TRN VX Pro 1DD + 8BAs

This is my impression after only about 24 hours of warm-up… Old guys’ ears typically lose the higher frequencies to certain extents, and I can attest to that in my right ear especially. Any phones/cable combos that attenuate the higher frequencies exacerbate this for me and seriously darken the music. These wonderful iems, when matched to a good balanced cable, open the mid and upper registers crisply. The dynamic driver provides exceptional bass with precision. The soundstage is wide and deep, and is sweetly airy. You can pay a lot more for iems that don’t sound as good as these sound. If they sound this good after only ~24 hours of break-in, they will be even better after 75-100 hours. If you think they initially sound sibilant, just play them for a day or two on a computer without listening, then review. At their current price, they’re a steal…

Hello , I'm Ah Hui aka Mr Wong. I'm a K-pop fan and audiophile from Malaysia.

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to TRN for Sending me this review unit and giving me the opportunity to review the TRN VX Pro.

I've been working with TRN for a long time, thus why I have a lot of TRN earphones. If you are interested with my reviews, feel free to check out my Facebook page called - MrWong Channel

PACKAGING:


WHEN OPENED THE BOX :


accessories :


DESIGN OF IEM :

Comfort: Comfort is great. It fits securely in my ears and I dont feel any sort of fatigue after long hours

Design : shining faceplate quite similar design like old TRN VX .

PRO:
crisp vocal present , details decent , deep sounstage ,imaging decent

CONS:
little bit harsh treble present , stock cable not good ,slow bass response

BASS: The bass here is deep and well layered. However, there's a noticeable slow bass response little bit mid-bass bleeding . When I listen to IZ*ONE - Hey Bae Like it ,I can feel the sub bass is deep and rumbly , but the mid - bass is bleed is very noticeable and the bass is slow response .

MIDS : laid back mids ,crisp female vocals present .When i listen to this Male Vocal track called 许冠杰 - 鬼马大家乐. I really enjoy the vocal present on here as it makes me feel the vocal little bleeding . How about female vocal ? Female vocal it's crisp but i feel it's bleeding when I listen 田馥甄 - 寂寞寂寞就好 I can feel the vocal is quite bleeding but overall it's good present .

HIGH : Treble is quite well extended. I feel the treble little bit harsh and feel some sibilant .When I listen IZ*ONE - UP I can feel the background of songs is bright ,harsh and sibilant .

SOUNDSTAGE : When listening to Lovelyz - Rewind, I can feel the soundstage is deep and wide .

IMAGING : it's about decent ,I can pinpoint the instrument and the singer on stage .

Details : detail retrieval here is about decent When I listen to some tracks, I can pick up on the micro-details.

Conclusion:
Overall I feel the bass is bleeding ,the bass is slow response .I think this price range got another good choice .I cant recommend you If you don't like the bass bleeding and the harsh treble .

Compare with TRN VX :
TRN VX is fast response bass , Less bass , treble more extended , treble more harsh overall the soundstage and imaging similar .

# Tested by FiiO X1 II with stock cable and Spinfit CP145 eartips .

Foreword



This unit was sent to me by HiFiGo for review purposes. Check out https://hifigo.com/products/trn-vx-pro (HiFiGo)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GVWXXQ3/trn+vx+pro/ (Amazon)

• I never use EQ
• My own VX Pro has undergone close to 300 hours of aging, combination of actual usage 3-4 hours daily and when not used, I left it burning in attached to my spare DAP, playing Synthetic Pink noise on loop.
• My impressions are done purely from subjective standpoint as a user. I am not a pro reviewer. So, I will not have any graphs or measurements to show.
• Now, the truth is I am not familiar with TRN. So, when HiFiGo asked if I would be interested to try out the TRN VX Pro, I agreed and I honestly have no idea what to expect. The only other TRN IEM I have ever owned and tested previously was the entry level TRN MT-1. VX Pro is definitely not an entry level IEM. In fact, TRN hailed it as one of their upper tier releases.

The Build
TRN VX Pro is a very ambitious Hybrid IEM. Sporting one 10mm Dynamic Driver and 8 Balanced Armatures per side. That’s the most count of drivers in a shell that I have ever had the opportunity to try. Rated at 22 Ohm and 106db of sensitivity, it is indeed a very sensitive and efficient IEM. Super easy to drive.

What I really like with the stock package (despite being quite spartan), proper Foam tips are included on top of the more popular silicone tips. My ears never seem to want to work well with silicones as they gave me comfort issues. Not forgetting the odd resonances with sound frequencies that I normally get from many silicone tips.

However, I must say that I was not happy with the stock cable. For the asking price TRN could have done better to offer something more solid and less flimsy. And inclusion of their own TRN T4 8 Core OCC Single Crystal Copper cable would have been perfect. Alas throughout my 300 hours with the VX-Pro I have swapped out the stock cable for my favorite go to set of Kinera Leyding (Modular OFC Litz 5N) and VE DI Copper Slim Edition (High Purity 5N OFC). Yes, VX Pro does synergize much better with the two copper cables, using SPC on VX Pro seems to have an impact of making it dry sounding. The OFC copper complement VX Pro exceedingly well with overall smoothness and transparency. The entirety of my review is based on using the stock TRN Foam Tips and the two OFC cables.



Equipment Used

• LG V50 ThinQ (3.5mm SE and USB Port)
• Sony Xperia X Compact (3.5mm SE and USB Port)
• HiBy Audio Player USB Exclusive Mode with FLAC files
• Questyle M12 3.5mm SE (2 Vrms)
• HiBy FC5 4.4mm BAL (2 Vrms)
• Cayin RU6 4.4mm BAL OS (2 Vrms)
• Lotoo PAW S2 4.4mm BAL (2 Vrms)
• Creative SX-Fi 3.5mm SE (2 Vrms)
• Abigail 3.5mm SE (1 Vrms)
• Avani 3.5mm SE (1 Vrms)
• CEntrance DACport HD 3.5mm SE (4.1 Vrms)
• VE RAP5 3.5mm SE (5 Vrms)
• VE Megatron 4.4mm BAL (4.7 Vrms)

Timbre, Tonality & Dynamics
TRN VX Pro, in general I would regard the overall tuning as a very matured sounding V IEM. Barely a V sounding unit if that makes any sense. In fact, I am more inclined to regard it as a W curve – or at least a very mild W. The timbre and tonality are admirably free of any hint of metallic tint – not quite organic sounding as some single DD that I am familiar with, but still very pleasing, nonetheless. This largely attributed to the nature of the source, with very analogue sounding partners like the CEntrance DACport HD, Lotoo PAW S2, Creative SX-Fi and Cayin RU6, the output is very smooth yet technically articulate. Pair it with ESS based DAC/Amps like HiBy FC5, LG V50 ThinQ and VE Megatron, it is markedly less organic, focused more on being brighter and crispy edged. What this translates to me, VX Pro is one hell of versatile unit that adapts very transparently to the source signature. It can sound outright V curved, driven from my LG V50 ThinQ or Sony Xperia X Compact, but with my favorite dongles of DACport HD and RU6, the presentation is a lot more naturally balanced with pronounced Mids (hence the W sound curve as noted earlier).

Dynamic Range on VX Pro is quite expansive, those many drivers crammed in there are not just for numbers, they did a great job at emitting sound frequencies assigned to them. From Lows, Mids to Highs, all accounted for with great finesse hence giving a great sense of overall balance which is very close to natural benchmark. I am hard pressed to ascertain if there’s any bias to specific frequencies as it does seem to me that they are moderated well to harmonize with each other – Dynamics coherence.

Mids
For something which is generally regarded as a V unit, VX Pro does perform exceedingly well on Mids. It is wholesome sounding as it is rich with textures. There’s enough organic warmth to keep vocals lively and engaging, ample and expertly moderated crispiness to instruments tonality, offering solid yet not overly done attack and decays – realistic. Be it Contralto, Baritone, Soprano, or anything in between, VX Pro is able to project them as how I perceive they should sound like.

Percussions and electronics both sounding quite believable, again with that general theme of wholesomeness and never a moment of getting any boxy or hollow resonances as would be found in some other IEMs.

For stringed instruments, guitars especially, the tone is faithful to the intended presentation. Smooth polished edged when paired with the likes of DACport HD, PAW S2 and RU6, crisp and fast with HiBy FC5 or LG V50. Either way I found it to be quite enjoyable to suit the moods.

Treble
This is what I like the most on this VX Pro. Simply put, this is Treble brightness done right. Treble presentation is decidedly well extended, with great airy decays and mature splashes that does not exhibit any unnatural tonality. Perhaps not as detailed or refined as how I have heard it from the likes of Shure KSE1500, Etymotic ER4SR, Etymotic EVO, Etymotic ER2XR or VE Duke, but if I am not comparing, then I would say VX Pro did an excellent job at keeping Treble texture and details realistic. Not a hint of sibilance observed no matter what source I played it with. Even with very shouty Black Metal Lo-Fi recordings played on YouTube. VX Pro simply just refused to sound harsh.

It must be noted though, that with the stock cable the Treble tend to sound a bit dry and not as better articulated. The OFC of Kinera Leyding and VE DI Copper imparted big role in keeping VX Pro Treble as smooth sounding as it is.

If I want my VX Pro to be more organic in presentation, I will keep it paired with DACport HD, PAW S2, RU6 or SX-Fi, if I prefer it to be crisper and with faster Treble decays, then I will pair my VX Pro with FC5, Avani, LG V50 and Questyle M12. Simply super versatile and adaptable.

Bass
What is certain, VX Pro will not appeal to Bassheads. The Mid-Bass is reined in quite a bit. It is still very solid and commanding, but never overpowering. Mid-Bass offers great texture with just about right amount of rumble to keep it engaging. The great thing is, Mid-Bass not as outright flat as would be found on Diffused Field IEMs.

Sub-Bass is decidedly mild, not as pronounced but still very present, the extensions still audible with smooth decays. The overall theme here seems to favor moderately articulated Bass responses that will allow the listener to have long sessions without the risk of Bass fatigue – something which I can appreciate a lot.

Technicalities
VX Pro has very spacious and wide Soundstage for an IEM, the depth being commendable, not exactly stellar but not disappointing either. But what’s more important the Imaging is crisp with great spatial positioning, very holographic – even great for FPS gaming I must say. This I believe attributed much to the multiple drivers doing their job at presenting sound layers properly in harmony. While not as clinically sharp and precise, the separation is clean and smooth (focus on smoothness, less on crispness).

Speed wise, I have nothing to complain here. What I am hearing is a cohesive response from VX Pro as a speedy unit with output that is very resistant to congestion and compressions. Be it multi-instruments and layers or outright speedy stuffs above 200 BPM, VX Pro does it well with the pace. I have not observed any of my favorite songs getting muddy or sluggish. So, this is a huge win in my book.

Details handling on VX Pro, admittedly fell a bit short of the big boys at TOTL level. I get much better Macro and Micro details from the likes of Shure KSE1500, Etymotic ER4SR or Etymotic EVO. But hey this does not mean VX Pro is a slacker, it is amply resolving as it is transparent – especially at this asking price point. So, I would not dwell too much on this.

Scalability
VX Pro is one hell of versatile IEM. Despite being highly efficient with that 106db of sensitivity and 22 Ohm resistances, I have found VX Pro to scale amazingly well with more power.

Already synergizing great with Abigail/Avani/Sony Xperia X Compact/LG V50 up to 1 Vrms, VX Pro gets better and better as the power goes up, All the way to over 5 Vrms I am hearing marked improvement in headroom allocation and more refined dynamic transients. This is not an easy thing to achieve as many multi drivers IEMs I have tested so far tend to end up sounding outright edgy and shouty as more power are subjected to them, but not VX Pro. Even with the atrociously powerful VE Megatron, VX Pro just seamlessly synergize with that 4.7 Vrms monster that was designed to drive very stubborn stuffs at 600 Ohms. But of course, the usable volume hovers at around 3/100 max, lol. Simply amazing.



Verdict
All in all, I am truly impressed with this TRN VX Pro. I did not expect it to perform as it is. But yes, I would rather be pleasantly surprised than being smugly disappointed with unrealistic expectations.

The most glaring Cons that I would say about VX Pro is that it needed immense amount of Burn-In to show its true potential. I have observed that the refinements as noted in my sound impressions only started to solidify at the mark of over 150 hours. No, it is not just my ears adjusting to it. I spend no more than 4 hours each session in between Burn-In loops. Checking it periodically to observe if there’s any improvements as the clock ticks. This is much similar to TIN HiFi P1 and Etymotic ER4SR, both of which needed long aging to sound their best. Even my HZSOUND Heart Mirror only started to sound smooth only after 200 hours. So, despite listing it as a Cons, VX Pro burn-in length is not entirely an oddity.

On top that, I already mentioned that I didn’t like the stock cable at all. VX Pro does not sound great with SPC pairing. It will tend to end up sounding dry and less organic with those Silver-Plated Cables. For my own usage, Kinera Leyding did the trick for me. I get lots of smooth articulation while retaining great resolution. If I want a bit more of crisper transparency, then the VE DI Copper Lite stand ready to be swapped in. The idea is, pairing VX Pro with the right copper-based cables will yield great results.

On the aspect of details handling, VX Pro could have done a bit more. But I am not going to complain much on this especially at this price point. It is more than adequate within the price segment.

Last but not least, VX Pro being able to synergize with many types of sources is a huge plus in itself. Be it natively tuned AKM or ESS Sabre based DACs or even Realtek/Conexant, VX Pro seems to have the knack of blending in well to complement the sound signature of the sources.

TRN VX Pro, delivering qualities above the asking price. Totally worth it.

TRN VX Pro Review



Intro

TRN is no stranger to the audiophile community. They are churning out new IEMs at a rapid pace and I gotta admit some of their products are miss rather than hit. What about the VX Pro that I will review today? Safe to say, the VX Pro is a hit rather than miss. Sporting a 8BA+1DD configuration, the DD is responsible for the low, and 4 of the 30095 BAs are responsible for the high frequency reproduction and 4 50060 BAs for the mid frequency reproduction.


Packaging

The packaging for VX Pro is above average as it came with 2 types of eartips, bass tips and balanced tips and a pair of memory foam, also with steel carrying case and also a quarter inch adapter. Rather straightforward packaging

8/10 for packaging


Build and Comfort

The shell of VX Pro is made out of aerospace grade magnesium alloy according to TRN. On my hand, they do look very sturdy and premium-ish. Heck they even share some resemblance to Meze’s Rai Penta. The whole housing is very smooth and has no rough edges.

They’re very comfortable on the ear as well. Wearing them for several hours without any discomfort. Though, your mileage may vary as everyone has different ear structures.

9/10 for build and comfort


*not stock cable

Source

Foobar2k -> Audioquest DragonFly Red -> TRN VX Pro (Stock cable and Spinfit CP145)
Foobar2k -> RHA DACAMP L1 ->TRN VX Pro (Stock cable and Spinfit CP145)


Sound

On first listen, TRN VX Pro is very easy to listen to and fun sounding at the same time. Overall they are quite balanced and despite the BAs being positioned right at the nozzle, it doesn’t sound harsh at all. The tonality is quite pleasant and I believe it’s tonality is one that most people won’t fault. Tuning wise I would say it is leaning towards V-shaped.


Bass

• Bass quantity is adequate to my ears, not too much that it causes muddiness nor make the bass sound bloated. Not too little that it diminishes the “fun” factor
• Bass is tight and punchy with the Spinfit CP145 eartips, with stock tips it sounded a little loose and less controlled
• Bass extension is fairly good
• 8/10

Mids

• Vocal placement is forward and does feel intimate
• Decent details in the midrange
• Very good mid range overall
• There is a peak from the upper mids which causes some instruments to sound a little splashy
• Vocal does lack a little body to my taste as it sounded a little lean for both female and male
• 8/10

Treble

• Energetic treble
• Doesn’t sound harsh nor sibilant
• Good amount of details
• Extension can be better
• Not a detail monster for sure despite having high driver count
• 8/10

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is average in my opinion. Lacking in depth, but the width is alright, lacking a little air that makes it sound open
• Imaging is good as the instruments can be pinpointed easily
• Instrument separation is average,at certain track it can get a little congested
• Overall average, nothing to shout out about

Driveability/Source Pairing

• easy to drive and you will get acceptable volume level even off smartphone
• Benefit from better source/dac/amp
• Tried pairing it with warm source like Cayin N3 Pro, it sounded a little too boomy
• Good synergy with Dragonfly Red and RHA Dacamp L1 (Both sporting ESS Dac)

Final Thoughts

I have been listening to TRN’s VX Pro throughout the week at several hours a day, they are very easy to like and I believe it will please the general listeners.

At 88 USD, it does hold its ground pretty well. It will not trump any top tier IEM nor it will claim the title of best budget offering of the year, it is good in its own way.

I don’t have anything against TRN, most of their recent releases are kinda like a miss more of a hit to me. However, VX PRO is definitely a hit to my ears. Very easy to listen to without feeling fatiguing.

Having said that, that doesn’t mean that VX Pro doesn’t have its weaknesses. Having a forward presentation, that causes it to be lacking in terms of depth and that directly translates into a poor instrument separation. However, if sounds pretty alright on most of the tracks unless you are all about metals or hardcore stuffs. You will be okay

Overall, a 4.5/5 from me for VX Pro

*Big thanks to JieRu From TRN for sending me this in exchange for my honest opinion.
If you are interested in purchasing this unit, please head over to the following link to purchase.

TRN VX PRO

TRN VX PRO Chifi IEMs - Brightest Shape Of Metal



TRN VX PRO is a 9 Driver Entry-level IEM priced at 88 USD. They made a hybrid design, and gave VX PRO one dynamic driver, and 8 Balanced Armatures. It will be compared with Tin Hifi T3 Plus (70 USD), HIDIZS MS2 Rainbow (90 USD), and CCA CKX (70 USD).

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Introduction

TRN Audio or TRN Hifi is a really interesting company from China, who created the first IEM that electrocuted me in the ears, at a literal level. They evolved a ton since then, and their current offer includes many popular entry-level choices, but I recommend considering Linsoul as your main source for Chifi stuff rather than purchasing it directly from Aliexpress. Linsoul helps you with the shipping, customs, and repair process, and they provide support in every step along the way, being much more reliable than purchasing randomly off Aliexpress. Linsoul also has much lower shipping times than most Aliexpress packages, and I'm still waiting for products I ordered from Ali months ago, while Linsoul shipped and delivered VX PRO to me in less than a week. Linsoul also has cheaper prices than the original stores most of the time, and they are available on Amazon as well, being the main gateway pusher of Chifi products to the west.

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Linsoul or TRN Hifi, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I'd like to thank Linsoul for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in TRN VX PRO find their next music companion.



Packaging

First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:





The package of TRN VX PRO is actually impressive, and they come with a metallic carrying case, similar to the one HIFIMAN ships their RE2000 and RE2000 Silver IEMS in. There is also a good collection of tips, including two types of silicone tips, each in three pairs, one pair of foam tips, and one adapter from 3.5mm to 6.3mm.



Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

Someone actually asked me today how is it possible that VX PRO has 9 drivers per ear, but then I sat and said, many drivers do not equal strong or detailed sound. Many drivers are just many drivers. We have a good configuration though, with one CNT or Carbon NanoTube Dynamic Driver, and eight Balanced Armatures per each ear. This is impressive, even as a statement, as for the 88 USD price of the IEM, we need to assume that the package is at least 10 USD, cable is at least 15 USD, which means that the drivers cost at most 31 USD per IEM, which would mean a driver cost of at most 3 USD per driver. Of course, using Belsing drivers, it is possible to find even more affordable ones, but the question is how will it sound, rather than what is inside.



The outer shell of VX PRO is made from aluminum, in a five axis high-precision CNC machine, and you can see how all edges match perfectly and the IEMs are made like a flagship. There's no electric leakage this time around, and using VX PRO is a pleasure. The cable is a 4-Core Silver-Plated Copper Cable, a good build quality. It is not tangle prone, the cable is well made, and does not carry microphonic noise at all, being slightly soft rather than hard and springy. The cable is detachable, and based on the 2-Pin reversed connector, a popular connector for entry level products, especially Chifi IEMs.



We have a rather low impedance on VX PRO, at 22 OHMs, which is pretty good, but the somewhat lower sensitivity of 106dB means that they won't be that easy to drive, but will be somewhat sensitive to hiss. In fact, I can hear hissing even with high-end DAPs, like iBasso DX240, using their AMP8 MK2 module, but cannot hear any hissing with Astell & Kern SE180. There are two color options, and I am happy to have received the Moonshine Silver variant, it is the more beautiful one.

If you look on Linsoul, or other websites (TRN Hifi does not seem to have a website of their own), the driver arrangement looks more like a gatling gun than a driver configuration for an IEM. As TRN states, there are 18 drivers working together to satisfy your hifi Fantasy.



Now to the comfort of TRN VX PRO, they are mostly comfortable. The IEM shells are large, the bore is large, and I can totally feel them, plus the IEM shells are on the heavy and bulky side. The design is really ergonomic and has no edges, but won't work for small ears.



The ear hook cable part is really tight, but it is soft and made of silicone, so it won't bother you. They isolate extremely well from the outside noise, with about 20 and up to 30 dB of passive noise isolation, and even with quiet music playing I was unable to hear my gf screaming at me from right next to me (she's working on editing more Audiophile-Heaven Videos, God Bless Her). VX PRO does leak somewhat to others, and even quiet music is audible to others while wearing them. You can feel the dynamic driver while inserting them, but you can't hear any distortion and it won't flex too much.



Sound Quality

The overall sound of VX PRO can be described as rich, detailed, fun, engaging, V-Shaped with a strong bottom end and a very strong, bright treble, textured presentation, and fairly good instrument separation / imaging. For driving them during today's review, I have been using iBasso DX240 with AMP8 MK2, Astell & Kern SE180, Lotoo PAW6000, and Dethonray DTR1+ Prelude.



The bass of TRN VX PRO is clean, deep, and rolls off at about 40 Hz, in a gentle fashion. Most of its energy is between 40 Hz and 80 Hz, having a thumpy and impactful presentation, with a good body and good strength. There's no upper bass elevation that bleeds in the midrange, which is nice to see, but the bass to treble ratio is a bit low, causing the whole signature and tuning to be somewhat bright. I find it ideal to listen to VX PRO while at home and sitting in my chair, writing reviews, but for outdoor walks, they are a bit bright and lack lows for my ears. The bass has a natural speed, not very nuanced presentation, making all bass notes sound similar, but has good presence when it is called for, and doesn't roll off from Metal, Rock and Punk music, for example Attack Attack - Stick Stickly, the Crab Song having a really impressive bottom end that can be heard as low as 40 Hz during the intro of the song. The same song continues having a really bright and detailed presentation of textures, and a clean overall tuning to it.



The midrange of VX PRO is also clean, fun and detailed, with excellent overall width, and average depth. The midrange is somewhat crispy, with tons of textures, and has a really clean presentation, edging on being clinical at times, having a rather low amount of thickness and body. The midrange has a bright tuning, with an analytical edge that brings all details forward, focusing more on how detailed sound can be rather than musicality and smoothness. VX PRO is great for discovering macro details in music, especially rock, metal and Electronic music. On songs like Shiki - Bowsette, I can hear a really nice vocal presentation, and the piano effects playing far in the background. The bass focus is great, and the song has a nice weight / impact. Instrument separation is superb, and detail is nice too. The treble is quite bright, and all effects / drums have a tss sound that's emphasized.

The treble of VX PRO is where most of their energy is, as they have a really open, sparkly, edging on too much treble. VX Pro has a ton of information in the upper registers, and presents music sharply, with good air and a wide stage. For example, on ChuggaBoom - Bohemian Rhapsody, all voices are slightly sibilant and harsh, and there's a strong emphasis on cymbals and their energy, but that's a peak focus, as not the entire treble is enhanced, but a 12-14kHz peak specifically. TRN VX PRO is plenty dynamic and for an enrttry-level IEM with many drivers, they have tons of dynamics, sounding superb with Linkin Park and NuMetal in general.



Comparisons



TRN VX PRO vs Tin Hifi T3 Plus (88 USD vs 70 USD) - T3 Plus is smaller than VX PRO, also lighter, but VX PRo feels and looks better made, with a more quality construction, and a slightly better cable from the factory. The tuning is much warmer, thicker, much smoother on T3 Plus which is basically a basshead IEM with a natural sound, where VX PRO is considerably more detailed, more analytical, has a wider soundstage, more air in the treble and a much brighter tuning.

TRN VX PRO vs HIDIZS Ms2 Rainbow (88 USD vs 90 USD) - MS2 Rainbow is lighter, more comfortable, but made of plastic and can feel a bit gimmicky in person, compared to VX PRO which feels better made but is larger and heavier. The overall signature is thicker, with more mid bass emphasis, a warmer presentation and it is smoother on Ms2 Rainbow from HDIZIS. By comparison, VX pro sounds more analytical, has more detail, brighter tuning, is more dynamic, and sounds more open, more airy, with a wider soundstage.

TRN VX PRO vs CCA CKX (88 USD vs 70 USD) - CKX is actually very similar in tuning to VX PRO, but physically smaller and more comfortable. VX PRO has better build quality, at the cost of a larger build and higher weight. VX PRO is more detailed, but also brighter and more sparkly. I prefer the overall resolution of VX PRO for certain rock and metal, but the treble can get fatiguing quicker than the sound of CKX, which feels more natural. If you want to hear the most detail Chifi has to offer, at this exact price point, I recommend checking out VX PRO.



Value and Conclusion

At the end of the day, when judging TRN VX PRO for their 88 USD price tag, they are an excellent deal. It is quite hard to find IEMs as detailed, clean and analytical around the price point. They have a nice soundstage too, plus a good amount of bass that doesn't roll off too soon, considering the price. The comfort is fine too, and the build quality is superb.



You won't have to worry about warranty and having problems down the line if you decide to order from Linsoul, and they are one of the shops who offer excellent delivery times, support for their customers, along with some of the best deals ever seen. If you want to make things even better for you, I recommend checking their store on Amazon, as you'll have the coverage of both Linsoul and Amazon.



If you're looking for a high-quality IEM with a nice build quality, tons of details, a nice build quality, good comfort, beautiful aesthetics, and a bright, vivid, analytical sound with good dynamics and a wide stage, for a pocket friendly price, TRN VX pro from Linsoul is an excellent choice.

VX Pro is a brand new multi-driver hybrid IEM from the house of TRN Audio. TRN is widely known for its pocket-friendly Hifi audio products including IEMs, BT TWS adapters, and TWS earphones. TRN VX Pro has big numbers on paper featuring 9 drivers(1DD+8BA) on each side. This is my second experience with TRN, first was their entry-level single-dynamic MT-1 which as per me delivered quality sound at a very attractive price point. Now coming to the VX Pro, I have spent the past few weeks with the set listening to some of my favorite tracks. Some things I absolutely adore about this set like its thick and meaty bass, clean vocals, and some I find minor issues with like a slight metallic touch to its timbre, but overall it’s a good package. Let’s begin with its detailed review.

Disclaimer:-

I got the TRN VX Pro as a part of a review tour organized by HiFiGo here in my country. All impressions in this blog are completely my own based on my own experience with the set. I thank Hifigo for this opportunity, you can buy it from their store from the link below or by clicking here.

https://hifigo.com/products/trn-vx-pro?variant=41328565190830
Design & Build:-

TRN has designed premium metallic shells for the VX Pro. The pair looks sturdy and solid, they feel good to hold. Despite having a huge 9 driver configuration, the shell size is pretty average and ergonomic. They are not huge or heavy by any means in fact with their ergonomic shape, the pair fits comfortably. I got a matte finished navy blue color VX Pro, which IMO looks richer and better than the chrome one.

In terms of design and build, the VX Pro ear shells are very well built. But they have paired an average quality stock cable with the pair. The cable tangled so many times, that I was just into untangling it for 10-15 minutes every day.

Fit & Isolation:-

As mentioned earlier, there are no issues with fit with the VX Pro. The pair fits perfectly fine and covers my entire ear canal(I have medium-sized ears), It provides good isolation from the surrounding noises.

TRN VX Pro Power Requirements:-

VX Pro is a sensitive pair of IEMs, it has a low-impedance rating of just 22Ω and high-sensitivity of 106dB. It can be driven easily even straight off a smartphone. I ran it off with my Redmi Note 10 Pro without any issue. Although with a better DAP and DAC/AMP, it scales well and provides immersive sound with better extensions at both ends of the frequency range. One will be able to enjoy it with a smartphone but a decent enough DAP or DAC/AMP is recommended from my side(like Shanling M3X, xDuoo XD05, FiiO BTR5, FiiO Q5s, and more).

Sound:-

VX Pro produces fun and engaging sound output. It delivers quality lower end with powerful slams in the mid-bass region and decent rumble in the sub-bass region. The pair has a V-shape sound profile, which means we have elevated bass and treble while the midrange is recessed. Even with such a powerful lower end, there is good clarity throughout the frequency range. The pair has a pretty good level of detail retrieval too. Though not everything just glitters with the VX Pro. The biggest issue I have with the pair would be its metallic timbre that comes out quite often with instruments such as Violins, Electric Guitars. Other than that, I am pretty sure VX Pro will satisfy your hunger for a fun-sounding IEM on a budget. Now onto different frequency regions.

As mentioned earlier, VX Pro’s lower end is slammy and powerful. It is fast, hits precisely, and presents a deep lower-end response. I guess it's the dynamic driver here at works that deliver such a good bass response. In some fast tracks like Billie Jean by MJ, you might notice the lower end to leak into the lower mids, but nothing to worry about, the BA drivers maintain good resolution and clarity in the vocals and instruments. The bass on the VX Pro is good both in terms of quantity as well as quality, you get to hear a well-textured bass response with the pair.

Midrange has a recessed presentation mainly in the lower mids section, vocals in the upper mids section tend to come forward they sound upfront and detailed. VX Pro retrieves pretty good details in the midrange. Vocals have a warmer than neutral tone to them, they sound crisp and lush. Female vocals in tracks such as “Hey Now by London Grammar” show excellent characteristics. Male Vocals also maintain good clarity and tonality. Acoustic instruments sound phenomenal with the set.

Treble presentation with the VX Pro is clean and detailed. The pair shows good energy in the treble region and at the same time plays it safe in an inoffensive manner. I would say the extensions in the treble region could be a bit better. The main con with the VX Pro lies in the treble region with the metallic timbre that makes it sound dry at times. Apart from that, there is no sibilance or harshness with the pair. It has above-average detail retrieval for its price point.

The soundstage with the VX Pro is pretty wide but it’s average in terms of depth and height. VX Pro does a great job in layering and imaging different instruments on the soundstage.

Final Words:-

TRN VX Pro delivers a rich sound experience at a pretty good price point. I would like to repeat the words with which we started this blog with, The VX Pro does some things really good like presenting punchy, fast bass response, maintaining good clarity for vocals and instruments, has a pretty wide soundstage presentation although it has some of its flaws too mainly being the metallic timbre in the treble region. With all these things said, I would say for around 90$, the VX Pro delivers a fun and engaging sound, a sound that let you enjoy your favorite music for long hours.

Introduction:
TRN has recently introduced TRN VX pro as their latest hybrid IEM retailing at sub 100$ range using a 1DD+8BA driver setup. Even at a budget price the quality of earpieces it top notch with full metallic housing. The stock cable on the other hand feels bit degrade to the overall build quality. The IEM is very much comfortable to wear and is design is very ergonomic and elegant.



Disclaimer:
I have received as part of review circle sent from Hifigo in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range. The IEM can be purchased at: https://hifigo.com/products/trn-vx-pro

Sources:
For this review the unit has been paired to LG V30+ and Shanling M6 (AK4495EQ).



Highs:
The TRN VX pro offers a typical V-Type signature. The treble region is bit boosted and is very well extended. The overall presentation is very airy. The detailing in treble region is quite average. But the overall tonality is very good. Unlike other multi driver IEMs of this range which are prone to sibilance, VX pro does much better job. During my testing it never became harsh or sibilance whatsoever track I threw to it.

Mids:
The mid-range is laid back and relaxing. The mid tones are rich and the vocals sound lush. Overall the mids sound engaging. The instrument details and textures are quite nice done for the price. The overall texture and tonality have a slight organic touch to it.



Lows:
The bass does get boomy, I would say talking in terms of quantity is too much and can fill in all the desires of a casual basshead, but in terms of quality I would say it's not that clean. At times it does feel over powering but not to such extend to cause any fatigue. Talking about sub-bass, the IEM does a decent job as well.

Technicalities:
The staging capabilities of TRN VX pro are quite good. The overall depth and width feels very good although it is not that precise but yet fills the complete headroom. The separation and details are average.



Final Verdict:
In a nutshell I would say that TRN VX pro is a typical V-shape IEM, Mids do feel bit recessed and generally pushed to the background but has good timber and sounds well weighted and organic. The treble and bass performance is quite good and in this price range it’s a monster IEM with 1DD+8BA driver setup. I do recommend to upgrade the cable to a better for much improved performance.

INTRODUCTION:

TRN, the brand based out of China is a well known brand among the Chi-Fi seekers. The brand has a lot of expertise in IEM manufacturing especially in the budget segment. The BA5 being their full BA setup, IEM got an exploding response from the consumers and got a nice reputation among the fellow audiophiles. The VX Pro is their latest offering accommodating 1 DD and 8 BA drivers on either side of the earpiece totalling a 9 driver setup. In this review let’s see how this performs, Pros and Cons of this IEM.



SPECIFICATIONS:

10mm dual-magnet dynamic driver

Custom 30095 balanced armatures

Custom 50060 balanced armatures

Frequency response: 7Hz-40000 Hz

Connector: recessed 2 pin

Impedance: 22ohm

Sensitivity: 106dB

Aluminum Magnesium Alloy Housing

Detachable 4 Core Silver-plated Copper Cable

DISCLAIMER:

This unit has been provided to me as part of a review circle organised by the team HiFiGo and thanks to the team for adding me in their tour. This review is completely based on my observations and experience with this product hence i have not been influenced by the brand to manipulate these below mentioned views. This view is also based on my pairing with the source hence it might vary from person to person.

Interested in purchasing this ? Order via this unaffiliated link! : https://hifigo.com/products/trn-vx-pro

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design of the VX Pro is quite subtle but yet looks modern. The full construction is made out of CNC machined aluminium and it is matted out on the exterior surface giving that nice smooth touch. The connector is not retained with the QDC type instead of the MMCX since the later one is a problematic one.

The nozzle is a gold plated metal giving a nice sturdy feeling. The fit is quite nice with average isolation. The cable provided is crappy where the SPC cable looks and feels below average and doesn’t match the aesthetics of the earphone. The eartips provided are quite good.



SOUND:

The sound profile of the VX PRO is more on a fun side with W shaped tuning. Being a hybrid IEM the bass presence is satisfyingly dominating. The BA inside the IEM gives an immense amount of clarity and separation while the Dynamic driver handles the dynamic part of the sound. The bass is elevated to quite a bit and the treble is nicely extended. The midrange is not recessed but the elevated bass does make the midrange to be quite subdued. The upper midrange is elevated quite a bit and there is a peak in the graph too hence treble sensitives should be staying away from it.

LOW END:

The low end is quite dominating here where both the sub bass and the mid bass is nicely presented. The sub bass rumble is more than adequate. The sub bass extension is done very well and reaches quite deeper.

1. Somebody To Love – Kyrill & Redford

The mid bass is thick and full bodied giving a nice complement to the sub bass presence. The mid bass is bloomy hence sometimes it feels that it overshadows the mid range but for EDM and casual listening this does provide that nice fun listening overall.

1. Middle Finger – Bohnes

Overall the bass is thick, well extended, full bodied, rumbling, textured and well controlled. The bleed is not observed that much but the thing that causes that overshadowing of the midrange is that boosted bass. The clarity and the separation is exciting. The detail retrieval and the track separation is quite astonishing despite that massive bass attack. Even though they possess good enough separation the massive mid bass masks them.

But one complaint that I can say here is that if they have reduced the mid bass presence a bit and let the sub bass focus be done then the low end here could have been even better. The bass presence is fuller but they don’t create that ethereal environment or that vibrating sense. Despite all those complaints i have mentioned the bass has been tuned on the fun side and it really kicks you when you listen to Pop and EDM tracks for sure! ☺.



MID RANGE:

The worst thing about the hybrids is that they usually don’t have that coherent sound where the midrange takes a different route but that's not the case with the VX Pro! Despite the usage of the BA drivers the tonality and the timbre is maintained very good to natural. There is a slight hint of metallic taste but still compared to the other hybrids this does the job well.

The midrange takes a step back in the presentation but not drastically like what the V shaped would sound like. The male and female vocals are placed in the adequate position in the staging while the instruments are more pushed back thus some of the finer instruments like the strings gets lost in the complex tracks.

1. Just Another Girl – The Killers

In this track being a nice complex track the IEM managed to nicely playback this while making the bass to bloom out of the track giving a nice listening experience. The vocal tonality is managed very well near to natural but still has that brighter metallic tone. The timbre of the instruments however has that metallic taste even though they tried to mask that. The cymbals and the piano notes take that hit while the kick drums manage to sound natural.

There is a slight upper midrange peakness thus the Shh sounds slightly harsher but they are not that frequent and happens only in certain tracks.

The detail retrieval and the track separation are above average since there is no doubt where the multi drivers takes the role and delivers an exceptional separation. Another quite astonishing fact is that the imaging and layering is done very well here where the instruments are nicely spaced out giving a nice sense of wide staging too.

TREBLE:

The treble here is nicely extended out, managing to bring out the maximum details out of the tracks. The multi BA’s take the role here to take this IEM up a notch. The shimmer and the brilliance in the top end is quite nice giving that adequate brightness to the overall listening experience.

The guitar strings sound quite natural despite that BA presence. The kick drums are not affected while the cymbal crashes sound slightly brighter and metallic too.

The cymbal crashes have realistic attack and decay where the splash is on an adequate side. The problem though is that since the highs have more brightness, in the complex tracks the instrument separation feels slightly hazier. The presentation has a lot of air moving in thus creating that wide serene.

1. Miss Atomic Bomb – Killers
2. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall – Coldplay

The treble section didn’t create any sort of sibilance in the longer listening session while only that upper midrange affected a bit of sibilance.



TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The staging is a well rounded one. The width is more than adequate, providing a nice and wide presence. In fact I have to say that the width is really wide enough. The depth is great too since that bass presence is quite dominating here. The height just correlated with that of the width and the depth.

IMAGING AND LAYERING: These two qualities are brought out really nicely in this hybrid setup. The imaging is quite precise with nice placement of the instruments despite that low end massiveness. The transient response felt nice and smooth while the channel sweep also felt smooth with no stutters.

Detail retrieval and the track separation are above average while the tonality and the timbre are the only constraints with that metallic, brighter, BA taste.

VERDICT:

VX Pro, the latest offering from the house of TRN is a great package for those fun audiophiles out there. TRN is a brand which released a lot of hybrid IEMs in their previous lineup and the VX Pro is their latest addition to it having a 10mm DD and 8 BA on either side of the earpiece.

The VX Pro has a solid build quality with full CNC machined aluminium while also retaining that QDC connector rather than the problematic MMCX! The ergonomics of the IEM is pretty good but not the best. They do isolate well but not in a great fashion. The design looks subtle yet reminds me of a futuristic look.

The sound is as solid as that of the build. The exciting hybrid setup not only provides that nice detailed sound but also that fun, engaging and dynamic sound too. The bass here is the star show here giving nice thumpy and full bodied bass, quite rumbling too! The midrange even though slightly overshadowed by the low end still managed to sound beautiful despite that metallic tonality and timbre. The highs have that natural extension and a good amount of shimmer and brilliance in the top end. Staging being nice and wide with best imaging and layering experience.

The VX Pro may not tick all the boxes but does tick the boxes of pure fun driven sound. The hybrid setup being a detailed set also brings the exciting fun to the table giving a NICE HYBRID FUN to the audiophiles out there!

Disclaimer:

The TRN VX Pro was sent to me by HiFiGO as part of a review tour in my country. The impressions shared in this write-up are based on my usage of the IEM for a week or so. I am in no way affiliated with either Hifigo.com or TRN and have no incentive whatsoever in writing anything positive or negative about the IEM.

The IEM can be purchased from HiFiGO using the following link:

https://hifigo.com/products/trn-vx-pro




Introduction:

TRN is a well-known brand in the budget Chi-Fi segment and the VX Pro is their latest multi-driver offering consisting of 8 BAs and 1 DD. The IEM comes in 2 variants blue and silver which are available with or without a mic for about 90 USD. Since the unit I received was unboxed and came with minimal accessories, I will not be able to talk about the unboxing experience.

The VX Pro has a CNC machined aluminum faceplate and the overall construction is quite impressive. The IEM is quite comfortable in terms of fit. The stock cable however looks and feels flimsy and IMO does a huge disservice to the otherwise capable IEM. The stock cable is SPC (silver plated copper) and it tends to make the IEM sound splashy/shouty, especially in the lower treble region. The stock tips although decent, weren’t able to provide a good seal, hence resulting in sibilance. A lot of this changes with a simple change in cable and tips, which I will discuss below.



Tip and Cable rolling:

I tried the IEM with a copper cable (FiiO LS 2.5A) and found a huge improvement in terms of dynamic range. The mids too seemed more refined and the treble was smoothened out quite a lot. Overall, the sound was a lot more engaging with the cable change. In terms of ear tips, I really liked the VX Pro with regular spiral dots tips (EP-FX9), as they accentuated the bass and tamed the shoutiness found in the lower treble region. In terms of foam ear tips, I’d recommend the flare universal memory foam tips as they have a similar effect on SQ as the spiral dots. If one finds the bass on the VX pro too much in terms of quantity, they can try the spiral dots SF (EP-FX11) for a more balanced sound.



Sound:

The TRN VX Pro has a V-shaped sound signature, though using the LS2.5A makes the mids a bit more prominent, giving it a slight W-shaped sound. The bass is clearly the dominating factor here. There are vast amounts of bass and sub-bass here that are likely to please bass heads. However, it is not the best when it comes to texture. Thus, it may not be the most impressive in terms of details in the low end, but it does provide a lot of boom in the lower end.

The mids are somewhat recessed with the stock cable. Changing to a copper cable elevated the mids quite a bit. The good thing here is that there is no bass bleed into the mids and thanks to the multiple BAs, there is a lot of clarity in the Mids. The notes sound too lean with the stock cable, however, the copper cable (FiiO LS-2.5A) provides good note weight. Thus, resulting in nice and organic sounding mids that are quite good considering the price point.




The highs are well extended and the IEM has a very airy presentation. Again, it is not the best in terms of details, but the performance in this region is above average, especially considering the price point. I would suggest one to tip-roll as the shoutiness / sibilance observed in the lower treble / upper mids region was tamed by a huge extent based on different tips I tried with it.



In terms of technicalities, the VX pro is average. It does have a wide stage with sufficient depth, but it loses points in terms of imaging as it is not very accurate. It however has good separation and provides for a fun listening experience thanks to its non-fatiguing signature.





Verdict:

The TRN VX Pro is a worthy candidate for anyone who is looking for a budget bass-heavy IEM. Be prepared to spend some extra money on a cable and tips and you’re likely to have a fun-sounding IEM that can be used for long listening sessions without fatigue.

Disclaimer : The unit was provided by Hifigo as a part of a review tour but all thoughts and opinions are my own. You can purchase the TRN VX Pro here.

Build and Fit
TRN's flagship doesn't come at a flagship price. Thankfully the build quality is what you'd expect from a sub 100 USD earphone. All metal chassis with rounded and nicely machined edges. Comfort is good for my ears and I don't see this is as being an issue for others. Unfortunately the cable is is mediocre quality and I expected one with a better build which exudes a premium quality. The cable looks and feels akin to the likes included by KZ. But hey, if it sounds good, all is forgiven.



Amp Needs
At 22 ohm, 106 dB/mW, the TRN VX Pro is easily driven off phone and there is no need for a dedicated external amplifier.



Sound Quality
The tuning has a V shape to it which is obvious the moment you put them on. Implementing a V shaped tuning nicely is quite difficult as there are inherent pitfalls associated to such a tuning. Unfortunately the VX Pro cannot avoid them either. The bass being boosted, is full bodied and impactful. It has deep extension and rumbles a bit too although the main kick comes from the midbass region. But on the flipside, the overall bass is also on the bloated side. I would say the bloat issue is a little north of mild although far better than many earphones that try to do a V shaped tuning (and the resulting sound is a total mess). As is characteristic of a V shaped tuning, midrange is simply not the main priority here. Similar to almost every V shaped tuned earphone I have heard, the midrange is laid back and has a thin veil over it, preventing the instruments from popping out vividly. Treble region is noticeably forward and considerably energetic, and it sounds to me as if there is a narrow boost in the lower treble region which makes things sound spicier than they are. I do feel that the boost adds a bit of splashiness and thin-ness to the sound. The detail retrieval I would classify as above average, although I feel the it could have been a lot better if the midbass was calmer. The sound is reasonably spacious, I do not feel anyone will find it narrow and too in-your-head but I wish the instrument separation was better which also takes a hit due to the midbass quantity.



Conclusion
It is a V shaped sounding earphone, and as is the case with almost all V shaped sounding, their performance is aided by genres that can take advantage of it. If that is the case with you, I do not see a reason why you may not like it. If you want a more balanced sound, then this may not be the ideal earphone.

TRN VX PRO 1DD + 8BAs IEM

Disclaimer: Thank you and kudos to TRN and Sir Larry Fulton for arranging this review unit, based on own observation with no affiliation nor obligation.

Packaging / Presentation - Above Average

IEM is well built in metal alloy, 0.78mm 2pin TFZ raised connector preferred, accessories is adequate, 3.5to6.3mm adapter, black metal round casing, norm TRN cable, 7 pairs silicon and 1 foam tips.

Equipment used : iMac - RPI4 Volumio Tidal Connect - Topping DX3PRO - L30 / ifi Zen Dac - Xduoo TA05 Tube Amp
Sony A55 / Fiio M9 DAP / LG G7+ / Samsung Note8 [UAPP / Tidal]

Music Tracks used - variety of pop, jazz, country, instrumentals, audiophile male/female, chinese//cantonese favourites.

Sound Impression

Timbre / Tonality - a little metallic, bright but not sibilant, forward sounding not recessed, good clarity and resolution, but not the best 'natural open SS'.

Bass / Mids / Treble - Enough quality / quantity bass heard, slam and strike is felt, decay not the best. Speed normal but not muddy. Male / Female vocals are alright, clear clean but a little nasal. Instruments treble strings are the most clearly heard, while as when the rest mixed together, stayed in background sounds thin and far, the seperation is average, can be better IMO. Soundstage is normal not the wide airy sparkling which is much more preferred.

Better with neutral transparent source than warm which makes sound congested, best with quad dac, open up and more lively.


Is the TRN VX PRO an upgrade to the little brother TRN V90S ?

In term of clarity and resolution, it is better. Weight Tone is much better. It sounds much fuller and more satisfying.

TRN VX Pro is TRN's latest hybrid IEM at the sub-$100usd price range. It retails for $88usd and it rocks a 1DD+8BA setup. In terms of the unboxing experience, it seems like TRN has improved a bit. Upon opening the box, I am presented with a rounded aluminium carrying case, a quarter-inch jack adapter, a 3.5mm SPC cable, 3 different types of eartips (white silicone, black silicone, foam tips), and last but not least, the IEM itself.

Overall, pretty ok unboxing experience here from TRN. It seems like they have slightly improved their unboxing experiences in comparison to their older products. However, the stock cable and eartips are still pretty disappointing. To put it into perspective, you are getting the exact same eartips and cables from the TRN MT1, which is a $5usd IEM. For $88usd, I would expect to get cables and eartips better than this.

Anyways, I digress. With that out of the way, let's start the review.

*Disclaimer: This review is done using stock vocal tips and stock cable.

Source used:
1. iFi Zen DAC + iFi Zen CAN (IEMatch + iSilencer Plus + iPurifier3 + iPower + iPowerX + Copper Colour Red USB)
2. Sony A55 (MrW WalkmanOne w/ WM1Z + Normal + J region)
3. Shanling UA2
4. Shanling M3x Limited
5. Monolith USB Dac
6. Apple Dongle
7. Samsung Galaxy S9+ SE out (Exynos)

Drivability:
1. Easy to drive. Drivability shouldn't be an issue.

Click to expand...

​

PROS

:​

• I would describe the sound signature here to be V to W- shaped. Punchy boomy bass, forward intimate vocals, energetic treble.
• In terms of bass, it is full-bodied, punchy, and boomy. Bass extension is good too, with deep and rumbly sub-bass. However, it has bass bleed which dirties both the midrange and bass regions. Overall, pretty fun sounding bass IF you don’t mind the dirty and bleedy bass presentation.
• In terms of midrange, it is full and thick. However, the bass bleed also means that midrange can come off as muddy. Clarity and resolution in the midrange are lacking too. With an advertised "8BA" setup, I do expect midrange clarity to be much better than it is now.
• Vocal presentation wise, it is forward and intimate, with an "in your head" presentation.
• Treble is energetic, fun, and bright. Detail wise, it is above average. However, I do find the treble to be metallic and grainy. Treble is also splashy and sibilant. Overall, I find the treble here to be unrefined.
• In terms of soundstage, it is somewhat like a sphere. I would describe it as wider and deeper than tall. However, its width could be a bit wider
• Imaging is above average, with a sharp and precise imaging presentation.
• Instrument separation, however, is average. As mentioned above, I find that the VX Pro to be lacking in terms of clarity and resolution despite having 8BA for mids and highs. Still, for $89usd, it is still considered as average, or slightly above-average.
• Detail retrieval is above-average, but bottlenecked by the bass bleed in the midrange section. Listening to bass lite songs do showcase the VX Pro's ability to retrieve details. But unfortunately, most songs nowadays do have a healthy amount of bass, and I find the bass bleed to strip away a good amount of clarity from the mids. Too bad.

CONS

:​

• Bass is boomy and bleeds into the mids
• The midrange is dirty and muddied up by the bass bleed.
• Treble is grainy, splashy, unrefined
• Soundstage can be bigger and wider
• Clarity and resolution isn't the best
• Metallic BA timbre
• Coherency isn't the best, with a noticeable disconnect from bass, mids and highs.

BEST PAIRING FOR TRN VX PRO

:​

• I find the TRN VX Pro to pair best with Spinfit CP-145 and TACable Obsidian.
• Spinfit CP-145 tightens the bass, adds clarity to the mids and highs.
• TACable Obsidian cuts down the mid-bass bloom, which further improves midrange and treble clarity and resolution. Treble is also more refined and less grainy.
• With this combination, I do find the TRN VX Pro to be a lot more enjoyable than stock. Mid-bass control is better, bloom is reduced, clarity for mids and highs improved, better resolution, and treble sounds better refined with reduced grain. I highly recommend you to try this combo.

CONCLUSION:​

Overall, TRN VX Pro is an average hybrid in the sub-$100usd price bracket. It is fun sounding with fun boomy bass, energetic treble, decent soundstage, and good imaging.

Would I recommend the TRN VX Pro? It depends. With everything stock, I think that the TRN VX Pro is average at best. Changing the eartips and cable to Spinfit cp-145 and TACable Obsidian do make the VX Pro a lot more enjoyable, but that also means cashing out $30usd more than the asking price of $88usd, which brings the price of the TRN VX Pro to $118usd. At $118usd, I think you are better off saving a bit more for hybrids (tri-birds) like BQEYZ Summer, BQEYZ Spring 2, or heck, even the Seeaudio Yume.

If you already have accessories like TACable Obsidian and Spinfit cp-145 lying around at home, then sure! Feel free to pick up the VX Pro, change the tips and cable, and use them as your V-shaped fun sounding IEM.

3.5/5 stars

This review unit is provided by Trn Petter and organized by Larry Fulton. I am not at all compensated by them and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank TRN for providing this review tour unit. This set will be passed on to some Singapore audiophile/reviewers after this review.

The TRN VX Pro can be gotten here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003315364854.html

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY​

The TRN VX Pro is the successor to the original banshee TRN VX. The VX Pro features a better tonality than its predecessor, with less shoutiness. Though it is a case of two steps forward and one step back, with middling technicalities, a midbass bleed and 8 kHz spike holding this set back from greatness.

SPECIFICATIONS​

• Driver configuration: 1 x Carbon NanoTube Diaphragm Dynamic Driver, 8 x high-resolution Balanced Armature drivers.
• Frequency response: 7 Hz – 40kHz
• Impedance: 22 Ω
• Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
• Cable: 2 Pin (0.78mm), High-purity 4-core silver-plated copper cable.
• Tested at $88 USD

ACCESSORIES​

Accessories are rather good for the price.

Included are:
1) TRN VX Pro IEM
2) 4 Core SPC cable - disappointingly there is no chin cinch, but it is quite usable otherwise.
3) Hard round case
4) Foam tips x 1 pair
5) Silicone tips S/M/L - there are 2 variants, one has a narrower bore which boosts the bass for me, the other has a wider bore which boosts the upper frequencies for me.
6) 1/4 inch jack





Honestly this is very generous for TRN standards. Their previous flagships sometimes only came with 1 set of eartips and a cable. I liked that this set features a 2 pin connector, I'm not an MMCX fan as they generally have a shorter lifespan with frequent cable changing.

For the purposes of this review, the stock tips and cables were used, so as not to change the sound signature with aftermarket gear.

BUILD/COMFORT​

During ordering, you can choose a silver mirror like version, or a navy blue matte version. I got the silver version, they are really quite nice, akin to the Moondrop KXXS and HZSound Heart Mirror type of shell. Something different from the usual industrial looking TRNs, but they can be a finger print or scratch magnet, so do be careful if you opt for this version.

Comfort is very good, this set is quite ergonomic and light. Unfortunately there is driver flex when I used the silicone stock tips, which may be a deal-breaker for some. Driver flex though, is partially dependent on individual ear anatomy and types of eartips used, so it is a YMMV situation.

ISOLATION​

Isolation on the VX Pro is above average. This set definitely can be used out doors.

DRIVABILITY​

I tested the VX Pro with a Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp, Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp, Sony NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Plus v2 Mr Walkman Mod), smartphone, IKKO ITM01, Shanling Q1 DAP, Tempotec Sonata HD Pro, E1DA 9038D, and a Khadas Tone Board -> Fiio A3 Amp.

The VX Pro is easy to drive, amping doesn't really give much value add.

SOUND & TECHNICALITIES​

In terms of tuning, the VX Pro is V shaped, as per most TRN sets. However, they took feedback from their previous overly treble/upper mids boosted creations and tamed down the upper mids quite substantially here. Tonally, this set isn't as shouty as previous TRN sets like the TRN VX original.


TRN VX Pro graph, courtesy of KopiOKaya (IEC711 compliant coupler). 8 kHZ area has a resonance peak, but there is also an actual peak on listening.


The TRN VX Pro is midbass focused. The midbass is north of neutral, but not as basshead levels. Subbass extends moderately with a rumble when called for. Unfortunately, there is marked midbass bleed, this encroaches into the lower mids. The bass is also slow, and not very textured. In songs with fast bass movements, the DD bass may struggle to keep up and I would describe the bass as sounding smeared. There is hence some incoherence when the bass is compared to the faster BA drivers handling the treble and mids.

The midrange is recessed as per the V shaped tuning, upper mids have a slight boost, but thankfully are not shouty like its predecessor, the original VX. Vocals are forward without being too fatiguing.



Treble is moderately extended, but the 8 kHz area is quite emphasized and sibilance is present, with cymbals and highhats being overemphasized and splashy.

In terms of technicalities:
- Soundstage width is above average, but height and depth are below average.
- Imaging is above average
- Microdetails are quite good
- Instrument separation is below average, possibly it is not aided by the below average soundstage.

BA timbre is present in the upper frequencies, but not the worst I've heard for a BA. Vocals can be a bit nasal and the note weight on this set is on the thinner side.

COMPARISONS​

Single DD types were left out of the comparisons as they have different pros and cons among the different transducer types.


TRN VX ($60 USD)


Graphs courtesy of KopiOKaya (IEC711 compliant coupler). 8 kHZ area has a resonance peak.


The Big Kahuna. The archetypical banshee king. The multi driver behemoth in a driver nuclear race. Introducing the Poison Ivy: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/trn-vx.24374/reviews#review-23740.

The original TRN VX has more boosted upper frequencies and lesser bass (though its bass is of better quality and speed). This makes the original VX way more sibilant and shouty and I honestly couldn't use it for more than 5 minutes without EQ or some foam mods. I gave it the "Poison Ivy" nickname, in memory of the "female poison" banshee tuning and the VX poison gas monicker.

The original VX has worse accessories but no driver flex for me. The original VX has a thinner note weight and a faster bass, and the VX has superior technical performance compared to its younger sibling (the VX Pro). So in the battle of the banshees, the original VX is the winner in technicalities. Indeed, sometimes a "Pro" moniker doesn't necessarily mean that it is superior to its predecessor.

Choose your poison (no pun intended): do you want a technically superior IEM with some banshee shoutiness (original VX) or would you prefer something less shouty but with weaker technical performance (the VX Pro)?



TRI Starsea ($98 USD)

The TRI Starsea, by virtue of having tuning switches, is a more versatile set in terms of having more sound signatures. The TRI Starsea has better isolation and better accessories.

When using the "amazing bass" (AKA bassiest config) on the TRI Starsea and doing A/B comparisons, the Starsea has superior technicalities, tonality and timbre. Bass speed and quality is also better on the Starsea, with the Starsea having no weird troughs or peaks in the tuning.

Honestly for a few bucks more, you get a more versatile and superior set in the TRI Starsea.

CONCLUSIONS​

The TRN VX Pro is the successor to the original banshee TRN VX. The VX Pro features a better tonality than its predecessor, with less shoutiness than the garden variety TRN multi driver behemoths. Though this is a case of two steps forward and one step back, with the midbass bleed and 8 kHz spike holding this set back from greatness.

Accessories are generous, fit and isolation are good, but the middling technicalities and above mentioned tonal issues does undo some work. In addition, the driver flex may be a deal breaker for some.

I do think the VX Pro is quite decent, and would call it an average set in the pantheon of weekly sidegrade CHIFI releases. TRN have learnt to adjust their tuning to become more "westernized" and less banshee like, compared to the VX predecessor. Unfortunately, being average is not enough nowadays, with how fast paced this CHIFI industry is moving. Is there a particular area that is going to allow the VX Pro to stand out in the ultra cut throat CHIFI budget segment? Sadly, I can't think of anything, and I have a feeling the VX Pro might not be talked about in the weeks to come.