In this article, Kurt reviews the TRN Azure Dragon, a second-generation universal in-ear earphone with a single 14.6mm planar driver and a dragon-inspired design. It's priced at $210.
Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. Thanks to Linoleum soul and TRN for your support.
Click here to read about others TRN products previously reviewed on Headfonics.
Please note that this article follows our latest developments. score guidelines that you can read here.
TRN Azure Dragon Review
Summary
The TRN Azure Dragon is a fairly competent flat IEM with very few flaws in its fit. That said, it is still arguably one of their best-performing IEMs to date, with sufficient bass, decent mids, and impressive treble performance.
Advantages
Impressive recovery of details.
Precise timbre and tonality.
Cons
It could be warmer.
Isn't this the most lively sounding IEM?
TRN is a long-standing player in the audio community. They are known for their affordable modular cables and nice, affordable IEMs.
Their legacy TRN MT1 was the dominant dynamic driver IEM in the budget range that I clearly remember almost everyone owning or trying.
After that, TRN has been releasing interesting and unique IEMs like the TRN BAX, and now in 2024 we have the new TRN Azure Dragon planar IEM, complete with a very attractive design and priced just above what I would describe as a budget-friendly $210.
How is it different from IEMs from well-known brands like 7 Hz timeless and of DUNU Ultra FalconYou can find out in my full review below.
Technical highlights
The TRN Azure Dragon IEM utilizes a single, second-generation flagship 14.6mm planar diaphragm driver to handle the entire frequency response.
Ideally, the response and tonal quality of the performance would remain fairly consistent. However, with that improvement comes the need for more power to achieve optimal sound despite its reasonably efficient 32Ω and 108 dB/mW sensitivity.
The planar driver uses a 7+7-sided N52 neodymium magnet array. The diaphragm is also extremely thin and lightweight to ensure fast transient response.
Design
The TRN Azure Dragon sports a blue and black color scheme with varying shades of blue and black to give the IEM's aesthetic a shiny and lustrous look.
This is a unique design inspired by a blue dragon's head and crafted to resemble the dragon's scales with its faux semi-open back visual cues.
However, it is not open at the back, but rather appears to be. It has ventilation holes in the housing that relieve pressure on the ears.
I like the design because it's a breath of fresh air from the all-black design that's so common these days. The blue accents give it a bold, eye-catching look that I appreciate.
There is a line of print right next to the 0.75mm socket termination with the phrase Flat Diaphragm (R)/(L), but that's all you'll see on the main cases.
Finally, the mouthpiece is removable. There are 3 types of mouthpieces, one of which is attached to the TRN Azure Dragon from the factory.
Comfort and isolation
The TRN Azure Dragon are shaped just right for a comfortable IEM. They have a rounded shape with no sharp corners.
Almost everything about its texture is soft to the touch, except for the faceplate, due to the design. Also, in my experience, it doesn't absorb heat or cold.
When using them with the base tips, everything fits comfortably and securely. There were no issues with anything sticking out or digging into my ear. Their isolation is excellent. Because they fit well, there is no noise leaking in or out.
I would have to take them off my ear to be able to properly speak about how good their passive noise cancellation is. Turning down the volume helps prevent this, but not always.
Tips
The TRN Azure Dragon has 3 types of earbuds. Two of these earbuds are silicone and foam, while the third is the high-quality TRN T-Ear earbuds.
After seeing that the TRN T-Ear tips were available, I decided to use those instead. Those tips are the clear ones.
I didn't use the silicone or foam tips because they didn't offer me an optimal experience. Only the TRN T-Ear tips offered me the right balance between comfort and feel.
The silicone tips had a powdery texture that never really fit in my ears. After using them for a while, my ears started to itch, so I don't recommend them.
The foam tips were the worst. They cut off the bass and treble, so for me it's a no-go area.
Serial cable
The TRN Azure Dragon has an excellent standard cable. It is a modular version with 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations, but the connectors are a fixed 0.75mm 2-pin version.
The cable uses an 89-core Litz wire structure with a mix of high-purity oxygen-free copper and silver-plated wire to deliver smooth and fast transient performance.
Its appearance shows the mix of silver and copper which gives it a nice colour contrast. Its external appearance is a classic braided design divided from 4 wires into two behind the splitter up to the 0.75 mm ends.
It's a lightweight cable that feels like a feather, making it very easy to handle when connected to the TRN Azure Dragon housings.
Packaging and accessories
The TRN Azure Dragon comes in a reasonably large box for an IEM with a decent lineup of accessories.
There is a carrying case, the different nozzles, the tip sets, the modular cable and the IEM in the box. It is a complete set, but the box is too wide. It takes up a lot of space to store it, which is not ideal.
The carrying case doesn't have a zipper, which is my preference. It uses magnets to close it, making it fairly easy to use. Its exterior appears to be made of some sort of vegan leather. The interior has a felt-like feel and also has a small pouch.
There are three types of nozzles here. When comparing them, I got similar results, so I would suggest using the standard nozzle as it balances everything properly.
The first type of nozzle is the one that is installed on the IEM itself. I call it a balanced nozzle, as it is a mix of the other two nozzles. This one has a medium length, but a wide width. The second nozzle is also wide, but shorter in length.
The last one is the opposite of these two. It is the longer one, but it is not wide, rather the narrower one. I prefer to use the stock ones because they are balanced. The tips also fit perfectly with this one.
Sound impressions
Low
The TRN Azure Dragon's bass is neither too light nor too heavy. It's not head-level, but it's pleasant.
As a flat, the bass is surprisingly detailed from the sub-bass up despite being weaker in terms of quantity. It lacks the proper power that I physically feel from a dynamic driver in my ears.
The rumble is strong, though, and I find it generally coherent, allowing it to complement the mids and highs rather than undermine or dominate them.
Media
The mids are beautifully done. What I like most about the vocals here is the cleanliness. I couldn't detect any kind of muddy or flat tone that other people are sensitive to. On that same track, the timbre is precise and correct.
It lacks some note weight, which makes the overall tonality dry. I would add more to the lower mids to correct this dryness and make it more natural. I would also say it has a more analytical approach. I can hear that vocal texture and little nuances in the vocals.
It doesn't have the most prominent vocals either, but it has a good balance to keep it from sounding too bright or shrill.
Triple
In my humble opinion, the treble on the TRN Azure Dragon is well tuned. Based on TRN's previous IEMs, I'd say they nailed the treble tuning on this model.
There are no problematic sibilances. It is well managed here, with only natural sibilance arising from the recording itself rather than a markedly harsh tuning of the IEM.
However, the detail retrieval demonstrates why planar IEMs are the best choice for this aspect. I was able to hear everything in my tracks, from the layers of background vocals, bell sounds, whispers, and more.
There was never a moment where I felt like the detail retrieval needed to make the music come alive was lacking. You could say I got what I expected.
Staging and dynamics
The TRN Azure Dragon's soundstage is acceptable. I wasn't too impressed with this aspect. The soundstage is wide and loud enough. Unfortunately, it lacks depth, which would make the experience more immersive.
I wasn't able to immerse myself in the music here. I was only able to pan left to right, so the lack of back and forth movement is felt here. However, it redeems itself with precise visuals. The separation is also clear to accompany those visuals, as it didn't feel cluttered at all.
Dynamics is the key aspect that needs improvement. The TRN Azure Dragon needs a lot of power and a source that is properly grounded. The experience with this model is different when listening at low volume or at higher volume. Dynamics are generally poor.
Click on page 2 below to see my recommended combinations and selected comparisons.
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