The TFZ Series 5: Finally Hype that I can BACK.
I first heard about the TFZ Series 5 through another audio based forum. A well-experienced user (not sure if I can state name) who's owned nearly every single top-of-the-line IEM and many flagship headphones was making a very very bold statement. In summary, he stated that the TFZ Series 3 was one of the best IEM's he's ever heard, and easily competes with most of the high-end earphones that he's heard. In specific, he dared to even say that the Series 3 "pets the head of the Jupiter and K10s", and "stomped" various other $800+ IEMs. And the craziest part? The TFZ Series 3 sells for $59.
The TFZ Series 5 is supposedly a step up from the Series 3, with a slightly more neutral "mature" tuning. The price jump is pretty negligible, it'll run you $79. I've been reading incredible praise that these are really good, coming too close to owners' UERMs, FitEars, JH13FP, and Andromeda. I decided to jump the gun and go for the 5 rather than the 3. Personally, I did not know what to expect -- some users said they auditioned it and it was muddy garbage, while others continued to praise it. Now that I've had it for a week, I think I can formulate a pretty good opinion on the Series 5s (now on referred to as the TFZ 5).
Arrival
Surprisingly, packaging was pretty pleasurable for the price. It came in one of those super sleek, flush boxes that open ever so slowly as you hold it, waiting for the bottom to slide out. Everything was neatly organized and documented, but I didn't really care much for the rest of it. Tips came in 5 different varieties (S/M/L/Biflange/Foam), but as usual I immediately went for the medium sized silicone tip. The foam tip is a horrible tip that is quite unusable, as it doesn't retain any memory like Comply foam. The earhooks are pretty useless and shirt clip was not used.
Sound
A Horrible First Impression
The very second I started playing a track through these, I thought to myself, "The vocals sound like ****." Vocals sounded veiled and rounded-off, without any sense of upper midrange bite. Snares and cymbals were dull and lifeless... Of course, it wasn't all that bad on first listen. I listened to all the different qualities of what I was hearing -- bass was very impactful and smooth with a pleasurable texture. I decided to continue running through my tracklist, and found myself nodding to the music after a few songs.
And then, this is when the magic happened. I turned up the volume. Once my volume rocker hit 60%, the sound just came to life.
- The TFZ 5 is a very poor low-volume IEM, they perform at their best in moderate to high volumes. Also, I don't believe in burn-in very much .. but many who own the TFZ 3/5 say that burn-in really makes a difference with them.
Organic, Natural, and Enveloping
Once the volume was at head-bobbing level (moderate to high), I couldn't help but smile. The bass didn't change much with the volume increase -- it retained its tightness and impact, while only slightly creeping into the midrange. I found the levels of bass quite a bit above neutral -- luckily there are mods to change the bass amount. The low end is very fun and really gets you going with the music.
When reaching higher volumes, the big changes occur in the midrange and treble. Those veiled vocals jump forward to stand beside the bass. Vocals were smooth and euphoric -- that is the best way for me to describe it. At some rare times, I feel like the vocals are a tad thin ... but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me. But oh, they are so enjoyable. Female vocals are really just so smooth. I would say that other vocal-based IEMs might pull it off better, but the VALUE!
edit 10/8/16: noticed more reviews popped up and forgot to add further thoughts as time went on. I've come to the conclusion that subbass and bass are the prominent features of this IEM, lower mids sit behind, upper mids are emphasized over lower mids (this explains the 'hollowness' i detected), and treble rolls off quickly. Still highly recommended IEM, if you listen to mainly EDM, rap/hip-hop, electronic, etc. this can't be beat at its price range (and maybe even higher).
The treble is sort of a controversial point for me. There is a slight peak which gives the sound energy and makes it more exciting, but some might detect sibilance. I personally don't really mind the treble peak and feel that it is necessary to the sound of the headphone -- I don't feel any sort of sibilance from the TFZ 5. However, there is significant rolloff in the treble that makes the sound seemingly lack air. The little details and reverb of instruments might be lost within the upper treble, which some may feel creates a congested sound.
- The TFZ 5's signature is quite warm -- the bass is quite elevated, and the FR gently slopes downwards through the midrange towards the treble, then rises and falls off a cliff. The TFZ 5 compromises its ability to reproduce detail in order to have an exciting, musical sound. They are NOT super detailed!
UPDATE: New Version (upgraded cable)
I picked up the newer version of the TFZ Series 5. It has a massively upgraded cable (feels great!), but retains its shoddy strain reliefs. The 3.5mm jack has a proper strain relief and is now seated at an angle -- the overall build quality and solidity of the new TFZ 5 is a great improvement. However, they've also made some changes to the sound. This is important! I detected a decrease in bass quantity, though still having a solid punch (like the old tuning, but with less in-your-face rumble). It's much more tolerable to non-bassheads now. Mids seem to remain untouched. The treble has been increased. I felt that the treble peak was sharper, more piercing, more prominent. It's sibilant at higher volumes and can make you wince. I was a little bit disappointed, as the bass decrease and cable change was greatly appreciated -- but the treble amplitude increase is reminiscent of the Beyerdynamic DT990s. It's sometimes harsh.
I took apart the new TFZ S5, to find that they had removed the thin filter behind the nozzle grill. I realized that TFZ had released this new version with the mods that people were recommending -- harakiri mod with decreased bass, and removing the filter for more prominent treble. Unfortunately removing the filter doesn't increase the extension of the treble, but just makes the peak more piercing. I was able to mod this down by placing foam blocks within the nozzle. I really wish they had just decreased the bass a tad bit, and left the treble untouched. Right now the new version feels like an obvious v-shape; if they had left the filter in the nozzle the new TFZ 5 would truly be a budget king. The cable is supple and feels great to the touch (think Pinnacle P1 cable), the bass is more controlled, but the treble is harsher. Guess you can't get it perfect at this price range.
Other IEM things
The isolation isn't the greatest and the stock tips aren't very grippy. They might fall out of your ears sometimes if you don't cinch the cable up to your chin. This could be fixed if you recable them with memory cable.
Some very brief comparisons
Mee M6 Pro: Well, this isn't really a comparison IMO. The TFZ pretty much dominates the M6 Pro in nearly every department, except for treble extension. The M6 pro has a more comfortable profile as well as build quality though. But the strange, peaky treble of the M6 Pro is really weird and noticeable once you listen to other things.
SE215: Never heard these, but everyone says they're not worth buying anymore... so
Mee Pinnacle P1: The TFZ Series 5 is what I wanted to hear from the Pinnacle P1. As far as aesthetics and design, the P1 wins hands down. But in terms of sound, the TFZ Series 5 takes the cake, at an even lower asking price. The Pinnacle felt a little boring and lifeless to me, as it seemed there was a big dip in the upper mids that made it lack energy. The TFZ 5 has more bass / sub bass punch, as well as a nice touch of sparkle on the treble that really makes music fun to listen to. However, the P1 has better treble extension as well as cleaner, less liquidy mids. I would give the upper hand to the TFZ S5 here.
Vibro Labs Aria: Well, that's a price jump... The Vibro Labs Aria sounds slightly cleaner in most the frequency ranges. When switching to the Aria from the TFZ, you'll definitely notice a lot more detail and upper-end extensionThe Aria is a lot more airier and spacious, with more controlled and cleaner bass. However, the TFZ (in my opinion), has more natural mids as the Aria has a hollow-ish timbre to vocals. I think both of them have a slight v-shaped signature, but Aria is more recessed in mids. I wouldn't say one is superior to the other ... I could find myself reaching for both of them -- but TFZ 5 makes the Aria look like a very bad value.
UM Miracle: Have yet to really A/B these.
Alclair RSM: Receiving these in a couple days.
It's not perfect.
The TFZ 5 suffers from a few quirks. Some might call it overly bassy, congested, or peaky. I personally think it is none of those, but all ears are different. But what I do see wrong with the TFZ 5 is pretty universal.
- Again, they sound really veiled at lower volumes. Also, the treble rolloff is pretty noticeable and you might feel a lack of air and spaciousness.
I'm not sure if anything can fix that issue, as it's innate to the housing shape and driver tuning (i think).
- The cable is horrible. It's grippy, it's tangly, and its connection point is flimsy.
A friend opened the housing and it looks like it has notches that would perfectly fit 2-pin connectors -- I'm sure with experience and some DIY, you could make them detachable and use any cable you want.
UPDATE! The new cable is a lot better -- the TFZ 5 has been updated with a braided cable.
- The matte finish of the housing is not durable.
For some reason, the matte finish on the housing started peeling after 3 days of ownership. I usually baby my stuff and I was surprised this happened. It left a shiny spot on the IEM and it's kind of ugly -- but it would be pretty cool if only I could peel all the matte layer off. However, no one else has had this problem.
- The strain reliefs kind of suck.
They don't do their job well. That's all.
- Too much bass?
You can mod that away:
The only mod that I performed on my TFZ 5s was the "harakiri mod" (credit: Stratocaster). This is done by poking a small needle into the bass vent (small hole) on the posterior of each IEM (nozzle side). You should feel the pop of you puncturing a thin layer (some sort of paper film) -- once you feel this, you should stop. Any further and you can punch a hole in the driver! It sounds intimidating but it's pretty easy. This mod essentially opens up the housing a bit and decreases the bass quantity. After this, the balance between the bass and midrange is more flat and neutral to my ears.
Summary
I've never really been early in hype trains. I have always been eager to join them in hopes of finding a real giant-killer (cough SHP9500), but have always been disappointed. However, the TFZ Series 5 is really something to marvel at, in terms of priceerformance ratio -- I think it performs incredibly well at its asking price, and maybe even higher. While I won't sell the Miracle for it, I might actually sell just about everything else I own ... because the TFZ Series 5 just comes that damn close. Even then, I won't say the Miracle is that much better than the TFZ -- they're different sounds for a different taste.
If you decide to try the Series 5 out, keep in mind that my initial thoughts (and many other owners) had generally negative first impressions. These might take a little bit of time to grow on you and for your ears to adapt, but it is such a great performer after that. I don't think anyone should make quick impressions on these unless they've listened for at least 30 minutes. But remember, the TFZ 5 is not a very good low-volume performer. But when you're listening at the right volume, the Series 5 is so much fun, and shares so many characteristics with a lot of higher-end headphones.
It really makes you question what sounds good, what sounds mediocre, what's a good value, and what isn't. Highly, highly, very highly recommended. This has become my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for good sound on a budget.
If you'd like more information/discussion about the TFZ 5 you can go ahead and google "tfz endgame" (can't link here).
I first heard about the TFZ Series 5 through another audio based forum. A well-experienced user (not sure if I can state name) who's owned nearly every single top-of-the-line IEM and many flagship headphones was making a very very bold statement. In summary, he stated that the TFZ Series 3 was one of the best IEM's he's ever heard, and easily competes with most of the high-end earphones that he's heard. In specific, he dared to even say that the Series 3 "pets the head of the Jupiter and K10s", and "stomped" various other $800+ IEMs. And the craziest part? The TFZ Series 3 sells for $59.
The TFZ Series 5 is supposedly a step up from the Series 3, with a slightly more neutral "mature" tuning. The price jump is pretty negligible, it'll run you $79. I've been reading incredible praise that these are really good, coming too close to owners' UERMs, FitEars, JH13FP, and Andromeda. I decided to jump the gun and go for the 5 rather than the 3. Personally, I did not know what to expect -- some users said they auditioned it and it was muddy garbage, while others continued to praise it. Now that I've had it for a week, I think I can formulate a pretty good opinion on the Series 5s (now on referred to as the TFZ 5).
Arrival
Surprisingly, packaging was pretty pleasurable for the price. It came in one of those super sleek, flush boxes that open ever so slowly as you hold it, waiting for the bottom to slide out. Everything was neatly organized and documented, but I didn't really care much for the rest of it. Tips came in 5 different varieties (S/M/L/Biflange/Foam), but as usual I immediately went for the medium sized silicone tip. The foam tip is a horrible tip that is quite unusable, as it doesn't retain any memory like Comply foam. The earhooks are pretty useless and shirt clip was not used.
Sound
A Horrible First Impression
The very second I started playing a track through these, I thought to myself, "The vocals sound like ****." Vocals sounded veiled and rounded-off, without any sense of upper midrange bite. Snares and cymbals were dull and lifeless... Of course, it wasn't all that bad on first listen. I listened to all the different qualities of what I was hearing -- bass was very impactful and smooth with a pleasurable texture. I decided to continue running through my tracklist, and found myself nodding to the music after a few songs.
And then, this is when the magic happened. I turned up the volume. Once my volume rocker hit 60%, the sound just came to life.
- The TFZ 5 is a very poor low-volume IEM, they perform at their best in moderate to high volumes. Also, I don't believe in burn-in very much .. but many who own the TFZ 3/5 say that burn-in really makes a difference with them.
Organic, Natural, and Enveloping
Once the volume was at head-bobbing level (moderate to high), I couldn't help but smile. The bass didn't change much with the volume increase -- it retained its tightness and impact, while only slightly creeping into the midrange. I found the levels of bass quite a bit above neutral -- luckily there are mods to change the bass amount. The low end is very fun and really gets you going with the music.
When reaching higher volumes, the big changes occur in the midrange and treble. Those veiled vocals jump forward to stand beside the bass. Vocals were smooth and euphoric -- that is the best way for me to describe it. At some rare times, I feel like the vocals are a tad thin ... but that might just be my mind playing tricks on me. But oh, they are so enjoyable. Female vocals are really just so smooth. I would say that other vocal-based IEMs might pull it off better, but the VALUE!
edit 10/8/16: noticed more reviews popped up and forgot to add further thoughts as time went on. I've come to the conclusion that subbass and bass are the prominent features of this IEM, lower mids sit behind, upper mids are emphasized over lower mids (this explains the 'hollowness' i detected), and treble rolls off quickly. Still highly recommended IEM, if you listen to mainly EDM, rap/hip-hop, electronic, etc. this can't be beat at its price range (and maybe even higher).
The treble is sort of a controversial point for me. There is a slight peak which gives the sound energy and makes it more exciting, but some might detect sibilance. I personally don't really mind the treble peak and feel that it is necessary to the sound of the headphone -- I don't feel any sort of sibilance from the TFZ 5. However, there is significant rolloff in the treble that makes the sound seemingly lack air. The little details and reverb of instruments might be lost within the upper treble, which some may feel creates a congested sound.
- The TFZ 5's signature is quite warm -- the bass is quite elevated, and the FR gently slopes downwards through the midrange towards the treble, then rises and falls off a cliff. The TFZ 5 compromises its ability to reproduce detail in order to have an exciting, musical sound. They are NOT super detailed!
UPDATE: New Version (upgraded cable)
I picked up the newer version of the TFZ Series 5. It has a massively upgraded cable (feels great!), but retains its shoddy strain reliefs. The 3.5mm jack has a proper strain relief and is now seated at an angle -- the overall build quality and solidity of the new TFZ 5 is a great improvement. However, they've also made some changes to the sound. This is important! I detected a decrease in bass quantity, though still having a solid punch (like the old tuning, but with less in-your-face rumble). It's much more tolerable to non-bassheads now. Mids seem to remain untouched. The treble has been increased. I felt that the treble peak was sharper, more piercing, more prominent. It's sibilant at higher volumes and can make you wince. I was a little bit disappointed, as the bass decrease and cable change was greatly appreciated -- but the treble amplitude increase is reminiscent of the Beyerdynamic DT990s. It's sometimes harsh.
I took apart the new TFZ S5, to find that they had removed the thin filter behind the nozzle grill. I realized that TFZ had released this new version with the mods that people were recommending -- harakiri mod with decreased bass, and removing the filter for more prominent treble. Unfortunately removing the filter doesn't increase the extension of the treble, but just makes the peak more piercing. I was able to mod this down by placing foam blocks within the nozzle. I really wish they had just decreased the bass a tad bit, and left the treble untouched. Right now the new version feels like an obvious v-shape; if they had left the filter in the nozzle the new TFZ 5 would truly be a budget king. The cable is supple and feels great to the touch (think Pinnacle P1 cable), the bass is more controlled, but the treble is harsher. Guess you can't get it perfect at this price range.
Other IEM things
The isolation isn't the greatest and the stock tips aren't very grippy. They might fall out of your ears sometimes if you don't cinch the cable up to your chin. This could be fixed if you recable them with memory cable.
Some very brief comparisons
Mee M6 Pro: Well, this isn't really a comparison IMO. The TFZ pretty much dominates the M6 Pro in nearly every department, except for treble extension. The M6 pro has a more comfortable profile as well as build quality though. But the strange, peaky treble of the M6 Pro is really weird and noticeable once you listen to other things.
SE215: Never heard these, but everyone says they're not worth buying anymore... so
Mee Pinnacle P1: The TFZ Series 5 is what I wanted to hear from the Pinnacle P1. As far as aesthetics and design, the P1 wins hands down. But in terms of sound, the TFZ Series 5 takes the cake, at an even lower asking price. The Pinnacle felt a little boring and lifeless to me, as it seemed there was a big dip in the upper mids that made it lack energy. The TFZ 5 has more bass / sub bass punch, as well as a nice touch of sparkle on the treble that really makes music fun to listen to. However, the P1 has better treble extension as well as cleaner, less liquidy mids. I would give the upper hand to the TFZ S5 here.
Vibro Labs Aria: Well, that's a price jump... The Vibro Labs Aria sounds slightly cleaner in most the frequency ranges. When switching to the Aria from the TFZ, you'll definitely notice a lot more detail and upper-end extensionThe Aria is a lot more airier and spacious, with more controlled and cleaner bass. However, the TFZ (in my opinion), has more natural mids as the Aria has a hollow-ish timbre to vocals. I think both of them have a slight v-shaped signature, but Aria is more recessed in mids. I wouldn't say one is superior to the other ... I could find myself reaching for both of them -- but TFZ 5 makes the Aria look like a very bad value.
UM Miracle: Have yet to really A/B these.
Alclair RSM: Receiving these in a couple days.
It's not perfect.
The TFZ 5 suffers from a few quirks. Some might call it overly bassy, congested, or peaky. I personally think it is none of those, but all ears are different. But what I do see wrong with the TFZ 5 is pretty universal.
- Again, they sound really veiled at lower volumes. Also, the treble rolloff is pretty noticeable and you might feel a lack of air and spaciousness.
I'm not sure if anything can fix that issue, as it's innate to the housing shape and driver tuning (i think).
A friend opened the housing and it looks like it has notches that would perfectly fit 2-pin connectors -- I'm sure with experience and some DIY, you could make them detachable and use any cable you want.
UPDATE! The new cable is a lot better -- the TFZ 5 has been updated with a braided cable.
- The matte finish of the housing is not durable.
For some reason, the matte finish on the housing started peeling after 3 days of ownership. I usually baby my stuff and I was surprised this happened. It left a shiny spot on the IEM and it's kind of ugly -- but it would be pretty cool if only I could peel all the matte layer off. However, no one else has had this problem.
- The strain reliefs kind of suck.
They don't do their job well. That's all.
- Too much bass?
You can mod that away:
The only mod that I performed on my TFZ 5s was the "harakiri mod" (credit: Stratocaster). This is done by poking a small needle into the bass vent (small hole) on the posterior of each IEM (nozzle side). You should feel the pop of you puncturing a thin layer (some sort of paper film) -- once you feel this, you should stop. Any further and you can punch a hole in the driver! It sounds intimidating but it's pretty easy. This mod essentially opens up the housing a bit and decreases the bass quantity. After this, the balance between the bass and midrange is more flat and neutral to my ears.
Summary
I've never really been early in hype trains. I have always been eager to join them in hopes of finding a real giant-killer (cough SHP9500), but have always been disappointed. However, the TFZ Series 5 is really something to marvel at, in terms of priceerformance ratio -- I think it performs incredibly well at its asking price, and maybe even higher. While I won't sell the Miracle for it, I might actually sell just about everything else I own ... because the TFZ Series 5 just comes that damn close. Even then, I won't say the Miracle is that much better than the TFZ -- they're different sounds for a different taste.
If you decide to try the Series 5 out, keep in mind that my initial thoughts (and many other owners) had generally negative first impressions. These might take a little bit of time to grow on you and for your ears to adapt, but it is such a great performer after that. I don't think anyone should make quick impressions on these unless they've listened for at least 30 minutes. But remember, the TFZ 5 is not a very good low-volume performer. But when you're listening at the right volume, the Series 5 is so much fun, and shares so many characteristics with a lot of higher-end headphones.
It really makes you question what sounds good, what sounds mediocre, what's a good value, and what isn't. Highly, highly, very highly recommended. This has become my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for good sound on a budget.
If you'd like more information/discussion about the TFZ 5 you can go ahead and google "tfz endgame" (can't link here).
another thing is, if you had the old version; i found mids and highs to be severely lacking at lower volume. for some reason when turning up the volume the mids bloom and are no longer muddled. otherwise it might just not be your pref