Brand New : Tralucent Audio Ref.1 Too & original Ref.1

[eke2k6]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/730879/revew-tralucent-audio-ref-1

 

[warrior1975]

Finally!!! Thank you again for sharing your experience with us bro!!

 

[recarcar]

They look really cool!

 

[warrior1975]

Why did I find this thread? I was so close to making a decision and getting a set of K10s... Now this...Very interested in hearing more.

Was just reading through this thread, bored at work. Anyway, so glad I did find this thread. Best thread on head-fi, couldn't be happier with a set of IEMS. End game for me.

 

[cyluk81]

You have the LAB 1? What what what? How does it compare to the Ref 1?

They Ref1 and Lab1 compliment each other very well and cover most genre of music I listen to. For classical, jazz, and vocal I use the Lab1 and stuff like smooth jazz, R&B, hip hop or EDM I use the Ref1.

I mostly use the Hugo as source and recently bought a Fostex HP-V1 which I enjoy immensely with both earphones. For the Ref1, I believe it brings the vocal a little forward and more intimate, which I thought was lacking a little from the Hugo headphone out. The bass also improves, it gets fuller and make the overall sound 'bigger'. For the Lab1 its simply addictive to listen to with the V1.For the price, I am super happy what the V1 brings my earphones.

 

[midnightwalker]

They Ref1 and Lab1 compliment each other very well and cover most genre of music I listen to. For classical, jazz, and vocal I use the Lab1 and stuff like smooth jazz, R&B, hip hop or EDM I use the Ref1.

 
Interested. How does the Lab 1 compare to Fitear 334 on vocal?

 

[monoboy]

Was just reading through this thread, bored at work. Anyway, so glad I did find this thread. Best thread on head-fi, couldn't be happier with a set of IEMS. End game for me.

Same, glad i found this thread too as was tossing up between the K10's and Roxannes at the time...to be honest I'd say an end game aswell as I just love the sweet sound Ref 1, that is until Tralucent release their next IEM...hopefully in a few years to save up some cash lol

 

[flymetothemoon]

 
Same, glad i found this thread too as was tossing up between the K10's and Roxannes at the time...to be honest I'd say an end game aswell as I just love the sweet sound Ref 1, that is until Tralucent release their next IEM...hopefully in a few years to save up some cash lol

I have the same worry too Mono and hopeful Gavin will be engaged in something else rather than developing his new IEM and with this give our wallet a chance to fill up.

 

[monoboy]

I have the same worry too Mono and hopeful Gavin will be engaged in something else rather than developing his new IEM and with this give our wallet a chance to fill up.

Hehe hopefully it's inevitable, so am soaking up every minute I can with the Ref 1's

Think this is a good time to follow on from my initial impressions from a few weeks ago, the Ref 1's have exceeded my expectations (100+ hours burn in so far). The key to hearing Ref 1's amazingness comes down to the fit, admittedly for a few days I was wearing them incorrectly, felt they could snuggle in better. After playing around its important to rotate the ref 1 towards your face (sorry for the description) you will eventually come to a snug 'lock' where the shell design fits 'in that' particular part of your ear perfectly. This was like a wow moment when I resumed playback.

I would describe the signature after using them for a few weeks as being warm with an analogue tone, very rich and full of life, I am loving the wall of sound which surrounds me, driving them I'm using the Hifiman hm 901 with IEM Amp Card. I'm in the process of rediscovering my music library again, I can say no sound in the mix is left unturned, the ref 1 dissects a well mixed song with ease, instrument separation is spot on, definitely a fun musical iem.

I would say Ref 1 has an intimate but precisely scaled quality in projection, it hugs and connects you to the music (like opening a portal of space around your head), this is achieved with jaw dropping space separation, surrounding you in every dimension, vocals sound so natural and just feels effortless, it's a joyful experience. For instance a zany track with lots of effects and reverb tails does well to show off what the Ref 1 can do. Really they sound very much Like a big headphone would, unlike a typical iem which inherits an 'in your head' type of effect.

I like many types of music, primarily I love listening to Trance and IDM, the Ref 1 are a perfect compliment, the bass is textured so musically when reaching deeeeep down, I can sometimes feel it going down into my chest when that sub region is going on. A welcoming effect. Bass is punchy and fast, breathing new life into what I 'thought' was good bass before buying the ref 1. For me the mids are my favourable part, they are very rich and alive, as described above they ooze an analogue vibe which for me is how I like to listen to my music, it 's damn exciting. Every part of the frequency range sit coherently together, the bass does not interfere with the mid range, the highs I would say are tamed and extremely detailed, non fatiguing, means I can crank these baby's up with no problem.

You buy these you will be transported into a different world, a unique experience when traveling to work every day. No doubt they are the best I've heard, not naming any company, but when you look at other TOTL Iem threads here you will notice there are many negative comments aswell positive ones, which is normal, considering most of us can't demo a set of iem before purchasing, your only choice is to read and make sense of your judgement (was going back and fourth changing my mind regularly). Now I stumbled across this thread one day, only after a few hours of reading from page 1 you can see why someone can pull the trigger on Ref 1 easily, and be correct with your gut instinct. Which is the way I like to shop.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Hehe hopefully

it's inevitable, so am soaking up every minute I can with the Ref 1's

Think this is a good time to follow on from my initial impressions from a few weeks ago, the Ref 1's have exceeded my expectations (100+ hours burn in so far). The key to hearing Ref 1's amazingness comes down to the fit, admittedly for a few days I was wearing them incorrectly, felt they could snuggle in better. After playing around its important to rotate the ref 1 towards your face (sorry for the description) you will eventually come to a snug 'lock' where the shell design fits 'in that' particular part of your ear perfectly. This was like a wow moment when I resumed playback.

I would describe the signature after using them for a few weeks as being warm with an analogue tone, very rich and full of life, I am loving the wall of sound which surrounds me, driving them I'm using the Hifiman hm 901 with IEM Amp Card. I'm in the process of rediscovering my music library again, I can say no sound in the mix is left unturned, the ref 1 dissects a well mixed song with ease, instrument separation is spot on, definitely a fun musical iem.

I would say Ref 1 has an intimate but precisely scaled quality in projection, it hugs and connects you to the music (like opening a portal of space around your head), this is achieved with jaw dropping space separation, surrounding you in every dimension, vocals sound so natural and just feels effortless, it's a joyful experience. For instance a zany track with lots of effects and reverb tails does well to show off what the Ref 1 can do. Really they sound very much Like a big headphone would, unlike a typical iem which inherits an 'in your head' type of effect.

I like many types of music, primarily I love listening to Trance and IDM, the Ref 1 are a perfect compliment, the bass is textured so musically when reaching deeeeep down, I can sometimes feel it going down into my chest when that sub region is going on. A welcoming effect. Bass is punchy and fast, breathing new life into what I 'thought' was good bass before buying the ref 1. For me the mids are my favourable part, they are very rich and alive, as described above they ooze an analogue vibe which for me is how I like to listen to my music, it 's damn exciting. Every part of the frequency range sit coherently together, the bass does not interfere with the mid range, the highs I would say are tamed and extremely detailed, non fatiguing, means I can crank these baby's up with no problem.

You buy these you will be transported into a different world, a unique experience when traveling to work every day. No doubt they are the best I've heard, not naming any company, but when you look at other TOTL Iem threads here you will notice there are many negative comments aswell positive ones, which is normal, considering most of us can't demo a set of iem before purchasing, your only choice is to read and make sense of your judgement (was going back and fourth changing my mind regularly). Now I stumbled across this thread one day, only after a few hours of reading from page 1 you can see why someone can pull the trigger on Ref 1 easily, and be correct with your gut instinct. Which is the way I like to shop.

Great review Mono.
 
To add one more...for the highs that you have not mentioned...in fact a lot of fellow headfiers felt that the highs are not as good as the 1Plus2 in fact its not...it's there and only in a more subtle (not dominant) way

 

[monoboy]

  Great review Mono.
 
To add one more...for the highs that you have not mentioned...in fact a lot of fellow headfiers felt that the highs are not as good as the 1Plus2 in fact its not...it's there and only in a more subtle (not dominant) way

Thx man I havent heard the 1Plus2's, very interesting to know that, in a way I think if the treble was any brighter it may cause fatigue over a long session, Ref 1 can be left in my ears all day long. But without listening to the 1Plus2  I couldnt say if I would prefer them, perhaps one day if there is a head fi meet in London i'll come by.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Thx man I havent heard the 1Plus2's, very interesting to know that, in a way I think if the treble was any brighter it may cause fatigue over a long session, Ref 1 can be left in my ears all day long. But without listening to the 1Plus2  I couldnt say if I would prefer them, perhaps one day if there is a head fi meet in London i'll come by.

That's why 1plus2 pais well with Tera to which has a smoother sound sig and both compliment each other

 

[eke2k6]

As promised:
 

 

Tralucent Audio Ref 1 vs Aurisonics ASG-2.5​

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Methods​

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I've chosen a few songs that I feel will be good tests for both IEMs. I'll post the song, with impressions under each track. Note that the youtube versions linked are below the quality of the actual files used.
 
The ASG-2.5 is equipped with its stock cable and medium+ SureSeal tips, while the REF1 is equipped with the Tralucent Silver&Gold cable and large Ortofon tips. The ASG-2.5's bass port is only veeerryyy slightly open to let the driver breathe a bit.
 
The upstream components used are the Fiio X5 as a DAC, connected to the Tralucent T1 amplifier.
 
 
*Notes: My main ASG-2 has been out on loan for months, so I haven't listened to it in a while. This is good, since I've become de-adjusted to the Aurisonics house sound, and I'll come into the review with fresh ears for both IEMs.
 
 
 
 
 

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Tracks​

 
 
 
 
 
Feist - Limit to Your Love
 
 

 
 
- Starting with the Ref, the very first thing that strikes me is the Ref's very wide stage. It's really quite impressive. Feist's voice is dead center, with the instruments panning out far to the left and right. However, further listening points to a slight lack of depth to the soundstage, and a greater dearth of forward projection. Feist's voice is obviously boosted above the mix, especially in the upper mids. I'm not really a fanof the tonality it gives to her voice and piano. That, combined with the less than 3D stage take away from the experience.
 
- Switching to the ASG-2.5, it almost sounds bass light in comparison. The 2.5's impact is tighter though, and more defined. The 2.5's soundstage is not as wide as the Ref, but it provides a more immersive experience by improving on soundstage depth and height. Furthermore, Feist's voice seems more "controlled" for lack of a better word. Her voice blends in more with the mix, while still retaining emphasis. The Ref, in comparison, seems to have coherency issues in that regard.
 
 
 
Drake - The Language (Explicit)
 
This is primarily a test for bass performance, which includes dynamics, texture, and control. Additionally, it's a test for how well an IEM can retain clarity in the mids and highs despite the fact that the song calls for very generous amounts of bass.
 

 
 
 
- Quantity wise, the Ref 1 has more raw impact and rumble than the ASG-2.5, but that's where the advantages end. The main bass theme is a few short impacts, with interspersing sub-bass quakes. Drakes voice is meant to dance above the mix, and the hi-hats dance over it all. The Ref 1 represents the impact and rumble well, but there just isn't that sense of nimbleness in the low end. The ASG-2.5 has seriously concentrated punch, and instantly transitions into the sub-bass portions with awesome texture. The 2.5's overall tonality is somewhat dry, so I imagine that helps a lot with revealing texture.
 
Another thing that's more of a flaw of the Ref 1 than it is a ASG-2.5 advantage is again the Ref 1's upper mid spike. It proves to be quite distracting in this song, as it takes Drake's voice and replaces it with a nasal-sounding surrogate. The ASG-2.5 sounds far more accurate in this regard, as it seems to naturally emphasize vocals without any unnatural spikes.
 
 
 
 
Versailles - Silent Knight
 
My absolute favorite song to test for driver speeeeeedddddd.
 
The track starts off relatively slowly, but s**t starts getting real at 3:01. Here, we begin to test for smearing of note attack. A slower driver will make the shredding of a guitar come off more like flutes, and will smear the raw impact of the rapid drum strikes.
 
*note that the youtube video isn't of particularly high quality, so I advise you to find a copy of the song if you can. It's a useful test track to have, and it sounds awesome.
 
 

 
 
 
- The ASG-2.5 cuts through this song like a knife through butter, which is better than the previous revision was able to do. No problems here. Interestingly enough, the Ref 1 seems to more or less keep up as well, doing especially well with the speed of the double kickdrums. This seems at odds with how the bass performed with previous test tracks. I'm not sure how to explain this, other than guessing that the speed problems have more to do with the amount of bass it's been tuned to, rather than a general lack of speed an texture in the isobaric driver used. This song doesn't call for a LOT of bass, which would aid in assisting my theory.
 
 
 
Siebzehnter Auftritt (Papageno, Pamina, Monostatos) Monostatos: Ha, hab ich euch noch erwischt - Die Zauberflote (Rene Jacobs, Mozart).
 
 
Rene Jacobs' operas tend to be the most well produced and conducted that these ears have heard. Everything from the vocalists to the recording is impeccable. They provide great tests for dynamics, space, imaging, timbre and vocal accuracy.
 

 
 
- Again, the Ref 1 is impressively wide here, but the soundstage suffers a bit from GR07 syndrome, where it is takes on a more oblong shape instead of being completely in nature.
 
Exhibit A:
 

 
 
In this piece, it is as if all the cues are packed into the extremes of the left and right blobs, messing with imaging overall. I really don't understand, since (I believe) the the housing and BA drivers are carried over from the very 3D 1plus2.
 
Additionally, when listening to this piece, I feel like vocal pitch and timbre are off somewhat. It almost seems like a side effect of the boosted upper mids, where the spike creates a relative dip that compromises lower midrange harmonics. 
 
In comparison, the ASG-2.5 has none of these miscues. Vocal clarity and transparency is better on the the ASG-2.5. Still, it is not without its flaws...I hear the ASG-2.5 as being slightly boosted in the lower mids, creating a sort of resonance there if you don't have a perfect seal. Overall though, I prefer the ASG-2.5 with this track for the improved imaging, timbre, and other audiophile words.
 
 
 
 
 
Hozier - Work Song
 
 
One of my ultimate tracks for ambiance. Vocals, atmosphere, soundstage, etc. It's all here. I love this song...enjoy
 

 
 
 
- When it comes to vocals and atmosphere, I've yet to hear better than the ASG-2, and the 2.5 surely continues in this tradition. In this track, the backing vocals reach through Cthulu-like depths of blackness to surround you. Hozier's voice then cuts through the depths to reach and grab you. The electric guitar and tambourine materialize out of the shadows, complimenting yet standing out from the mix. Essentially, this song is an experience with the ASG-2.5
 
 
Switching to the Ref 1 instantly removes the sense of immersion that the ASG-2.5 provides. The most notable difference is the relative  lack of black space, and the contrast between cues it provides. Where the ASG-2.5 presents the song like a well-mastered "audiophile" track, the Ref 1 sounds almost brick-walled in comparison. A lot of this comes from that damned upper mid spike, but the rest comes from the oblong shaped soundstage that just doesn't do justice to the track. Hozier's vocals also aren't quite done justice here. 
 
 
 
 

Conclusion​

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I've really tried my best to transmit my thoughts from my ears to the keyboard without alteration. There are times when the Ref sounds simply great, but the overall tuning and soundstage are a but of a let down. The ASG-2.5 sounds more refined, more spacious due to its more developed soundstage, and overall more immersive to me. Clarity and transparency also seem to be better on the 2.5 due to the lack of dips and spikes that the Ref 1 has.
 
Thanks for reading.
 

 

[Kiats]

Pardon my poor photography skills...

 

[nazrin313]

Wow kiats is that yours? Received them already?