The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.

[fejnomit]

I'm not very good in timbre judgement, but well, it sounds very natural to me. Especially that we have much more DD goodness here than with Erlkonig. It seems like a neutrally V-shaped, open-back Erlkonig with more DD timbre. I think DD goes up at least up to 1 kHz. And the upper mids are very neutral. Highs I do love too.

Soundstage is huge. I am not doing A/B comparisons with Jewel etc. - this is not a contest of who is better to me. It seemed large from the first minutes of listening, contrary to the mini-review posted by Tfenton02 before.

The only thing I'm missing after several hours of listening is a bit more of middle mids (again, this is more V-shaped than neutral, and I prefer neutral). They are a bit sucked out, but again, it's the same story with RN6 and no one seems to notice

Or one might like it this way... Notice, yes. Find it a flaw, no.

 

[Simpeler]

Man I’m LOVING the Trifecta!

Literally a physical experience, can feel my ears vibrating lol (no joke)

I start to understand what the fuss is all about.

Listening to this song:

https://tidal.com/track/304822062

Its so lifelike, emersive, like you stand next to the instruments and you can feel the pushed air moving through your body.

Another beauty:
https://tidal.com/track/280240294

Yes I’m in love

 

[gLer]

Man I’m LOVING the Trifecta!

Literally a physical experience, can feel my ears vibrating lol (no joke)

I start to understand what the fuss is all about.

Listening to this song:

https://tidal.com/track/304822062

Its so lifelike, emersive, like you stand next to the instruments and you can feel the pushed air moving through your body.

Another beauty:
https://tidal.com/track/280240294

Yes I’m in love

Instrumental music like this is one of the great strengths and delights of this IEM. Totally different phsyical experience to any other IEM I've heard. It's like being at a live concert.

 

[Rockwell75]

Man I’m LOVING the Trifecta!

Literally a physical experience, can feel my ears vibrating lol (no joke).

Indeed Trifecta is the embodiment of pure DD driven goodness.

Yes I’m in love

Awesome

 

[ian91]

Instrumental music like this is one of the great strengths and delights of this IEM. Totally different phsyical experience to any other IEM I've heard. It's like being at a live concert.

It's interesting. I listen almost exclusively to instrumental music and while that's an admittedly broad umbrella that could mean a lot of different styles, I found the Trifecta very underwhelming. I was listening at Canjam, powering from DX300 Amp12 and heard none of the dynamics described on the forums. It had some lower midrange presence but the low end wasn't standout and the midrange wasn't resolved well. I was expecting a party-in-my-head sort of sound and didn't get that.

 

[SteffSergeant]

Instrumental music like this is one of the great strengths and delights of this IEM. Totally different phsyical experience to any other IEM I've heard. It's like being at a live concert.

Yes, the Trifecta has an overwhelming bass, but the Mids are muddy and highs are a painful experience. So maybe I am alone with this opinion, but for me this is nothing exceptional.

YMMV!

 

[gLer]

It's interesting. I listen almost exclusively to instrumental music and while that's an admittedly broad umbrella that could mean a lot of different styles, I found the Trifecta very underwhelming. I was listening at Canjam, powering from DX300 Amp12 and heard none of the dynamics described on the forums. It had some lower midrange presence but the low end wasn't standout and the midrange wasn't resolved well. I was expecting a party-in-my-head sort of sound and didn't get that.

Worth a second demo. Trifecta is very tip-dependent. Also, I find Trifecta does better with real instruments, although I enjoy it with electronic music too. It's definitely not an ultra resolving set, but doesn't leave me wanting for resolution either. Bass, when it clicks with the music, is the best I've heard in an IEM. That said it can be very temperamental, so YMMV.

Listening to GoGo Penguin on shuffle now, first time I'd heard of this band as I don't listen to a lot of jazz or instrumental music in general, and it's superb. Kick drums are so gorgeously physical.

 

[Simpeler]

Yes, the Trifecta has an overwhelming bass, but the Mids are muddy and highs are a painful experience. So maybe I am alone with this opinion, but for me this is nothing exceptional.

YMMV!

This was the case for me the first time I listened to it.

Maybe my ears deteriorated, maybe I have better matching tips and sources.

But in telling you, nothing is muddy, or way to sharp. (At least for my ears now )

Sure its not as detailed as some other TOTL iems, but to be honest I dont mis that

 

[gLer]

Mids are muddy and highs are a painful experience.

I agree...they can be...with the 'wrong' type of music. If Trifecta doesn't click with your library, you won't click with Trifecta. It's divisive for a reason. Love/hate. And yes, YMMV indeed.

PS. Earlier today I was trying to play some music that Trifecta was making unlistenable. When that happens, switch music or switch IEM. Forcing the wrong music on Trifecta is a battle you won't win.

 

[ian91]

Worth a second demo. Trifecta is very tip-dependent. Also, I find Trifecta does better with real instruments, although I enjoy it with electronic music too. It's definitely not an ultra resolving set, but doesn't leave me wanting for resolution either. Bass, when it clicks with the music, is the best I've heard in an IEM. That said it can be very temperamental, so YMMV.

Listening to GoGo Penguin on shuffle now, first time I'd heard of this band as I don't listen to a lot of jazz or instrumental music in general, and it's superb. Kick drums are so gorgeously physical.

I will probably demo again in future, I want to believe in the 3DD config, I really do. There's no reason the thing shouldn't kick like a mule if it's tuned right.

 

[gLer]

I will probably demo again in future, I want to believe in the 3DD config, I really do. There's no reason the thing shouldn't kick like a mule if it's tuned right.

That's the one aspect that, to me, is indisputable. If it doesn't kick like a mule, either something is seriously lacking in the chain, or you're not getting a good seal.

 

[Simpeler]

When I find the time I will do a full impressions post and a few comparisons.

 

[ian91]

That's the one aspect that, to me, is indisputable. If it doesn't kick like a mule, either something is seriously lacking in the chain, or you're not getting a good seal.

I don't imagine it's the source, it's unlikely to be the cable (stock), potentially the tips. If I recall, I was using my own and didn't have any issues with seal. Who knows...! Like I said, it had bass and decent kick but it wasn't the tactility/density I was expecting from the graphs I've seen and the 3DD push. It was just...average. Definitely not worth the price tag based on that listen.

 

[Simpeler]

I don't imagine it's the source, it's unlikely to be the cable (stock), potentially the tips. If I recall, I was using my own and didn't have any issues with seal. Who knows...! Like I said, it had bass and decent kick but it wasn't the tactility/density I was expecting from the graphs I've seen and the 3DD push. It was just...average. Definitely not worth the price tag based on that listen.

Maybe its the song then?

Im not saying you did not hear correctly.
But there are few IEM’s kicking as hard as the Trifecta in my experience.

I think the recent bass poll also seems to indicate that.

 

[gLer]

I don't imagine it's the source, it's unlikely to be the cable (stock), potentially the tips. If I recall, I was using my own and didn't have any issues with seal. Who knows...! Like I said, it had bass and decent kick but it wasn't the tactility/density I was expecting from the graphs I've seen and the 3DD push. It was just...average. Definitely not worth the price tag based on that listen.

To me it has better bass than any $3K IEM I've heard, but then I don't think any $3K IEM I've heard is actually worth that much (and I've heard many). Though I think it's best to leave that can of worms firmly closed