d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2012
- Posts
- 2,443
- Likes
- 2,300
Hello guys! The Thinksound Rain 2 Tour has officially started.
Thinksound is known for utilising WOOD as the primary material in their headphones and earphones. Wood is widely used in the creation of musical instruments due to its physical properties that contribute to beautiful sound. Thinksound aims to utilise these properties to produce warm and accurate sound in their products. Late last year, a massive discount on the Rain 2 was introduced by Amazon. As a result, heaps of members jumped in and took advantage of the awesome deal. Users praised the Rain 2 for its huge sound with some saying it's comparable to the JVC FX850. I've been eyeing on the FX850 for a long time but never got to purchase one but with the release of Rain 2, this will hopefully let me experience what the FX850 sounds like.
This is my own personal unit purchased at full price from Amazon and I have no connection with Thinksound. I just like to share this experience with a few notable members in the community because this is one of the few ways for everyone to gain experience and enjoyment in this hobby. The Rain 2 have just arrived at the hands of our trustworthy reviewer Brooko! A full review is NOT required for this tour. Your honest feedback or impression will suffice. If the members want to review the unit, please feel free to do so. It'll be highly appreciated. Each member will have the unit for two weeks excluding transit times and I'm hoping that the transition from a tour member to another will go as smoothly as possible. Everyone is already familiar with the tour guide but there's one request I'd like to ask: "Please treat the tour unit like it's your very own."
How this tour will go down... (as per previous tours)
Two weeks each.
The unit must be sent to the next member with tracking and signature. (express post is not required)
On receiving the unit you're to acknowledge that you're in possession of the gear by posting in the thread.
Full reviews and photos are encouraged in this tour and there's no time deadline for such.
All tour review links and impressions are to be posted here. Review may also be posted at Head-fi's review section.
(I will cross post them to the main Rain 2 thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/746027/thinksound-rain2-to-pour-in-ears-soon-impressions-and-discussions-thread)
Tour Members (1st Wave):
@d marc0
@Brooko
@DJScope
@Xtralglactic
@Loquah
@H20Fidelity <---- CURRENTLY HERE
Tour Members (2nd Wave):
How this tour will go down... (as per previous tours)
Two weeks each.
The unit must be sent to the next member with tracking and signature. (express post is not required)
On receiving the unit you're to acknowledge that you're in possession of the gear by posting in the thread.
Full reviews and photos are encouraged in this tour and there's no time deadline for such.
All tour review links and impressions are to be posted here. Review may also be posted at Head-fi's review section.
(I will cross post them to the main Rain 2 thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/746027/thinksound-rain2-to-pour-in-ears-soon-impressions-and-discussions-thread)
Tour Members (1st Wave):
@d marc0
@Brooko
@DJScope
@Xtralglactic
@Loquah
@H20Fidelity <---- CURRENTLY HERE
Tour Members (2nd Wave):
My apologies for the short list of members... this is currently being toured around along with another review unit. Thus, a second wave of tour members will commence as soon as the 1st round ends. It'll be 1 week to audition the unit excluding transit times. Feel free to volunteer if you're interested. Tour members will be chosen in reference to member feedback and reputation. Order of the list will be organised by state for efficient transit of the tour unit.
Special thanks to @H20Fidelity and @djvkool for recommending tour members!
Review Links:
@Brooko - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12808
@DJScope - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12974
@Xtralglactic - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/13107
@svyr - http://www.head-fi.org/t/759134/thinksound-rain-2-australia-new-zealand-tour-review-and-impressions/15
@Loquah - http://passionforsound.lachlanfennen.com/thinksound-rain2-iem-macro-review/
Cheers guys!
Special thanks to @H20Fidelity and @djvkool for recommending tour members!
Review Links:
@Brooko - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12808
@DJScope - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12974
@Xtralglactic - http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/13107
@svyr - http://www.head-fi.org/t/759134/thinksound-rain-2-australia-new-zealand-tour-review-and-impressions/15
@Loquah - http://passionforsound.lachlanfennen.com/thinksound-rain2-iem-macro-review/
Cheers guys!
DJScope
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2014
- Posts
- 2,846
- Likes
- 2,657
Love the smell of timber in the morning!
(subbed)
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fnkcow
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- May 2, 2013
- Posts
- 3,070
- Likes
- 1,284
Looking forward to trying them out!
d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2012
- Posts
- 2,443
- Likes
- 2,300
@Brooko has the Thinksound Rain 2 Review up!
Check it out: http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12808
See all 3 reviews Recent Pricing:
Review Details: Audio Quality
Comfort
Design
Isolation
Value
Purchased on: 03/13/15
Price paid: $99.95
[img]http://cdn.head-fi.org/f/f8/50x50px-NS-f8d991df_avatar.jpeg[/img]
By Brooko
Posted 1 week, 6 days ago · 179 Views · 1 Comment
Pros: Build, fit, eco-aware packaging and materials, beautiful aethetics, good cable, sound sig can be VERY good after EQ
Cons: Default sound is too warm, veiled and dull, minimal driver ventilation (causing flex)
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):
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 honest 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 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 trumpet 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.
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.
Special thanks to Paul for joining the tour! There will be more to come and things will just get better from here.
Check it out: http://www.head-fi.org/products/thinksound-rain2-wooden-in-ear-headphone-gunmetal-chocolate/reviews/12808
thinksound™ rain2 - Eco-friendly, but organically dull default signature
A Review On: thinksound rain2 Wooden In-Ear Headphone (Gunmetal Chocolate)
Rated # 178in Universal FitSee all 3 reviews Recent Pricing:
Review Details: Audio Quality
Comfort
Design
Isolation
Value
Purchased on: 03/13/15
Price paid: $99.95
By Brooko
Posted 1 week, 6 days ago · 179 Views · 1 Comment
Pros: Build, fit, eco-aware packaging and materials, beautiful aethetics, good cable, sound sig can be VERY good after EQ
Cons: Default sound is too warm, veiled and dull, minimal driver ventilation (causing flex)
For larger views of any photo - please click for access to 1200 x 800 images
INTRODUCTIONI’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):
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 honest 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 ACCESSORIESThe 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.
| [size=inherit] | ||
Front of retail box | Rear of retail box | Retail box in profile |
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.
| [size=inherit] | ||
Inside the box = first impression | Eco friendly packaging | Wonderful idea for walking the "green" 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.
| [size=inherit] | ||
Cotton carrying bag, tip package and rain2 IEMs | Included tips | Included tips |
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(From thinksound™)
| Type | Single 8mm dynamic driver inner ear monitor |
| Frequency Range | 18 Hz – 20 Khz |
| Impedance | 16 ohm |
| Sensitivity | 96 +/-3dB @ 1kHz 1mW |
| Plug | 3.5mm gold plated, angled jack (45 deg) |
| Cable | 1.35m |
| Weight | Approx 13g with tips included |
| IEM Shell | Gun metal aluminium mated to chocolate brown stained wood |
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.
| Hz | 60 Hz | 80 Hz | 100 Hz | 150 Hz | 200 Hz | 250 Hz | 300 Hz | 400 Hz | 500 Hz | 600 Hz | 700 Hz | 800 Hz | 900 Hz |
| dB | 55.1 | 61.4 | 65.7 | 72.1 | 75.6 | 77.7 | 79.1 | 80.6 | 81.2 | 81.4 | 81.3 | 81.0 | 80.6 |
| Hz | 1 kHz | 2 kHz | 3 kHz | 4 kHz | 5 kHz | 6 kHz | 7 kHz | 8 kHz | 10 kHz | 12 kHz | 14 kHz | 16 kHz | 20 kHz |
| dB | 80.0 | 79.6 | 80.3 | 81.4 | 80.6 | 80.7 | 76.5 | 70.6 | 61.3 | 55.3 | 50.4 | 45.0 | 40.4 |
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.
| [size=inherit] | ||
Really solid build quality. Rear port just visible | Fit and finish is really good | Nozzle has mesh filter in place |
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.
| [size=inherit] | ||
rain2 with default tips fitted | Default tips - the rain2 does look stunning | Jack and Y-split |
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 trumpet 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.
Special thanks to Paul for joining the tour! There will be more to come and things will just get better from here.
d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
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d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
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UPDATE: @H20Fidelity is joining the tour!
He will be place right after DJScope as per location convenience and efficiency.
He will be place right after DJScope as per location convenience and efficiency.
DJScope
Headphoneus Supremus
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hmm.... deja vu...
d marc0
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What did you see Neo? Is it the same cat or a similar cat?
Someone has altered the Matrix...
Someone has altered the Matrix...
DJScope
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d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
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DJScope
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thinksound rain2 - A mini ReviewFirstly, 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. A little about the thinksound rain2:The thinksound rain2 has a sustainable approach to the market. This is visible throughout. Everything here is designed to be made from eco-friendly materials and you can definitely see this with the packaging, and chosen materials. Not sure about the rest of it.Specifications (taken from the thinksound website)
| |
Packaging and AccessoriesPackaging looks cheap. It's a simple white outer box, nothing special, it has some of the information about the rain2 on the back. The inner carton is made from cut cardboard, looks like it was hand cut too, as it's not the neatest job but it's a nice touch.Including in the box is the earphones (obviously), 4 pairs of black silicone tips, a shirt clip and a cotton carry sack. Nothing more, nothing less. I do think that for the price tag there could be some extra tips to choose from. I personally think that it would do with a set of wide bore tips. Build qualityThe build is actually quite nice. It's light and made from good materials. The wood is lovely and meshes well with the dark smoky steel front portion of the body. The strain reliefs and the cable is made from a nice, supple rubber which is very tangle resistant. The jack terminates at the 45 degree 3.5mm connector which is gold plated.Presentation and build quality is something that is done very right here. Isolation is average as this is a ported design. There is one single port on the back of the housing. You do get some mechanical cable noise when wearing it cable down. I do get some pretty bad driver flex with all the ear tips I've tried. Seems like something one will need to get used to with these. | |
SoundI used the rain2 with the following gear: FiiO E17, FiiO X1, xDuoo X2, HUM Pervasion, Audio-gd NFB-15.32 and straight from my Moto G XT1033. Using them for various genres and watching videos on YouTube.The box states that these earphones are "High definition... a smooth sound signature." Which is a statement I cannot agree on. The sound signature is my least favourite aspect here. The thinksound rain2 is a very dark earphone. The best word I can describe them with is "Brash". Soundstage is actually quite good and imaging is above par. BassThe bass is very elevated. It is the most pronounced and overwhelming part of the signature. It resonates through the whole spectrum and on some (and mostly everything I listened to) tracks and it distorts quite a bit. It extends quite low and is very deep, visceral and is bloated and muddy.MidsMale vocals are brash indeed. Some sound like there is an eco in the background and every song I've noticed sounds like it is recorded in a large and empty room. The bass completely overwhelms everything that has even a little bit of mid or upper bass in it and amplifies it quite dramatically. It's something I really did not enjoy all that much.TrebleThis is something this is really pretty good. It's not recessed and is not the most refined treble you'll hear. But it's quite smooth and coherent and keeps all the major elements in vocals and percussions audible and this is something that balances out the sound quite well. This could be a saviour for some people. Especially those who do love a lot of bass and clarity in one package. | |
ConclusionWhile I do applaud thinksound for creating sustainable and eco-friendly products but I don't think that they have gotten the sound signature right. Of course this is a personal preference and I'm sure that some people will love the way they sound. But for me, I didn't enjoy them very much, unfortunately.Cheers! 
|
d marc0
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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.
A little about the thinksound rain2:
The thinksound rain2 has a sustainable approach to the market. This is visible throughout. Everything here is designed to be made from eco-friendly materials and you can definitely see this with the packaging, and chosen materials. Not sure about the rest of it.
Specifications (taken from the thinksound website)
- Wooden housing for crisp, accurate music reproduction
- Frequency Response: 18 Hz – 20 kHz
- Sensitivity: 96 ±3 dB @ 1KHz 1mW
- Impedance: 16 ohms
- 45˚angled 3.5mm gold plated stereo plug for increased sound clarity
- Driver Size: Acoustically enhanced 8mm driver
- Weight (Approximate): 9.5g Ultra-lightweight design
- Kevlar-reinforced, tangle-resistant 4 foot long cable
- Passive Noise Isolation minimizes ambient sounds
- Sweat-resistant design, perfect for the gym
Packaging and Accessories
Packaging looks cheap. It's a simple white outer box, nothing special, it has some of the information about the rain2 on the back. The inner carton is made from cut cardboard, looks like it was hand cut too, as it's not the neatest job but it's a nice touch.
Including in the box is the earphones (obviously), 4 pairs of black silicone tips, a shirt clip and a cotton carry sack. Nothing more, nothing less.
I do think that for the price tag there could be some extra tips to choose from. I personally think that it would do with a set of wide bore tips.
Build quality
The build is actually quite nice. It's light and made from good materials. The wood is lovely and meshes well with the dark smoky steel front portion of the body. The strain reliefs and the cable is made from a nice, supple rubber which is very tangle resistant. The jack terminates at the 45 degree 3.5mm connector which is gold plated.
Presentation and build quality is something that is done very right here.
Isolation is average as this is a ported design. There is one single port on the back of the housing. You do get some mechanical cable noise when wearing it cable down.
I do get some pretty bad driver flex with all the ear tips I've tried. Seems like something one will need to get used to with these.
Sound
I used the rain2 with the following gear: FiiO E17, FiiO X1, xDuoo X2, HUM Pervasion, Audio-gd NFB-15.32 and straight from my Moto G XT1033. Using them for various genres and watching videos on YouTube.
The box states that these earphones are "High definition... a smooth sound signature." Which is a statement I cannot agree on. The sound signature is my least favourite aspect here.
The thinksound rain2 is a very dark earphone. The best word I can describe them with is "Brash".
Soundstage is actually quite good and imaging is above par.
Bass
The bass is very elevated. It is the most pronounced and overwhelming part of the signature. It resonates through the whole spectrum and on some (and mostly everything I listened to) tracks and it distorts quite a bit. It extends quite low and is very deep, visceral and is bloated and muddy.
Mids
Male vocals are brash indeed. Some sound like there is an eco in the background and every song I've noticed sounds like it is recorded in a large and empty room. The bass completely overwhelms everything that has even a little bit of mid or upper bass in it and amplifies it quite dramatically. It's something I really did not enjoy all that much.
Treble
This is something this is really pretty good. It's not recessed and is not the most refined treble you'll hear. But it's quite smooth and coherent and keeps all the major elements in vocals and percussions audible and this is something that balances out the sound quite well. This could be a saviour for some people. Especially those who do love a lot of bass and clarity in one package.
Conclusion
While I do applaud thinksound for creating sustainable and eco-friendly products but I don't think that they have gotten the sound signature right. Of course this is a personal preference and I'm sure that some people will love the way they sound. But for me, I didn't enjoy them very much, unfortunately.
Cheers!
The Rain 2 sound signature is definitely an acquired test. I feel the same way the first few days I had them. However, I do find them quite good for some songs or genres such as 80's pop ballads and rock ballads. Maybe because at the time the bass don't usually get emphasised in the mix. Unlike the current modern recordings, most of them are mixed to sound HOT which is a very bad combination with the Rain 2.
Excellent write up!
Thanks for joining the tour mate!
DJScope
Headphoneus Supremus
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I probably didn't give them the justice they deserved, but for me initial impressions are very important. As I listened to them critically and start noticing other aspects like soundstage, treble and imaging, every time I went back and noticed the bass and mids it just killed it for me. EQ'ing the bass down on my E17 -6db or more did make a big impact on overall clarity but it just made them sound flat and dull. Probably my biggest gripe was the fact that the bass distorted a LOT in all my test tracks. But like I said before, I bet some people would love this particular sound signature.
DJScope
Headphoneus Supremus
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Hmmmm... that's strange, I just went to the rain2 review and the formatting was all messed up... this has never happened to me before. All fixed now.
d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
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The Thinksound Rain 2 is now in the hands of @Xtralglactic
Looking forward to your thoughts on them mate.
Happy listening!
Looking forward to your thoughts on them mate.
Happy listening!
