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- Recommended for people like this
- Overview of Tripowin x HBB Olina SE
- Features of Tripowin x HBB Olina SE
- 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.
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Recommended for people like this
- Texture-oriented
- People who value a sense of localization
- People who like bright, transparent sound
- People who value a sense of detail
- People who value resolution
Overview of Tripowin x HBB Olina SE
This review will give an overview of Tripowin x HBB Olina SE. 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: 8.5 / 10.0
- Fitment: 8.5 / 10.0
- High range: 9.5 / 10.0
- Mid range: 10.0 / 10.0
- Low range: 9.0 / 10.0
- Less distortion: 8.5 / 10.0
- Cost Performance Bonus: 12.5/10.0
- Want to see the score ranking? Click here!
Basic Specifications
- Frequency response: 10Hz to 43kHz
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 109dB
- Cable connector: 0.78mm 2pin
Features of Tripowin x HBB Olina SE
- Tripowin & HBB Collaboration
- 2nd Generation of the 10mm CNT Dynamic Driver
- More Balanced Tonal Signature
- All Aluminum Housing
- High Purity Detachable 2-Pin Cable
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 that sound beyond their price. It’s great audio that doesn't cost an arm.
RETURN OF OLINA
Tripowin x HBB Olina was a collaboration project that gathered instant success from audiophiles around the globe. For the Olina, HBB (Hawaiian Bad Boy from “Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews”) used his years of experience and large IEM frequency measurement database to develop an acoustic sound signature that is well-balanced, articulate, and enjoyable. For the Olina Special Edition release, HBB has adjusted the tuning to reflect additional insights in his studies of audio tuning and refine the sound of the Olina. With an all new sound signature and a sleek new design, the Olina SE improves on the legacy of the original Olina.
DYNAMIC DRIVER UPDATES
The Olina SE utilizes a second generation of the Carbon Nanotube (CNT) dynamic driver that was first featured in the original Olina. This 10mm driver has been updated to reinforce the diaphragm structure especially at the suspension edges, which increases the surface membrane tension for a quicker driver response. The driver is capable of delivering 10Hz to 40kHz dynamic range for a comprehensive Hi-Fi listening experience.
MORE BALANCED TONAL SIGNATURE
The biggest update for the Olina SE is the improvement in the tuning. The new CNT driver in the Olina SE allows a greater sub-bass impact compared to the original Olina, measured by a 3dB increase at 10Hz. This update significantly eliminates the sub-bass roll-off, and allows a more robust and powerful sub-bass punch. Furthermore, the treble of the Olina SE has been refined to eliminate peakiness in the vocal and upper harmonic frequencies. This reflects a more natural treble response compared to the original Olina. Listeners will appreciate a more evenness in the upper frequencies, without any reductions in the detail retrieval compared to the original Olina.
ALL ALUMINUM HOUSING
The Olina SE is characterized by a new and unique logo that is reflective of HBB’s Hawaiian roots. This design has been etched directly into an aluminum faceplate that now matches the aluminum shell. The entire aluminum housing is anodized in sleek black that is resistant to scratches.
DETACHABLE 2-PIN CABLE
The Olina SE comes standard with a detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable. A 4-core oxygen free OCC copper was selected as the cable material due to its high purity and electrical conductivity, which reflects in the audio as a more translucent and clear sound. The cable terminates in a 3.5mm single ended plug.
package
The package meets the price standard. Given the price, I feel that a cable with interchangeable end plugs could have been included as an accessory.
Package contents
- Tripowin x HBB Olina SE
- Eartips
- manuals
- Carrying Case
Build quality
Build quality meets price standard.
This is a beautiful metal shell with a smooth finish throughout. It is not luxurious, but it is simple and sophisticated.
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 x HBB Olina SE has an almost completely neutral signature.
Please see here for detailed reviews on sound quality.
Lows / Bass
The low frequency range of the Olina SE seems to be slightly enhanced in depth over the Olina, but it is nearly identical to the original and very similar in ambiance.
In fact, the Olina SE seems to have less distortion and better low-frequency stand-alone quality, but the original Olina has superior edge and crunch related to the sense of sound construction, so the overall impression is likely that the original sounds more solid and tighter.
The drum kicks have enough impact and weight to be dynamic, but the rumble seems a bit lacking.
The electric bass seems a bit shallow, a bit thin, and the spaciousness is a bit weak at the moment.
Linearity is not bad, but it is difficult to say whether the depth and volume are at a level that will satisfy bass lovers.
Mids
The midrange has been adjusted slightly from the original, changing the overall sound toward a rounder, milder sound. This adjustment has slightly improved the presence of the center of the midrange, thus brightening the spotlight on vocals.
On the other hand, the sound's sense of contour was reduced and mellower, and the glossiness receded a bit, weakening the coloration of the vocals and the electric guitar's edges. The sense of construction has decreased, and so has the solidity of the heart of the music.
Personally, I would have preferred to hear the individual soundscapes more clearly delineated on the Olina, but a fair few people may find the smooth midrange of the Olina SE more appealing.
There is also a difference in the richness of the mid-range due to the high frequency range, which will be discussed later, with Olina sounding rather rich, while Olina SE is rather refreshing.
So, although they are almost equal to or above Olina in terms of quality, the impression should be quite different, and you can see that Olina SE is not a simple update of Olina.
Highs / Treble
High frequencies have changed significantly with Olina SE. The sound is slightly more detailed with improved high-frequency extension and better definition. Clarity is also expected to sound slightly improved over the original Olina, and localization can be said to be of a better standard, resulting in a considerable upgrade in overall quality.
Overall, a more airy and more delicate sound can be expected. So, if you value the graininess of acoustic guitars and cymbals, the breadth of hi-hats, or the extension of strings and wind music, the Olina SE can be said to be a perfect top competitor to the Olina. On the other hand, if you like Olina's slightly less luminance, but still bright and solid midrange, you may find Olina SE's sound to be a bit empty and low density.
As I mentioned in the midrange section, it seems to me that the Olina SE is more appropriate to think of it as a different persona than as an upgrade of the Olina.
Sound quality general comment
- Original Sound Fidelity: A
- Recommendation: S
- Personal preference: A
Although the Tripowin x HBB Olina SE can be considered almost upwardly compatible with the Olina in terms of audio specifications, it is actually an earphone with a very different personality from the Olina. Whereas the original Olina emphasized a dense and structured atmosphere in the midrange, the Olina SE offers a more open and prospective sound.
Sound quality features
Pros
- Excellent sound image consistency
- Excellent texture
- Good original fidelity
- pleasant to listen to
- fresh and clean
- bright and transparent
- Accurate localization
- Natural overtone expression
- Low distortion
Cons
- Lacks low-frequency depth
- Slightly lacking high-frequency extension
- Slightly lacks a sense of structure in the midrange
- Coloration tends to sound a bit thin
General comment
With the Olina SE, Tripowin has brushed up on the well-established Olina and improved the audio specs. Basically, the change from Olina to Olina SE can be seen as an evolution, and it shows the solid insight of Tripowin and HBB who worked with them. However, the sound was not necessarily a perfect supercompetitor of the Olina, especially in the midrange, where the original Olina was slightly superior.
If I may leave the reviewer's position and give my personal opinion, I prefer the Olina to the Olina SE.
Purchase link
