Hardware [Review] Trust IRONN 430 Headphones - Disappointing for the price (3/5)

N_Molson

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Let's share a rather disappointing experience with new hardware, who knows, it could be useful to someone over there.

I was looking for new headphones as my current ones are quite worn. So I went to the local tech shop and decided to give a try to the Trust IRONN GXT 430 "Gaming headphones". I'm practicing music as an amateur and professionals I had the opportunity (and the luck) to work with told me I had an excellent hearing and tone recognition ability. So I'm "quite picky".

I must say I found the design overall attractive. Unlike other models, it doesn't look too much like a big chunck of plastic. The hearphones are held by a metallic frame, which looks decent enough. Modern, industrial style, I'm OK with that. So that's rather a good point. A minor annoyance, though, is that everytime you hit or scratch that metal band, it really rings like a bell, which isn't ideal for an headset. There's an integrated microphone that is quite cumbersome, but that does the job pretty well. There's a small switch to turn the mic on/off. Behind the left ear you have a volume wheel.

4633c857-d17e-431d-b11f-95cc6dd396b7.jpg


The set is said compatible with PC / PS4 / PS5 / XBOX series X / Switch / and mobile. I'm a PC user of course and was happy to find a dedicated 2-meters PC adapter cord packaged with the headset (1 female plug for the headset and 2 male plugs for the PC, 1 mic "pink", 1 line "green").

Now let's get to the point. It is quite expensive (50€). Not crazy but at that kind of price, I have minimal expectations regarding sound quality and dynamics. Given that the speakers units are 50 mm ones, I expected to get some decent bass. Instead I found the sound rather faint and flat, compared to my previous headset. Even using an equalizer to try to correct things, there's little to do, the sound really lacks definition and what you get is some medium porridge. I tried listening metal, jazz, classic music, always the same feeling that the sound is somewhat "inaccurate", artificial. It isn't better with videogames.

So I'm going for a refund, and probably go into real high-grade, more expensive stuff. Yes it does the job, I mean technically it works and does what it is supposed to do, but for me the sound quality simply isn't there (and not far from 'crappy'). I give it 3 on 5 and not 2, because of the good points listed above.
 
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n72.75

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I have a pair of Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro headphones. I've had them for 6 years or so. Very nice. Would recommend.
 

N_Molson

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Thanks, yes that's the kind of (German, let's be honest ;)) stuff I'm looking for. 139€ sounds reasonable (y)

 

Urwumpe

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At 50€ I wouldn't have expected that much of it. You simply can't produce the frame of the headphones cheap enough to use decent speakers there. I'd not expect to see good sound quality (including low transmission of external sound sources) below 80€.

But most of your criticism there is right: A good heavy headset should have decent audio quality compared to something at 20€ that is good enough for MS Teams. And it shouldn't be too heavy, but still have enough barriers to keep vibrations and external sound out of what you hear. I wouldn't expect professional studio gear in that price range, but if you "think in sound", you can quickly see a lot of patterns in the trust ironn that look fancy and sound poor.
 

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On my second set of Sony XB550, sensible amount of bass despite the name. Call it "ignorance is bliss", perhaps, but works well for me. Tried Sennheiser in between (not the expensive stuff) and bounced right back.
 

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On my second set of Sony XB550, sensible amount of bass despite the name. Call it "ignorance is bliss", perhaps, but works well for me. Tried Sennheiser in between (not the expensive stuff) and bounced right back.

The cheaper stuff of Sennheiser used to be made by joint ventures just using the Sennheiser brand for it, they aren't really that impressive compared to the real stuff.
 

N_Molson

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At 50€ I wouldn't have expected that much of it. You simply can't produce the frame of the headphones cheap enough to use decent speakers there. I'd not expect to see good sound quality (including low transmission of external sound sources) below 80€.

But most of your criticism there is right: A good heavy headset should have decent audio quality compared to something at 20€ that is good enough for MS Teams. And it shouldn't be too heavy, but still have enough barriers to keep vibrations and external sound out of what you hear. I wouldn't expect professional studio gear in that price range, but if you "think in sound", you can quickly see a lot of patterns in the trust ironn that look fancy and sound poor.

Yeah exactly my point is there is the low-tier 20€ stuff that is available inside the very same store, is functional too, and that doesn't pretend to be what it will never be ;) Actually there was a discount on super-low end stuff at less than 10€.
 

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Received the Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro headset. Not disappointed. Good stuff ! :)

I really appreciate they provide a 3'5 to 6'35 adapter that is secured with a screw. (y)
 

n72.75

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Received the Beyerdynamics DT990 Pro headset. Not disappointed. Good stuff ! :)

I really appreciate they provide a 3'5 to 6'35 adapter that is secured with a screw. (y)
I knew you would. They're awesome.
 
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