TRN have continued their recent ‘Marine’ theme with the release of the TRN Dolphin. A budget single dynamic driver IEM that promises to mix it with the big boys presumably the whales but possibly also some sharks. Does the TRN Dolphin have what it takes to survive in the land beneath the waves? A world in which there is always a bigger fish. Are the TRN Dolphin more bottle nosed or killer whale? Lets find out the Bartenders TRN Dolphin Review.
TRN Dolphin Review – The Cocktail:
Thanks to the nonsensical voucher approach Ali Express employs I was able to buy the TRN Dolphin for just £10 making this an ultra budget cocktail. It may cost you a little more but not much more. No matter where you are getting this cocktail from the TRN Dolphin is an ultra budget cocktail that features a single dynamic driver and pretty typical specs.
- Drivers:10mm Dual Magnetic Dynamic Driver (LCP Diaphragm)
- Frequency: 20 to 20,000 Hz
- Impedence: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity: 106 dB
TRN Dolphin Review – The Taste Test Setup:
I did consider using spinfit W1 eartips but I felt they could use a break. They have been working hard recently on all my other reviews. So I stuck with the T – EarTips that came with the TRN Dolphin. The rest of my taste test setup was the same as ever.
- DAC/AMP: Moondrop Dawn Pro 2
- Cable: Tripowin C-01 4.4mm (Balanced)
- Eartips: T – EarTips (Silicon)
TRN Dolphin Review – The Non-Audio:
As a budget cocktail expectations are low for the accessories, style and build but in these categories the TRN Dolphin is better than might be expected.
Firstly, the packaging is far more sturdy and interesting than that typically employed by TRN rivals such as KZ. On its own this isn’t really important but it does show some care and pride. In the box is a small cloth drawstring pouch and what I presume is a modular cable though it only comes with the 3.5mm connector. The pouch is nice to have but I certainly won’t really be using it. The cable its self is also nicer than average at this price point. Modular cables with only a single connector is nothing new, CVJ did it for both the CVJ Vivian and CVJ Nightelf (They both used the same cable) but it does feel a little bit like a con. Its a false promise and I certainly won’t be buying extra connectors. Therefore, to me it feels like they are saving money by getting me to assemble my own IEM. If this catches on there will be loads of unemployed IEM cable connecting mechanics in china.
The build is quite impressive. The TRN Dolphin are metal shells. This gives them a robust and solid feel but also a cold feel. Sometimes its best to warm them up a little before use (Just using your hands. I am not recommending anything more extreme, dangerous or complex). The shells themselves are of a middle/typical size helping to get a good fit that is good enough for long listening sessions.
So far its all gone pretty well on the non-audio front but now its time for the elephant in the room or rather should I say the dolphin. There is (in my opinion) no escaping the fact that these are ugly. The lump that is probably intended to evoke a dolphins streamlines shape or possibly even its fins looks tumorous. Its just a bulbous protrusion. I have previously described the TRN VX Pro + as a puddle and the same description is apt for the TRN Dolphin. Furthermore, just like the TRN VX Pro+ the TRN Dolphin is also a collector of fingerprints. A very dedicated and committed collector even more so than a boarder control official on their first day on the job.
TRN Dolphin Review – The Audio:
The TRN Dolphin may be cheap and ugly but they sound anything but. Generally, I was really impressed by the bright energetic sound that did a good job of balancing the bass against the treble. For me its the treble that steals the show. Its airy with good detail and good clarity but not sharp and not pushed forward against its own better judgment. Though in the shadow of the treble it is a similar story when it comes to the bass. The bass has good presence, at times some good force and always has a little rumble that lets it linger just a bit. Compared to other cocktails in this price range the bass feels pleasantly restrained as though it is being asked to work at its best but not forced to push its own limits. Both the bass and the treble (more so the treble) are boosted but neither is stretched thin and crying in pain. They know what they can do and are doing it well.
The technicals of the TRN Dolphin are also impressive for the price. In my opinion the sound stage is not huge and stereo separation is possibly below average however, the imaging saves the day and allows instruments to be clearly identified in space. The bright lean of the sound signature also likely assists with this facilitating a clear clean sound.
TRN Dolphin Review – The AI Opinion:
This a new feature that I am trying out. How well will it work? I don’t know but here goes anyway.
In this section I have asked Google’s AI mode to predict a score for the to be reviewed IEM prior to publishing my review. To get this prediction I have asked that it predict a score based upon the scoring system employed by me here at the HiFi Mai Tai beach bar. That’s it. It is as simple as that. I could be doing myself out of the job here. But got to embrace the modern world etc. And if AI is gonna take my job I am going to go down fighting. Hopefully it proves itself rubbish and there is nothing to worry about.
So the TRN Dophin. What does AI think?
This really is intended to be only a bit of fun. I certainly stand by all of my ratings and not those of the AI.
Comparing my ratings to that of AI is interesting. We have agreed on basically nothing. All of the AI ratings are much higher than mine (Was I too harsh?). The score that AI has given it would put it a head of the Kinera Celest Phoenix Call which is to date the highest scoring cocktail I have reviewed. For me there is no doubt that the Kinera Celest Phoenix Call is a better IEM (also much better looking). The TRN Dolphin is probably a better value IEM but the scoring approach used here at the HiFi Mai Tai Beach Bar compares all IEMs equally regardless of price. Perhaps it is this difference in approach that has resulted in such contrasting scores.
TRN Dolphin Review – Summary & Comparisons
At this price range and with this driver configuration the CVJ Vivian, KZ DQS, KZ EDX Pro and Tangzu Waner Red Lion are all IEMs I have recently reviewed that can be fairly compared against the TRN Dolphin. I think this is an easy comparison. If you like bass above all else get the KZ DQS, if you like anime styled artwork above all else get the CVJ Vivian, if you have absolutely no money at all (probably best not to get anything) get the KZ EDX Pro and if you like red above all else get the Tangzu Waner Red Lion. Otherwise get the TRN Dolphin.
Perhaps comparison to the KZ Duonic is more appropriate. I think there will be people that find the KZ Duonic sharp and its detail artificial and therefore would argue that the TRN Dolphin is a better choice. But for me the KZ Duonic is still the winner. Its still the one I would have. I enjoy that borderline sharpness and I also enjoy the greater mid-bass slam of the KZ Duonic.
So to conclude the TRN Dolphin Review. The TRN Dolphin is an ugly sea monster with lungs of gold. It isn’t much to look at but it sounds good. Its a slightly bright tuning that’s probably more v-shaped than harmon but does restrain the treble so that its sings not shouts. If you are on a budget you could certainly do a lot worse than this IEM and if you simply have to have a single dynamic driver then for the price I have not tested a better option.
