TRN’s latest ST5 is a pair of hybrid-driver in-ear monitors designed with a five-driver configuration on each side. TRN has equipped the set with a 10mm beryllium-coated dynamic driver unit combined with four high-performance balanced armature drivers. ST5 features high-quality aviation-grade magnesium alloy housings in a silver finish.
TRN ST5 runs a five-driver hybrid driver configuration featuring a classic DD and BA driver combination. The pair comes equipped with a 10mm beryllium-coated dynamic driver unit along with two 50060 midrange balanced armature drivers and two 30095 high-frequency balanced armature drivers.
TRN has treated the ST5 with a three-way frequency crossover. The pair produces a punchy, deep-hitting lower end with the 10mm DD unit, the midrange is accurate and natural with two 50060 BA units, and the high frequencies show ultimate resolution and outstanding details with two 30095 BA units. This allows the pair to produce a balanced and rich sound output that complements different genres of music. Approved.
TRN has designed the custom ear shells for the ST5 using a high-precision 5-axis CNC machining process technique. Shells are made from aerospace-grade magnesium alloy material, each unit has been carefully hand-finished. The set looks simply handsome. The shells have got an ergonomic shape and are lightweight which assures a comfortable wearing experience for most users.
TRN has featured a vent on the shells. This vent maintains the airflow within the ear shells, equalizing the internal chamber pressure. This helps in delivering a cleaner output.
TRN ST5 comes with a high-purity silver-plated OFC (Oxygen-free Copper) cable. It uses standard 2-pin connectors and a modular termination plug system. The termination can be easily swapped between 3.5mm, 2.5mm, and 4.4mm plugs that are included in the package which is a big plus in a budget set IMO.
What’s in the Box
Features
- Five-driver Hybrid configuration.
- Beryllium-coated 10mm dual-magnet Dynamic driver.
- Four high-performance balanced armature drivers.
- Aviation-grade magnesium-alloy ear shells.
- Three-way frequency crossover.
- Precisely designed acoustic structure with pressure release valve.
- High-purity 8-core silver-plated OFC cable with swappable termination.
Technical Specs
- Impedance: 22Ω.
- Frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz.
- Sensitivity: 114dB.
- Connector type: 2-pin.
- Termination: 2.5mm+3.5mm+4.4mm.
Price: $59.80
I would like to thank TRN for providing me with the review sample of TRN ST5.
Sound
Bass
The bass performance is impressive. The TRN ST5 reaches low and has a nice rumble on the sub-bass and punch in the mid-bass. The low-end is full and rich, the way it’s intended to be. Bass guitar being forward to fill out the body and punchy kick drums add exclamation marks throughout the song. This set is great for electronic music, metal, hip-hop, and other genres that really leverage the bass.
Compared to the big brother TRN Bax we get less sub-bass extension which I like more. But the texture quality and the speed are not that behind. Detail level on the lows is one of the best I’ve heard in this segment. For gaming, the bass performance is top-notch.
Mids
Mids do sound great on this set. By default, they’re forward a bit and are rich with details. Vocals in particular sound great here. They’re full of warmth and realism. The same goes for the instruments, I mean the tonality and timbre are well sounding, at least to my ears. Acoustic guitars have just enough edge to cut through and sparkle on top of tracks. Strings sing with an almost liquid quality (that also applies to electric guitar solos). The mid-range performance is my favorite quality of this set.
Treble
Treble is tame but well extended. Cymbals have realistic decay and the presence and timbre allow overton. As of guitars and pianos to come forward and sound natural and true to life. There is a reasonable amount of air, but these aren’t particularly spacious earphones. I didn’t pick up on any sharpness or sibilance. Overall, treble is less remarkable to my ear but fits into the overall sound of the earphones well.
Soundstage-Imaging
The soundstage on this set is only average. Music and game audio seem to come from right outside the ear instead of inside it.
Imaging is also only decent. There is clear stereo separation and good layering of sounds, so you can clearly hear every instrument and audio cue, but they feel a bit compressed, left and center.
Sum-Up
In all TRN IEMs that I reviewed the ST5 has the best tuning for my liking. Quality rather than quantity level of bass performance. Forward mids with on-spot tonality and timbre, and last but least a smooth treble but with good extension and no sign of harshness whatsoever. A great all-rounder IEM for many genres for a budget price. The included stock cable with swappable connectors is there to justify the price even more.