The benefits of bone conduction are discernible, particularly the way Empire Ears operates them full-range. Music gains a new found solidity as the bone conductors reach one's inner hearing structure through vibration.
Music is propelled at you, but the lack of distortion – a benefit of not needing to tax Triton's pressure-based drivers for SPL to generate intangible listener engagement and immersion – is clear.
Certainly, without needing to punch too hard by way of artificially overemphasising micro and macro dynamics, combines with Triton's lack of transducer distortion to reduce listener fatigue.
Notes are portrayed sweetly and effortlessly. And by not trying too hard, Triton actually fills in the blanks in your music more effectively, conveying emotion.
Triton's earth-shaking performance indeed amplifies the performance of the premium dynamic driver and balanced armature Empire Ears chose.
ARC aids in the resonance, amplification, and dispersion of sound waves, synergising with other elements to achieve a distinctive sound signature and optimise Triton's acoustic performance.
To optimise sound quality, Empire Ears meticulously engineered the enclosure's ventilation system. Precise adjustments to vent size and placement were crucial, as even minor changes significantly impacted audio performance. By carefully calibrating the vented drivers to their ideal volume, Triton's full sonic potential was unlocked.
With bone conductors performing for many other conventional pressure-based drivers, the SPL demands on the other cast members was lessened.
Triton's Weapon 9+ dynamic woofer for low-frequencies can stick to its assigned range without needing to overcompensate. And Triton's balanced armature particularly benefits as the reduced need to produce SPL leads to less distortion and an edge-less body to their detail.
Triton is a show of Empire Ears maturity and is possible also because of the state of maturity the Head-Fi ecosystem is at. DAC/amp and music player sources show up in abundance to drive Triton's very difficult 3ohm load.
It starts as simply as Questyle Audio's M15i, with this flagship current-mode DAC/amp ever happier as a voltage source the more it detects a dead short. And the potent output devices of HiBy Music's Class A entry R4, FD5 and R6III are more than up to the task despite their budget status.
And then there are the discrete DAC music players which output plenty of juice. Cayin's DSD N7 with its 5 ampere output devices, and HiBy's PWM R8II plus R2R RS8 with inductor power supplies and large, paralleled transistors, promise natural tone, gravitas, soundstage and imaging for audio fireworks.
Because Triton is the party that brings all of Head-Fi together; and also every Empire Ears technology – synX crossovers, DCA, ARC, tri-port exhaust vents – under one roof.
Whet your appetites for Triton with every other Empire Ears release here, or view all our other earphones here.
Driver 2 x bone conduction drivers; 1 x 9mm bass driver; 1 x mid balanced armature
Impedance 3ohms
Frequency response 5Hz-40kHz
Sensitivity 99dB SPL/1mW
Cables 1 x 4.4mm