The original TRI i3 was very successful and loved among users for its good sound quality and affordable price for the given hybrid driver configuration of one 10mm planar magnetic driver, one 8mm composite dynamic driver, and one balanced armature driver. The TRI i3 Pro has the same specs but with different tuning and reworked IEM shells.
The shells are made of 7000 series aluminium, the same material as the iPhones and many other industrial gadgets. The size of the shells is reduced by %26 which is a great number in the mane of ergonomics and weight. The new i3 Pro is more comfortable for sure.
In the i3 Pro, the dynamic driver handles the bass, the planar magnetic driver handles the midrange, and the BA driver handles the highs.
Specs
- Drivers: 1 x dynamic driver, 1 x planar magnetic driver, and 1 x BA driver
- Impedance (Ohm): 15Ω
- Sensitivity (dB): 103dB
- Frequency Response (Hz): 20 Hz – 40 KHz
- Jack: 3.5mm
- Connectors: 0.78mm 2-pin
- Price: 189$
I would like to thank TRI Audio for providing me with this sample unit.
Sound
Despite having an impedance of 15Ω and a sensitivity of 103db, the i3 Pro needs a powerful source to scale to its optimum performance. The test is done with TRI TK-2 DAC-AMP.
Properly tuned crossovers are essential for any multi-driver setup to sound coherent and smooth. The transitions between each driver need to be well-tuned to smooth out any bumps and dips in the frequency response. Each driver in the setup must also be properly matched to the others, to prevent one from overshadowing the other.
Whilst the Tri i3 Pro sounds full-bodied it is never short of speed and detail, offering a delicate treble control, some welcome transparency, and a wide, V-shaped tuning that emphasizes the lows.
The Tri i3 Pro brings forward plenty of energy down in the lows, colouring the bass range with immersive warmth, and delivering a lively vocal performance. The richness in bass gives a very expressive and energetic punch to the low-end and a thick, layered body to the lower mids. The fast and tight attack speed from the planar driver empowers guitars and kick drums with good energy. The bass guitar also cut through the mix clearly with decent texture and a tight image.
The upper bass articulates to the vocal line, keeping the vocal image tight and dense. The mids on the Tri i3 Pro are a little bit dipped compared to the forward bass line, though there is still a lot of fullness carried from the low end such that powerful voices sound thick and have nice tonality. The smooth tuning works pretty well for acoustic and vocal tracks.
The i3 Pro’s treble is open, clear and well-extended with no harshness or discernible peaks. It is well-defined and with good amount of details. Both lower treble and higher frequencies were handled very smoothly. Detail and micro-detail were very evident. Like the mids, the treble displayed excellent transparency. The BA driver is very well-tuned.
The soundstage is quite large, amongst the best I have heard with a 3D effect. Layering is also very good with no signs of compression or thickening even with the most complex tracks. Imaging is equally good and very precise.
Sum-Up
The competition in this price range (150$-200$) is getting hotter each day with very successful IEMs joining in lately. Against all odds, the TRI i3 Pro holds its ground very strongly with its well-implemented sound signature. The successful hybrid driver combination makes this IEM and its sound performance uniquely good for almost every music genre and also makes it a good all-rounder earphone for an easy recommendation.
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