Tinhifi T2 DLC IEMs – When Everything Comes Together

Tinhifi T2 DLC IEMs – When Everything Comes Together

TINHIFI T2 DLC is a $59 USD entry-level IEM with a fully metallic shell, a 4th Gen DLC Dynamic Driver, and which is a refinement of the T2 Series that I reviewed in the past. Today it will be reviewed and compared to other interesting entry-level IEMs, including KiiBoom Allure (99 USD), BQEYZ Topaz (89 USD), and IKKO OH2 OPAL (79 USD). 

 

Introduction

TINHIFI is a company really similar to KZ, basically the very foundation of Chifi and what it is known as today. They have a wide selection of products, all in the entry-level range, with T2 being the most prominent one, so they decided to stick with the name, and slap on a DLC coating to the dynamic driver, although the previous T2 series used different drivers. As with most Chifi companies, they do not sell those directly, nor do they support those in any way, so you’re best purchasing products like KZ IEMs and Tin HIFI IEMs from big shops, such as Linsoul and HIFI GO, both of which have sent a T2 DLC unit my way at the same time. It is important to always shop and purchase from a store you trust and can rely on, and both HIFI GO and Linsoul are present on Amazon if you want a layer of added protection, and in the world we live in today, you ought to make sure that what you’re purchasing will actually work. 

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Linsoul, TinHIFI or HIFIGO, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I’d like to thank Linsoul and HIFIGO for providing the sample for this review. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in the Tin T2 DLC IEMS find their next music companion. 

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3RrmkC9

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3Dz1L0z

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3jy3RqL

You can grab one from HIFI GO here: https://hifigo.com/products/tinhifi-t2-dlc

 

Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

We have that one design and shape back on track, T2 DLC looking exactly like the first T2 I reviewed ages ago. They are still using a very similar package as well, so we feel right at home. The silicone tip quality is great, the IEMs are ergonomic, but do have sharp edges, and are a bit heavy. The bore itself, the tube that goes into your ear is on the larger side, so for those with narrow ear canals T2 DLC will have a shallower fit. 

The overall passive noise isolation is super good, around 20-25dB, and even with very quiet music playing, I can’t say that I hear my own typing sound as I’m writing today’s review. The cabler quality is average, there’s nothing special about it, but it is not a bad cable. The default connector I have is single ended, with a 3.5mm jack, and the cable does not conduct microphonic noise or have any other issues. 

You don’t need a lot of power to drive the Tin T2 DLC, and you can use basically any dongle or source with a 3.5mm output, but it is somewhat sensitive to hissing and noise, so you may hear a faint hissing with most entry-level sources that are prone to it. This is something that’s not immediately evident when you read the specs, which quote the impedance to be 32 OHMs, and SPL to 111 dB. Those should theoretically not induce hissing noise, but ergo reality is usually different from what you calculate based on specs alone. 

Build quality of the IEMs is rather great, and overall they are a happy one for me and my ears, at least build and comfort wise. 

 

Sound Quality

The sources I’ve used for driving Tin T2 DLC include Fosi Audio K5 PRO, Moondrop Dawn, Shanling UA5, HIDIZS AP80 Copper, HIDIZS S9 PRO, and Mechen M30 Music Player. T2 DLC sounds really similar regardless of the source, and it has a very specific sound which is bright in the treble, but with a deep and satisfying bass, impactful overall, super dynamic and just pleasing in general. Especially if you’re early in the morning, the sound of T2 DLC is like seeing the sunlight first thing in the morning, it is revealing, detailed and really vivid. 

The bass of T2 DLC is deep, and extends down to about 40 Hz, with a good amount of bass and impact. The bass is slightly thick, and it has a natural-slow bass decay. Below about 35Hz, it rolls off gently, and most of the energy is in the 50-60Hz range for the bass, with a lower quantity of upper bass, which helps T2 DLC avoid being too veiled or dark. 

The lower midrange is actually less present than the upper midrange, which gives T2 DLC that entire bright tuning and sound. This means that T2 DLC will emphasize male voices less and female voices more, making all music sound somewhat happy and upbeat, brightly tuned, and more open. This helps a lot for electronic music, dubstep, EDM, House, but T2 DLC is less of a rock IEM from the vocal perspective. I’m also happy to report that this is the first IEM in about two weeks that does not bring the voices closer to the listener, and instead goes for a super holographic presentation of the soundstage, with super good instrument separation. There’s a bit of coloration in the midrange tuning, thanks to the brightness. 

The treble is bright, open, has smooth increase and peaks around 12kHz, which is added after the lower peak around 6kHz, so you get a lot of detail and resolution, T2 DLC being fully able to render textures, and finer micro details in music. In fact, if you’re in the entry-level range, T2 DLC is one of the most detailed and cleanest sounding IEMs I’ve heard. This all comes at the cost of T2 DLC being somewhat bright, and not smooth or forgiving of bad recordings though. 

 

Comparisons 

Tin T2 DLC vs IKKO Oh2 Opal (59 USD vs 79 USD) – The overall comfort is better for Oh2 Opal, which has a smaller sonic tube, and is smaller, more ergonomic in size. The fit is strictly shallow for Oh2 Opal, thanks to the kind of tips it uses and the fact that it has extremely short bore length, while TinHIFI T2 DLC can have a deeper fit if you have larger ear canals. The sound is similar between them, OH2 Opal has a slightly more natural midrange, but lower bass quantity so T2 DLC sound more open, has a better soundstage and better bass impact, being more dynamic in the end. Both are pleasing and IEMs I like a lot though, if midrange naturalness is important, OH2 Opal is a bit more natural, while if you prefer a V-Shaped signature more, TinHIFI T 2 DLC is more V-Shaped, with a bit more bass, more and better impact. 

Tin T2 DLC vs KiiBoom Allure (59 USD vs 99 USD) – The comfort of the Allure is a bit better than T2 DLC thanks to the fact that Allure has a more narrow bore size, and will fit easier with most ears. The outer shell is slightly larger but more rounded for Allure. The overall sound is much better for T2 DLC, which has better bass impact, better low end precision, better clarity and resolution in the detail, better treble extension and just a more clean and clear sound. 

Tin T2 DLC vs BQEYZ Topaz (59 USD vs 89 USD) – The overall comfort is similar between the two, T2 DLC has a smaller body, so it is more ergonomic in the outer part of the ear, but the bore is a bit larger, so a bit shallower fit and less comfortable for the ear canal. The overall sound is actually similar in detail and resolution T2 DLC being only slightly above the Topaz, with a bit more treble sparkle and air and a slightly better soundstage for t2 DLC. Topaz has a slightly more natural midrange, with better male voices, and less brightness in the mids, which is a big part of why T2 DLC can sound a bit more detailed at times. Topaz makes a better IEM for rock and metal, T2 DLC is better for commercial music, EDM and electronic music in general. 

 

Value and Conclusion

The overall price performance ratio of the T 2 DLC is extremely good, and this is an IEM I can easily recommend to anyone, and I mean absolutely anyone looking for good value from their purchase, although admittedly it doesn’t have the sound of 300 USD IEMs, it is excellent in sound, pleasing to the ear, and a purchase you won’t regret. Compared to most of the market, T2 DLC has better value than the competition, and at 59 USD, it competes positively against IEMS in the ~100 USD – 120 USD range. 

At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a super clean, open, and detailed sound, with a bright treble, a good bass impact, dynamic sound, holographic soundstage and good instrument separation, TinHIFI T2 DLC is one of the best there are for the pocket-friendly price of 59 USD, so don’t forget to check it out on Amazon, Linsoul and HiFiGO.   

 

Product Link

You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3RrmkC9

If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3Dz1L0z

And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3jy3RqL

You can grab one from HIFI GO here: https://hifigo.com/products/tinhifi-t2-dlc

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Full Playlist used for this review

We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature.  I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5

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