I checked the AE options as well, weirdly enough there was a 14 euro difference compared to hifigo, so I went with hifigo.
TRI Star River Impressions
- Thread starter samandhi
- Start date
Well, I have had a chance to listen for a short time with these. These are my (very) early impressions:
I am not sure how the graph from the video for these is accurate. These have quite a bit more quantity of bass than do the CCA CRA (for instance). Having said that, it sounds fairly linear, and the sub bass is the star of the show here. It has average tightness, and texture, probably due to having less mid bass than sub bass (as you might expect from something so boosted), but boy do these reach very deep and have loads of rumble. I am guessing that because these have two DDs in them, this is the reason they don't bleed too badly into the mids (though they do some). For me, this much bass becomes fatiguing very quickly.
The mids are VERY well done on this set. I don't really find the mids to be too recessed (like one would think with a huge presence). I am really surprised at how well the mids are done here. Which leads me to the reason for my surprise; the treble area.
Treble is present, but it is a bit blunted, and there isn't much air at all. I would have thought that having the amount of "veil" on them, that this would affect the second harmonic of the mids, but it really doesn't sound that way to me. Big cymbal crashes are just wimpy and don't have much impact. Other trebles are barely there, but you CAN hear them if you listen closely. I think they did the typical contemporary Chinese tuning tactic which is to boost the 2-3K region to give the impression of good treble and clarity, but don't really bother to tune the treble area very well.
Staging isn't very big at all. Although I don't find them to be "in your head". They are intimate, like you might hear in the same room, rather than a concert. Separation seems average at best. Imaging isn't bad, but is once again just average IMO.
Having said all of this, I didn't really enjoy them on 00 setting. While the 3k "female poison" is not boosted too much on this setting, the treble rolls off just too much for me. The signature is like an "L" in this mode. Changing it to 01 sounds much better to my ears. While it DOES boost the 3K region to an almost fatiguing level, it also adds some treble in the 5-7K area. This helps add some badly needed air.
I will share more as I get more time on them, and they get some conditioning.
Edit: at the end of the day, I think these will be a bass-head's dream. Oh and here is a graph of the CCA CRA for reference:
I am not sure how the graph from the video for these is accurate. These have quite a bit more quantity of bass than do the CCA CRA (for instance). Having said that, it sounds fairly linear, and the sub bass is the star of the show here. It has average tightness, and texture, probably due to having less mid bass than sub bass (as you might expect from something so boosted), but boy do these reach very deep and have loads of rumble. I am guessing that because these have two DDs in them, this is the reason they don't bleed too badly into the mids (though they do some). For me, this much bass becomes fatiguing very quickly.
The mids are VERY well done on this set. I don't really find the mids to be too recessed (like one would think with a huge presence). I am really surprised at how well the mids are done here. Which leads me to the reason for my surprise; the treble area.
Treble is present, but it is a bit blunted, and there isn't much air at all. I would have thought that having the amount of "veil" on them, that this would affect the second harmonic of the mids, but it really doesn't sound that way to me. Big cymbal crashes are just wimpy and don't have much impact. Other trebles are barely there, but you CAN hear them if you listen closely. I think they did the typical contemporary Chinese tuning tactic which is to boost the 2-3K region to give the impression of good treble and clarity, but don't really bother to tune the treble area very well.
Staging isn't very big at all. Although I don't find them to be "in your head". They are intimate, like you might hear in the same room, rather than a concert. Separation seems average at best. Imaging isn't bad, but is once again just average IMO.
Having said all of this, I didn't really enjoy them on 00 setting. While the 3k "female poison" is not boosted too much on this setting, the treble rolls off just too much for me. The signature is like an "L" in this mode. Changing it to 01 sounds much better to my ears. While it DOES boost the 3K region to an almost fatiguing level, it also adds some treble in the 5-7K area. This helps add some badly needed air.
I will share more as I get more time on them, and they get some conditioning.
Edit: at the end of the day, I think these will be a bass-head's dream. Oh and here is a graph of the CCA CRA for reference:
Last edited:
s2kphile
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Since they are dual DD let them burn in for 50-100hrs. It'll smooth it out.
Oh, I'm sure they will...
I can tell that my first impressions will change drastically on these. I tried the white tips (wide bore), and couldn't get a seal with either of the three pairs, so moved on to the black (small-medium bore) stock tips.
Now that I have changed the tips to some wide bore tips (Tenmak Whirlwind), the sound more "normal" to my ears. I guess I will simply wait until I have listened to them a while longer before giving anymore impressions, other than to say that they are MUCH better for me with wide bore tips.
Now that I have changed the tips to some wide bore tips (Tenmak Whirlwind), the sound more "normal" to my ears. I guess I will simply wait until I have listened to them a while longer before giving anymore impressions, other than to say that they are MUCH better for me with wide bore tips.
Well, I have had a chance to listen for a short time with these. These are my (very) early impressions:
I am not sure how the graph from the video for these is accurate. These have quite a bit more quantity of bass than do the CCA CRA (for instance). Having said that, it sounds fairly linear, and the sub bass is the star of the show here. It has average tightness, and texture, probably due to having less mid bass than sub bass (as you might expect from something so boosted), but boy do these reach very deep and have loads of rumble. I am guessing that because these have two DDs in them, this is the reason they don't bleed too badly into the mids (though they do some). For me, this much bass becomes fatiguing very quickly.
The mids are VERY well done on this set. I don't really find the mids to be too recessed (like one would think with a huge presence). I am really surprised at how well the mids are done here. Which leads me to the reason for my surprise; the treble area.
Treble is present, but it is a bit blunted, and there isn't much air at all. I would have thought that having the amount of "veil" on them, that this would affect the second harmonic of the mids, but it really doesn't sound that way to me. Big cymbal crashes are just wimpy and don't have much impact. Other trebles are barely there, but you CAN hear them if you listen closely. I think they did the typical contemporary Chinese tuning tactic which is to boost the 2-3K region to give the impression of good treble and clarity, but don't really bother to tune the treble area very well.
Staging isn't very big at all. Although I don't find them to be "in your head". They are intimate, like you might hear in the same room, rather than a concert. Separation seems average at best. Imaging isn't bad, but is once again just average IMO.
Having said all of this, I didn't really enjoy them on 00 setting. While the 3k "female poison" is not boosted too much on this setting, the treble rolls off just too much for me. The signature is like an "L" in this mode. Changing it to 01 sounds much better to my ears. While it DOES boost the 3K region to an almost fatiguing level, it also adds some treble in the 5-7K area. This helps add some badly needed air.
I will share more as I get more time on them, and they get some conditioning.
Edit: at the end of the day, I think these will be a bass-head's dream. Oh and here is a graph of the CCA CRA for reference:
Solid impressions mate!
I bought my set 5 days ago from KeepHIFI, but up till now there is no update/movement. Quite disappointed, messaged them for the last 2 days on their site with not a single reply. I think if there is no response by the end of the weekend, I'll probably cancel the order and re-order it from another supplier/shop.
Look forward to your final opinion on it!
ToneDeafMonk
Previously known as TheDeafMonk
My first impressions I am liking 10 settings with the less steep Pina gain. Graph is from Tony's vid.https://youtu.be/nYO5PHDOf24
Well, I have had a chance to listen for a short time with these. These are my (very) early impressions:
I am not sure how the graph from the video for these is accurate. These have quite a bit more quantity of bass than do the CCA CRA (for instance). Having said that, it sounds fairly linear, and the sub bass is the star of the show here. It has average tightness, and texture, probably due to having less mid bass than sub bass (as you might expect from something so boosted), but boy do these reach very deep and have loads of rumble. I am guessing that because these have two DDs in them, this is the reason they don't bleed too badly into the mids (though they do some). For me, this much bass becomes fatiguing very quickly.
The mids are VERY well done on this set. I don't really find the mids to be too recessed (like one would think with a huge presence). I am really surprised at how well the mids are done here. Which leads me to the reason for my surprise; the treble area.
Treble is present, but it is a bit blunted, and there isn't much air at all. I would have thought that having the amount of "veil" on them, that this would affect the second harmonic of the mids, but it really doesn't sound that way to me. Big cymbal crashes are just wimpy and don't have much impact. Other trebles are barely there, but you CAN hear them if you listen closely. I think they did the typical contemporary Chinese tuning tactic which is to boost the 2-3K region to give the impression of good treble and clarity, but don't really bother to tune the treble area very well.
Staging isn't very big at all. Although I don't find them to be "in your head". They are intimate, like you might hear in the same room, rather than a concert. Separation seems average at best. Imaging isn't bad, but is once again just average IMO.
Having said all of this, I didn't really enjoy them on 00 setting. While the 3k "female poison" is not boosted too much on this setting, the treble rolls off just too much for me. The signature is like an "L" in this mode. Changing it to 01 sounds much better to my ears. While it DOES boost the 3K region to an almost fatiguing level, it also adds some treble in the 5-7K area. This helps add some badly needed air.
I will share more as I get more time on them, and they get some conditioning.
Edit: at the end of the day, I think these will be a bass-head's dream. Oh and here is a graph of the CCA CRA for reference:
Weird... Some reviewer on YT said it was a trebbleheads iem (Ian fenn)...
ToneDeafMonk
Previously known as TheDeafMonk
It could be with one of the settings but the bass is never cut out. The less Pina gain is in no way a trebble head and I am trebble sensitive. Had the StarRiver in for 4 hours yesterday. I am still alive. LOL
It could be that they are mistaking treble for a boosted presence region (upper mid) because in one of the modes, it does become closer to fatiguing.
Having said that, these do change quite a bit with tip rolling; more so than most IEMs I have/have heard. I think only the Audiosense T800 have shown more of a change when tip rolling. Knowing that, I wonder how much of a change cable rolling might affect these. My impressions were based on the stock cable and the black (stock) tips.
ToneDeafMonk
Previously known as TheDeafMonk
You so right on the tips that's the first thing I do for fit. Wide bore all the way for me. Because I knew they had trebble energy I went pure copper cable. No SPC.
Spiral Dots on now kinda limited because of the shorter nozzle.
I am now using my "goto" tips on these. They are stock from the Timeless but are just like the DUNU S&S tips (look just like foamies, but are silicone and are longer than normal tips). We'll see how these work out. I have stuck with the stock cable for now (mainly because I don't have any two pin cables to spare, most of my gear is MMCX), but I may test those waters sooner or later.
Thanks for clarifying. Almost thought it was gonna be a misbuy.
Care to compare to the hbb khan? Loved the laid back signature on those
I have not heard those, but I can say that these are a laid-back signature. They are a lot like Sony house tuning - dark, warm, recessed treble with a boosted pina gain/presence region (upper mids), depending on the switch orientation.
Having said that, I must clarify that when I say boosted upper mids, it isn't overly done because regardless of whether I like it or not (and sometimes I do) if it is boosted too much (smabat earbuds as a for instance) it actually hurts my ears at pretty much any volume level (Munson curve be damned).
Also note that I have decided to go back to the stock black tips with the stock cable until conditioning is complete.
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