Ears of the Empire is a company known for releasing products for the audiophile community. In-ear monitors are their specialty and they have released a new model that incorporates a lot of different technology. Featuring dual-driving tribrid drivers, the Triton Retailing at $1,799, it's certainly something to talk about. I had a chance to listen to them, so today we're going to dive into all the details of their design and sound quality.
What comes in the box
- Triton Dual Drive Hybrid IEMs
- x5 sizes of earplugs
- Metallized aluminum case
- Cleaning tool
- Microfiber cleaning cloth
- Quick Start Guide
Aesthetics and Functionality
Empire Ears doesn’t disappoint in the world of aesthetics. Visually, these are a stunning design with bright blue colors and gold detailing. They are incredibly lightweight and don’t feel like they are transmitting the quality sound that they do. They fit perfectly in my ears and the eartip options made it easy to find the right fit for me. During my listening, they stayed firmly in my ears and the lightweight design made them almost unnoticeable. Personally, the overall size of the monitor is a bit bulky for my ear and I found it uncomfortable to wear for an extended period.
The IEMs come in a circular aluminum box, which can house the cable, ear pads, and monitors. The cable is heavy and durable, it wraps comfortably around the ear and doesn’t tangle easily. The cable ends in a 4.4mm termination, so I needed an adapter to start listening on my devices. FiiO KA2 DAC Converter/Amplifier For me it was a great option to connect the IEMs directly to my phone and in no time I was ready to listen.
Technical specifications
- Tribrid Controllers:
- 1x W9 dynamic subwoofer
- 1x balanced armor
- 2x Bone Conductor
- Impedance: 2.8 Ω at 1 kHz
- Sensitivity: 99dB at 1kHz, 1mW
- Frequency response: 5 Hz – 40 kHz
Bone conduction drivers are not a common choice among headphones, especially in the audiophile world. However, they are becoming increasingly popular due to the benefits of the environments in which they can be used. These drivers are designed to bypass the ear canal and create sound using the vibration of bones, not air, which reaches your ear directly so you can perceive the waves being generated. It's a technique used by Beethoven when he was losing his hearing – he would put the conductor in his mouth and feel the vibrations of the piano through his teeth as he played.
These drivers are most often used as a gateway for deaf or hard of hearing people to enjoy music, as they often have trouble perceiving sound through the ear canal. They can also be used as a safety measure for athletic users, as they do not block the ear canal and they can be more aware of their surroundings.
Listening review
Sound scene
The soundstage isn’t too wide on these, but the stereo imaging is very accurate. Listening to various classical pieces, I noticed how the stereo field became narrower, but each piece of the orchestra… everything is right in front of you and has a distinct place in the field. This listening experience is very immersive and it doesn’t take much power to achieve. The signature is certainly bass-heavy, but it still balances well with the other frequencies. It creates a dynamic profile that makes any track more than enjoyable. Ambient noise was easily blocked out and I was able to enjoy all my tracks fully without any distractions.
Low frequencies
This range packs a punch. With the subwoofer’s dynamic driver and bone conduction driver, the bass can sound a bit overwhelming on a first listen. For people who aren’t fans of heavy bass, you may want to approach these with caution. The more I listened, the more interested I became in how detailed and immersive the low end was. It was deep and dynamic, and didn’t get muddy or fade over time. The tuned sub-bass frequencies even had plenty of detail and didn’t overshadow other elements in the range. Many genres benefited from this detail, such as rock, indie, jazz, and classical music. The bass line in the Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve?)” was a highlight, with its bold, distinctive notes coming out to carry the song forward.
Midrange Frequencies
The midrange has excellent detail, with a lot of attention paid to the vocal range. They sit at the front of many tracks, with everything else following close behind. All the detail provided in this range made it enjoyable to listen to, and I never feared missing my favorite tracks. Even the ones I frequent were put in a new light, and it was like hearing them for the first time all over again. I was impressed by the layers that were incorporated into Moxy Früvous' “King of Spain,” with all the layers of vocal harmonies and brass instrumentals. Even in heavy metal rock, I could appreciate the guitars and spacious drum kits that make the signature sound unforgettable.
High frequencies
This extreme offers an excellent balance between the already powerful low end and the detailed midrange. It’s bright and colorful, adding just the right amount of airiness to round out the entire sound signature. The high end is impressive in how it can peak and fade naturally without clipping. Classical pieces sounded natural, making me feel like I was in the same room as these large orchestras. Strings and high brass were never shrill or sharp. This is definitely the least noticeable range when first heard, but its presence is definitely noticed and appreciated when it comes together to create the sound signature as a whole. Yseult’s new release “MENTAL” was my favorite to listen to in this range, seeing how well reproduced her voice was alongside the excellent highlights of her post-production mix.
Summary
Empire Ears has not disappointed with this release. Audiophiles are sure to be impressed with the sound quality and dynamics that the Triton delivers. The physical design may be a disappointment to some consumers as Empire sticks to the material and housings that it knows best. Don’t let the design fool you as they are delivering on what people want to see the most – sound. For people who are big on bass and enjoy hearing the smallest details in their tracks, they are sure to be impressed with how the Triton delivers. At $1799, these are a fair price from a high-end company for the sound quality that they deliver.
He Triton is available for purchase and demo at Audio46.
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