Am I missing something about EQ? Seems like most people use it but it just never sounds clean to me, and I only ever do minimal lowering of bands. Like, paying end game money just to EQ it? What??
These are my quick impressions of the TRN ST7. I stumbled upon the TRN ST7 in this very thread. Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to give it a try.
Priced affordably, this IEM offers a remarkable sound quality, especially when paired with a budget dongle like the FiiO KA11.
Pros:
Budget-friendly price point
Comfortable fit, average nozzle size
Good bass performance, though I prefer more sub-bass and mid-bass
Impressive technical abilities and detail retrieval
I found that using my own ear tips improved the sound isolation, making it suitable for use in loud environments.
Cons:
Male vocals may sound a bit lean
Higher pitched vocals and instruments (like electric guitars and trumpets) are a bit emphasized and can be slightly shouty with certain songs
Connector design similar to QDC connector (maybe it is QDC)
No carrying case but that is expected at this price
A microphone would be nice at this price (Thanks to @FreeWheelinAudioLuv2 for pointing out that there is a mic option available)
A/B testing with the DUNU Titian S left me shocked; the ST7 outperformed it in many areas. The ST7 also sounded smoother, particularly noticeable with vocals, drum kicks, cymbal strikes, and live music.
Overall, the TRN ST7 is an excellent choice for a budget IEM with exceptional technical performance and detail retrieval. If I am buying an IEM for $60 or more, I could see myself looking at other options for different tuning as well, especially when IEMs go on sale.
While the budget segment of the market has seen significant improvements, I've also noticed that the mid-range and high-end segments have improved as well. In fact, I feel that many IEMs in the $60 to $80 price range sound much better than the ST7.
This is just my opinion.
Check out the pictures and frequency response measurement below for a closer look at the TRN ST7.
You described the experience they offer extremely well. Also, thank you for providing the graph for them! (which seems to align perfectly with the official one). As a side note, yes, they have QDC connectors.
May I ask if you have only tried them with the provided cable? I ask this because I think they benefit quite a lot from re-cabling, even more so than from tips rolling, because the default cheap TRN cable is not the best around, to be honest. It seems to “cap” their potential soundstage, while also making them lose bass punch and a tad of definition overall. If you haven’t tried switching the stock cable yet, I highly suggest trying.
Penon OCC849 Single Crystal Copper HiFi Audiophile IEMs Cable
Type-4 Litz configuration
Description
6n single crystal copper silver-plated cable
8 strands, single strand is 49 cores, a total of 8 × 49.
The plug contains 68% copper
The solder joints is silver – contained tin
Carbon fiber metal splitter and CNC integrated slider
Cable length: 1.2M
There is a new OCC849 Cable in town. Continuing the 849 line-up, Penon has introduced the original OS849 cable way back in early 2018. The line has been one of the most successful cable introductions for Penon. As it turns out they are reintoducing a more copper version. This new OCC849 just came in, along with the prior three for comparison purposes. I have tried this new OCC849 and it is a looker. Will get photos in the light tomorrow. But right off I can tell you that even though thick, it is very maneuverable.
Sound wise it is the most forward and possibly resolving (in a different way) than PENON Renata, the new ISN T-OCC and ISN CS02..........simply more forward than the prior three. Where the Renata holds a warm stance generating thickness just by the amount of insane material used....it is the thickest of the new trio set.
I mean that is my first OCC849 instant impressions out of the box. Yet this test was with my Noble Encore and WM1A a very treble centric Encore set with a treble shelf from 5kHz to 8kHz. Yet still the smoothness of the 6N Copper with silver plating showed a tone down from a regular pure silver affair. With that said it is kind of a forward yet detailed, yet still smooth rendition of the 849 line.........I'm thinking? I will get testing to compare the OS849, the GS849 and the GD849 tomorrow. See here what is unique is the partial solid copper plug offering 68% pure copper...............which if you know plugs offers a weighty disposition and warmth in relation to regular 4 gram gold plated plugs, or 4 gram Rhodium plated plugs. Remember the Renata is going to be more smooth offering the stage of silver because it has two hand woven cables and 35 cores Liquid nitrogen single crystal silver + 196 cores Furukawa silver copper alloy plated silver. As such so far I would call the Renata just thicker sounding (maybe slightly colored a little).......but going along with the ISN CS02 and Penon T-OCC to offer more thickness in relation to what the OCC849 is trying to do. Here we are hearing more standard vibrance and detail, faster pace and all those things that you look for from a standard silver plated 6N copper cable...........except with the added 68% pure copper plug. I have a feeling that this new OCC849 will hold the legacy since 2018, and bring the classic design with a detailed tone into 2024. More photos of these 4 cables to come in a day.
I'm a sucker for 1DD's so I wanted to ask if some more people jumped on the INTUAURA Splendor II yet?
They popped up on HiFiGo and I tried to find some more info here. Read @Argha's review on them (though they had a different color which HiFiGo doesn't seem to offer) and became interested. Right now I listen to the Himalaya and really dig them a lot.
Wait, Polaris better than D-fi ?! I just got that in and am testing it and am totally blown away. Wally the best single DD I’ve heard yet… possibly can rival my AirPods Pro 2 in some cases.
The sound seems more complete in the Polaris. It is possible that it has better bass and more developed treble, but I would have to compare after work.
D-Fi has nice timbre.
I like a lot moded Castor Bass too (by @DynamicEars recipte) it's very cheap nowadays, those are with Polaris and Trio are my favorites budget iems
I'm a sucker for 1DD's so I wanted to ask if some more people jumped on the INTUAURA Splendor II yet?
They popped up on HiFiGo and I tried to find some more info here. Read @Argha's review on them (though they had a different color which HiFiGo doesn't seem to offer) and became interested. Right now I listen to the Himalaya and really dig them a lot.
The sound seems more complete in the Polaris. It is possible that it has better bass and more developed treble, but I would have to compare after work.
D-Fi has nice timbre.
I like a lot moded Castor Bass too (by @DynamicEars recipte) it's very cheap nowadays, those are with Polaris and Trio are my favorites budget iems
INTUAURA Splendor II just dropped in the mail to me tonight. You have a choice of 3.5mm or 4.4mm for the same price. And the DSP Dongle that comes with it is 3.5mm or 4.4mm as Z Reviews was using his in 4.4mm Dongle fashion I’m pretty sure?
I will post impressions in this thread when I get it.....they are at Linsoul too. I have noticed different venders have different colors?
I'm a sucker for 1DD's so I wanted to ask if some more people jumped on the INTUAURA Splendor II yet?
They popped up on HiFiGo and I tried to find some more info here. Read @Argha's review on them (though they had a different color which HiFiGo doesn't seem to offer) and became interested. Right now I listen to the Himalaya and really dig them a lot.
I'm a sucker for 1DD's so I wanted to ask if some more people jumped on the INTUAURA Splendor II yet?
They popped up on HiFiGo and I tried to find some more info here. Read @Argha's review on them (though they had a different color which HiFiGo doesn't seem to offer) and became interested. Right now I listen to the Himalaya and really dig them a lot.
I have one coming for review. Really have no idea what to expect since I have not seen this brand before. They seem confident about their tuning, though there is no graph any where.
Thanks for the kind words, brother.
It was very stressful and traumatic, tbh.
I would sell multiple others sets to fund this if needed.
That's how much I missed them the instant they broke.
You described the experience they offer extremely well. Also, thank you for providing the graph for them! (which seems to align perfectly with the official one). As a side note, yes, they have QDC connectors.
May I ask if you have only tried them with the provided cable? I ask this because I think they benefit quite a lot from re-cabling, even more so than from tips rolling, because the default cheap TRN cable is not the best around, to be honest. It seems to “cap” their potential soundstage, while also making them lose bass punch and a tad of definition overall. If you haven’t tried switching the stock cable yet, I highly suggest trying.
You're very welcome. Thank you for confirming the QDC connectors. Yes, I've only used them with the included cable. While the cable isn't the highest quality, I really can't complain given the price. Unfortunately, I don't have any additional QDC cables at the moment.
Digging Rhapsody a lot more now it's sounding much more holophonic !!...need to leave it to burn in a tad more I reckon...my current preferred switch config is: DUUD....they're the real McCoy & definitely NOT a dud !!
Yes, but it looks like they are using squared recessed pins, like on the Myer Audio SLIIVO SL41 (Final Version) and SLT6 that @ToneDeafMonk is talking about in his video here:
youtu.be/wA9qUj6KP0E?t=377
TDM also asked Myer Audio about the connector and it is the "new" DUNU connector.
(Maybe DUNU is behind Myer Audio? SLT6 and DaVinci also both have wooden faceplates.)
So be prepared that 95% of your NiceHCK and other recessed 2-pin cables will NOT work
But the original cable looks very nice, so there might not be the need for a cable swap.
I have one coming for review. Really have no idea what to expect since I have not seen this brand before. They seem confident about their tuning, though there is no graph any where.
Z Reviews is hilarious, as he first uses the Dongle that has DSP (in 4.4mm no doubt) transform the end tone, then has the same NIN song playing in loop fashion from a desktop. His included Dongle was connected to a DAP with TypeC USB. He says.....well this is the future more of less. Then he explained how the IEM sounds two completely different ways in the end. That means two reviews for us, one with the included Dongle and one without! Hehe. And... you have to wonder if the DSP sounds different in 3.5mm compared to 4.4mm, they cost the same?
Z Reviews is hilarious, as he first uses the Dongle that has DSP (in 4.4mm no doubt) transform the end tone, then has the same NIN song playing in loop fashion from a desktop. His included Dongle was connected to a DAP with TypeC USB. He says.....well this is the future more of less. Then he explained how the IEM sounds two completely different ways in the end. That means two reviews for us, one with the included Dongle and one without! Hehe. And... you have to wonder if the DSP sounds different in 3.5mm compared to 4.4mm, they cost the same?
That’s interesting. I don’t really watch his videos since that gopro cam gives me motion sickness I heard that outside the goofy onscreen persona, he is quite a hardcore audio geek with measurements and DSP.
I also believe that DSP is the future. Not just a bit of EQ to overcome some tuning problems. I’m talking about room simulation, dynamic EQs, that sorts of things. Imaging having a 3D scan of your ears loaded to a dongle, which transform the sound of an IEM with known response to match your HRTF 100%, and then crossfeed is applied correctly, and then preference is added to the response .
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I heard that outside the goofy onscreen persona, he is quite a hardcore audio geek with measurements and DSP.
