- Disclaimer
- Recommended for people like this
- Overview of Tripowin Piccolo
- Features of Tripowin Piccolo
- Balanced Sound
- Detachable High-purity Cable
- About Tripowin
- package
- Build quality
- Fit
- Sound quality
- General comment
- Purchase link
Disclaimer
- This review is based on a sample provided by Linsoul to convey a sincere quality review to our readers.
- No remuneration or compensation, such as a manuscript fee, has been received for publishing this, and it is an honest evaluation based on measurement data from personal testing and personal opinion.
- Please read the privacy policy of this website.
Recommended for people like this
- People who like bright midrange
- Resolution oriented people
- People who value transparency
- People who are sensitive to high frequencies
Overview of Tripowin Piccolo
This review will give an overview of Tripowin Piccolo.
A complete review of this product can be found here.
audio-sound Score
- Total Score: 9.3 / 10.0
- Package: 8.0 / 10.0
- Build quality: 9.0 / 10.0
- Fitment: 8.5 / 10.0
- High range: 8.0 / 10.0
- Mid range: 10.0 / 10.0
- Low range: 9.0 / 10.0
- Less distortion: 9.5 / 10.0
- Cost performance bonus: 11.5 / 10.0
- Want to see the score ranking? Click here!
Basic Specifications
- Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
- Impedance: 31Ω
- Sensitivity: 106dB±3dB
- Cable connector: 0.78mm 2pin
Features of Tripowin Piccolo
- Features the latest advancements in dynamic drivers with third generation LCP diaphragms that are thinner yet more responsive with better treble extension and tonal balance.
- Tuned according to a modified tonal standard with a balanced sound that has plenty of bass power and presence, natural-sounding mids, and pleasant yet well-extended treble response suitable for any genre of music.
- Detachable 2-pin 0.78mm cable made of high-purity OCC copper that delivers a transparent sound without distortions, and the detachable cable extends the longevity of the earphones by allowing for easy cable replacement.
- The LCP diaphragms used in the Piccolo undergo an intensive processing of polymer film sheets for crystallization and crosslinking of the polymers, and utilize similar material used in Kevlar, resulting in excellent diaphragm responsiveness, lower total harmonic distortion, and removal of harshness in the treble.
The Tripowin Piccolo uses the latest advancements in dynamic drivers that features the third generation liquid crystal polymer (LCP) diaphragm. Despite its name, LCP is a solid material formed by an intensive processing of polymer film sheets for crystallization and crosslinking of the polymers.
Our LCP diaphragms undergo the same process and utilize similar material used in Kevlar. In the past, LCP diaphragms were favored due to their high transient speeds, but suffered from lower resolving power and harsh treble sibilance. The latest generation of LCP diaphragm has been designed to be thinner, measuring at a mere couple dozen micrometers thick, while maintaining the same density. This allows even greater diaphragm responsiveness at lower total harmonic distortion.
Excellent treble extension is thus effectively achieved while removing the harshness in the treble. The overall acoustic resolution and tonal balance is further enhanced compared to previous generation drivers.
Balanced Sound
The Piccolo has been tuned according to a modified tonal standard. The bass is well extended into the subbass region, and remains strong at 8dB until 300Hz. This gives plenty of bass power and presence, without altering the natural timbre of the mids. The mids are neutral to present a monitor-like realistic body to instruments and vocals, without coloring the sound. To bring about complete balance to the tonal range, the treble has been compensated to perfectly match the human ear’s pinna, and delivers a pleasant, yet well-extended treble response. The natural tonal balance of the Piccolo makes it perfect for any genre of music.
Detachable High-purity Cable
The Piccolo comes standard with a detachable 2-pin 0.78mm cable. The cable is constructed of high-purity OCC copper, and is ready to deliver a transparent sound free of any distortions. The detachable cable also extends the longevity of the earphones, as you can simply swap out the cable to any similar 2-pin cable in the future.
About Tripowin
At Tripowin, we use the latest and most advanced driver technologies in order to deliver incredible audio performance at a budget price. By focusing on uncompromising driver quality and engineering experience, we have created numerous audio solutions that have garnered international praise. Partnering closely with the audiophile community, we are always striving to create the best earphones that sound incredible. It’s great audio that doesn't cost an arm.
package
The package meets the price standard.
Package contents
- Tripowin Piccolo
- Eartips
- Manual
Build quality
Build quality meets the price standard.
Fit
The fit is good.
Sound quality
REW Frequency Response
audio status
Sound quality description
In this review, I use the standard eartips size L and drive it with the FiiO M15.
Tripowin Piccolo has a neutral-conscious, full midrange sound signature.
Please see here for detailed reviews on sound quality.
Lows / Bass
The low end of the Tripowin Piccolo is fairly linear, but lacks a bit of depth.
The drum kicks are weighty and impactful, but a bit shallow and the rumble is weak and not very realistic.
The electric bass is reasonably tight, but lacks depth and sounds a bit bright.
Balanced well with the midrange, but perhaps a bit short of satisfying bass lovers.
Mids
The midrange of the Tripowin Piccolo is almost perfectly neutral and balanced. Both transparency and resolution are excellent, and the midrange by itself is very well done.
However, the brightness in the center of the midrange tends to be a bit over-emphasized, and it is easy to feel a slight glare, leaning a bit toward the so-called "Tinny" sound.
This tends to make the guitar edges sound blurred, the vocals sound like a howl, and the piano sound a bit out of tune and honky-tonk. Depending on the source and volume, there may be many situations where the midrange sounds a little too loud due to poor tightness.
The cause of this problem is actually in the highs rather than the mids. As Tripowin himself notes, Piccolo has a structure that concentrates particularly on reducing the sting in the highs, but this leads to a lack of luminance, which not only makes detail and definition lacking, but also reduces the tightness of the midrange. This is a great pity, because as a stand-alone product, it is quite good.
Highs / Treble
The high frequency range of the Tripowin Piccolo is, as stated by the brand itself, generally low energy. As a result, detail reproduction is a bit lacking, and contour rendering is also a bit lacking.
Subtlety is a bit lacking, and cymbal crashes sound more glaring than exhilarating and extensive. Sound image consistency is quite good, so overtones of violins and woodwinds are naturally extended, but these are not earphones that allow you to hear detailed dynamics.
Relatively safe for those sensitive to high frequencies.
Sound quality general comment
- Original Sound Fidelity: A+
- Recommendation: A
- Personal preference: A
The Tripowin Piccolo is a fairly low-priced single dynamic driver earphone, but the audio specs are generally above the high end. The overall tuning is very smooth, and the beauty of the product is its excellent sound image consistency.
The TinHiFi C2 is the clear competitor due to the design of its metal enclosure.
The Piccolo is a step up in audio specifications from the TinHiFi C2, but the overall tuning, especially in the midrange, is much less than the C2 which is close to the auditory ideal for many people. Comparing the C2 and Piccolo, the C2 is one to two steps better overall.
Still, frankly, the Piccolo is a very complete earphone and is rarely superior, even at a high price. The left-right difference is minimal, distortion is very low, and measurements indicate that Tripowin has done a lot of work on the Piccolo, so there is no doubt that it is a good earphone. They should sound milder and mellower than the C2s, so it is possible that those who are sensitive to high frequencies will find them even safer and better than the C2s.
Tripowin Piccolo
Sound quality features
Pros
- Good sound balance
- Excellent original sound fidelity
- Excellent texture
- Excellent resolution
- Transparent and clear midrange
- Good focus in the midrange
- Good range
- Speaker-like localization
Cons
- Lack of detail
- Lack of luminance
- Low frequencies do not seem to be at a level that will satisfy low-frequency enthusiasts in terms of volume and depth
General comment
The Tripowin Piccolo IEMs are very good earphones that delivers overall high transparency and resolution, high original sound fidelity, and a proper focus on the midrange for music with good sound image consistency. The audio specs are on par with the high-end, and considering the price, the model is very well built, including the build, and can be highly recommended.
The problem, however, is the presence of an overly powerful competitor, the TinHiFi C2. In most aspects of sound, the TinHiFi C2 is a better alternative to the Piccolo, and the Piccolo has a very poor chance of winning the competition.
Purchase link
