sea and it’ll slap like a huge wave when called upon.



Sound

Triton’s bass gently slopes into the mids while not bleeding into the mids nor affecting the overall balance. Triton has quite a bit more punch/impact than Helios, however, the tradeoff is some reduced texture and detail. I wouldn’t call it a bass-head IEM either even though it has quite a bit of impact/punch since the bass is still fairly well balanced and complements the overall tonality.

The mids are lush and warm with good weight and detail. It isn’t overly thick nor warm which is to my liking. The detail and texture isn’t quite where I want it to be as it’s a more relaxed set, at least compared to Helios and what I usually listen to. The mids aren’t pushed forward which allows for a relaxed yet engaging listen. Female vocals sound natural and male vocals are quite luscious and have satisfying trailing notes.

Similar to Helios, I was a tad worried about the treble region/extension but the treble is well extended, at least for its particular tuning. It doesn’t quite reach the level of Helios especially with the trailing notes ending a little sooner than I’d like. It does, however, sound perhaps a bit more natural to a live/intimate performance than the over-the-air quality that Helios has.

Engagement, Tonality, Source Pairing, Fit

The overall tonality is quite fun and engaging (upper mids + treble) and the balanced sound allows Triton to scale incredibly with various sources as well as cranking up the volume (for short durations). The symphonic tonality on Triton should in theory be a great match for a lot of the music that I listen to, however, it falls a little short in the detail region and occasionally, I find myself wanting more out of it. For this particular preference, I find myself reaching for Helios, the first Symphonium IEM more often than not.

In terms of source pairing with what I have on hand, Triton sounded good on both the HiBy RS6 and the Qudelix 5K though I prefer pairing Triton with Qudelix 5K as it’s a touch more neutral. Triton, like Helios, requires a bit more power and volume compared to other IEMs that I have tried in the past on both the Qudelix 5K and the RS6 though it can be easily driven on both.

Triton’s fit, like Helios, is the weakest point for me since I have smaller ear canals as the long and wide-ish nozzles prevent me from getting a deep insertion. It reminds me of my struggles with getting a good fit with the Sony IER-Z1R.



Closing Thoughts

Triton is a fun and engaging IEM that I suspect will satisfy many listeners especially with its slightly relaxed and warmer tonality with its punchy bass. While Triton’s tuning is well executed, it doesn’t quite align with my preferences to be a primary IEM as I find myself wanting a little more detail and perhaps, brightness for my preferences. That being said, I do think it is a great complement with its slightly laid back tonality and punchy bass compared to its older sibling, Helios. I want to reiterate that while Triton didn’t quite impress me the same way that Helios did, it is a very well-tuned IEM in its own right. I am looking forward to what Subtonic and Symphonium bring in the future.

Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to Leneo from Subtonic, and Felix from Symphonium for including me in the tour for Triton.