Oriolus Traillii JP New Generation Electrostatic Hybrid IEM

I bought this IEM after I had decided that I wanted to put the search for the ultimate IEM to rest, at least for a couple of years. What got me into the Traillii was the fact that I couldn't find any negative comments on it. There's not too many reviews anyway, but those which are there praise this product in ways I found unusual. Normally, there's some nitpicking going on. But not for the Traillii. Hence I decided to pull the trigger.
I'm pairing it with my A&K SE100, and despite my wife not being into this hobby, I believe she described the signature spot on when she likened to Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, the city's new concert hall which some say delivers the best sound experience on the planet. It's super clear, but at the same time every note is surrounded by a comely golden hue. It's hard to describe how good it is. Some years back, I ordered Cosmic Ears' top top model as a custom version: the CE6P. I firmly believe that this in ear monitor is heavily underrated. It delivers a phenomenal sound especially through the SE100 at a price point I'll never understand. Is the Traillii the better sounding monitor? Yes. Is it EUR 4,000.- better? Well, I think you can guess the answer to that question. But this is the nature of summit-fi gear: that last bit of performance tends to cost far more than everything preceding it, as someone else put it. The Traillii bests the CE6B in various ways, but mostly with its wider soundstage and its bass. Now there is a version of the CE6B which will deliver more bass. But the way it comes all together with the Traillii is simply awesome. I want to offer a word of caution in relation to the cable though. I understand it's been custom tuned for the Traillii which is as much as you can ask for. But some people would mention that it's not microphonic, and that is simply not true. Paradoxically, its microphonics are particularly noticeable once you sit at your desk and hardly move at all. Tiny movements will let you know that this cable does produce its own sound. So much so that I began to use the clip which comes attached with the Traillii package; and ordered a second one from A to be able and securely attach both cables to my collar. Once you get outside that effect is much less obvious because of the other noise that walking with a well sealed IEM will inevitably produce. It's worth mentioning that the seal the tips are providing is extremely good. They won't go in very deep which is why I will get myself custom ear-tips shortly, but they do a marvelous job and I believe you couldn't ask for much more with off the shelf tips.
Finally, I want to second other reviewers comments about Andrew's outstanding service. This is everything you might want, and then a bit. Super responsive (even on weekends), pro-active, kind and concise in the way he communicates. Living in Germany I wasn't particularly fond of ordering these from another continent, but Andrew made it all worthwhile. Thank you for that, Andrew! So, are you getting the best IEMs money can buy? Possibly. Will you have goose bumps when listening to your music? Probably. Can you justify the amount of money for what you'll get? Well, that's for everyone to decide for themself. I for myself am very happy with the purchase, and with the outstanding service experience that Andrew provided.

I’ve been drooling over these for some time now and recently decided to pull the trigger...and I’m glad I did. I cannot believe the depth and sound stage that these deliver. They hardly sound like a typical IEM - the quality is on par with a high end set of cans (which I suppose makes sense given the price). Own a pair of Utopias and the sound stage on the Trailliis competes with ease. The bass is powerful and they have a very detailed, balanced sound to them. I’ve paired these with two DAPs so far: the Astell & Kern SE200 and the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch Titanium Edition. I prefer the sound signature of the LPTG Ti plus it doesn’t require an adapter (the Traillii come with a 4.4mm balanced plug).

Aesthetics: The packaging is simple - no frills. I love the design of the Traillii but some may find it simple compared to other similarly priced IEMs (like the Vision Ears Erlkonig). To put it simply, you pay for quality, and the Trailliis deliver.

These are end-game quality IEMs. They are expensive though. If you have the cash and want the best, this is it.

It is one of the most expensive earphones.

However, earphone performance is also one of the best!

And thank you Andrew for helping me with the purchase!!!

I've used a ton of IEMs - u12t, lcdi4, Andromeda 2020, Z1R.. and the list goes on and on. Nothing is even in the vicinity of this IEM. The engagement is top notch, I can listen to these all day. Comfort is outstanding. The soundstaging and instrument separation are unreal, I can hear every little detail in my music now!

They're so easy to drive - I can use an iphone dongle or my paw s1 for more than enough juice. They sound great even out of such low power sources. When I want to feel fancy I plug them into my WM1Z (and sometimes Shanling M8) and lay down and listen to music for HOURS. I never want to take them off.

Fun fact, I also use them for FPS gaming, they are great for hearing even the faintest footsteps and identifying the direction they came from :)

Continued:

And this went on an on. Each one terrific and outclassing every other IEM I have heard. In my view, not the Ely, Thummim, VE-8, VX, Fourte, Layla, Khan, etc. compare. In summary, and this is only in comparison to each other, the Erlkonig has a little more note weight, a bit more bass power and slightly warmer upper mids/treble while the Traillii is a bit brighter overall with a touch tighter bass. If absolutely forced to pick a favorite, I might pick the Erlkonig, but in reality, they are right on top of each other and I keep changing my mind. I just kept feeling this throughout every comparison. So much so, that I just sat back and listened, and stopped taking notes. My advice would be to someone looking to own an Erlkonig that cannot get one, just get the Traillii if you have the means. If you already own the Erlk, I personally would not get rid of one for the other, but instead get both if you have the bank. While many of us have a bit different taste overall, I highly doubt anyone could dislike the Traillii, so audition one if possible, but you may be doing so at great cost.

As far as the packaging, it stinks. But you know what, I have yet to use any manufacturer’s included case above my Dignis cases, and I typically have to change the cable where here I would not. So even though the packaging is nowhere near what VE or Dunu provide, it is the sound that counts. The cable is a bit microphonic though. Nothing over the top terrible, but that seems to be a characteristic of PW’s 1950’s and 1960’s cables. Aside from that they are great cables.

And for me, here is the kicker. The darn thing is more comfortable with the sedna tips than the Erlk. My Erlk fits great, but the Traillii’s fit is even better and one of, if not the most comfortable fit including my customs. I have placed my order with MusicTeck! (by the way, Andrew is great to work with and very customer focused).

I might write this up and more as a full review, not sure, but hopefully this is helpful to those wishing to consider the Traillii. As of February, 2021, I consider it one of the top two IEM’s ever made, Enjoy!