TriAudio I4 Review (2) – The Schizophrenic Debutante

TRI I4—it’s not like the world needed another new earphone brand, or another $70 hybrid, but “need” is not a frequently-invoked concept in the Chifi universe, so behold the interesting (and aggressively marketed) TRI I4. Nicely machined, with a premium feel and look; tangly cable is nonetheless ergonomic and free from microphonics. Packaging and accessories are commensurate with the price; the soft brown felt carrying bag is a nice touch. Although the shells are relatively small, fit for me was somewhat awkward (like the CA Andromeda/KZ ZS5 they protrude out from the ears), although others have praised the fit and comfort and isolation are in any event pretty good. Efficient and easy to drive; however bass tightens considerably when played from more powerful sources.

The 1+1 TRI I4 is a mildly V-shaped phone with a comparatively lean note texture reminiscent of the NiceHCK NX7 [my review; JK’s review] and extended treble which is bright but not sibilant. They present a considerable amount of high-end detail and have a good unforced clarity; however the big bio-composite dynamic driver doesn’t match seamlessly with the high-quality Knowles BA, and the voluminous subbass is somewhat imperfectly integrated with the rest of the spectrum. Bass decay is slow and low end is boomier and more monotonic than price peers like the NiceHCK NX7 or BQEYZ BQ3.  Midbass is less emphasized and has thinner body than the subbass, while there is a conspicuous dip in the lower mids, which make these less than optimal for rock. Upper midrange is slightly pushed back, but presents acoustic instruments and female voices very realistically, while highend is slightly colored but presents a lot of snap and a high level of resolution, without the conspicuous glare of say, the TRN V80 [review] or KZ ZS10 PRO [review]. Fast transients like snare beats are captured very accurately.

Soundstage is fairly narrow but quite 3-D holographic, with good depth and height. Instrument placement is accurate on less complex arrangements but tends to lose precision on busier and bassier passages, probably because the low end has some bleed; layering and stereo imaging is less precise than on pricier sets. In general, I found these be somewhat schizophrenic, which is to say they match superbly with certain acoustic and vocal fare but lose some composure on the heavy stuff—I keep coming back to the sonic mismatch between the drivers.

Overall, these point to a promising direction for the maker, whose use of quality components and active solicitation of feedback shows commitment; in their current iteration the TR I4 will have considerable appeal to listeners of gentler genres; these can be jarringly revealing with the right source. For those of us with less refined tastes, it would be good to see future generations of this model tune the low end more coherently and provide more oomph in the lower mids. 

Disclaimer—these were sent to me gratis for review purposes by the maker and will be sent on by me for other (probably better) evaluations.

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/earphones-High-Performance-Isolating-Audiophile-Detachable/dp/B07TZ5115Z