TRN MT3

It’s safe to call the Chinese IEM company TRN creative, it’s safe to even call them prolific. In fact, it’s difficult to keep up with all they do. TRN almost have a new earphone every month lately it seems?

TRN AM1
TRN BA8
TRN BA15
TRN BAX
TRN BT1
TRN CS2
TRN CS3
TRN EMA
TRN EMX
TRN H2
TRN Kirin
TRN M10
TRN MT1
TRN MT1 Pro
TRN MT3
TRN ST2
TRN ST5
TRN STM
TRN TA1
TRN TA1 Max
TRN TA2
TRN T300
TRN T350
TRN V10
TRN V20
TRN V30
TRN V90
TRN V90S
TRN VX
TRN VX Pro
TRN X7
TRN Xuanwu
TRN BT20 modules
TRN BT20S Pro modules
TRN BT30 modules
TRN BT3S modules
TRN A1-TC cable
TRN A2 cable
TRN A3 cable
TRN T2 cable
TRN T2 Pro cable
TRN T3 Pro cable
TRN T4 cable
TRN T8 cable
TRN TN cable
TRN TX cable
TRN T-Ear Tips (Package includes one medium pair of T-Ear Tips)

TRN
For me the TRN BAX flagship IEM will always have a place in my heart. In April when the BAX arrived............it was my very first taste of what TRN Industries could make. Being their most expensive model, at $312.88…….you could say I started right at the top. Since then I’ve reviewed the TRN TA1 Max and the TRN ST5. Yet this here is way diffident than anything I’ve seen from TRN. A single full-range Dynamic Driver. And while not exactly perfect, priced inside the ultra budget realm at $14.80………….the TRN MT3 offers a surprising clean and detailed tone. In fact if you are a medium size tip user, you may think about getting the MT3 just for the special inclusion of the “All-New TRN Type-T Silicone Ear Tips”. Normally I wear large size ear-tips, but I have a few deep going nozzles that make the new “T” tips the greatest ear-tips ever. Such an invention of Silicone has an almost clear look, along with structural support ribs on the inside of the ear-tip walls, as well as the outside of the black (or red) nozzle tube. I have spent 10 days with the MT3 getting to know the ins and outs of this performer……….please join me on another TRN review, a review of the wonderful MT3.

TRN T-Ear Tips
The All-New TRN Type-T Silicone Ear Tips
0.4 mm dome thickness
Reproduces natural timbre and tonality
Dual-density medical grade silicone injection molding process
Patented waveguide technology
Available in 2 colors and 3 sizes


Soft and comfortable
Non-fatiguing

The all-new TRN T-Ear silicone ear tip inherits our principles of high-quality coupled with good value. Two types of medical grade silicone are used, more rigid silicone with structural grooves is used to support the stem to provide stability, while the softer silicone with a thickness of 0.4mm is used to make the dome. You will experience an improvement in sound isolation and comfortable and fatigue-free wear.
* Available in 2 colors - Clear red and Smokey black











Available in 3 sizes.
Compatible with earphones bore diameter from 3.8mm to 6.2mm.
Sound diffusion waveguide

Rigid grooves supporting structure
Our TRN T-Ear ear tip adopts a patented waveguide design that controls sound diffusion. The groove structure provides extra grip on the earphone nozzle. It supports the dome from deformation at the same time, resulting in an excellent ear seal, secure fitment, and impeccable noise isolation.



Restores original sound
Suppresses unnatural resonance

Our patented waveguide helps propagate sound waves into the listener’s ears, minimizing transmission loss. The soundstage is greatly enhanced. Enjoy deep, punchy bass and ultra-smooth yet textured mids. Unnatural resonance in the upper registers is vastly reduced, delivers a crystal-clear voice, treble free from harshness, and improved overall details.



Blue FR: Conventional silicone ear tip
Red FR: TRN T-Ear silicone ear tip
* Results based on TRN’s test reports.

Compatible with most earphones on the market today
Available in 3 sizes: S, M, L.
TRN T-Ear tips fit bore diameter from 3.8mm to 6.2mm.



The TRN MT3
Build:
Truly this is probably the best ultra budget IEM build I’ve seen? Formed from two pieces of solid Zinc Alloy, the MT3 comes in at a total of 15 grams for the set. Forming a medium light weight build, TRN really did their homework as far as size and form. In fact due to size, weight and shape of construction…….these have to be some of the best fitting IEMs I’ve ever encountered in my ear. While close-up pictures here make the MT3 look slightly unfinished and rugged, in real-life they look great. Such fit means you can actually use the provided tips to get optimal fit. I figure no-one is going to need to test-out numerous tips to try and get a working fit? Meaning go-ahead and access the provided ear-tips! If you are like me, almost any ear-tip with-in reach (in-your-size) should enable great fitment. As you know, great fit is a necessity for great sound, as you need good fit to hear every ounce of playback. With medium nozzles, it’s no scientific reasoning that they fit so good, it's just good old-fashioned common sense!

An air-vent is included on the back side (as seen in the photos here). But I may point out, in the middle of the faceplate is hidden a large screen-covered vent for the other side of the driver. Such an inclusion has been secretly hidden in the faceplate design, almost not noticed.

qdc style connectors. Yep TRN seems to be on a roll using a 2pin which allows for extra strength. You see.........the way this style of connector works is by allowing a second set of material to surround the 2pin……..but more than that, the 2pin will not lower until the exact angle of approach is arrived. The difference here is the entire 2pin mechanism rests outside the IEM. Such easy going cable placement then continues with the cable bend for the ear-hook, starting at the 2pin socket. The ear-hooks are not aggressive and fit well. The 4 core silver-plated copper wire works a lot better than it looks. Meaning after getting a bunch of cables with other TRN IEMs........and TRN including nicer cables with more expensive upper-tier models...........the arrival of a $14.80 IEM with a budget cable can be a little of an emotional let-down. Yet, I had to get-out of my bad attitude and look at the sound and functionality of the included cable. That’s right, other than being a little tangled-up on arrival, the cable sounds great and feels nice. It just is what it is, you’re not going to get a $50.00 cable with a $14.80 IEM, no matter how efficient TRN is using economy of scale to give you more. With that said you may have another cable laying around that you like better, maybe not. Either way, the included cable provides a great user experience, no matter how it appears. Though I question the use of silver plating here? Trying a pure copper cable seemed to attenuate the upper presence 5.5k bump, to bring the TRM MT3 into slightly better alignment. Though your results my vary? It's a question of bumping the detail and stage to a point with the use of silver, or allocating the warmth with a simple copper cable........ultimately a personal sound signature choice in the end. As the silver add of the stock cable did bring-up the stage slightly better, it also brought the 5.5k region into better focus. These are so perfectly middle of the road otherwise, that really copper or silver hybrid cables both work. There is never a muddy of foggy bass or lower midrange to worry about cleaning up. In fact my over-all word for the sonic signature here is literally one single word..............and that word is C L E A N!



The Zinc Alloy chambers with 10mm Titanium Driver:
I assume the Zinc Material is deadening the sound of resonances better than plastic, and you can tell…….at least I think metal builds go to offer a slightly blacker background. The 5 axis CNC routes-out any excessive thickness, to leave basically the perfect shape. Maybe it’s expectation-bias in that the sound seems better controlled at times with a metal build? If anything TRN is going all-out to include this level of driver at the price offered! While maybe not beating the 7Hz Salenotes Zero at midrange magic, there is still enough (great sound) here to warrant value. Meaning the TRN MT3 holds a slightly different experience than the few ultra-budget models I have recently encountered. I will reiterate such findings in the comparison section.

The TRN BAX Cable, or at least the closest one I could find to the model that came with the BAX?
https://www.linsoul.com/products/trn-t2-pro?variant=42082757607641 Cable change out. TRN T2Pro $15.80.

Sound:
I just want to start off in saying I went to the 4.4mm balanced amplifier of the Sony WM1Z and switched-out the cable to the actual cable that came with the BAX. While slightly different jacket color, I can assume it’s the TRN T2Pro cable? This enables a smoother sound than stock, also accessibility to the other balanced amplifier. I wanted to use the stock cable, and my intentions were to go stock, but the differences were so apparent that I ended making the switch. I accessed the Softears UC-Ultra Clear ear-tips. Surprisingly the TRN new tips and the Ultra Clear have a lot in common. Though I needed large to get the fit I was going after, and the special TRN T-2 Ear tips were only included in medium.

• Sony Walkman WM1Z, MrWalkmans Firmware, No EQ, 4.4mm balanced output
• TRN T2 Pro aftermarket cable
• Softears (Ultra-Clear) UC-L Ear-tips

Yep, I’ve now optimized the sound. Many could say using the Sony DAP is over the user range in cost to combine with the MT3? Maybe using a cable that is the same price as the MT3 is also silly? Well I have to say………leave your suspicions at the door. The TRN MT3 scales up…..and up. Truly this is amazing and maybe some of the best an under $15 dollar IEM has sounded here at Redcarmoose Labs. This review took a while as I spent weeks with the MT3, figuring out how to get the most out of it. A big part was 7 full days of burn-in. What I’m getting at is out-of-the-box the MT3 was a little lackluster. What helps that viewpoint is the cost, I mean how can anything that cost this little sound good?

Bass:
More bass than the 7hz Salnotes Zero, more treble exstention too. While those two attributes don’t really make the MT3 better, they go ahead to make it complementary. The treble has a forwardness which just starts at brightness, thus our bass is balancing this fact out. Occurring in a medium soundstage this bass comes-off fast and playful. Probably the separation is one of the best qualities here. And while cohesive and firm, the actual texture is probably average for the price? Still it’s not cloudy at all, simply in-the-pocket and musical. There is a sector of less detail here, but when you realize the price………well it’s nitpicking. Still the upper bass sounds exactly like the graph shows. In essence this is more Western than many of China tunes being the added lower midrange and upper-bass to the equation.

Treble:
Yes, you already know what I will talk about. The 5.5k peak is there. And it’s borderline bright, in fact it goes to delineate what this whole signature is about. Where it comes off as slightly nasal in replay. It’s not bad so to speak, but a character none the less. The tone of the IEM ends-up broadly affected by this peak. It also adds a slight tinniness and thinness that will be perceived by all who hear it. In typical full-range Dynamic Driver style, the upper-upper-highs show a roll-off which places a de-emphasis on cymbal splashes……even to go so far as to hinder the spacial expansion into the stage. The response is not totally bad, but you could call this an uneven and incomplete treble.

The 7Hz Salnotes Zero Comparison:
HA, I know I haven’t even covered the midrange of the MT3. Yet this was the time. Yep….it’s time to compare midrange and treble attributes of the Zero. Bigger staged, more harmonics and more luxury. Luxury what kind of audiophile term is that…………LUXURY?

The Zero’s Luxury.........
Yep, it’s what you get when things are more even and smooth. But more than that, the Zero’s vocals are bigger and better placed in to the soundstage. Did you catch that? I went over the MT3 midrange without even listing it, that’s right…………………the midrange comparison is this (single) description of the midrange. Now the 7Hz Salnotes Zero isn’t perfect either, but the midrange is a heck of a lot more enjoyable than the MT3. Sorry TRN, I need to call it as I hear it. Going way-back to the included cable with the Zero, I have come to realize why they included it. That’s right, 7Hz knew what they were doing when they included a copper cable with the Zero! Just for fun, let’s see what happens when we switch the TRN MT3 silver plated copper cable for the included 7Hz Salnotes Zero cable……huh?

The results:
Well, the major attributes of the TRN MT3 are still there, but this is really slightly better. The MT3 has a nice charater, though if you only had $19.99 and needed a new IEM, pick the Zero!

$19.99
https://www.linsoul.com/collections/featured-home/products/7hz-salnotes-zero?variant=43091260866777

There is reasons why Linsoul has sold gazillions of Zeros. It’s simply a class-leader.

Conclusion:
While not exactly disrupting the under $20.00 IEM market, the TRN MT3 is enjoyable. It’s slightly hyper extended into the 5.5k zone........that shines-into making almost its entire sonic character. While depending on how you like your 4k to 7k presence region…….. here we have basically an over-compensation. Where luckily the boost isn’t all of the all of the presence region but only at 5.5k, experienced members know what that does! I have other recent IEMs which are also single full-range DDs that have the same boost amazingly enough at exactly 6k, and sure enough you can hear it, but the difference is they also have more bass energy and lower midrange energy which can go to somehow defocus the 6k area. Still the reason more bass is not wanted here is the level of bass present absolutely defines what the rest of the character is! Yes, the bass is in its place and is admirable. While the Zero replays a more realistic midrange, there are technical reasons behind that realness. There are also reasons put forth by the Zero's frequency range which go on to delineate such success. For one, the Zero stage is bigger, also.........two, the itemization of elements inside of that soundstage is bigger. The FR contained by the Zero embellishes a more fluid and natural response. Gone are the aspects of unevenness or protrusions into the 5.5k graphic character.

With that out of the way, I can still recommend the TRN MT3, as it does have redeeming qualities, it’s just that if you are OK with owning the Zero, and enjoy the bass the Zero parlays, just the way it is, there is no reason to spend another $14.80 on the MT3. Unless of course you like the build and the way the MT3 looks, then by all means get it.

$14.80
https://www.linsoul.com/products/trn-mt3-1?variant=43487084576985

TRN MT3
Titanium-Coated 10mm Dynamic Driver New-Silicone Ear-Tips In-Ear Earphones

• Brand-New Titanium-Coated 10mm Composite Cavity Dynamic Driver
• Intense Atmosphere Dual-Chamber Design
• Zinc Alloy Cavity Design
• 4-Core Silver-Plated Wire
• Grand-Debut TRN New Silicone Ear-Tips: T Ear-Tips

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Brand: TRN
Product model: TRN-MT3
Jack type: 3.5mm
Wear: Ear hook
Transducer type: Dynamic drivers monitors
Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz
Connector type: 2Pin
Impedance: 28Ω
Sensitivity: 114dB
Cable length: 1.2m±3cm
Colors: Black
Weight (Headphone + cable): 17.6g+10g

Free shipping and one year warranty when you order from Linsoul.
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kareena of Linsoul for the love and the TRN MT3 Universal IEM review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one persons ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 4.4mm

a new cheap iem from TRN at only $15
honestly the build quality is the best i’ve tried at this price point, smooth and made of metal

it has clean sub bass and treble emphasize making the whole sound signature to be V shaped ish

honestly at $20 price point, in terms of fast, deep, punchy sub bass, this is really impressive
definitely not for basshead though, lacking some thickness and slam

midrange tilting towards upper mid giving female vocal forwardness and clarity, personally it doesn't sound shouty for me but simply too thin and dry

tquite good treble presence that doesn't sound too peaky
might be reccomended for some rock or metal that needs "fierce" factor also accompanied with that deep sub bass

since there’s a lot of great iem at $20 and below price point nowadays i’m simply gonna say what’s special about em is that clean sub bass and treble, for those who likes sparkly treble that rise gradually from the mid range, there’s no other choice but this

yes it could also means that this iem is a bit thin sounding and won’t be for everyone

TRN MT3 Review​

TRN MT3 ($16)​

The company TRN seems to be on a tear lately. Release after release in multiple price points and styles, builds and materials all are performing well against the competition. As if they (TRN) took a page out of KZ’s book. Accept they went a step or two further by releasing original and differently designed iems yet all similar with a unique quality or two and released in rapid succession.

TRN is doing well…​

TRN is doing well for themselves. I for one think the TA1 Max is one of the better iems under $50 (I recently reviewed the TA1 Max Here). The recently released ST5 received some nice thoughts from reviewers and the community in general. In fact, I like that set a lot and plan to review it soon. The Planar driven Kirin is well liked, the VX Pro (Mahir’s VX Pro Review) is widely enjoyed and the Bax is pretty widely celebrated. There are more releases, but I only have so much digital ink and really, I don’t care to list them all. The point is, regardless of the price point, TRN is doing well. Today I am reviewing the ultra-budget TRN MT3 which comes in at $15-16.

Thank you…​

I want to thank TRN for providing the MT3 for a fair and honest review. My integrity and character mean more to me than receiving budget iems so please understand… Fair and honest is the only thing that my hands will type. So, my thanks go out to TRN who believe in their product enough, with enough guts, to open them up to scrutiny or praise. Many companies do this but even more should follow suit. It gives their products exposure and advertising which would cost much more any other way. Of course, it is the company who takes all the risk, a risk I believe is worth it. It is an opportunity to listen and get better, or to bask in the praise of a job well done. So, with that out of the way… Ladies & Gents… the TRN MT3!

Gear Used
–Fiio UTWS5
–Zooaux Dongle Dac
–Shanling UA2
–IFi Go Blu
–Ibasso DX240 w/ Amp8 MK2

Packaging​

The packaging that the MT3 comes in is a very small box with a clear plastic top revealing the MT3 iems. As you open the plastic cover and unearth the Iems and begin digging through, you’ll find the eartips. There are six sets of eartips in total which, for the price… is not bad at all. Also, they aren’t bad quality tips, they are usable. You get three white tips and three black tips. Also packaged within is the cable nicely rolled up.

Build / Design / Internals / Fit / Isolation​

Build​

I think you can guess what I’m about to say here. For the price to have a completely Zinc Alloy Shell and cavity is an uncommon occurrence and one I am welcoming. The Shell is very nice with obvious durability in construction. In fact, I can’t think of a better built iem under $20 anywhere! There are no flaws to the construction that I can see. All clean lines and smooth transitions on the Faceplate and shell.

There is a QDC style 2-pin connector for swapping cables as well as two vents. One vent is nearer to the nozzle and there is one hidden vent within the Faceplate. I also see that the nozzles have small ridges or notches to better hold eartips in place. don’t have much else to add really except, nice job TRN!

Design​

I love the look. The polygonal lines which cover about 2/3 of the Faceplate area is a solid design choice. All in a Matte black colorway. TRN are becoming known for fantastic build quality and are really beginning to set themselves apart from other chifi branded companies… in my opinion. Think about it… what other chifi company is creating so many well-constructed and well styled iems at every price point? I’m sure there are some other brands which also put a priority into the design and build but TRN is really putting an emphasis on these attributes. Anyways, this set looks tough! The MT3 is all dude, blacked out all the way around and are pretty dope. Sorry for my teenage description but I don’t think I can say it better. TRN is really doing a great job at creating stylish, relevant and bold designs and doing so at incredible prices for the consumer.

Internals​

Inside of the Alloy housing is one 10mm Titanium-coated Composite Cavity Dynamic Driver. Supposedly this is to make the diaphragm more rigid than its predecessors. Also, the MT3 is promoted as having a dual chamber moving coil design in a double cavity structure and an exclusive resonant cavity configuration. I suppose I could’ve just let TRN do the talking as I pretty much just copy what they say anyways… See below…

Intense atmosphere

Dual-chamber moving coil design
TRN MT3 breaks through the conventional structure of the traditional dynamic unit, only containing a single cavity. The dynamic unit is specially designed with a double cavity structure and an exclusive resonant cavity configuration. That makes the diaphragm travel smoothly, and the low-frequency energy is naturally rich.
10mm titanium-plated diaphragm with a higher Young’s modulus than its predecessor significantly increased diaphragm rigidity while maintaining excellent damping. It provides better treble extension and detail.
TRN PROMOTIONAL

Click to expand...

Fitment​

They fit nice. I really don’t like adding this ridiculously subjective part of my reviews. I still don’t know why I do. Let’s pretend for a moment that we all have the exact same ears. Are you using your imagination? Okay, fellas… and ladies… the fit is very nice. These actually do hug my ears very well, of course I have not even an inkling for how well the MT3 will fit your ears.

Isolation

The MT3 have average isolation for me. Nothing which jumps out at me as spectacular. I’d say average for an iem which is not built specifically for stage use. When music is playing, I don’t hear the hum of my fan blowing around in my bedroom, or my daughter’s TV shows that she turns up… Far too Loud. So… Not bad.

Cable​

The cable is not the most spectacular that I’ve ever seen. Also, it is better than most <$20 iem cables in both look and feel. It is a white 4 core Silver Plated Copper (SPC) and is tightly wound. I instantly swapped the included as I listen mostly on balanced. Also, I really don’t like how tangled the included cable can get and the formed ear-hooks have a very tight curvature which gets hung up on things a lot. Actually, most of this review was completed with a balanced 16 core SPC Fedai cable. I realize that this is a very cheap iem and I shouldn’t expect something premium, but it (included cable) just isn’t my favorite. However, if you don’t have an upgrade cable at hand then the included cable is just fine for use with this set.

Ear-tips​

I did not use the ear tips provided either. I normally search out tips as one of the first thing I do on every review to hopefully find the best pairing. It is normally about an hour-long process at the longest. You will almost never read one of my reviews where I haven’t tip-rolled. Also, I didn’t really get a good seal with the provided tips. I instead went with “Tenmak Whirlwind” wide bore tips. They have a very firm flange, shallow fit and a nice wide bore which seals so very well for me. However, for much of the review process I went with KBear 07 medium/large tips as well. Both works very well with the MT3. Another pair which works nicely is the Fiio Vocal Tips.

On another note, TRN is sending me their own special (TRN T Tips) tips that are supposed to work very well with the MT3. Unfortunately, they were not here in this review sample, but I will circle back and edit after I recieve them if the sound changes.

Drivability​

So, the MT3 are fairly easy to drive. With an impedance listed at 28 ohms and a sensitivity of 114 dB, it doesn’t take a lot to push these. However, I did find I had to volume up a bit more than some of its competition. If I was at 55 with the XHBB then it was 65 with the MT3 to achieve the same dynamic expression as well as loudness. Not a big deal.

The Zoo Aux Dongle Dac performed well here. It proved this set easy to drive. In fact, I found no benefit at all to giving it more power really. Perhaps a better and more sonically gifted source like the IBasso Dx240 achieved a better auditory result but… that should go without saying. A decent Dongle Dac should prove to be perfectly capable of driving the MT3. The Shanling UA2 was stellar with this set as well as IFi Go Blu.

​

Quick Sound Impressions​

The TRN MT3 are a closer to neutral sounding set to my ears with some warmth just taking things left of center. We have been bombarded with warmer sounding budget iems of late and so the more pronounced upper 3rd of the MT3 adds some coolness and levity. I also hear a better balance than most iems at the price point but still I wouldn’t refer to these as “balanced”. The MT3 are a slight V-shaped iem with pronounced treble area, especially near the presence region and Mid-treble as well as a healthy dose of low end to try to balance things out a bit.

Bass/Mids/Treble​

The bass is impactful but not even close to bass-head levels. The low-end is quick (for a budget iem) and is sub-bass focused with a less boomy mid-bass that is not intrusive at all into the Mids. Overall I hear good texture in this region along with pretty good clarity.

The low-mids are a bit thin and are a hair recessed as well, but they are also pretty clean sounding, depending on the track. The upper-mids follow-suit and also have good clarity overall with a certain openness to the sound. Vocals do sound a bit thin for both male and female but veer more towards a natural playback to me.

The treble can get a bit Hot to me. Nothing too crazy but fatigue can set in for me on certain tracks (One example later). Details do come out pretty well so long as the track being played isn’t too chaotic. The stage is about average in my opinion while imaging is okay, and separation can feel a slight bit blended at higher volumes and while listening to congested tracks.

Bass​

As I said the bass is quicker than I would have thought and is actually quite nice. The MT3’s sub-bass has a dense depth that shows up when it is needed. This set has a good extension to the left with plenty of focus in this area. “Paradigm” by The Head and the Heart absolutely fills my ears with a haptic judder as the bassline rumbles along.

Mid-bass​

The mid-bass is a touch held back and doesn’t carry the same authority as the lowest of lows. However, bass light would not be the words I use to describe this set either. Not the most hammering or potent mid-bass, but I do detect some pretty nice texture. Attack is actually quick with a decently atmospheric decay/sustain while notes have pretty good definition.

Low end in a nutshell​

The low end is one of the highlights of the MT3 for me and for $16 I am more than satisfied with what TRN has done here. The bass shows up with a decent slam and good rumble when a track demands it, and you won’t hear any muddiness or veil at all. You’ll hear solid texture for the price and a pretty clean sound. “How to Play the Flute” by Macklemore is great listening with the MT3. Once the Flute intro is done the bass will drop and the MT3 give a very satisfying rumble.

Midrange ​

The midrange is on the up-front side of a slight recession. I say recessive, but in truth the recession isn’t great. Depending on the recording, males can have an edgy inflection to voices and also can sound more to the fore of the rest of the stage. Basically, more forward. With only a small bit of warmth and weight from the low-end, there is a very slight thinness to a man’s voice as well.

Simple / Complicated​

In complicated tracks however, sometimes the MT3 can’t keep up and some blending of sounds occurs. Hence why I say it really depends on the track and certain genres. Acoustic music sounds fantastic on this set. Like songs with only a simple acoustic guitar as in “Flower Shops” by Ernest and Morgan Wallen (Acoustic version), which is flat out awesome on the MT3. Both voices are clean and accentuated and seemingly natural and accurate. The details, like fingers gliding along the strings of the guitar or even the breathing before vocals make you feel like you are there being sung to. Overall clarity is nice in male vocals, and they sound hearty enough with good presence.

Female vocals​

Females are also just slightly thin, pretty forward and they also have a bit of shimmer to them. Females have a nice tonality, timbre and cadence for the most part. However, subtle glare can be heard, depending on the track and who is singing. Still, just like males, the female voices steer closer to natural sounding as the rising and the falling intonations of a female voice just sound good to me. Instruments in this region sound well reproduced for the most part, providing the recording isn’t too complicated. Sibilance isn’t really an issue at all either. All things considered the midrange is more open sounding and nicely balanced to the rest of the mix.

Treble​

The treble is pretty accentuated in the mid-treble area and then again out past 10k with decent extension. Again, this is a more open sound up top. Considering the emphasis in these areas, the treble can be a bit too much for a person who is treble shy. The treble isn’t always overly fatiguing for me but on some tracks… the MT3 can get HOT. “Bird Set Free” by Sia for example is a bit much during the chorus of the song. The issue is exacerbated when listening at higher volumes. I truly think that raising the volume can really bring out some glare in the treble. I do think these are isolated incidents where this occurs.

There can also be an unnatural emphasis to a very slight degree. You’ll hear it with cymbals and hi hats, almost a prolonged “chshhhhhhh”. Forgive me for the ridiculous explanation but the timbre and tonality are just outside of natural here.

On the flip side…​

On the flip side, the boost up top does bring out some decent details in the upper 3rd of the mix. Especially in more simple tracks the details can be pushed to the surface to a degree. Most instruments like the flute and sax sound nicely rendered for a $16 iem. Also, the piano can sometimes feel a bit forward (depending on the track) but for the most part there is a natural sound to keystrokes. Again, this is a more open and airy treble which leads way to a decently detailed sound so long as the song isn’t too hectic.

​

Soundstage/Separation/Imaging/Details​

Soundstage ​

The stage size feels about average to me. Average width, decent depth and average height. I’d say this is what all iems should at the very least shoot for, as far as stage size is concerned. Everything sounds appropriate to my music. Not enormous but also not closed in.

Separation & Imaging​

As far as separation and imaging goes, the running theme is that this set is great until things get a bit more congested. At which point instruments and voices begin to blend a little, layering takes a hit as well. Honestly it wasn’t anything which took me away from my music but something I should add. All in all, for $16 the MT3 separates and images the psycho-acoustic stage elements about par for the course. Not bad at all but there could be some improvement.

Details ​

The MT3 seems to do a bit better on the detail front in the upper areas of the frequency. Again, not class leading but not bad. Also again, in complicated tracks or at higher volumes things start to blend a bit. However, for the price this set sounds perfectly fine.

Conclusion​

Is it worth the price? ​

For the price of $16, TRN created a fine looking and very well built iem with a more balanced sound. For $16, or the price of a McDonald’s lunch for two you can have a very tough looking set in my opinion. I think the MT3 is absolutely priced where it should be. The sound correlates to the price and the build and looks shoot way over what TRN is asking with a healthy collection of ear tips as well and is pretty easily driven from low powered sources. I think the low end is well done with a cleaner midrange and crisp vocals. There are some issues with complicated songs and higher volume listening but as a whole this set plays right at the asking price.

In fact, the MT3 is very close to being included in my top echelon of ultra-budget auditory beasts. It’s problems slightly hold it back and for some these won’t be issues at all. I’m sure that many will love the tuning. I will say, in my opinion… tip-rolling is a must and trust me you can get this set sounding very nice. “Akros” (YouTube reviewer) actually has a fantastic video covering how he tip rolled the MT3 and does so very well and explains his thought process. I do believe it is worth your time to check that video out.

Get other perspectives…​

I hope that no one simply takes my word for it. Please seek out other reviews from other perspectives. We all hear differently, have different gear, we have different libraries of music and simply have different likes and dislikes. It always pays off in the long run to read or listen to or watch other reviews as I know we don’t all have a million dollars collecting lint in our pockets and most of us have to make our purchases count.

I want to thank TRN for providing the MT3 for a fair and honest review. I am a fan of TRN as I own or have owned many of their iems and I love the direction they are going in as a company. In fact, at some point soon I have a review of the TRN ST5 coming up which I do enjoy. I also want to thank anyone who stuck it out till the end of this review. Please take good care and stay safe… thanks.