Hey there PAR fam. In today’s review, I’m taking a look at the TRN T200 TWS Bluetooth earphones. These wireless earbuds have a dual hybrid driver setup (1DD+1BA), 6-7 hours of playback time and Bluetooth 5.0. Lately, TRN has been making some good value products and the T200 aims to be another one. Let’s check it out.

This sample was provided for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.

TRN T200 Review

Package and Accessories

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The T200 earphones come in a typical budget Chi-Fi iem box, i.e. small with an image of the earphones on the front and a list of specifications on the back. When opening the box, you’re greeted by the charging case which is secured in a white foam insert. The rest of the accessories are beneath the foam and include a Micro-USB cable, user manual, warranty card and 3 pairs of silicone eartips.

Design and Functionality

Just like the other recent TRN earphones I tested, the TRN T200 earpieces have excellent build quality. Weighing in at just 5.3 grams, the plastic shells are very lightweight but feel robust in my hands.

The faceplates have a glossy black finish with a TRN logo in the centre. As for the rest of the shells, they have a matte finish with a kind of speckled pattern. Unlike a lot of other TWS earphones, the T200 has standard size nozzles. This means that a wide variety of third-party eartips are compatible, making it very convenient for tip rolling.

The T200 has touch controls for music playback and call functions. I found the controls to be responsive and fairly intuitive once the earpieces are connected to a source. The button functionality is as follows:

• Music pause/play: Double-tap on either earpiece.
• Previous track/Next track: Triple tap on LEFT for next track. Triple tap on RIGHT for the previous track.
• Volume up/volume down: Long press on LEFT to lower volume. Long press on RIGHT to increase volume.
• Answer call: Double-tap on either earpiece to answer a call
• End call: Double-tap on either earpiece to end a call.
• Reject call: Press and hold either earpiece for 1 second to reject a call.

There are some things I dislike about the T200’s functionality, like the way the earpieces do not activate and automatically connect when you take them out of the case as is common with most TWS earphones. Both earpieces need to be physically turned on by a long press.

Additionally, there are no voice prompts but rather a series of beeps that are rather confusing. I found pairing the T200 with various sources to be more difficult than most other TWS earphones.

Charging Case

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The charging case has the same speckled pattern and colour as the inner shells. It is constructed entirely of plastic but feels sturdy enough and is very lightweight. I found that the earpieces fit in the case comfortably even with my larger personal eartips attached.

There is one small LED on the back near the USB port that lights up in red when the case is charging. However, there is no indicator of the case’s battery level which can leave you guessing how much charge it has left.

Also worth noting is the IPX5 rating which means these earphones are water-resistant, making them safe from exposure to sweat and moderate rain.

Comfort and Noise Isolation

The TRN T200 shells are shaped just like a regular in-ear monitor and one that also happens to be very comfortable. This makes it one of the most comfortable TWS iems I’ve tested so far, along with the Shanling MTW100 and KZ E10.

Those with smaller ears may find the shells a bit large but for me, they fit perfectly. I can happily wear these earphones for hours on end. Also, the ability to use any of my personal eartips is a real bonus as I can get a very secure fit and seal.

Passive noise isolation is about average. With music playing at a moderate volume I can just barely hear some background noise from the television and the clattering of my mechanical keyboard.

Bluetooth Connectivity and Battery Life

Once connected to a source via Bluetooth, the connection strength and consistency is very good and comparable to other TWS earphones. The range is good and I did not experience any signal dropouts or interruptions to the music.

The battery life of the TRN T200 is excellent at 6.5-7 hours of playback or talk time. Additionally, the earpieces can be charged several times in the case as well but as I mentioned above, there is no indicator on the case to show how much power it has left.

Sound

Sources used for testing include my Android smartphone, the Shanling Q1 and FiiO M6. In each case, I was using the atpX audio codec which I find to be far superior to SBC. Since I don’t own any Apple devices, I did not test AAC.

The TRN T200 has a balanced signature with good clarity, light, punchy bass and detailed treble. They actually have a really pleasant sound and are currently one of my favourite truly wireless earphones in terms of audio quality.

Bass

The bass is tight and fast: lesser than in quantity than your common TWS earphone, but not anaemic like a crackhead on amphetamines (or the TRN X6). Mid-bass is fast and punchy and it doesn’t stray anywhere near boomy or bloated but it carries sufficient weight to drive the music and sound natural.

The transition from mid-bass to sub-bass is quite linear and the T200 shows good extension in the lower bass. Daft Punk’s’ “Lose Yourself To Dance” is done justice and the thumping bass notes are reproduced with certainty and good control.

Mids

The TRN T200’s midrange is light and clean with excellent clarity. While it is on the leaner side of things, notes have enough body to be convincing and maintain a level of musicality. Transients are very fast and quickness is one of the overall standout characteristics of the T200.

Due to its speed and conservative bass, the midrange never feels congested or bogged down. Male vocals are on the thinner side but the T200 feels right at home with the raspy, gristly voice of Scarface in “Faith“. It’s a cleaner and less warm presentation than we’re used to from a TWS earphone but those looking for a more refined sound will be sure to appreciate it.

Treble

Treble is on the brighter side and is crisp with the same light feeling as the rest of the spectrum. Fortunately, the T200 is not sibilant but if there is sibilance inherent in a recording it certainly won’t smooth it over either.

It’s a treble that is quite detailed and for the most part, quite tolerable, even for someone like myself who tends to be treble-sensitive. In fact, while I do consider these earphones to be a little bright, I have not experienced any listening fatigue from them.

Soundstage

The soundstage is elongated with a somewhat limited width but a good amount of depth. Layering is limited as expected from a budget iem but the instrument separation is surprisingly good, no doubt helped along by the dual hybrid drivers at work.

Comparisons

Yinyoo Q70

The Q70 has a different form factor with its protruding stems while the T200 is shaped more like a normal wired earphone. Q70 has more bass and a warmer overall tonality which makes it very musical and emotive while the T200 is more technical with a cleaner sound and more detail.

In terms of build quality, the Q70 feels cheaper and the plastics used are not as strong (particularly around the base of the stems). However, the Q70 charging case is aluminium and feels quite premium compared to the T200’s plastic case.

When it comes to functionality, the Q70 is easier and more intuitive to use with its voice prompts and foolproof pairing. Both earbuds offer a similar battery life, Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX.

Conclusion

Overall I found the TRN T200 wireless earphones to be really good value. The build quality is of a very high standard for such an affordable iem and they’re one of the most comfortable Bluetooth earbuds that I have tested to date.

Aside from the physical properties, the T200 also sounds really nice. They don’t have the bloomy and exaggerated mid-bass hump that you hear with most other budget earphones, which results in a cleaner and more refined sound.

Sadly, these great earphones are let down by slightly inferior functionality. They lack voice prompts and instead, make a series of confusing beeps. However, once connected to a source they work perfectly fine and if you only intend to use a single source like a smartphone then this shouldn’t be an issue.

With some simple improvements, the T200 could easily be one of the top sub $50 TWS earphones available right now. But even as they are currently, they’re still really good value and definitely worth checking out.

Check the latest price on Aliexpress and Amazon.

Specifications

• Drivers: (1) custom balanced armature, (1) dynamic driver
• Bluetooth version: 5.0
• Transmission distance: 32.8 ft (10 m)
• Frequency response: 20–20000Hz
• Talking time: 6.5–7 hours
• Standby time: 180 hours
• Earphone battery capacity: 50mAh each
• Charging case battery capacity: 600mAh
• Channel: Bilateral stereo
• Earphone weight: 0.2 oz (5.3 g) each
• Charging case weight: 1.3 oz (36.9 g)