TH HiFi Face Red

TH HIFI FACE RED : Magic of Beijing Opera!



Summary:

TH HIFI is a new entrant in the world of IEM manufacturing. FACE RED IEM is their newly launched hybrid IEM with 1DD + 2 BA architecture. The stunning looking IEM comes with a promise of equally great sound performance.




Introduction:


Let's quickly dive into TH HIFI Face Red and see what it has to offer. It comes with 1DD + 2BA architecture into a great overall package.

The TH HIFI FACE RED is priced at $189.




Design, Build & Specifications:

Let's quickly look at TH HIFI Face Red build & specifications before we head into the sonic performance.
Below are extracts from the website...








Specifications:


The TH HIFI Face Red comes at $189 price tag and the specifications are as below:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...TvbOUdbF-CYbAfdH1gVFk&gatewayAdapt=4itemAdapt

or

https://thhifi.com/en/face-red/


Model Name: Face Red
Driver: 1DD+2BA
Sensitivity: 106dB @ 1kHz
Distortion: ≤ 1.6%
Impedance: 10.5Ω
Frequency Response Range: 20Hz – 20kHz
Wire Length: 1.2m ± 5%
Net Weight: 6.8g




The Accessories:

The TH HIFI Face Red package includes…

• IEM
• 3.5mm cable
• PU leather Case
• 12 pairs of silicon ear tips
• Wooden Box Package

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....

Items Used for this Review:

DAC/AMP & Dongles: @Questyle M15 Dongle DAC/AMP, @iFi audio Go Bar, @MOONDROP DAWN
Portable Players / Sources : Cayin N8ii, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, @Questyle CMA15 Desktop DAC/AMP, QP2R
Streaming Source: QOBUZ


Ear Tips:


I've tried tip-rolling with a variety of tips such as: @Final Audio E series red & black ones, JVC Spiral dots, Spiral Dots+, @SpinFit Eartip CP500, CP155. Out of all of these I have found the Azla Sedna Crystal to be the best fit for my ears in terms of overall fit, isolation & comfort.



Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews...





TH HIFI FACE RED Sound Impressions in Short:

The BASS:

The bass performance is superb for the price I must say! The sub-bass has enough details, the mid-bass comes with good rumble & slam. The dynamic driver performance is great really. The overall bass experience is quite refined than what people would generally expect from this price range. In tracks like: "Fools Paradise (LP Version) – Donna Lewis" and "Chocolate Chip Trip - Tool" you can clearly enjoy the bass experience.

The MIDS:

Interestingly, the midrange doesn't suffer due to the great bass experience. there is no bass bleed and the midrange is clean and detailed with enough texture and muscle. The vocals are full-bodied and natural and the transients are really enjoyable. In tracks like: "Anchor - Trace Bundy", "A dog named Freedom – Kinky Friedman" and "Ruby Tuesday – Franco Battiato" it’s really easy to get lost into the music as it comes with ample detailed transients, texture, excellent vocals and details.

The TREBLE:

The treble though good and enjoyable, feel slightly short compared to the other traits. The treble could be slightly more enjoyable without being offensive or peaky.
Treble in tracks like: "Paradise Circus – Massive Attack", "Mambo for Roy – Roy Hargrove” and "Saints and Angels – Sharon Shannon" feel quite enjoyable.


The SOUNDSTAGE:

The staging is quite deep and with good height. But I felt like it could use a bit more width - but overall very enjoyable upfront experience. Tracks like: “The Secret Drawer – Bela Fleck and the Flecktones” or “She Don’t know – Melody Gardot” or “Bohemian Rhapsody (live aid) – Queen” sound amazing & enjoyable.

Imaging & Separation:


The Imaging on the is good for the price range. Tracks like: “Rotterdam (Or Anywhere) - The Beautiful South “or “Hello Again - Howard Carpendale & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra” just shine through. Separation is not so great compared to the other traits, however not falling behind others in the price range really.



Comparisons:

No review is complete without comparisons. So here we are - with the TH HIFI FACE RED vs 7Hz Eternal as they belong to similar price category, though the architecture is very different.

TH HIFI Face Red vs 7Hz Eternal :



Build & Comfort: Both IEMs have great premium build, the Face red looks more stunning. Both IEMs have similar levels of comfort though the FACE RED shells are slightly larger.

Bass: The bass on the TH HIFI FACE RED is slightly more detailed and overall more refined than the Eternal.

Mids: The midrange of the FACE RED is not recessed like the Eternal and hence better experience.

Treble: Both IEMs seem to have similar laid back treble but the FACE RED seemed a tad bit more energetic.

Soundstage & Separation: Staging I felt was better Eternal while in terms of separation both were similar.




Conclusion:

The TH HIFI FACE RED to me seems a a very commendable IEM for the price specially for people who love up balanced sound and seemed great for most genres. It's a great IEM and plays well with most DAC/AMPs and players I have tried with - hence becomes an easy recommendation from my side.