AUDIOSENSE T300

Rating: 8.4
Sound: 8.3

Intro
AUDIOSENSE is no longer an insider tip in the (C)Hi-Fi world. The T800 (flagship model) is showered with praise and even the "little ones" enjoy great popularity. The T300 is now the third in the group and has a total of 3 BA drivers (T180 (1), T260 (2)). What can I say, more drivers doesn't mean an increase in sound quality, but for me the T300 is the most homogeneous and sonically most mature of the three. He combines all strengths of the predecessors and manages to eliminate their weaknesses as far as possible.

Handling
There is no change to the packaging and housing design. All three can only be distinguished by the different colour scheme (T300 - anthracite/transparent) and their interior. Included accessories are the same (cables, silicone tips, foam tips, transport bag), as well as the excellent wearing comfort and insulation. There is really nothing to complain about here and is a big plus point.

Of course, you can say that the plastic used does not have the durability of the countless new aluminium or 3D print cases, but the T300 is one of the most comfortable you can get with its small, simple and ergonomic design. Also, the nozzle is nicely long, so it reaches deep into the ear canal, although very thin.



Sound
The additional driver is a real plus for the T300. The individual drivers harmonise perfectly with each other, which makes for a very homogeneous sound image.

The bass is more mature than on the T260, softer and with more extension in the sub range. It has the dry character of a BA driver, which makes it always pointed and fast. At the same time it sounds much rounder and more balanced and gives the T300 more musicality and dynamics. In the sub range it may gain a few dB, but for me the bass is the best of the range, although the T260 brings more punch.

The mids are wonderfully smooth and detailed. Especially women's voices seem to shine without getting too bright or shrill. Men's voices don't have the same presence and can drop slightly in comparison, but in their intimate way, which speaks for all models, they are never too much in the background. I am surprised at the natural way voices are reproduced. The simultaneous intimacy gives the impression of the artists singing for just you, with your eyes closed, and makes it easy to find your way around the stage visually. A small flaw remains, because with high musical variety, the T300 cannot separate as well and blurs a little. A little more toughness and a slight clarity, especially with guitars, would be desirable. But this also applies to the T180 and T260.

Compared to the T260, the trebles are again somewhat smoothed out, but can still show almost the same extension. If, in rare cases, the T260 does become a little uncomfortable, the T300 manages the balancing act between relaxation and resolution. They aren't the most exciting trebles and not every micro detail will pop up, but basically they're a good compromise in terms of audibility and details. Triple heads might have more fun with the T260, I prefer to have it more relaxed. However, there's still room for improvement.

For my taste, the T300 is the least accustomed to the signature. With the T260 I needed longer and the T180 didn't grab me right away either. The stage isn't extraordinarily big on all of them, but rather intimate, but the T300 manages to deliver the best 3D image in terms of the interplay of width and depth.

Outro
The T300 is for me the most mature and sonically balanced representative of the T-series (except the T800). It's a bit warmer and not quite as crisp, but the most musical of all. Not every genre suits him equally. He is especially brilliant with female voices and rather "simple" music. That doesn't make him the perfect all-rounder, but for a quiet moment to enjoy and dive down he is perfectly suited. You have to get used to his unagitated, "flat" way a little bit, but then he knows more than to please. A big plus here is the natural tuning and the transparency. Some people might find him a bit dark.

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AUDIOSENSE T300 REVIEW:


SOUND: 8.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
DESIGN: 9/10
VALUE: 9/10


My goal is to review Everything from Audiosense, because I sincerely believe they are a talented audio company with very high sound value potential. Simply put : they know how to tune iem. They know how to make acoustic engineering of their inner housing as well. It’s not a rushed chi-fi company that throw random BA’s in their earphones like KBear, KZ, TRN etc.

Until now, I only have two Chi-Fi ‘’protégés’’ that have offering in very budget price range: AUDIOSENSE & BQEYZ.

This do not mean I will be less severe in my review because I'm some kind of fanboy, no, quite the contrary as my expectation are higher and higher about Audiosense. I still think their masterpiece is the top of the line T800, but to me the T series is a promise for budget excellence.

Today, I will review the T300 , which is a triple BA’s uiem using all Knowles drivers.

The T300 use same super small and comfy housing than T180 and T260. They are more similar to T260 than bass light and mid centrist T180.

Priced at 110$, the T300 stand above the crowd in term of sound technicalities, clarity and imaging. Let’s see why in this review.

The best place you can buy Audiosense products is directly from their official Ali Express STORE

Disclaimer : I’m not affiliated with Audiosense. I buy their products at very discounted price in exchange of reviews. They never put pressure on me even if it make 2 months I have the T300. No affiliated link, no money earning, just fully independent subjective review. Thanks Audiosense!

SPECS:

Brand Name: AUDIOSENSE

• Connectors: 3.5mm
  Control Button: NoActive Noise-Cancellation: No
  Style: In-Ear
  Communication: Wired
  Vocalism Principle: Balanced Armature
  Volume Control: No
  Wireless Type: None
  Codecs: NONE
  Support Memory Card: No
  With Microphone: No
  Model Number: AUDIOSENSE T300
  Resistance: 27Ω
  Frequency Response Range: 20-22000Hz
  Function: Monitor Headphone
  Function: HiFi Headphone
  Function: Sport
  Sensitivity: 107dB
  Waterproof: No
  Is wireless: No
  Line Length: 1.2m
  Plug Type: L Bending
  Support APP: No
  Color: Navy
  Driver unit: Three (USA Knowles) Balanced Armature TWF

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN :


CONSTRUCTION is quite impressive. Beginning with the solid dark Grey translucent plastic, it look quite sturdy but may make the long thin nozzle prompt to unwanted damage, in the sens that if you inadvertently step on the housing, this will be the first part to break. If you look into the housing, inner construction look very serious compared to other iem of this price range, this isn’t just a BA thrown in there, it have acoustic chamber as well as a damper filter into the housing nozzle. All this little details to acoustic engineering confirm seriousness of craftsmanship.



DESIGN of the housing have been well thought too, its a universal in-ear custom approach with an oval shape and long angled thin nozzle that will fit any ears types. They are extremely comfortable and easy to wear for long listening due to minimal pressure into the ears, no hard angle create discomfort to outer ears either. It slip in there naturally and will never pop out which make them very good as sport earphones too.

ISOLATION is quite extreme, even more if you use foam eartips which will make them near completely block noise like passive earplugs. Sound leakage is minimal as well.


DRIVEABILITY at 24ohm impedance and 100db sensitivity is more easy than it look, but will benefit from clear amping source. I find the T180 very source dependent and got mitigated result with some amping source that create distortion, so it should not be to low or too high, and more importantly extremely clear source with low THD.

SOUND :


OVERALL SUBJECTIVE APPRECIATION is an enough positive one, which have impressively fast attack in mid bass and mid range, incredibly accurate imaging in rather intimate soundstage and smooth timbre typical to Knowles BA drivers. In fact, the T300 are tuned rather flat with exception of extra mid bass and middle mid range and mid treble, these do not make them the supreme all rounder but for triple BA its sure among the best you can get in term of versatility under 100$. In fact, this mid bass punchy marvel really make them enjoyable with plenty of genre, especially rock, where they show all their talent due to excellent imaging and fast attack that give kick lot of energy but as well permit electric guitar to have great singular presence. Jazz, classical, IDM and rock are favorite music of T300, while music that need sharper treble of more sub bass will sound a little too polite.

SOUNDSTAGE is particular with the T300, in the sens its intimate but slightly out of your head, as if you wear an helmet with speaker all around them...hum, yeah, really! You can hear things in the back of your head or at its side, so, more than ever your in the middle of the band you listen too.

IMAGING is among best quality of T300 and this is quite an achievement for ‘’only’’ 3 BA’s. Instrument have clear space between them with accurate layering and placement, to the point it can literally extract unknown instrument in music track you are used to listen. This happen lot of time that it clean up congested music, even badly mastering one, like low-fi indie band ‘’Gang Gang Dance’’ that the vocal was meshed up under pile of guitars and cheap synth suddenly was well articulate with all instruments separated from each other and now I was able to understand what the singer say. This is extremely enchanting.

CLARITY is sure good too, but we aren’t in supreme definition here due to soft timbre affecting crispness of instrument. This is surely due to either a relaxed treble or the damping in nozzle of T300. Nope, even if imaging is clinical, clarity isn’t, cause it have warm tonality with gentle hint of dryness (not in a negative way). To note clarity get seriously sharper without damping filter.

BASS is fast, punchy and weighty with slightly rolled off sub bass at around 50hz. Unlike bad BA, big sub will not make distort the T300 but will be rendered in thin slightly dry way, still, you will be able to follow bass line even when big kick in middle bass occur. Transient response of this BA is crazy good and for rock or metal lover, it might be a great choice due to thumping kick that isn't too aggressive in timbre but sure muscular in impact. As well, its so thigh it do not bleed on mid range, in fact, it do not move lotta air like most BA’s and this is a good thing to keep separation clean. To note that without filter, bass extension feel better-longer and move more air as well.

MID RANGE is rather flat, with slightly polished upper mids. Its extremely well articulated with top notch layering that give extra clarity to its soft timbre. This smooth timbre give extra transparency, but most of all, it do not mean its soft in attack too, quite the contrary witch save how instrument like violin or electric guitar are presented. I say this because I tend to prefer more texture for violin, but violin line are so accurate in attack that its a real joy because its not aggressive too. Perhaps some will prefer more crunch to their electric guitar, but this would affect how overall sound is effortlessly articulated. Vocal have always their own centered space, clean of any unwanted mixing with other instrument, because of this they feel very present without the need of extra push. To note that without filter, you will have some extra upper mids and rare slight sibilance.

TREBLE is the sharpest frequencies of T300, it dig lot of details and have fast decay. I don’t find the T300 trebly, in fact, its a little delicate and highs are more about brilliance than sparkle with lot of resonance. Nope, to me, even if energetic on top, this give just more excitement to complement mellow mid range. Perhaps a little more lower highs will help with bite of some instrument like acoustic guitar and harps, but this would surely stole air between instrument to. To note that if you take damping filter off, you will have more treble which can be problematic for treble sensitive people (I'm not).

SUB BASS : 6.5/10
MID BASS : 8.5/10
MID RANGE : 8.5/10
TREBLE : 8/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 8/10
TIMBRE : 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 8/10
IMAGING : 8.5/10
CLARITY : 8.5/10

WITHOUT DAMPING FILTER short impressions:

Damping filter are removable with a special too that can be find here :https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33004922918.html

I have mixed toughs about KNOWLES damping filter, and think it should only be use for Treble Sensitive people. To my ears it do affect overall clarity, imaging and soundstage by veiling it a little. This review was complicate due to this filter dilemma...as its sell with the damping filter already installed, i feel the need to write this review with the overall compromise it do to the sound. I think the filter should ONLY use for upper treble taming, not whole sound, because when the 3 soundwave of 3 BA’s driver flow in the nozzle, i feel they get messier passing trough damping filter.

So, this is my rating for the sound WITHOUT filter :

SUB BASS : 7/10
MID BASS : 8.5/10
MID RANGE : 9/10
TREBLE : 8.5/10
TIMBRE : 8/10
CLARITY : 9/10
SOUNDSTAGE : 8.5/10
IMAGING : 9/10
ATTACK-DECAY : 8.5/10

COMPARISONS:



VS BQEYZ SPRING1 (140$) :

The SPRING1 is a pricier Hybrid dynamic piezo + Balanced armature earphones, a very well tuned one. In term of comfort, it easily win over the Spring1 due to smaller housing with long tin nozzle that permit you to fit easily any type of ears. The construction in other hands is made of two pieces of rather fragile plastic which do not feel as durable as the thicker plastic with back metal plate of Spring one, especially the thin plastic nozzle that look very fragile while the (bothersome) chunky metal nozzle of Spring1 look ultra sturdy. Both this iem came with great cables and enough accessories.
SOUNDSTAGE is as wide but benefit from more deepness and tallness with the Spring1, making the T300 sound more intimate.
IMAGING is more spacious and accurate with the Spring1, has it have more space between the instrument, it tend to give extra clarity and singularity to every instruments where the T300 have a sens of transparent layering that sound restrain in its rendering.
BASS is very impressive with the T300 for multi BA’s, but its emphasis is more in mid bass, where it sound more chunky and weighty than Spring1. Lower end and sub bass extension and separation is better with the Spring, as well, both sub and mid is better rounded up with greater definition and texture, mid bass is less punchy which permit to not bleed on lower mid range like the warmer T300.
MID RANGE is fuller sounding with the Spring, its thicker, lusher and more dynamic than the smoother and more intimate T300. Sure, its a little brighter too, with some nicely done upper mids help, but it just help to give extra texture and accuracy to whole mid range, while the T300 present vocal with hint of breathyness and lack the richness of Spring1.
TREBLE is more emphases and colored with the T300, in the sens it give extra brilliance to upper highs but lack definition in mid highs compared to the more balanced Spring1 that have extra presence in lower and mid treble, this give percussion a fuller presentation but stole some decay that T300 struggle to deliver due to its small airless soundstage. Still, cymbals can sound too crunchy compared to tighter, more delicate presentation of T300.

VS EARSTUDIO HE100 (100$) :

At first, i was thinking the HE100 sound darker and more congested, but that was just an illusion, in fact they sound clearer and less congested than the T300.
SOUNDSTAGE of T300 is a little wider and more out of your head will the HE100 win in deepness. IMAGING is perhaps more lively and holographic with the T300, but lack the precision of whole frequencies range of HE100 which benefit for instrument placement accuracy. BASS is thicker, weightier and more punchy with the T300, as well its warmer, less accurate and do not dig as deep as the HE100 which sound dryer but clearer and more controlled. MID RANGE is again thicker and fuller sounding, with a smoother timbre for the T300 but more upper mids emphasis, here the HE100 is more refined, balanced and accurate but less exciting in attack and weight, anyway, you got more details in mid range with the HE100 because of a more stable tuning. TREBLE is more sparkly but less balanced with the T300, percussion can be a little splashy even if they sound fuller than more delicate and brilliant highs of HE100, which make the T300 more aggressive on top.
All in all, we have extremely different iem here, T300 sound more muscular in attack and timbre, having a more fun and energetic sound while the HE100 is the opposite, with more retained attack and bass, clearer mid range and more neutral and flat than beefy W shape sound of T300.

CONCLUSION:



AUDIOSENSE is an exception among other chinese audio company, and the fact they closely collaborate with well respected Knowles audio have a lot to do with it. But this isn’t all, its how they tune and conceive whole aspects of their earphones that feel exceptional for budget minded company. Here, we are in high benefit return territory, and the T300 model sure deliver high sound value with it’s 3 balanced armature.

I will be lying if I say the T300 is sub-150$ giant killer, because the near neutral soundsignature it choose might not for the taste of everyone, its neither analytical or warn, neither very bassy or bass light, in fact, it’s biggest quality wich is versatility of sound might very be it’s Achilles’ heel too.


Mellow yet muscular, punchy yet soft in attack edge, lush in timbre yet smooth in texture, the T300 is among the more natural multi BA’s I heard, with a fluid transient response, excellent layering and energic mid range. If you like the Brainwavz B400 but wish it have better imaging and punchier bass, the T300 might be your cheaper ticket to natural sounding multi-BA’S world.



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