TFZ Secret Garden HD

TFZ — short of The Fragrant Zither — probably the most productive IEM brand from China. Lots of interesting models for different taste and wallet. Looking at the lineup — it seems that TFZ is mostly concentrated on dynamic models and rarely uses other types or drivers or its combinations. Focusing and mastering a chosen technology is the source of success of TFZ series, no matter the price brackets. My experience with this brand covers King Pro, Tequila, No.3, X1, X1E and My Love IEMs. Either of those deserves an «A» score or solid «B», at least. Only No.3 have some controversial results but its successor — TFZ No.3 Ti — got very warm welcome from the community. Hope that I’d get a chance to review it one day but today’s topic is Secret Garden HD — 12mm single dynamic driver IEMs packed in the most comfortable custom-type shells.



TFZ Secret Garden HD technical specifications:

• Driver type: 12mm double magnetic circuit graphene driver
• Impedance: 30Ω
• Sensitivity: 108dB mW
• Frequency response range: 5Hz — 40KHz
• Audio jack: 3.5mm, straight, gold-plated
• Cable connectors: 2-pin, 0.78mm

Packaging, design and build quality:

Secret Garden IEMs come in pretty small square-shaped box that states main technical specifications at the back side. Traditionally for TFZ — prints include shiny part with brand logo.



Box compartment is divided into three layers: top insert holding IEMs, box with cable in the middle and storage case with the additional accessories at the bottom.



Box contents:

• Secret Garden HD IEMs
• audio cable
• 6 pairs of silicone eartips
• 1 pair of memory foam eartips
• storage case
• user manual

Storage case is pretty standard — this design is shared across many brands, the only change is the brand logo at the top cover. Concerning the spread, there should be a third-party vendor that designs, manufactures and supplies such accessories to diferent companies. But the design is good — plenty of space inside and secure lock mechanism.



In overall, the design of Secret Graden HD IEMs is very close to be perfect. Unibody shells are made of acryl. Transparent front exposes aluminum inserts underneath with tiny but accurate brand logo and model name. Inner parts contain serial numbers in gold.



The rest of the shells are glossy black except for the compensational opening at the top edge outlined by decorative aluminum rings.



Sound output nozzles are protected by aluminum grills. Cable port bases are made of transparent plastic and rise above the surface for ~1.5mm. This serves a role of the additional protection against cable connector bending and breaking off.



Stock cable is thick, made of 4 twisted lines in black silicone braid. 3.5mm audio jack is packed into aluminum housing and ends up with pretty long bending protection. Y-splitter is made of black plastic and also contains TFZ brand logo. On the opposite side, cable ends with flexible transparent earguides and plastic housings of IEM connectors. Mic effect is absent.



Fit:

Once again — I think that this type of «custom» shells is the best current option mass market has to offer. Secret Garden HD might look bulky but the fit comfort and feel are excellent, thanks to that custom shape and flexible supports.

Sound quality:

Tested with Hidizs AP80 & HiBy R6Pro DAPs



Lows and midbass:

Main strength of Secret Garden HD IEMs is the amount of textures those IEMs are capable to resolve in lower region together with the accurate and weighted delivery. Depth of bass is not outstanding but the accuracy and detalization are both very satisfying. Lows are not overpowered or overemphasized — just the right amount. Separation from the other ranges is also good and bass always stays perfectly legible. Midbass portion sounds powerful and natural with enough volume and pleasing tightness while reproducing drums. Some rare harsh peaks are spotted in certain compositions, while in the most of the others — everything is perfectly controlled.



Mids and vocals:

Mids are a bit laid back in comparison to lows and treble while staying pretty thick and showing very small gain advance on female vocals and upper portion instrumetns. Seems that the «HD» suffix stands for increased treble that would create the additional (artificial) clarity and resolution on mids. Yes, the resolution is pretty high, especially on female voices, strings and bows but the negative outcome is the presence of screaming notes at higher volume levels. In general, this won’t become a problem unless a person is too susceptible to this range or the track is originally recorded with the excessive gain on treble range. Other than that — natural sounding, warm and thick mids with good «mellow» effect, pleasing for the genres like blues, jazz, soul, vocals, etc.



Treble:

As already been stated — treble is a bit more accented here in comparison to mids and sound on the same level as lows. With slow music genres everything is good — clarity, airiness and detalization are high, making sound picture complete and mature. Although, going higher on volume or switching to instrument-saturated music treble would expose some flaws — sounds start to mix together and to cast the excessive influence on upper portion of mids which leads to screaming notes on female vocals and some instrumetns.



Soundstage:

Secret Garden HD IEMs demonstarte good layering and instrument separation in lows and mids while treble is playing a distuctive role at higher volume and brakes the whole perception. With blues, jazz and slow rock everything stays fine — moderate soundtage with defined width and depth… trying metal or orchestra — hard to build the imaginary stage due to mixing of the instruments.



Sound in overall:

Sound of TFZ Secret Garden HD can be described as slightly V-shaped, with defined, texured and shaped bass, laid-back and mellow mids, slightly accented and well extended treble. Particularly good for slow music genres with limited amount of instruments. Tend to mix sounds at higher volumes.

Compared to LZ HIFI A6Mini:



LZ A6Mini are hybrid IEMs based on single dynamic + piezo driver that adds the resolution and clarity to the sound. In fact, the sound of A6Mini is more detailed and crisp on treble, also forcing mids to sound more thin and vivid. The main advantages of Secret Garden is the texturing of lows with more accurate delivery. And much better fit.

Compared to SHOZY & NEO CP:



CPs are pure armature dirver IEMs with exceptional resolving potential in mids and treble parts but limited extension on bass. Secret Garden HD are more capable in terms of lows (more powerful and natural), midbass (more natural) but lack the extension and accuracy on treble. Both sound quite balanced, mellow and thick.

Compared to Moondrop Kanas PRO:



Kanas PRO staying one of the best IEMs concerning its price. I would say that Secret Garden cannot move Kanas from the pedestal in terms of sound quality but definitely much better in terms of fit. Sound os Kanas PRO is more mature, with better layering and separation and showing no tendency to mix instruments.



Conclusion:

TFZ Secret Garden HD — another example of how the name resembles the sound quailty and purpose of IEMs. «HD» suffix clearly states the accent on treble that increases the perceptible resolution but skewes the entire balance towards V-shaped sound. Secret Garden in its name remids of quiet and slow music those IEMs are really better off with. Any slow genre with limted amount of instruments sounds smooth, natural and mature. Blues, slow rock, jazz, soul, launge — this is the genres perfectly reproduced and which TFZ Secret Garden HD are recommended for.

TFZ Secret Graden HD available at PenonAudio store

A Beauty from the Heaven


TFZ Secret Garden HD Review About TFZ (The Fragrant Zither):

TFZ (The Fragrant Zither) is a Chinese Company located in Shenzhen - China, which is specialized in the production of portable audio equipments like Earphones & In-Ear Monitors. The company is well known with some popular models like the TFZ Series, King, Exclusive and Tequila. The TFZ Secret Garden HD is the latest member of this family and is the flagship model in the TFZ In-Ear Monitor lineup.

TFZ Official Website: http://www.tfzither.com/




About me: www.moonstarreviews.net


Disclaimer:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD was provided to me by the company TFZ via Penon Audio for review purposes. I am not affiliated with TFZ or Penon Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.


Price:

The MSRP price for the TFZ Secret Garden HD is around ,00 USD and can be purchased under the following link.

Purchase Link: https://penonaudio.com/tfz-secret-garden.html


Package and Accessories:

The TFZ Secret Garden came in a white box, which is made of a pretty solid cardboard material that contains the following items;

• 1 pair x TFZ Secret Garden HD In-Ear Monitor
• 1 pcs x Detachable cable with 0,78mm 2 pin connection
• 6 pairs x Silicone ear tips with wide-bore
• 1 pair x Foam ear tips
• 1 pcs x White Carry Pouch

Design & Build Quality:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD is an In-Ear Monitor with a 12mm Double Magnetic Circuit Graphene driver that is packed in a semi-custom acrylic housing, which has a very nice design and good built quality.

The Secret Garden HD is available in four (4) different color options, which are Purple, Blue, Black, and Red. My unit came in red color that looks very eye-catching.



On the front of the monitor housing, which is described as faceplate of the monitor is a small TFZ Logo and the Secret Garden model branding. This faceplate has silver color pattern and shows a glossy surface that looks pretty nice to my eyes.



At the back of the each monitor shell is one vent with a metal ring to serves as pressure balancer that is occurring inside the monitor.



On the inner surface of the monitor shell is a TFZ-IEM description and serial number printed in gold color. The sound nozzle sports a tick lip and a metal grill/mesh to prevent the driver form dust and earwax.



On the Top of this monitor part is the type 0.78mm female 2pin connection.







The Cable:

The cable that comes with the TFZ Secret Garden HD has a nicely twisted 4 core, 5N purity OFC (Oxygen Free Cooper) wire cable, which has a soft rubber like black coating. This coating is very efficient to avoid any possible microphonic effect.



The 2pin male connectors have a transparent hard plastic housing, where you can find the left and right markings that are very hard to read and which is male only complain about this otherwise beautifully made cable.



The cable has built-in ear guides near the connector for a better behind the ear comfort experience.



This cable has a Y splitter, which is made of a soft black colored plastic material that sports on both sides the new TFZ logos.



The 3.5mm unbalanced (TRS) headphone jack has a straight profiled metal housing that sports also the TFZ logo.




Fit and Isolation:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD is a very comfortable to wear In-Ear Monitor thanks to the semi-custom shell which is also not too big. This shape makes it very ideal for long listening periods. The isolation is average and pretty ideal for the use in the public.





Technical Specs:

• Driver : 12mm Double Magnetic Circuit Graphene Driver
• Impedance : 30 ohm
• Sensitivity : 108 dB mW
• Freq. Range : 5 Hz - 40 kHz
• Lowest power : 8mW
• Connectors : 0.78mm 2-pin replaced cable
• Plug type : 3.5mm TRS (unbalanced)
• Cable length : 4FT (1.2 M)

Drivability:

The TFZ Queen is a relative efficient In-Ear Monitor with an impedance of 30 Ohms, which makes it pretty suitable for the use with devices like phones, tablets, etc. that have less power than modern DAP’s or small portable amplifiers.





Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Leonard Cohen – You Wnt it Darker (Spotify)
• Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Casey Abrams – Robot Lover (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• Future Heroes – Another World (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Tom Player – Resonace Theory “Album” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Massive Attack – Angel (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (Spotify)
• First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining (Spotify)
• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Minor Empire – BulbulumAltinKafeste (Spotify)
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Megadeth - Sweating Bullets (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Slayer - Angel of Death (Spotify)

Sources:

• IEM’s : TFZ Secret Garden HD, Brainwavz B400
• DAP/DAC/AMP’s : Cayin N5II, Fiio M7, Chord Mojo, xDuoo XD10 Poke, iPaid Air2

The Sound:

General Sound Signature:

The TFZ Secret Garden is an In-Ear Monitor which shows good depth and speed in the bass department, has a warmish midrange, is pronounced in the upper midrange and sounds airy in treble region.



The Bass:

The subbass depth of the Secret Garden is good and adequate, but is not the sort of subbass for that will satisfy bass-heads. The subbass quantity is good enough for the most types of music genres.

The midbass area on the other hand is pretty strong in terms of slam and shows a fast and tight presentation.

The TFZ Secret Garden shows no negative situations such as a bass hump or sharp midbass roll-off, while the extensions of the bass is on a moderate level.

The overall bass speed, control and tightness of the TFZ Secret Garden is pretty good while listening to a wide variety of instruments such as cross drums, trumpets, contrabass (double bass) or synthesizers.






The Midrange:

The midrange of the TFZ Secret Garden is presented in a lively, transparent and warmish (close to warm) tonality. The lower midrange shows a good depth that gives male vocals a nice bodied presentation. There is also no negative situation such as mixing or hollowness in this area.

Female vocals are sounding clean and have good extensions thanks to the pronounced upper midrange presentation. Female vocals in genres such as EDM or Trance can sound sometimes a bit sharp due to the peak around 7 kHz, while there is no such situation with other genres.

When it comes to the instrument presentation, the TFZ Secret Garden HD shows a vivid and seat presentation, with pretty good definition and separation for this price range. The tonality of Guitars is soft and lightly bassy, violas are close to warm (slightly warmish) and pianos are vivid and slightly bright.

The Secret Garden HD’s performance in terms of separation between instruments and vocals is pretty good and instruments are behind the vocals. It sounds pretty airy and spacious thanks to the small gaps between the instruments with very low mixing.





The Upper Midrange:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD shows an emphasis in the upper midrange, which is more pronounced than the treble region. The upper midrange is showing a little bit of sharpness, especially with bad recorded/mastered songs (mostly EDM or Pop songs) due to the peak around the 7 kHz region. But it I can confirm that the upper midrange of the Secret Garden is otherwise fairly controlled with many genres such as acoustic, metal, jazz, blues, etc.

The detail level and extension in the upper midrange of the TFZ Secret Garden HD with instruments such as violins to the flutes, from the female vocals to the pianos is quite successful.



The Treble:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD has a slightly recessed and non fatiguing treble presentation, which is not as strong pronounced like the upper midrange.

The hits of instruments such as Hi-Hat’s are coming more from a bit more form the background than normal and the extension is average but shows a fairly good definition.

The hits of the ride and crash cymbals are sharper and more noticeable than those of the hi-hats and there is missing a slightly more force and extension, but sounds otherwise pretty controlled and fatigue free.

Instruments in classical music such as flutes, violins, piccolos are sounding quite realistic except of a little shortage in extension.

The treble range of the TFZ Secret Garden HD shows a slightly above average airiness.






Soundstage:

The TFZ Secret Garden HD has a pretty wide and deep soundstage that shows a quite precise instrument placement. The soundstage is slightly wider than its depth and there is enough space and air between instruments for a good definition.




Comparison:

TFZ Secret Garden HD versus Brainwavz B400:

The Brainwavz B400 has a warmer tonality, while the TFZ Secret Garden HD shows less warmth and an airier presentation.

Both In-Ear Monitors performing pretty well in terms of subbass depth, while the B400 shows more quantity and better extension in this area.

The TFZ Secret Garden HD is superior to the Brainwavz B400 in terms of bass speed, control and tightness, while the B400 shows better extensions and quantity in the midbass region.

Both the TFZ Secret Garden HD and the Brainwavz B400 sharing a quite emotional and sweet midrange presentation.

The Secret Garden HD sounds more realistic with female vocals due to the more pronounced upper midrange, while the tonality of the Brainwavz B400 is more suitable one for male vocals.

The TFZ Secret Garden HD is superior to the Brainwaz B400 in terms of resolution, separation, definition and airiness of instruments and it sounds also more transparent and spacious.

The Secret Garden HD IEM is more successful in the upper midrange due to the better extension and emphasis, while the Brainwavz B400 shows better control in this frequency region.

The treble presentation of both of this IEM’s is slightly recessed, while the TFZ Secret Garden HD has slightly more quantity and better extension in this regarding, which makes the overall presentation of the Secret Garden more airier and spacious than those of the Brainwavz B400.

The B400 sounds warmer and thicker in the treble region which makes the presentation also more suitable for longer listening periods than those of the Secret Garden.

Both the TFZ Secret Garden and Brainwavz B400 have a good stage width for a precise placement and good separation of instruments. The Brainwavz B400 has the wider stage, while the Secret Garden HD performs slightly better in terms of soundstage depth.








Conclusion:

TFZ did a good choice by making a nice looking IEM by using a new acrylic shell and beautiful faceplate for the Secret Garden HD series. The detail retrieval and overall sound quality in combination with design and look makes the TFZ Secret Garden HD to a nice option in a price range between 250 – 400 USD.




Pros and Cons:

• + Nice V shaped sound signature
• + Great bass response
• + Good detail retrieval for this price range
• + Beautiful housing and faceplate
• + Very comfortable and lightweight

• - Peak around 7 kHz
• - Small amount of driver flex

Greetings,

Today we are checking out one of TFZ's more premium offerings to date, the Secret Garden (SG) HD.

TFZ has been swarming the market over the last couple years with a variety of new products, like the entirety of the Exclusive lineup, to all the new King models, and seeming one-offs like the Tequila 1. Secret Garden looks to be their new premium line with the SG HD being the 199 USD “entry level” model. A number of balanced armature only earphones are taking up the reigns for the pricier models. The SG makes due with something familiar to TFZ faithfuls, that being a single 12mm, dual-magnet, graphene coated dynamic. Does it do anything different than the other dozen or so 12mm equipped earphones in the TFZ lineup and carve a niche of it's own?

Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

The Secret Garden HD was provided free of charge by Lillian of Linsoul for the purposes of review. It does not need to be returned. I am not receiving any financial compensation for this review. The thoughts within this review do not represent Linsoul, TFZ, or any other entity and are mine alone. At the time of writing the SG retailed for 199.00 USD.

https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/TFZ-SecretGarden-Earphones

Source:

The SG did not show itself to be picky about the source, and as such I commonly paired it with my LG G6 and the Shanling M0. It was also powered by a TEAC HA-501 desktop amp with an ASUS FX53V sourcing music. Easy to drive, and consistent in signature.

Personal Preferences:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. While I enjoy a variety of signatures in my headphones I generally lean towards slightly warm with elevated treble and sub-bass, an even and natural mid-range response, with reduced mid-bass. The HiFiMan RE800, Brainwavz B400, and thinksound On2 offer examples of signatures I enjoy.

Specifications:

• Driver: 12mm dual-magnet, graphene coated
• Impedance: 30 ohms
• Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
• Frequency Response: 5Hz – 40kHz
• Connectors: 0.78mm 2-pin
• Cable Length: 4ft / 1.2m

Packaging and Accessories:

The SG arrives in a white, compact cube of a box with minimal branding. SG and the new logo, a stylized profile shot of a woman's head, adorns the front. Additional branding can be found around the sides. The back contains more branding and location information for TFZ, along with a sticker that clarifies the exact model and color inside. In the case of mine, it's the blue 003 model. Lifting the top of the box reveals the ear pieces set within a cardboard coated foam insert. Beneath that is another insert which covers the warranty card and Pelican style carrying case in which you will find the cable and all accessories. In all you get:

• SG earphones
• 0.78mm 2-pin removeable cable
• Velcro cable tie
• One pair of foam tips (m)
• Wide bore single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
• Medium bore single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)

Overall this is a nice unboxing experience with a comprehensive accessory kit. The includes tips are varied enough to experiment with and of good enough quality to not be immediately replaceable. The cable I'm not a huge fan of, but we'll cover that in the next section.


Build, Comfort, and Isolation:

At first glance the SG seems to use a similar housing as their King lineup, but that could not be more wrong. Flip it over and you find they've gone with a custom-like design in the vein of the Kinera IDUN. I would like to say they've gone with a high quality acrylic but I can't find anything in the specifications to support that material choice. The faceplate looks like brushed metal and is flawlessly integrated into the design. There are no seams or rough edges anywhere. Breaking the flow a little is a metal port at the back that sticks out slightly. The nozzle lip also breaks from the otherwise excellent design cohesion as well being that it is made from a lower quality plastic and looks tacked on. The SG ends up having a very boutique, limited production feel to it that makes it stand out from the plethora of other models in TFZ's extensive lineup.

The cable pulls some mixed emotions from me. Good is the hardware like the metal straight plug that is a huge step up from the heavy, bulky one they saddled the King Pro and Tequila 1 with. Also good are the preformed ear guides which, while a little on the stiff side, do a good job of keeping the cable securely behind the ear. I also like the 2-pin plugs which are very similar to those KZ equipped the new ZSN with. They wrap around the input port giving a secure fit and protection from bending. Bad is the cable sheath. Gone are the lush, flexible sheaths I've become accustomed to from TFZ, replaced with a rubbery, sticky, noisy, bouncy mess that tangles way to easily. I personally think this cable is a big step in the wrong direction for TFZ and I hope they ditch it a.s.a.p.

The SG's CIEM-like shells are very comfortable, once you find that sweet spot. Like other TFZ shells they're fairly large, but unlike those other models have a hump at the back intended to flow naturally with the shape of the ear enabling an even more secure fit. I found that compared to other earphones with a similar shell, such as the Tenhz P4 Pro, the hump sits a little higher up on the shell. This forced me to tilt it forward once inserted in my ear, else the hump would cause a hotspot and discomfort after a relatively brief period of wear. As a result of the placement of that protrusion, for my ears the SG is not quite as “plug and play” as some other earphones.

Isolation is outstanding, even with that big old vent facing the rear of the housing. With no music playing through the earphones, silicone tips in place, and my laptop playing a video in the background at full volume, I could barely make out what the commentator was saying and other noises were completely muffled. Same could be said when visiting my local coffee shop. With foam tips the isolation is even better. These will be great for noisy commutes or if you simply want to shut out the world around you and focus on your music.

Sound:

Tips: I quite like both types of stock silicone tips and settled on the medium bore, medium sized set for the purposes of this review. I found they brought out more sub-bass in the SG over the wide bore tips, and tightened up the treble presentation slightly. The differences are pretty minor though. SG's sound output doesn't seem to vary as greatly as other earphones with different tips, at least not for me. Since I'm not a huge fan of foams, they were used only briefly. They sounded similar to the medium bore silicones, but with mildly reduced treble energy and a softer bass presentation.

The SG isn't your usual TFZ, despite using a very familiar single 12mm, dual-magnet graphene coated dynamic driver setup. With a more balanced signature and a colder, more detail heavy sound it targets an audience that embraces technical prowess over the big bass of it's predecessors. That said, the HD certainly doesn't shy away from low end.

Treble on the SG is elevated with a focus on the lower regions. This gives it tons of detail and great clarity, but at the expense of shimmer and sparkle. As a result, the SG comes across a touch cold and sterile in the upper ranges and mids. This also means the SG is quite revealing so I do not recommend using them with poor recordings or low res/compressed sound files like you'll hear on YouTube and Soundcloud. The compression is very noticeable.

The mid-range is fairly neutral in presence with an upper mid bump that makes vocals pop nicely on number of tracks, like EL-P's “Works Every Time”. The presentation is a little on the lean side with a dry tonality that plays into the SG's detail-focused qualities. Sibilance is present but not to the extreme, mostly cropping up only on really hard ss and ts.

Bass is well done with a better sub-/mid-bass balance than you'll find on most products in their lineup. King Experience is the only one I can think of with a similarly positive balance. Depth is excellent giving the SG a fairly visceral low end, though not one that comes across as bassy. This is evident on Kavinski's “Solli”. Where other earphones deliberately direct your attention to their low end qualities, the SG says, “Huh, nice. I can do that too you know.” but doesn't make it a focal point.

Sound stage is an area I always find TFZs quite impressive, usually beating out most of the competition. While the SG has a more forward and intimate mid-range than other models in their lineup, it doesn't take away from the wonderful sense of space on offer. Take for example the closing moments of The Prodigy's “Warrior Dance” where the artists are discussing an alarm effect the track eventually closes with. When one of the band members replies to a question with “Huh?” you can easily tell he's sitting off to the left and pretty far from the mic. Moments like that are plentiful with the SG as a result of some pretty smooth channel to channel imaging and outstanding layering and separation. Even congested, busy moments like the last few minutes of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black” fail to tax the SG's abilities.


Select Comparisons (volumes matched using Dayton Audio iMM-6):

TFZ King Pro: The King Pro has a warmer, smoother presentation than the SG and places more focus on bass, mid-bass in particular. This gives its mid-range a more dense, full presentation. This presentation means it loses out to the SG in vocal clarity and detail. I also found it fell short of the SG in bass speed and impact, providing a softer, looser experience. Treble on the SG shows greater emphasis, especially in the lower regions, contributing to that colder feel it has over the King Pro. I also found this to highlight the extra detail and texture the SG pulls from tracks. Sound stage is similarly presented on both, with the King Pro feeling more spacious and the SG feeling more technically competent in terms of imaging accuracy, layering, and separation.

Build and comfort lean convincingly in favor of the King pro in my opinion. It's metal shells incite greater confidence when it comes to durability and longevity while it's tried and tested shape results in something you can slip in your ear without a second of thought regarding ideal placement required. Despite the heavy steel hardware affixed, the King Pro's cable is truly superior when compared to the SG's. Soft and flexible with next to no cable noise. SG isolates much better.

Campfire Audio Comet: SG has greater end-to-end extension with significantly more sub-bass presence. Treble has more shimmer and greater clarity on the SG, along with additional air between notes. Comet's mid-range is similarly set within the signature and has a thicker, more robust note weight and more natural timbre. Clarity again goes to the SG which makes the Comet sound slightly stuffy on some tracks. SG's bass is more textured and hits harder, not to be unexpected when comparing a full range armature to a single dynamic. SG has a much larger sound stage with greater width and depth and more nuanced imaging, layering and separation. I feel the SG outperforms the Comet in nearly every metric, save for that the Comet sounds less cold and more natural and timbre accurate.

SG falls behind in build here too. The Comet's bullet-proof, hand-polished steel shells really are a work of art, though the design isn't to everyone's tastes. I prefer the Comet's cable which lacks the rubbery, springy qualities of TFZ's. However, it isn't perfect either. The somewhat plasticky sheath gets pretty stiff in the chilly Canadian weather we're experiencing. This introduces additional cable noise and if wearing the Comet cable down makes it very easy to inadvertently tug them out of place. SG offers up more isolation.


Final Thoughts:

I had high expectations for the Secret Garden HD based on my past experiences with TFZ, and if I'm to be honest, out of the box I was a little underwhelmed. However, even after just a few hours of listening I had warmed up to them and could see that these were taking TFZ's sound in a new direction. They weren't just more of the same, an experience I had with the Exclusive lineup and a few of the Series models. The SG's boutique-style CIEM-like shell has some glorious character to its design and is very comfortable, once you've found that prime interaction with your outer ear. Isolation is pretty amazing. The sound quality is detailed and crisp with great extension at either end, though I can see the somewhat cold nature being a turn-off for those that prefer a warmer sound. Overall, they feel like a completely different product from anything TFZ has released in the past and I hope they keep going in this direction. Once you become accustomed to signature, they sound fantastic and perform very well.

The SG is a great earphone and well worth an audition if you have the chance, but keep in mind power creep from cheaper models in the lineup, specifically the King Pro. The King Pro is warmer and smoother which I suspect will find favor with a wider audience. It has a much better cable. The metal shell is more durable and easier to fit comfortably. Where the Secret Garden really earns it's keep over the King Pro, elevating it beyond the more budget friendly models in the TFZ lineup, is in it's tuning balance. Namely, the lack of an invasive mid-bass hump along with some impressive detail and clarity.

Thanks to you for reading. And once again, thank you to Linsoul for the opportunity to give these a listen and to share my thoughts with the community.

- B9Scrambler


Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock - Skelethon (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)

Introduction

TFZ started out in 2015 with a debut line up that consists of TFZ Series 1,3 and 5. Since then, they have come up with more products in the Tequila 1 and Queen. Recently, they have come up with their latest product in the TFZ Secret Garden HD. I would like to thank TFZ and Penon Audio for this review unit. You can purchase the Secret Garden HD from https://penonaudio.com/tfz-secret-garden.html . The TFZ Secret Garden HD that I will be reviewing is purple in colour. For more information, you can visit http://www.tfzither.com .



Specifications

• Driver: 12mm double magnetic circuit graphene driver
• Impedance: 30 ohm
• Sensitivity: 108 dB mW
• Frequency response: 5Hz-40kHz
• Lowest power: 8mW

Unboxing & Accessories

The Secret Garden HD comes in a white package that sports the brand logo and series name. Inside the package, there are the Secret Garden HD iem, detachable 0.78mm 2 pins cable, instruction manual, tips and a white hard carrying case.



IEM Build & Design

The Secret Garden HD is made of acrylic and there is a smooth surface. At the back of each shell, there is a vent. Both faceplates have chrome silver finish with the brand logo and series name. On the inside of the iem, there are “TFZ-IEM” and model number printed in gold. The nozzle is slightly angled with metal mesh. The Secret Garden HD utilizes 0.78mm 2 pins connectors. The Secret Garden HD has an ergonomic design and I am able to fit it in my ears comfortably.









Cable Build & Design

The cable is 4 core twisted and made of 5N OFC. On each of the 2 pins connectors, there is a L & R marking on the outside of the left and right respectively with strain relief too. The connectors have a transparent housing. There is a memory wire area and the cable is enclosed in a transparent heat-shrink tube which is very flexible. The y-splitter is black in color and sports the brand logo. Lastly, the jack is 3.5mm gold plated with strain relief and has a silver housing. On the housing of the jack, there is the brand logo printed. There is a smooth surface to the jack housing. Overall, the cable is flexible with little microphonics.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The Secret Garden HD has great amount of sub-bass and the extension shows good depth. The mid-bass is ample and it is able to deliver the slam with a weighted feeling. The bass texture is rendered in a smooth manner. Bass decay is fairly quick and it aids in the overall engagement. Each bass note is articulated with an impactful hit. The rumble is expressed in a natural manner. With a good balance of agility and body, the bass reproduction is strong and engaging.

Mids

The midrange on the Secret Garden is rendered quite cleanly. The transparency is acceptable with the body providing lushness. The lower mids has fair quantity and male vocals are expressed without any hollow feeling. Emotions are conveyed effectively. The upper mids has some forwardness and the intimacy level of female vocals is moderate. The midrange has good liveliness.

Highs

The treble extends in a fair manner with moderate crisp. There is lack of sparkle with no sibilance and harshness. The treble presentation takes on a smooth approach with some brightness. The amount of air rendered is good and contributes to an airy feeling. The definition is moderate.

Soundstage

The Secret Garden HD has a natural expansion and the soundstage has good width magnitude. The depth is not as closed in and it is able to offer space. Positioning of vocals and instruments has moderate precision.



Comparisons

TFZ Secret Garden HD vs Dunu Falcon-C

The Secret Garden HD has more sub-bass quantity and it is able to extend more than the Falcon-C. The Secret Garden HD showcases a fuller sub-bass reproduction. The mid-bass of the Falcon-C is slightly more agile and the slam is expressed quicker. The Secret Garden HD presents it with extra weight. The Secret Garden HD is able to bring out greater punch which contributes to more impact. Bass decay on both is quite similar. The bass texture on the Secret Garden HD is rendered with smoothness. The midrange on the Secret Garden HD takes on a thicker approach than the Falcon-C with extra body. The lower mids on the Secret Garden HD has more quantity and male vocals are tackled better. The upper mids on the Secret Garden HD is more forward and it boosts the intimacy of female vocals. Next, for the treble section, the Falcon-C has more extension while the Secret Garden HD has extra body. The air rendered on the Falcon-C has greater amount and treble articulation has a higher accuracy. Lastly, the Secret Garden HD expands more naturally in its stage and the width on the Falcon-C is greater. The depth on the Secret Garden HD is more closed in.

TFZ Secret Garden HD vs Magaosi X3

The Secret Garden HD has more sub-bass quantity and it is able to extend greater. The sub-bass reproduction on the Secret Garden HD is stronger whilst delivering a powerful punch. The mid-bass on the Secret Garden HD has additional body and the slam is expressed more aggressively. The bass texture on the X3 is rendered more smoothly while the Secret Garden HD has an edge in its bass decay. The bass on the Secret Garden HD is much more impactful. The midrange on the X3 is smoother and demonstrates finesse. The lower mids on the X3 has more quantity than the Secret Garden HD and male vocals are expressed with emotions. The upper mids on the Secret Garden HD has extra forwardness which gives a lively female vocals performance. Next, for the treble section, the Secret Garden HD has slightly better extension and treble presentation on the X3 is smoother. The amount of air rendered by the Secret Garden HD is greater. The Secret Garden HD has extra boost which contributes to a higher engagement level. In terms of soundstage, the X3 expands more naturally while the Secret Garden HD has greater width magnitude. The depth on the X3 is slightly more closed in.

Conclusion

The Secret Garden HD is a rich sounding iem that delivers an authoritative bass reproduction, lush midrange and smooth treble. Its impressive bass performance packs a punch which results in a vivid performance. The TFZ Secret Garden HD makes an impressive debut as the first IEM of the Secret Garden Series and is a good indicator for things to come from TFZ.



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