RAZ's TOTL review and rambles thread, on life support
Nov 8, 2020 at 8:56 AM Post #871 of 3,674
It's been a while but finally, I've been able to get something new to demo, and it's none other than the Jomo Audio Trinity Brass! Joseph Mou was very kind to send me a demo unit to try out - my interest in it was reignited when @Deezel177 and @Wyville mentioned that the Thummim reminds them of the Trinity with some differences in the peaks and dips - considering my ongoing wild affair with the Thummim, and the possibility of a custom glittered-up Trinity... well you get it

Now, to quickly cover my view on Thummim vs Trinity - ultimately they're both monitors that would fall in the How good your music could sound, adding a significant amount of coloration and bass and excitement to the mix, but I personally find that they also differ quite a lot - the Thummim has a more present and forward midrange (especially lower midrange), less forward lower treble, and a more pronounced treble extension. I find the Trinity to be more of a classic, fun-first V shape, while the Thummim is closer to a W.

Back to the Trinity though - I'm personally not a big fan of acrylic universals, but they do come in purple so Jomo have redeemed themselves there :D they're super comfortable though, in that "semi custom" shape - I'm currently using them with some SS spinfits and they feel great in my ears.

It's worth noting that the Trinity is ridiculously hard to drive. I'm not a loud listener at all, but I'm reaching close to 90 on my LPGT on low gain, and almost maxing out my RME ADI 2 DAC as well. Underpowering them also pretty much eats away at the treble entirely, so I'd only really consider these if you have a decently powered DAP or even desktop amp to use them with.

Now, on sound - I've been finding myself absolutely loving my time with them... even though I really shouldn't be enjoying them on paper - I know that sounds weird but let me explain

Starting from the bottom up, the Trinity's bass is a classic Dynamic Driver in action - some heavy hits, some slow and pleasant decay (the Thummim is much faster and punchier in comparison), and excellent texture. I've come to quite enjoy a bold and present low end - I'd say in the case of the Trinity we're approaching basshead territory. It's certainly the bassiest IEM I have with me at the moment, as Trump would say - BY A LOT (not that much, it's a little bassier than the Thummim but I really wanted to say that)

The midrange and treble have the kind of tonal balance that normally does not resonate with me all that well - the lower midrange is somewhat sucked out, while the upper midrange is more present in comparison. I've been quite vocal lately about how unnatural that sounds to me, as I find it makes male vocals sound shouty and thin, and female vocals overly forward and bloated - the Trinity takes a different approach however - it places the lower midrange further back without actually boosting the upper midrange (or it might be a very gentle boost that doesn't sound as harsh to me as it does normally).

The treble also has the tonal balance in reverse of what I normally like - it has a more present lower treble (0 sibilance, but on some pop, rap etc you can get to levels that I'd consider slightly harsh) - it's nowhere near the peak of something like the Tia Fourte, but it's certainly more present than the IEMs I've been listening to most lately, i.e the Thummim, A18S and A12t. I think the lower treble peak is actually pretty well executed in the sense that it manages to steer clear of all vocals while boosting the perceived clarity of the monitor. In some harsher recordings you might end up finding it either a little overly intense, or just right depending on just how much headbanging you want to do.

The upper treble of the trinity is a little under-emphasized compared to what I'm used to - cymbals are present, they extend decently well - though they don't quite go into the highest registers - this aspect might have to do with how they are perceived as well, as they have a more neutral position compared to the rest of the treble and don't stand out quite as much as they do in a monitor like the A18S.

On technical ability, the Trinity does well - great dynamics and instrumental separation, pretty good detail for a V, reasonable staging depth and a sole weakness of relatively narrow staging - it doesn't feel congested or overly boxed in, but it doesn't stretch as far as I'd really like it to - reminds me a little of the Elysium in that respect.

TLDR and what I'm trying to explain as to the tonality of the Trinity:

When you factor in the V shaped signature of the Trinity along with the lower/upper mid ratio, you get a performance where female vocals are on the same plain as instruments (a more neutral positioning), and in certain tracks I'd go as far as saying they're slightly recessed - Mary J. Blige's Family Affair being one of those.

Male vocals have excellent body and texture, but sit further back in the performance. They aren't thin, or shouty, or unnatural - they do come across as "enveloped" within the instrumental performance though.

All this information becomes uselss when you feed the Trinity some metal or rock - the IEM absolutely slaughters it, transmitting emotion to the point that you find yourself fuming 15 minutes in. Would not recommend travelling with it as you might get yourself kicked out of a flight before it's even taken off for starting a fight.

IMG_3254.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nov 8, 2020 at 12:00 PM Post #873 of 3,674
It's been a while but finally, I've been able to get something new to demo, and it's none other than the Jomo Audio Trinity Brass! Joseph Mou was very kind to send me a demo unit to try out - my interest in it was reignited when @Deezel177 and @Wyville mentioned that the Thummim reminds them of the Trinity with some differences in the peaks and dips - considering my ongoing wild affair with the Thummim, and the possibility of a custom glittered-up Trinity... well you get it

Now, to quickly cover my view on Thummim vs Trinity - ultimately they're both monitors that would fall in the How good your music could sound, adding a significant amount of coloration and bass and excitement to the mix, but I personally find that they also differ quite a lot - the Thummim has a more present and forward midrange (especially lower midrange), less forward lower treble, and a more pronounced treble extension. I find the Trinity to be more of a classic, fun-first V shape, while the Thummim is closer to a W.

Back to the Trinity though - I'm personally not a big fan of acrylic universals, but they do come in purple so Jomo have redeemed themselves there :D they're super comfortable though, in that "semi custom" shape - I'm currently using them with some SS spinfits and they feel great in my ears.

It's worth noting that the Trinity is ridiculously hard to drive. I'm not a loud listener at all, but I'm reaching close to 90 on my LPGT on low gain, and almost maxing out my RME ADI 2 DAC as well. Underpowering them also pretty much eats away at the treble entirely, so I'd only really consider these if you have a decently powered DAP or even desktop amp to use them with.

Now, on sound - I've been finding myself absolutely loving my time with them... even though I really shouldn't be enjoying them on paper - I know that sounds weird but let me explain

Starting from the bottom up, the Trinity's bass is a classic Dynamic Driver in action - some heavy hits, some slow and pleasant decay (the Thummim is much faster and punchier in comparison), and excellent texture. I've come to quite enjoy a bold and present low end - I'd say in the case of the Trinity we're approaching basshead territory. It's certainly the bassiest IEM I have with me at the moment, as Trump would say - BY A LOT (not that much, it's a little bassier than the Thummim but I really wanted to say that)

The midrange and treble have the kind of tonal balance that normally does not resonate with me all that well - the lower midrange is somewhat sucked out, while the upper midrange is more present in comparison. I've been quite vocal lately about how unnatural that sounds to me, as I find it makes male vocals sound shouty and thin, and female vocals overly forward and bloated - the Trinity takes a different approach however - it places the lower midrange further back without actually boosting the upper midrange (or it might be a very gentle boost that doesn't sound as harsh to me as it does normally).

The treble also has the tonal balance in reverse of what I normally like - it has a more present lower treble (0 sibilance, but on some pop, rap etc you can get to levels that I'd consider slightly harsh) - it's nowhere near the peak of something like the Tia Fourte, but it's certainly more present than the IEMs I've been listening to most lately, i.e the Thummim, A18S and A12t. I think the lower treble peak is actually pretty well executed in the sense that it manages to steer clear of all vocals while boosting the perceived clarity of the monitor. In some harsher recordings you might end up finding it either a little overly intense, or just right depending on just how much headbanging you want to do.

The upper treble of the trinity is a little under-emphasized compared to what I'm used to - cymbals are present, they extend decently well - though they don't quite go into the highest registers - this aspect might have to do with how they are perceived as well, as they have a more neutral position compared to the rest of the treble and don't stand out quite as much as they do in a monitor like the A18S.

On technical ability, the Trinity does well - great dynamics and instrumental separation, pretty good detail for a V, reasonable staging depth and a sole weakness of relatively narrow staging - it doesn't feel congested or overly boxed in, but it doesn't stretch as far as I'd really like it to - reminds me a little of the Elysium in that respect.

TLDR and what I'm trying to explain as to the tonality of the Trinity:

When you factor in the V shaped signature of the Trinity along with the lower/upper mid ratio, you get a performance where female vocals are on the same plain as instruments (a more neutral positioning), and in certain tracks I'd go as far as saying they're slightly recessed - Mary J. Blige's Family Affair being one of those.

Male vocals have excellent body and texture, but sit further back in the performance. They aren't thin, or shouty, or unnatural - they do come across as "enveloped" within the instrumental performance though.

All this information becomes uselss when you feed the Trinity some metal or rock - the IEM absolutely slaughters it, transmitting emotion to the point that you find yourself fuming 15 minutes in. Would not recommend travelling with it as you might get yourself kicked out of a flight before it's even taken off for starting a fight.

IMG_3254.jpg
I never got to try the brass and only demo’d the SS a while back for very brief, but that last line about metal sounds right up my alley😂😂. Is that because of how well it does with electric guitars? How are the cymbals due to not the best of treble extension? Also does it keep up with double bass well enough as a DD?

Or I guess in general; what would be your favorite IEM for metal/hard rock? I liked Odin surprisingly as it’s layering allowed the chaos to not overwhelm each other while keeping everything tight and detailed. Thanks Raz!
 
Nov 8, 2020 at 12:58 PM Post #874 of 3,674
I never got to try the brass and only demo’d the SS a while back for very brief, but that last line about metal sounds right up my alley😂😂. Is that because of how well it does with electric guitars? How are the cymbals due to not the best of treble extension? Also does it keep up with double bass well enough as a DD?

Or I guess in general; what would be your favorite IEM for metal/hard rock? I liked Odin surprisingly as it’s layering allowed the chaos to not overwhelm each other while keeping everything tight and detailed. Thanks Raz!
Yeah I read another review that mentioned how good electric guitars sound on the Trinity and I agree fully - the midrange on it has really good warmth and texture despite the smaller quantity, and I really enjoyed that as it manages to stay coherent with the DD bass

Cymbals - and the treble performance in general - the Trinity is quite energetic in what I'd assume is somewhere just between the lower and upper treble, the middle treble if that's a thing, so they sound quite energetic, but not super extended and airy the way they would on an IEM that really nails the highs. A track that I love using here is Rag and Bone by the White Stripes - the Trinity just about manages to keep up with the cymbals, but doesn't manage to catch every crash perfectly well, as something like the IER Z1R would. On the other hand, it does better than the Z1R with vocals and its less offensive treble makes EDM especially enjoyable and sibilance-free. The Trinity was one of the first estat IEMs on the market, and carries some of the issues such as the super high current requirement and the issues with extension - it does have really good sparkle to counter that, but ultimately it depends on what you're after :)

In general I'm evaluating and potentially recommending the Trinity as one of those IEMs that isn't new or hyped so you can get a really good deal or a fat discount. I see some selling for 15-1600 euros every now and then, and at that price it's an insanely fun and pleasant V. I enjoy it more than I enjoyed the N8 demo unit when I had it as I found the upper midrange too forward on it, so in genres where I enjoy heavy bass (pop, EDM etc), the N8 would end up making them quite hot, while the Trinity sounds just right.

And best IEM for heavy rock.... I actually loved the IER Z1R and its ungodly treble for that - maybe the A18S? The speed of those BAs really manages to tear apart muddier and more complex recordings. A12t is great as well, but let's face it, where the A18S does well so will the A12t cause they're pretty similar :D
 
Nov 8, 2020 at 2:37 PM Post #875 of 3,674
RAZ you got any idea when that 1266 TC will arrive? I'm interested in that review. I have a feeling that that could be an endgame headphone coming from my HSEk
Abyss sent me a photo of the work in progress recently!
387511DA-C857-4A40-8779-9F65D6721611.jpeg

Should be 2-3 weeks tops I reckon :) super excited to get them
 
Nov 8, 2020 at 2:55 PM Post #876 of 3,674
Yeah I read another review that mentioned how good electric guitars sound on the Trinity and I agree fully - the midrange on it has really good warmth and texture despite the smaller quantity, and I really enjoyed that as it manages to stay coherent with the DD bass

Cymbals - and the treble performance in general - the Trinity is quite energetic in what I'd assume is somewhere just between the lower and upper treble, the middle treble if that's a thing, so they sound quite energetic, but not super extended and airy the way they would on an IEM that really nails the highs. A track that I love using here is Rag and Bone by the White Stripes - the Trinity just about manages to keep up with the cymbals, but doesn't manage to catch every crash perfectly well, as something like the IER Z1R would. On the other hand, it does better than the Z1R with vocals and its less offensive treble makes EDM especially enjoyable and sibilance-free. The Trinity was one of the first estat IEMs on the market, and carries some of the issues such as the super high current requirement and the issues with extension - it does have really good sparkle to counter that, but ultimately it depends on what you're after :)

In general I'm evaluating and potentially recommending the Trinity as one of those IEMs that isn't new or hyped so you can get a really good deal or a fat discount. I see some selling for 15-1600 euros every now and then, and at that price it's an insanely fun and pleasant V. I enjoy it more than I enjoyed the N8 demo unit when I had it as I found the upper midrange too forward on it, so in genres where I enjoy heavy bass (pop, EDM etc), the N8 would end up making them quite hot, while the Trinity sounds just right.

And best IEM for heavy rock.... I actually loved the IER Z1R and its ungodly treble for that - maybe the A18S? The speed of those BAs really manages to tear apart muddier and more complex recordings. A12t is great as well, but let's face it, where the A18S does well so will the A12t cause they're pretty similar :D
Heavy rock / metal sounds just dope on Elysium :L3000::metal::metal::metal::metal::metal::metal:
 
Nov 8, 2020 at 6:25 PM Post #878 of 3,674
Did somebody say Jomo IEMs???
@mvvRAZ enjoyed your review of the Trinity Brass. Definitely the bassiest IEM I own.

Loving mine for rock/edm/jazz
 
Nov 8, 2020 at 6:47 PM Post #879 of 3,674
Abyss sent me a photo of the work in progress recently!
387511DA-C857-4A40-8779-9F65D6721611.jpeg

Should be 2-3 weeks tops I reckon :) super excited to get them

good looks, good sound, AND pot-scrubbing abilities, all in one.
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 3:02 AM Post #880 of 3,674
Did somebody say Jomo IEMs???
@mvvRAZ enjoyed your review of the Trinity Brass. Definitely the bassiest IEM I own.

Loving mine for rock/edm/jazz
Totally! I'm currently listening to Jamiroquai's Rock Dust Light Star and talking to Joseph about the design of my custom Trinity :D
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 7:04 AM Post #881 of 3,674
Totally! I'm currently listening to Jamiroquai's Rock Dust Light Star and talking to Joseph about the design of my custom Trinity :D

bro , if you're gonna have 20K of TOTL iems around , please upgrade to some real funk :)

ok , it's Groove lesson time - go here and just check out all tunes by yours truly

https://www.facebook.com/one.nation.under.one.groove/

Funk Shaman , over and out :xf_cool:
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 7:18 AM Post #882 of 3,674
rotating immediately between all my in ears monitors makes simply dislike them all.

Time to go to stick to my old usage, only use 1 iem every 2 weeks and keep rotating
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 7:21 AM Post #883 of 3,674
rotating immediately between all my in ears monitors makes simply dislike them all.

Time to go to stick to my old usage, only use 1 iem every 2 weeks and keep rotating
That is such a good point. Listening to IEMs back to back just highlights/exacerbates what your brain perceives as 'flaws', that simply aren't there when listening separately and rotating after a period.
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 7:31 AM Post #884 of 3,674
so true, I have been heavily doing AB among all my iems, as I am trying cables, it is surprising how now I dislike all my iems. Right now seriously all sound like crap to me.

In comparison when I did have gaps been using them, I liked almost all of them

I definitely have ear fatigue now, so best to not listen to any iem for a week now
 
Nov 9, 2020 at 7:38 AM Post #885 of 3,674
so true, I have been heavily doing AB among all my iems, as I am trying cables, it is surprising how now I dislike all my iems. Right now seriously all sound like crap to me.

In comparison when I did have gaps been using them, I liked almost all of them

I definitely have ear fatigue now, so best to not listen to any iem for a week now
First world problems.
 

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