User impressions:
“This rather understated IEM is at least one of the best in the world - if not (as per some reviewers) the best of them as of today. I bought one and can confirm that its performance and sound quality beats everything I ever came across by a long way and the built quality is absolutely exceptional. Oriolus uses highest quality Photopolymer from Germany and other brands in that category use only Acrylic plastic - which is also a good material but softer (weaker), less scratch proof, less solid and heavier than Photopolymer. Wearing the Traillii is sensational - it has so many drivers but it is light like a feather and one does not feel it in the ear. They packed everything into this tiny structure - that just fits so nicely into a average size ear - well done !
I come back to the sound of this IEM which can only be described as absolutely perfect. It is balanced across all frequencies from 20Hz up to the highest frequencies we can hear (in my case around 18Khz - due to age i guess). The main sensation is the holistic sound stage - it is pure 3D sound - the voice just in front, the drums to the left, the piano just left below the ear and the bass on the right front, right from the bass is the guitar ! With eyes closed one can almost feel the musicians around and virtually imagine the band sitting in-front of oneself.
The Traillii in its standard version comes with an environmental friendly small case which contains all necessary accessories and is again - a pure understatement - like the cable that connects the IEM to the AMP or DAC. This cable is said to be alone 2500 USD worth - I don't know, but surely the price of Traillii is a concern for a potential buyer. Having said that - it is simply worth the price - and so hard to argue against its price tag. It's a perfect product and also myself - i was a bit hesitant to spend such amount of money on an IEM - but I do not regret the courageous move - on the contrary - the pain in the wallet was quickly overcome by pure joy and excitement. They are not easy to be purchased outside of Japan - in Europe there is nothing so far (as to my knowledge) so one needs to buy either from Orilolus directly or from their US Distributor - who actually does an excellent job - he can ship anywhere and he is very customer friendly. I sincerely recommend this product by my pure experience using it now for some time.”
“I own the vision ears erlkonig and have heard many totl iems...this is the first iem i've encountered in quite some time that i felt i needed to own as a complement to the erlky.
it has the best highs, best layering, and largest stage i've heard in any iem to date.and while the erlkonig produces a massive quantity of bass that rivals or tops most dds, the traillii is the first iem i have heard that uses bas to not only reproduce dd-level quantities of bass, but dd-levels of texture in its bass as well; with an inconceivably round, vibratory, and visceral low-end that digs deep and blooms beautifully.
while the erlkonig is a bold, in-your-face sound, the traillii presents itself in a more laid-back and slightly-distanced manner...a lovely contrast to the erlky's brasher presentation.
but perhaps, what was most impressive of all to me, and ultimately what won me over most about the traillii, is that it is the first iem i've heard since the erlkonig to generate such a massively musical and engaging listening experience.
audiophiles often throw around the term, PRAT (Pacing Rhythm And Timing,) which, in addition to being an abomination of an acronym, is also somewhat of an amorphous and abstract concept relating to the ability of a piece of audio equipment to get your toes tapping. well, the erlkonig and traillii both do this better than any other iems i've heard. and for that reason, they're both at the very top of my ultra-totl iem list.
very impressive stuff, oriolus...excited to hear what you come up with next!”
“Interestingly enough to share my comparison between Traillii and Rhapsodio Infinity mk2.
Bass wise, Infinity has powerful bass, more sub-bass rumble, it sounds like there is a floor standing sub-woofer behind me, better than some DD bass IEMs that I heard before. The traillii is more of a gentle side compare to infinity, but in a good way traillii's bass push enough quantity to make me really high in some EDM tracks or even Tchaikovsky-1812, Cappricio Italien and Marche slave (I feel Tchaikovsky musics require powerful bass response to be able to perform his powerful cannons-1812 overture i.e). Though i would say that Infinity has better bass than Traillii.
While Infinity's mids are so rich with thicker and dense vocal perfomance, the traillii turns out to be more transparent, some time crystal clear. Both are vocal miracle without lacking any detail, but traillii to my ears is in another level of detail and transparent that the infinity cannot reach. I can feel singer's throat is vibrating when listening to Zhao Peng with traillii, such an incredible performance. This would depend on personal taste to say which one is better. But to me I'll get Traillii whenever I want to hear vocal.
Treble wise, traillii is absolute winner here. Just thinking of changing from Infinity to Traillii, the different is day and night. Suddenly music is likely added so much air to every notes, giving my ears a pleasing to listen. It doesn't mean Infinity's treble is bad, It just cannot reach the level of Traillii.
So it's not surprising that the overall performance is settled in favor of Traillii.
A little bit different when compare Traillii to he1000v2, but have the same result. The bird has destroyed he1000v2 in many ways that make me re-think about is big planar driver sound better than small BA driver?
Sorry I cannot describe more detail in this comparison due to my English limitation, but the overall result is like above, after 1hour listening and switching between the twos, I absolutely go for Traillii, no need to look back at he1000v2.
Anyway, Happy buyer here
”
@huuchuc
"Equipment:
Bakoon AMP13R, class A solid state (2 hours warm), SMSL SU8, Susvara
Cayin C9 (Class A, Solid State mode), ifi ZEN DAC Signature, Traillii
I listened to Susvara for about 15 minutes, scrubbing through the song.
After the first note on Traillii, the difference was evident. I spent about ten minutes scrubbing through the song.
The bird and Susvara are similar enough, until the bass kicks in. There simply isn't enough slam or ear drum reverb compared to what Traillii offered. Hands down I prefer the Traillii. Perhaps IEM vs headphone acoustics here. The estat sounds sharp compared to the planar, but both have nearly identical resolution perhaps I give the edge to Traillii? This is very early days but in this particular instance, the winner is clear.
Bird soars past to first."
@bigbeans
“The Bird and the Bees: A TrailliiStory
Ok, so that was just a gratuitously grandiose intro to a very straightforward 'impressions' review/head-to-head/pair up comparison of sorts. This past weekend, due to the generosity and saintly patience of one
@xenithon, I was fortunate enough to finally get to spend many late night hours listening to the Flinkenick Favourite (aka Oriolus Traillii, aka The Bird). After signing indemnity and insurance forms in triplicate, I took some time to familiarise myself with the look, feel and sound of these admittedly beautiful and supremely well-made IEMs before getting down to the business of answering the question everyone seems to be asking:
how does it compare to...?
As you can probably guess from the picture above, I was comparing Birdie to my own dynamic duo (no pun intended), the Tia Fourte and Legend X. I was never planning to - nor had the time to - write a formal review in the traditional sense of the word, so instead I took inspiration from
@uthood's recent '
SoC review' and decided to write one of my own. And that's exactly what this is: a collection of some of my favourite songs, chosen from the genres I mostly listen to, with
as-I-hear-them notes on each of the three IEMs. After each track I pick my preferred IEM, give some reasons why, and if you're into numbers, I tally the results at the end to determine my overall preference.
Before I cut-and-paste, I think it's important to reiterate how
personal and
subjective this process is, and how likely almost every facet will vary (even if only slightly) for anyone else listening the exact same music with the exact same IEMs. Given the esteemed company we keep in this thread it probably doesn't merit saying, but the opinions expressed here are
my own and only my own, and also
only opinions. Please don't take anything I've written as fact, or as a personal indictment.
It's also important to mention that this is not a pure apples vs apples comparison. Traillii, as I've harped on before, is really an IEM
bundle with a very famous and very expensive cable, and I did not use the same cable with my other IEMs to 'level the playing field', so to speak. Not only would this have been far more time consuming, but I'm also not one to stress out very fragile components that don't belong to me. That said, if you read right to the end, there's a
bonus section where I cable roll the Fourte with the 1960s as a very interesting addendum to the story.
With all the preamble out the way, let's get this party started!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Rosie Thomas - Why Waste More Time? [female singer/songwriter with male backing vocals]
Bird - inky black background. Good door slam in intro. Voices a touch high, instruments/guitar quite sharp. Superb separation of female and male vocal, but a very slight touch of glare on Rosie's vocal. Extremely resolving, feels like you're in a sound-damped studio.
Fourte - more natural door slam (second reverb), warmer guitar intro, more 'echo' in the play, separation at 1:03 is excellent, no glare on Rosie's vocal - less 'edge', more airy/organic. I feel the instruments come across more naturally with this track, albeit with less space between them relative to the Bird. Male vocal is slightly less distinct compared to Rosie and relative to Bird. Overall presentation less dry.
LX - vocals a touch further back, door slam has real weight to it, even warmer, slightly smoother intro guitars, very natural timbre, vocals very natural with excellent separation. Not quite as microdetailed as Fourte or incisive as Trailli but still very detailed by most standards. Very natural.
Preference - Fourte, by a hair from LX. Bird was a touch too clinical for me on this one in comparison.
Rebecca Pidgeon - Spanish Harlem[female contemporary jazz vocal]
LX - deep, guttural intro bass, with real weight on the strings, good contrast with Rebecca's smooth, sweet, non-sibilant voice. Piano (0:53) quite warm but natural, slightly set back from the bass. Shakers (1:40) very distinct to the left. Some other instruments join in at 2:03 but less distinct. Vocals maintain focus throughout.
Fourte - bass immediately less weighty but more natural than LX, vocals are fuller, more detailed, more nuanced, though less sweet compared to LX. Vocals more airy, very slightly more edgy (but not harsh). Piano more distinct than LX, lighter touch, balanced with the bass, even slightly forward. Shaker exceptionally detailed and distinct. Almost perfect imaging. What sounds like a second stringed instrument comes across more clearly, along with violins. Instruments more distinct than vocals, which don't have pinpoint focus.
Bird - bass very nuanced, great weight. Vocals clear, distinct and sibilance free. Very sweet but also very resolving. More forward than LX and less airy, more focused than Fourte. Piano has great timbre, balance. Shaker is even more detailed than Fourte, images with even more precision, as is second stringed instrument. The separation of all the instruments is exceptional, but still cohesive and musical. Pristine presentation.
Preference - Trailli. Vocals are exemplary, as is instrument separation, but unlike the previous track (Rosie), it's not dry or clinical. Toss up for second between LX and Fourte. LX for bass, Fourte for a very airy and unconventional take on this classic track.
Rachael Yamagata - Be Be Your Love[female indie folk/rock]
Bird - kick drum intro is superb, not just for BA bass but for any bass. I've heard this sound worse with many a DD IEM before. Vocals are straight down the line natural and extremely realistic, removing any semblance of veil between singer and listener. Especially apparent at 2:24 where she's almost whispering into the microphone yet is so distinct and natural. Backing vocals spin around the stage, and the kick drum throughout is visceral as it should be. Piano in the far right channel is very distinct, adds real width to the track. Every instrument has its place, even background strings. And vocals are clear thoughout even as the track gets busy towards the finale.
Fourte - kick drum is flatter, more textured but nowhere near as punchy as Trailli. Stick hits are clearer and dominate the kicks. Vocals are more relaxed, more withdrawn, more diffuse. Piano is more natural in the right channel. String instruments add warmth. Overall feel is more ethereal, less grounded. No harshness at all, good separation of all the elements in the crescendo, but with less obvious separation compared to Trailli.
LX - kick is back, and then some! Vocals are natural and distinct, tonally more similar to Trailli but sweeter. Kick drum punctuates the track but is not overdone. Right channel piano is not as distinct as Trailli or Fourte, but is also less distracting as a result. Warm but balanced presentation with natural vocals and a hefty presence that's missing from the other two.
Preference - tie between Trailli and LX. I can get with the precision and separation of the Trailli as much as I adore the warm punch and natural, sweet vocals of the LX. Fourte is very different to both and may well find favour with some who prefer their Rachael more ethereal than earthbound.
Owl City - The Saltwater Room [electronic male/female indie pop]
LX - opening bassline is deep and warm, but doesn't dominate the leading vocals. This can be a bright song (
see Fourte), but is not so here. Good stage width. Female vocal at 1:29 is sugar sweet (as it should be). Electronic instrument elements are very well separated and layered. Some of the more subtle effects are not quite as clear as I've heard them before, but doesn't detract from the cohesiveness and overall warmth of the presentation. Gorgeous.
Fourte - opening guitars brighter, clearer. Bass doesn't fall as heavy, and the lead male vocals are more airy compared to LX. Stick hits definitely more distinct. This is a brighter leaning presentation, not fatiguing, but not as warm or inviting as LX. It's both musical and clinical. Female vocals more ethereal and not quite as girly sweet as the LX. Perfect if you want absolute clarity and don't mind some bright blue sunshine.
Bird - more weight, less brightness on the guitar intro, good bassline texture but no real heft. Male vocals are clear and smooth, maybe a touch thin. Every element is distinct, almost clinically separated but oh so smooth. Female vocals are soft and sweet but are pushed back a touch compared to the instruments/elements. This is an almost perfect rendition of every single element in this track, perfectly balanced tonally, but lacking that little bit of extra weight, soul and sweetness of the LX, even though it's technically ahead of the LX in every facet other than bass.
Preference - LX by a hair from Trailli. Some will see it the other way, but I connected more with the LX's weight and comfortable warmth on what could be a brighter - almost overly bright - track, as heard with the Fourte.
The Shins - New Slang [male indie pop/dream pop]
Bird - lively rhythmic buildup, great timbre on the tambourine. Instruments slightly dominate the vocals, but I suspect that's how it's been mixed. Every element of the track is almost perfectly rendered. Lovely tone and reverb on the blues guitar at 2:10 and 3:10. Toe tappingly good. Bounce ball effect (a-la Yosi Horikawa) at the end is beautifully imaged and very clear.
Fourte - deeper, wider space from the off, with more reverb on the tambourine. More nuance and warmth in the guitar play too. Vocals are slightly diffuse but also grounded, giving them a shimmering effect. The various instrumental elements stand out more compared to Trailli, yet vocals are more distinct too. Blues guitar has a luscious tone here. This is a more emotive albeit alternative presentation, closer to how I remember it when I first heard it many years ago.
LX - tambourine not quite as distinct in the intro, but guitars are more natural, and also warmer than both the others. Vocals are again tonally similar to Trailli, but to my ears slightly more distinct compared to the instruments. The bass strings do dominate more here than with the others, but not distractingly so. Blues guitar is tight but not as romantic as Fourte or accurate as Trailli.
Preference - Fourte, with Trailli not too far behind. LX is very natural but a touch too warm on this track, especially in the strings. Trailli does everything right but Fourte has more soul and that special something that takes me back to when I first fell in love with this song.
This is a good place to pause and take in some eye candy.
Right, let's continue, shall we.
Dirk Elhert - Elements [cinematic, epic score, classical]
Bird - good rumble going into intro. Exemplary separation of the different 'elements' - instruments, vocals and electronic effects. Great depth and layering. Beautifully clean and distinct lead vocals amid instrument melee and background vocals. Rendering of violins at 4:00 in the lead up to the second act of the track shows a deft touch. Finale vocals, though super clean and distinct, are set a bit too much in line with the instruments. That said, the Bird never once lost control of any aspect of the track.
LX - bass rumble and effects in the intro are massive, dominating the stage, but in a good way. Stick hit effect at 1:10 is less of a standout here compared to Trailli, while strings are pushed a touch more forward. LX is a more dynamic and lively presentation for sure, if not quite as clinically distinct. The drums, the rumble, it's the life of this track. The vocals never recede, but are perfectly delineated. The 'warble' is deeper and more chesty, something that the Traillii's BA woofers simply can't reproduce. The finale vocals are more forward and distinct in the mix compared to the Bird, though the other elements blend into each other more as a result. Power and emotion versus clinical precision.
Fourte - the high strings in the into are far more distinct than either of the previous two. Rumble is deep but not as guttural as LX or clean as Traillii. Vocals are ethereal, while stage is wider than both the other IEMs. Stick at 1:10 is placed to perfection in the stage. The sheer detail and texture of the strings is beautiful. These dominate the presentation, along with some of the smaller, finer elements, rather than the power of the bass in the LX. It also feels 'bigger' than Trailli. Finale vocals aren't quite as large or emotive as LX, about the same placement in the mix as Trailli.
Preference - three way tie! I just can't call this one. I went into it thinking the Bird will clean up with such a complex track, and technically it did, but emotional connection with the LX and its life-size drums and spirited vocals was mesmerising, as was Fourte's play on positional cues and sheer nuance of texture in the biggest overall stage. A great example of how one can enjoy the same music at an exceptionally high level in three distinct ways.
Alphaville - Sounds Like A Melody [80s electronic pop]
Fourte - Width! Effects come at you from all directions from the very start. They keep dancing around the vocals, which are dead centre and ultra clear. Every clap, every electronic prop, every drumbeat is timed to perfection and rendered with extreme detail. Good depth when strings overlay and underlay the electronic synths. Imaging is pinpoint throughout.
LX - Deep bass. The LX isn't shy about plumbing the sub bass depths that Fourte fears to tread. It dominates the strings, giving the entire track a foundation that kicks rather than shines. It's a slightly sluggish, warmer presentation overall, notably slower than Fourte's, which is a little unexpected considering the vigour the LX is capable of producing. I think the bass that's present in the song is elevated a touch too high and weighs down the rest of the track. It's kickass fun, but lacking the vibrancy this track is known for.
Bird - Strangely the intro throws sounds so far left and right it stretches past the massive stage of the Fourte, but for some reason there's not enough emphasis on some of the middle-ground effects, and the kicks, while punchy, are oddly isolated from the rest of the mix. I'm hearing a collection of all the different elements separated so precisely and unerringly that they fail to form a cohesive whole, taking me out of the music.
Preference - Fourte, and it's not even close. LX dampens the mood with a rich and powerful bass that seems out of place in such a nimble track, and Traillii, while keeping pace with the music, splinters all the musical pieces too far apart for my liking.
Angels of Venice - Trotto[instrumental/mediaeval]
Bird - Whereas the Bird's precision and separation superpowers didn't quite work out for Alphaville, they're just what a track like Trotto demands. Pitch perfect rendition of the various musical instruments in the intro and build up, followed by powerful, beautifully textured drums. The Bird doesn't put a foot wrong here, not with timing, speed, timbre, imaging, anything. It's a flawless presentation of this instrumental masterpiece.
LX - From the off the detail and imaging precision in the intro instruments aren't quite at the same level as the Bird. But when the big drums kick in at 1:22 that's mostly forgotten, and the rhythm takes over. The LX is less about finesse here than it is about raw power. Those who enjoy big, bold drums with all the shake and warble that entails will love the presentation, but a finely balanced performance it's not.
Fourte - Perhaps not as well controlled as the Bird, the Fourte gives the intro instruments a wide berth, with an airy, slightly more diffuse presentation. The drums are where it tails off a touch, giving them excellent texture but not the accurate sizing of the Bird or the bombastic impact of the Legend. There's more of an ethereal feel here, more warmth between the different instruments than air, which is not typical of Fourte but typical of how it sometimes throws expectations for a loop.
Preference - Traillii. This is the type of music a precision musical instrument like the Bird is made for. Every note in its place, with the right weight, never too slow or fast, with pitch perfect timbre. The others are enjoyable in their own way, but deviate too far from natural on this occasion.
Fragma - You Are Alive [female vocal trance]
Fourte - Loving the light touch of the Fourte on this fast-paced vocal trance track. My attention is drawn to the little elements in-between the main notes, and the vocals themselves are sweet and ethereal. The track goes full trance at 3:07, but instead of making me move it's making me follow the melody and effects. A very different take but probably not the right fit for this track.
LX - That's more like it. The added kick of the Legend's bass canons give the intro a better foundation, less airy and more earthiness. The vocals are less ethereal but more natural and I daresay far more sexy, which works better here. By 3:07 I'm bobbing my head and grinning like a lovesick schoolboy. Nailed it.
Bird - I was initially surprised by the lack of kick in the intro, fiddled with the tips a bit, and realised that even the slightest deviation from a perfect seal renders the bass impotent with the Bird. Properly sat, it can be visceral. That said, there's something missing not from the electronic instruments, pace or rhythm, but from the vocals. They're just
too perfect. I can hear every echo effect, every fade, every nuance, but it's just not as powerful and emotive or downright sexy as the LX.
Preference - LX, but it's a close call. Depending on how you connect with the female vocals here, your preference will swing between LX and Traillii. Fourte is not the right fit.
David Guetta - Titanium [EDM]
Bird - Wow, what power in the vocals, in the drums! This is a brightly mastered track, and I'm already fearing the Fourte because the Bird is plenty bright already. That said the weight and pace of the drums is intoxicating. BA bass it might be, but the Bird can kick like a mule when it's called for.
LX - Oh yes. If the Bird kicks like a mule, the Legend kicks like a mule on steroids. It doesn't just kick, it warbles, girates, you feel it in your chest. Added to the warmer, smoother, more natural voicing of the LX and you have the perfect recipe for highly compressed modern EDM. It still peaks a little too high and too sharp, especially at 2:30, where the Bird keeps the peaks smoother. Not sure if I'm ready to hear this on Fourte...
Fourte - Ok, here we go... From the off I'm not crazy about Sia's vocals here. A bit too ethereal. Interestingly the brightness is not what I'm hearing, it's actually very smooth up top. It's also quite punchy, but the kick is more like a slap compared to the Bird and especially the LX. This track needs BASS, and while the Fourte can do great bass, it's not doing it here.
Preference - I'm going to call it for the LX, just, even though I prefer the smoothness of the Bird's stats up top. When it comes to EDM you want to feel the power and the groove, so a bit of errant treble isn't the end of the world. For purity, the Bird has it in spades, it just lacks the last bit of oomph I
personally prefer. The Fourte, while surprisingly smoother than I expected, just doesn't kick like it should with this track, and is too light overall.
Ok, that's it for the comparisons. Before the final tally and wrap-up, how about another visual interlude...
Ok, now back to the pitchforks.
Verdict and closing thoughts
If my math is good (and it so often isn't), the Legend takes this shootout by a hair (5), with the Bird (4) and Fourte (4) tied for second. A closer photo finish you couldn't get running a derby with three cloned horses.
But let's be honest, the final tally could
easily have gone another way based on song choice, mood, etc. Throw on
Gheorghe Zamfir's 'The Lonely Shepherd' and the Traillii is possibly peerless in its rendition of every marvelous element of this marvelous track. And
George Michael's'Hand To Mouth' is simply heartbreakingly good on the Fourte.
All three IEMs have unique superpowers not shared by any of the others. I'm still getting my head around the Traillii and will need much more time with it across a much wider range of tracks to really know it better. But this I'll say without hesitation: I don't believe a more technically perfect IEM exists, and certainly not one that combines its peerless technicalities with such a high degree of musicality, balance and purity.
Does it have flaws? Sure it does. As
@xenithon suggests, there's a frequency range somewhere below 20Hz that I don't think the Bird even bothers trying to reproduce. The same frequencies that the LX delivers with a nonchalant ease that gives the Legend the visceral warble of a real subwoofer.
While you can make a strong case for the Bird having
even better imaging and separation than Fourte, maybe even a wider stage with some tracks, I don't think it pulls off all of these technical masterstrokes as
naturally and cohesively as Fourte. This makes Traillii a bit more clinical in comparison,
but only in comparison. The Fourte has its own tonal flaws, but I do think it still wears the crown when it comes to the sheer 'wow factor' of its technical powers.
Do I think the Bird is, on the whole, the most complete flagship in this particular elite group of flagships? Yes I do. Does that make it a better choice for everyone? No, but I still think it justifies an asking price north of both Fourte and LX,
cable nonwithstanding, if nothing else than for its technical mastery. Whether or not that's enough to connect you emotionally with your music is something only YOU can answer.
Addendum: Once Upon A Time in 1960...
I said there might be a twist to this story, and there is. I managed to sneak in a quick cable roll of the Fourte, using the PW Audio No. 5 8-wire cable I normally pair it with, and the mystical 1960s that belongs to the Bird. The results were not quite 'night and day', but significant nonetheless. Here are my quick fire impressions (
all notes about the 1960s, unless otherwise stated):
BEYRIES - Alone
Darker background, vocal more focused with less of an airy trail, piano keys more focused too. Subtle guitar strums more audible in both channels. Vocals absolutely butter smooth with the 1960s and the blacker background gives a better sense of space.
Brandi Carlile - The Story
Opening guitars are clearer with the 1960s. Vocals are also more focused but as a result a touch edgier. Stage is flatter with the No. 5, 1960s adds depth, probably because of blacker background. 1960s removes the thinnest of veils you wouldn't think was there with the No. 5 (or Fourte for that matter). Instrument melee more distinct with 1960s, hi-hats and snares more easily separated.
Daft Punk - Within
You can hear the darker background from the opening keys but it's much more subtle here. Without the tone of human vocals, there's less of a stark contrast. In fact I find the bass is elevated a touch too much with the 1960s which makes the higher frequency stick hits and fade effects slightly less distinct.
And so...
Within opens with the line: "There are so many things I don't understand." And that sums up my thoughts exactly when it comes to cable rolling the 1960s. I can hear
definite differences in noise floor, separation, focus and stage, but the degree varies, and the benefit is subjective.
Granted this is a
very small sample with just one IEM, but if there's such a marked improvement in the Fourte with a cable change,
what does that say for the results in the head-to-head? Could it be that bundling the Fourte with a 1960s, or the Legend with the 1950s, could put them ahead - preference-wise or otherwise - of the Bird? You'd certainly be comparing them fairly, as opposed to doing so with 'lesser' or even worse, their 'stock' cables. And incidentally, all three 'bundles' would also be much closer to each other cost-wise, taking cost - as it should be - out of the equation. Makes me think, anyway.
Hope you enjoyed my ramble, and found it at least slightly useful. As always, feel free to hit me up here or by PM with any further questions.”
@gLer
Oriolus Traillii: Queen of Elusiveness
I know this "IEM" [cmon, they gotta be headphones right?] has been under rather some intense heat lately due to its pricing and “hype-train”-but as I’ve noted in several posts, I feel the fluttering excitement is more of a testament to the incredible product that Oriolus has created rather than the crazy birdkeepers.
Infinity was the first IEM that I felt destroyed the mental barriers I had about how a specific driver was supposed to sound. The copper coil technology implemented for the balanced armatures gave it some unbelievable realism for low-level texture on instruments and vocals.
Traillii, in other ways, has continued to break those barriers for me. Firstly, the electrostats are incredibly detailed, controlled and well-extended. I cannot say that for many other electrostatic implementations, although the nod for other well-done electro hybrids go to Odin & Thummim for me. But, the more impressive parts are what the BAs do for the mids and bass. The realism of instruments through the lower to upper mid-range are organic, soulful, and airy. I never get the impression that I am listening to BAs for the midrange. Although, it is important to note that the mids are relatively laid-back (not recessed, just excellently extended in the vast depth of its staging)-so it likely will not suit those who prefer Erlky-levels of forward mids.
Furthermore, the BAs used for the bass are by far the best I have heard for that driver type. I have discussed this with several bird owners and it is mind boggling that those BAs are able to create such a
convincingbass impact. It genuinely feels visceral. And yes, while it likely will not provide a genuine, authentic dynamic driver experience of the true air ripping effect, it instead comes across as more controlled and detailed, a tradeoff I more than welcome.
Although Traillii does an astounding job of balancing its excellent mids, bass, and world-class treble-we have not even discussed its strongest traits-resolution, soundstage, imaging, separation, and layering. In other words, Traillii is just a
technical monster.
A bird that looks nothing like how it performs. (That is probably why I customized mine to be carbon-fiber black. Subtle, but special). It is
elusive in what should be capable from an IEM and from those drivers.
Traillii has close to surgical precision that allows you to pinpoint where each performer is on a large stage. Most impressively, Traillii plays notes with meaty weight, avoiding the common phenomena of thin notes for imaging precision, something I feel Odin struggles with (I swear, I DO like Odin overall!). It obviously helps that the Traillii has the largest stage
width and
depth I have heard from an IEM, with still top-tier height. This vast stage allows these thicker, precise notes to effortlessly accompany a spot on the stage without ever feeling congested.
Traillii’s resolution and detail-retrieval is also easy to take for granted, until you go back to another Summit-Fi IEM to compare and realize that all of a sudden that IEM sounds muddy in comparison. This happened to me when I went back to Infinity-I thought with the upper-mid boost, that Infinity’s detail retrieval was top tier, but all of a sudden it felt colored and semi-muddy in comparison. When listening to Traillii, you have a crystal-clear view into the song’s true potential-microdetail, separation, layering, balance, and timbre. In other words, if I want to hear
new details in my favorite tracks without sacrificing musicality, I will easily pick up the Traillii over any other IEM.
Verdict: Trailii is the young musical prodigy that defies all odds. She learned to sing at age 4, play drums at age 6, play the trumpet at 7, and continue on by redefining what musical composition looks like for several genres. Her blend of musical gifts and articulate, technical mind puts her at the top of her craft as an inspiration for all. There are no barriers holding her back-but that in itself makes her elusive.
@tawmizzzz
So I just got Trailli, have the Odin, and have been comparing them since the Trailli arrived yesterday morning. I’m still getting to know the Trailli, and I know that I need more time with it to get a holistic sense of its full capabilities (this would be true of any iem this soon after getting it, but I can tell already is particularly true of the Trailli because some of its greatness clearly lies in how well it does certain subtleties.
I listen to a little bit of everything—pretty much anything with the exception of country—and I’ve been listening to a bit of everything over the past two days as I’ve been putting Trailli through its paces. This has included classic rock (Rolling Stones, the Doors, Cream, The Who, The Band, etc.) Prog Rock (Pink Floyd, Rush), acoustic/singer-songwriter (Martin Sexton, Carole King), Electronic (Daft Punk, Prodigy, Crystal Method, Caravan Palace), dubstep, hip-hop, contemporary pop, electro swing, etc etc.
I would certainly say that as a whole the Trailli is better, but at least to my ears, we’re not talking night and day differences. However, the sum of the differences adds up to a overall improved sound in most areas. For me it’s enough to justify the substantial additional investment, but that’s an entirely personal opinion.
On technicalities (particularly resolution, micro and macro detail, soundstage depth) they are actually very close and there are some areas where the Odin reigns supreme. Odin’s tuning accentuates it’s clarity, detail, separation and precision through its emphasis on subbass over midbass, and upper mids over lower mids. The Trailli has more midbass and lower mids, which give notes additional body and adds a naturalness. It matches or exceeds the Odin’s detail, layering, but does so in a more effortless, less emphasized way. In fact, effortless excellence is a really good two-word description of the trailli.
To my ears, Odin edges Trailli out in its delivery that subwoofer-like thump subbass impact at the leading edge of a bass note—there’s a certain robustness there that the Trailli doesn’t quite match. I’m not talking about quantity, because Trailli actually has at least the same about of subbass if not a little more, but the subtle quality of that leading edge of impact that the Odin’s dual weapon ix+ dynamic drivers offer that is really satisfying. However, Trailli is, somewhat shockingly, within whispering distance here—it really has a dynamic driver-like quality to its bass—and matches the Odin on bass texture and realistic decay, while also being a little tighter and faster. Trailli has noticeably more midbass quantity, impact, fullness, and texture, but does this without any bleed or bloat into the mids at all, which is quite the trick
As I mentioned above, the trailli is more balanced in terms of lower mids and upper mids, and the increased lower mids add more body, warmth, and organic naturalness. The Odin is comparatively more neutral, less bodied, with more of an upper mids emphasis that can occasionally add a subtle nasal-y quality in certain circumstances. The trailli matches and perhaps exceeds Odin in terms of detail and I would say exceeds it in terms of texture in the mids, though some of this is less immediately apparent because the effortless presentation doesn’t emphasize these qualities as much.
Both have excellent treble, but the Odin is overall a little smoother. The trailli’s treble really is something special with an edge in detail, texture, sparkle, and shimmer but, again, done in a very natural realistic way without overt emphasis. There’s no hint of sharpness or stridency, in either and Odin’s treble really is excellent—the best I had heard until trailli, but trailli edges out the Odin in subtle ways here that just sound a little bit more natural when going from one to the other.
On soundstage, both are again excellent, but the Trailli is noticeably wider and taller. They match each other with fantastic depth.
One dig against trailli so far is that the cable is pretty stiff and less comfortable than the stormbreaker cable on my odins; however, i expect the trailli cable to become less stiff as I use it, which happened with my stormbreaker. Trailli cable is also noticeably more microphonic, particularly when part of the cable rubs against itself or you move the chin slider. These are purely ergonomic issues though.
However, the sum of everything makes the whole of the trailli, to me, a noticeably better iem, but we’re in such a high echelon of performance here, that both are excellent—trailli just has an effortlessness and naturalness to its performance that is really compelling and astounding. It’s like the difference between two top professional athletes, one (the Odin) that works harder than anyone else and as a result has excellent, almost textbook technique, while the other is just insanely naturally gifted and has an innate effortlessness and almost perfect instinct (trailli).
@sorrick
Another late night session and one thing that just continues to impress me is how pinpoint accurate instruments are for imaging. I am slowly going through my vast library to re-experience each song (and trust me when I say it’s been a “new” journey rediscovering all these songs)-and when expecting a drop or a guitar solo, I get tripped out when I still hear the dead accuracy of the drum or bass hit in the center while the other instruments and vocals rise to the forefront on the peripherals. The left/right separation is just superb. You can just always tell where everything is going on in the stage [and yes this is just from the W2 pairing]
@tawmizzzz
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s are special.
Should work nicely with the Traillii as well.
