TRI Meteor - Something Out Of This World

The TRI Meteor is TRIs latest IEM. It is currently priced at $109USD at the time of writing this review. It is priced quite competitively and utilizes a Beryllium DD and a Knowles BA. In this review, we will find out if the TRI Meteor sounds as good as it looks.

By now most would probably know that TRI is a sister company of KBEAR. While KBEAR has not had much success, TRI seems to have some quite remarkable creations like the Starsea and I3. The I3 pro has also received lots of praise though I can't testify since I haven't tried it myself.

Today, we are looking at their TRI Meteor. I won't bother creating suspense today. In a nutshell, the Meteor is just really good. For the price, this is definitely one of the better performers out there. It is clearly evident upon first listen.

Build Quality:

The Meteor's build quality is overall quite good. It is solid, doesn't look like it will break from a drop. But my unit was defective as mentioned in my Instagram post so I can't comment further. Based on past TRI IEMs, their QC is generally good so I'll assume I was just unlucky. Please don't let this stop you from getting your Meteor. The fit is also really comfortable. The nozzle goes quite deep giving a perfect seal in my case. Next to the 2 Pin socket, there are 2 vents. One for pressure relief and one for the DD I would assume. There is no vacuum effect like most resin IEMs so it is really comfortable.

Packaging:

Once again they impress me with their packaging. The TRI Meteor's packaging is nothing short of premium. It is a very grand unboxing experience and comes with plenty of accessories. If you are a newbie to the IEM world, the TRI Meteor is definitely a great starters choice since it has everything you need to start your IEM journey. My only issue would be that the box is a little huge and for people like me who own numerous IEMs, it's taking up quite a bit of space. I would not like to imagine how my storage would look after I collect all the past items that I have sent to others for review. Throwing the box most of the time is not an option as we often pass on the IEMs after using it well to share what we have so if brands could have a minimalistic packing option and grand packaging option, I think it will be a good idea.

Accessories:

5 sizes of really colorful tips

Case, cable and other accessories are packed in the box under the first foam cut out with the Meteor

Cleaning brush, micro fiber cloth and 6 black tips. Not a lot of brands provide these so I think it's a really cool and interesting addition.

And a standard flushed 2 Pin cable

Sound:

The Meteor can be classified as simply balanced. It could be classified as neutral with bass boost as well but I'll stick with balanced.

Bass extends really well. It is very well textured, has got fantastic detail and resolution. It is tight punchy, and goes deep when necessary. It never comes across and slow and can take on almost any genre at any pace without struggling. On certain occasions, the bass might come across as somewhat lean for those who might prefer something more bassy. Not really the punchiness that is lean, but more of the rumble that doesn't linger as long as one would have wished for. For the general majority, the bass is more than sufficient but for those who wish for more bass, the Meteor might not be able to deliver for you.

Mids. My favorite. This, is the highlight particularly for me. I really loved the mids on the Meteor. There's no particular reason why I like it but it just sits well with me. Instruments are detailed and are very lively. The mids has got the right amount of thickness so that vocals don't sound overly thick and muddy or jarring on high notes and instruments like the violin. It also has got really good clarity and you can hear everything in the mix. Well it is no U12T, but it performs better than average.

(Earphonatics Audio Reviews Dictionary: Good=Average. So above average, means very good. With the increasing amount of IEMs emerging and all of such great quality and relatively cheap, what was considered very good a few years ago is now just average in my opinion. Hence, when I say the Meteor is above average, it means, it definitely stands out among the current competition)

Treble on the Meteor is well extended. It has got great detail, very energetic without wandering into unsafe territory. Cymbals sound crisp and it has got a really nice sparkle to it. It exhibits no sibilance or harshness. It is also relatively airy though I have heard some say they would like a bit more air. Good job done here. Nothing to fault.

The TRI Meteors soundstage is very wide. It's also got good height but more width in my opinion. Depth is also good but I think there is more high. But in a concert hall or in the comfort of your home, the ceiling is the limit. How far do you want the stage to go. The detail and resolution on the Meteor is really good for the price. Definitely no complains.

I think most issues with such hybrid set ups which utilize 1 DD and a BA is the extension at the highs and lows. It's usually overdone to a fatiguing point or lacks the extension. A good example is a KZ ZSN where it's overdone and another would be the Thieaudio Legacy 2 which lacks the extension. Thankfully, the Meteor pulls through and manages to strike a good balance and have the right amount of extension.

Also compared to the Starsea, I would say it is more value for money. Though not as proficient in technical ability, it is more pleasing as it is not as bright and more musical and enjoyable.

Conclusion:

So to wrap up the review, the Meteor is really great. It's definitely something I would recommend and purchase for personal enjoyment. It's really competitive among the current competition especially the current competitors like the Yuan Li, Aria and other highly praised IEMs at it's price.

Once again, thanks to KeepHifi and TRI for sending me this unit. You can purchase the Meteor from KeepHifi here!