TRN VX Pro Review

TRN VX Pro review featured
TRN VX Pro Review
Verdict
How would you rate this product?8 Votes
Pros
Overall resolution
Pleasing tonal balance
Sparkling but smooth treble
Natural, organic midrange
Cons
Stock cable could be improved
4
Our Score

In this article, I’m reviewing the TRN VX Pro earphones. The VX Pro has 9 drivers on each side (1DD+8BA) and retails for $88.

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

TRN VX Pro

Specifications
  • Frequency response: 7Hz-40000Hz
  • Connector: recessed 2 pin
  • Impedance: 22ohm
  • Sensitivity: 106dB
  • Price: $89

Package and Accessories

Inside the box you’ll find:

  • TRN VX Pro earphones
  • Detachable SPC cable
  • Metal carrying case
  • 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter
  • 4x pairs of grey silicone eartips
  • 3x pairs of white silicone eartips
  • 1x pair of foam eartips
  • Documentation/warranty
Unboxing the VX Pro

Design

TRN VX Pro shell design

The TRN VX Pro comes with CNC machined magnesium alloy shells with a simple but premium look. The shells have been crafted to naturally fit the curves of your ears. It works too, at least for me. I find the VX Pro to be a very comfortable earphone.

The IEMs come with a smooth matte finish and 2-pin sockets. There’s a single air vent near the base of the aluminium nozzle. The nozzle has a protective metal grille cover and a lip to hold eartips securely in place.

Internally, the earphones have 9 drivers per side, including a single 10mm carbon nanotube (CNT) dynamic driver and 8 balanced armature drivers.

The included cable is TRN’s standard silver-plated model. Although the quality of the cable is good, the thinness above the Y-split and the pre-formed ear guides make it very prone to tangling.

Stock SPC cable

Sound

Gear used for testing includes the Shanling UP5, Yulong Canary and iBasso DX120.

I would describe the sound signature of the VX Pro as a mild V-shape. It’s a mix between fun and technical tuning. The fun comes from a moderately elevated bass response that lays a warm foundation for the more technical mids and treble. These technical aspects are a result of the fast transients and cleanliness of the balanced armature drivers as well as VX Pro’s resolving treble. Having said that, it’s the marriage of all those aspects that result in a balanced and accomplished overall presentation.

Considering the large and mixed driver count, VX Pro is a very efficient earphone and is easy to drive. You can run it straight from a phone but it scales fairly well so you’ll get better results from a better source.

Bass

Even with a plethora of balanced armature drivers in place, multi-BA IEMs struggle to capture the essence and depth of a dynamic driver. The VX Pro embraces this idea and the inclusion of the dynamic driver delivers a full-bodied bass that moves air and hits with impact.

It’s not at basshead level – rather it’s just enough to be engaging and weighted without slowing down the overall sound. The transition from bass to midrange is smooth, with the lower midrange absorbing and then later shedding the extra weight seamlessly.

Midrange

The midrange is slightly on the warmer side of neutral, inheriting body from the bass while still being transparent. The transient speed of the BA drivers allows midrange notes to be full-bodied without causing congestion.

Thus, the VX Pro’s mids are smooth and relaxed yet highly resolving. There’s good spacing between instruments and vocals, creating an uncluttered but cosy soundstage. Vocal notes are closer to neutral, detailed and articulate with just enough warmth to sound natural. At times there are hints of sibilance but only when it’s present in the recording.

Treble

As far as treble tunings go, I really like the VX Pro’s highs. They sparkle and shimmer and sit fairly forward in the mix. However, there’s a sweetness to treble notes as well as natural size and decay. It isn’t laser-precise but notes are well-defined, upfront and detailed.

It’s a combination of treble tuning and cohesiveness of the BA drivers that give the VX Pro its resolution and detail. While a boosted treble is good for picking up details, an overly bright or poorly-executed one can be destructive to the resolution and timbre. This one is pretty much spot on. It’s exciting and vibrant but smooth and non-fatiguing.

Soundstage and Technicalities

The soundstage is fairly wide and has ample depth in front of the listener. Instrument separation and resolution are good, resulting in an organized stage with a reasonably black background. Imaging and placement are solid for an IEM in this price range. The level of clarity and detail retrieval is also good.

VX Pro nozzle and 2-pin socket

Comparisons

Hidizs MS2 ($79)
VX Pro vs MS2
TRN VX Pro (red) vs Hidizs MS2 (grey).

The Hidizs MS2 is a hybrid dual driver IEM with 1DD+1BA. It has a lighter, brighter tonality than the VX Pro. MS2 has a faster, leaner bass with greater definition but less impact.

MS2’s upper bass is more forward, as is its midrange but it has leaner notes here too compared to the TRN. The VX Pro has greater resolution, making individual instruments and sounds easier to distinguish. Vocals are more articulate on MS2 while sounding a touch warmer and more natural on the VX Pro.

Both IEMs have a somewhat forward and detailed treble but the VX Pro’s treble is more exciting with more rounded notes, making MS2’s treble sound a tad drier. MS2 has a slightly wider and bigger soundstage but both IEMs have similar imaging and positioning ability.

VX Pro with iBasso DAP

Verdict

The TRN VX Pro is probably the best TRN IEM I’ve heard so far. It has classic TRN clarity and detail but this time around it’s better balanced with a hearty bass and excellent treble tuning. VX Pro’s high driver count is not just a gimmick either – this earphone is resolving, coherent and simply sounds great.


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