TRN BT30 uses Qualcomm QCC3040 BT 5.2 chipset (BT20S Pro was BT 5.0) and supports aptX, AAC, and SBC codecs only. Sadly no LDAC or aptX-HD. Still, aptX supports 16-bit/48KHz and if you have an Android phone with Android 8 and higher, you can enjoy CD-like audio.
TRN BT30 allows 6.5 hours of playback per charge with up to 20 more hours of juice in the charging case. Also has waterproof and sweat-resistant nano-coating. The ear hook part is made from Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) which is a rigid yet flexible material that ensures proper fit around the ears. It is soft, hypoallergenic, able to withstand climatic heat, body sweat, continuous bending, and reshaping. The rest is made from plastic with the addition of an aluminum alloy button. Touch buttons would have been better IMO.
TRN BT30 comes in a compact box. There is the shortest Type-C cable that I have ever seen for charging and BT30 itself. The case that charges the ear hooks and holds your IEMs in it, is amazing. I don’t use this word often, but the leather feel and the zipper around it really make this gear on the luxury and practical use side. The zipper is a great idea. The only downside is that it does not have wireless charging support and in this price range, you kinda expect this feature. The TRN T300 TWS has wireless charging for around the same price.
Specs
Testing
For testing, I have used one of my “needy” IEMs, the BQEYZ Spring 1 with 43Ω impedance and 108dB sensitivity. Glad I did, I forgot how good the Spring 1 sounds, it’s been almost 2 years since I purchased it, and still competes with many new IEMs in sound quality.
The result is, talking about power, almost perfect 🙂 By that I mean about %90 of the volume I reached my loudest listening level, on some tracks I needed to pump up the volume to the max but was enough, honestly, on some tracks, I decreased the volume to less than %90. I pushed the limits of BT30 but it handled that very well.
So if you have an IEM with specs under 43Ω impedance and 108dB sensitivity (most of you will) then you are good to go with TRN BT30’s. You won’t have any volume level problems.
Sound
BT30 uses the DAC in Qualcomm’s QCC3040 chipset, Qualcomm® Kalimba™ DSP audio subsystem to be exact, which is described as “Qualcomm® aptX™ Audio and aptX HD audio technologies are designed to deliver consistent, high-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth. The internal 24-bit end-to-end audio pipeline and high-performance DACs are designed to deliver high-resolution audio through the audio processing chain.”. The truth is it’s a simple digital to analog converter. Nothing special. But it gets the job done, we are talking about a wireless solution here, can’t be as good as dedicated DAC chips like AKM, ESS, or Cirrus Logic. This goes for every Qualcomm (or any other brand) Bluetooth chipset, so keep that in mind.
But how does it sound? It sounds as good as any 3.5mm output from any of your devices (excluding dedicated DAC chips), but with enough power to drive your IEM. Is this enough for an audiophile? Yes if you are on the go or need wireless sound in any situation. My BQEYZ Spring 1 sounded as good as it sounds from an entry-level USB dongle but without wires and enough output power. The math is simple here, TRN BT30 sounds as good as your IEMs performance.
Conclusion
These Bluetooth ear hooks are not for casual wireless audio lovers, aka communication or basic music listening. Don’t get me wrong, BT30 performs very well in phone call quality but that’s not the point. The point is if you want the best sound quality wirelessly using your own trusted IEM, TRN’s latest BT ear hook with an additional amp section is the best price/performance solution for you. The freedom to be able to change the hooked up IEM anytime gives many future proved wireless audio options and this is a good thing.
I want to thank HiFiGo for sending me TRN BT30 for reviewing as I am still listening to my music wirelessly ending this article. I feel like I have the best TWS right now.