TXN Audio Diamond Review: The Real Diamond Driver
This year must be a year of great comeback for single dynamic drivers, as we have yet another flagship 1DD IEM to review. Meet the TXN Diamond, the TOTL flagship from TXN Audio – a Vietnamese audio brand that has been building its craft within the local audiophile community since 2016 and is now gradually starting to step onto the international stage. TXN Audio Diamond is a single “True Diamond” dynamic driver earphone – featuring genuine, pure crystalline diamond diaphragms and not the common DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon). Priced at $1,990, let’s see what that means for the sound and how it compares with other notable 1DD IEMs.
About TXN Audio
Serving the professional audio and audiophile industry with tailored CIEMs and UIEMs, TXN Audio has been active in Vietnam’s audiophile scene since 2016, well before any international presence. Their engineering philosophy has always been driver-first – understanding the acoustic behavior of materials at a fundamental level before packaging them into a product. Although this is my first hands-on experience with TXN Audio products, I’ve been keeping a close eye on TXN Audio and their product releases over the last several years, such as TXN’s legacy product Dest Ti IEM.
Unlike complete newcomer brands, I could tell their team has been working extensively to push the limits and polish their tunings, which I could tell without listening to the IEMs myself, as TXN Audio has a very well-established reputation among the Vietnamese audiophiles. The Diamond represents their first major international launch, carrying the full weight of that background with it.
Packaging & Accessories
Diamond comes in a simple black paper box with the TXN logo embossed in silver. Other than the earpieces, the packaging includes a premium 4.4mm balanced cable, 3 pairs of silicone tips, a leather puck-style carrying case, 4 pairs of foam filters, an earpiece mesh bag, and an instruction paper. The case feels premium to touch and is slightly larger than the standard ones to accommodate room for Diamond’s thicker stock cable. There are two types of foam nozzle filters – low-density and high-density foams. The included nozzle filters are easily exchangeable by using tweezers. Our review and sound impressions are based on the high-density foams.
The Real ‘True Diamond’ Drivers
The product being named isn’t just a metaphor, but because of the word itself. TXN Diamond uses a single True Diamond dynamic driver. There have been many applications of different materials, ranging from aluminum, beryllium, titanium, biocellulose, and many more. One of the most common driver types nowadays is DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon), which is a coating composed of amorphous carbon applied to different materials. Although DLC drivers have diamond-like properties, it’s not diamond, and certainly not pure diamond either.
However, TXN’s True Diamond driver uses a pure, crystalline diamond diaphragm, which clearly differs from DLC that uses a thin layer of “diamond-like” coating. If you’d like to learn more about these drivers, I’d recommend reading TXN Audio’s developer blog, which covers the technical aspects and various measurements of the True Diamond drivers in great detail. The main takeaway as a summary, however, would be that the True Diamond driver is currently one of the most advanced dynamic drivers to the industry standards (sonic velocity, thermal conductivity, distortion, etc).
Titanium Earpieces: Semi-custom Shells
Diamond’s titanium shell is as distinctive as the driver inside it. The shells are machined from a solid block of aerospace-grade titanium with a matte grey color. The surface is smoothly finished, making it feel natural to the touch. The shapes are optimized for comfort and acoustic performances, offering a semi-custom fit that snugs in the ears very nicely. The secured fit also prevents the earpieces from feeling weighty or sliding out of the ears.
One point to be aware of is that the nozzle diameter and the stem are narrower than those of your average IEMs. This doesn’t come off as an issue, as TXN Audio counted this in as they designed the nozzle length and angle. However, you will likely need to size up your eartips from your usuals. Another point to consider is that the narrower nozzles limit a bit for making different eartip selections; for example, wide bore eartips such as TRI Clarion or Corier metal tips may cause excessive sound dispersion or loosened installation. I’ve done enough tip-rolling for the TXN Diamond, and I personally (and strongly) suggest using Final Type-E eartips as they provide the most optimal sound pairing and fit.
Stock Cable: The Aegis 4X
The included Aegis 4X cable is built around 7N OCC copper conductors sourced from Taiwan, terminated with a 4.4mm OFC balanced plug and 0.78mm two-pin connectors – both manufactured in Japan and gold-plated. Individual shielding is applied per conductor, with an additional braided copper layer for EMI and RFI protection.
The cable is pliable and low in microphonics, with a plasticity to it that holds position rather than fighting back – different from memory-cable behavior, and more cooperative in day-to-day use. Build quality is solid and suits the product well. As with other transparent and resolving IEMs, the Diamond responds noticeably to cable changes, so aftermarket exploration is worth pursuing once you’ve settled into the sound.
Next Page: In-depth Sound Impressions / How does the TXN Diamond sound?