This is going to be a lot of firsts for the HiFi Mai Tai Beach Bar. First flathead. First opinion piece (rather than review). First time reviewing two products from the same company back-to-back (if you don’t count the monthly summary). Yup lots of firsts. I had originally intended to do a full review of the TRN EMA but upon reflection I felt a mini reflection piece would be more appropriate and so that is what I have done. This is that short opinion piece. There will be no ranking, no AI opinion and no comparison. A sought of mini review I am referring to as an opinion. So, let’s get to it. Let’s get to the Bartender’s TRN EMA Opinion.

TRN EMA Opinion – The Cocktail:

The TRN EMA is a Flathead so whilst still an earphone it is not an IEM. I have never really liked flatheads but for £2.50 I thought it was worth a shot. As a flathead it doesn’t go in your ears and instead rests on the edge. Lingering at the entrance to the dark tunnel and never having the courage to journey down it and instead just shouting into the darkness. I’ve forgotten where I was going with this over-the-top description.

Flatheads can quite often have larger dynamic drivers. And the EMA is no exception. This 14.2mm is bigger than a typical IEM driver and more comparable (in size) to the planar drivers you may find in IEMs. This larger driver is pretty easy to drive. It may be built like a bus but it handles like a large family car (surprisingly well but still not a sports car). The impedance is fairly high for an earbud but still low compared to headphones and the sensitivity is really high so volume is not a problem.

• Drivers: 14.2mm Dynamic Driver
• Frequency: 20 to 20,000 Hz
• Impedence:  32 Ω
  
• Sensitivity: 124 dB/mW

TRN EMA Opinion – The Taste Test Setup:

This may only be a mini opinion piece and not a full review, but the taste test setup remains the same as ever. Only this time I am unable to fill the time talking about eartip selection (on account of there being no eartips). Guess I will have to fill the time with something else. Or better yet let’s save the time and keep on moving.

• DAC/AMP: SMLS M20
• Cable: 4.4 mm Tripowin Zownie
• Eartips: NA

TRN EMA Opinion– The Non-Audio:

This section is going to be remarkably similar to my full reviews. Comfort, build, style and accessories really are the only non-audio things to talk about. So here we go.

Let’s start with comfort as this is the most important element of flatheads and really will be the make-or-break aspect. And there is no getting around it. For me these are uncomfortable (particularly in my right ear). As the earphone rests over you ear there is really nothing you can do about the fit. Changing cables can help a little but that really is about it.

Furthermore, comfort isn’t just about being able to wear them for a long time. For IEMs its about getting a good seal and for flatheads its about getting them positioned just right. On this front the TRN EMA are not too bad for me. Guess I have very normal sized and shaped ears and this lets them sit on my ear pretty well (uneven if they are uncomfortable).

I think people are either flathead people or not. Obviously, I know that we all have rounded heads (some more rounded than others). I am not a flat earther or a flat header. I believe in spheres and spherelike shapes. Anyway my point is flatheads either will work for you or they won’t. If you would like to find out, then £2.50 for the TRN EMA is probably a good investment. Well low risk investment anyway.

The whole package is as would be expected for this price. You get a bad cable (but its detachable so you don’t have to use it) and some foam pads so that you can give you earphones some nice hair. That’s it. Nothing else.

The build is also cheap. The earphones are very light and quite delicate feeling. That said they aren’t any worse than ultra budget IEMs from companies such as KZ and TRN. I wouldn’t expect these to last very long but this opinion is definitely biased by my association with flat heads and aeroplane earphones. This association is a little unfair as the TRN EMA are certainly built better than the best aeroplanes can do. I mean aeroplane earphones. I am not suggesting the TRN EMA are built better than an aeroplane for either aeroplanes being badly built or the TRN EMA being well built.

And finally, we come to style. The TRN EMA are very simple looking. Kind of smart looking though. Boring but clean and tidy. Could be worse but not worth spending ages talking about. You won’t be buying these for how they look.

TRN EMA Opinion – The Audio:

If you can get these to sit right in your ear then they actually sound pretty good. Very good when considering the price.

The appeal of flatheads is for many the airier open sound and the TRN EMA certainly has this. Compared to ultra budget IEMs perhaps with the exception of the KZ Gale the sound stage of the TRN EMA is large or at least wide and deep (it’s a little short and fat. Rotund even.) There is definitely lots of space and the imaging is not bad but again falls behind some of the ultra-budget IEMs. I probably wouldn’t recommend these for gaming.

Bass is often a weakness of flat heads and though not terrible it is a weakness of the TRN EMA. There is a pretty decent slam to bass on tracks that really push the bass but often the bass can fade a little into the background. When the bass does hit you can feel it but it also isn’t very distinct. It lacks shape and texture but still does a decent job of grounding the sound. It is very fit depended but get it right and though a weakness of the TRN EMA the bass is comfortably good enough to compete with budget IEMs like the KZ EDX Pro and ND NX2.

The mids are probably the star of the audio show for this IEM. They don’t have great clarity and they aren’t thick and full bodied. But they can be quite forward giving them real presence in the track. This tuning also brings out some detail and keeps some energy in the mids. Vocals are also a benefit of this tuning approach. Vocals can be quite forward but slightly softened (particularly female vocals). Vocals do not suffer form the harshness that has plagued ultra budget IEMs. At this price range the mids and vocals outshine IEM rivals.

And finally, the treble. In a fairly similar way to the bass, the treble can also fade into the background. Treble has not been pushed. There is still good energy and good clarity but enough relaxation to not be piercing. For me certain instruments (loud clashing ones) could benefit for more force and drama but generally (and for most people) this is a pretty safe treble tuning. Tonally, the treble avoids the artificial metallic sound common to ultra budget IEMs.

And finally finally (I promise). I thought it would be a good idea to briefly talk about sound isolation and sound leakage. As a flathead these are nowhere near as isolating as any IEM. You can always hear whats going on around you and droning sounds penetrate particularly well. You know the sort of sound that buses, trains, planes and roads make. Basically everything you will hear on your commute. If you like to block the world out when you listen to music then these are really for in the house only. Additionally, sound leakage works both ways. If you can hear the world then the world can probably hear you. So probably best to just use these at home on your own. I personally hate being forced to hear the ‘tttt’ sound of someone else’s music. Really hate it. Don’t be one of those people.

TRN EMA Opinion – Overall:

Overall, I am very impressed with the TRN EMA but I am not converted to flatheads. At a price of £2.50 (that’s what I paid) you cannot really go wrong and in many ways these are as good as similarly priced IEMS. Also, it is important to note that almost all budget IEMs adopted a sort of V-shaped tuning that really pushes the bass and the treble. The TRN EMA is a good alternative to this tuning that still keeps the presence of the bass and treble when needed but otherwise lets the mids and vocals take center stage.

If you’re a flathead lover then these probably aren’t for you. I haven’t tested any others but I suspect there are better options out there. But if you’re curious about flatheads then the TRN EMA may just be the answer. They are worth giving ago but be warned there is a risk you will be converted. You might just end a flathead forever.