[Rockwell75]

As a big fan of the Traillii, I got to demo the Monachaa some weeks ago and knew right away it needs to be part of my collection. Big thanks to Andrew from MusicTeck for making this happen. I'd like to share my impressions as I noticed that the Monachaa seems to be quite overlooked based on the little amount of reviews and impressions here.



The Monachaa is a W-shaped iem with focus on the midrange, which is prominently elevated, drawing a delightful parallel to the revered Odin. This elevation in the mids ensures that vocals and lead instruments are rendered with exceptional clarity and rich texture, making them the centerpiece of any track. In this aspect it is also capable to extract the rawness and angelic timbre of female vocals, which very little IEMs can do. This quality reminded me of the Raal SR1a.

However, unlike the Odin, the Monachaa takes a bit more subdued approach to the upper mids, mitigating potential harshness without sacrificing detail. This ensures a listening experience that is detailed and vibrant, yet making long listening sessions a pleasure rather than a fatigue-inducing endeavor.



The sub-bass, on the other hand, is distinctively elevated but reserved for the very low registers. This approach provides a solid foundation that adds depth and realism to the sound like a subwoofer, and it counterbalances the brighter upper registers. The result is a sound that feels full-bodied and expansive, without overshadowing the midrange and also without sacrificing any of the insane details. Furthermore, the bass exhibits a really pleasing texture and decay, as one would anticipate from a high-end dynamic driver. But it is by no means a bass-head iem, but for sure will please everyone that likes bass quality.



Treble extension is another area where the Oriolus Monachaa excels. The treble reaches into the higher frequencies with remarkable control and finesse, contributing to an airy, open and very holographic soundstage. The extended treble, in concert with the detailed upper mids, injects energy and sparkle into the music, offering an engaging and dynamic listening experience while still keeping the organic timbre provided by the 4 DDs.

The Monachaa's purple and gold look is eye-catching. It is shaped a lot like the Traillii and is about the same size too. I usually have trouble finding iems that fit well, so I can't comment much on that. I'm going to get custom tips, but having a really good seal is key for the Monachaa to keep the bass present, as losing a little bit of bass due to seal issues can really tilt the overall tonal balance, more than with any other iem.





Final thoughts:

The Monachaa is an incredible clarity focused iem at an extremley competitive price point. It's a versatile choice for various musical genres. The careful attenuation of the upper mids and treble ensures excitement and detail that audiophiles crave without the downside of listener fatigue. This is my second Oriolus iem that I have heard. I believe it's entirely accurate to say that Oriolus excels and exhibits great caution in their tuning choices. Everything appears flawlessly balanced within the borders of the overall tuning direction selected for each specific product.

The Monachaa is an invitation to rediscover your music collection, something I'm thoroughly enjoying atm

Great overview of the Monachaa. This IEM was a definite 2023 highlight for me, both when I heard it at CJ and also when I got to spend some time with the tour unit before I sent it off. Only real drawback for me is its power needs...but on the whole this is another great example of Oriolus' tuning magic.

 

[Garney]

As someone who loves/hates Trifecta (more loves than hates), I find there's better ways to counterbalance the fuller bass and mids without overdoing the treble. Maybe it was just technically impossible with three direct-firing full-range DDs, but the likes of Xe6, N8 and X4 show how you can have your cake (fuller lower notes) and eat it too (more relaxed/refined treble). I probably just answered my own question given those are all hybrid/tribrids.

Have you had a chance to hear Annihilator yet? Really curious to get your thoughts on it. I know our music preferences differ greatly but I still think you may quite like it.

Because my library consists of mostly cymbal laden, aggressive music, I typically shy away from treble heavy or treble leaning tunings. I also find V shaped tunings can often be problematic. Trifecta would likely be a love/hate relationship for me as well, music dependent. Even though there's substantial bass support, which to me is a key aspect in enjoying the music I listen to, if a treble is peaky or presents any metallic glare that quickly becomes fatiguing and has me scrambling to turn down the volume. As you say, the likes of Xe6, N8 (Nio, in my case) and other IEMs of a similar tuning / driver configuration are seemingly able to present a full low end foundation coupled with a present yet non piercing treble. To me, this ends up being the "goldilocks" zone for ~90% of my library.

Annihilator shouldn't appeal to me then, right? With it's omni present treble and "brighter" tuning philosophy. But, it's beguiling in the fact that its treble is free of perceptible peaks and smoother, yet still quite elevated, very detailed and able to cut through a well north of neutral low end. All with no glare, sibilance or harshness to boot. Really quite a feat, IMO. Annihilator has been the epitome of "a having your cake and eating too IEM" for me personally.

 

[Uncle00Jesse]

Ok let's get down to brass tacks. Can someone please provide an example or two of tracks which, when played on Trifecta, lose out in detail/pace to 'normal' IEMs? The treble peaks are well documented and quite easily mitigated (a tip swap will do it), but I'm curious which music is being described as too fast for Trifecta. I personally quite like it with EDM, which is one of the genres often used as a stick to beat Trifecta with.

Simon & Garfunkel - America
Simon & Garfunkel - A Poem on the Underground Wall

These are both soft tracks that get very fast and Trifecta kind of shouts everything out at you and it doesn’t sound cohesive and even a bit tizzy and unpleasantly sibilant to my ears. Bonneville is a better match for that kind of music.

 

[freeryder05]

Ok let's get down to brass tacks. Can someone please provide an example or two of tracks which, when played on Trifecta, lose out in detail/pace to 'normal' IEMs? The treble peaks are well documented and quite easily mitigated (a tip swap will do it), but I'm curious which music is being described as too fast for Trifecta. I personally quite like it with EDM, which is one of the genres often used as a stick to beat Trifecta with.

https://songwhip.com/bela-fleck/vertigo

Trifecta butchered this song. It couldn't really keep the main players focused on the stage. Guitar was ok, but the banjo was all over the place and the texture on the stand up bass became muddy and unintellegible.

 

[CodenameBK201]

Thanks for this. Yeah definitely not Trifecta material (for me). It simply pushes the treble too far forward, which combined with the bass weight creates a high-contrast presentation. While high-contrast, as photo editors will attest, creates more punch/wow/bombast, it comes at the cost of finer detail and refinement. It's like a sledgehammer vs a scalpel. Now Xe6 is not quite a scalpel (the all-BA flagships are more likely this), but it has more nuance than Trifecta, and keeps the treble intensity well away from overpowering the track.

That's not to say this track isn't enjoyable with Trifecta, especially if you like this type of aggressive/fast music intense and painted in broad strokes.

That's more or less the analogy I've come to. I keep this track, along with about 5 others, as part of the stable of test tracks, precisely because it's so busy--it's become a personal benchmark for driver speed/resolution (plus I like it, and if others don't, whatever forever).

I've tried to tread carefully (and still managed to ruffle feathers, so YOLO), but there are some things that are rendered accurately on some IEMs and things that aren't. And before anyone tars and feathers me for it, I'll repeat what I said: accurately. Trifecta is a really fun set that in my experience works with some tracks but as a technical limitation can't keep up with some of the faster-paced, busier ones. To which the naysayers say:

"but it sounds good TO ME"
"this is a fun track on these"
"you just haven't listened to it enough"
"I know what my ears hear"

Sure, and I didn't disagree with any of that. I know what my ears hear too, and I'll draw the line in the sand of "sounds good" vs "accurate". I heard a lot of stuff, including a fair amount of live, recorded orchestras on xe6, and to me xe6 as a whole was a more accurate set, which is to say that live music, to me, when sitting in front of a band mildly amplified in a concert hall, sounded a lot like it does on xe6, with the exception of air and space, something that I wish xe6 had more of. Red modules help, to a degree. Xe6 was live-accurate, to me. Rn6, by comparison, is stage-accurate, which is to say the kind of mix I expect to hear coming out of a balanced hifi system like a movie theater or a mixing board. Trifecta sounds like club speakers: bassy, boomy, peaky treble, less detailed.

"you're wrong it sounds GOOD to ME"

Again, reread the above. I didn't say it didn't. Actually, it's a really fun set with club music, and sounds a lot like what I'd hear live coming out of club speakers at a dance hall. But it doesn't sound in any dimension accurate to a live reproduction of sitting in front of a band from a few feet away--which, from my impression, it was never meant to, but also why it came off as so divisive. I don't think Ken Ball is tone-deaf; I think he tuned his sets based on what sounds good to him, which as the owner and founder is maybe the least of his rights. But it's not a setup that in any world works with everything under the sun accurately, and it's fatiguing to me to hear fans of it claim otherwise something that isn't true.

I know exactly who I'm going to piss off with the above. Insert copy/paste "ymmv", "this is what I hear", "etc". And while I'm certain the above will be interpreted as an attack (which, again, it isn't, but do with it what you will), I'll say again that I have no skin in this game. What other people do with their ears and their money is their prerogative. I actually liked Trifecta. I'd have kept it, but couldn't afford to with bills. And I'd have written a lengthier review to the above effect except 1. I was, foolishly, trying not to irritate members who I respected, and 2. It didn't feel like a fair, objective comparison to say "I liked this IEM but couldn't justify keeping it because it was either this or my ER visits".

 

[tjzurlaaa]

Mini Synergy alert ie900 + Up4 22 = great tiny setup on the run also volume wheel is excellent due to independent volume control.. ifi go blu knob can be a risky nightmare

 

[Ojisan]

Pretty much the entire first 42 seconds.

BYOB cool stuff! Didn't expect something like this from you! Reminds me of the good old 80's-90's German metal - Helloween, GammaRay, MSG, etc Today is going to be a metal sesh day for me

 

[aaf evo]

BYOB cool stuff! Didn't expect something like this from you! Reminds me of the good old 80's-90's German metal - Helloween, GammaRay, MSG, etc Today is going to be a metal sesh day for me

I have a rather wide palette

 

[phiemon]

Hands down best animation I’ve ever watched. Can’t wait for S2 myself

I agree, incredibly good anime!

 

[Scubadevils]

My old Head-Fi account that I lost access to due to being linked to an email address I no longer used is now linked to my new account… Scuba Devils is dead, long live Scubadevils

 

[Leviathant]

Have you had a chance to hear Annihilator yet? Really curious to get your thoughts on it. I know our music preferences differ greatly but I still think you may quite like it.

Because my library consists of mostly cymbal laden, aggressive music, I typically shy away from treble heavy or treble leaning tunings. I also find V shaped tunings can often be problematic. Trifecta would likely be a love/hate relationship for me as well, music dependent. Even though there's substantial bass support, which to me is a key aspect in enjoying the music I listen to, if a treble is peaky or presents any metallic glare that quickly becomes fatiguing and has me scrambling to turn down the volume. As you say, the likes of Xe6, N8 (Nio, in my case) and other IEMs of a similar tuning / driver configuration are seemingly able to present a full low end foundation coupled with a present yet non piercing treble. To me, this ends up being the "goldilocks" zone for ~90% of my library.

Annihilator shouldn't appeal to me then, right? With it's omni present treble and "brighter" tuning philosophy. But, it's beguiling in the fact that its treble is free of perceptible peaks and smoother, yet still quite elevated, very detailed and able to cut through a well north of neutral low end. All with no glare, sibilance or harshness to boot. Really quite a feat, IMO. It's been the epitome of "a having your cake and eating too IEM" for me personally.

As a metalhead I have had my issues with Trifecta, until I finally found tips (Noble stock silicones) that shaped the treble to my preference. Treble now sounds controlled and detailed and definitely not as peaky. Quite wonderful in fact. To me, a bit like how you described Annihilator treble now really.

 

[PeacockObscura]

My old Head-Fi account that I lost access to due to being linked to an email address I no longer used is now linked to my new account… Scuba Devils is dead, long live Scubadevils

Will this scubadevils be giving his impression/review of the Nicehck Himalaya soon... Asking for friend...

 

[phiemon]

As a metalhead I have had my issues with Trifecta, until I finally found tips (Noble stock silicones) that shaped the treble to my preference. Treble now sounds controlled and detailed and definitely not as peaky. Quite wonderful in fact. To me, a bit like how you described Annihilator treble now really.

My current favorite tips are exactly these. They are the Acoustune AET07. Noble (and Aroma Audio) have them in a special color. There are also intermediate sizes at Aliexpress.

 

[Scubadevils]

Will this scubadevils be giving his impression/review of the Nicehck Himalaya soon... Asking for friend...

Definitely impressions over the coming long weekend… actually listening this afternoon while working from home.

 

[drftr]

Reminds me of the good old 80's-90's German metal - Helloween, GammaRay, MSG,

Please don't forget my first love Accept; especially Breaker from '81.

My old Head-Fi account that I lost access to due to being linked to an email address I no longer used is now linked to my new account… Scuba Devils is dead, long live Scubadevils

How do we know you're the real David and not some kind of AI hack?

drftr