Deviltooth
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2012
- Posts
- 1,248
- Likes
- 197
Thanks to Torque for supplying the review sample.
This is the second time I'm reviewing an earphone by Torque Audio. My review of their pioneer product the t103z can be found here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/691867/torque-t103z-6-sonic-flavours-review-appreciation/15#post_11680232
I liked the t103z but found fault with the packaged valves that didn't include my two favourites, those you had to buy seperately. That's changed with the t096z; Torque has moved upmarket and this is their flagship IEM including all six sound altering valves and a whole lot more to boot. Lets start out by examining what you get.
Slide open the box and there's an impressive array of goodies inside. You get 6 sets of sound altering valves sitting on two individual 'TorqueValets' (basically metal plates that the valves screw into for safe keeping). 3 pairs (small, medium and large) of dual density silicone tips. 1 pair of bi-flanges and one pair of tri-flanges, both made out of very soft silicone. 1 pair of Complys, medium sized. 1 pair of silicone stabilizing rings. A semi-hard (very firm) black zip up case. And finally a book of instructions.
The instructions should come in handy for those new to IEMs or simply new to IEMs with an adjustable sound signature. It explains how to change valves (easy peasy), use the stabilizing rings attach tips et al. It's well written and easy to understand.
On to the earphones themselves. It's obvious Torque was going for a luxury vibe. Picking up the housings they feel weighty, like expensive cuff links. They're a wide bodied barrel shape and made of brass. The brass accents juxtaposed with the mostly black housings and the multi-coloured metallic cable makes the IEM look and feel expensive. There's strong attention to detail here as demonstrated by the very functional strain reliefs and a gently textured ring at the end of the housings that simplifies removal (and keeps the stabilizing rings in the correct location should you choose to use them).
The cable looks striking, like something you'd buy aftermarket. It's 1.4M, longer than you typically get and possessing a small right angled jack that should fit most phone cases; though I'd argue this is an IEM you'd use at home or with a dedicated player. It's a copper cable, mylar shielded and has next to no memory effect (it straightens out nicely), and resists tangles far better than average. More importantly it's largely microphonics free... this is doubly important because the earphones must be worn down, not over the ears due to the location of the microphone. It's on the left V of the cable after the Y split. Initially I was worried it would be heavy like the housings or annoying but neither is true and it's easily ignored. If you're not like me and you make use of microphones I can tell you that it's designed for Apple products and that it has three buttons, all of which have a satisfying tactile feel when you click them. I did not use the t096z for calls so have no comment on mic quality. The Y split is small and includes a very functional cable cinch.
Lets talk about fit. For this to be relevant you need to know that my ears and ear canals are both smaller than an average males. For me the most comfortable IEMs are customs and those are followed by designs that favour a smaller, lighter approach. Having said this, after some tip rolling, I found the t096z to be average for both comfort and isolation (the latter is also tip dependent). If you have larger ears you'll likely find the Torques more comfortable but I don't think many people will have a problem. I did try the stabilizing rings but didn't find they helped or harmed the experience... again, your mileage will vary.
Before you listen to the t096z you must screw on your choice of Torque Valves. The six included are: Red/Reference, Yellow/Deep, Purple/Bliss, Green/Balanced, Black/Clear and Blue/Smooth. Torque has a chart on their site that shows which musical genres are reccomended for each valve. I think most of us will gravitate to one or two favourites and for me they've remained the same as they were for the t103z. Though I auditioned all of the Valves most of my listening was done with the Blue/Smooth valve though sometimes I switched to Green or Red. If you're a treble head the Black valve will work for you. If you want a bass cannon go with the Yellow, you'll certainly get a lot of bass but at the expense of the balance the t096z otherwise offers. The Purple valve still confuses me; it doesn't work for any of my chosen genres. Torque suggests it for Jazz music so hopefully a future reviewer will have something to say about that. After the Valve rolling comes the listening.
I've been bouncing between two different countries for the last few years so all of my gear isn't on hand. Listening was done out of an Asus gaming laptop connected to a first generation FiiO Alpen or alternatively an Ibasso D42. I also made use of an Ibasso DX50 portable dap. I tried the t096z out of a Clip Zip and my Android Phone; they certainly work but this really is a higher end product and it did sound better when paired with dedicated equipment (even though nothing utilized was too pricey). Files played were MP3s at 320 kbps, FLAC and some blu rays with lossles audio tracks. Mostly I listened to electronic music. A lot of vocal trance, house and deep house. Because Torque's commander in chief (Yasu Yamamoto) expressed his dismay at how poorly produced (highly compressed) music doesn't show off the t096z at it's best, I made an effort to audition movies that exhibit impressive dynamic range, a little classical music and some Celtic folk. Straight off, I'll tell you that I didn't share Yasu's unhappiness with the t096z and poorly produced tracks, but that might be because previously I'd been listening to them through relatively expensive multi-driver BA customs. So how does the t096z sound? Really, really great!
Regardless of the valve chosen the t106z exhibits some very impressive sonic characteristics. The bio-cell driver is fast, accurate and refined. Complex passages never become muddled. Individual notes are quick like a BA driver typically produces but with the texture of a dynamic. Equipped with the Blue and Green valves the IEM exhibits a strong sense of balance and eveness. With the Green dynamics becomes more emphasized. I found the soundstage to be average in size but stereo separation was excellent and detail and coherence were better than I've heard from any earphone that wasn't a custom (all of which are more expensive than the Torque).
Looking at what I've written so far I think I need to veer from the technical and state that subjectively the t096z connected me with the emotion in the music. When I played some of my favourite tracks (that I know well) I got that spine tingle/hairs raised sound that convinces me an earphone is truly worth my time and that I'll continue to use it in the future.
The Torque does EDM justice. I listened to a lot of house, deep house, vocal trance, eurodance and industrial music (like I always do). The green valve offers up the traditional V shaped performance that many prefer for electronic music. It does so without too much distancing of the mids while still keeping the bass and sub bass tight. Mid bass is not over emphasized as is common in far too many earphones today. Where green is good, for me Blue is best. You get a full bass, the mids are a little more forward and everything is a touch warmer. For female vocals this is the sweet spot. There's a nice sense of balance, treble isn't muted but it's a little gentler and listening is fatigue free.
Watching movies with the blue valve, the dialogue was always comprehensible, never getting lost even in complex mixes. Bass and sub-bass (the boom and rumble of explosions) were suitably dynamic with believable textures and notes that didn't linger. If you'll exuse a strange analogy, imagine two MMA fighters, one delivers a flurry of blows and then there's that fleeting instant he pauses to admire his work. The other fighter releases his combination immediately transitioning to a different attack. The t096z is like the second fighter, it's quick and on point all the time. Soundstage wasn't vast but did convey a sense of positional accuracy.
The t096z allows for a lot of customization but with most of the available valves remains surprisingly balanced. Compared to the t103z the new earphone is much faster and more controlled. The best word to use here is refined which is accomplished without being boring.
Positives:
-Luxury looks.
-Superb build quality.
-One of my favourite cables to date.
-Highly adjustable sound signature.
-Large selection of accessories.
-A refined, quick, coherent sound.
Negatives:
-Non-detachable cables.
-Must be worn down (unless you want a cold metallic microphone tube touching your neck).
-Soundstage is unimpressive (average for a quality IEM).
-Wide, heavy housings.
In conclussion this a flagship product and I feel confident reccomending it to those willing to pay a flagship price. The t096z has earned a prime space in my IEM rotation.
P.S. Due to my bouncing between countries my camera is far away (though I'll have it soon) Pictures and comparisons to other IEMS will follow as time allows.
This is the second time I'm reviewing an earphone by Torque Audio. My review of their pioneer product the t103z can be found here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/691867/torque-t103z-6-sonic-flavours-review-appreciation/15#post_11680232
I liked the t103z but found fault with the packaged valves that didn't include my two favourites, those you had to buy seperately. That's changed with the t096z; Torque has moved upmarket and this is their flagship IEM including all six sound altering valves and a whole lot more to boot. Lets start out by examining what you get.
Slide open the box and there's an impressive array of goodies inside. You get 6 sets of sound altering valves sitting on two individual 'TorqueValets' (basically metal plates that the valves screw into for safe keeping). 3 pairs (small, medium and large) of dual density silicone tips. 1 pair of bi-flanges and one pair of tri-flanges, both made out of very soft silicone. 1 pair of Complys, medium sized. 1 pair of silicone stabilizing rings. A semi-hard (very firm) black zip up case. And finally a book of instructions.
The instructions should come in handy for those new to IEMs or simply new to IEMs with an adjustable sound signature. It explains how to change valves (easy peasy), use the stabilizing rings attach tips et al. It's well written and easy to understand.
On to the earphones themselves. It's obvious Torque was going for a luxury vibe. Picking up the housings they feel weighty, like expensive cuff links. They're a wide bodied barrel shape and made of brass. The brass accents juxtaposed with the mostly black housings and the multi-coloured metallic cable makes the IEM look and feel expensive. There's strong attention to detail here as demonstrated by the very functional strain reliefs and a gently textured ring at the end of the housings that simplifies removal (and keeps the stabilizing rings in the correct location should you choose to use them).
The cable looks striking, like something you'd buy aftermarket. It's 1.4M, longer than you typically get and possessing a small right angled jack that should fit most phone cases; though I'd argue this is an IEM you'd use at home or with a dedicated player. It's a copper cable, mylar shielded and has next to no memory effect (it straightens out nicely), and resists tangles far better than average. More importantly it's largely microphonics free... this is doubly important because the earphones must be worn down, not over the ears due to the location of the microphone. It's on the left V of the cable after the Y split. Initially I was worried it would be heavy like the housings or annoying but neither is true and it's easily ignored. If you're not like me and you make use of microphones I can tell you that it's designed for Apple products and that it has three buttons, all of which have a satisfying tactile feel when you click them. I did not use the t096z for calls so have no comment on mic quality. The Y split is small and includes a very functional cable cinch.
Lets talk about fit. For this to be relevant you need to know that my ears and ear canals are both smaller than an average males. For me the most comfortable IEMs are customs and those are followed by designs that favour a smaller, lighter approach. Having said this, after some tip rolling, I found the t096z to be average for both comfort and isolation (the latter is also tip dependent). If you have larger ears you'll likely find the Torques more comfortable but I don't think many people will have a problem. I did try the stabilizing rings but didn't find they helped or harmed the experience... again, your mileage will vary.
Before you listen to the t096z you must screw on your choice of Torque Valves. The six included are: Red/Reference, Yellow/Deep, Purple/Bliss, Green/Balanced, Black/Clear and Blue/Smooth. Torque has a chart on their site that shows which musical genres are reccomended for each valve. I think most of us will gravitate to one or two favourites and for me they've remained the same as they were for the t103z. Though I auditioned all of the Valves most of my listening was done with the Blue/Smooth valve though sometimes I switched to Green or Red. If you're a treble head the Black valve will work for you. If you want a bass cannon go with the Yellow, you'll certainly get a lot of bass but at the expense of the balance the t096z otherwise offers. The Purple valve still confuses me; it doesn't work for any of my chosen genres. Torque suggests it for Jazz music so hopefully a future reviewer will have something to say about that. After the Valve rolling comes the listening.
I've been bouncing between two different countries for the last few years so all of my gear isn't on hand. Listening was done out of an Asus gaming laptop connected to a first generation FiiO Alpen or alternatively an Ibasso D42. I also made use of an Ibasso DX50 portable dap. I tried the t096z out of a Clip Zip and my Android Phone; they certainly work but this really is a higher end product and it did sound better when paired with dedicated equipment (even though nothing utilized was too pricey). Files played were MP3s at 320 kbps, FLAC and some blu rays with lossles audio tracks. Mostly I listened to electronic music. A lot of vocal trance, house and deep house. Because Torque's commander in chief (Yasu Yamamoto) expressed his dismay at how poorly produced (highly compressed) music doesn't show off the t096z at it's best, I made an effort to audition movies that exhibit impressive dynamic range, a little classical music and some Celtic folk. Straight off, I'll tell you that I didn't share Yasu's unhappiness with the t096z and poorly produced tracks, but that might be because previously I'd been listening to them through relatively expensive multi-driver BA customs. So how does the t096z sound? Really, really great!
Regardless of the valve chosen the t106z exhibits some very impressive sonic characteristics. The bio-cell driver is fast, accurate and refined. Complex passages never become muddled. Individual notes are quick like a BA driver typically produces but with the texture of a dynamic. Equipped with the Blue and Green valves the IEM exhibits a strong sense of balance and eveness. With the Green dynamics becomes more emphasized. I found the soundstage to be average in size but stereo separation was excellent and detail and coherence were better than I've heard from any earphone that wasn't a custom (all of which are more expensive than the Torque).
Looking at what I've written so far I think I need to veer from the technical and state that subjectively the t096z connected me with the emotion in the music. When I played some of my favourite tracks (that I know well) I got that spine tingle/hairs raised sound that convinces me an earphone is truly worth my time and that I'll continue to use it in the future.
The Torque does EDM justice. I listened to a lot of house, deep house, vocal trance, eurodance and industrial music (like I always do). The green valve offers up the traditional V shaped performance that many prefer for electronic music. It does so without too much distancing of the mids while still keeping the bass and sub bass tight. Mid bass is not over emphasized as is common in far too many earphones today. Where green is good, for me Blue is best. You get a full bass, the mids are a little more forward and everything is a touch warmer. For female vocals this is the sweet spot. There's a nice sense of balance, treble isn't muted but it's a little gentler and listening is fatigue free.
Watching movies with the blue valve, the dialogue was always comprehensible, never getting lost even in complex mixes. Bass and sub-bass (the boom and rumble of explosions) were suitably dynamic with believable textures and notes that didn't linger. If you'll exuse a strange analogy, imagine two MMA fighters, one delivers a flurry of blows and then there's that fleeting instant he pauses to admire his work. The other fighter releases his combination immediately transitioning to a different attack. The t096z is like the second fighter, it's quick and on point all the time. Soundstage wasn't vast but did convey a sense of positional accuracy.
The t096z allows for a lot of customization but with most of the available valves remains surprisingly balanced. Compared to the t103z the new earphone is much faster and more controlled. The best word to use here is refined which is accomplished without being boring.
Positives:
-Luxury looks.
-Superb build quality.
-One of my favourite cables to date.
-Highly adjustable sound signature.
-Large selection of accessories.
-A refined, quick, coherent sound.
Negatives:
-Non-detachable cables.
-Must be worn down (unless you want a cold metallic microphone tube touching your neck).
-Soundstage is unimpressive (average for a quality IEM).
-Wide, heavy housings.
In conclussion this a flagship product and I feel confident reccomending it to those willing to pay a flagship price. The t096z has earned a prime space in my IEM rotation.
P.S. Due to my bouncing between countries my camera is far away (though I'll have it soon) Pictures and comparisons to other IEMS will follow as time allows.
