Our feature today is an in-depth review of the Periodic Audio Titanium V3 which is 3rd gen pure titanium foil single dynamic driver in-ear monitor. It is priced at $129.
Disclaimer: This is a sample that was sent in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website that does not have any affiliate links or status. We thank Periodic Audio for this opportunity.
To learn more about earlier Periodic Audio products featured on Headfonics you can click here.
Note, that this article follows our latest scoring guidelines which you can read up on here.
The Titanium V3 is part of the refreshed V3 models from Periodic Audio. It is said that the current refresh uses the same transducers, but is enhanced with its new build and lower overall noise floor.
We are no strangers to Periodic Audio so if you want to know more about the brand, check out our recent review of the Magnesium V3 here.
It comes as no surprise that Titanium V3 is made out of a Titanium diaphragm. It is in fact Periodic Audio’s middle child, costing $129. It is positioned to be a fun and “an acquired taste” IEM, targeting EDM, Rock, and Reggae genres.
This is the second installment of a 4-part series of reviews on Periodic Audio’s newly designed generation 3 monitors.
Tech Highlights
Much like the Periodic Audio family, the Titanium V3 is a single dynamic driver monitor. Periodic Audio’s models are named after their driver materials, with the Titanium V3 having a pure titanium foil for its transducer diaphragm.
You might be familiar with the Titanium metal as it is known to be a high-performance lightweight metal used in various demanding situations be it aerospace applications, bikes, and tool watches.
This is all because of its unique mix of strength and stability, giving it one of the best stiffness-to-weight ratios of all structural metals. That being said, infusing the transducer material with the quality of titanium results in a highly efficient and low distortion transducer performance.
Design
If you have seen the Magnesium V3 then you’ll be familiar with the Titanium V3. But for those who are still thinking about the older Periodic Audio IEMs, then this would come as a pleasant shock to you.
Yes, they are still bullet-type IEMs, but they are now rounder in appearance. And finally, detachable cables. The design is still reminiscent of simple retro monitors. But no need to underestimate its design. It’s actually crafted to consider the weight, sonic properties, and user usability of the IEMs.
The shell is made out of a special Tritan blend called a Tritan copolyester. They moved on from their previous polycarbonate build, to produce the best yet sonic qualities with a much lower resonance of 4dB.
This means that using the new Tritan blend enables the monitor to have a cleaner sound and lower noise floor.
Comfort & Isolation
Same with the Magnesium V3, the Titanium V3 is incredibly light. When walking around with these, it feels very seamless, as if I’m not wearing anything. They do feel comfortable, even for long periods. They do not easily fall out, even while wearing them without ear hooks – old-school style.
The stock silicon tips are okay. Outside noise is drowned out well, while still allowing some sound to pass through. I would say the amount of isolation is average and functional even when wearing outside.
Tips
Periodic Audio included 3 sets of tips – silicon dual flange, single bore, and foam tips. In terms of isolation, the foam tips are the best in drowning out outside noise.
Although the dual flanges give a good seal, I found it to be a bit intrusive and uncomfortable in the long run. I keep mine with the single bore tips as I found it to be the most comfortable out of the three.
Stock Cable
Periodic Audio deviates from the common MMCX and 2-pin 0.78mm termination. Instead, they use an in-house IDEEL connector, which is claimed to be more robust.
A commonly used 2.5mm TS plug is connected to the tiny monitors, which I find to be genius by the way. It makes it easy to remove and insert cables, similar to plugging a 3.5mm SE into your phone or dongle.
Because of the unique connector, the stock cable is also quite unique. It is 1.2 meters long with its 3.5mm TRS to dual 2.5mm TS jack. Visibly, the wire is also thin and light.
One gripe I have about this cable is its excessive microphonics. The cable is insulated with a woven fabric, which is known to have bad microphonics. The only way to reduce the noise is to wear the IEMs over your ears with the silicone guide or to use the chin-slider.
Packaging & Accessories
The Titanium V3 comes in a minimalist box. It is a straightforward unboxing experience. Upon opening, you can immediately see the monitor, along with a compact gold metal protective case. Inside the gold metal case, you will find all of the generous accessories included.
These include a 1.2m cable, gold plated ¼ TRS adapter jack, gold plated dual mono airplane adapter, silicon wire guide, and 3 tips enclosed in a small plastic bag – single flange tips (S, M, L), dual flange tips (S, M, L) and memory foam tips (S, M, L)
Sound Impressions
Bass
Bass presence is overflowing here, in a good way. Bass heads will be happy to hear that the Titanium V3 delivers plenty of deep rumbles, without bloating to the upper frequencies.
What’s amazing is that the sub-bass and mid-bass have a good ratio, whereas the deep rumbles are accompanied by a good heft of audible notes. This means that the bass notes are not drowned by the deep rumbles, which makes the bass notes sound full and complete.
Aside from the good quantity, quality is to be appreciated here. The Titanium dynamic driver is fast and responsive. It has surprisingly good control – with a fast attack and decay. It is tuned well to not get in the way of the midrange region, despite the good number of bass delivered by the monitor.
Mids
Being a V-shaped monitor, the midrange is recessed. The midrange sits farther back, compared to the lower and higher frequencies. Although across different genres, the lower midrange and upper midrange are mostly even.
While the midrange is not the strength of the Titanium V3, it delivers a good overall performance. I’m impressed with the level of clarity of the midrange region considering this is a bass-heavy monitor.
There is also a good amount of detail retrieval with the Titanium V3. Despite the midrange being recessed, instruments and vocals are in fact articulate. Vocal and instrumental textures and layers are evident. They also sound natural and with a hint of warmness in them. However, there are times I felt it was too thin for my taste. It’s not entirely hollow but it does lack weight.
Treble
Treble on the Titanium V3 is on the safe side. And what I mean by that is that even though it’s neither bright nor aggressive, it still has an overall good body and control. It’s pleasantly tuned, without having a harsh and brittle presentation.
It actually has a smooth treble response as it transitions to higher frequencies. My only gripe with the Titanium V3’s treble is that it lacks an airy top. Guitar strums feel rounded at times, where a sharper and crisper strum is expected.
Staging
To be honest, the soundstage and imaging are underwhelming. Compared to the Magnesium v3, I was expecting a jump. However, they are similar in this department. The soundstage does have a good amount of depth, but otherwise, it feels intimate.
Imaging is also something that can be further improved. The sound feels mono-directional at times, but otherwise, it’s on the average side with decent vocal and instrumental layering.
Synergy
Efficiency
The Titanium V3 is very easy to drive. With an impedance of 32 ohms and sensitivity of 96dB, it can be easily driven by my iPhone 12 Pro Max. These are nowhere power hungry. Just plug in with the stock apple dongle and you’ll be okay with this lightweight setup.
The Titanium V3 does scale when used with a dedicated audio player. Playing the Titanium with the Hidizs AP80 Pro-X or a Hiby R3 Pro enhances the soundstage and clarity of the monitor. Similar DAPs would definitely handle the Titanium V3 easily.
Pairings
For a V-shaped monitor with an emphasis on the lower end, it would be good to pair it with a DAP with a thick midrange or treble. This entirely depends on your preference but the Titanium V3 is pretty easy to pair.
The Hidizs AP80 Pro-X would give easily give a midrange boost to the Titanium V3’s midrange region. An upgrade pick would be either the Shanling M6 Pro or the Hiby RS6.
For a thicker treble, the Hiby R3 Pro is also a good budget option. It will elevate the bass region of the Titanium V3 but it does pair well overall with the Titanium V3.
