My background- I am a professional musician, producer and audio engineer with experience in the performing, recording and pro-audio industry. I test products on a technical and musical level and try to write reviews as simple as possible from a music fan's perspective.
Disclaimer- I would like to thank Tansio Mirai for sending me a review sample of TSMR-3 PRO for testing and a review. I am not affiliated with Tansio Mirai or any of their sellers in any way and write this review with my best unbiased opinion regardless of how the review turns out.
Picture courtesy - Tansio Mirai
Genre preferences- I majorly listen to rock, acoustic, pop and metal genres and occasionally checkout EDM music which is doing the rounds on the radio and charts.
Reference Songs list-
1. Foo Fighters- The Pretender, Best of You & Everlong
2. Imagine Dragons- Radioactive & It’s Time
3. Coldplay- Paradise, Up in Flames & Everglow
4. Ed Sheeran- Thinking out loud, Bloodstream & Galway Girl
5. Gavin James- Always & Hearts on Fire
6. John Mayer- Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Stop this Train, Who Says & Say
7. Switchfoot- Meant to live & Dare You to Move
8. Linkin Park- Papercut, One Step Closer & Somewhere I belong
9. Maroon 5- She will be loved, Payphone & Lost Stars
10. Lifehouse- All in All & Come Back Down
11. Karnivool- Simple Boy & Goliath
12. Dead Letter Circus- Real You
13. I Am Giant- Purple Heart, City Limits & Transmission
Specifications-
1. 3 Knowles Balanced Armature drivers
2. Frequency range - 15Hz-20kHz
3. Impedance - 15ohm
4. Sensitivity - 113dBL/mW
5. Reduce noise - 26dB
6. Connector - 2pin 0.78mm
TSMR-3 has 3 Knowles Balanced Armatures (1 Knowles ED 29689 & 2 CI low frequency drivers) with 3 crossover, 7 tuning switches, 12 frequency division components on both sides which all use high quality USA and Japan components. You can alter the bass, mids and highs with the combination of three switches. The Switch combination chart for your reference is provided below.
Build Quality, Fit and Comfort is the same as its predecessor, TSMR-3. So I'm going to take some of the content from my TSMR-3 review and mention whatever updates have been made.
Included in the box- TSMR-3, 0.78mm 2-pin cable, hard disk carry case, 1 packet with an assortment of ear tips, 1 pouch, 1 cleaning tool and 1 switch changing tool.The IEMs came in an extremely simple cardboard box packaging. I don’t really care much about the packaging till they arrive safely as my main concentration is on the quality of the IEMs.
Build Quality- The shells of the TSMR-3 are made up of resin. The fit and finish is amongst the best I've seen in this price range. The seam isn't visible and there aren't any bubbles in the body. The nozzle is finished in matte so that the eartips don't slip away as it isn't a traditional lip design.
Sadly, the 2-pin cable doesn't look all that premium but it isn't microphonic, feels decently rugged and does its job. Also, nowadays a lot of very well-made cables can be bought for very little money.
Fit and Comfort- TSMR-3 PRO have a very comfortable fit. The shells are light and well-shaped for my ears. They also block quite a lot of outside noise, so much that my friends got tired of ringing my house bell while I was listening to music and had to call me on my phone to let me know. The nozzles will fit any kind of ear tips with a bore width of 5mm. I would highly suggest using wide bore opening eartips with medium soft bore for best results.
Below are the updates made in the 3 PRO.
SOUND ANALYSIS – Default mode 020 as reference.
BASS- The sub-bass extends deep low, mid bass has a neutral presentation and upper bass has good definition too. It is well balanced along with the rest of the frequency range. Now all of this can be explained better with some reference songs, so here are some songs which are driven by good bass playing or an impactful kick drum.
MIDS- The midrange is well presented too. Upper midrange has more dominance than lower midrange and that is how I like it (IEMs should not have too much of the 500Hz range because that is where all the muddiness lies. Prominence in that area can quickly take away the clarity in an IEM). 3 Pro have a boost around 3kHz which helps vocals, guitars and orchestral instruments with good definition. It also gives 3Pro its primary tonal character.
TREBLE- The treble in the 3 Pro is clear and crisp. It does not sound harsh and the sibilance region is well under control. Orchestral instruments in tracks like ‘Paradise’, ‘Up in Flames’ and ‘Galway Girl’ have good clarity and a nice top end sheen to them which makes them very interesting to listen to. Falsettos and high-pitched vocals of singers like Gavin James and Adam Levine sound natural and never ear piercing. They are a joy to listen to.
Soundstage, Imaging and Separation- 3 Pro’s soundstage is noticeably wider than TSMR-3. I would rate it more than average size. Imaging is done well and songs never sound claustrophobic. Because the treble is clean and clear, separation of instruments is also good.
COMPARISONS-
Tansio Mirai TSMR-3 Pro vs TSMR-3 - The battle of the siblings
Here are the differences I heard right off the bat. They are certainly not night and day. The 3 Pro is a tasteful refinement and update to the 3.
TSMR-3 PRO vs Toneking T4
TSMR-3 PRO has more bass presence and sub-bass goes lower than T4. 3 PRO’s mids sound fuller than T4’s. 3 PRO has a peak in the upper mids around 3kHz and T4 has it around 4.5kHz, which give them their respective tonal character. T4’s treble is thinner and airier whereas TSMR-3’s is relatively towards the neutral side. T4 on the other hand has a slightly wider soundstage if not similar.
Conclusion- All in all, Tansio Mirai have added some good upgrades to the TSMR-3 to make the TSMR-3 PRO, for just a little more money. 3 PRO’s added advantages can mainly be felt with the updated faceplate colors, better bass definition, better separation and a slightly wider soundstage.
As for the TSMR-3, it had its own nice character, charm and sounded absolutely fine. Unless you have them both and sit down to compare them intensely back to back, I think you will be happy with either of the two for listening to music in detail.
So, I would advise the existing TSMR-3 owners to upgrade to one of Tansio Mirai’s higher driver count IEMs instead. It will be a better investment as you would get more for your money and a bigger jump in sound quality.
Disclaimer- I would like to thank Tansio Mirai for sending me a review sample of TSMR-3 PRO for testing and a review. I am not affiliated with Tansio Mirai or any of their sellers in any way and write this review with my best unbiased opinion regardless of how the review turns out.
Picture courtesy - Tansio Mirai
Genre preferences- I majorly listen to rock, acoustic, pop and metal genres and occasionally checkout EDM music which is doing the rounds on the radio and charts.
Reference Songs list-
1. Foo Fighters- The Pretender, Best of You & Everlong
2. Imagine Dragons- Radioactive & It’s Time
3. Coldplay- Paradise, Up in Flames & Everglow
4. Ed Sheeran- Thinking out loud, Bloodstream & Galway Girl
5. Gavin James- Always & Hearts on Fire
6. John Mayer- Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Stop this Train, Who Says & Say
7. Switchfoot- Meant to live & Dare You to Move
8. Linkin Park- Papercut, One Step Closer & Somewhere I belong
9. Maroon 5- She will be loved, Payphone & Lost Stars
10. Lifehouse- All in All & Come Back Down
11. Karnivool- Simple Boy & Goliath
12. Dead Letter Circus- Real You
13. I Am Giant- Purple Heart, City Limits & Transmission
Specifications-
1. 3 Knowles Balanced Armature drivers
2. Frequency range - 15Hz-20kHz
3. Impedance - 15ohm
4. Sensitivity - 113dBL/mW
5. Reduce noise - 26dB
6. Connector - 2pin 0.78mm
TSMR-3 has 3 Knowles Balanced Armatures (1 Knowles ED 29689 & 2 CI low frequency drivers) with 3 crossover, 7 tuning switches, 12 frequency division components on both sides which all use high quality USA and Japan components. You can alter the bass, mids and highs with the combination of three switches. The Switch combination chart for your reference is provided below.
- Mode 1:
100: Bass enhancement mode
120: Mixed tuning - Mode 2:
020: All balanced mode
103: Mixed tuning - Mode 3:
003: Mid-treble enhancement mode
023: Mixed tuning
123: Mixed tuning (lowest impedance)
Build Quality, Fit and Comfort is the same as its predecessor, TSMR-3. So I'm going to take some of the content from my TSMR-3 review and mention whatever updates have been made.
Included in the box- TSMR-3, 0.78mm 2-pin cable, hard disk carry case, 1 packet with an assortment of ear tips, 1 pouch, 1 cleaning tool and 1 switch changing tool.The IEMs came in an extremely simple cardboard box packaging. I don’t really care much about the packaging till they arrive safely as my main concentration is on the quality of the IEMs.
Build Quality- The shells of the TSMR-3 are made up of resin. The fit and finish is amongst the best I've seen in this price range. The seam isn't visible and there aren't any bubbles in the body. The nozzle is finished in matte so that the eartips don't slip away as it isn't a traditional lip design.
Sadly, the 2-pin cable doesn't look all that premium but it isn't microphonic, feels decently rugged and does its job. Also, nowadays a lot of very well-made cables can be bought for very little money.
Fit and Comfort- TSMR-3 PRO have a very comfortable fit. The shells are light and well-shaped for my ears. They also block quite a lot of outside noise, so much that my friends got tired of ringing my house bell while I was listening to music and had to call me on my phone to let me know. The nozzles will fit any kind of ear tips with a bore width of 5mm. I would highly suggest using wide bore opening eartips with medium soft bore for best results.
Below are the updates made in the 3 PRO.
- Aesthetic Update- TSMR-3 PRO has updated faceplate designs. There are multiple faceplate color options to choose from with no additional charges.
- Internal Update- As far as I know, Tansio Mirai switched to a different Knowles driver for bass and also made adjustments to the internal circuitry to accommodate the sound signature changes they had in mind.
SOUND ANALYSIS – Default mode 020 as reference.
BASS- The sub-bass extends deep low, mid bass has a neutral presentation and upper bass has good definition too. It is well balanced along with the rest of the frequency range. Now all of this can be explained better with some reference songs, so here are some songs which are driven by good bass playing or an impactful kick drum.
- Gavin James’s Always – The sub-bass prominent bass kicks in from the second verse. It is felt well but does not dominate the track or make it sound boomy.
- Coldplay’s Up in Flames- The song has an 808 kinda kick and the sub-bass again is heard well. The mid-bass has good attack too.
- Karnivool’s Simple Boy- In this song, the mid-bass and upper bass steal the spotlight. Jon Stockman's overdriven bass tone sounds brilliant! Out of all the IEMs I have in this price range, this song sounds the best in TSMR-3 PRO. The bass sounds well balanced with the drums and guitars, and nothing jumps out abnormally anywhere. This shows that 3 PRO's bass has very good definition and texture and it helps portray Karnivool's fantastic bass tone in their songs excellently.
- Imagine Dragon’s Radioactive – The massive kick drum they've used in the track has been mixed to be in the background. It does not dominate the track but it’s impact is heard very well, as intended. The synth wobble bass that plays throughout the verses is well defined in the center with good sub-bass and mid-bass impact.
MIDS- The midrange is well presented too. Upper midrange has more dominance than lower midrange and that is how I like it (IEMs should not have too much of the 500Hz range because that is where all the muddiness lies. Prominence in that area can quickly take away the clarity in an IEM). 3 Pro have a boost around 3kHz which helps vocals, guitars and orchestral instruments with good definition. It also gives 3Pro its primary tonal character.
- Vocals- 3 PRO portrays vocals very well. They sound clear, natural and well defined in the track.
Ed Sheeran’s voice in Thinking Out Loud sounds nice and intimate, and the reverb trail is also heard clearly. John Mayer sounds earthy and natural in ‘Who Says’ as well as ‘Stop this train’ whereas Dave Grohl’s voice in ‘Best of you’ sounds natural and powerful with good clarity, panned in the center.
- Acoustic Guitars- Ed Sheeran’s acoustic in ‘Galway Girl’ has good attack, timbre as well as sustain which are all heard well even though they are panned in the center right behind the vocals. John Mayer’s acoustic in ‘Who says’ and ‘Stop this train’ sounds warm bodied with good string definition, like how an old well aged acoustic guitar sounds like.
- Distorted guitars in Linkin Park tracks like 'Papercut' and 'One Step Closer' are more defined by the upper midrange and as a result sound prominent in track but never harsh and ear piercing. Switchfoot’s ‘Meant to live’ has two distinct guitar tones playing together. Both are heard clearly and are well defined in the track.
TREBLE- The treble in the 3 Pro is clear and crisp. It does not sound harsh and the sibilance region is well under control. Orchestral instruments in tracks like ‘Paradise’, ‘Up in Flames’ and ‘Galway Girl’ have good clarity and a nice top end sheen to them which makes them very interesting to listen to. Falsettos and high-pitched vocals of singers like Gavin James and Adam Levine sound natural and never ear piercing. They are a joy to listen to.
Soundstage, Imaging and Separation- 3 Pro’s soundstage is noticeably wider than TSMR-3. I would rate it more than average size. Imaging is done well and songs never sound claustrophobic. Because the treble is clean and clear, separation of instruments is also good.
COMPARISONS-
Tansio Mirai TSMR-3 Pro vs TSMR-3 - The battle of the siblings
Here are the differences I heard right off the bat. They are certainly not night and day. The 3 Pro is a tasteful refinement and update to the 3.
- Bass definition is slightly better and more defined on the 3 PRO.
- 3 PRO has slightly better separation between instruments and the soundstage is wider too.
- Treble is slightly cleaner and sounds airier in the 3 PRO. Some users had reported slight sibilance in sibilance prone tracks in the TSMR-3 earlier, which I never had as a problem but in the case of 3Pro, it surely is non-existent. Tracks which have sibilant vocals will always sound sibilant as the treble is very revealing rather than smoothened out.
- Mids tonality is more natural now, in the 3 PRO. Initially in TSMR-3, I felt that the 3kHz peak occasionally made some instruments containing that frequency, sound a bit peaky (Alert: This is me nitpicking now). Well that peak is now better balanced on the 3 Pro and gives guitars a nice character. As a result, upper middle frequencies have better tonality, therefore sounding more natural.
TSMR-3 PRO vs Toneking T4
TSMR-3 PRO has more bass presence and sub-bass goes lower than T4. 3 PRO’s mids sound fuller than T4’s. 3 PRO has a peak in the upper mids around 3kHz and T4 has it around 4.5kHz, which give them their respective tonal character. T4’s treble is thinner and airier whereas TSMR-3’s is relatively towards the neutral side. T4 on the other hand has a slightly wider soundstage if not similar.
Conclusion- All in all, Tansio Mirai have added some good upgrades to the TSMR-3 to make the TSMR-3 PRO, for just a little more money. 3 PRO’s added advantages can mainly be felt with the updated faceplate colors, better bass definition, better separation and a slightly wider soundstage.
As for the TSMR-3, it had its own nice character, charm and sounded absolutely fine. Unless you have them both and sit down to compare them intensely back to back, I think you will be happy with either of the two for listening to music in detail.
So, I would advise the existing TSMR-3 owners to upgrade to one of Tansio Mirai’s higher driver count IEMs instead. It will be a better investment as you would get more for your money and a bigger jump in sound quality.