Tin HiFi T5

Greetings!

Today we're checking out TinHiFi's newest entry into their ever popular T-Series of earphones.

TinHiFi's claim to fame is the original T2, a reference quality dual-dynamic earphone that didn't break the bank. Since it's release in 2017 put them on the map, TinHiFi's lineup has been fleshed out with a wide variety of products, some great like the T2+, some lacking like the true wireless T2000.

When the T5 was announced, I was pumped for the gorgeous new shell design, the move to a 2-pin system, and the inclusion of super stiff DOC single dynamic drivers. It sounded like it was going to be a killer release. Since I wasn't expecting the opportunity to review it, I scoped the usual suspects once reviews dropped and was shocked to see it being almost universally panned. Once that happened, I knew I needed to hear it for myself and reached out to TinHiFi to see if they would be willing to provide a sample. You're reading this so you know how that went.

I've had it in hand and in the ear since early May with listening interspersed with a variety of much more expensive, top of the line products. Clearly I missed some important anti-T5 memo sent to my peers because the T5 is absolutely fantastic. Let's take a closer look, shall we?


What I Hear Bass from the T5 is sub-bass biased with a lean mid-bass region. This leaves it with a cooler tonality. It has plenty of snap and attack to notes and if quite nimble and quick, easily tackling Havok's 'Time Is Up' album with ease. Texturing is good but not class leading with grungy notes from The Prodigy and Tobacco being satisfactorily replicated. A bit more grit would be nice, but then it would probably end up being even more polarizing so this is fine. Quantity is certainly above neutral, but far from basshead, or even bass-focused. If you're familiar with the T4 or T2 Plus, expect a presentation in line with those, but with less mid-bass.

The lower midrange is pretty much in line with the low end in terms of emphasis, with a prominent rise in the upper mids. While this boost does result in a strong presence for rhythm instruments that some will undoubtedly find fatiguing, this is right up my alley and in line with what I enjoy from other upper-mid boosted iems like the Moondrop SSR/SSP, Meze 12 Classics V2, Meze Rai Solo, among others. I love the way vocals are clear and prominent with amazing clarity and coherence, though deeper vocalists come across more natural. Those with a softer, warmer tonality would benefit from a mid-bass boost the added warmth that would bring.

With a presence region bias that gives the T5 it's near class leading clarity and detail, you'd be excused for thinking they'd kill the brilliance region. Nope. A mild 7k peak is present giving the T5 plenty of sparkle and shimmer to go along with all that detail. The lean note weight present in the low end of course carries through to this region too which results in plenty of air and space between notes. The T5 is also plenty speedy in this region with notes hitting hard and decaying fairly quickly. I have no issues tossing King Crimson's various, improvisation-heavy, jazz-addled tracks at it. Given all the emphasis going on up here, know this is a bright earphone. If you don't like the sound of that, this one probably isn't for you and you'd be better off with Dunu's SA3, the Moondrop Starfield, or even BGVP's underappreciated DMS.

When it comes to sound stage, I'm quite satisfied with the T5. Wider and deeper than average, it can very easily surround you with your music. Vocals have a semi-intimate default location, sitting just outside the inner ear. This still leaves room for closed in moments like the trailing vocals of Culprate's “Undefined” to sidle over uncomfortably close, and for the sounds of shells ricocheting off a tank's hull to careen off into the distance when playing World of Tanks. It's also awesome with film since you can become completely immersed in the impressive sound design of most modern epics. When it comes to technical qualities, the T5 doesn't lead the pack, but it's far from a slacker. Imaging is reasonably smooth with it's channel-to-channel movements, lacking the precision of multi-driver models like the BQEYZ Summer and Brainwavz B400. The wonderful depth of the staging allows layered tracks to appropriately space out, and for individual instruments to remain well-separated. At really high volumes these qualities falter somewhat, but you shouldn't be listening that loud anyway. Unless of course you don't care a bout your future hearing. In that case, go wild.

Overall, a pretty damn awesome earphone. Intoxicating sub-bass, amazing detail and clarity, and a spacious sound stage serve it well, while the general brightness and lack of warmth will turn some off. This is one I use all the time, so clearly none of those subjective negatives are of a concern to me.


Compared To A Peer (volumes matched with a Dayton iMM-6)

BQEYZ Summer (129.00 USD): The single-dynamic T5 has less bass emphasis with a more linear transition into the lower mids than the tribrid Summer. It sounds less meaty, cooler, and more lean than the notably bassier Summer. The T5 comes across a bit speedier with similar texturing. The midrange of the Summer peaks just before 2k then slowly tapers down as you head into the treble whereas the T5 peaks around 2.5k then remains fairly even in emphasis until you slip into the presence region. These differences result in the T5 being considerably more detailed and crisp, but it comes at the expense of note weight and some realism. The Summer's timbre and vocal reproduction are more full-bodied and natural. Treble on the two is quite different with the T5's presence region bias giving it a huge advantage in detail retrieval and general clarity. The Summer pulls this regions back in favour of a ~7k treble peak resulting in a more sparkly but distant presentation. Both earphones have a good sound stage with the T5's coming across deeper and more layered. Imaging is a touch tighter on the Summer, but they're both quite competent.

Overall I find both extremely enjoyable, though the T5 fits in more with my preferences for less bass and an upper mid push. I also appreciate the smattering of detail it outputs, though the Summer isn't a slouch by any means. If you prefer a thicker, warmer, bassier, more natural presentation, the Summer will be the better choice.

Dunu SA3 (139.99 USD): Bass from the SA3 has a slower, thicker feel to it with a more linear and even run from sub- to upper-bass regions. It lacks the visceral feedback on the deepest of notes, and isn't quite as nimble nor competent with congested passages. Heading into the mids the SA3 peaks earlier around 1.75k with a soft transition into a minor 3k peak, after which things take a strong drop into the treble region. In comparison, the T5 peaks later, around 2.5k, then continues to rise in emphasis as we head into the treble. This gives it a leaner, brighter presentation with a much snappier attack than the SA3, in addition to much more crisp and clear vocals. While timbre on neither is perfect, the SA3 gets the nod. While both products place a focus on the presence region over the brilliance region, the T5's ~5k peak happens about 15dB higher than the SA3's, which is also more of a mild plateau than a peak. Peaks occur again around 7k, with the T5's occurring a mere 10dB higher this time. These two vastly different presentations give each earphone their own unique presentations. The T5 is quite a bit more vibrant and detailed with technical chops the SA3 can't match. These technical advantages carry over to the T5's sound stage which is considerably wider and deeper. Thanks to the improved layering and separation qualities of the T5, the SA3 falls behind on congested tracks leaving it better suited to less complicated passages. Imaging on the SA3 is similar, with precise enough channel-to-channel movements.

Overall I much prefer the T5. I like a bright, vibrant earphone with prominent upper mids and the T5 is just that. While it's not as natural sounding or relaxing over long listening sessions, the T5's technical advantages are too much to ignore, as swapping between the two leaves my wholly underwhelmed with the SA3. If you prefer a more relaxing sound, obviously the SA3 will be a better choice for you.


In The Ear The T5 features a completely new shell design for the brand, and I'm completely on board. Gone is the awkward over ear bullet design of past T-Series models (T2 Plus excepted). In place of this is an extremely well thought out, highly ergonomic low profile design that makes this TinHiFi's best shell yet, in my humble opinion of course.

As is standard for the brand, build quality is quite good. The aluminum shells are very neatly crafted with smooth curves, a clean, brushed face plate and subtle branding. On the inner sides of each ear piece are laser etched left and right indicators. Up top are deeply recessed ports to accommodate a 0.78mm 2-pin system. I'm very glad Tin has decided to move away from MMCX with this model since so many customers have had problems with it in the past. Fit and finish is generally quite good with just the slightest misalignment of the main components leaving the otherwise extremely tight seams more pronounced than they otherwise would be. It's nothing that will cause any discomfort, it's just not perfection. I can forgive a brand for falling short of perfection.

The cable is another winner in my opinion. It reminds me of the types of cables TFZ and TRN include with some of their products, but without the sticky, bouncy sheath of the former, and annoying memory of bends and twists inherent to the latter. Advertising likes to pitch the Kevlar plating that should in theory help with overall durability, but who really knows since the T5 hasn't been out that long. Strain relief is minimal at best with a small, but fairly soft relief present at the straight jack, none present at the y-split, and preformed guides carrying double duty leading into the earpieces. That Kevlar will have it's work cut out for it if it's going to keep this cable alive at the typical failure points. Sheath aside, the hardware TinHiFi uses is excellent. The straight jack is surrounding in two bands of fine knurling which not only looks nice, but provides plenty of grip. The tiny metal y-split has the TinHiFi logo laser-etched into it so it won't wear off over time. I can overlook the lack of relief since they opted to include a chin cinch. While it's a little more loose than I prefer, and can be forced out of position with relative ease, it works well enough to warrant being included. Last but not least, the tiny metal 2-pin plugs have the channels marked with L/R and colour coded plastics, meaning there is no excuse for a user to plug them in incorrectly. Overall an awesome cable in use, but boring to look at thanks to the plain black sheath and tight twist that must be looked at up close to truly appreciate. Not a cable I'll be swapping out anytime soon.

Comfort is where the T5 is a step over everything else TinHiFi has released in the past, at least for me. The size will be a hurdle for this with smaller ears, but for everyone else it should be just right. It has soft curves, a short nozzle, and excellent weight distribution, all qualities that result in a product that can be worn for long periods without any discomfort. I have used the T5 for hours on end multiple times without any need to adjust the fit or take a break due to physical discomfort. It also isolates really quite well with the included tips, silicone or otherwise. I have no issues using it out and about in loud areas, though when using silicone tips a slight bump in volume is needed around construction sites and screaming children.


In The Box The T5 comes in a large, vibrant white, textured box. One neat detail that will likely be overlooked is the embossed TinHiFi logo pattern that makes up the texturing. On the front of the package you find the usual branding and model information. Flipping to the back you won't find a list of contents, specifications, measurements, or much information at all really. Beyond some QR codes for their website and social media platforms, all that is present is a retail bar code and where the T5 was made. Lifting off the lid you are greeted to a sizable, bright white carrying case and the T5's earpieces safely tucked in shaped foam cutouts. Lifting the insert in which the earpieces are set, you find a user manual in various languages, a social media card, some ear tips, and other accessories. In all you get:

• T5 earphones
• 0.78mm 2-pin 4-core cable with 40/0.05 high-purity Oxygen-Free-Copper cable with Kevlar 200D plating
• Carrying case
• Sony Hybrid-like single flange tips (s/m/l)
• Spintfit-like single flange tips (s/m/l)
• Foam tips (m)
• Spare filters (3 pairs)
• Tweezers
• Cleaning brush

Overall a very premium unboxing. I was quite impressed. The modern, minimalist design and white colour scheme looks classy and the simulated scent of leather given of by the case smells nice. All of the accessories have a purpose. The case definitely gives off the impression you're getting a more expensive product than you are. It's a bit too large for anything but a jacket pocket or bag, but the construction is top tier. It has neat stitching and a metal TinHIFI badge, along with a spacious padded interior that can accommodate the earphones, some spare tips, and a compact DAP like the Shanling M0 and/or type-C dongle like the VE Odyssey HD. It's a wonderful case.

The included tips are also worth a mention. The Sony hybrid style tips are stiffer than the real deal, but they still work well. The same or very similar tips have been included with some Kinera products. Unlike Sony's tips, they hold up extremely well over time and are not at all fragile. While the hybrids are good tips, it's the Spinfit-like tips that really caught my attention. They feature a similar pivoting design between the shaft and flange, but unlike Spinfits are a standard tip length. I found they provided an impressively reliable seal along with outstanding comfort. These are something I'd buy a bunch of and use with quite a few different earphones, they're that good.

Final Thoughts With the T5 TinHiFi has released something that is apparently polarizing. I'm taking the side of it being a good release and have no issues recommending it. If you like earphones with a sub-bass over mid-bass bias, and can appreciate the decision to highlight clarity and detail over absolute tonal accuracy, or just like a brighter sounding product, then check out the T5. It's both fun and technical. The new shell looks fantastic and has some of the best ergonomics to cross my path, and it comes with a well appointed accessory kit. This slots in as a personal favourite and is something I will continue to use long after this review has been posted and the next new hotness has become long forgotten. I'd give it a higher score but 4 stars will already trigger enough people, so, 4 it is.

Great job TinHiFi. Keep releasing products that cater to a variety of customer preferences, even if it doesn't make you a ton of money. It'll earn you respect, something that can't be bought.

- B9


Disclaimer A huge thanks to TinHiFi for accepting my query and providing a sample of the T5 for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my subjective opinions based on just over 2 months of extensive use. They do not represent TinHiFi or any other entity. The T5 retails for 139.00 USD but was on sale for 129.00 USD at the time of writing; https://www.tinhifi.com/products/tinhifi-t5

Specifications

• Driver: 10mm dynamic with DOC diaphragm
• Impedance: 48 ohms +/- 15% @ 1kHz
• Sensitivity: 103dB +/- 1dB @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 10Hz-20kHz

Gear Used For Testing LG G6, DDHiFi TC35B, Earmen Sparrow, Earmen TR-Amp, Asus FX53V, TEAC HA-501

Some Test Tunes

Supertramp – Crime of the Century
Slipknot – Vol 3 (The Subliminal Verses)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid
King Crimson – Lark's Tongues in Aspic
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy
Steely Dan – The Royal Scam
Porcupine Tree – Stupid Dreams
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends

Disclaimer:

I would like to thank DD-Audio Store for providing a review unit of the T5. Rest assured that my impressions written in this review are my own personal thoughts and opinions and in no way influenced by outside parties.

I am not an expert in this hobby nor claim to be an audiophile. I just love listening to music and am fond of writing articles.



Introduction:


The TIN HiFi T5 is the latest release from the audio company. Utilizing a single 10mm “DOC” dynamic driver, the technology is advertised as an evolution of the DLC drivers people have come to love. I don’t know if that’s just random marketing “facts” or something, but spoiler alert – they don’t sound particularly exceptional. Currently selling for 129 USD, it has a sensitivity of 103 dB with an unusually high impedance for an IEM at 48 ohms.

These were plugged to my Oppo Reno 4/Asus X409 with the Earstudio HUD100 MK2 (bypass, high power) for the review. While the impedance says otherwise, there were no observed improvements with more power. A phone will do.





Build and Comfort: Exceptional build. On their page, it says that the shell’s made of aviation-grade aluminum and it feels awesome on hand. Shell is of the bigger side but has cuts that contour to the human ear.

Regarding fit, looks can be deceiving, and that is the case with the T5. It fits surprisingly well in my small Asian ears, doesn’t feel heavy at all, nor fits big where you will always know that it’s there. One of the best-fitting IEM I have.

Nozzle is of below average length and average width. It did fit all eartips in my possession and I didn’t encounter any issues with the nozzle design.

The stock cable is a 4-core, Kevlar-reinforced cable with a twisted design. In my considerably short audio journey, I’ve found twisted stock cables to be rarer compared to the more commonly included braided ones. Handles well though is on the thinner side. Connectors, jack, splitter, and slider (sometimes works) are all made of metal.

Isolation is below-average. Basically consider it non-existent for an IEM especially of this size. Earbud-like isolation.


Package: 3 pairs of colored stem silicone tips (S/M/L). 3 pairs of translucent grey “spinning” silicone tips (S/M/L). 1 pair of foam tips (M). Faux-leather carrying case. Paperwork. Cleaning brush. 3 pairs of nozzle filters. Filter application tool. 4-core cable.





Now, onto sound:

For this review, the IEM was left in stock mode, without mods using the BQEYZ Summer vocal tips (any eartip advertised as vocal-enhancing will do) with a low listening volume low.

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Bass: elevated tuning. Sub-par detail and extension. Close to non-existent texture. Tonality leans slightly towards mid-bass over sub-bass. Sub-bass, while present, is like a trickle (no rumble felt at all). Unacceptable for the price it sells for. IT BLOOMS. Due to the bass quality concerning speed (unacceptably slow) and tightness, it has a more-than-usual tendency to present monotonous bass lines – smeared and woolly. Bass bleed manifests a lot. Worst aspect of the T5.

Midrange: they alright… if it was selling for 30 USD. The upper midrange elevation leads to a shouty presentation at higher volumes, with a significant lower-to-mid treble peak adding to that (can’t turn up the volume; maintain at low volume listen). Slightly recessed midrange overall (excluding quite shouty upper midrange), which does add to the stage presentation. Resolution is average. Midrange proper sounds thin and harsh (can’t go more than 1.5 hours). Male vocals get eaten by the bass response.

Treble: “most inoffensive” part of the T5’s sound when compared to the other regions. Decent air, clarity and control (though does almost cross the splashy border). BUT it is exceptionally *chef’s kiss* peaky in ear, which become unbearable in longer listen (same experience with EDX; peakier with stock tips). Really, really close to being sibilant for my ears/tolerance. Listening to badly recorded tracks is quite the torture from the highs department with the T5.

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Timbre: The DOC driver utilized in the T5 sounds particularly dry with a tendency to be thin and artificial.

Soundstage, Imaging, and Separation: The stage immerses the listener inside this huge world. Though it is absolutely unnatural, the presentation is, for lack of a better word, quite magical. The feeling is like freediving – where the individual is engulfed in this unexplainably vast and deep space. I’m attributing this trait to the large chamber thanks to the huge shell as well as the non-existent isolation. Imaging does well in presenting spatial location of sound/s. HOWEVER, the other half of the presentation – separation, falls short. While it does image well, its instrument separation capabilities cannot fully utilize the remarkable soundstage, most especially when things get even the slightest busy. The driver cannot handle multiple instruments and the space between instruments blur and go over each other.

Detail-retrieval: nothing exceptional. Macro and microdetail is present but doesn’t jump at you. You have to specifically look for it to notice.

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Conclusion:


The unboxing experience was very premium-feeling. The box has debossed print literally all over it, which look like they were made as the product box of a designer brand. The IEM itself feels like a 200+ USD product on hand. But the most important aspect in this hobby fails real hard. If I were to conclude the SQ, I’d say it’s decent… if it was sold for 30 USD. The only special thing it does in the price bracket it unjustifiably lives in is soundstage. But then again, who buys a 129 USD IEM for its soundstage when everything else fails?

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The TinHiFi T5 is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring a 10mm “DOC” dynamic driver. TinHiFi claims that DOC improves on the now-commonplace diamond-like carbon diaphragm dynamic driver type. The T5 is available at Linsoul for $129. I received the T5 from Linsoul in exchange for a fair and objective review.

SOURCES:​

I have used the TinHiFi T5 with the following sources:

• Hidizs S9
• Qudelix 5K

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The TinHiFi T5 comes in a large rectangular white cardboard box. This box is largely unmarked apart from TinHiFi branding on five of its six sides. There is a faintly raised pattern that spans the entire surface of the box, which I thought was a subtle yet unique touch. Inside the box, the IEMs and the included carry case are held in foam mounting sheets along with the included tips and other accessories. The package includes a detachable 2-pin cable and 14 eartips in three varieties. There are three pairs of conventional silicone eartips (S, M, L), three pairs of Sony-esque grippy black eartips with brightly colored stems (S, M, L), and one pair of TinHiFi foam eartips (M). The package also includes a small cleaning brush, a set of six replacement nozzle filters, and a tool to install them with. In terms of documentation, the T5 includes a user manual written in English and Chinese and a contact card.

The included carry case has a clamshell design with a magnetic latch. The case appears to use a presumably synthetic white leather for the bulk of its construction, with the interior surface lined with white fabric. The front of the case has a stainless steel stamp emblazoned with the TinHiFi logo. The stitching is well-done and the leather material avoids feeling cheap or tacky. One thing I did not like about the case is the top lip of the bottom half, which blocks off roughly a third of the case volume around the edges. It would have made more sense to me to omit this lip to make it easier to stow the IEMs.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The TinHiFi T5 uses a three-part shell design consisting of a faceplate, upper housing, and lower housing. Each shell component is built with gunmetal grey aluminum, polished to a near-mirror sheen. The teardrop-shaped faceplate is set into the top half of the housing body. The text “TINHiFi” is etched into each of the faceplates. The housing as a whole has an ergonomic, pseudo-custom fit. “L” and “R” indicators are marked in white in the center of the ear-facing surface of the lower housing. There is a small circular vent on the top of the upper housing as well as on the bottom housing, slightly offset from the nozzle. The T5 has brass nozzles with perforated metal mesh nozzle covers and sizable lips for securing eartips. The recessed 2-pin connector housing is bisected by the seam between the upper and lower housings.

The oxygen-free cable included with the T5 is light, flexible, and not prone to tangling. The cable strands are wrapped in a spiral pattern below the Y-split and follow a double helix pattern above it. The straight 3.5mm jack hardware, the Y-split hardware, and the greatly appreciated chin-adjustment slider are also made from a shiny gunmetal grey aluminum that matches the housing materials. There is strain relief above the jack but not at the Y-split. The 2-pin housings have “L” and “R” indicators printed in white, and the Y-split hardware is marked with the TinHiFi logo. The cable has pre-formed clear plastic earguides.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The TinHiFi T5 is intended to be worn cable-up. They have a shallow insertion depth, and I found them to be extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods. I did not have issues with the housings migrating out of my ears with the included foam eartips. Isolation is below average. There is very slight driver flex even with foam eartips.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements, including those referenced in this review, can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

https://bedrock.squig.link/

My measurements were conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The measurements use a compensation file derived from relating my raw measurements to published measurements from Crinacle and Antdroid. The measurements are presented with 1/24th smoothing. There is a resonant peak at 8k. Measurements above 10 kHz are not reliable. These measurements were taken with the stock small-sized silicone eartips.

SOUND:​

Note: My impressions are based on use with the included pair of foam eartips.

The TinHiFi T5 is a bright-sounding IEM with a broadly elevated bass response.

The TinHiFi T5’s bass tuning is somewhere between a mid-bass hump and a sub-bass shelf, but more closely resembles the first. However, the T5’s tuning produces none of the benefits of fully committing to either approach. There is not enough sub-bass or mid-bass to produce visceral rumble or tangible slam. Instead, the T5 generates sonic mud. There is an appalling lack of internal resolution in the bass response for an IEM above the $100 price point. While musical notes are distinct from each other, and the T5’s instrument separation and soundstage size are impressive overall, there is little insight into the character of individual notes. The T5’s bass has little texture. The speed at which notes are delivered is adequate for faster musical passages, but they arrive with an unsatisfying thud.

While not congested, the TinHiFi T5 has a thin, tinny midrange that suffers from both shout and shrillness. There is little warmth or body in the lower midrange, and the overall character of the T5’s midrange is somewhere between chilly and frigid. Vocal intelligibility is excellent for both male and female vocals. However, female vocals are too far forward and easily transgress the boundary between vibrancy and sibilance. Similarly, while midrange clarity is excellent, the presence region is perforated by a harsh peak which makes electronic music in particular difficult to endure without discomfort. Male vocal intelligibility can suffer during busy musical passages but remains adequate in most cases. Timbre is a mixed bag. There is a hint of metallic harshness throughout the T5’s frequency response, but I suspect this is related to the IEM’s frequency response and not the intrinsic qualities of its driver.

The TinHiFi T5’s treble is the least troubled segment of its frequency response. It seems to fall evenly from the presence region without presenting any egregious peaks and is well balanced against the elevated upper midrange. It is crisp and detailed without being harsh to my ears. There is a bit of extra energy around 10 kHz that gives cymbals some additional splash. This may cross the line into artificiality for some, as it is worth noting I prefer more mid-treble emphasis than many. There is a healthy amount of air, and transient delivery seems realistic. Imaging is adequate.

COMPARISONS:​

TinHiFi T5 ($129) vs TinHiFi T2 Plus ($53.99)​

The TinHiFi T2 Plus is easier to listen to with a wider variety of musical genres than the T5. This is primarily due to its more restrained upper midrange. The T2 Plus avoids the shout and shrillness of the T5 but is too restrained in terms of ear gain for my tastes. Vocals sound a bit flat to my ears with the T2 Plus, especially after switching from the T5. The T5 offers much greater vocal clarity and intelligibility than the T2 Plus, though this comes with the costs I described earlier. Ideally, I would prefer something in between the two IEMS in terms of ear gain and presence. The T2 Plus has better internal bass note resolution and texture than the T5, whereas the T5 has more detailed and resolving treble. Interestingly, the T5 does not exhibit the treble ringing phenomenon I sometimes experienced with the T2 Plus. The T2 Plus has a less noticeably metallic timbre than the T5. The T5 offers slightly better soundstage width than the T2 Plus, but vastly greater soundstage depth and instrument separation.

TinHiFi T5 ($129) vs Moondrop Aria ($79.99)​

The Moondrop Aria more closely approximates the Harman target than the TinHiFi T5, with a greater emphasis on sub-bass and a more deliberate upper midrange presentation. The greater sub-bass emphasis combined with the absence of the T5’s extreme presence peak makes the Aria a much better choice for electronic music. The Aria’s upper midrange is also much smoother than the T5’s while retaining a healthy amount of ear gain. Female vocals come across as more evenly balanced with the rest of the frequency response on the Aria. The T5 has more sparkle and less air than the Aria. The T5 has a larger soundstage than the Aria but worse instrument separation and imaging. The T5 has more premium construction and a better-fitting shell design. I also prefer the T5’s included cable to the one included with the Aria.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

The TinHiFi T5 can be readily driven with modest sources. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The TinHiFi T5 is uncompetitive at its price point and fails to definitively eclipse more affordable models within TinHiFi’s own lineup. Not recommended.

The TinHiFi T5 can be purchased below:

TinHiFi T5 New Innovation — DOC Dynamic Driver In Ear Earphones — Linsoul Audio

TINHIFI T5 REVIEW

PROS: Decent clarity, decent holographic layering, Big soundstage, Good construction

CONS: Boomy resonant bass that lack body and definition, artificial timbre, lack of attack edge and snap (shouty), thin vocal-mids, unbalanced treble, price value, not versatile 2pin connector

TONALITY: 7/10
TECHNICALITIES: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION-DESIGN:8/10
SOUND VALUE: 6.5/10

INTRODUCTION&EXPECTATIONS

It look like TinHifi launch a new IEM every 2months lately, and while the T2+ wasn't completely nailing my tonal target in term of clean immersive dynamic, it sure was a well-tuned and cohesive sound.
For 60$.
Now the expectation bar as set way higher with the new TinHifi T5 which sell for 140$, a price range filled by great offering like BQEYZ Spring2, FIIO FH3, IKKO OH1.

Another thing that pumps up my expectation was the use of a new 10mm DOC Dynamic Driver which is supposed to be an improved DLC (Diamond-Like-Carbon) Diaphragm made of improved molecular carbon that make the diaphragm thinner but 60% more solid and sturdy than typical DLC. While this is very exciting, it's the first-gen of new patented technology and we don't know anything about the flexibility of the material. As well, how this driver will be implemented in the big acoustic housing of T5 will sure interfere with its final rendering. One thing sure, Tinhifi promises a lot of advantages with this driver but....

Let's see in this review how the whole thing sounds to my ears.

CONSTRUCTION&DESIGN:

The construction seem robust, its made of ''aviation grade aluminum'' which is surprisingly light. The 2pin connection is a little too deep in the housing, making it hard to pair it with different cable. Talking of cable, T5 have a kevlar reinforced cable and promise best sound transmission, in my hands it seem like an average quality cable and i wouldhave love to change it but I can't.



The Design, while not particularly sexy for they eyes, neither ugly or cheap looking, have a unique ''universal ear shape'' that Tinhifi achieve with machine learning process, interestingly, it work well because those are very organically shape and fit my ears easily even if the housing is big.




ACOUSTIC IMPRESSIONS (gear used: Ibasso dx90, SMSL SU9+SH9, Audirect Beam2, DIY ES9280C dongle)

TONAL BALANCE:
T5 has a warmed W shape sound signature, with boosted resonant bass, bit recessed mid-range with rolled off lower mid and slightly shouty treble. The bass has a strange rubbery slam that can bloom mids with its uncontrolled resonance, making it light but boomy in impact, lacking proper weight and roundness and unbalancing overall sound with it’s distracting uneven presence. Bass doesn't have proper articulation and is the worst part of T5 sound spectrum. The mids are a bit hollow in definition edge and impact, thin and dry, but with good transparency and clarity when bass doesnt bloom it. The treble is a bit unbalanced and artificial, it can go splashy without going harsh, with tamed crunchiness and a lack of sparkle-decay.

TECHNICALITIES :
PROS :
The soundstage is wide and tall and Imaging has good numbers of sound layers. Highs can dig some micro-details.
CONS :
Attack lack control everywhere but in upper treble, bass attack is slow and uncontrolled, imaging is unrealistic, background isn’t clean, upper mids can create sibilance lacking in snap, weightless sound, harmonic distortion is high

TIMBRE STYLE :
It doesn’t have a good amount of density and pitch contour, has a strange texture with an emphasis in the higher pitch (lower-mid treble) so you got uneven micro-details in it that seems out of place, can create slight sibilance. Dry, thin and artificially brighten.

SUBJECTIVE APPRECIATION OF MUSICALITY :
The TinHifi T5 just can’t trigger any emotionality in me, its musicality is what i would describe as dry, boomy and resonant and while burn in do improve slightly bass response, it still sounds plain wrong with its reverberant extension that has an overly excited artificial slam. Whatever I listen too it sounds wrong, except for a few indie rock and folk tracks that haven't kick drum either bass in it. The soundstage is impressive in size, but what's inside it isn't.

AUDIO PAIRING SIDE NOTES :
Ear tips include are good enough and interferes minimally the sound representation due to the fact the DD driver isn’t placed in front of the nozzle but at its side pointing in an angular direction. For the cables, i don’t know because the 2pin connector is too deep to permit any of the cables i have to be used. It seems T5 doesn’t scale up with amping, but it sure doesn’t want a warm bassy audio source because the sound will be super muddy-hollow. Simply put: nothing can save T5 from its tonal imbalance and meshed-up technicalities.


COMPARISONS

VS VSONIC VS7 (single DD-140$)

VS7 is more balance even if similar in tonality, with notably less, boosted and boomy bass, cleaner less sibilant mids and sharper bit treblier highs. Imaging is cleaner, more precise and with more air between instruments. While not perfect, it sounds way more refined and balanced than T5 which has a more shouty sound, with unnatural tonality-timbre, and notably less snappy attack. T5 being more excited W shape in signature and forwards yet hollow in presentation, the vocal has more sibilance and wacky lips noise or piece of instrument texture, silence is hard to found due to lot of post-attack reverberance...instrument sound dryer more artificial even if VS7 isnt a very natural sound IEM.
Here, T5 lose in both technicalities and tonal balance.

VS NFaudio NM2+ (single DD-180$)
NM2+ is more bright mid-centric, with lusher, fuller wider and more fowards mids-vocal. Bass is better controlled, have more roundness and weight, bassline sound like it kinda should while T5 sound like a cranked defective sub stock in a hall. The soundstage of T5 is a bit wider deeper, transparency too is bit better due to oversaturated texturing of NM2+. Tonality is more cohesive and less artificial than T5. Attack is a bit more edge but treble has less bite-decay. NM2+ sound too fowards while T5 too distant. So at the end, both are bad and I don't know who win...NM2+ for bit fuller more balanced tonality?

VS TINHFI T2+ (50$)

Tonality is notably more balanced and natural, with fuller timbre, more weight in the attack. Its more relaxed yet more snappy in attack. The soundstage is a bit more intimate and less airy, imaging is more realistic but compressed. T2+ is L shape vs W shape of T5. Whatever the instrument, it sounds more life-like with T2+. Vocal has a more natural body and, unlike T5, no sibilance or lipsy timbre.
At near 3 times the price, T5 is near 3 times inferior to T2+. Tonality and uncontrolled attack being the biggest flaws as well as boomy resonant bass.

CONCLUSION

Saying Tinhifi is inconsistent with is offering is an oxymoron. In that regard, they are a bit similar to a company like Kbear that seems like a big experimental audio lab that tests random tuning and ideas without a comprehensive vision of what balanced tonality means to them. It’s hard to find a connection between T line up IEM apart the letter and the T5 is the one that feels the most out of place with its wacky resonant tonality. The T2 and T2+ both offer a more cohesive, realist sound with a higher level of musical enjoyment. And even if they weren’t 3 times cheaper than T5, they sure would represent a higher sound value.

Tin HiFi T5 -The Best from Tin HiFi !



Disclaimer:

This unit was supplied to me by Tin HiFi for the purpose of an honest review. Everything mentioned in this review are purely my own based on my experiences with the IEM.

Introduction:

Tin HiFi is an emerging Chinese based audio Brand who have produced quite a few audio gears within the $20 to $350 price range. Their sound signature is quite well known to the masses and I have also used 2-3 of their products myself starting with the original Tin T2. T5 is their latest iteration and in the $100-120 category it seems quite promising with great looks and promises to deliver even better sound. Let's see what they have been up to with the T5.

Specifications:

Specifications are as below:

Driver Unit: 10mm DOC Driver
Sensitivity: 103dB ±1dB @1kHz 0.126V
Frequency Response: 10-20kHz
Impedance: 48Ω±15%
Rated/Max Power: 3/4mW
Max Distortion: 1%@1kHz 0.126V
Interface: Gold-plated 2P connector
Plug: 3.5mm black glue gold plated plug
Conductor/Cable: 2.8mm (40/0.05 oxygen free copper +200D Kevlar)* 4 - core Black PU cable L=1.25m
Housing Color: Titanium grey




Package:

Following items are found in the package:

• Tin HiFi T5 earphones
• 2 Pin Cable
• Faux leather carrying case
• 6 replaceable nozzle mesh filters
• Nozzle removal tool
• Cleaning brush
• 6 pairs of silicone ear-tips
• 1 pair of foam ear-tips

Design & Build Quality:


Looks are always subjective, but I think these are great-looking IEM, that’s both striking and ergonomic. The outer shell is made out of titanium for an even more solid appearance. The added durability is also a positive attribute. The shape of the IEM is nice & universal fit that and provides a comfortable fit for most listeners. In my experience with the T5, the earphones achieved a standard level of comfort. Sometimes the body can feel a little larger and heavier but nothing of significant discomfort at all.


The Stock Cable:

The cable this time around is much improved than all previous Tin HiFi stock cables. it looks nice and also performs well.


Amp-ing Requirements:

I have found that this IEM can perform well without any amping at all while being directly connected to devices such as: iPad, iPhone, etc..
However, this IEM really shines when paired with a good and powerful DAC/AMP.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....

Items used for this review:

DAC/AMP: Shanling UA2, IFI Micro IDSD Black Label Signature
DAP/Source : Fiio M3 Pro, Laptop & iPad
Streaming Source: QOBUZ

Upgrade Cable: Following upgrade cables used to see how FH5S fares with different types of cables:
- CEMA Electro Acousti 6N OCC + OCC Silver plating 26AWG single crystal copper cable with balanced 4.4mm connector
- CEMA Electro Acousti 22AWG 7N type6 advanced pure silver cable with balanced 4.4mm connector

Ear Tips: Final E series Clear red tips


Tracks Used:
The tracks I have used can be found from the below playlist that I have used and generally use for most reviews...


Let's now talk about the quality of Sound....

The BASS:

Bass felt fast and punchy. These is good texture & air in the bass. the punch & thump is there with a good amount of muscle but nothing overwhelming.
Overall good performance in Bass I would say.

The MIDS:

Midrange is less pronounced due to the V-shaped sound of this IEM. Nevertheless, it's not like anything is missing. Mids are good with texture. Vocals sound natural.
However, micro details in the mids section seemed somewhat less pronounced.

The Treble:

Treble seems just great. textured and airy. No peaks found anywhere. Though the graph shows few peaks in tge treble region - I found the treble to be not fatiguing and enjoyable.

The SOUNDSTAGE:

Soundstage has good width and depth and can be considered as slightly above average for the price.

Imaging & Timbre:

Sense of direction is quite good and the sound is quite natural hence I would say that this IEM has good imaging & timbre for the price.
However, in terms of micro details retrieval - I found this IEM is to be a bit lacking.

Comparisons :

Tin HiFi T5 vs BQEYZ Summer :

The BQEYZ Summer is the latest release from BQEYZ and comes at the same price points - and hence despite the differences in specs can be considered as direct competitors.



Build & Comfort: The BQEYZ Summer comes with resin build which feels non-premium unlike the Tin HiFi T5 which comes in titanium with Gunmetal type finish and feels very premium. However, in terms of comfort, I would hands down prefer the BQEYZ Summer for longer listening sessions over the Tin HiFi T5 which is slightly heavier and bigger.



Bass: When it comes to bass, the BQEYZ Summer excels in terms of details reteieval and air in the sub bass region while the Tin Hifi T5 seems to have more thump.
The BQEYZ seems to have better depth in bass than the Tin HiFi T5

Mids: I found the Mids on the BQEYZ summer to be much more detailed, textured. This is where the weakness shows in Tin HiFi T5. The Mids have more layering and muscle in the BQEYZ Summer.


Treble: This is where the Tin HiFi T5 really excels with it's non-fatiguing sound signature. The BQEYZ though has good amount of details and texture and layering and to some extent better details than the Tin HiFi T5, it has few peaks in the treble region which acts as Achilles hill for them.

Soundstage & Timbre: BQEYZ Summer has better soundstage both in terms of width & depth than the Tin HiFi T5. It has much better micro details retrieval and texture and hence timbre is also better in the BQEYZ Summer.

Conclusion :
Having said all that - both IEMs have their goods and bad and each excels in their own area of strength. The Tin HiFi T5 has better overall sound than the previous T4 and can be considered the best performing Tin HiFi IEM till date.

INTRODCUTION:

Tin HiFi is a widely known audio brand which is Chinese based company producing a lot of audio gears from budget category to the high end category. They have established a separate sound signature to themselves which has quite a big fans foe them and frankly I’m one of them. Their product line up looks neat and their latest product T2 Plus is my daily driver due to its natural tonality with balanced sound signature. Now they have launched a new product named as T5 as their successor to their T4 which is known for its great technical capabilities but many had few gripes with it, namely poor design and bass response. The T5 is designed to be one of their best in line up with great bass response and premium design. In this review let’s see the T5 stands up to the expectation of mine.


DISCLAIMER:

The views that I provided in this review are solely mine and are not influenced by the brand or any other member. I used this product for quite some time and expressing my views which are completely subjective and I don’t influence anyone who reads this to purchase the item.

PACKAGING:

As always! Tin HiFi is best in the market for making some exquisite packaging and the T5 is the proof of that. Best in class if I have to say it, usually I would never keep boxes because they take up the space and not quite attractive but every tin product I buy, I always keep them with me since they are crafted well. Same goes to the T5 too. It comes in a white box which is quite big, has T5 and the brand name printed in gold letters. The address is printed on the back of the box and after opening the front lid the lower compartment has the ear pieces in a velvet block and by removing that there are documentations and different pairs of ear tips along with a tweezers and a brush is included which made me quite amazed.

The upper compartment has the case itself which is very premium and made of leather. The white colored case looks rich and grand. Inside the case there is the 2 pin cable with 3.5 mm termination which is a welcome package since they are finally able to ditch the problematic MMCX connection which often is difficult to remove. Along with it there is a pair of foam tips and 3 pairs of replaceable nozzle filters for the earphone.

In front of the case there is a cute little metal plate with the Tin branding on it which added that extra richness to the case.

The cable is really of good quality since they are OFC cable with Kevlar coating on the outside. It’s just a 4 core cable but made of high quality. Black in color and there is a chain slider which is quite useful in managing the cable. There is a metal housing near the junction of separate wires with Tin branding on it. The connector is a straight plug and looks sturdy.



DESIGN:

Absolutely gorgeous! The shell of the earphone is made out of metal but its lightweight hence may be its aluminium same as the T2 plus which gives that real sense of premium. The body is glossy but the face plate is kind of brushed metal finish which doesn’t attracts a lot of fingerprints. The face plate has the subtle Tin HiFi branding on it which is super cool. There are three pressure vents, one on the back, side and inside.

The ergonomics of the earpieces are stunning where it fits perfectly in the ears at least to my ears. They are like semi custom shelled but made out of titanium is wonderful. Even though they are made of metal like titanium the weight balance is really done great, where after wearing they fell really light in your ears and even while holding they fell light.

The nozzle is short and has gold accent to it which added an extra touch to the premium feel. There is a metal mesh in the nozzle region to prevent the dust getting entered into it. The color of the shell is named as Titanium empty grey which matches with the actual color of the shell.


SPECIFICATIONS:

Driver: 10 mm DOC Speaker

Sensitivity: 103Db @1KHz 0.126V

Frequency Response: 10-20 KHz

Impedance: 48 ohms

Interface: Gold Plated 2 pin connector

Plug: 3.5 mm black glue gold plated plug.

Cable: 4 core OFC black PU cable + 200D Kevlar

Driver Speciality:

The T series in Tin lien up is known for its amazing sound quality in affordable range and to take that up a notch they have implemented a new driver named as DOC diamond diaphragm driver which is the next innovation derived from the DLC (Diamond like carbon) which have been popular for their fast responsiveness.

The new structural design allows the DOC diaphragm to be thinner, while being 60% stronger and more rigid than that of traditional DLC diaphragm.


Housing Design:

The T5 uses multiple internal chambers in order to tune the sound that makes its way to your ears. This design perspective is used in the gaming headsets to give clear mid and highs without compromising the bass.

SOUND:

SETUP: iPhone XR with Apple 3.5 mm lightning dongle

Being a 48 ohm earphone it’s slightly power hungry and it definitely gets benefited from high power sources but it ran perfectly fine with apple dongle but the volume needs to be increased slight a bit.

I have used the colored tips given in the package which is narrow bore and gave a good bass texture and reduced the shouty character whereas the full black tips aggravated the shouty character. The colored ones are rigid too hence provided good seal compared to the full black ones which are slight mushy.

BASS:

Based on my preference and my playlist this sounds really fantastic. This earphone has nice extension in the bass but not quite as refined as what other beryllium drivers give and of course they are double the price of this. As this uses the new DOC driver I thought that it will be giving the experience of a beryllium but even though they are not equal, they are comparable. It’s fast and has good depth but the defined nature is what missing.

The texture of the bass is definitely lacking in the T5 which makes quite less worth for the price. As I said there are enough amounts of bass but the texture is what lacking. It’s definitely not a serious issue but considering the price it appears as an issue. Nevertheless the bass is fast and punchy and has good slam effect.

NOTE: After the burn in period the texture improved a lot hence now they sound as what the DOC driver would do. So don’t get disappointed after the initial listening period because burn in makes a lot of difference in this unit.

The floor drop beats and drum sounds awesome since there is enough amount of sub bass presence.

TRACKS USED:

• Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy
• Against Me Cliché Guevara
• Turn your lights down

These tracks sound nice enough and this set is really good for listening Rock and Pop playlists since it has more thump in the bass and these tracks don’t require any presence of texture in the bass.

MID AND HIGHS:

The T series strongest aspect is the mid section and the mid highs where every product in their line up has the best mid range performance. The T5 has sweet mid range with some presence of warmth giving the body to the music.

The vocals are presented forward with no harshness.

TRACK USED:

Angel Vivaldi’s without words album

The guitar kicks in well and the vocals get blended with it thus providing a pleasant experience of listening. Usually this kick in of the guitar sounds sibilant in most of the earphones but this T5 easily takes it up.

The highs are good but not detailed enough as what other earphones at this price provide. The extension is there but when comes to the detailing this one lacks. As comparison to the Starfield or Thieaudio legacy 3 the high department is where the T5 gets short. The Mid section is easily dominated by the T5 in this price range.

SOUND STAGE AND IMAGING:

The sound stage is pretty wide and it really surprised me. It’s wider than the Starfield and some of the other competitors. Height, width and depth everything is massive and this might be due to the new driver in them. It has the biggest sound stage compared to all of the T series line up. Due to its big sound stage and impressive comfort this can be easily recommended for gaming sessions.

The mid highs are elevated hence the footsteps and minute detailing are easily brought out and make a perfect pair for gaming sessions.

The instrument separation is great since the sound stage is wide enough. The instruments can be easily pointed out from right to left and sweeps from left to right seamlessly.

POST BURN IN SOUND IMPRESSION:

After some burn in period of approx 50 hours they start to sound really good. Now the texture of the bass got improved a lot and the real whoop can be felt. The bass got really benefitted from the burn in process. I really started to like the sound coming out of it. May be its true that special driver tends to change sound after burn in period! Now I can easily recommend this if you are a loyal Tin HiFi fan and you love that classic T series sound signature.



VERDICT:

The T5 is really a good sounding pair of earphones which has that deep extending bass response which has lot of quantity and has one of the best mid range and mid high response for the price. The texture of the bass is somewhat lacking but it’s not a big deal (after the burn in the texture got improved too!)

The asking price for the T5 is 129 USD and for that price it’s a good buy but not a solid purchase. The premium build and the heavenly ergonomics of the earphone really justifies half of the price but the lacking of detail retrieval in highs makes this as an option instead of a solid purchase against heavy competitor like Thieaudio Legacy 3. If they have priced it fewer than 100 USD then it would have been my solid recommendation.

The nice bass response, sweetest mid range and mid highs, excellent build, heavenly ergonomics, gorgeous looks, exquisite packaging makes this pair as my go to recommendation for playlists like Rock and Pop genres and personally I would pick this unit myself. I hope you can get this unit for less than 100 USD in festive times and if it drops close your eyes and get them. Even for this price I would give this a solid recommendation if you love rock and pop music and also if you love the aesthetics.

Introduction​

If you’ve been around the budget IEM space over the past three years or so, Tin HiFi (or Tin Audio as they were known before) would be a familiar name. From the T2 that put them on the map, Tin HiFi has continued to release model after model, some better than others, until the T5 that we have here today. So what is the Tin T5? It’s a single dynamic driver IEM that uses a 10 mm DOC driver. What DOC actually stands for, I don’t know but the promotional pieces I’ve seen tries to relate it to diamond-like carbon DDs. Personally, I don’t really care much for marketing materials and whether not the IEM is made of some exotic compound so if you’re curious to know more about the T5 I’ll defer to its product page. Speaking of product pages, you can get the Tin T5 over at Linsoul and Drop. At the time of writing, it’s going for an early bird price of $110 though MSRP looks to be $130 once the promo ends. Alright, on to the review.

Disclaimer: I reviewed the Tin HiFi T5 from Linsoul in exchange for this honest review. I have not and will not be compensated in any other way.

What’s in the Box?​

I made an unboxing video over on the Audio Discourse YouTube channel which I’ll link here. To summarize: the T5 comes with a foamy, fake-leather case, a 2-pin recessed cable, spare nozzle filters, a nozzle replacement tool, and a cleaning brush. It also comes with 6 pairs of tips where half are your generic tips, the other half are ostensibly Spin-Fit knockoffs.

The IEMs themselves have an ergonomic dark-gray metal shell. They fit quite comfortably in my ear and isolate decently. The cable is… serviceable. Not the best but nothing too wrong with it. It has a bit of cable memory thanks to its plasticky sheath. Cable noise is relatively low but still present. I wish they had kept with the Tin T2 Plus’ cable instead. That was nice.

Sound​

First impressions… were not good. And they didn’t change over the past few days I’ve spent with the Tin T5. It’s a V-shaped IEM with bass that bleeds into the mids with a lower treble spike. The Tin T5 is a $130 IEM that looks like $200 but sounds like a mediocre $50 IEM. That pretty much sums up my thoughts around the T5 in a couple of sentences. From here you can probably tell I won’t be recommending this IEM, and even if I try to wax poetic about the different parts of its sound, it’s a moot point. Still, for the sake of the review and for those still interested, keep reading. Actually, please keep reading so I don’t feel like the 5 hours or so writing I spent this review isn’t wasted.

Bass​

The bass of the T5 is boosted but isn’t particularly good. Quantity wise, I’d say it isn’t quite to basshead levels but there’s still plenty of bass here and it does extend and dig down when called for. Quality wise, it sounds a little soft and doesn’t really slam. It’s the boomy type of bass rather than punchy. Note definition is generally poor unless you put on a track with superb mixing/mastering. The bass also bleeds into the low mids quite a bit. I hesitate to call it muddy because it doesn’t really sound like what I’d normally associate with mud, but definitely has some of that unpleasant bass intrusion and lack of clarity in that region. The only instrument that worked for me on the bass were low/floor toms.

Mids​

Low mids bleh aside, the upper mids are actually fine for me. The pinna gain is pretty reasonable and centered around that 2.5-3 kHz mark so that’s nice to see. This has an interesting effect on vocals. If a vocalist is solo and singing a strong, clear melody with an emphasis on the upper harmonics, the tone is actually pretty OK. The vocalists sounds front and center. But as soon as the song starts to get filled out with various instruments and complex passages, the T5 struggles. Vocals fade into the mix and loses prominence. I think its because as more of that low mids energy comes in, the vocals have a hard time separating from the other instruments in the track and sounds suffocated as a result. As for these other instruments, they’re mostly a blur to me. Nothing particularly bad but nothing worth noting.

Treble​

If you look at the graph, you can see a spike at the 5 kHz mark for the treble. Personally, my ears are pretty resistant to treble so the peak doesn’t affect me that much. I also don’t hear it to be overly sibilant though your mileage may vary. What this peak DOES do is make hats/cymbals sound splashy and gives them a decidedly unbalanced sort of sound, throwing off their timbre substantially. For some, the treble of the T5 will be fatiguing. I find that despite its negatives, the treble spike does give the T5 some energy to prevent it from being dead. But I don’t find the T5 bright in the way the T2 Plus or Thieaudio Legacy 4 was with their constant crisp and shine. This is just splashy with the occasional burst of sharpness if the track hits that spike.

Presentation​

Bog standard from IEMs and nothing special. Average soundstage, maybe slightly below average imaging. Resolution isn’t anything better than something like the T2 Plus. It has an overall undefined sort of sound. Instrument separation is a problem spot for the T5. Once you have a full band going the T5 just can’t keep and instruments start to blend into each other’s spaces. Of course, this isn’t helped with its less than stellar staging.

Some Graph Comparisons​

Despite the graph of the T5 not looking too hot at first glance, it does share a few elements with other more favorable IEMs.

Here it is against the Thieaudio Clairvoyance. Yes, obviously there’s that bass bleed and 5 kHz spike. But if you look just the upper mids around 1-4 kHz region, it’s not far out of the ordinary. Here is where that inconsistency with the vocals come in I think. On some tracks it sounds fine. In others, especially where the voice either touches the spike or utilizes the lower frequencies more, the T5 runs into trouble.



Here it is against the Tin T2 Plus. The bass curves almost identically. But I find the T2 Plus to have a much cleaner sounding bass response with more definition than the T5 does. The T5’s bass is oddly murky when a full band is going.


Make of this what you will. I just wanted to give a bit of context to the T5’s graph and some of the odd thought I had while listening to it.

Should You Buy It?​

No. While the Tin T5 is far from the worst thing I’ve ever heard, I cannot call it good. It’s one of those things that if you had it as your only IEM and listen to it for long enough, your brain will get used to its sound and it’ll be OK. But put it by any real measure of decent and the T5 is clearly second fiddle. I’m not sure what’s going on at Tin HiFi but they seem to have lost their way when it comes to what made their tuning unique since the T4.

Even if you prefer this sort of more bassy tuning compared to Tin’s traditional lean and bright signatures, I think T2 Plus does everything the T5 does better at half the price. Better cable, better fit, lighter shell. Way better tonality and treble tuning. Better resolution and definition. While the bass tuning might look similar, the T2 Plus bass doesn’t feel as intrusive into the low mids like the T5 does. So much for that fancy DOC driver. Where the T5 may be a $130 IEM that sounds like a mediocre $50 IEM, the T2 Plus is a $60 that sounds like a mediocre $200 IEM. I’m fairly happy listening to music with the T2 Plus. Listening to the T5 is a chore.

Anyway, I think I’ve made my point. The T5 is not an IEM I can recommend to… anyone really. Buy the T2 Plus or some of the other great IEMs in this hyper competitive price segment. The T5 is a regression to the mean but maybe that’s exactly what Tin HiFi wants. Maybe they’ve done the math and are coasting on their brand awareness to sell mediocrity to more people rather than interesting products to a few. Who knows. What I do know is I don’t like it and after the T5, my interest in the Tin HiFi brand has faded.


Written by Fc-Construct

Tin HiFi previously known as Tin Audio has made quite a name for itself offering exceptional value and unique design for a number of years. They first found fame with the T2, fast forward a couple of releases and we now find ourselves at the Tin HiFi T5. Each product offering a new and somewhat different approach. Also lets not forget the Tin HiFi P1 (149.00) and TinHiFi P2 (339.00) Planar Magnetic IEMs.

Link to purchase:
https://www.linsoul.com/collections/headphones-iems/products/tin-hifi-t5

The latest offering, the 10mm DOC Driver Tin Hifi T5 IEM. My very first foray into the world of Tin. This is what is written about the T5 at Linsoul.

1. The DOC diamond diaphragm unit can achieve a complete linear frequency response, achieving detailed and excellent broadband and instant response, and strong dynamic contrast.

2. The DOC diamond diaphragm unit can push the split vibration frequency to a higher level, and the T5 can cover an unimaginable bandwidth range to ensure that the ideal frequency response is obtained in the two end frequency bands audible to the human ear.

3. The frequency linearity that the DOC diaphragm provides allows the mid-frequency to be completely coherent with the bass and the treble, creating a transparency in the texture and sound balance, while minimizing phase offsets.



Driver Unit
10mm DOC Driver

Sensitivity
103dB ±1dB @1kHz 0.126V

Frequency Response
10-20kHz

Impedance
48Ω±15%

Rated/Max Power
3/4mW

Max Distortion
1%@1kHz 0.126V

Interface
Gold-plated 2P connector

Plug
3.5mm gold plated plug

Conductor/Cable
2.8mm (40/0.05 oxygen free copper +200D Kevlar)* 4 - core Black PU cable L=1.25m

Housing Color/Build
Titanium grey/Aluminum construction


The Look And Build:
Really the shell was the first thing that intrigued me. Not only do you have a beautiful titanium color finish but also a machine learning form factor design. The scanning of 1000s of ear shapes then somehow one step further in design. Inside holds multiple internal acoustic chambers which go one step further to tune the driver. Such a process goes to alter reflections which can boost or dampen certain frequencies. The shells are on the slightly large size but somehow fit perfect. I was able to get a prefect fit with the very first tip I tried. While being ported, they still block-out noise really well due to their shape. There is a really small intake/outtake port at the top of the IEM and one situated at the nozzle base. As a departure from normal with Tin HiFi we now have a deep recessed 2-pin plug as in contrast to the normally used MMCX configuration.



Included:
You get a beautiful white faux leather magnetic case
You get 6 black silicone tips as well as a pair white foam tips
You get a cleaning brush
3 sets of replaceable nozzle tip screens
A pair of pair of tweezers to replace nozzle tip screens
You get one cable
Two pieces of paperwork
Two IEMs





Sound Response:
I am not familiar with past Tin HiFi releases but rumor has it they have done a different tune with each release. Hence we are witnessing a completely new and different tune here. The best way to describe the tuning would be “fun”.

Bass:
Interestingly there is an overall coherence which comes from a single driver. But in contrast to the description of “driver technology”, there is little to write home about. What we have is a driver with a nice amount of bass but it fails to extend the full amount. If it actually does extend then the amount of sub-bass energy is still left out, resulting in a loss of impact. Only with the very best files and best configuration of cables, tips, DAP do we find an enjoyable replay. With that said the few and far between albums which contained absolute stelar mastering did offer a great replay. Still even with that there came a place where despite the fireworks, it became somewhat boring. I can’t help but be reminded that this is a high profile release. Still there is something missing? To tell you the truth I don’t know what it is? The Tin HiFi does so much correct yet leaves out something? Most likely the core of our issues center around pace. The driver gets confused during complex passages, failing to hold everything together. We are left with sections where the musicality starts to become smeared.

Mids:
The midrange is the star of the show. Due to the amazing soundstage the midrange has room to entertain. I can’t help but feel they have sacrificed everything in this tune to bring about spectacular midrange. With my very best tracks the horizon is awash with colors. Big bountiful washes of detail. This style of imaging has no business being obtained for $129, they are just that good. It’s incredible to say the least. In fact with the midrange being what it is you can be forgiven if you forget about the drawbacks in the bass department. And…..that is kinda how it works, if you want it too. To get this midrange phenomena going on I combined the Tin HiFi T5 with the Zen by Han Sound. A 4.4mm $160 entry level cable. Yes, it cost more than the IEM but it truly helped make replay what it was. Han Sound Audio 4-wire OCC Copper Litz cable basically raised the treble even brighter (than a few I tried) at the same time it took use of the separate (better) 4.4mm amplifier in my Sony 1A/1Z DAP. The included cable was just something I could not use. In fact the stock cable made the Tin HiFi T5 way too bright.

Brightness:
OK, I meant treble, you know that. I love it! Why? The Tin HiFi T5 has the ability to draw everything together and the treble is connected in a profound way. There is a peak at 5K which serves as a balance to the bass, yet it (to me) is never too bright or harsh. To tell you the truth I was worried at first. Out of the box the treble was hot, not only that, but combine that fact with the included cable and the T5 was bright as the sun. After 50 hours of continuous burn-in all was well. In fact the first 25 hours did nothing to help, success came later, with longer burn-in.

Most of the success we find comes with finding a way to make stuff work. Cymbals crash and high register piano notes fall in the most quaint of ways. Are we having fun yet? I think we are. Still it is a product of finding spectacular mastering and the inclusion of a cable which enabled a different amplifier to be used. Can we forget about the bass texture? At this point we almost can! The predicament for new users is I am not sure users are going to go to this effort and trouble to find gold? You shouldn’t have to add a cable or get a different amplifier to find happiness. You shouldn’t need to find a select few albums to make it all work. But if that’s what we are willing to do, and that’s the effort it takes, well it is what it is. Consider yourself warned.

Soundstage:
All and all I’m actually really surprised. As after all this time I know what soundstage is. There is a super big expanse of it all, a revelation of sorts; it’s big. Many reviews have said it’s nothing special; I disagree. Not only that but there is great imaging. They did it right! Still………….there is a wild distortion and a blunting of detail in a particular place. There is detail, but then again there is a place were everything blends together. This really belongs an attribute of the treble section, but it’s connected to the soundstage. Funny too, as this gimmick or sorts is just part of what you get. It’s what you get with a $129.00 IEM. Is it actually audiophile? I think it is, at the same time it questions the use of the word. A both clear and distorted character? But those distortions are extended out in the best of places.



Authority:
Not really? Yes and no. Strangely it is connected with the song file, or really the album file. Yep, this T5 does whole albums really well. But they are few and far between. So if you are intrigued by the design and willing to spend money on a chance you have those albums then go for it. I can’t help but think this is the result of trying to make a single DD workout. A stretch making a single DD do summersaults, can a DD really ever do it all? What the T5 is lacking in authority it makes up for in a style of cohesiveness.

Comparisons:
Recently I’ve been sent a slew of single DD configurations. Each driver has its own fabled design and structure. You may question price, but I don’t often use just price alone as a determining factor of quality of response?

1. BLON BL-01
2. Tripowin TC-01
3. DUNU ZEN
4. Tin HiFi T5

Ok,Ok…………I made a slight mistake; price DOES make a difference here and of course the DUNU ZEN wins over all. You can read my review as to why, here.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/zen-by-dunu.24863/reviews#review-25225

Of course the ZEN is more complete yet believe it or not, the Tin HiFi T5 is actually less forward. So that’s a question of taste which is better in that regard?

1. BLON BL-01
Interestingly the Tin HiFi T5 has a broader, bigger soundstage. The T5 is less congested and due to the diminished bass effect is way, way faster. Where the T5 is fake, the BLON BL-01 is real. All and all the BL-01 is the more complete response.

2. Tripowin TC-01
This is where it gets good. The Tripowin TC-01 is hands down better in the bass department, still again, our T5 soundstage is better. The TC-01bass is full, round and has a substance missing with our T5, it just goes lower and is more natural for what it is.

The T5’s soundstage more filled out and entertaining (but only with the right file). The Tripowin TC-01 is nothing short of spectacular for a $49.00 IEM. Really it’s legendary for what it is. Still it has its own issues, but being able to play a wide range of albums is its ability. Where the T5 takes the lead is in the imaging and how it does its positioning. The TC-01 is clearly the best here.

Conclusion:
At $129.00 the T5 is questionable. I look at it as a stepping stone. A juncture of places. Where can you find a IEM covered in insect exoskeleton armor? Truly, have you ever seen anything like it before at any price? I have never seen anything like it. In a way the sound is unique too. Different (and not different in a bad way) you know the times when you ask someone their opinion and they say “it’s different” because they don’t want to be rude. It is so close to great. Some may differ and say it’s bad, but I chose to say it's "OK". It really has a spectacular midrange for what it is. Of course your going to need to cater your listening experience around the perfect recording, and when it’s good, it really is amazing. It is just that those times are few and far between.

The Future:
What does the future hold? With such inventions like the T5 it really makes me wonder? The ergonomics of the T5 are spectacular. The shell is absolutely beautiful, they can sit in place for hours on end, maybe slightly heavy, but still? Holding them in your hand they are a marvel of construction and design. I would love it if all IEMs were made in the future just like the T5. I would just like the tune slightly different.

I want to thank Lillian at Linsoul for the review product.

Disclaimer:
These are a single persons ideas and findings, your results may be different.