Tin Hifi C0 Elf

The TIN HifI ELF C0 is the latest in their C Series, it is a lower budget offering with minimal accessories and comes in a few colors and a non-detachable or detachable cable variation in 3.5mm or USB-C. The units are made of metal with a semi open back design, they are in the bullet shape category but thicker like 1more or Periodic. I found them comfortable despite the size. The tips were a different story, I found them mushy and just not good for me. The cable was stiff and springy but adequate. the optional ear hooks are not necessary but appreciated. Comfort and isolation are average considering the open nature it was decent enough, comfort will depend on tip choice and ear size. I settled on hybrid tips.

Sound Impressions.

The ELF C0 is a V-shaped earbud.
Bass: The lower end has good focus here, Sub-Bass hits with a nice deep reverberation and control. Sub-Bass is more prominent than the Mid-Bas but still the Mid-Bass still has a nice speed and decent kick to it. Bass in general is well textured and warm.
Midrange: The lower Mids have a nice thickness with a warm, smooth and rich tone but suffer from a significant recession. Upper Mids are brighter. at the point where the upper mids and lower treble meet there is a little heat but it's not too harsh with a proper tip change and a warmer source. Vocals are forward and Male vocals have decent weight and energy, Female vocals are more energetic and sharper.
Treble: The Highs are open and airy with a great amount of energy and sparkle, highs are detailed and extend outward, perhaps too much at times. the upper range is bright but not totally harsh and sharp. they do sound natural.
Soundstage: The soundstage is quite good, it combines a wide field with good depth and height, it is accurate and overall technicalities are above average. Under normal circumstances this is always an attribute to look for, but it can be overwhelming given the upper brightness without correction.

Afterthoughts:
The Tin hifi ELFC0 is a interesting IEM for the cost. Good Bass, typical Mids and energetic treble combined with a wide detailed stage and very good details and nice technicalities for the cost. I think with a tip, cable change and the proper amp like the Hip-Dac or similar they could be someone's daily driver just not mine.










Specifications

• Driver Type: 1 dynamic driver with a 10mm PU+titanium plated composite diaphragm.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 105±3dB @1kHz 0.179V
• Impedance: 32 Ω±15%.
• Power rating: 3mW.
• Maximum power: 5mW
• Maximum distortion: 3% @1k Hz 0.179V
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5mm gold plated / USB Type-C connector.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Capsule Weight: 3.8g.
• Cable length: 1.25m.
• Capsule colors: gold or blue and black.

Introduction

TinHiFi has been very active lately. But it had been a few months since I had reviewed any of their models. After the successful C-series product range, Tiantian Dongting® TinHiFi® has now released the most affordable model of the line called C0. It is a cylindrical-shaped IEMS with a detachable 2Pin 0.78m cable that uses a dynamic driver with a 10mm PU+titanium-plated diaphragm. The back of the C0 is open for a more transparent and natural sound. The body is made entirely of aircraft grade aluminium alloy and CNC machined. The basic price for this model is $14 with microphone or USB TypeC + microphone connection, $16 without microphone and SE 3.5mm connection, while there is a special blue option for $18 with SE 3.5mm connection. Let's take a look at what the brand has to offer for this reduced price.



Specifications

• Driver Type: 1 dynamic driver with a 10mm PU+titanium plated composite diaphragm.
• Frequency Response: 20Hz-20kHz.
• Sensitivity: 105±3dB @1kHz 0.179V
• Impedance: 32 Ω±15%.
• Power rating: 3mW.
• Maximum power: 5mW
• Maximum distortion: 3% @1k Hz 0.179V
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5mm gold plated / USB Type-C connector.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Capsule Weight: 3.8g.
• Cable length: 1.25m.
• Capsule colour: gold or blue and black.

Packaging

The TinHiFi C0 ELF comes in a small white square box, dimensions 91x91x33mm. The logo of the brand is on the top left side, you can read ELF with some faded letters in the middle and the model on the right bottom. There is little else on the back of the box, again the logo at the top, where it has been manufactured in the centre, 3 QR at the bottom and the rest of the logos of the certifications that the product complies with. After opening the lid, a booklet with the guarantee is displayed. The capsules are inside a black foam mould, underneath there is a long white box with the rest of the accessories. They are as follows:

• The two TinHiFi ELF C0 capsules.
• One cable with SE 3.5mm straight plug.
• Two black rubber over-ear guides.
• Five pairs of grey silicone tips, two large pairs, two small pairs and one medium pair.
• One warranty card.

At $16 of my choice it is an affordable price. There is no carrying bag and the tips are not the most suitable, although this task is somewhat complicated.



Construction and Design

TinHiFi C0s have an open cylindrical design at the rear, which is covered by a perforated metal grille. The body is made entirely of aircraft-grade aluminium alloy and CNC milled. It is not a pure cylinder, but offers a flaring and arrow-like tapering as it approaches the nozzles. The body of my model is gold-coloured, with a micro-sandblasted surface. The 2Pin 0.78mm connection is on the back of the cylinder and consists of a hard plastic disc, red for the right side, transparent for the left. The connectors are gold-plated and there is a blue paint bump to indicate polarity. There is a hole in the cone that tapers towards the mouthpiece. The nozzles have three levels of diameter. The one closest to the base measures 6.15mm, the intermediate one measures 5.4mm and the outer crown measures 6.15mm. The length of the nozzle is approximately 5.5mm. The nozzles have a perforated metal grid with concentric holes.
The cable has a straight plug coated with black plastic. The connector is a gold-plated 3.5mm SE connector. The cable is a transparent PVC coated strand with gold and darker strands visible inside. It has a velcro strap and has a stiffness that is prone to take shape and offer microphonics. It is for this reason that the rubber over-ear guides are very welcome. The splitter piece is made of black rubber in the shape of a joined Y, oval and flat. The adjustment piece is of the same type, but smaller and does its job quite well. The sleeve for the 2Pin 0.78mm connectors is a cylinder that matches the material and colour of the capsules. The connectors are gold-plated, mounted on a transparent plastic plate with a blue dot on one of the connectors to indicate the polarity.
The construction of the capsules is impeccable, flawless. The parts are very light. The cable matches the capsules, but the wire is stiff and microphonic. Thanks to the rubber over-ear guides, this effect can be avoided. But the quality of the cable invites to use a better one.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

Despite the freedom of the cylindrical design, the fit has been extremely problematic. The first problem is with the cable, which is stiff and microphonic. It can be used with the connectors facing downwards or upwards, with the cable over the ears. You can use the rubber guides that come with it or not. The capsules have the freedom to do so. But, the most critical thing is the fit. At first glance, it might seem that a straightforward design like this would offer a higher degree of freedom. On the contrary, although the fit may seem simple, the sound is very dependent on the seal. I had to go through a large number of tips in my collection to find the most suitable ones, very large, wide, but low tips, flexible enough to offer a degree of occlusive, but not very long-lasting fit. Depending on the tips used the sound can be totally forgettable, with no bass feel and very little punch, something the open back design doesn't help either. If the right fit is found and a good seal is achieved, the bass can begin to flourish and acquire a certain degree of isolation. But this is likely to be costly and impossible. As I say, after a lot of testing, I have found the ideal setting, with which the sound has been saved. Even so, the sealing is very critical, with any movement it can get out of adjustment and ruin the sound. Only recommendable if you reach this point and for a stationary or office use, although the open design lets out the sound that can be annoying all around.



Sound

Profile

If a good fit is achieved, the sound is close to what the measured frequency response suggests. It is a balanced and neutral profile in its first half, with emphasis on the mid-highs and first treble. While the low end is smooth and controlled, the high end is more exalted. The rear opening may offer a more volatile and spacious sound. But, in reality, it serves to soften notes throughout the range, losing punch and punch. The result is more inconsistent and dispersed, rather than cohesive, cohesive and precise.
On the other hand, C0s are not easy to move and need power to offer a minimum of punch.



Bass

If the right fit and seal is achieved, bass response can be significantly improved. Even so, the bass is neutral, somewhat gummy and springy. They don't have a lot of power and the punch is a little tender, as if their power is diluted by the rear opening. It is true that this sensation adds volume to the low end, but it also makes it lose power and precision, offering a somewhat more diffuse and inoffensive behaviour, although still with a neutral level. On the other hand, I was surprised by the driver's behaviour in my very low frequency pure tone test. Starting at the low end, the way the LFOs are reproduced is quite realistic, offering a natural and sensory sound, with hardly any interference. Perhaps, the rear aperture is not so bad in this respect and the performance is freer and the oscillations find no resistance in the materials to colour or distort their sound. Barely audible at that lower end, of a sensory but pleasant nature, they gain in presence with the rise in hertz. The tone at 40Hz is very pleasant, rounded, clean and well executed. Perhaps the sound becomes coloured as you move up the frequencies, losing depth and naturalness, although the execution is realistic. The result transposed to music doesn't seem quite as good. The bass lacks punch, energy in the punch and seems to be diluted. On the other hand, its behaviour with complex, unfiltered and very powerful bass lines is not bad. There are much more expensive headphones that do much worse in these situations. All in all, it is a neutral low end, without much power or boost, somewhat fuzzy, of medium speed but with a good performance all in all. To give it any more faults would be somewhat unfair.



Mids

Sometimes an open sound is sought after for a more scenic and three-dimensional feel. In this case, the rear aperture and the low adjustability of this model limit a more pleasant musical sensation. The mids have that point of dispersion that counteracts their quality. Instead of benefiting, it limits its potential. The note separation is there and the female voices sound quite free and ethereal. It is true that some sibilance escapes, the result of that certain open uncontrol. And this is how the mids can be observed, open, unattached and somewhat uncontrolled. It gives the impression that the notes are stretched out too much and that the execution is not entirely precise. Despite this, the timbre feels quite natural, even neutral. The male voices have an adequate body and proximity, there is no physical predominance and their presence is average, but it is pleasant, maintaining that close timbre. The notes are not powerful, nor physical, the sense of punch is restrained. That can offer a sense of satisfying sound that can fight with that escapist feeling that the music possesses. Certainly, this is a duality that can favour or penalise depending on the music played.
Undoubtedly, the mids still persist in this idea of neutral, balanced representation, but without too much force. But when they approach the mid-high range, their personality changes to accentuate their closeness, their presence, losing homogeneity and entering a more abrupt territory that can limit the balance and relative good work of the central range.



Treble

The treble clashes with the sense of openness. The dispersion of the sound makes them somewhat brighter and more expansive, to make them unpleasant, because they seem to linger too long in the scene. In fact, they are somewhat resonant and seem to stretch out more than they should. Their presence is greater than the FR projects, as if there is some multiplier effect. The crackle is incisive and soars in energy, lingering in the environment in an ethereal way, something that makes them more volatile and extended, but also more off-putting to sensitive people, who may find them piercing and too noticeable in the music as a whole. They even have good air presence for such a low-cost single driver.



Soundstage, Separation

Perhaps among the strengths is the sense of openness and separation. It is possible that coupled with those sharper trebles, they allow details to become more evident. And it is true that they are capable of revealing micro nuances layered in the background, even better than more expensive sets. In this sense they can be revealing, without being very precise. But the good level of sound separation and dispersion, together with a simply adequate precision, form a set with a level of detail that can be surprising.
On the other hand, the very conjunction of energetic and extended treble, together with the sense of openness of the sound, can give the music a somewhat forced, ethereal and unreal three-dimensional capacity, and can be perceived as unnatural, being detrimentally affected by the strident and not very peaceful treble.
It is true that there is good laterality, some holographic sensation that can surround the head. But it's a sparse scene, with a somewhat diffuse image where the notes don't seem very focused. Despite this, the soundstage is large and open for its price, but these are also niceties that can penalise other aspects of the sound.



Conclusion

The TinHiFi C0 are a set of very economical IEMS that give me mixed feelings. They have a remarkable theoretical behaviour in the low end and an OK midrange. Their sound is open, so much so that it is dispersed and lacking in energy up to the point beyond the centre of the frequency range. But, in that second half, the energy level soars and both the upper mids and the highs are energetic to the point of becoming noticeable, even strident, lingering in the environment. On the other hand, that openness delivers a separate sound with a good level of detail and micro nuance, excellent for the price. However, the biggest sticking point of these IEMS is the fit. The appreciable sound quality will depend on whether the right tips are found to achieve the sound that the FR represents. If this is not achieved, the sound will be totally ruined, bassless, shrill and unbalanced. However, this might not be too predictable as the construction is not bad and the cylindrical design might offer, a priori, more freedom than other capsules.
Undoubtedly, there are too many points on either side of the scale to find the balance, offering a more uneven than homogeneous sensation in the sum of all the factors.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• Tempotec BHD Pro.
• Hidizs S9 Pro Plus.

Purchase Link
Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

Elf/Elves are mythical creatures who have a humanoid features with strong affinity of magical energy and unsurpassed yet unusual physical features like pretty faces and elongated pointed ears in which J.R.R. Tolkien lore describes them although they were quite different from their counterparts in Norse mythology. These creatures remain to be one of the most popular races in fantasy literature.


Fellow audio enthusiasts out there, I have a product that was recently released by TINHIFI for the past few months. I'll skip an introduction of this company as I already did it before, just check out my review on TINHIFI T2 DLC if you want it to be so.



This is TINHIFI C0 ELF, it's a single dynamic driver IEM which has a bullet-style profile. It has a solid circular casing made of aluminium alloy and it is quite light too and knowing this particular material has some acoustic properties that are able to remove some unwanted resonance and vibrations generated from the driver. Also, it also seems that it has a semi open-backed design too.



The dynamics drivers that are implemented on this set are composite ones and they are in good quality as its polyurethane diaphragm was coated with titanium to have better elasticity and be firmer on its structure. These drivers will deliver a more dynamic sound that encompass the full range sonic spectrum for rigid bass and a clear and bright quality on midrange and treble.



With its rounded contours, wearing this set is quite comfortable if you pair it with the right ear tips that will seals well into our lugholes. You can even wear them in either an in-ear style or simply like an ear in which you can let it hang just like an earbud. It seems that its stock ear tips are fine as I don't encounter any fitting issues. Sound isolation is rather average when it comes to passive noise occlusion due to its semi open-back design as I was able to hear some external noises from the outside surroundings.



Upon ordering the TINHIFI C0 ELF, you can choose two types of termination plug that you prefer either a standard 3.5mm one or Type-C USB connector with a DAC chip implemented inside for mobile devices that don't have a headphone jack.



TINHIFI C0 ELF's product packaging is rather elementary and spartan; aside from IEM shell transducers, it includes a rather basic accessories for its fundamental necessities.



Here are the following contents:

■ Pair of TINHIFI C0 ELF IEMs
■ A black OFC stock cable
■ Extra pairs of wide bore ear tips in different standard sizes.
■ paperwork like Q.C. stub and instruction manual.



TINHIFI C0 ELF can be amplified well from sources with decent power output like from smartphones, tablets and other portable media devices. But pairing it with the devices with better DAC/amp will give even more dynamics and full range sounding in this set.



As for its tonality, it appears that C0 ELF has a V-shaped sound profile due to its more emphasis on lows and high frequencies while midrange was in a neutral and less forward presentation.





LOWS/BASS:

It seems that it follows the pattern of its progenitor, the original TINHIFI T2, when it comes to bass response. It has more focus on sub bass that I discerningly felt the rumbling and reverberations from certain sub bass instruments like low tone guitar, drum machines and synthesisers.

Mid bass has enough texture just to give some volume and depth on instruments like bass kick drum, bass guitar and bass-baritone vocals but I still perceive it as inadequate. Bass kick drums have a thudding and a tad softer on impact while bass guitars have a resonant and sombre sound on every strum, fret and slapping on its strings notations. And then on bass-baritones vocals, their voices have less depth and less darker tone to give that guttural and heft. Overall, with its good quality dynamic driver, it was able to give a fast and clean bass response.


MIDRANGE:

The midrange presentation of this set is quite recessed as some vocals and instruments are less prominent in the overall frequency range. But there are some advantages that this set was tuned for that most of the female vocals and on instruments like strings and some woodwinds will sound well-executed on this one. In general, the way that the midrange was presented is somehow neutral, transparent and energetic.

Some male vocals and a certain female vocal type, the contraltos have less heft, lack of richness and depth on this one that they sound less warmer and lusher on both baritones and contraltos and less brassy on some tenors. Countertenors, mezzo-sopranos and sopranos have a very expressive, vivid and harmonious sound from them on how they project their respective vocal qualities. Both countertenors and mezzo-sopranos have that vocal agileness, smooth and fiery sound characteristics from them while sopranos have a gleaming and silky sound.

On instruments, like I mentioned that strings and woodwinds would fare on this one. Guitars have a crisp and bright tone but there are sometimes that they sound a tad dry in my liking. Violins have a brilliant and metallic sound on every stroke on its bowstring. Flutes have silvery and penetrating sound while piccolos have bright and penetrating sound from it. Clarinets and saxophones have a lively and forceful sound from them. On brasses like trumpets and trombones, trumpets have such a brilliant sound while trombones have a penetrating and sinister sound from them. Percussives like snares and toms have a resonant sound although they sometimes sound dry and dead to my ears. Pianos seem to have a balanced to bright sound from them that gives me some euphonious feel.


HIGHS/TREBLE:


As I observe that it has a boosted upper mids up to the brilliance part of the treble range, this makes the treble of C0 ELF on a brighter side. It gives a good definition on some vocals and attack of instruments. It has fairly crisp and shimmer on it while maintaining a control on sibilance and jarring though sometimes I discerningly hear a tad hissing on some consonants and it is given that treble sensitives should be cautious on this kind of tuning.


I also notice that the brilliance part of the treble region has a moderate amount of air and due to elevation somewhere in the presence part that gives some sense of airiness and adds more sparkle but to my ears, it has only a modest extension in my opinion. Cymbals have a glistening and metallic sound while celestas have a shimmering sound on them, and then on glockenspiels, they have a bright and jingling sound.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

It's overall sound/speaker stage size, it has an average to above average proportions on how I perceived it on its axes. It has an average to above-average lateral span, a good vertical height reach and a decent depth between front and back that gives me fairly moderate head room within my aural sphere.

On imaging, its sound field projects a rather two-dimensional stereo presentation where I can locate the placements of instruments and vocals in both sides of their respective channels. To my surprise, that it has decently good separation and layering for its price and also the dynamic performance of its dynamic driver albeit the presentation of tonal frequencies of each instrument and vocals were stacked in two layers only instead of a multi-layered presentation but I won't budge about it as it is the limitation of a single DD.

It has an excellent driver coherency on how it performs that it delivers a very responsive and nimble on both transients and decay. Resolution capabilities are quite decent as it has a solid texture in its note weight while it has sharp definition in extracting an adequate amount of nuances and details from an audio track.


PEER COMPARISONS:


KZ LINGLONG

■ One of few KZ sets that takes bullet-style form factor but unlike C0 ELF, it uses a micro dynamic driver and non-detachable cable. It is also susceptible to driver flex whether I move my head or simply insert them to my lugholes. It should be noted that LINGLONG is way less cheaper compared to C0 ELF.

■ As for its tonality and sound profile, LINGLONG has a u-shaped sound signature with a more balanced-warmish tonality. It has more punchy bass, has a warmer midrange and less brighter and yet smoother treble response. Technicality-wise, they have similar performance with the exception that the separation and layering aspects of which LINGLONG isn't that well-defined. It is also noted that it is also a bit harder to drive too.


TANGZU CHANGLE

■ Another set with a bullet-style form, but like the KZ LINGLONG, it has a micro-dynamic driver and a non-detachable cable but at least, it has a more ornate aesthetic on its cylindrical shells. And this set is a bit less cheaper than the C0 ELF and its cable is prone to microphonics.

■ CHANGLE has a warm U-shaped sound signature as it has more punchy and slam on its bass response, a warmer and texture midrange which is more all-rounder to all types of vocals and a balanced and less brighter treble response compared to the C0 ELF. On technicalities, CHANGLE has a tad smaller sound/speaker staging and while on its imaging, separation and layering aspect are rather rudimentary and pretty basic in my opinion. This set is also harder to drive like the KZ LINGLONG.


TANCHJIM TANYA DSP

■ Both sets are comparable in physical aspect but there's a noticeable difference between them. TANYA has a USB-C connector as its termination plug and a smaller dynamic driver but it has more inclusions on its packaging box.

■ TANYA has a modified Harman target curve which is also u-shaped sounding. It has more slam and authority of its bass response while retaining its clean sound, a more texture and forward midrange and sufficiently bright treble response. On technical aspects, both have similar performance that there are only marginal differences like resolution capability as TANYA is excellent on macro-dynamics while C0 ELF is a bit better on micro detail retrieval.


As I concluded my assessment of this particular product, it seems that the way TINHIFI tuning this set is really harkened back to its popular product, The TINHIFI T2 Original in which I'm quite familiar with its neutral ish-bright tuning that really stands out of its time of its release. The TINHIFI C0 ELF truly does stand out on how it was presented, a bullet-style form with detachable cable feature and its tonal characteristics that will be distinguishable among the products in the same price range. If you are a fan of TINHIFI in-house and at an affordable and budget pricing, this set is certainly for you then.



TINHIFI C0 ELF is now available at LINSOUL, there's an unaffiliated link below for any interesting parties who wants to purchase this set.

★★TINHIFI C0 ELF - LINSOUL★★

For more TINHIFI product reviews, you can also check out my previous product review article links below.

● TINHIFI T2 DLC

● TINHIFI C2

● TINHIFI C3

● TINHIFI C5

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TINHIFI C0 ELF
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 104dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm, TYPE-C
DRIVER UNIT(S): 1 DYNAMIC DRIVER


Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to TINHIFI nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to KAREENA TANG of LINSOUL for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.