TINHIFI P1 Max II

★ Introduction :-



TinHiFi is a well-known Chifi brand in the audio industry, Their once big hit product was T2. This IEM caused quite a stir at an affordable price.The brand is particularly recognized for good quality in-ear monitors (IEMs). They gained popularity for offering better sound performance at an affordable price, and making audiophile-based equipment accessible to a wider audience.
Tinhifi products often receive positive recognition for their sound quality and value for money, But they still lagging though Relatively compared to other IEM manufacturers. But today I'm here with the review of Tinhifi p1 max ii planar IEM. Although this is the first set from the Tinhifi product line-up that I have reviewed. I'll try to highlight all aspects of this IEM in my review. So that it is convenient for you to understand how equitable it is for this price category.





★ Disclaimer :-

I purchased Tinhifi p1 max ii IEM from Linsoul audio. I had no financial agreement with them to promote their product.The entire opinion of this review is completely my personal.



★ Box content at a glance :-


The unboxing experience of P1 max ii was very ordinary. Which is a bit disappointing because this $100+ IEM doesn't come with a carrying pouch out of the box.There is an opportunity to complain about this to Tinhifi.



1. A pair of P1 max ii IEM.
2. Two pairs generic eartips of different sizes and a pair of foam tips.
3. Decent 3.5mm 4-core Oxygen-free silver-plated copper cable ×1
4. User manual guide ×1
5. Warranty card ×1



★ Specifications :-

~ Driver :- Φ14.2mm Planar Magnetic driver.
~ Impedance :- 16Ω±15%
~ Rated power :- 5mW
~ Max power :- 10mW
~ Sensitivity :- 98+3dB@1kHz 0.126V
~ Distortion ratio :- 3%@1kHz 0.126V
~ Frequency response :- 10-20kHz
~ Connector :- 2-pin 0.78mm
~ Cable type :- 4-core silver-plated copper cable with 3.5mm gold plated jack.



★ Design, Build & Comfort :-


The Tinhifi P1 Max II IEM showcases a sophisticated design and descent build quality. The 3D printed resin shell looks like it's made with precision and its sleek housing and durable materials ensure both aesthetic appeal and long-term durability. Attention to design details, such as ergonomics and cable quality, enhances user comfort and overall experience.



The stock 4-core silver plated copper cable has good build quality & The cable does not rub against the t-shirt while using the IEM and does not create any unwanted microphonics which is a big positive aspect of the cable. Although the cable is less prone to twisting, Tinhifi added a nice locking strap bracket to prevent it from twisting.



Therefore, it will be considered ideal for use in indoor or outdoor travelling. But the quality of the eartips was not good. Generic eartips seemed useless to me, but the interesting thing is that it comes with a pair of foam tips that can be used to continue the initial level of listening. These features combined make it an ideal choice for users. So it will be the top choice for those who prioritize comfort for long time listening.


★ Sound Aspect :-

P1 max ii basically "V" shape tuned set. Since this is a set of "V" shaped tunings, there is naturally more bass and treble emphasis and the mids are a little behind, There is no exception here. The internal configuration of this set has 14.2mm Planar magnetic drivers which handle the entire sound frequency.
The tuning of this IEM is fun & engaging also tonality was a bit bright-ish but it is safe to say that I did not get any major listening fatigue from its sound. However, those who are very treble sensitive may get somewhat fatigue from this. The foam tips that come with it are quite effective for the bright nature of the treble region, because these tips greatly reduce the brightness of the treble area. I've used stock eartips as well as aftermarket eartips during the sound testing period and it makes a good difference between fit, comfort, isolation and sound. I used Kbear 07 eartips which gave me good experience.


★ Gear used :-

1. Cayin Ru7 (Se & Bal both)
2. Questyle m15 (Se & Bal both)
3. Quloos Mc01 (Se & Bal both)
4. Epz Tp50 (Se & Bal both)
5. Fosi Audio Ds2 ~ 2024 (Se & Bal both)
6. Tanchjim space lite (SE)

Tinhifi p1 max ii planar IEM which is a set of 16Ω impedance whose sensitivity level is 98+3dB so a bit powerful amplification needed to drive it, but if a good quality dac amp or portable player is used, then it gets scaled up with the source and becomes better sounding, but a bit warmish or neutral sounding source will be more suitable with it.

Now, I will discuss the sound in detail, I will start with the Low end of this set, i.e. the bass....



★ The Bass :-


The P1 Max II offers well-controlled and tight bass response. A good amount of rumble is found in the sub-bass region. While not overwhelming, the bass is present and can handle complicated bass lines with clarity. As a planar, the fast attack & decay of bass was quite admirable but mid bass texture is noticeably lacking and some bleed with the lower mids which makes the bass note definition seems a bit weaker. Although it provides fairly clean low-end without any muddiness.





★ The Mids : -


The mids are clear and fairly detailed, offering good vocal clarity and instrument separation. However, there is some shoutyness in the upper mids section, It may become a little peaky source wise. Which has made the female vocal thin, on the other hand lower mids was recessed and the body of the male vocal has a tendency to be a bit lifeless. This IEM captures vocal and instrumental nuances less effectively. So the mids section will be considered as one of its downside.


★ The Treble :-


The treble region is typically described as bright and detailed, providing good resolution and extension, But the treble part is somewhat disturbed by planar timbre. At the same time, the body of the treble also tends to be thin As a result the guitar string instrument & cymbals sound bright-ish & unnatural. However, some listeners may find the treble to be slightly sharp or sibilant, depending on personal preference, track and source materials .




★ Technicalities :-


The P1 Max II offers a wide soundstage as 100$+ Planar in-ear monitor, with below average depth and height . Imaging is precise, allowing you to distinguish the positioning of various elements in a recording. On the other hand micro and macro details can portray fairly well most of the time. But tonality & timbre was not good, This is due to its planar glare. Overall, its planar magnetic drivers contribute to sound accuracy and speed, making it well suited for a wide range of genres.


★ Comparison :-

~ Hidizs MP145 (Regular varient 159$) ~


MP145 IEM is currently one of the best planar IEM under 200$. It is basically harman target 2019 v2 tuning which is considered mild U shape. The biggest strength of this IEM is bass or low end. It offers very clear, tight & controlled bass delivery where the physicality of the bass is blown out, even though the speed of the bass is less as a planar magnetic driver. But the midrange was clean and forward. Its vocal section is quite enjoying especially female vocal. So, the body of the male vocal is somewhat thinner side. On the other hand, the treble section was quite clean and well-extended, although due to the slightly planar timbre, the sound of some instruments seems more energetic, but technically it provided solid performance. Although the sound stage was fairly wide, the depth and height were surprisingly good and less amount of macro details. Overall its tonality & timbre was fairly accurate which is quite commendable as a 160$ planar IEM.


Vs ~ Tinhifi P1 Max ii


The MP145 has several major differences with the P1 max ii. In mids section MP145 gave much better performance compared to P1 max ii. MP15 will be in a better position in terms of detail retrieval of treble section and better also impact & texture of bass, only P1 max ii will advance due to the speed of bass. Mp145 technically gave better performance but the amount of macro & micro details was more in P1 max ii. Even if it falls behind in sound performance, P1 max ii will be accepted by many people due to fit & comfort (3D printed resin shell) . On the other hand, the big and heavy metal shell like the giant tank of MP145 will not fit well in the ears of many people, as a result, it will disturb the fitting & long time usage experience.





Overall rating out of 5 is what I would give

Bass : 3/5
Mids : 3/5
Treble : 3.5/5
Technicalities : 3.5/5
Build & Astheatics : 3.8/5



★ Conclusion :-


The Tinhifi P1 Max II offers decent sound quality with its fairly well-tuned Planar driver . Its comfortable design and durable build make it a solid choice for those who prefer comfort & long-time usability. However, its high price tag may deter some buyers. Because it has given ok type overall performance for the price but there are better options in the current market. I can recommend it for those who are planning to buy planar IEMs for the first time and also value comfort. But if you give more priority to the sound quality, there are better options in the current market. So Tinhifi should launch more value for money IEMs in market in the coming days.




I've provided purchase link below for everyone's convenience

Linsoul Audio (Link isn’t affiliated)

Hifigo (Link isn’t affiliated)

Shenzhen Audio (Link isn’t affiliated)

Intro:
This IEM arrived together with the tin t5s which was also sent by the Tinhifi Serve team
In terms of packaging, there is a picture of an anime panda on the front cover. Yes, this tinhifi is trying to go against the flow, instead of getting bored looking at anime waifu, it's better to look at cute pandas.

The packaging of the p1 max 2 is considered minimalist, and perhaps the most economical compared to other planar iEMs. Because there is no case and the cable is not a modular cable. Luckily the cable quality is good, and matches the sound of the iem. Doesn't make us look for another cable to unlock the iem's potential, like Letshuoer's planar...

In the box there are 3 pairs of gray red eartips with a slightly bright character, 3 pairs of plain gray eartips with a balanced character, and a pair of foam tips with a warm character. In this review, it's clear that I used the plain gray tips. The fitting of the P1 Max 2 is quite comfortable and the housing is also light, not heavy like a whale

Oh yes, this iem is a bit heavy to tow. Not as heavy as the KZ PR2 or S15, but not as light as the MP145. It's in the middle, and I still recommend a minimum source dongle of 500 thousand and above for a P1 Max 2 crane.

OK, now on to the sound impressions...

Bass:
This IEM is tuned towards a slightly warm harman shape. The bass has just enough quantity. The bass is slightly dominant in the sub bass with quite deep extension. The rumble from the sub bass is quite pronounced.

As for the mid bass, it feels quite punchy, even though it doesn't give the bouncy sensation like the dd bass. The bass texture is quite good for a planar iem, on the same level as the mp145.
As for the bass decay, it just feels medium, it doesn't wear off quickly, the decay is like the previous planar2 of the timeless era.

The bass also feels clean, controlled, and has a fast speed typical of planar iems. No bleber2 club.

Mid:
One of the sectors that is leading on p1 max 2. Its position is just a little bit back compared to the bass. The vocal weight feels right, not thin or thick. The mid feels clean, open, and quite energetic because the upper mid is boosted quite high.
It feels thicker and more natural compared to the mid of the MP145. It also feels a bit cleaner and more open.

The mids have a fairly even portion between male and female vocals. Although the female vocal position feels a little more advanced because of the uppermid boost.
Apart from that, the mid feels sweet and has good emotion. The mid presentation is similar to Heyday, with a slightly more forward position, a little cleaner, and more interference-free from the bass.

The mids also feel swingy with a fairly natural timbre, although the planar timbre of the mids is still a bit pronounced here. The acoustic guitar and piano beats are still natural.
Typical of planar iems and it seems difficult to get rid of it, the sibilance is still quite noticeable on p1 max 2. Although it's still not that annoying to my ears.

Treble:
The treble presentation on the P1 Max 2 feels like the cymbal ringing is just right and not as aggressive as other planars. It feels quite smooth and quite natural, although the planar timbre is still quite pronounced.

The treble body is just right and not that thin, with a good treble extension. Even though it's not as good and airy as the treble extension of the MP145. The grainy and peak treble are quite minimal, so it is still safe for long use.

Technical:
The most superior thing about the P1 Max 2 is the technical aspects. I can say that the stage is one of the widest compared to other planar iems I've tried. The depth and height of the stage are also quite good. The stage feels slightly wider than the MP145 with more precise imaging instruments.

The detail, resolution and micro details are at the level of an MP145 and above the average IEM for its price. The separation is also good with the layering feeling separate.
In yungblud songs, which are mixed up, the bass can be enjoyed with good separation.

The transient speed is fast, typical of planar, although it's not as fast as the transient speed of MP145. For metal and rock songs, you can clearly keep up with the speed. The clarity is clear, and doesn't give a dull impression to the sound.

Outro:
The P1 Max 2 feels like it is following in Timeless's footsteps as an all-around planar device that is comfortable and safe for various song genres.

In my opinion, the existence of the P1 Max 2 could also be a link between planar timbre haters, because to my ears I feel like this timbre is quite safe for single DD lovers or multi driver lovers.

At the current price of 150$, I can't deny this P1 Max 2 is one of my favorite IEMs. The only thing I can complain about it is the accessories, since it is not as complete as other planar IEMs from its price range.
There's no modular jack and there's no case, it's really a hassle

That's all my impression.

Source:
Tempotec v3
Akliam pd4 plus
Custom amp
Custom m2m cable
Custom 4.4 cable

TONALITY: 7.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8/10
TIMBRE: 7.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 8/10
IMAGING: 8/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.5/10

Tinhifi is a well known IEM maker from China that has released very popular budget IEMs like the Tinhifi T2 and T3plus as well as a good amount of planar IEM.

I still consider their P1plus as the best sub-200$ planar for technical performance, but the housing design makes the fit cumbersome so I don’t tend to use it often for this reason.

The first P1max improved the design ergonomy for smooth fit and comfort but chose a warmer neutral tonality than the more vivid and resolved P1plus.

Today I will review the P1max successor humbly called P1max 2.

Priced 140$, the P1max II is supposed to use an upgraded 14.2mm planar driver and promise a ‘’wider soundstage, clearer sound and crystal clear note’’.

Let's see in this review if these planar earphones offer a worthy musicality and performance among the numerous other planar offerings under 200$.


CONSTRUCTION&DESIGN



The construction is made from 3D printed high precision resin plastic. It’s lightweight and very smooth. The ergonomics are very same as the first P1max but use a different back plate design which is really beautiful.
The nozzle is on the short side which means no deep insertion possible.
On top of housing we have a non recessed 2 pin connector that feels solidly embedded.

The included cable is of nice quality but comes in single ends which isn’t the best choice for planar IEM that benefit from extra power or balanced output. It’s a 4 strands silver plated braided cable that fits well the overall IEM look.



In terms of packaging, it’s cute and minimalist. The accessories are minimalist too since we don't have carrying case. So we have the cable and 5 pairs of silicone eartips and 1 pair of memory foam. This is OK for the price but a carrying case would have been appreciated.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Overall tonality can be described as bright V shape with thick thumpy bass that feel speedy and round, forward upper mids that favor presence over substance but doesn’t sound overly thin and sharp, vividly crunchy treble that add sense of air but don’t offer a lotta sparkle and clean brilliance.

This is quite a big departure from smoother and more warm neutral P1max and crisper more analytical, clean and lean sounding P1 Max.

In fact, we are in rather common V shape territory here, since the Max2 sounds very similar to Letshuoer S12 and doesn't offer anything new or particularly special to planar games which feel stagnant lately. Yet, it doesn’t mean these are bad, technical performance is still excellent for the price and they are easier to drive than S12 as well as a notch bassier, more dynamic.

So, we have a fast euphonic bass boom that offers both punch and speedy rumble. It’s not the cleanest bass since we have hints of warmth that glue kick drum and bass line in the same sound envelope. This adds slam weight and dynamic heft, which is very weighty and tactile.
The sub bass is vibrant, a bit compressed in extension which make bass line thick but not very accurate in note release extension, which is more an issue for double bass with lean reverberation that will go suddenly louder and more boomy than cello which will earn lushness and appealing density to it’s attack sustain.
Simply put, the bass favors the impact over its fine resolution and positioning, the kick drum sound colored in timbre but gain in punch, so these are good contenders for rock, pop, R&B.

The mids are warmed by bass, this makes male vocals full sounding while it steals air and definition edge sharpness, yet both male and female vocals are still bright and edgy enough due to upper mids boost that forwards their presence.
This can make female vocals a notch intense in loudness and borderline shouty. But at least it doesn’t sound thin and it’s abrasive in texture, which impacts transparency negatively. We have a bit of planar fuzzy grain that adds noise to air.
There is no clean air around the instrument which affects positioning clarity.
Tenor instrument and vocal will sound more natural and lush, cello being at top of its game here as well as saxophone while for violin planar timbre and harmonic intensity affect timbre fullness by favoring the attack bite.


The treble is focused on the lower part and boosts mostly the presence grain and edge of instrument and percussion without achieving proper snap and sparkle or a clean crispness that will add a well perceived variety of timbre polyphony.
Past 10kHz, the treble seems to roll off rather fast, so highs offer more thick attack crunch than fine speedy snap and bite that would sharpen attack lead impact and add macro dynamic amplitude variety. In that regard, P1max 2 sure isn’t feeling W shape, dynamic has 2 steps to it, bass in package+upper mids and highs in package.
Think about balanced armature highs and you get similar attack sustain-release as well as diffuse euphonic timbre. It’s no end game in terms of treble refinement here and shows to what price range this planar IEM belongs.


The soundstage is very wide, average, tall and not deep. It’s not very holographic and open sounding and acts like a wide sound tapestry with lively dynamics that go towards center stage, where all sound info concentrates to the point of stealing all air in the space.

This means imaging is average too, instruments lack proper clean space between them but can be layered fastly without mixing in overtone (apart bass). Classical quartet is easier to read than Symphony which goes blurry in fine instrument cutting, percussions can get lost in the mix due to sustained blur, bass is warmed by its impact which make it hard to pinpoint precisely too. In other words: these aren’t adequate for monitoring purposes.


COMPARISONS



VS NICEHCK F1pro

The F1pro is more W shaped and bright, the treble is spikier and airier, the timbre is more noisy and typical planar like…

The bass is more boomy and resonant, less round and warm and thick than Max2 which has more vibrant and colorful rumble too with less scooped upper bass-lower mids so transition into mids is warmer and more natural. Max2 has more mid bass punch and weight and it's less boosted in sub bass, less resonant and wide in slam, thigher but warmer too.

This means P1max feels more mid centric even if balanced V shape and darker on top, we don’t have this extra treble edge that negatively texture balance and put harmonic overly forward, this makes both male and female vocal smoother, lusher and more natural and bodied. F1pro mids are thinner but crisper and more open sounding, it can’t handle a wide variety of vocal style due to scooped lower mids so it's more about bright presence boost, this makes resolution and layering cleaner, less colored with warmth that affect transparency of Max2 more. Edgier and harsher are the mids of F1pro, smoother and wider and denser in presence and as well as more weighty in note impact is the Max2.

Treble is smoother, leaner and more organic in balance but not as sharp, airy and crunchy. Percussions are thinner, brighter and more spoil with planar timbre with F1pro, it sounds half cooked while round and full but not as upfront with the Max2. Highs are spikier and harsher with F1pro, it tends to add unwanted sound info in mids instruments too. Treble heads will prefer F1pro while those seeking lush balance and fluid musicality will prefer Max2.

Soundstage is wider and deeper with F1pro, in that regard Max2 feel intimate and overly compressed in center stage, you are into music with Max2 while center stage is more recessed U shape way with F1pro.

Imaging is superior with F1pro, sound layering is more transparent so macro dynamics don’t feel as mushy and dark.

All in all, musicality and warm tonal balance as well as timbre naturalness go to Tinhifi P1max2. NiceHCK F1pro is more technical but more unpleasant musicaly, timbre is thinner, dryer and harsher, vocal can be sibilant more easily and percussions are overly forwards due to spikier treble response.

VS HIDIZS MP145

The MP145 is more U shape, crisp and airy in tonality, what hit first is how more open and gigantic the soundstage is and how cleaner and more holographic the imaging is.

The bass is faster and thinner, more transparent, less thick and more energy in slam and punch which is wider, more transparent and resonant. Bass lines are better articulated and deeper. Their less lower mids warmth and slam is better layered. Max2 feels quite muddy bass wise compared to those and the mid bass definition is more mushy.

The mids are edgier with MP145, timbre is thinner and brighter, less smoothen in sibilance, less lusher and warm than darker and thicker mids of Max2 which again feel mushy and lacking in air and proper definition but we have more lower mids and male vocal are more upfront and fully bodied with the Max2, that's about only advantage it got since mids are more open and crisp yet not too thin with Mp145.

The treble is notably airier, sparklier and snappier with the MP145, percussions are sharper in definition and more energetic in attack, we have more micro details and texture info, we have more air around instruments, we have more attack lead accent and well everything feel less dark and foggy.

The Soundstage is way wider, taller and deeper, no competition here.

Imaging is superior due to more space between instruments as well as more transparency and space between sound layers levels, again non competition here.

All in all, the MP145 is superior in both tonal balance and technical performance and feels from another league as if MP145 was mid tier planar and Max2 an entry level one.

CONCLUSION



The Tinhifi P1max II are more than decent sounding planar IEM but come a bit late in the game and doesn't represent consequent performance upgrade among other planar offering.

If you were hoping for a more V shape and energic sounding P1max, this could be the musicality sidegrade you were waiting for.

As well, the wide soundstage promise aren't achieved by this IEM, so if you seek very open and spacious musicality, it's not the IEM I would suggest, for that regard, Hidizs MP145 still is the benchmark.

The P1max2 is a fun and bassy sounding earphone with thick bass and mids and a well rounded tonality that is cohesive and free of harsh spike, and at 130$ it might not be as competitively priced as Artti T10 but still is a valuable contendor for audio enthusiast.

Semi Recommended.

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PS: I want to thanks Tinhifi for sending me this review sample. As always i'm not affiliated in any form to this company and these are all subjective audio impressions and opinions.