HIFIMAN TWS 600

When I first gave the TWS 600 a listen, I did find the highs to be a bit harsh, but that didn’t bother me as I liked them right away. I was glad that the bass wasn’t muddy, but wasn’t that much of. I have about 45+ hours usage outta them since the day that I bought them, over all there were improvements, but it could just be finding the right tips that gave the best seal for my ears.

There are two buttons, one on the left and right side, which you press 1-3 times depending on the action you want. I found it to be problematic at times, I would go to change songs, and the earphones would just mute, even tho I pressed more then once. While other times I end up lowering the volume. Button size and it location makes it a hassle, At times I would just use my smart watch to skip to the next or last song, seeing as my watch has options the skip forward or backwards when selecting a song, Using my phone to control the volume is far easier and better choice.

As for ear tips, you get a set of /S/M/L and then Extra small/small/medium and large Flange tips, I found the medium size to feel comfortable in my ears. The smallest flange kept loosing it seal, while the medium size worked, while keeping their seal. Only the smallest flange one gave me problems when I tried to put it on the TWS600.



While it does come with different sizes of tips and a set of clear and 2-3 Flange options, the large size and 3 flange tips doesn’t pair well with the poorly designed charger case, due to them being too big to either close the case or get close enough to the charging pins to enable the TWS600 to start charging. Removing the tips fixes the issue, but it’s a hassle to remove them whenever you want to put the IEM’s back inside the case for storage/charge. If the case was redesign to account for the larger tips as well, then this wouldn’t been an issue since you would been able to keep the larger and bigger flange tips on.

I didn’t experience any issues with Bluetooth while using it with my phone, no drop out issues or any thing like that. The connection was perfect. Now I did have a slight issue with the pieces connecting to each other, but that only happen once, It didn’t happen any more after that one time. It only supports Cvsd, mSBC, SBC and ACC as you can see there is no APT of any form supported.

When there is no songs playing thru them, the isolation is very good, There were countless times I had to remove them, to hear what some one was saying to me, they also blocked out background noises from my computer and house fan. The only noise that I can still kinda hear is the portable AC unit when I have it on, but it’s much quieter then what it would have been if I didn’t have them in my ears, as the unit it self is super loud.

The Setup

I will be using my Iphone 12 with the Radstone Media Player, The phone uses SBC for blue-tooth. Songs are native flac’s converted to Apple AAC(M4A) 256bit rate.

Songs Used

Liquid Stranger Infinity – Zero Frontier

Steve Aoki Neon Future IV – Last One to Know(Feat. Mike Shinoda & Lights)

Mitch Murder Mega magic – School of Wizards




Results




Liquid Stranger Infinity – Zero Frontier

The low end bass is a good amount, it not too much or too little, neither does it bleed into the other frequencies, plus it isn’t muddy at all which is good, while the mids aren't bass light, they’re also not too much, it just the right amount. At the same time I having no issues at all hearing the snares, harps and all the other instruments that’s in the high frequency, It might be a tiny bit more brightness then needed but I only hear it in the snares, wheres the harps is smooth, but it could also just be this song. But it doesn’t bother me so it isn’t a problem for me.

The male and female voice’s sounds good to me with the right enough of weight behind them, and are heard without any problems. Feels like whenever they are speaking they’re in front of me, including the people on the sides of them.

Steve Aoki Neon Future IV -Last One to Know(Feat. Mike Shinoda & Lights)

Picked this one because of the singing, This song sounds really good with all of the singing, The male voice at the start is very clear, It’s spreads out and is in front of me, not too detail, his voice is not thin at all. Same with the Female voice that comes after, its not thin but it is a tad bright in it pitch.

The drums are good, not too little and not too much bass, it hits good enough. The low bass like the last song, is deep with a little more bass to it, because I really hear it in this song, it just not over powering and bass head’s wouldn’t be happy with this amount.

Over all the highs do sound a little too detailed in the highest frequencies mainly the female voices and the highest sounding instruments, it bother me more in this song then it did in the last, but only when the Female voices come on.


Mitch Murder Mega magic – School of Wizards

Right off the back, The song isn’t bright at all, the details is perfect too. Every thing sound much better in this song. The drums and hit hats comes thru perfectly, I can tell them apart as well.

No issues at all hearing the bells in the highs, the synthesizer or any of the other instruments, this song is really enjoyably, each of the instruments are not bunched up upon each other. Sounds really nice.



conclusion

After listening to these 3 songs, I decided to listen to some more songs with the single medium flange ear-tips I used, yes the brightness is there, some songs it wasn’t so much, while other’s it was a little too much, there was only that random badly done song where it was too much. Everything else in the sound frequency was good, including the drums and bass.

Overall getting a good seal is important, because these have bass for me, sure not the impact/slamming bass that bass-heads would enjoy. But they weren’t bass lite for me, I made sure to get a good seal which I found the medium single flange tips to work the best for my ears.

I was curious to see if the 2 flange ear tips would have on the same songs to see if the brightness was still there. So I started a quick listening session after I took a break to see what the effect would be. Interesting enough the brightness is even less now as the female voice in the second song is better, Even the first song was improved to the point the brightness being gone. But it’s still there just not as much as it were when I was using the single flange. So I’m believe foam tips would improve the issues if the 2 flange did.


Edited (1/27/2022)

I wanted to give an update, Late last year my TWS 600 fell apart at the nozzle and the base of the unit with the original one I had seem the sealing glue or whatever they used wore out, After Rmaing it for the replacement, the second one only lasted a month and a half before the same thing happened. So, it looks like it's a design flaw and this issue is reflected in the change to the original rating i gave this product.

Hifiman TWS600 is a true wireless earphone with IPX4 rating, very good battery life and neutral-bright sound. It is priced at 199$, but it's regularly going on sale.

Sound quality for the price
Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Build quality
Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Value (if on sale)
Rating: 9 out of 10.

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of TWS earphones. I prefer the DAP and wired earphones combination, but this time Hifiman offers an excellent replacement for the more prominent mobile set.

Packaging



HifiMan TWS600 comes in a box with a black front and red sides. I would say that it’s a typical box for TWS earphones. Of course, it’s not bad; they’re easier to notice for regular users, not true audiophiles.
Inside the box, you can find the TWS600 itself, a short USB-C cable, and eight pairs of eartips. Three pairs of regular, two bi-flange, one tri-flange, and one with more extended flange. Tips are of very good quality. They apply smoothly and shouldn’t spread with time.

Build quality



The case is made of grey plastic outside and a black one on the inside.
I really like the rubber on the bottom, it’s useful in trains, on the plane and in other means of transport. It holds the case easily in place and doesn’t distract when I try to take the case out of the pocket. On the top, you can see the HifiMan logo made of brushed metal with a black background.
The earphone is also made of plastic, but it is very light, much lighter than Mpow M9, Noble Audio Falcon, or Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless. It can feel a little cheap for some, but that’s the cost of its light, which makes it more comfortable.
On the top of each earphone are placed LED indicators, which show the earphone status of Bluetooth connection or charging when in case. In the middle is set a small button used to control the music and phone calls.

Comfort



As I said before, this is a very comfortable TWS earphone with a well-set center of gravity. They never fell out of my ear, even when I was playing with my dog. The only thing I can be rid of is that it’s hard to open the case with one hand.
Buttons on the earphones aren’t hard to press; you don’t have to impact the earphone deep into the ear as I had to when I was using RHA TrueConnect.

Functionality, connection, and battery life



Buttons on each earphone allow you to stop, skip, and undo the track.
You can also change the volume with a double click, right turns up, second lower volume.
The microphone is accurate, but it collects the sound of the wind.
The Bluetooth range is fantastic. I can leave my phone wherever and walk around the house.
Battery life is also great, it holds easily for 5 hours without keeping them in the case, which allows them to charge them six times. The battery status is visible in Android. It’s accurate. Inside the box are placed 5 LED indicators that show up the level of the case accumulator.

Sound



At first, I wasn’t positive about TWS600 at the beginning, but I got the point after some time of listening. Hifiman TWS600 is a great option for music without sharp treble and high mids. Most of the fun comes from everything above the midrange, but still, it isn’t the most fun-to-listen TWS earphone I’ve heard, don’t expect something like Noble Falcon at this part. TWS600 is more bright, with an excellent detail retrieval in this price range.
Personally, I use them for LoFi or calm classical music.

The bass is the weakest point overall. I’m missing the subbass a lot, but mid and higher parts are way better. They don’t show up at the front, but they nicely play in the background. Kickbass beats the beat greatly. It’s similar to the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless, smooth and neutral.

The midrange is neutral bright overall. It states as the most essential part of a sound, but it’s brightened. Lower male vocals like Dave Gahans can sound empty for some. They aren’t such powerful as they can be. On the other hand, all wind instruments sound incredibly meaningful. They are really exact and gently smoothed. This allows the jazz music to sound full breast.

The treble is weird, it is everywhere and nowhere at the same moment. It is sharp with electronics but recessed when drum plates are playing. Sometimes it can be even painful. If it will be annoying for you, use equalizer at 8-9KHz, helps a lot. Also, a piano sounds wonderful, listening to “The Pianist” movie soundtrack is hardly enjoyable, but after EQ.

The soundstage is shockingly good for a TWS earphone. It is cone-shaped, with great imaging and holography. Width and height are on the same level. In upper mid, there is a lot of air, but lower mid is compressed into one point.

It is also great for movies and gaming unless the delay won’t be problematic. Using AAC the delay is way lower and doesn’t bother me personally.

Summary



I can’t evaluate TWS600 with a few words. It is better in some aspects than other competitors in this price range, but it loses the fight in other elements. Overall, Hifiman TWS600 sounds neutral-bright with great holography, a very high level of comfort and great Bluetooth range. It’s a brave move for such an influential brand to go into the TWS market, but i think they did a pretty good job with these.


Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:

• Earphones – Sennheiser Momentum TWS, Noble Falcon, Mpow M9, Mpow M30
• Sources– Xiaomi Mi9, iBasso DX160, iPhone 7+

Remember to visit us at ear-fidelity.com

Light Spring Audio - HIFIMAN TWS 600 Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones Review






HIFIMAN TWS600 is the latest earphone from HIFIMAN, and it is the bluetooth version of their well-known RE-600 series, having been launched at 200 USD, but now being found at 70-80 USD in most stores. In this review, I will be comparing them with Lypertek Tevi, 1More Stylish TWS IEMs, Master & Dynamic MW07, Jays M-Six, and RHA True Connect. With a Neutral sound, and good connectivity, comfort, and with lots of headroom for EQ, TWS600 promises to be the audiophile TWS IEM to get if you're tired of those that are too thick or muddy.






Introduction


HIFIMAN is one of the greatest audio companies in the world at the moment of making this review, and no joking, they have a huge selection of products on the market, and from their HE6SE Headphones, which are now legendary, all the way to Arya, which became one of the best sold Planars in the world, and all the way to the Sundara, and more recently, Deva, they always strived to offer the best price / performance ratio possible, and in the past they sometimes went with more industrial and spartan designs, that would be awesome, if you weren't a fashion aficionado. Nowadays, they have even the aesthetics nailed down, and HIFIMAN products in general are the ones I can recommend the most to anyone looking for reliable build and warranty, great comfort and awesome overall sonic abilities.


It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with HIFIMAN, I am not receiving any incentive for this review or to sweeten things out. I'd like to thank HIFIMAN for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with HIFIMAN TWS600. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in HIFIMAN TWS600 find their next music companion.




About me


https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/about.html




Packaging


First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:


















The package is not quite that complex this time around, but you still have everything you need. From the first product I reviewed from HIFIMAN, the package has always been a hit-and-miss, and for anyone who remembers RE2000, the golden IEM, the package was as awesome as they come, but it lacked some essentials, like the Spinfit tips I always used with them.


Then, there was Sundara, which was just perfect, but then Arya was also great, and did not lack a thing. HE6SE also had a beautiful large case. So, back to TWS 600, when HIFIMAN decided to make a TWS Earphone, they actually included a large number of tips with it, and the only thing that may be missing is the Spinfit, which, one again may have been useful. Also, you may want to get some foamies, even if they are not your favourite, because they really help with the sound of TWS600 and make it more balanced.


This being said, if you're concerned about the fit, eight pairs of tips should be enough for most people. The other thing I love is the Type-C cable included with TWS 600.




What to look for when purchasing a high-end In-Ear Monitor


https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/what-to-lookl.html




Shop Page: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/tws600.html




Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort


There's not quite that much fluff about the build quality, the TWS 600 is a pretty normal-looking TWS earphone, although if anything really makes it remarked when you're wearing them, it is the fun LED lights, and they way they are designed to look like they're out of a terminator movie. Since at the point at which I'm writing this review I already tested and am working on the reviews for over 10 different TWS Earphones, I can tell you that the case for the TWS 600 is actually pretty awesome. It doesn't have quite that strong magnets to keep the IEMs inside, so if you're the type that may open it in an odd position, you should take care not to drop the IEMs from the case. On the other hand, the IEMs themselves have a unique gamer flair to them, and I enjoy gaming products, being quite into gaming, so I love the retro-modern, with touches of gaming looks of TWS 600.






The case may not have enough space for the IEMs, if you're using larger tips, but it should be okay with either medium or small tips. With the sonics of TWS 600, you're most likely to use some foam tips, like Comply. There's a power / battery indicator on the case, right between the earphones, and it has multiple LED lights, showing how much battery the case still has.


The Earphones also show their own battery and how much they still have while they are connected to your smartphone. You may not have expected this, but HIFIMAN has been one of the first companies to jump on new tech, and they always do it nicely. They did back when releasing the Ananda Bluetooth, and included Type-C connectors, and now with TWS600, they included both Bluetooth 5.0 and Type-C, both of which are great features to have on a newly released product.






The Buds are IPX-4 rated, so both dust and water resistant, so you can safely take them for a jog. This doesn't mean they will resist being submerged in water, so from all the sports you could use them for, just don't take them swimming or canoeing. The microphone is okay, not the best, not the worst, it is about where most TWS earphones are, but you should know that it works well if you're in a silent area, but noise around you will drown out your voice quickly, as the ambient noise increases.


At the center of the earphones, there are physical buttons for controlling them, and I love this from the bottom of my heart, since the touch based earphones are sometimes really prone to accidental touches and can be annoying, especially if you're doing something that has sport in it, and you don't want to keep touching your ears every ten seconds with sweaty hands.


One serious drawback is that they only have AAC and SBC codecs, so you won't be able to use the TWS-600 with anything like the mighty codecs, like LDAC, HWA, aptX or aptX HD. Since they are an entry-level audiophile earphone, the main reason I can see for them having only SBC or AAC is that those codecs, paired with a power transmitter that has lower power, will have a secured connection more than having LDAC and other fancy codecs. Since HIFIMAN made the sound of TWS 600 match the codecs and optimised the sound, it won't be an issue, and should in theory be good for sport, mobility, and for keeping a secure connection even in pretty hard conditions.


It pays off, because the IEMs have a HUGE battery life, of about 35 hours of tested battery life, of mixed usage, mostly at high volumes. This is more than excellent, and the connection is also rock stable, even when doing sprinting, and especially for an IEM priced at 80 USD it makes sense that HIFIMAN would prioritise the battery life and connection stability, for our sporty friends. As a little bonus, they even have fast charging, and take very little to charge.




Sound Quality


Where most TWS IEMs of this moment go for either warm signatures, that are smooth and where the bass bleeds a bit in the midrange, or V-Shaped signatures that create a nice balance and engagement, HIFIMAN decided to focus on those fans who really love some good clean mids, that are really forward so the TWS600 is a neutral - to mid centric IEM, with a good clarity, and a forward treble, with good extension, but thanks to a wet character, doesn't cause any fatigue by being harsh.





Starting with the bass, this is the least interesting part of TWS 600, as it is not their highlight or focus, they are made for the mids and the treble, so the bass being neutral doesn't make itself noticed in any way, unless it is really called for. It rolls off quite early, and needs EQ for more serious listening. On songs like Black Eyed Peas - My Humps, you can hear the bass, and it has fair extension, but it lacks quantity, especially if you're not a diehard neutral or midcentric signatures fan. Happily, HIFIMAN used high-quality drivers in TWS600, and there's enough headroom for you to EQ some bass in and make their sound stronger and impact deeper.


The midrange is the central element of TWS600's sound, and it is a clear, clean, and pretty wide mid. On songs like Dance Gavin Dance - Young Robot, you hear all those sweet guitar notes, paired with the forward, yet clean voice. There's a good amount of action going in the background as well, where you can hear the fine cymbal and percussion works. There's a peak around 1.5-2.5kHz, and there's also some sparkle in the treble, but this leads to an excellent overall resolution, making TWS600 sound clearer, cleaner and having more detail than some TWS Earphones that have the aptX and LDAC codecs, but which aren't as resolute.


The treble is really well-extended, and those who love Japanese Pop, K-Pop, or music that relies a lot on highs to sound the right way, like Rock and Metal, will love TWS600. The treble has a smoother texture, so despite the forward presence, and the good extension, they never sound harsh or fatiguing. In songs like Ylvis - The Fox, you get a nice treble going on, but without sounding harsh, and it actually compliments the midrange quite well.


The soundstage is large, and the instrument separation is surprisingly good. This being said, there's always some hiss going on in the IEMs, due to the amplifiers that are built inside, so when listening to music, it tends to be quite below the music level. This being said, if you listen to a lot of songs with a really quiet background, you may notice it. REOL - LUVATORRRRRY is a good song to showcase both the wide stage, and the instrument separation. This being said, most of the songs I've used so far will require some bass to fully appreciate, so I figured that I can EQ TWS600 quite a bit so it sounds good.





Portable Usage & EQ


Since TWS600 is a portable TWS IEM and won't have a pairings part in this review (it doesn't really matter what you pair it with), I wanted to approach the EQ option, from a portable APP. Most people don't pair bluetooth TWS IEMs with DAPs like FiiO M11, iBasso DX160, or Hiby R6. Instead, most people use a smartphone, so I used a free app that is easy to use, to configure an EQ profile to get the most I could out of TWS600. I picked Hiby, since it fits all criteria, but any app should work just fine.



Since they have a pretty loud maximum volume, you can enjoy them even if you decide to EQ them, you won't lose any engagement or joy, but you can greatly increase the overall impact, depth, and make the sound more balanced and complete.

This is the EQ profile I've been using for them:












To transcribe it, I did the following:

AMP - -8

31 Hz - +7 dB
62 Hz - +5 dB
125 Hz - +1 dB
250 Hz - 0 dB
500 Hz - 0 dB
1 kHz - -1 dB
2 kHz - -3 dB
4 kHz - -3 dB
8 kHz - +2 dB
16 kHz - 0 dB

This should provide a clean, crisp sound that has both impact, and it will take some of the forward mids out, if you want a more traditional / Balanced signature. You can even rely on this EQ if you just want to add some bass, by applying only the first three sliders. I tried adding more thickness to the sound by using the mid and upper bass sliders, but in the end, it just sounds the best this way. The bass has a dry character, you can dial in some impact and depth, but adding thickness reveals the dry character of the bass a bit too much.

Almost any source can use the Hiby app, and it is free, and works on their own Hiby R6 DAP, as well as other DAPs.

You may want to use foam tips, if you wanted better comfort, as well as better sound. Foam tips tend to make the sound even more laid back, and it increases the bass perception as well. Plus, it offers better overall comfort, and if you were getting driver flex with TWS 600, you won't be getting anymore, since Foam tips can help dynamic drivers escape the dreadful driver flex just fine.



Youtube Video

HIFIMAN TWS 600 IEMs Youtube Video Review:



Comparisons

The comparison list includes Lypertek Tevi, 1More Stylish TWS IEMs, Master & Dynamic MW07, Jays M-Six, and RHA TrueConnect. The comparison list covers a wide range of signatures and prices, so you get the best idea where TWS 600 fits in today's market, and if any of the others is a better fit for your tastes, you'll be able to make a purchase that maybe fits your tastes more. Don't forget to click on the names of each of the competitors, for an in-depth article about them, if you become curious.




HIFIMAN TWS 600 vs Lypertek Tevi (80 USD vs 100 USD) - Starting with the big and bad boy from this list, Lypertek Tevi has what most would call a really dynamic and engaging sound, and they are mostly a V-Shaped signature. This kind of sig works well for outdoors usage, and while the treble quantity is similar to TWS600, the midrange are considerably recessed on Tevi by comparison. TWS600 has a recessed bass, lower in amount and overall impact, compared to Tevi, but that can be solved via EQ. Tevi has that Linkin Park logo going on, which I liked, but I prefer the Terminator - Gaming aesthetics of TWS600. Tevi has aptX, and they have a longer battery life, with 10 hours per IEM, and with up to 70 Hours in total, in average being a double of TWS600. If you want a more general IEM that's good for almost everything, Tevi is easy to recommend, but TWS600 has more of an audiophile sound, with a wider soundstage, and more resolution.


HIFIMAN TWS 600 vs Master & Dynamic MW07 (80 USD vs 200 USD) - Master & Dynamic MW07 is much more expensive than TWS600, but TWS600 was initially launched at the same price, and although it is now almost a third of the price, TWS600 still can compete with MW07 in your purchase list. The first aspect you'll notice when comparing the two is the different fit and ergonomics of MW07, which sits better in your ears, thanks to a different fit model. The case is also much more stylish on MW07, but the battery life is almost three times better on TWS600. The connectivity is better on MW07, as they have aptX, and I also like the controls on MW07 a bit more. The sound is very different and if you are a basshead, you will enjoy MW07, and if you want an audiophile sound, you will enjoy TWS600 way more. The sound has much better clarity, resolution, and detail on TWS600, where on Mw07, you have better depth, better impact, and more substance to music. Both allow for some EQ, and both can be EQ'ed to sound a bit more balanced.


HIFIMAN TWS 600 vs Jays M-Six (80 USD vs 100 USD) - The Jays M-Six is priced at 100 USD, or at least this was the latest price I could find, and for that price, they were interesting, although they aren't exactly a TWS IEM, but rather one of those that goes around the neck. In terms of sonics, the Jays M-Six lacked resolution and detail, but had a smooth, easygoing sound that was quite enjoyable, and if you just wanted to pump some beats for a workout, it worked great. It has a marginally better fit than TWS600, but the battery life is way better on TWS600. Jays M-Six has aptX, but TWS600 with its SBC and AAC codecs is worlds ahead in terms of resolution and clarity, which makes it clear that HIFIMAN went with AAC and SBC for TWS600 for the connection stability and low power consumption rather than being lazy. As long as they managed to optimise squeezing every last bit of detail from the drivers of TWS 600, I personally don't care that much what codec it is, as long as it works alright.


HIFIMAN TWS 600 vs RHA TrueConnect (80 USD vs 170 USD) - The RHA True Connect is another TWS Earbud that has only AAC and SBC codecs, but it is more expensive, although it has a considerably more fancy carrying case and design. Since the treble and the upper midrange is recessed and rolled off for TrueConnect, it is easy for TWS600 to win in terms of clarity and detail. Resolution is also much better on TWS600, but the bass is considerably deeper, has more impact, and it is resolved better, with a more natural character on RHA True Connect. The soundstage is wide on TWS600, and intimate on True Connect, and the overall sound is smooth and warm on True Connect, which makes it easy to recommend for those looking for an easy sound. In the meanwhile, TWS600 reveals everything, so poorly recorded music will sound pretty poorly recorded. The comfort is marginally better on the True Connect, but this is just because TWS 600 also has an awesome comfort, so here's more of a situation where both are great.

HIFIMAN TWS 600 vs 1More Stylish TWS IEMs (80 USD vs 100 USD) - This one was also a pretty big favorite of mine, and although it isn't mentioned everywhere, it is one that is close to my heart, and an IEM that I will remember for a long time. The total battery life is better on TWS 600, and so is the control since the 1More is based on a touch control that makes it really hard to control them without accidentally touching something you didn't mean to. On the other hand, 1More implemented aptX in their Stylish IEMs, and they also have a better call quality, their microphone being better at rejecting the outside noise. Both TWS600 and Stylish IEMs come with Bluetooth 5.0, but there are considerably more colors for 1More, and as I noted in my Youtube Video review of them, their fit works well for sportive figures as well. The actual sound is much thicker, warmer and smoother for 1More, so TWS 600 wins in terms of resolution, midrange presence, clarity and detail. 1More wins in terms of bass, but you can EQ both quite a bit, as both rely on dynamic drivers and have some headroom, if you want to tweak their sound. TWS600 has a wider soundstage, where 1More is rather intimate, being the type of thick and warm intimate experience you'd want from romantic music, where TWS600 is an audiophile experience.



Value and Conclusion

The value for TWS600 is strong especially now, as they are priced at 80 USD at the moment of writing this review. They are a great deal, have a nice carrying / charging case, and are comfy. In fact, although they don't impress everyone, those of you who like a slightly more gaming-oriented aesthetic will love the TWS-600.




The build quality is as good as it gets. They are made of plastic, like virtually every TWS IEM in this world, since they all need to be as light as possible, but they are also made of one of those high-quality plastics, and they fit incredibly well. At least, if you have smaller ears, because if you have larger ears, they don't fit quite as well. This is because although the IEMs will fit in your ears, they won't fit back in the case quite as well.


The connectivity is exceptional, and I didn't manage to break the connection even once, but I did manage to torture the battery, and HIFIMAN qas quite honest about the battery life, they lived to up to 35 hours in total, which is as good as it gets for a TWS IEM, this is over a week of usage without a single charge. Since the case charges quickly, and it relies on a Type-C USB port, they are going to be alive for many years to come.



The sound is neutral, and bright, and the midrange is that kind of clear, crisp mid that you'd really enjoy, especially if you were looking for a sweeter and wider IEM, with a good instrument separation, great imaging, and with a good resolution. If you feel the bass is lacking a bit, you can always EQ them following the curve I have attached above, and you'll be able to give more substance and depth to the sound. Furthermore, with TWS600, you could even pull the midrange back a bit, and get a balanced sound if you really wanted to



At the end of the day, this is a fair IEM, with a really good price. Great comfort, exceptionally stable connection, amazing battery life, and great mid-forward, bright sound, with good resolution, instrument separation, and layering, TWS 600 is what I could call a good overall deal in every way, if you wanted a more audiophile-sounding TWS IEM.

Shop Page: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/tws600.html


Full Playlist used for this review


While we listened to considerably more songs than those named in this playlist, those are excellent for identifying certain aspects of the sound, like PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you're searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy.

Youtube Playlist



Tidal Playlist

https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b

Song List

Bats - Gamma Ray Burst: Second Date
Eskimo Callboy - Frances
Incubus - Summer Romance
Electric Six - Dager! High Voltage
Kishida Cult - High School Of The Dead
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Infected Mushroom - Song Pong
Attack Attack - Kissed A Girl
Doctor P - Bulletproof
Maximum The Hormone - Rock n Roll Chainsaw
Rob Zombie - Werewolf, Baby!
Escape The Fate - Gorgeous Nightmare
SOAD - Chop Suey
Ken Ashcorp - Absolute Territory
Machinae Supremacy - Need For Steve
Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Wanna Stop
Crow'sclaw - Loudness War
Eminem - Rap God
Stromae - Humain À L'eau
Sonata Arctica - My Selene
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back
Metallica - Fuel
Veil Of Maya - Unbreakable
Masa Works - Golden Japang
REOL - Luvoratorrrrry
Dope - Addiction
Korn - Word Up!
Papa Roach - ... To be Loved
Fever The Ghost - Source
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Mindless Self Indulgence - London Bridge
A static Lullaby - Toxic
Royal Republic - Addictive
Astronautalis - The River, The Woods
We Came As Romans - My Love
Skillet - What I Believe
Man With A Mission - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Yasuda Rei - Mirror
Mojo Juju - Must Be Desire
Falling Up - Falling In Love
Manafest - Retro Love
Rodrigo Y Grabriela - Paris
Zomboy - Lights Out
Muse - Resistance
T.A.T.U & Rammstein - Mosaku
Grey Daze - Anything, Anything
Katy Perry - Who Am I Living For
Maroon 5 - Lucky Strike
Machinae Supremacy - Killer Instinct
Pendulum - Propane Nightmares
Sirenia - Lithium And A Lover
Saving Abel - Addicted
Hollywood Undead - Levitate
The Offspring - Special Delivery
Escape The Fate - Smooth
Samsara Blues Experiment - One With The Universe
Dope - Rebel Yell
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Silverstein - My Heroine
Memphis May Fire - Not Over Yet

I hope my review is helpful to you!


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HiFiMan TWS 600 - the ugly duckling which can be turned into a beautiful swan

This is a brief description of the first 6 months with my first TWS earbuds. HiFiMan sent me these for my opinion. In the true nature of headfiers to headfiers, there has been no influence on what I write here; good or bad.

Introduction

The TWS market has really started to spring into life. As we all must realise by now, wireless is the future of the audio industry. Consumers are more than happy to not be trailing wires and stacking components on top of each other to listen to music. Most of which is now being streamed, of course. Headfiers don't yet, in the main, fall into that category. Many of us have enough cables to open our own stores. The question is- in 5 years time, will cables cease to exist?
The manufacturers are turning to wireless streaming devices in their droves. For the portable market, the revolution has already started. TWS is now here to stay. Samsung and Apple and Beats are well on board, and a few of our favourite companies have also jumped on board. HiFiMan was one of the first. I met up with the TWS 600 in a hotel in Canvey Island. Of all the bars in all the joints, and you had to be in mine... well, I was invited by Mark, of HiFiMan and Headfi fame.
At the time, the TWS had been on sale in China for less than a week. @dill3000 and myself were subjected to a bewildering number of top, middle and cheapy cheapy products from our Chinese friends. We went from the TWS 600 to the Susvara over the course of a busy few hours of work. Ahh....all work and no play. What a chore it must have been, I can hear you say!
My first impressions of the TWS 600? It worked functionally well, the buds and case looked splendiforous, all resplendent and shiny and new. But the sound.... I wasn't sure on that. The sound was detailed. But, it was thin and crisp. The bass sounded lean and artificial, there was some evidence of harshness in the upper mid and treble region, certainly to my ears.
I was subsequently sent a set. Eventually, my ears got accustomed to the eccentricities of the buds. While I was out running, as you can imagine with me gasping away and pounding the tarmac, certain frequencies were a little more muted. This made the whole experience a little more forgiving. I could appreciate the clarity of the vocal, or lead track. I had been working on eq to alleviate the bass issues and pulled some of the higher frequencies back.
I also had a few problems with the fit, my ears did not really like these buds, and had a particular dislike for the left one, attempting to dislodge it with any chance it got. I crushed a different sized tip into my ear canal and with a few micro adjustments on the hoof, I was able to safely transport them within the lugholes from a to b. The 2 problems had been slightly resolved, but I confess to putting the TWS 600 to one side for a few months.
My Wife did 2 things just after Christmas, both of which took me completely by surprise. 1 - she took up running. I never saw that coming again. 2 - she started using the TWS 600 for her runs. Jo swore by them, and, in fact, still swears by them. Jo is not an audiophile. She thinks we are all stark raving mad. She will think nothing of turning her nose up at a £1000 set of IEMs. The whole thing is nonsensical to the missus. And yet, she has made these buds her own. Jo was using stock tips, no eq and was happily playing internet radio through the phone, happy as Larry! I had not witnessed such behaviour. Jo hates wires. This was obviously the first attraction. Yet the sound signature that I had experienced didn't seem to faze her at all. These aspects caused a great disturbance in me. I clearly had to take another look at one of the few HiFiMan products I have disliked.



The above video explains my journey. I spent a long time working through the huge stash of eartips I have collected over the years. I would feel too guilty on these pages to confess to how long that time was. You know the score, you've been there too, right? If not, think in terms of way too long. You'll be halfway there. But, in my journey, I learned some things about what different types of tips do to the sound, certainly in my ears, and certainly for the TWS 600, which, incidentally, responds very differently to whichever hat you give it. My first thought, and Mark of HiFiMan's first suggestion too; the obvious, the good ole foamie. Yep, the Complys was always going to be the first port of call for a bud lacking a bitta bass. Trouble was, when said squishy was applied, things weren't perfect. There was more bass; it sounded less anaemic but it sounded too thick and artificial and the clarity of the upper mids and highs were too rolled back. The tips supplied by HiFiMan were of a very thin and flexible silicon. I contended that a thicker silicon with a foam insert might just the match I was looking for. I was right. I now have a bass that has a slight punch and have lost the harshness, or glare, in the upper frequencies, whilst retaining the clarity and detail that held a clue to the potential of the TWS all that time ago.
The next step was in finding a way for my strangely shaped ears to lock the 600s into place. I had been sent a big bag of tips from Venture Electronics to go with their Zen Dice LL earbud. 1 of the sets was what I can only describe as a silicon wing. The Dice LL would fall out of my ear. But with these wings in? Happy days! All good! I wondered whether such a set could be found that might fit around the bottom of the TWS shells. A few minutes of web trawling and I got my catch. 2 weeks later a set of wings arrived at my door. Without by chance or design, it appears that the TWS 600 has a protrusion around the middle of each shell. That shell will comfortably hold the silicon wings tightly into position. Once inserted in the ear, there is no need for any adjustments to the earbuds, no matter how much you sweat, no matter how hard you run. They don't move. And they are not in any way uncomfortable.
I have spent some time with the TWS 600 getting it right. I know there have been those before me who have just sent them back. It has proven to me, as I have been shown time and time again, that it's not over til it's over. Things can be done to make a product personal. And effort is always rewarded. Talking of which, is it time to lace up those trainers that are gathering dust under your shoe rack? Let's go running, people!

Design

The TWS600 take a very eye-catching design, making pretty much all the other HIFIMAN earphones look plain. It is impossible to overlook the kind of old-fashioned futuristic design with all gunmetal painted surface. There are no metal parts on the earpieces, it is all plastic made, and just about average at best in build quality. The shells are clearly on the large size, consisting in not two but three parts attached together. For the price you would expect a more premium quality and design or at least a more inspiring tougher built. Certainly not the strong point of the HIFIMAN products. For the active use the TWS600 still feature a minimal IPX4 rated resistance.

Despite the large shells, the TWS600 actually fit well and comfortable enough. I doubt they’d fit smaller ears, and personally find the fit too tight. The large part is placed on the outer side while the inner side looks like a more standard in-ear set with a like half in-ear design and fits like many similar standard wired IEMs should. The wide selection of ear tips may help to achieve shallower or deeper fit, though I found the single flange tips to provide the best results (at least from the included ones). Isolation is actually surprisingly good for wireless IEMs and on pair with the more isolating among universal wired earphones. It is very similar to what the Jays m-Seven achieve, of course not as ergonomic and comfortable but still fine.

The oval shaped storage/charging case is also a bit large, not very surprising as it needs to store the large earpieces. It is all plastic as well both on the outside and inside parts, with a whole magnetic surface inside. Again, the plastic material is average but makes it lightweight to carry around compared to heavy metal cases from other true-wireless sets. Moreover, the TWS600 hold a decent battery time (~5hrs) and can also be turned off and on without the case, so it is less essential to take the case everywhere. Charging connection is by Type-C USB.

The package includes a variety of silicone ear tips from standard single flange tips to tripe flange and also the own Hifiman small and large dual tips. While the quantity is more than any other true-wireless sets offer, there are a few things to note. First, the white long tips do not fit the earphones’ narrow nozzle, and while the other tips fit well, all the triple ear tips do not fit inside the charging case. Removing the tips is a solution but definitely not a comfortable one.
Unlike other new true-wireless earphones with touch sensitive controls, the TWS600 opt for a physical multi-functional single button on each earpiece. Every true-wireless set I’ve tried had its own operating buttons sequence, rarely following a common pattern, and the TWS600 are no exception. Do read the manual before buying these to see if they suit you. Anyway, the buttons are used for the usual playback functions, play/pause, next and previous, and also have volume control as well as voice-assistant feature. The volume control is quite good with no high jumps from each step, but when reaching the maximum level there is a very, very loud beep sound which I honestly think must be fixed. Single press is for play and pause, double for volume up and down and triple for track skipping. Strange thing is that volume up is set on the right side and low on the left, but to skip to the next track is on the left side and previous on the right.
Battery and Wireless performance

Battery performance rates about 5 hours of continuous use, what may vary depending on the volume set on the earphones side. It is now a more standard average among new true-wireless set that already beat the previous low 3hrs mark, but still not up there with the higher 9~10 times from a few competitors. The case adds 30 extra hours and a single full charge takes just about 1 hour.

Bluetooth codec support limits to just the basic SBC and AAC, no AptX. However, the low-latency is still supported, more critical for video playback than music. The wireless range is advertised to be the best one ever for any wireless product. HIFIMAN claim to reach the 150m, though only on a clear open field which I yet have to try. Crowded busy areas will limit the reach and quality, and as usual with a few of walls in the middle the transmission already breaks.


Sound

For their first wireless set, HIFIMAN utilizes a dynamic driver with their own new ‘Topology’ tech., featured on the upper and expensive top in-ear models, RE800 and RE2000. In theory it sounds like an interesting new implementation for the classical dynamic drivers, though quite difficult to say how much improvements it presents over other driver options. Nevertheless, it is still nice to see this in the more affordable earphones and even more in a true-wireless form.

The sound itself of the TWS600 is very different from other true-wireless in-ear sets I’ve listened to. All the other true wireless earphones are tuned with a warm, dark or at least v-shaped sound signature, with strong, energetic bass response, and more or less even midrange, less focused in details and accuracy. It might make sense if they are intended for more active, sport use, or more casual listening, with an engaging fun, more musical presentation.

The TWS600 is quite the opposite of all of that. The sound reminds of the older Hifiman earphones, the RE-0, RE-Zero and maybe the RE-252 too, with a very neutral, uncolored sound, clean presentation, more focused into clarity and accuracy with some touch of brightness. As noted above, the review unit here is a renewed version of the first released TWS600, and I’m not aware of the actual changes made on the sound, if any.

The low-end is as could be expected, light. It is quick, not forward but yes effortless enough and accurate. It simply lacks the mass and body, and there is not much of extension to it. Bass quantity is very shy, just neutral at most; there is a very small hint of warmth, not for texture but to avoid sounding too clinical. As a result, the midrange is very clean and open. It is lean, more liquid and pretty much flat neutral. Lower notes, instruments and vocals are thin in body and missing texture. Upper midrange is a bit more upfront and also brighter, where female vocals gain higher priority and instruments extra energy. However, treble is not too favorable. It is not due its brighter tonality as it is not too offensive, but starting from the most upper mids and lower-treble, the sound is kind of splashy, not smooth, and a bit of artificial. This throws off the timbre too – it could be the effect of true-wireless sets, though the RE2000 also presented a certain treble peak. While, it does sound less engaging and immersive, relatively to other wireless earphones which offer a full, more musical sound, the TWS600 is much more airy and spacious.

Disclaimer : The review unit is provided by Stars Picker Audio Library and will be returned and pass to another reviewer for review purposes. The package included TWS600 and extra eartips for tip rolling.

Introduction : This is my first TWS earphone I've ever tested and reviewed. All I've using are wired headphones (Modded Hifiman HE4XX, Modded Beyerdynamic DT880 250ohm 2003 ver., Alessandro MS1...) and IEMs (Campfire Nova Custom, Sony MH-755, Tin T2, Final Audio Design Heaven 2 DIY Ver...).

Source : Sony NW-A45, Sony Xperia XZ Premium

Apps : foobar2000, HiByMusic

Song Genre : Rock & Roll, Vocal/Jazz, some Pop and Hip-Hop

I am listening mostly Rock & Roll and Vocals, some Hip-Hop and Pop, so I am very leaning towards V & U-shape, fun sound signature. I am not a basshead by all means, but I like deep and full-bodied bass. For highs, I am not terribly sensitive to sibilance, but I still like them rolled off just enough not to cause a needle city in my ears.
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I will splitting the review in seperate sections:

1) Packaging
2) Design
3) Accessories(Eartips)
4) Usage and Charging
5) Connectivity
6) Sound
7) Tip Rolling
8) Comparison with Haylou GT1


It comes with a standard cardbox box, felt sturdy and premium, but looks generic for the product this price. Upon opening the box, you will be greeted with earphones(Left & Right) and Charging Case.

The charging cable, warranty cards and instruction manual(English, Chinese) are included inside the box.

*Side Note* On the instruction manual and info, Hifiman insisted that there should be a 10~20 hours of break-in/burn-in period, which I believed is properly done by previous users(5 days of testing and review by 5~6 users before me).


The TWS600 are small, fits snugly in my ears and I have no problem fitting them. But I wish they have some textured surface as they might slipped through my hands when I removing them from my ears.

As the design choice, they look like beans and the swirling design on the face is not my taste. But at least they looked different from other generic TWS earphone on the market.

The button is placed in the middle of the earphone. Clicking either one of them once will play/pause the music. Double click on the right side will increase the volume and on the left will do the opposite. Triple click on the right side will skip the song forward and the left will do the opposite too. But the problem is when you clcik the button, it will push further into your ear canal, which might cause some discomfort. Your mileage may vary due to ear canal size and fitment. If they decided to put touch function to replace the button, it would be a good option as well.

The charging case, it looks slick and slim, with the Hifiman plaque on top. The charging case uses the USB-C charging port and sits on the rear left side. It is recessed and sits nicely inside.


The original package includes 9 pairs of eartips:

- 1 pair of triple flanges eartip
- 3 pair of double flanges eartip

- 5 pair of silicon eartip ->3 narrow bore and 2 wide bore

Extra eartips are provided for tip rolling. These include:

- Acoustune AET-08,
-SpinFit CP-500,
-Sony EP-TC50.
All these eartips are available in S,M,L sizes.

*Side Note* I will be using most of the tips in M and L size. I will discuss how the eartips affect the sound in the later chapter.


The charging of the TWS is easy, just slide the earphone into the left and right slot respectively, and it will sits nicely.

The button on the left and right will play/pause, increase/decrease volume, skip tracks forward and backward. But the present of physical button means you will have to press the button and eventually it will push into your ears. If it using touch sensitve surface instead of button, it might improve on the experience of the user. But it is just my nitpicking on this tiny earphone here.

The charging case was around 40~50% when I received the unit. Charging the case to full power by laptop is quite fast, less than 2 hour and it is fully charged.

The claim from Hifiman is that the earphone will last 5.5 hours and extra 33 hours from the charging case.

I tried it on my office hours, which lasted for around 3~4 hours of playing time and it is still going strong(playing FLAC and some DSD files).


Out of the box, it is recommended to activate both side of the TWS earphone and put it back to the case, and it will pair the left and right unit together.

But in reality for first time user, it was finnicky to connect sometimes. It will sometime connect just to one side and you will need to put them back to case in order to pair the earphones together.

After leaving inactive for 10~15 minutes, it will shut down and you will need to switch it on again.

While wearing the TWS and walking around to different rooms with music on(the player stays on the table 10~15m away), the connection stays pretty well and without any disconnection. Althought on some room with hallways and bends, the music will stutter. But it is expected as that specific room is bad for wifi and cell reception.

While playing musics, it will sometimes buffer or stutter, but it will resumes just fine after half a second or so. It does not occurs too often but sometimes breaks your enjoyment of music. I have encounter some other problem with it's connection with laptop. It connects just fine but there is a lot of hissing and noise even with no music playing. The noise is audible and the music also stutters when it is connected to PC. I have no idea what is affecting the music to stutter.

For calling, the sound is crystal clear, no delays or any buffering during call. The person on the other side of the phone call can listen to my voice loud and clear. Very nicely done on this part.


For sound, it's a mixed feeling for me. For the general sound signature, it's like n-shape or A-shape, a really mid-centric type of earphone.

The bass does not have body nor extension. For the bass presence, it's there, but it is just like rock skipping through water and without any significant impact or 'Oomph'. In the live version of Hotel California by Eagles, the bass at the beginning should felt deep impact. But in this earphone, it just feel like what I've said earlier, it just like the bass just skimming through the song. Also from other Hip-Hop and beat heavy songs, the bass is just merely a presence in the flow of the song, no "Oomph" when the beats drop.

The mids, it felt decent and excels relatively well on vocal centric song. The female vocal might not be as lush as other dedicated IEMs, but it is decent. But for some male vocal, it does present some peaks here and there, but does not sound wonky or weird.

The high/treble, I did not felt too much sparkle nor presence. It felt somewhat lackluster and leave me disappointed just a bit.

For the details, it is decent, with musics' detail to be presented to the listener, but never to-your-face type.

For the soundstage, it is narrow and just stuck to both side of your ears, barely gets any further from there. The sound felt compressed and congested on the mids with the stock tips on(Narrow bore, L size). Tip rolling is suggested and will be discussed next.


With Acoustune AET-08 eartips, the sound loosen up a bit and felt more airy, but the bass and highs are still missing albeit being improved just a bit. Overall, much more enjoyable than the stock one.

With SpinFit CP500, it felt similar to the Acoustune tips. It does move the mid a little further away, but still peaky.

With Sony EP-TC50, it makes the sound more towards V-shape, improving the bass response a little, but it still not getting anywhere near thumping nor jaw vibrating. Overall, it makes it more warmer sounding.


I grab my colleague's Haylou GT1 for a quick comparison with Hifiman TWS 600 and it presented something quite interesting.
For Haylou GT1, it's almost 10x cheaper than Hifiman and it is your typical V-shape sound signature, but it is less resolving and a even slightly smaller soundstage than Hifiman. Both of these TWS are only connected via SBC. Haylou is more engaging and fun, but it might wears your ear out faster in complex tracks. It's mids is way more recessed than Hifiman which is almost a complete opposite of TWS 600. If Hifiman can bump up the bass and it's quantity and quality, slightly tone down the mids, I would chose the Hifiman more.

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Conclusion, for the price of ~159 USD (RM629) for the time of writing this review, I feel like it falls a little bit short in terms of sound quality and price point. Awkward button placement on the shell means you will need to push the earphone further into your ear to push the button. Bass shy and recessed highs, but it might excels in vocal heavy tracks.

If you wanted to try something different, you can consider this TWS and try it yourself. Also I would strongly suggest tip rolling to experiment with the sound by yourself. For me, Acoustune and Sony tips are the best for this. For functionality, it works perfectly fine albeit with it's quirk(except my laptop which I couldn't figure out why), and phone call quality is all crystal clear and crisp.

Thanks for reading!

Thank you Mr. Paul of HIFIMAN Electronics for letting us give our honest take towards the HIFIMAN TWS600. Given that the review unit is from them and is free of charge, it doesn’t affect the honesty and integrity of this review.

Shop Links:

Hifiman Shop:

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/tws600.html

ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFIMAN-TWS600-True-Wireless-Hi-Fi-Sweatproof-Noise-Isolated-Sports-Earphones/254278524165?pageci=a8e039d8-f608-4188-bfc8-4df8afb6e7ca

Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TR4C9L2?ref=myi_title_dp

The Company

HIFIMAN has been one if not the best headphone maker out there, they specialized in producing headphones with unconventional drivers, they used Planar Magnetic drivers as the owner, Dr. Fang actually has researches regarding the technology behind Planar Magnetic drivers. Up until now they are very popular in the audiophile realm with several awards and positive feedback. HIFIMAN ANANDA and SUNDARA are few of their new lineups and it is quite popular in audiophile groups. HIFIMAN continues to be one of the top brands in headphone class and it is my personal favorite.

The Hifiman TWS600
The Hifiman TWS600 came with a medium sized red box, company, product name and the product itself are all printed above the box. Turning it and looking the bottom of the box, the features are listed some of those are IPX4 and Bluetooth 5.0 capabilites. To be honest for a device at this price range, I’m expecting a larger box with more premium feeling, I mean the Sabbat E12 has a good looking packaging. Diving inside the box, there’s 8 various pairs of eartips which feels premium to me especially the transparent silicone tip which gave me the best sound and fit. There’s also a type C cable and some paperworks. For me the packaging experience should’ve been better, I mean for a price like this I’m expecting more like a carrying pouch for longevity of the charging case, well maybe the small box is for it to be less space consuming when it is shipped to other countries but for 7,500 Php (149 USD) TWS IEM and for me it’s forgivable given that they are relatively one of the biggest name in Audiophile world. The battery life is good though, the IEM can go up to 5 hours on my usage and the charging case can charge it up to 6 times which is note worthy.

Technical Specifications:

Connectivity

I’ve tested it with devices which only has Bluetooth 4.2 but all of them supports aptX and LDAC which the Hifiman TWS600 lacks. It is easy to connect, the moment I turn on the Bluetooth and pair it, it took less than a minute before the TWS600 connected to my sources. The connection is pretty stable as well, both earpiece doesn’t have latency issues, even when watching videos there’s no lag or delay which is commendable. Distance wise, I tried leaving it at our second floor and I went down to cook some breakfast and it didn’t disconnect therefore the connection of the TWS600 is great.

Sound
I love gears with midcentric to flat sound signature as I really love listening to vocals rather than instruments. My genre ranges from heavy rock, alternative rock, pop rock, acoustic, pop, jazz and folk. Majority of my test tracks are in 16 bit – 44 khz and 24 bit – 48 khz FLAC file and here is the list of my commom test tracks.

1. Reese Lansangan – For the Fickle (background, female vocals and upper mids)
2. Foo Fighters – Bridge Burning (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
3. Jensen and the Flips – Come Closer (Mid Bass, Mids)
4. Ed Sheeran – Dive (Mid bass, Lower Mids)
5. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (Upper Mids and Instruments)
6. Paramore – Hard Times (Imaging, Layering, Coherence, Sub bass and Mid bass, Mids, Treble)
7. Utada Hikaru ft. Skrillex – Face My Fears (Imaging Layering, Bass, Mids, Treble, Coherence, Quickness)
8. Passenger – Coins in a Fountain (Mid bass, Layering, Imaging, Instruments, Lower mids, Treble)
9. Tori Kelly – Hollow (Background, Upper mids)
10. Ariana Grande – Raindrops (Background, Upper mids)

Bass

Unlike all of the TWS devices that I’ve tried, this is something different, something unique in a good way. It doesn’t have that monstrous bass, it has decent extension everything below 100 Hz sounds faint, texture is above average and it is placed quite linear. Mid bass sounds modest as well, it doesnt punch hard and has subtle weight on it. Luckily it is tight enough and well controlled, texture is decent as it leans toward smooth sounding pair. Bass speed is definitely note worthy, most TWS that I’ve tried lacks attack and decay speed resulting to congested staging when subjected to complex tracks.

Midrange


Another interesting part is the midrange, it’s forward and is presented in a lush manner. Lower mids sounds full and has moderate body, male vocals sounds satisfying and far from being thin nor hollow. Upper midrange has a bit too much thickness resulting to lack of sweetness and high pitch emphasis especially on female vocals. It has moderate amount of details and is really smooth, very good tuning for a TWS because it is made to be used casually and not for analytical usage.

Treble

Again, the treble is quite smooth just like the bass and midrange. The amount of air just enough, sparkle somewhat lacking but that’s a good point for someone who will use the device for four straight hours listening to metal and rock music full of splashes. Decay speed is quite snappy and it doesn’t congest the staging, the positioning is almost the same with the bass making the sound signature slightly inverted U shaped. Extension isn’t something stellar but definitely forgivable, there’s no signs of sibilance nor harshness due to peaks, a very smooth and relaxing companion for long hours of casual listening.

Sound stage and Resolution

As expected, it won’t excel that much in this area, due to the forwardness of the midrange there’s slight congestion especially with complex tracks. It has enough height and width but it lacks depth. Layering and imaging is good enough, I can easily pin point the placement for as long as the track isn’t complex by nature. Resolution is decent, it is quite smooth and soft in comparison to wired IEMs at this price but of course they’re like apples and oranges, for a TWS device and for casual listening it is detailed enough maybe close to resolution of sub 5000-6000 Php wired IEMs.

Sound Signature and Synergy

Sound signature of the TWS600 is leaning to mid-centric with velvety smooth presentation. I liked this one because mid-centric gears are not so popular and quite rare in this hobby thus, listening to the TWS600 with my female dominated library has been very enjoyable. Pairing this one with warm source is much recommended because for me it slightly lacks bass impact and weight, so adding a bit of warmth would be really great.

Huawei P20 and Mate 10


I wasn’t able to turn on the aptX of both these phone because it is locked with the current EMUI version but as per comments in some forums it will automatically choose aptX when the device used is aptX compatible, sadly the TWS600 doesn’t have it.

Both smartphone lacks Bluetooth 5.0 so I’m stucked with Bluetooth 4.2 which still performs nicely. I can literally use it when I’m cooking while my phone is charging at our second floor, there’s no latency issue too, I expected some kind of delay when watching movies but there’s none.

Sound wise, both phones almost share the same sound signature on bluetooth, they’re a bit warm compared to my Shanling M3s (high quality enabled) and has less treble presence. The TWS600 sounded nice with these two, slightly boosting the bass and retaining the midrange that I love. Detail wise it’s far from exceptional but again, it is more than decent for your casual listening. Sound stage isn’t that spacious and accurate but definitely forgivable because it performs better than any TWS that I’ve tried so far.

Shanling M3s


It sounds a lot cleaner and more detailed with the M3s. The M3s also have a Bluetooth 4.0 and I can use it within 10 m range and that’s more than enough, afterall you’ll not go somewhere further than that without bringing your source. Bass sounds lighter but more detailed, midrange sounds less thick and has better transparency, treble has better extension and sparkle. Sound stage sounds more spacious than Smartphones that I’ve used but the depth is still lacking. Layering and imaging is on point especially with less complicated tracks while overall resolution is above decent.

Comparison

Advanced Model X

Advanced model X sounds different it has more sub bass and mid bass but it sounds smoother in comparison. Lower midrange to upper midrange sounds recessed on the model X which is the exact opposite of the TWS600, the TWS600 sounds more natural and has better resolution too. Lastly the treble of model X is more prominent and forward compared to the TWS600, both has good enough sparkle and extension with TWS600 being slightly airer. Soundstage seems to be slightly more spacious with the model X but it feels less accurate in terms of imaging and layering. Resolution goes to the TWS600 though the difference isn’t that far.

Feature-wise, they almost have the same functions but the TWS600 is click-operated while the model X is touch operated. Both TWS is rated at 4-5 hours per charge but the TWS600 has slightly more juice in the case (around 3 to 5 hours more). The TWS600 has the better fit, it has very strong suction making it almost impossible to fall from your ears, it has also a type C port which is an edge over the model X. Lastly both doesnt have LDAC or aptX support since it isn’t listed on their site, despite having bluetooth 5.0, its max operating range is just 10m in comparison to the TWS600 that is 50m.

Conclusion


The tuning of TWS600 is something that isn’t common, most of TWS that I’ve tried has big bass and slightly recessed midrange. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is very good for jazz and acoustic genre, but it may not please someone who listen with classical and EDM because they aren’t bass or treble cannon. It has a very good battery life, nice fit, sleek housing and excellent connection, I never had any latency issues even when watching videos at any quality. Overall the sound signature is lovable (for me), it has a forward midrange and both ends has decent extension and quantity, it is ergonomic and has nifty control features if you want a premium TWS device that has excellent connection and fit then the TWS600 is one to consider the only downside is the lack of aptX or LDAC which is present with cheaper product but if I have to choose between this and Advanced Model X which is just 50 USD cheaper, I’d take the TWS600 in a heartbeat.

HIFIMAN TWS600 Review: Brewing time

Well, well, well, turns out HIFIMAN also decided to join the intense TWS competition. I was mildly surprised to see a highly Hi-Fi focused brand like Hifiman to come up with a TWS earphone.

Of course, big Hi-Fi brands like Sennheiser already came up with their Momentum TWS but they've been producing Bluetooth products for a while now. I guess it could be considered foolish for not joining this trend since TWS is what most consumers are nowadays looking for.


Though I was quite skeptical of how Hifiman is going to manage with this because even before we talk about TWS, Hifiman isn't so familiar with Bluetooth from the first place.

Well, but I'm certain that Hifiman hasn't come up with the TWS600 in a rush but spent enough time doing research and developments. Will this one live up to the expectations? Let's take a look at the TWS600 and see how Hifiman did with their TWS.






Packaging

The packaging for the TWS600 looks more sporty and somewhat less "geeky". Nothing standing out from the packaging but it's a familiar look. Other than the earpieces, it includes a dedicated case, a charging cable, a good amount of silicone and foam tips, and some paperwork. Doesn't feel to be including much accessories if I call them out like this, but it includes all the essentials with a variety of eartips.






Earpieces - Specs and features

TWS600 sports an 8.5mm Topology dynamic driver. There's a good reason why this one has a numbering of 600 - it uses the same driver from the good old RE600 but with the new Topology technology. Let me talk about the Topology tech after going through the technical specs.

• Bluetooth 5.0, IPX4 resistance
• Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz
• Weight: 5.9g per earpiece
• Earpiece playtime: 5.5 hours
• Charging case capacity: Extra 33 hours
• Full-charge: 1 hour for the earpieces / 1.5 hours for the case
• Transmission distance: Max. 150m (490ft)
• Earpiece features: play/pause, volume control, next/previous, built-in microphone, single-channel option

Topology diaphragm

I've previously addressed this before, though Topology diaphragm refers to a driver coated with a unique nano-coating which is distributed in a specific geometric pattern or thickness.

Hifiman claims that varying the shape, pattern, and thickness of this geometric coating will manipulate the sound signature and characteristics, making them able to achieve the very specific sound they’re looking for. Hifiman began applying this technology starting from the release of RE2000 / RE800 variations and this is their third model to be applied with it.






Design and comfort

The looks on the TWS600 is very different from formal Hifiman products, having that unique, asymmetrical appearance. This is likely done to provide a better fit and it actually does snug into my ears comfortably.

The faceplates have that Terminator-looking design with the center button lighting up as red during booting or charging. The color of the light changes to purple during pairing mode as well as blue when it's fully charged. The earpieces stay nicely secured even during intense workouts or running and don't cause any pain or fatigue.






Playtime and connectivity

I'm actually amazed by the technical performance these have. First of all, the playtime. I'm not much of an expert when it comes to TWS, though 5.5 hours was more than good enough to use without having concerns with battery life.

Most people, including me, don't actively use earphones for more than 5 hours at once and I haven't encountered a situation where the battery ran out in use. If you use more than 5 hours straight.. you probably shouldn't for the ears' sake.


Second, the range. Hifiman released testing footages where they've mark 150m (490ft) distance away from the device and still not having a problem with the connection.

This was done on an obstacle-free environment so you probably won't get the same numbers in your daily life, but I was able to get a seamless connection while keeping a distance of 3~3.5 meters with doors and obstacles.






Charging and latency

This case is a cute one. Round, small, and relatively light. It has magnets strong enough to stay clamped and secure and a battery capacity to provide TWS600 with an extra 33 hours of playtime. It uses a type-c charging cable and gets fully charged within 1.5 hours.

I also like that they've added a rubber padding on the bottom to prevent it from rolling around on the surface. The case feels solid but slightly vulnerable to scratches.


The stability is also what I've found to be outstanding. I honestly don't think I ever had a connection lost while hanging around in crowded places or in metros while my Whizzer TP1 and Soul X-Shock did on some occasions. I've been spending quite a long time with the TWS600 now and I don't remember having a connection lost at any point in time.


The earpieces would pair with saved devices extremely fast and ready to be played even before I stick them into my ears. The latency wasn't an issue either. The sound stays very well synced and closely intact with the video speed. The lips from the video match with the sound without a problem.






Sound signature: Lows / Mids

Hifiman suggests having more than 10-20 hours of burn-in time before making claims about the sound, so I've spent some good amount of time before writing my impressions. TWS600 has a rather flat, mid-centric sound signature.

Bass feels calm and fast, not leaving much reverbs or rumbles. It rather lacks depth and extension on the lower side. The dynamics also seem to be too weakened to provide enough musical details.


The vocals feel materially soft, so it doesn't feel spikey or harsh in the ears, however lacks texture details. The imaging feels to be very slightly faded out, which I don't mean it's blurry, but enough to detect the mids to feel a bit somewhat "far". It's close to a feeling of a 3D sound field being applied.

It's appreciable since this isn't so excessive and doesn't harm the naturality too much, but the lacking depth just makes the overall sound signature to be missing something.






Sound signature: Highs / etc.

Maybe if they removed or lowered the 3D-ish effect and rather pulled the mid-range imaging forward? That actually could have resulted in really neat and beautiful sounding vocals actually. It's overall okay (mediocre), but for Hifiman? It could have been better.


While I've been saying this from an audiophile perspective who would be listening to music, I could probably pitch this up to the very top if we're talking about listening to voices.

Mids keep a good distance without getting veiled or overwhelmed by the bass, so it provides a very comfortable listening experience. The vocals are quite thin in thickness and work better with female vocals. There are lots of air and openness, making the sound refreshing without getting the ears fatigued. There are no sibilance and overall sounds very comfortable and flat.


Highs are recessed and have a similar quantity to the lows. The details are clearly displayed, but a bit far distance as well as that "3D effect" making the striking force pretty weak. The extension and extensions are okay though.

The soundstage is slightly better than mediocre and the 3D effect I've been saying highlights more on the spatial perspective, leaving a possibility for some to feel this to be artificial.






Verdicts

Solely paying attention to the drivers, I could detect right away that these drivers have huge potential. Those lush tonality and texture unique to the topology divers I felt from RE2000 and RE800, they're definitely there.


Unlike wired ones, software tuning is a crucial part of tuning a TWS IEMs. The technical parts were nailed hard and all ready-to-go, though I think TWS600 needed a bit more brewing time on tuning the software before hitting the market.

For the current price, TWS600 is still a good choice to make just for its technical performance, but I believe the hurdles need to be set higher if it's from "the" Hifiman.


There would be doubts if you are looking for an outdoor replacement for your serious audiophile gears, but for watching or listening talk shows, typical YouTube videos, and exercise music?

I'd still be confident enough to recommend in these cases. I'm happy using these as my EDC, but I'll still be keeping my fingers crossed and wait for a real, proper "audiophile-grade" TWS IEM from them.







Thanks to Hifiman for providing TWS600 in exchange for an honest impression/feedback.

I am not affiliated with Hifiman and none of my words were modded or asked to be changed.

Greetings!

Today we're checking out HIFIMAN's TWS 600, their first entry into the booming truly wireless earphone market.

Bluetooth products have become commonplace within the last few years thanks to improvements in sound quality, connection reliability, and us consumers being somewhat forced into them thanks to major manufacturers opting to remove headphone jacks from their products. Annoying, but so is the world we live in. Truly wireless earphones are still in their relative infancy with worthy products only hitting the market quite recently. By worthy, I mean those that offer up acceptable sound quality and stable connections, along with natural ergonomics and long term comfort.

The TWS 600 is the first truly wireless product from HIFIMAN, a brand that is probably best known for their high end, full-sized planar magnetic headphones. Along with Bluetooth 5.0 and an IPX4 water/dust resistance rating, this new earphone incorporates tech from HIFIMAN's high end earphones, that being their topology diaphragm technology which was previously only found in the RE800 and RE2000 (and their Silver counterparts).

Along with some impressive specs, the TWS 600 offers up a sound signature I have not heard in this segment, but is that enough to warrant consideration? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

Thanks to HIFIMAN for arranging a sample of the TWS 600 for the purposes of review. The thoughts within are my own subjective opinions based on time using the product (50+ hours). They do not represent HIFIMAN or any other entity. At the time of writing the TWS 600 retailed for 199 USD.

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/TWS 600.html

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.

Specifications:

Earphones

• Size: 25mm x 17.4mm x 26mm
• Weight: 5.9g/earpiece
• Battery Capacity: 55mAH/earpiece
• Charge Time: 1hr
• Effective Voltage: 3.3V-4.2V
• Standby: 110hr
• Music Play Time: 5-6hr
• Talk time: 4-5hr
• Bluetooth Version: 5.0
• Pf Transmission Power: Class 2
• Transmission Distance: >10m, up to 50 (depending on the environment)
• Codec Support: CVSD, mSBC, SBC, AAC
• SNR: >95dB

Charge Case

• Size: 44mm x 80mm x 33mm
• Weight: 55g
• Charge Port: Type-C USB
• Charge Time: 1.5hr
• Extra Usage: 33hr

Packaging and Accessories:

The TWS 600 arrives in a fair-sized black and red cardboard box with a retail ready hanger protruding top the top. On the front of the package is an image of the TWS 600's earpieces along with the usual branding and model information. A few product highlights can be found within a red band; a combined battery life of 38.5 hours, Bluetooth 5.0 support, and fast charging. On the rear of the box you find contact information for HIFIMAN Support along with additional product highlights; stable connectivity from 10-50m, IPX4 sweat and dirt resistance, an ergonomic design, call and music playback up to 38.5 hours, and voice assistance support with most phones. They also highlight battery indicator support with some phones and operating systems.

Lifting the lid you're greeted by a small card thanking you for your order. On the back there is a reminder to register your TWS 600 within the one year warranty period. Why? They'll give you an extra three months support. Very nice of you HIFIMAN. Beneath the card the interior is dominated by a dense foam insert in which the earpieces and charge case are safely nestled. Beneath the foam insert you find the included tips, a usb-C cable, and some documentation. In all you get:

• TWS 600 earphones
• Charge case
• usb-C cable
• 9 pairs of silicone tips
• Instruction manual
• Warranty card

Overall a pretty standard unboxing, except for one thing; the tip selection. HIFIMAN has one upped the competition here by offering a ton of different tips that you can use to find the best possible fit for your ear. Most offer a simple s/m/l selection of basic single flange tips. Now, I have seen some complaints about tips not fitting in the charge case. Since I like to consider myself reasonably thorough, I put this to the test.

Of the nine different pairs HIFIMAN includes, only two do not fit. Those were the extra long bi- and tri-flange pairs. Looking into third party options, similarly extra long multi-flange tips do not fit, nor do large foam tips (unless you compress them first). One of my preferred set of tips, the broad triple flange set that came with the classic Xiaomi Piston 2, actually worked p;erfectly which I was surprised about.

Let's compare cases and tip compatibility with the Nuforce BeFREE8, SoundPEATS TrueFree+ and Q26, Astrotec S60 and S60 5.0, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (MTW). Most of these are designed to accommodate at most the preinstalled medium sized single flange tips. Few can take the stock large. None but the MTW can accommodate the chunky Xiaomi tips that work fine with the HIFIMAN case. None but the MTW can take standard medium foams (Comply or otherwise) without compressing them first. None work with the insanely long double or triple flange tips HIFIMAN provides with the TWS 600, will nor do other third party options fit, though the MTW will accept some shorter bi-flange options. HIFIMAN comes out way ahead of all but the MTW with a case that is much more flexible when it comes to charging the ear pieces with a variety of different tips attached. Also in Sennheiser's favour, their case has a hollow lid allowing you to carry your detached tips with the earphones, should they not fit.

Personally, I think the case/tip concerns are overblown and that most customers won't have any problems. But what if you do!? Remove the tips and toss them in your pocket or set them beside the case while charging. I've had to do it in the past with the BeFREE8 and Q26. It's not that inconvenient, and other brands handle this far, far worse. Yes, HIFIMAN could improve this with a future revision or complete product replacement, but as is this is still one of the better cases out there (and the best I've come across) for tip accommodation when charging.

Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

The TWS 600 earpieces seem to take inspiration from General Motors interiors during the 90s. By that I mean they are plastic-fantastic, bulbous, and bubbly. Unlike GM in the 90s, HIFIMAN didn't do it poorly. The plastics feel very dense and tough and all the component parts fit together with very tight seams, something that probably helped the TWS 600 achieve it's IPX4 sweat and dirt resistance rating. Still, the seams are clearly visible, as are lines from the molding process. This plus the odd shape makes them look cheaper than they are, and feel. The HIFIMAN logo and L/R markers are printed onto the bodies of each ear piece. I fully expect them to wear off over time as they interact with the oils of your skin. Fortunately, the ear pieces are clearly designed to be worn only one way. The case also has redundant L/R markings, so it shouldn't lead to much confusion when/if the print begins to wear off.

On the face of each ear piece is a deceptively small multifunction button which depresses with a fairly satisfying 'snick'. It is pleasantly damped and as such isn't obnoxiously loud when the TWS 600 is in your ear and the button is pressed. Giving the TWS 600 an even more unique look are the transparent spiralling tendrils that emanate outwards from the multi-function button, lighting up bright blue or red to show device functions. Overall the build of the earpieces is just fine. Nothing comes across overly premium, and while the slightly arguably goofy design might look somewhat low rent, it doesn't feel that way.

The charge case is also mostly plastic and carries on with a somewhat obscure, egg-shaped design of it's own. Offset to the right on the lid is a HIFIMAN logo made from what appears to be aluminum or an alloy of some sort. Those that like everything mirrored are probably going to be infinitely annoyed by the placement of the logo, and probably the usb-C port too. That can be found on the back to the left of the hinge. On the bottom is a ovular anti-slip rubber ring on which the case rests. The lid is held securely shut via a strong magnet and isn't likely to open by accident. Opening the lid requires separating a small tab on the front of the case by lifting the two halves away from each other. HIFIMAN has pressed small arrows into the case so you know which tab goes in which direction. Once you've got the case open, there are spacious, magnetic openings to accommodate the earpieces. Large padded cutouts can be found in the lid to ensure everything is held securely in place. Found in between where the ear pieces rest is a battery icon with four small LED lights. This indicator tells you how much battery life remains in the case. For the most part I find the case very well constructed. While it doesn't look particularly premium, it feels tough. My only main complaint is levied at the hinge design. It feels plenty durable, but let's the lid flip so far back the top and bottom halves of the case bind. When that happens, closing the lid results in an uncomfortable snapping sound as the two halves bind. HIFIMAN did mould in a ridge with a small indent to seemingly get around this, but it doesn't work.

Despite it's size and bulbous shape, the TWS 600 is actually quite ergonomic and very comfortable. The shell is more or less divided into two segments. The main body and a compact wart on which the nozzle resides. This wart is around 15mm in diameter and smoothly rounded to rest lightly against your outer ear. It causes zero discomfort and provides adequate support in dispersing what little weight is present across it's surface. The rest of the body is just as well-rounded so it too avoids interacting with the ear in a way that would cause hot spots or other forms of discomfort. The nozzle is a pretty average 5mm at it's widest, and around 7mm long, protruding at a ~45 degree angle. It all feels quite natural once inserted. The standard nozzle width combined with a prominent lip also allows you to roll through a wide variety of tips to find the one that works best for your ear, should none of the stock pairs do the trick.

Isolation is about average with silicone tips, no music playing. Using the stock medium wide bore pair, sitting at my computer, typing results in only the snappiest part of the keystroke being clearly audible. Mouse clicks are audible too. Cars passing by on the road outside my window can be heard but what is normally a cacophony of noise is reduced to a mellow rumble. Taking the TWS 600 for a test drive at my local coffee shop you can still hear voices but they are muffled. Following a conversation would be pretty challenging. Toss on foam tips or some multi-flange silicone tips and expect isolation performance to improve to slightly above average. While the TWS 600's isolation is pretty good, I would have liked it to be even better so what little bass there is isn't almost completely drown out by your environment.


Sources and Connection:

The TWS 600 was tested with a number of devices; LG G5, LG G6, Shanling M0, Shanling M1 and an ASUS FX53V laptop. Connecting to a device is very easy. Simply remove the primary (left) ear piece from the case and it will automatically power up and enter pairing mode. You'll know because the LED will flash red and blue, and a voice will announce that you've entered pairing mode. Turn your source's Bluetooth function on and search for a device. The TWS 600 will show in the list of available devices as “TWS 600”. Select it and you're connected. If you remove the right earpiece from the case, it will automatically search for and pair with the left to enter stereo mode. You'll know the two sides are connected because it will be announced.

Connection strength was for the most part fairly strong and reliable. Though, seemingly at random, every once in a while the right earpiece would drop connection with the left, or they would both disconnect from each other and the source device. Connections will always re-establish themselves quickly and without missing much of a beat, but it still happens. Doesn't matter if I'm right beside the source, or meters away. One aspect of the TWS 600 that stands above is it's low latency. Should you choose to use these for video, you'll find the audio syncs up very well with what it is you are watching. If there is a delay, it is imperceptible to me.

The TWS 600 is rated for 10-50m, dependent on the environment. In my apartment, the TWS 600 doesn't perform any better than your average truly wireless product with cutouts happening once a few obstacles are in the way. This means the TWS 600 falls behind recent budget oriented products I've covered, those being the Astrotec S60 5.0 and SoundPEATS TrueFree+, which will retain a connection almost anywhere in my apartment.

Overall I find the connection quality to be quite average. Given the somewhat premium price point of the TWS 600, I was expecting it to be among the top echelon of truly wireless products I've tested, but that has not been my experience. On the positive side, latency is wonderfully low so watching video with the TWS 600 makes for a positive experience.

Battery Performance:

The battery life of the TWS 600 is outstanding. Rated for 5 to 6 hours of music play time, I had no issues reaching it. With the TWS 600's volume maxed out and the volume set at 4 of 15 on my LG G6, I managed 6 hours and 21 minutes on one charge. I can't imagine I got any lower than that on other listening sessions given I was listening on only 2 out of 15 on the G6 for all those sessions. This thing is extremely loud.

Controls:

The TWS 600 doesn't rewrite the single multi-function control book, featuring actions that are easy to pull off and reasonably common/intuitive.

Using either the left or right ear piece, you can press once to pause/play, or accept/end a call.

A 2 second press will decline an incoming call. If no call is incoming, a 2 second press will open your phone's voice control feature.

Double pressing the left button will reduce the volume. Double pressing the right button will raise the volume.

Triple pressing the left button will skip to the next track. Triple pressing the right button will return to the previous track. Note that a triple press and hold will not allow you to scrub through a track.

While I find these controls work fine, I would prefer some slight alterations. Instead of triple pressing to skip back and forth through tracks, move that function to a double press and have volume function on a single or double press + hold action. A single quick press can be used to decline an incoming call, and a triple press on either side would do to bring up voice control. In my experience, fewer misclicks happen under that control scheme. Of course, this is all personal preference and again, the existing controls are perfectly functional.


Sound Quality:

Tips: With the exception of foams, which muffled the sound, I didn't find the TWS 600 particularly susceptible to changes when swapping tips. As such I selected them based on comfort and isolation. The stock medium wide bore set was the most comfortable for my ears, and provided the least isolation. They were good for listening at home. Xiaomi triple flange were my go to for the outdoors because they were still quite comfortable and provided better isolation. Sony Isolation Hybrids were a good alternative to the Xiaomi's but didn't provide as reliable a seal.

The TWS 600 is unlike any other truly wireless earphone I've heard to date. It has a bass light, mid-forward sound that is the anti-thesis to the usual v-shaped, bass bombastic products that are the norm at basically every price point. Good on HIFIMAN for doing something different, even if it doesn't always work out.

The TWS 600's mid-range is front and centre thanks to a ~2k peak that draws nearly all of your attention. Great for mid-heads. I found both male and female vocals fairly equally represented with neither sounding better or more suited to the presentation. This applies to everything from GUNSHIP's “Fly For Your Life”, to Big Grams' “Run For Your Life”, to Paul Williams on Daft Punk's “Touch”. Unfortunately, while a forward, coherent mid-range is nice, being so forward results in it taking on a hollow, unnatural presentation that takes away from things somewhat. It also doesn't help that the TWS 600 is somewhat lacking clarity in the mids, so those wonderful voices and instruments come across slightly muffled as well.

The mid peak would be countered somewhat if the treble was well extended with reasonable emphasis in both brilliance and presence regions, but that is not the case. The treble here is detailed, non-fatiguing, well-controlled, and very inoffensive, but also dry and lacking sparkle and shimmer leaving tracks falling somewhat flat. Cymbals and chimes on King Crimson's “Night Watch” show this off. They lack prominence and fade into the background leaving the guitars and vocals to carry the track.

I actually quite enjoy the low end presentation of the TWS 600. It very much plays second fiddle to the midrange and most of the time putters along with little to no impact. However, when needed I found it pulled it's weight just fine. Now the TWS 600 would not be my first pick for my preferred genre, that being liquid drum and bass (I can hear the audiophiles closing the page, if they even made it this far...see ya, my reviews aren't for you anyway), but it still handles it well enough for me to not be left wanting too badly. On Calyx & Teebee's “Intravenous”, the warbling bassline that underlies the track is present and carries the overlaying tunes. Sub-bass presence is minimal leaving the TWS 600's mid-bass bias to lead the charge. While in general the TWS 600's bass is quite polite, it's at least quality stuff being that it is quick, well controlled, full of texture, and generally satisfying, as long as you're okay with low bass quantities.

Unlike others, I find the TWS 600's sound stage outstanding. It feels wide and open regardless of the track being played. Effects and instruments sit way off in the distance, though not always in the most realistic way. Vocals are a centre-point anchor with everything else trailing off behind it in a wide v. This means that imaging isn't super accurate, but separation and layering are just fine, effectively keeping tracks from melding together. It's not immune to congestion though, as noticed during the chaotic final few minutes of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black”.

Overall I find the TWS 600 to be a decent listen, just not very versatile. For me, this earphone is not something I choose when I want to sit and listen to music exclusively. It's tune is too mid-focused and not a fit for my preferred genres. Instead, it's perfect for when I want background music for whatever I happen to be doing that day; getting groceries, doing laundry, working on my car, etc. At low volumes in particular, the TWS 600's signature lets music fade into the background and provide a sound track to my life. I know it's there and when I focus on it, it is pleasant enough, but it's better as a complimentary element. Unless of course you decide to dip into the modern portable audiophile's most hated tool; equalization.

The TWS 600 loves to be EQ'd and is very receptive to it. That ~2k peak can easily be removed and some extra emphasis dialed into the presence region to improve detail through the midrange. While most of my sources don't have extensive EQ'ing options available, the Shanling M0 provides enough to tailor the TWS 600 to my needs. Dropping 1k by 3dB, 2k by 5db, and a 2db raise at 4k results in a product that is more balanced with just a little kick in the treble that I enjoy. With these changes applied the TWS 600 becomes a product I'll pull out when I want to listen to music.

Final Thoughts:

HIFIMAN's first go at the ever-growing truly wireless earphone market isn't quite a slam dunk, but I don't find it disappointing either. You get a plethora of tips to personalize fit, a well built and comfortable design, and decent connection quality. Battery life is amazing and the carrying case is one of the best I've come across thanks to it's pocketable nature and the extra 33 hours of use it provides. While I don't find it an issue, others have expressed concerns with the fact that not all included tip styles fit into the case during charging, so keep that in mind.

The TWS 600 is the only option I'm currently aware of which clearly attempts to cater to the neutral-loving crowd. If you're not opposed to equalization, you can turn that dream of a neutral truly wireless product into reality. But alas, I don't review modded/EQ'd products, so as good as you can make the TWS 600 with a mite of effort, that's not what you get out of the box.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the TWS 600. As it currently stands I think a slightly lower price point would be beneficial, as would a tweak to that upper mid-range. However, if someone is looking for a mid-focused or neutral (with EQ) truly wireless product at this price point the TWS 600 is the one to get. Those looking for a more generic v-shaped earphone and/or something that sticks closer to the Harman curve, well, the rest of the industry has you covered.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

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Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)