TinHiFi T2 DLC

T2 DLC is a variant of the T2 Classic which has the legendary status amongst the veteran audiophiles. It has a new improved DLC driver to deliver a crisp and clearer sound quality. Will this item became a true successor of the venerable T2 Classic?

PROS:
● Like the T2 Classic, It has a light and yet solid aluminium alloy chassis.
● Pristine and almost neutral sounding.
● Precise and clean bass register.
● Clear and spacious female vocals.
● Airy treble for a single DD.
● Finally, a 2-pin connector which is better and proven more durable.
● Above average technical aspects.
● Its tuning can be qualified as an all-rounder sounding one.

CONS:
● Treble sensitives, beware!
● Fitting is a bit of a struggle due to the preformed ear hooks on the stock cable.
● Layering capability seems mediocre.

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TINHIFI T2 DLC:

http://euphoniareviews.blogspot.com/2022/10/tinhifi-t2-dlc-overhauled-classic.html

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An everyday Carry for under $75? Today we will review the Tin HiFi T2 DLC, coming in at $59. Is this one of the best options as an everyday carry IEM under $75? Read on to find out.

How Do they Sound?

We will also use Qobuz and a Shanling M6 Ultra DAP as our music source.

We have Boz Scaggs's "Come on Home," a true soul classic for our first entry. This showcases the tones of Mr. Scaggs and the rhythms of R&B. Bass is tight, the drum kit is grooving, and the keyboard is going. However, despite being able to identify all the critical elements of the song, we notice this is quite a "W" shaped signature IEM.

Next, we have "Back To Tupelo" by Mark Knopfler, formerly of the Dire Straits. This is a very bruting song but has a different tonal character than usual, as it is much murkier. For whatever reason, Bass and other lower frequencies seem not to be as clear.
Mark's voice, as well as his guitar, retain their clarity for this song.

"Give Life Back to Music," by Daft Punk, is our following selection and an interesting one as this has been entirely transformed due to the Tin Audios. The bass is not as strong and distant, but the drum kit retains most of the detail; overall, there is a "vail," if you will.

Moving on to "I've Got You Under My Skin (Live)" by Diana Krall is a bit tricky. Each instrument sounds fantastic, at first listen, but it is upon second listen you realize things a midrange-heavy. This song's recording is not meant to sound midrange heavy or lifeless.

The Tin Hifi T2s have what I would consider a shallow fit. Thus, not comfortable for me to wear during long listening sessions. This may also affect the sound characteristics and my opinion.

Suggestions

The Tin HiFi T2 DLCs are an interesting IEM with a "W" sound signature and shallow fit.

To make the T2s more comfortable, designing them to fit deeper would appeal to a greater audience, not to mention improve low-end response.

Next, reducing sharp lines near the bore where the ear tips are would also make the T2s increasingly more comfortable.

Include extra foam ear tips.

The included IEM cable is quite stiff. I would suggest replacing the included one with a braded one.

Closing Thoughts

The Tin HiFi T2 DLC $59 is an IEM with a "W" sound signature and a shallow fit, this may appeal to some, but in this case, I am not one of them. Instead, I prefer a more neutral sound signature and a deeper fit.

I believe there are better options IEM options out there for under $75.

Gear Used

Fir Audio V x V IEMs

Shanling M6 Ultra DAP

Music Used

Boz Scaggs - Come On Home

https://open.qobuz.com/track/131789020

Mark Knopfler - Back To Tupelo

https://open.qobuz.com/track/734394

Daft Punk - Give Life Back to Music

https://open.qobuz.com/track/9140024

Diana Krall - I've Got You Under My Skin (Live)

https://open.qobuz.com/track/641941

As a fan of Tin Hifi, and an owner of most of their products, I have to be a little more scrutinizing with this review because I know what Tin is capable of, and at this point in their trajectory, I expect nothing but the best from them. The original T2 got me started in this hobby nearly 4 years ago, and today I consider their planar series of i.e.m.s. some of the best i.e.m.s available on the market, regardless of price. So I do hold Tin Hifi to a high Standard when they release a new product, especially when it bears the name of such an esteemed classic as the T2. And because they evoke the original T2 with this new product, I have been assessing this IEM as a comparison to the original.

The soul of the original t2 lives on in the DLC, but it’s not a direct descendant of the original. It has many of the same characteristics, such as a very clean presentation, a mid focused tuning, and excellent spacial properties. But as I switch back and forth between the DLC and the original the similarities and differences are very obvious to me. The major trade off I'm seeing here is that the T2 DLC now has better detail retrieval, at the cost of the original’s near perfect tuning.

Where the DLC is the same is the quality of the timbre, the sense of space, scale of the stage, 3D motion of the imaging, and overall immersive speaker-like feeling that the original did so well. The similarities really are striking, to the point that this feels more like a retune of the original driver, but for the improved resolution.

The bass is an improvement over the original bass which sounded great in the original already, though a little lacking in sub bass. The DLC improves on the good parts of the original bass and adds in a deep textured and very full sounding bass that beautifully meets the task for any kind of bass I throw at it. It is truly a very versatile bass that I personally think is one of the best quality basses I’ve heard in a dynamic driver i.e.m. It’s defining characteristic is that it doesn't imbue it’s own sound - it just perfectly recreates bass as the track intends. The only problem is that it is not in balance with the upper mids, so I can rarely appreciate its full glory because the mids lock me into a lower volume.

The Mids are where things get a little more complicated. First, I have to say the mid range frequencies sound absolutely stunning. They are crystal clear, smooth, engaging, detailed, and seem to float and dance around you in 3-dimensional space. They have a special kind of tone that I only hear occasionally from metal-shell iems, that seem to add slight reverb that just makes the sound feel realistic and lush. Tonally these are very similar to the original, but because of the raised upper mids and better driver speed, the mids feel even more euphoric than the original. But, while these mids are tonally and technically extraordinary, they are also hugely problematic, because they are way out of balance with the rest of the frequency response. I find myself changing the volume on nearly every track to accommodate for different instruments and vocalists that peak at the upper mids. That said, I still find myself listening to this set for hours at a time because the sound performance is so strong that the extra strain is worth it.

Treble is also more elevated than the original T2, which again is a blessing and a curse. The extension is an improvement over the original, and you do get a little more perceived detail and sparkle, which is really nice. But again it can be rather unpleasantly piercing on snares and other sounds that have quick transients. High percussion often sounds too loud, splashy, and sharp. And kick drums with sharp transients also pick up an unnatural edge because of this elevated treble. Overall, this treble is technically very good, speedy, and well extended, but hurts the overall sound, because it is louder than it needs to be.

This i.e.m. is sort of a conundrum for me. On the one hand, it hurts my ears with its bright upper mids and treble fairly frequently. On the other hand, it has such an addictive quality to the sound, that I find myself pushing past the pain. Despite the discomfort, I've been excited to put these in my ears every time I use them, even though I have to ride the volume controls when things get too intense. If this set was tuned more similarly to the original t2, this would be an absolutely market-shaking i.e.m. As it is now, it is a very technically impressive proof of concept, that will scare away more people than it will attract. But shows a lot of promise for the next T2 release, or for those who like to mod.

Tin Hifi, if you are listening, please give the people what they want: Release a variant of this set with mids and treble reduced to match the FR of the original T2, and you will finally have that worthy T2 successor that you've been chasing for so long.