Closer Examination

Tripowin is known for its affordable range of IEM and headphone cables, although accessories tend to be where companies cut into when on a fixed budget. Tripowin did the same with the x HBB Mele by including what was an adequate cable that certainly did not win any awards. With the Olina, things tilt more towards the good. For one, this is a good-looking cable that certainly fits the aesthetics of the Olina courtesy the blue color for the sleeving and gunmetal housings complementing it. It's also relatively easy to re-shape, but I found that it resists re-shaping in some places and bends more in others. It was also a touch microphonic when rustling against my shirt or even a desk, so a cable pin would have been nice. The cable has a straight 3.5 mm TRS connector going to your source, with the housing having the Tripowin logo. The conductor is oxygen-free OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) copper, and the splitter has the HBB logo. The cable cinch is unfortunately looser than I'd like and just falls off in use more often than not. The memory-wire section towards the IEMs is done well though, with a curve that should work for most people, one that can also be re-formed under heat from a heat gun or hairdryer. Tripowin is using standard 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors which have a clear/red plastic housings for the left/right channels.


I mentioned how I have no first-hand experience with the Tripowin x HBB Mele, but it does not take a genius to recognize that the design and construction of the Olina is heavily inspired by it. The Mele uses a fairly uncommon shell that had previously only been used by a handful of other OEM customers, so much so that this shell has primarily been associated with it in western markets. It's a CNC-machined aluminium alloy shell that allows for the acoustic chamber to be cavity-tuned, and the shape is also taller than wide with a slight taper at the bottom; we will soon find out how this affects ear fit. The Olina adopts this same design but with a gunmetal gray finish applied to it that works well with the cable housings seen above, as opposed to the shiny native aluminium finish on the Mele. I think this was the right move for the more understated aesthetics of the Olina.


The Tripowin Mele launched with a black face plate that had a peacock-feather-inspired pattern, and soon had two other color options: yellow and blue. The blue face plate there was a departure from the face-plate pattern, using different shades of blue that mimicked the sea and waves. With the Olina, Tripowin has gone blue again, but in a much darker shade to where it is closer to gray than the blue on the Mele. The patterns here are also more reminiscent of smoke rising from a fire, with sections of light and dark interspersed and a resin cover on top. It's a clean look that won't grab a lot of attention, making it one of the better options to travel with and use in even a crowded public transport. The HBB logo is seen on the sides, next to a vent hole for the dynamic driver inside, and we also see the 2-pin connectors flush-mounted to the shells. Another vent on the inner side makes contact with the ear itself, which is also where L/R markings for the left and right channels are found. The Olina shells don't come with pre-installed ear tips, and the ear-tip nozzle angles inward more than most, likely to also account for the shell not being the typical ergonomic design as with semi-custom IEMs, and the metal nozzle is machined out of the same piece of aluminium comprising the shells to make for a durable construction. A retaining notch on the end of the nozzle better keeps the ear tips in place on this ~5.5 mm diameter opening, which has a mesh filter to prevent contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber. The filter is also fine enough to where I don't imagine condensation will be a real issue, which is not easy to test for in the UK anyway. The filter is removable and easily replaced by the spare filters that come with the Olina.


Fitting the ear tips is on the easier side because of the relatively short nozzle, which is also of average size relative to the provided tips. Seen above are the two types of included size M silicone tips, and note how the notches on the nozzle further secure them in place. The two different types vary in overall ear-tip length, but try them both to see what works best for you. Having different sizes available helps with a good fit, and do not feel as though both ears necessarily need the same-sized ear tips, either. Note how the black set has a larger bore opening than the gray one, which can affect the sound signature, too.


Regardless of which tips you go with, the next step is to connect the cable by carefully pushing the 2-pin connectors in place and making sure to match the left and right sides correctly, which are then held there by friction alone. The 3.5 mm TRS connector then goes to your source. I know there are many who prefer to use IEMs throughout, but I like to use over-ear headphones when sitting down and IEMs or TWS earbuds on the go. I paired the Tripowin x HBB Olina with all the tested portable DAC/amps to date and personally like the cleaner profile and handy EQ options of the Qudelix-5K as the source, in turn paired to my phone or laptop.