[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)][/color]
 
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]When I first discovered Thinksound, it was on my quest to find a good, full sounding replacement for my Macaw GT100s. However, given the high quality sound that I was already used to, I couldn’t get just any pair of IEMs. After doing some investigating, I found that not only does the Rain2 provide the level of sound quality I need, it also does so in a eco-friendly way. For $99 dollars, these were a steal. You can also often find them on sale on Amazon for $89.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Thinksound makes all of its headphones out of wood. This serves two purposes: one, to take advantage of the natural sounds that wooden earphones can make, and two: so that its earphones are recyclable. That’s pretty cool.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]As an added bonus, you can send in your old pair of Thinksound earphones for recycling, and get 25% off your next purchase. That’s some pretty hefty savings, especially if you are looking to get a flagship pair of earphones.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Sound Signature[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Highs are decent. They mesh well with the rest of the sound, without getting lost or muddied which is partly what makes the Rain2 have such a smooth sound. However, compared to titanium-driver IEMs, the highs a pretty recessed. When using a regular DAC, such as that inside a Nexus 6P or laptop, there is a pretty noticeable sibilance (harsh “s” sound in vocals). Equalization can somewhat fix this, but the problem persists regardless of the device I used. Only when using a proper DAC/amp combo could I fully remedy the issue.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Mids are good as well. Full sounding, and accurate. They have a very warm feeling to them and are balanced well with the rest of the sound, as they have a rather flat signature to them.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Lows are tight and controlled, while being defined and present, which is surprising for IEMs with an 8mm driver. Even in songs with active and complex lows, such as Recognizer by Daft Punk, they never became overblown.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Bass is just right. There is no extra sound, or sloppy reproduction. The bass lends depth and impact to songs that is hard to come by. Rock and Electric music is accentuated nicely by the sound signature of the Rain2.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Isolation is good. Thinksound did a good job with the Rain2, as they are capable of blocking the noise of a hairdryer, loud children, and the screams of my enemies pretty nicely. No matter how good of a seal I got though, people talking loudly next to me tended to penetrate into the music I was listening to. Raising the volume fixed this.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Staging is about as good as I could ask for from 8mm drivers. There is definitely a wideness to it, with defined directions that instruments can take on. A good example of this would be Outlands, by Daft Punk. There is also a decent amount of depth, with instruments also being able to take on a distance, as well as a position. I will update this section to reflect how well the Rain2 does on an airplane at a later date.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Sound Type: Warm[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Comfort[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Comfort is superb with the Rain2. The included earbuds fit just right, and created a seal that didn't feel like a suction cup on the inside of my ear. The light construction of these IEMs also made them hold up well in extended listening sessions, as well as while walking or jogging. Unfortunately, it’s going to be pretty difficult to sleep or lay on your side while wearing the Rain2, as they will press inwards very hard.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Portability[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The Rain2 is pretty portable. It is slick, and doesn’t have any weird extrusions. The relatively small size of the driver housing makes it easy to slip into my pocket, even when wearing tighter pants. There also an included carrying pouch made out of recycled materials.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)][/color]
 

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Durability[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]While I can’t speak for long term durability, as I’ve had these earbuds for about a week at this point, I can say that they appear to be pretty sturdy. Drops won’t pose an issue, simply because of how light the Rain2 is. It won’t gain much momentum on the way down, and the wooden casing is very hard, and won’t scratch easily. Thinksound put a lot of time and attention into the cable connections. They are all covered with an extra layer of stress-relieving plastic. The 3.5mm jack is very well constructed. This is the best stress-relieving job I’ve seen on a pair of earphones to date. If anything, it will be the last part of the cable to break.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]Thinksound also claims that the Rain2 is “sweat resistant”. No specification is mentioned, but the casing and cables are rather easy to clean.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Mic[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]There is no mic on the Rain2. If you are someone who really uses it, you may wish to consider a different pair of IEMs.[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Accessories[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]The Rain2 comes with a carrying pouch made from recycled materials, a shirt clip, and some extra earbuds. The carrying pouch feels solid, and the earbuds are decent.[/color]
[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)][/color]
 

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.439216)]Conclusion[/color]

[color=rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8)]If you are looking for a good pair of earphones with a nice soundstage, detailed and a warm sound signature, that happens to be eco-friendly, and is under $100, then these are for you. However, if you want earth-shattering bass, or are a heavy user of inline-controls, then you may wish to look elsewhere.[/color]

Impressions with the Thinksound Rain 2
 
Thanks @d marc0 for including me in the Australian Thinksound Rain 2 Tour
 
Source: Itunes downloaded music - Equaliser Player app by Audio Forge (EQ set to neutral) - Ipad 3rd Gen Wifi+cell - Line out cable - Just Audio AHA 120 Portable Class A headamp set to 32 ohm- Think Sound Rain 2
 

 

 
 
The Thinksounds are a well built set of earphones. Wooden housings capped by a metal ring (aluminum?), sturdy tangle free cable, angled connector, but no inline mic or remote controls. It also comes with various sized silicone tips and a cable clip. They all come in a small white packaging, packed in compressed cardboard and a hessian bag carry pouch. Simple functional and ecologically sustainable.
 
 
  
 
 
SOUND:
 
Well I must say these are picky with amp pairings. I also have a C&C BH but that just made these sibilant in my opinion and the best pairing was to be found with with Just Audio's. It just seems to amplify whats good about these headphones namely the warm sound signature, the smoothness and the soundstage.
 
Songs listened to: Emeli Sande Maybe (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) Micheal Buble Me and Mrs Jones (Live from Madison Square Garden) and just for kicks How Low by Ludacris (MAAAAD BASSY Track)
 
Ludacris HOW LOOOOOwwwww: Well I must say thinksounds performed well in this track. The bass presentation is certainly what Im looking for here and it does go quite low. It has good bass impact and good decay. Texture is also quite nice. Vocals seem to be smooth and present, not drowned out by the bass, although i think its abit recessed but not by much. The highs are non fatiguing but it could use more sparkle and airyness. Its just not resolving in my opinion. (not that there is anything to resolve. This is a club dance track after all) PRAT seems to be just abit off so these I would think are more suited to accoustic music hence the next two songs.
 
Emeli Sande Maybe:  Now were more into what these Thinksounds are about! This is totally the perfect genre for the Thinksounds. Simple accoustic music, female vocals, a long listening session. Totally goes with the relaxed and smooth sound sig. Since this track is recorded live, there seems to be a huuge sound stage and its just seems that Im on stage with Emeli and the claps the shouts and other sounds from the crowd are portrayed clearly. Instrument separations is also excellent with each having room to breathe. Emeli does not sound sibilant here at all. Again the guitar and and other instruments could use more resolution/detail but I can forgive this shortcoming as Im totally enjoying what Im hearing.
 
Michael Buble Me and Mrs Jones: Now for some male vocals. This track has a lot of wind instruments and percussion and I must say it underwhelmed me a bit. This track starts out slow and slowly builds into a crescendo towards the end when everything is playing at once and then slowly fades . Perhaps the thinksounds are too smooth. Michaels Vocals are fine, soundstage is fine but when everything is playing at once, to me it just seemed unexciting. I had no emotional connection. With the Emeli track, I felt like I was standing there on stage with her. With Michael it seemed I am front row and the crowd is behind me (perhaps the differing way the tracks are recorded?) 
 
COMPARISON with my current favourite in ears Phonak PFE 122 Grey Neutral filter
 

 
 
Michael Buble Me and Mrs Jones: Now the first thing I noticed is that the Phonaks have a brighter signature, more detailed, less bassy but its still there and just right for me. Its just totally at a different level. I can hear more of the crowd, the texture of the individual instruments. Michael's vocals seem to get back the energy and forwardness that the song deserves. In a short word my emotional connection is back. The Phonaks just seem to be more dynamically alive with this track and its a pleasure to listen to.
 
Emeli Sande Maybe:  This is such an emotional song and it connects with me if the presentation is correct. On my favourite headphones (He400, HD 650, Fidelio L2) and earphones (Phonaks), when she starts singing, I get goosebumps. I did not get the goosebumps with the Thinksounds but with the Phonaks its just amazing. The details of her voice, the nuances, the vocalizations and pain that should radiate from her voice is just portrayed so well (and thats why I get the goosebumps) with the Phonaks. Every instrument is heard clearly and resolutely. Simply amazing for me. Now let me sit back and put the track on repeat a few times and recline my chair......................
 
AFTER 10 mins...
 
 
Ludacris HOW LOOOOOwwwww: I must say the bass goes deeper on the Phonaks but not a lot impact but its well textured. I wish it has more bass (but thats what the black and green filter are for, Included in the Phonaks packaging for a V shaped sound and finally a U Shaped sound, a definite plus for the Phonak user, its customisable). While PRAT was missing from the Thinksounds, its back with the Phonaks. It certainly got my head bopping. The track just seemed more alive dynamically. There are parts of the song that has a heartbeat sound it occurs about 3 times, that goes on for about 3 seconds. On the Thinksounds, I dont think I ever heard ít. It just shows the Phonaks are more resolving in the bass texture if not in quantity.
 
Final thoughts:
 
I think the Thinksounds specialize in a specific genre or type of music. Simple. Earthy. Accoustic vocals. Perhaps in its next iteration, they can make it more resolving and more exciting so it would pair with most types of music.

thinksound rain2 - A mini Review

 
Firstly, I'd like to thank @d marc0 for including me on this tour. It's always a great experience and privilege to be a part of such a great community which organises these tours for members like myself to try out new gear that we may not have a chance to audition. I do feel very lucky to be a part of it.
Disclaimer: I did not purchase these earphones and do not own them. I've had 1 week with them and the Philips Fidelio L2. So please take what I have to say with a grain of salt, or two.
 
 

 

 
 

INTRODUCTION

I’ve only recently heard about thinksound™ audio, and before Head-Fi user d marc0 contacted me, I’d never heard any of their products. So always keen to hear something new, I agreed to be part of a mini tour.
thinksound™ audio is the brainchild of Aaron Fournier and Mike Tunney. They are a small company started in 2009, and based in Somersworth, New Hampshire (USA). They formed the company to (and this is from their website):

create incredible sounding headphones with the smallest eco-footprint possible. Our headphones are made with real wood, creating a more natural resonance and unparalleled acoustics.

We take our environmental impact as serious as we do our audio products. Our packaging is crafted from recycled materials, with minimal plastic components. We also use PVC-free cables and choose our wood from renewable sources. The result is great sound that you can feel good about.

For the last several years, thinksound™ engineers and designers have been perfecting their unique line of earphones. Each and every component and material has been chosen with care. Only the finest quality components make it into a thinksound™ product.

Our Green Initiative
thinksound™ headphones are designed with the following features to reduce its overall environmental impact:

* Wood is from renewable sources
* Packaging is made from recycled materials
* Bleach-free packaging materials
* Smaller packaging size = less materials used
* Elimination of plastic bubble insert
* Cotton carrying pouch is sewn from renewable sources
* PVC-free cables

Click to expand...

Their current catalogue encompasses 4 base IEMs (ranging from USD 75 – 120), and one full sized set of headphones – the On1 @ USD 300. Today I’ll be reviewing the rain2 – which is described by thinksound™ as “having a clean, clear and warm sound for the average listener”. The rain2 arrived 2 weeks ago, and since it arrived, I’ve spent as much time as I could manage coming to grips with its signature – for me that has been around 20 hours of listening time.

DISCLAIMER

I was provided the rain2 (as part of a tour) from d marc0. I am in no way affiliated with thinksound™ - and this review is my subjective opinion of the rain2. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mark for giving me the opportunity. It’s great that we have such a wonderful community here at Head-Fi - able to share our gear so as enthusiasts we can experience a lot more audio gear than many of us could otherwise afford.

PREAMBLE - 'ABOUT ME'. (or a base-line for interpreting my thoughts and bias)

I'm a 48 year old music lover. I don't say audiophile – I just love my music. Over the last couple of years, I have slowly changed from cheaper listening set-ups to my current set-up. I vary my listening from portable (Fiio X5, X3ii and iPhone 5S) to my desk-top's set-up (PC > coax > NFB-12 > LD MKIV > HP). I also use a portable set-up at work – either X5/X3ii > HP, or PC > Beyer A200p > HP. My main full sized headphones at the time of writing are the Beyer T1 and Sennheiser HD600. Most of my portable listening is done with IEMs - and up till now it has mainly been with the Fidue A83, Dunu Titan and Altone200. A full list of the gear I have owned (past and present is listed in my Head-Fi profile).

I have very eclectic music tastes listening to a variety from classical/opera and jazz, to grunge and general rock. I listen to a lot of blues, jazz, folk music, classic rock, indie and alternative rock. I am particularly fond of female vocals. I generally tend toward cans that are relatively neutral/balanced, but I do have a fondness for clarity, and suspect I might have slight ‘treble-head’ preferences. I am not treble sensitive (at all), and in the past have really enjoyed headphones like the K701, SR325i, and of course the T1 and DT880.

I have extensively tested myself (abx) and I find aac256 or higher completely transparent. I do use exclusively redbook 16/44.1 if space is not an issue. All of my music is legally purchased (mostly CD – the rest FLAC purchased on-line).

I tend to be sceptical about audiophile ‘claims’, don’t generally believe in burn-in, have never heard a difference with different cables, and would rather test myself blind on perceived differences. I am not a ‘golden eared listener’. I suffer from mild tinnitus, and at 48, my hearing is less than perfect.

For the purposes of this review - I mainly used the rain2 straight from the headphone-out socket of my Fiio X3ii, but also used (at different times) my iPhone 5S, and Beyer A200p when at work. I did not further amp them, as IMO they do not benefit from additional amplification. In the time I have spent with the rain2, I have noticed a significant change in the overall sonic presentation, but am aware that this is simply that I am becoming more used to the signature of the rain2 as I use them more often (brain burn-in).

This is a purely subjective review - my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please take it all with a grain of salt - especially if it does not match your own experience.

THE REVIEW

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The rain2 arrived in a small to medium sized retail box/sleeve – with a picture of the rain2 on the front, and information on the rain2, and about thinksound™ on the rear. The box is very clean, clear, and the subtle use of the green print does give a hint of the environmentally friendly position of the company.


Opening the sleeve and sliding out the inner container was a revelation. The first thing I noticed was the use of recycled cardboard to house the rain2. This is really clever – and shows commitment to their mission statement. These guys do walk the talk.



The next thing I noticed was the cotton carry pouch and the gorgeous rain2 themselves – but on to them shortly. The accessory package is a little spartan – simply including the cotton drawstring pouch, a cord clip, and 4 sets of silicone tips.



TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

(From thinksound™)

FREQUENCY GRAPH

At the time of writing, I’ve been unable to find a frequency response graph for the rain2 – but what I’m hearing is pretty much what thinksound™ have advertised – a very warm sounding IEM with smooth vocals. For the record – using an spl meter and frequency tones – here’s what I recorded.




The noise floor during the recording was 39.2 dB

BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN

The rain2 is a beautiful looking IEM featuring a practically flawless polished wood rear housing joined to an aluminium front end. At the centre of the rear of the wood housing (partially hidden by the thinksound™ logo) is a single vent for the driver. The aluminium is gun metal in colour, nicely rounded, and has a generous nozzle and lip. The nozzle has a mesh filter. The rain2 is approximately 52mm in length from rear to tip, and has a circumference of marginally under 10mm. The nozzle is approximately 6mm long.



There is generous strain relief at the housing, the Y split is a simple aluminium tube, and the jack is set at 45 degrees, and has a robust build and very good relief. There is a cable clip included – but I would have also liked to have seen some sort of cable cinch. The cable is PVC free, very smooth and very flexible. It is very easy to wear – either straight down or over ear.



So for me, the build quality and attention to detail is very good.

FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION

I have one ear canal slightly different to the other one (my right is very slightly smaller) - so I tend to find that usually single silicon flanges don't fit overly well. I initially tried the included XL and L silicone tips, and I couldn’t get a decent fit or seal. Not thinksound’s™ fault – just my weird ears. I next tried Sony Isolation tips, and they sealed beautifully, but caused massive driver flex, and every time I swallowed or moved my jaw – I got constant pressure problems in my ear drums. Evidently the driver venting may not quite be enough to cope with a tight seal. This is good for isolation – but for me, limited my tip choice. Eventually I settled on Comply T400 sport foam tips – which gave me a good seal, no flex, and a very comfortable fit.

Isolation with the rain2 is better than average for a dynamic driver (pretty good in fact) – but I do wish that they had better venting to allow me to use the Sony tips.

Comfort is excellent – they are so light that I hardly feel that I’m wearing them. With their small size, they don’t protrude past my ears, and it would be easy for me to lie down or sleep whilst wearing them. The cable is soft, and very comfortable in my preferred over-ear position.

So the rain2 looks good and has good build – how does it sound?

SOUND QUALITY

The following is what I hear from the thinksound™ rain2. YMMV – and probably will – as my tastes are likely different to yours (read the preamble I gave earlier for a baseline). Most of the testing at this point (unless otherwise stated) was done with my Fiio X3ii as source.

Tracks used were across a variety of genres – and can be viewed in this list http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks.

Thoughts on Default Signature

I need to state this one early, so you can then factor in my bias. This is not my type of signature – I don’t really like the rain2's default signature.

If we look at some of the descriptors thinksound™ gave for the rain2 (clean, clear and warm sound), then they’ve hit some of their intended sound signature – although for my tastes I’d question the “clean and clear” more than a little. If I was to describe the default signature in a few words – I’d choose the words “very warm”, “very smooth” and (subjective speak coming up) “organically dull”. Their problem is simply that there is not enough sparkle, and the lower mid-range and upper bass is so thick that for a lot of my music there is no contrast, and it becomes so non-descript as to be unenjoyable. Like I said – it’s simply not my type of signature.

My very first impressions of the rain2 were very negative (really overpoweringly warm) – but I persevered with them, and gradually became used to their signature – and on some tracks it is actually pretty good (as long as I listen to it, and only it). If I come from a brighter IEM (the Titan, Altone or A83), then I have to go through an adjustment period again – because first impression always resorts back to the very warm and dull impression again.

Overall Detail / Clarity

For this I always use both Steely Dan’s “Gaucho” and Dire Strait’s “Sultans of Swing” as there is a lot of micro detail in both tracks, and the recording quality for both is excellent.

The rain2’s detail retrieval is OK – but I have to listen hard to get all the detail which IEMs like the Titan show easily. Gaucho actually doesn’t sound too bad – smooth sax, a little too much bass coming through, but the shimmer on cymbal hits is AWOL and a lot of the dynamic contrast I’m used to from this track is gone. Sultans of Swing is a little better – but darker than I’m used to – and there is no bite or crunch from guitars. It’s smooth, claustrophobic, uninspiring. These are descriptors I never thought I’d use with this track. It’s clear enough – there just isn’t any dynamic contrast.

Sound-stage & Imaging

For this I use Amber Rubarth’s binaural recording “Tundra”. I use this because it’s a pretty simple way to get comparative data on sound-stage.
It’s usually difficult to get a reasonable stage size from an inner ear monitor. The stage is often quite small / close – with an average impression of space. The rain2 has an intimate stage with this track, and the sense of space is not expansive.

I switched to Loreena McKennitt’s “Dante’s Prayer” but I only got through about 30 seconds of the track. Piano was really nice, as was the Cello, but Loreena’s voice was actually muffled – so in the end I gave up.

Genre Specific Notes

Again for tracks, albums, artists – please refer to this list: http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks

Rock / Alt-Rock – The rain2 was actually Ok with most rock tracks. Too smooth for my liking – but I could see some people enjoying this presentation. Vocals are relatively clear, and the bass is present enough to give a good beat. The rain2 is once again weak in guitar edge and upper mid-range detail, although acoustic rock did sound pretty good. Seether’s cover of Immortality sounded nicely balanced (again too smooth) – but again cymbals were a flat tap – no air or shimmer. I tried my two usual Alt-rock tracks (PF’s Money and PT’s Trains) – but I can’t say I was impressed with either. Money is supposed to have a lot of changing dynamic contrast – but once again the rain2’s cloying smoothness just pasted a shade of bland over both tracks. Vocals were good and bass was OK – but things shouldn’t stop with the mid-range.

The funny thing was that one of my litmus tests (Pearl Jam) actually sounded pretty good. The rain2 did nail Vedders voice really well – and there was enough detail through the track (including cymbals) to make it a really enjoyable track to listen to.

Jazz / Blues / Bluegrass – Portico Quartet’s “Ruins” is always a first stop for me when testing a new IEM with Jazz, but the rain2has a little too much double bass for my tastes, and the sax just didn’t have the compelling timbre and warble that I know is there in the track. Once again – smooth, smooth, smooth – no real contrast – and it’s just bland.

Switching to female vocal jazz, and Diana Krall’s “Love Me Like A Man” is actually pretty good – the rain2 handles piano pretty well – and Krall’s voice is clear and clean. There is a little contrast with the electric guitar this time – not bad at all.

Onto a bit of Bluegrass, and Dust Bowl Children is OK. Not great – still too smooth, but OK. The banjo doesn’t have its magic – but the mid-range is covering vocals and most instrument fundamentals OK. Blues with Joe Bonamassa’s “India/Mountain Time” was again pleasant, but once again missing something. The normal “bite” from Joe’s guitar was again a casualty – although the rain2 did portray Joe’s vocals pretty well.

Rap / EDM / Pop – Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” is really good with the rain2 – bass hits low and hard – and the vocals this time are very clear. This is the first track I’m genuinely enjoying. Time to switch to some pop and this time Coldplay’s “Speed of Sound”. Again the presentation is mildly enjoyable – I’d prefer more upper end – but I could listen to this type of music portrayal without feeling too claustrophobic.

With electronic – I queued up The Flashbulb, Little Dragon and Lindsey Stirling. Stirling was brilliant with the rain2 – dynamic, fun, a touch boomy – but enjoyable. Likewise Little Dragon’s “Little Man” really hit the spot too – and I think we’ve found a niche with the rain2 that really works rather well.

Classical / Opera – Kempffs Beethoven Sonatas were quite enjoyable, as was Zoe Keating’s Cello performances, but anything else I tried just didn’t gel at all. And the attempt at opera (Netrebko/Garanca) was simply flat – no dynamics, no magic. Avoid.

Indie / Female Vocals – Although this covers a couple of different genres, they make up a lot of my library current listening. First up was Agnes Obel’s Aventine, and I expected the worst (this track needs some reasonable upper mid-range or it sounds hollow). Fears realised – it was horrible – strident, hollow – unenjoyable. London Grammar fared a little better, but still too dark for my tastes, and Gabriella Cilmi’s Safer was actually pretty good.
I finished with Wildlight and Band of Horses. Both Indie groups were actually pretty good. Ayla Nereo’s voice still had some magic – but again a little too warm and smooth. Band of Horses was pretty good though – it’s a brighter sounding track by default which probably helped the rain2. All in all, some hits, some misses.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The rain2 is easily powered straight out of the portable devices I have, and I haven’t experienced any issues with the iPhone 5S, or any of the Fiio Daps. With typical pop/rock songs on the iP5S I’m usually at a volume level of around 45%. I did try amping with the E11K, but noticed no obvious signs of improvement.

EQUALISATION?

The easiest way to apply quick equalisation for me is with the iPhone 5S and the Accudio Pro app. When I’ve had this problem with excessive mid-bass and lack of treble before, I usually just load the correction for the Sennheiser CX300 (which is one of the worst IEMs I’ve heard for excessive warmth). All of a sudden the rain2 had a veil lifted. It was articulate, nimble, detailed, and clear. I replayed Aventine, and the hollowness was gone. Sultans of Swing had the guitar crunch and its dynamism back. The difference was huge. If this was the default signature, I’d recommend it in a heartbeat.

RAIN2 - SUMMARY

I like the direction Fournier and Tunney have gone with the thinksound™ rain2. It's a very well built, stunning looking IEM which stays true to their eco-friendly ideals and goals. It fits really well, and is extremely comfortable to wear, and for a dynamic driver isolates pretty well.

Unfortunately for me - the rain2 just goes overboard on the warmth, smoothness, and mid-bass, and under performs in the upper mid-range and treble. The end result is an earphone which IMO is very genre dependent, and unfortunately misses the mark on most of the music I listen to. Interestingly, I asked my 13 yo son and 11 yo daughter to have a quick listen - and (maybe because they've both been exposed to more neutral sound headphones) neither were wowed by it.

However, the rain2 responds incredibly well to EQ, and this really transforms it to a pleasant sounding IEM. In fact - whilst I was editing this review, I left the Accudio EQ in place, and spent the next 3 hours listening to the rain2, and it was a very enjoyable experience.

The question is how to rank it? On fit, build, comfort, and ideals (I truly believe we all should be looking after the planet more) - the rain2 would rank really highly. The problem is that for about USD 45.00, I can buy RockJaw's Arcana V2 - another earphone with a gorgeous wooden housing, and warmish signature. The Arcana V2 (without EQ) has what the rain2 is missing - contrast, sparkle, "life".

So for me a 3 star review. I can't recommend it unless you might be very much tied to EDM and Hip-hop/Rap, and like a warm and cloyingly smooth signature. There is better out there. If thinksound™ change the signature for rain3 - I'd definitely be interested to see what they come up with - because the drivers definitely have potential.

Disclaimer: I am in not associated with any company; my views are mine, and my own. 
 
The Thinksound Rain2 is the newest IEM produced and designed by the environmentally friendly company Thinksound.  It is the successor to their older Rain model which has critically acclaimed.  I have not heard the original Rain but my assumption is that the Rain2 is improved (only logical assumption).   In fact this is my first Thinksound product, and I am pretty impressed so far.
 
Pros: The Rain2 creates a buttery smooth sound that is refreshingly addicting.  It presents lifelikeness in the music giving the feel of an intimate performance from your favorite artists.
Cons: Some listeners my find them to have too much weight in the low end, and the non-removable cord is a potential lifetime concern.
Overall: Creating an alluring intimate-organic feel and overall stylish presentation the Thinksound Rain2 easily wins my vote of approval despite occasionally overpowering bass and a lacking a user replaceable cable.

 
 
 
 
Build (8.5/10): In today’s headphone market there is no shortage of cheap plastic molds for headphones, the Rain2 decides to break this mold.  The housing is made entirely of wood.  It is described as a chocolate finish, but it is not really a deep brown which is how I generally think of chocolate. It is instead has a little bit of a more reddish hue.  My disagreement of color descriptor aside this headphone is quite stunning.  The baffle is made of aluminum, along with the screen to prevent debris from entering the chamber.
The cable is nice quality.  It treads the fine line of being robust and strong, but also flexible and pliable. It is about 4 feet long (122cm).  It is terminated by a 3.5mm plug, but it is no ordinary plug.  What makes this one special is that it is at a 45 degree angle (see picture).  You may be asking “why all the fuss over this?” Well ordinarily there are two types of terminations, the strait, and the 90 degree.  Strait is generally best for stationary use, while the 90 degree is good for mobile use as it holds the termination flush to your music player (phone, Ipod, Mp3, etc…).  The 45 degree incorporates both of these allowing for less strain to be put in the termination.  In the long term this can make a difference.
The only qualm I have with the build is that I wish the cable was replaceable.  It is just a good piece of mind that if something happens to the cord I don’t need to trash the entire headphone.  On a bright note Thinksound, being sustainable, offers a recycle program in which you can recycle headphones giving you 15-25% off your next purchase (the amount varies on if it is Thinksound brand or not).
One issue I have experienced with these headphones is static.  I don’t mean this as the sound being staticy, I mean it in the sense that when I am on the go with them they seems to be sensitive to static generated by cloths.  It creates a weird popping noise.  It does not occur when I am not moving.  Truth be told I am unsure what causes it.  I will sit and wiggle the cable and bend it and simulate moving, but nothing happens.  It is something I have never experienced with a headphone before.  It is really strange, but not too big an issue honestly.
 

 
 
Comfort/fit (9/10): This is an important aspect that is often over looked.  The fit especially is important for IEM’s as a poor fit can cause an excellent headphone sound like 5 dollars.  Luckily with the Rain2 the fit is not much of an issue.  There are 4 different sizes (s,m,l,xl) of silicon tips.  They are very easy to put on and you can find your fit in a matter of minutes.  Another benefit is these don’t seem to be too picky as far as “perfect seal.” Some IEM’s are very sensitive to how they are orientated, but these are not, at least in my experience which is nice.  They are also prey comfortable.  I actually have forgotten I have had them on a couple times.
 
Sound(8.5/10): And here we arrive at the meat and bones of the review… the sound.  Of course these could be the coolest, best built headphones on the market, but if they sound like a squirrel squealing in your ear then there is little point.  Ironically the best way I can describe how they sound is organic.  I can only assume this is due to the wooden chamber the driver is housed in.  The sound is very realistic in the sense that music takes on the dynamic of an intimate performance.  This is especially present in music that has instruments made of wood (go figure).  It seems only natural that a headphone made of wood presents instruments made of wood the best.  Acoustic music sounds sublime, pulling you in.
For those of you who enjoy a hefty low end then you will not be disappoint with these IEM’s either.  While it is not a bass canon, it certainly makes an announcement.  Luckily it is usually pretty well controlled and not overwhelming.  On some tracks I did find it a bit to front and center, but this issue can be common in many IEM’s.  I will say that the extra weight on the low end, especially sub bass (well done for an IEM) it adds a nice dynamic to orchestral music.  Cellos come alive and the overall dynamic is quite powerful.  In general it is not terrible, although I do tend to like a stronger presence in my low end.   If you are a neutral head then these are not for you.
The imaging and sound stage is about average.  It is neither superb nor bad.  For and IEM I would say it does a solid job, but it cannot compete with full sized headphones.  Although one thing I was rather blown away with was vocal separation.  IEM’s are notorious for congested vocals causing a cramped feel to the sound.  The Rain2 has separation that floored me.  This is part of the “addicting” sound I described.  It is unique and pure bliss to listen to a melody of vocals coming to life.
I have no major issues with the sound.  If you enjoy a warmer sound, but still appreciate some clarity then these should suite you just fine.  The sound is certainly unique due to the wooden housing, but it is also safe.  What I mean by this is that I feel there will be a very small margin of people who dislike these all together.
 
 
Conclusion: As you may have figured out I am a fan of these headphones.  They embody a nearly perfect headphone.  They only changes I would make are a user-replaceable cable and maybe a tad less bass.  But then again I am splitting hairs because at times that extra mid-bass hump sounds really great adding excellent dynamics to pieces.  My personal opinion, it is hard to go wrong with these headphones.  They manage to hit the target range of a safe sound, but being unique enough to set them apart from the competition.  I would easily place them in the top three of their price bracket. On top of everything they help reduce needless waste on the environment, which is the only headphone company I know and I personally love that. 

Intro​