Tinhifi C5

The Tinhifi C5 is a hybrid dual-driver earphone with a unique driver configuration. It has 1SPD (square planar driver) and 1BA. In this review, I’ll be taking the Tinhifi C5 through its paces. It’s priced at $79.


Disclaimer: This sample was provided by HiFiGo for an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.

Specifications​

• Impedance: 9Ω±15%.
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• Driver Configuration: 10*10 SPD Planar Driver+ Customised Balanced Armature Driver.
• Frequency Response: 5mW.
• Sensitivity: 101±3dB.
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• Frequency Response: 10Hz-20kHz.
• Weight: 4.41 grams(single earpiece).

What’s in the Box​

• Tinhifi C5 IEMs
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• Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin silver-plated copper cable
• Mesh pouch
• 5x pairs of silicone eartips
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• 1x pair of foam eartips

Design​

The C5 in-ear monitors (IEMs) feature a sleek, curved design crafted from aviation-grade aluminium alloy. With no sharp edges or straight lines to be found, these IEMs are incredibly comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.

Unlike other products that feature prominent branding on their shells, the C5 opts for a minimalist approach, with only small L and R markings to denote the left and right sides. Additionally, the inner side of each shell features two pinhole vents, one of which is located near the base of the elliptical-shaped nozzles.


The included cable is made from braided silver-plated copper and features 0.78mm 2-pin connectors. This lightweight and supple cable offers excellent handling, making it a great choice for everyday use.

Sound​

Bass​

The bass of the Tinhifi C5 is tight, concise, and has good extension. The SPD driver is capable of producing some compelling deep rumble, which adds depth to the overall sound. The mid-bass has a nice thump and weight to it, but its fast decay ensures that there’s no lingering resonance or smearing.

However, it is worth noting that sometimes the bass can get pushed back in the mix under the glare of the dominant upper midrange, which can affect the overall balance of the sound.

Midrange​

The midrange tuning of the Tinhifi C5 is neutral with a boost in the upper ranges. However, the note size is slightly thin, especially in the upper mids. The 2kHz-4kHz area is the most dominant region and sometimes sounds shouty.

The upper registers of a piano can sound piercing, and instruments like trumpets can sound uncomfortably bright and upfront, which negatively affects the overall resolution. While it’s nice to have clarity in the midrange, when it’s pushed too far, it affects the overall presentation. The peaky upper midrange doesn’t lend itself to a coherent sound signature.

Treble​

The C5’s treble is crisp and fairly even, with most of the focus placed on the lower treble as it falls off abruptly above 10kHz. Although the quality of the treble itself is quite good, it’s overshadowed by the upper midrange lift. As a result, the treble loses some of its air and extension, and it doesn’t sound as prominent as it could have been.

Soundstage and Technical Performance​

C5 has a decent soundstage. It’s not especially wide but it has natural, rounded dimensions. Stereo imaging is average and gives you an idea of instrument positioning but isn’t pinpoint precise. C5 handles instrument separation quite well but the overall resolution deteriorates when there’s a lot of activity in the upper midrange.

Verdict​

To summarize, the Tinhifi C5 IEM can be considered a decent entry-level option for those who prioritize a neutral midrange and tight bass response. However, the midrange’s peaky upper region can lead to shoutiness and some listener fatigue.

Moreover, the upper midrange boost overshadows the treble, leading to a reduction in its air and extension. The C5’s soundstage is satisfactory with adequate instrument separation, but the resolution suffers when the upper midrange is busy. Overall, the Tinhifi C5 IEM is decent but hardly compelling enough to justify the price.

The TinHiFi C5 is another mew IEM from Tin , this time using a SPD and BA driver configuration. While it looks similar to the T2 plus the shape is more rounded and looks great in my opinion, its simple yet pretty.
Packaging is cool looking. Inside you get both silicon and foam tips, the C5, Silver cable, and a pouch. The units are comfortable even laying on the bed, I think they will fit most people well and have good isolation.



Sound Impression:

Bass: Is well controlled and has good texture and decent weight. This is by no means a bass head IEM but is more than competent to tackle any music well. The Sub-Bass has a rumble and Mid-Bass is speedy with a good punch.

Mids: are smooth and transparent with a natural and balanced tone. Vocals are placed well and have good body. I found them to be enjoyable without any harshness.

Treble: Has good details and sparkle it extends well and is not harsh or laidback. Many will find its neutrality pleasant.

Soundstage: The staging is wide and imaging is accurate and doesn't suffer in busy recordings.


Afterthoughts:
The C5 is a budget gem for sure offering well placed vocals and a wide-open stage, it has both abilities and a pleasant tuning.

TINHIFI C5 Universal IEM

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver Unit: Planar & BA Drivers
• Interface: Gold-plated 2P connector
• Cable: 1.25m Silver Plated Copper Cable
• Impedance: 9Ω±15%
• Max Power: 5mW
• Frequency: 10-20000Hz
• Sensitivity: 101±3dB@1kHz 0.126V

Often my reviews can come-off unbelievably positive and gushing, as that is simply what happens when I find a product I can relate with. I simply spend time with a product and explain what I like about it. I have spent 22 days getting to know the TINHIFI C5 and it’s actually much harder to write an enlightening review concerning the negative outcome. Every review I take serious and try to be as fair as possible, yet it is what it is……….and if I had $69.00 to 79.00 dollars to spend on an IEM, you better believe I would take this review seriously.

$69.00 down from $79.00
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tinhifi-c5


The Celest sisters!
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kinera-celest-gumiho.26076/reviews#review-29411
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kinera-celest-pandamon.26255/reviews#review-29998

Now of course the two Kinera Square Planar Driver IEMs were landmark for the industry. Why? Number one, they completely undermined the expected price to get into planar drivers. Number two, they have a definite musicality and sway about them. Still they were not perfect and truth to be told this TINHIFI C5 maybe has a one-up on them as far as ergonomics and possibly looks too, if that is your subjective stance? See both the Pandamon and Gumiho had better imaging and soundstage. The Gumiho was terribly un-even too, yet twisted that character around and somehow made it just that……….character. The Pandamon had a giant toothed Panda monster on the shell that was either hit or miss as far as outside aesthetics go……and somehow this Panda monster charmed you until you didn’t care what the darn IEM looked like. Yep, audiophiles are like that, they would walk around with wet-hair if they thought that would make their IEMs sound better.

So am I saying don’t buy the TINHIFI C5 and buy the Pandamon or Gumiho? Well, yes and no. Just understand that these value planar drivers emit a certain style of response character that is unique unto itself. While not perfect, they offer a quality that can end-up a value if this is the style of replay your looking for.



Note picture:
The listing here puts the Kinera Pandamon at the top of the heap, even better than the way more expensive TINHIFI T4 PLUS! So where does this put our humble TINHIFI C5? Probably at the bottom right between the TRN XuanWu and the TINHIFI T2 DLC?

Listing in order of sound preference per dollar spent. Where the TINHIFI C5 would fit between 8 and 9.

1. Kinera Pandamon
2. TANGZU Wan'er S.G
3. DUNU Kima
4. TINHIFI C3
5. TINHIFI T4 PLUS
6. TINHIFI C2
7. Kiwi Ears Cadenza
8. TRN XuanWu
9. TINHIFI T2 DLC

Top row L to R

1. TANGZU Wan'er S.G
2. TINHIFI T4 PLUS
3. Kinera Pandamon

Middle row L to R

1. TINHIFI C3
2. TINHIFI T2 DLC
3. Kiwi Ears Cadenza

Bottom row L to R

1. TINHIFI C2
2. TRN XuanWu
3. DUNU Kima

Judged sound quality per dollars spent.
I always judge IEM in my reviews as sound per dollars spent. This means that recently I gave a full 5 stars to a basshead IEM because it was a great sound value for $109.00, yet I gave a lesser score (of 4.5 stars) right before it to an IEM that costs $369.00. And the $369.00 is better in every way, as it should be for $369.00!

So in reality there has been a tremendous change in the under $100 area of the IEM industry. This in-fact heated up in 2022 and is continuing the trajectory in 2023. And while there are always subjective sound impressions and individual by individual fit impressions………there are ways of tuning an IEM correctly and ways to make them fit correctly across the board. Still I’m not going to say that I am correct totally in my judgment of the C5, as in the almost infinite scope of subjectivity, truly some may perceive it as different. Still as most reviewers continue to try an IEM out, a plethora of gear is used. Meaning that (if) in-fact an IEM is gear dependent to reach a level of progress into which it can be perceived as balanced or simply more musical, so be it.

See this is a huge deal:
Much of the time the sound output of an IEM can be adjusted. Too much treble? Get a more midrange centered source. Too much bass, same thing. Need power to get rid of a power-hungry IEM putting-out a foggy tone, revert to a desktop. Now that’s typically extreme, but you get the idea, that in testing IEMs most good reviewers are looking for a way in. The choice of ear-tips, the style of cable, maybe even EQ can result in a change taking the IEM to a better place with more acceptance.

Driver character:
The problem at times is whole IEM tunings which affect the whole picture. The first culprit is un-evenness. And I bring this up first as it may be the first and foremost concern when purchasing a new product. I say this because most of the time it’s more important than technicalities. Possibly 80% of the reason we like IEM playback is due to FR. That means that we all have our own personal signature that if that style of response is met we can put-up with an off technicality somewhere along the line. Maybe the bass is not detailed, but the rest of the signature seems to do everything right, thus getting us a level of musical communication regardless of the bass. As even if we have pet sound responses, a stupendous interesting replay inside of only one area can at times make-up for a loss somewhere else. And often a source and/or cable and/or ear-tips can help dial-in where improvement needs to take place. Still there are IEMs which are so off that they rebel against any style of salvaging or correction.

Build/Fit:
If you have followed TINHIFI over the years they are often innovators of design. Such an amazing product is the TINHIFI P1 Max Planar IEM. This coming in on sale now at just $99.00, and makes way better sense to go ahead and move forward on.



https://www.linsoul.com/products/tinhifi-p1-max

The P1 Max may not look close to the same in photos but you would be surprised how close they are in ways. Both offer a smooth shell with while the C5 is even smaller, both are close in weight, with the C5 as 4 grams and the P1 Max at 5 grams. But the other add is the P1 Max is a real Planar, the original cost was a real Planar cost of $169.00. At the (sale) price of $99.00 the P1 Max is exactly $20.00 more from the original C5 price, and you get a more even/complete/correct musical experience. And while the nozzle shapes are way different they feel the same (in-your-ear) and reach the same personality in fit. Though one is resin construction and the C5 is metal, yet both are 3D printed! Where you would think build would be important with IEM use, and it is. Except even if build is the cat’s meow (as is with the C5 build) what’s it all worth is the sound isn’t up-to-snuff?



When in fact this construction shows it’s essentially the addition of two sections. Each joined with a precision placement where the visible joining creates a crease which is only visible to the eye, not the fingers. The bottom side offers two identical vents with the R or L marker placed in the middle. The 2Pin holders come up as looking almost like nozzles, yet closer inspection shows the right side to be filled in with red plastic, the left side clear. Such a set-up goes to increase the glamor of the product creating a single smooth entity when joined with the included matching cable. Such cable 2Pin holder-connectors have the same diameter as the IEM joins as well as silver finish. This whole set-up goes one step further to increase the streamlined futuristic look and feel of the C5. Opposite the cable joining area are the nozzles. As such ear-tips of any shape and size seem to go with the C5. Even my standard wide-bore tips worked and created the perfect seal. Due to the smaller size it may be found they fit most people, added to that the weight is positioned to lay closer to the ear itself, creating improved ergonomics. From afar the look of the C5 has almost no distinguishing lines and simply appears as a functional glob of metal. Though I must say that due too the size and form factor the cables and ear-hooks go miles to simply add to the whole package. These subtle ear-hooks seem to hold just the right amount of firmness, and align to give the greatest feeling! Seemingly invisible to the senses the ear-hooks and weight of the C5 go the extra mile to make fitment truly one of the best! Even out and about the weight and fit seem to make the C5 a perfect sports IEM as well as staying-in-place throughout your daily activities. Such a creation the C5 is not bright or showy, neither dull or lackluster, but possibly right in-the-middle, as far as looks go. Simple refined elegance to anyone who may become inquisitive, as nether man looking or female looking, again right in the middle?






Packaging:

• TinHiFi C5
• Ear-tips
• Manuals
• Carrying pouch
• Cable 1.25m Silver Plated Copper

The Sound:
In general:
As reiterated earlier the whole of the sound is difficult to fully relax with. This is two fold because (One) while the bass is incredibly present, it is over-shadowed by the midrange. Two, add to that..........there is a steep treble fall-off which fails to add any style of air to the display. So you are greeted with truly basic (for the price-range) soundstage and imaging, then the lack of top-end air makes what imaging is there appear to hold even less magic. But it truly has me curious what would happen if we took the mids down and placed them into a satisfactory level of output? Meaning even if the top treble was left be, how would the entire signature be accepted if only the bump of 2kHz to 3.5kHz was reduced into blending with the rest of the signature? This final (peaky midrange) stance we have is a sound designers way to add clarity though un-proportional balance of the FR. When in the end it almost does’t matter how much clarity is found when it’s at the risk of losing evenness, correctness and completeness. We all have found IEMs which land in a much better position when trying to be more conservative in their sonic quests. Still I’m not sure where the BA starts and the SPD ends or in-fact there is an overlapping which could very well produce out energetic midrange.


Conclusion:
While there are a few truly amazing ideas here, the full bounty of gifts have been ruined by an un-even balance of FR. Yet, go ahead and refine this tuning, even toning it down, and we are probably in-store for more popularity, because the size, shape, build and overall ergonomics are a total win. I have handfuls and handfuls of IEMs that don’t fit and act in positioning like the TINHIFI C5 does. The way the ear-hooks attach to the IEMs and the way the combination attaches to the human form is one of win-win. I can only imagine the IEM building department being so proud of their work, where the actual sound design department maybe needed some extra help from outside. Such a tune proves that more cooks in the kitchen can be good at times.


$69.00 down from $79.00
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tinhifi-c5

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kareena of Linsoul for the love and the TINHIFI C5 Universal IEM review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one persons ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 3.5mm and 4.4mm
Samsung Android Smartphone 3.5mm output