Toneking T4

Dynasties are synonymous to age-old Chinese folklore that doesn’t fall short of granting us with notable Imperial figures spearheaded by Genghis Khan, often referred to as the greatest conqueror of the world alongside Alexander the Great. I’ve had my fair share of being immersed into the Chinese culture after studying in a Chinese school for most of my formative elementary years and have heard the word “Emperor” more times than “King” and after watching Imperial movies, the word Emperor has then evoked a sense of authority dominated by dread rather than luxury which the word King conjures.

I purposely brought the sentiments I had since what we have now to realview is an IEM from an audio company named ToneKing, based off Guangdong, China. The very land known for Emperors than Kings has at least gave me an idea as to how this specific company approaches their ideals. ToneKing already has numerous audiophile product offerings from their MusicMaker series which were a hit for earbud lovers way back late 2017 and early 2018. ToneKing has then diverged from releasing earbuds and has now released a collection of IEMs such as the BL1, T66S and the T88K.

What we have now to realview though is ToneKing’s mid-tier offering, the T4 which is currently priced at $171-190 depending on website sales. This review sample was sent and provided by Linsoul Audio and DD Audio store in exchange for an honest review and no monetary factors were involved. You can check the ToneKing T4 from the official Linsoul Audio website and from DD Audio store’s AliExpress store front.

Spec’d out with 4 balanced armatures (Knowles 30017 + 30265) per side with a 15Hz-25 kHz Frequency Response, 108dB Sensitivity and 18Ohms Impedance. The ToneKing T4 in paper already looks promising, is that promise worthy of $171? Let’s find out.

Coming in on a rectangular black cardboard box with a small cutout on that upper front portion for a transparent plastic cover to show the ToneKing T4. The back portion featured nothing apart from the usual minimal product details. Opening up the box reveals a foam cutout protecting the IEM itself with an M sized red-bored gray translucent ear tips with the stock cable also attached to it. On the lower portion of this foam cutout is the included round metal case which is lined with black rubber which contains the rest of the accessories specifically a shirt clip and a collection of ear tips (2 pairs of blue and red foam tips, 6 pairs of red-bored white silicone and gray translucent ear tips).
The ToneKing T4 has a UIEM design which has been used on other ToneKing IEM offerings as well making it somewhat of a ToneKing staple. By virtue of having a UIEM design, the T4 is made of acrylic resin which when paired with an all BA configuration equates to a must not drop IEM. There are 2 color options available for now, one being black with a smoked black shell and the other being blue with smoked blue shells, I have the blue version. The T4’s overall IEM build is great with evenly polished and smooth surfaces all over, devoid of cosmetic blemishes. The faceplate is highlighted by an embedded silver ToneKing logo and branding laid on an almost abalone looking surface which reflects light differently depending on lighting, the smoked shells also allows for a subtle peek into the internal workings of the T4 and its BA configuration. The T4 also features a gold-plated MMCX connection.
The T4’s stock cable is a 6N 99.99% purity single crystal OCC silver-plated copper which sheathed in clear PVC. It utilizes the usual round-braid and has moderate tension to aid which is great for both storage and tangle-free usage. The MMCX male housing and the Y-split is made from hard plastic with a matte silver finish to compliment the cable, an over-ear memory guide is also present as well as a cable cinch for a more secure fit, at the tail-end of the stock cable is the gold-plated 3.5mm plug with a glossy silver housing adorned by a black carbon fiber strip for additional aesthetic appeal. There is minimal microphonic use on this specific cable and all the joints has ample strain relief. A no-nonsense cable that does its job well.
A smooth and soft midrange is the ToneKing T4’s cup of tea. It emanates a slight lean on the bright signature with its midrange being a pitch higher than I’m accustomed to which I found enjoyable. The inherent UIEM design of the T4 allowed for a great isolation performance and with the right ear tips, this can block a lot of low frequency noise on a daily basis. I opted for the Medium sized wide-bored Sony hybrid ear tips along with the Sony CAS-1 off my MSI GF62-8RE laptop and the Sony A46HN music player using various FLAC files which I will indicate throughout the realview.

I decided to stick with Deftones for the low frequency test of the ToneKing T4 using their Lucky You track in 16/44 FLAC. The subsequent sub bass drops on the track is being rendered in a fast manner with distinct emphasis on body, it doesn’t sound boxy and decay is fast as well. Bass delivery progresses smoothly with a soft but full-bodied impact that once again dissipates fast and doesn’t push through the succeeding frequency. The T4 gives just the right amount of bass, one that doesn’t thump your chest but still make one interested enough to consider it.

Indulging the ToneKing T4’s midrange performance is Bruno Mars’ Versace on the Floor in 16/44 FLAC. Lower midrange instrumental tones were registered in a definite and distinct manner with great clarity. The T4 is able to highlight Bruno’s vocal prowess which was quite intelligible and has accurate timbre coupled with an airy feel that doesn’t feel thin. The upper midrange was easy to the ears and made the overall frequency enjoyable with a kick of energy that sways one’s head softly.

The ToneKing T4’s high frequency is its chink in the armor despite being not really performing badly. Angela Bofill’s Angel of the Night in 16/44 FLAC churns out a good deal of treble which the T4 renders with ease in a delicate manner. Sudden treble bursts are devoid of shrills and no annoying sibilant tones are observed. Instrumental tones have modest snap to them which coincides nicely with the upper midrange aspect of the T4. I personally would have loved a more daring approach for the T4’s treble but for now, they are playing this frequency safe.

The hand in hand cooperation of the upper midrange and high frequency performance of the T4 allowed for a detailed and distinct imaging that has instrumental sounds sounding crisp and easy to spot. There is great left to right and right to left panning as well. The T4’s soundstage is rather wide for a CIEM-like design but not the one to sing praises with. It has more focus on depth capability than width.

The ToneKing T4 is indeed a king and not an emperor by virtue of approach towards its sound. It tackles all frequency to an enjoyable level that doesn’t overstep its reach. There is great reason to adore the soft and clear midrange while the overall high frequency output is a thing to look forward to towards the succeeding ToneKing releases. I personally love how ToneKing interprets the color Blue with how the T4’s blue version looks as it doesn’t overdo the shimmer and luster but still enough to be eye-catching. For $171, the T4 is easy to recommend for those looking for a great midrange frequency performer, unless of course you already have a similarly sounding IEM.

My background- I am a professional musician, producer and audio engineer with experience in the performing, recording and pro-audio industry. I test products on a technical and musical level and try to write reviews as simple as possible from a music fan's perspective.

Disclaimer – This sample was sent to me to test and review. I am not affiliated with the company or the seller in any way and write this review with my unbiased opinion regardless of how the review turns out.

Genre preferences- I majorly listen to rock, acoustic, pop and metal genres and occasionally checkout EDM music which is doing the rounds on the radio and charts.

Reference Songs list-

1. Foo Fighters- The Pretender, Best of You & Everlong
2. Imagine Dragons- Radioactive & It’s Time
3. Coldplay- Paradise, Up in Flames & Everglow
4. Ed Sheeran- Thinking out loud, Bloodstream & Galway Girl
5. Gavin James- Always & Hearts on Fire
6. John Mayer- Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Stop this Train & Say
7. Switchfoot- Meant to live & Dare You to Move
8. Linkin Park- Papercut, One Step Closer & Somewhere I belong
9. Our Lady Peace- Do you like it & Innocent
10. Maroon 5- She will be loved, Payphone & Lost Stars
11. I Am Giant- Transmission
12. Karnivool- Simple Boy & Goliath
13. Lamb of God- Redneck & Laid to Rest

Specifications-

• Drivers: Knowles 30017+30265
• Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
• Frequency response range: 15-40000Hz
• Impedance: 18Ω
• Connector: MMCX
• Plug diameter: 3.5mm straight type
• Cable: 1.2m Transparent 6N single crystal copper silver-plated wire

You can buy the Toneking T4 from Linsoul here - https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/Toneking-t4-IEM

Included in the box-

1. Toneking T4
2. Cable
3. Assortment of ear tips
4. Round carry case




Build Quality- Toneking T4 has one of the best build qualities I have seen around this price segment. The shells are semi-customs and are made up of resin. The nozzles are also designed like CIEMs, just smaller so that it fits most ear canals with the help of an ear tip. The cable looks nice and feels great. It has a transparent bead chin-slider and the connectors and jack feel well built too. It is tangle free and without any microphonics. Nothing to complain about here.



Fit and Comfort- Fit for me is very comfortable. The default ear tips which have a small bore are very comfortable but I did change them for wide bore silicone ear tips because I like them the best. The IEM fits into my ear snugly, very close to how a custom IEM would. They remain comfortable for long periods of time too, though I do take breaks in between to keep my ears safe.

Here is a picture of the ear tips I am using.



Sound Signature

Bass- Bass is on the neutral-linear side but is still present enough for me to enjoy bass in tracks like Porcupine Tree’s 'Halo' which is a song driven by Colin Edwin’s tasteful bass playing. The bass driver performs well when a track calls for it but generally keeps the bass under control. I like it this way and don't like IEMs which have overly boosted bass. Sub bass in the 808 like kick drum in Coldplay’s 'Up In Flames' goes low and is heard well but doesn’t dominate the track. In Imagine Dragon’s 'Radioactive', the kick drum isn’t upfront in the track but it’s presence is felt well and sounds very natural in tonality.

Mids- Mids of the T4 is what people call thin, forward and revealing. That’s true. T4 is NOT a warm sounding IEM. T4 mids have very good clarity and detail retrieval and it keeps the tonality of the instruments intact. Lower mids are a little fuller than upper mids. So, instruments depending on lower mids sound a bit warmer than the ones dependent on upper mids.

Vocals sound particularly good. Ed Sheeran’s vocals in tracks like 'Thinking Out Loud' are upfront and crystal clear and you can hear his lips smack before singing a line in the verses. Even the reverb trail of his vocals is well audible in the intro. John Mayer sounds natural in 'Stop This Train', intimate but with nice clarity.

Acoustic and electric guitars sound natural too and have good clarity. Snare in Our Lady Peace’s 'Do You Like It', has good stick attack and body. Generally, in warmer IEMs, the stick attack on the snare in that song is missing. The kick drum does not have a lot of slam but has good attack.

Treble- Treble is clean, clear and airy. This gives vocals good clarity and instruments like acoustic guitars and orchestral instruments have good top end sheen. There is a peak around 4.5Khz at the border of upper mids and treble, which gives the instruments the necessary clarity and also gives T4 its primary tonal character. Another peak around 7kHz does help with clarity and the airy character of the T4 but also triggers some sibilance in sibilance prone tracks. But not every track, only the ones that are sibilant or tending sibilant. Also, the treble is non-fatiguing even after long periods of usage.


Soundstage, Imaging and Separation- The thinner mids and airy treble enables T4 to have a nice soundstage which is wider than average and gives you a good sense of space. Separation between instruments is good and imaging is done well too.

Comparisons-

Toneking T4 vs Tansio Mirai TSMR-3

Bass- TSMR-3 has more bass presence and sub-bass goes lower than T4.
Mids- TSMR-3’s mids are fuller than T4’s. TSMR-3 has a peak in the upper mids around 3kHz and T4 has it around 4.5kHz, which give them their respective tonal character.
Treble- T4’s treble is airier whereas TSMR-3’s is relatively towards the neutral side.
Soundstage- T4 has a slightly wider soundstage.


Conclusion- Toneking T4 is a very well-built IEM for the price with a good snug and comfortable fit, which is one of the best in its price range. It comes with a nice cable, ample ear tips and a nice box for carrying around. I would recommend it for people who like sound signatures with neutral-ish linear bass, forward detailed thin mids with good clarity and airy treble. Give it a shot!

This is my first ever official review, so please bare with me. Also, pm me with any constructive help you can give me to make my next ones easier to read.
*I edited my review to include some comparisons, as well as better links and pictures.

So, I love music and I love many different kinds of music as well. I don't have one specific type of sound that I look for in an earphone, and enjoy many different sound signatures. I started this hobby just trying to find iem's that made me enjoy my music in a better way, as well as trying to find the best value for performance. Through this journey, I have been met with disappointment at times, but also with surprise and joy at times as well.
Finding the Toneking T4 and buying them was definitely one of the surprise and joyful times.
The Toneking T4 were purchased by me, with no discount or incentive to do a review, from Hotfi store on aliexpress.
The T4 were purchased for $152.00, and can be bought from various stores on aliexpress for around 145.00-206.00.
Here's the link for the T4 from Hotfi.

http://s.aliexpress.com/iuyieiMB

The T4 are a quad BA arrangement, with the Knowles 30265 composite (dual) handling the bass and mids, and the 30017 knowles composite (dual) BA handling the treble.
At unboxing, you would receive an 8 core copper, silver plated cable that is of good quality and soft and tangle free as well as ergonomic. You also would get 2 pairs of foam tips and 6 pairs of silicones.
Also included in the box, is an excellent round case for holding your extra tips, cable and iem's.



The T4 are built as a semi-custom and it's insides are filled, so they have a nice weight to them and feel like they're of extreme quality. I find them to be impeccably built and can't find any seams or blemishes and I really am impressed with the look and feel of them, as well as find them very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Also, the they're not vented, and have the absolute best isolation that I've ever heard.
The comfort and looks are important, but it's the sound that makes the T4 stand out in the crowd.



Bass-
The bass on the T4 goes deep when called upon by the recording, but never gets out of hand and loose. It has a nice quality to it and has some of the best layering in the bass end that I've heard. The subbass is linear with the midbass, and not much roll off, if any at all,to my ears.

Mids-
The mids are forward and crystal clear with a ton of details, and both male and female vocals sound fantastic. They have nice rounded note shape and aren't thin and tinny, so vocals have a nice sense of realism to them. The upper midrange is elevated creating a nice and vivid vocal range that helps extend the soundstage a little more than what you'd generally expect with a forward mid sound.

Treble-
The T4's treble extends far beyond human hearing (40khz) and has an airy sense to it, that helps extend the soundstage in all directions, as well as the forward upper mids and lower treble in helping create a nice soundstage. It also has a very natural and lifelike tonality and never gets glare and sibilance. The magical part to me, is how forward the treble sounds while staying fatigue free and easy to listen too. The treble to me, is the star of the show and is some of the best that I've heard.
When you put all the frequencies together, you end up with a detailed, reference sounding and balanced signature, that just oozes details, but manages to do it without sounding to clinical and cold.

Comparisons-
Toneking T4 and Brainwavz B400.
Both are quad BA arrangements by Knowles. The B400 is around 150.00- 200.00 depending on sale prices and the the T4 sells for 150.00-200.00 as well.
The T4 wins hands down on build quality, as it looks and feels way nicer in comparison, and seems to cost alot more than it actually does, just based off of the appearance and build.
Both are comfortable to wear and can be worn for extended periods of time without discomfort.

Bass- The Toneking has better extension and more subbass than the B400, while the B400 has more mid bass than the T4. Both have good quality bass, but it'll all depend on your preference of subbass or midbass impact, as to which is "better".

Mids-
Both the T4 and the B400 have a fairly forward mid range, but the B400 sounds somewhat thicker due to the elevated midbass. The T4 seems to have a little better clarity and more details in the mids, in comparison to the B400. Both are excellent though and again comes to down to personal preference.

Treble-
The treble comparison between the T4 and the B400 really shows off just how good the T4's treble is. The T4 has much better extension and way more clear and vibrant treble emphasis. The B400 rolls off way earlier than the T4 and the treble sits behind the mids and the bass on the B400.

Final views between the T4 and B400-
The T4 is almost flat, neutral and balanced accross the spectrum, with great quality bass when the recording calls for it, but the bass never intrudes on the mids or gets loose unless recorded that way intentionally. I love the B400 for it's imaging and layering and nice quality mids, but I would take the T4, 9 times out of 10, if I had too pick one or the other on a given day, for my preferences.

Toneking T4 and LZ A5-
The T4 costs a max of 200.00 depending on the store and the LZ a5 retails for 279.00.
The T4 is a quad knowles BA, while the A5 is 5 driver, with a dynamic driver for bass and 4 BA's for the mids and highs. Also, the A5 has 6 sets of nozzles for tuning the treble etc, and for this comparison I used the new released black filters.
See my above comparison on comfort as this comparison is nearly identical in comfort to my ears.
Bass-
The A5 has some of the best subbass I've heard in an earphone, as far as quantity. The dynamic driver used really helps move air. The T4 has less quantity in sub and midbass, but faster decay and extra layers. The A5 can be somewhat sluggish and slow in comparison. I love both bases very much and your preference and musical interests would play a huge part in what you'd prefer.

Mids-
The A5's mids sit behind the bass and treble and makes the vocals sound more distant. The A5 definitely have a Vshape compared to the flat signature of the T4.
In my opinion, the T4 beats out the A5's mids in every department.

Treble-
The A5's treble is tunable and generally I used it with the black filter. To me, the At is brighter and can show some glare and harshness in some songs. The T4 and A5 extend similarly, but the T4 is clearer and just as detailed but without any sibilance or glare.

Final views of the A5 and T4-
The A5 and T4 have very different signatures and will likely come down to preference once again. The A5 has a wider stage, and more potent bass, but falls behind the T4 in most other categories. If you listen to hip hop, rap, edm, or other bass heavy music, than one could easily prefer the A5. But someone would definitely love the T4 with rock, and vocal music, but still sounds good with modern music.


Toneking have tuned a winner in the T4 and I hope more people get to enjoy them as much as I have been.

*This review was written by using the included cable and tips. I did find the T4 to respond well to comply tx400 tips and a pure silver cable