TTPOD T2 3Driver Hybrid 2BA+Dynamic Hybrid Drive(ED-29689+TA7801) Headphones Blue-Gray

With the release of the TTPOD T1E, it continued to garner massive praise from audiophiles and casual listeners alike, for being a “fantastic budget option” in an growing market of sub $100 earphones. Needless to say, when the news that TTPOD was going to release the TTPOD T2,  the T2 “hype train” quickly formed.
 
The hype began to grow, starting with pictures of a design that closely resembling the VSONIC VSD3S, and later with an news that TTPOD implemented a  placed a “Triple Driver” design (2 Balanced Armatures, and 1 Dynamic driver) in the T2, with a price tag under $100 (which is notably much cheaper than other earphones with a similar configuration).  By then the hype had reached Mars! I was intrigued to say the least and as soon as I saw them for sale on penonaudio.com (for about $84-89), I ordered them in a heartbeat.
 
So how do the T2s stack up? Well, let’s find out! Click the link below if you wish you see a video review. Like and subscribe for more content!

 
Accessories:
3 pairs of  Blue ACG eartips
3 pairs Red DJ Style eartips
1 pair of grey foam eartips
1 pair of clear earguides
1 white pouch (with a metal clasp)
12 stickers (I imagine you can use to customize the look of the T2s)
Overall: 8/10
 
* I would note that the packaging, looks great! Very nicely done and very elegantly presented*

 
 
Design:
In terms of design, the T2s are just gorgeous, it is one of the most beautiful earphones I have seen. . The earphones look like gems or crystals that you would see in the jewellery stores. I’ve previously reviewed the VSONIC VSD3S, which has a similar design. The housing is transparent allowing you to see the drivers and the internals of each earpiece. As an added twist, TTPOD has implemented a two different colours on each earpiece to allowing you to easily identify which side is the left or right, the left side (comes in green, red, blue and purple) and the right is the gray for all models).  The strain relief on the housing and the cable follows suit in its beautiful design, having this glossy silver sheen. Even the headphone jack is very pleasing as well. Very Impressed!
Overall: 10/10
      
 
 

 
 
  
 
 
Build quality:
The earphone housing is made out of entirely plastic, but maybe it’s just me but in the hand, it feels slightly denser than the plastic used on the TTPOD T1Es. The top half the cable is twisted, with the bottom half being braided. Overall, the cable felt rather very flexible, yet sturdy and lightweight at the same time. However, this gets to my most pressing issue with T2s, which is the lack of strain relief at key points throughout the earphone. While on the areas that actually have strain reliefs (its more style > function, as evident on the housing), that I found a bit concerning especially at the headphone jack, which feels kind a bit flimsy to me.  To end this things off, the T2s have a straight headphone jack that is rather compact and well made, that feels fairly solid overall.
Overall: 6.5/10
 
 

 


 
 
 
Isolation:
In terms of isolation, I would say the T2s are slightly below average because of the two vents. However, on the other hand, this allows the user to have good situational awareness but I would hesitate to recommend the T2s for commuting purposes unless the vents are covered. Once both vents are covered, I found the isolation to be above average.
Stock- 6/10  (1 vent covered- 7/10) (All vents covered- 8/10)
 
  
 
 
Comfort
The irregular housing shape would lead to you think that the comfort of the T2s would suffer. However, that’s not entirely the case here. I would rate the T2s as “average” in terms of comfort. Maybe its because my ears are bit oddly shaped but I did feel a bit of a sore spot on my right outer ear after about 2 hours, because of some rubbing by the rear edges of the housing. This is only a minor quibble, but in comparison the VSONIC VSD3S, which has a similar design was a bit more comfortable. I suspect this is due to the edges being more rounded, which I found more comfortable in my ears during longer sessions.
Overall: 7/10
 
Cable noise:  Practically, Non-existent
Overall: 9/10
 
Sound
In terms of sound, I felt that despite the use of a 11mm dynamic driver, along with 2 Balanced Armatures. The T2s are surprisingly lean, mid forward with great separation and placement.  For this review, I opted to use the included Blue ACG eartips, which I found opens up the treble more. If you prefer slightly more bass, the included Red DJ eartips would be able to satisfy that itch.
However, that said, the T2s can sound very different depending on the extent of blocking or taping over the vents/ports. (This modification is very simply and entirely reversible). I will attach pictures and along with the effects on the changes in the sound in the section below.
In terms of stock sound,
 
Bass: The bass on the T2s is lean, tight, and fast. It’s a relatively flat bass with a small “knee” on the midbass, to give it some punch. The bass, is surprising, because its less than what I would have expected from the 11mm dynamic drivers in them. I felt that the bass is bit lacking in body and rumble. I would actually consider them on the slightly bass light.
 
Midrange: The midrange is quite forward. It convey’s the image where the singer’s mouth is right up against the microphone. Many users on the forums are calling them a “mid-head” earphone, but I think a more accurate description of the T2 would be calling them a “vocal-head” earphone. Vocals are warm, and intimate, and clean with  a bit of a “nasal” tone to them. This mid-forward sound signature works especially well for movies with heavy dialogue as it helps with intelligibility with voices and conversations.  
 
Treble: Its laid back and relatively smooth with decent extension. The treble lacks a bit of air and detail. On the other hand, the T2s smooth off  “s” sounds, making it very easy on the ears. The treble along with the bass, is presented to complement the midrange rather than to steal the spotlight.
 
Soundstage: It has a rather intimate soundstage, which conveys a small presentation rather than a large concert hall in your head. However, that said the best trait of the soundstage is that it images well and has impeccable separation and placement. I was able to easily separate, which singers are harmonizing together, along with the background instruments continuing to layer more and more, which resulted in very enjoyable and satisfying listen.
 
Now with vent #1 blocked
The is a big boost in the bass making it fuller in body, making it reminiscent of their little brothers, the TTPOD T1E (but a bassier a bit looser, somewhat bloated).

 
 
With vent #2 blocked
I felt that the treble seems a bit reduced

 
 
With both vent #1 and 2 blocked
Combining the previous two points, making the sound darker and more congested. This was my least favorite however it provided the greatest isolation, great for commuting purposes.
 
With Vent #1 blocked (using a pin/sewing needle to prick a hole)
This is probably favorite configuration for the T2s, and I think makes them a better all arounder for more genres of music.  There is a nice bump in the bass (but not to the same extent as when the vent is completely blocked, more punch, with all the benefits of the stock sound, but abeit slightly warmer midrange.
You can experiment to your hearts content (as you make the hole wider(using a bigger needle/toothpick) you can adjust the bass to match your taste.
 
Quick Comparison: Stock TTPOD T2 ($89) vs TTPOD T1E ($33-50)
Compared to the TTPOD T1E- the T2(in their stock sound) have less of “wow” factor, as in they are substantially less bassy and the vocals have less “perceived clarity”). I wasn’t a fan of the midrange scoop on the T1Es, to my ears, the vocals sounded rather thin and unnatural.  The T2s on the other hand, have smoother, thicker and more forward vocals with a more laid back (relatively speaking) and more extended treble. In terms of soundstage, the T1E does sound bigger in presentation than the their older brothers, the T2s, though.
 
Compared to the Hifiman RE400 ($99)
The T2s have a warmer and forward midrange, and places more emphasis on vocals. Where as the RE400s have a warmer, punchier, and bassier, with a drier, and transparent midrange, which makes vocals cleaner, abeit a bit more “clinical”. The treble is crisper on the T2s, compared to very smooth RE400s. For those that prefer a darker sound, I would direct them toward the RE400s.
Sound Overall: 7/10
 
In the end, the T2 quite perplexing because the due to the very impressive release of their little brothers (the T1/T1E). The expectation for the T2’s release was sky high. The hype continue to rise as the public was teased with pictures of its eye-catching design and the fact they are one of the first (at least that I’m aware of) that was able to be so aggressive in terms of pricing ($89) for a Triple hybrid driver earphone (2BA+ 1 Dynamic driver) compared to their competition (around~$130-300). I think this isn’t fair to say that the T2s aren’t good, or that they didn’t live up to the (unrealistic expectations placed upon them) cause that’s not true. They certainly perform well for the price, and I would recommend it for those like a smooth, more neutral sound, those that have an affinity towards their vocals.
Overall: 53.5/70= 76%

I would like to start my review by Thanking Penon Audio for providing me with a review sample of TTPOD T2 (http://penonaudio.com/TTPOD-T2)
 
TTPOD’s release of T1E in-ear headphones took a lot of people by surprise because it was a great example of how far you can push the limit with a build quality, design details (though some might argue it resembles IE800), eartip collection, serious bass quantity, and the most important – a budget price.  Now TTPOD is back with yet another impressive release, this time pushing boundaries of 3-way hybrid design with a price tag of under $90.  Were they able to knock another hit out of the park with their debut hybrid design?  Let’s take a closer look to find out.
 
Not too long ago while looking at T1S after my T1E review, I already noticed a new direction of TTPOD packaging presentation as well as a mysterious card with “T2” included inside of T1S box.  Still, I was quite impressed with their packaging box  when a review sample of T2 arrived at my doorsteps.  It was a rather large box, at least in comparison to T1E, without any cover art and just a rainbow T2 across the top and some basic manufacturer info on the back.  Also on the back there was an array of available color combinations (T2 earpieces come in different color pairs) and mentioning of T2 and T2 Pro - suggesting a common packaging for both models.  I found T2 unboxing experience to be quite rewarding with a feeling of a premium product when opening the folds of the top cover to reveal a partitioned box with a selection of accessories and T2 headphones inside.
 
T2 unboxing.
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
With everything out of the box, I found a generous selection of accessories which included the following.  You get a set of red narrow bore tips (S/M/L sizes), a set of blue medium bore tips (S/M/L sizes), a pair of foam tips (small size), a pair of earhook guides to assist with over ear cable management, a soft material pouch with a metal spring-lock, and a unique set of stickers.  Yes, stickers!  They are actually pretty cool little silver fun stickers to customize the look of your T2.  With a flat part of T2 shell surface, they should fit right in, though I personally was OK with a purity of the original T2 translucent finish.
 
T2 accessories.
 

 

 

 
 
The design of T2 is quite impressive.  Starting with a gold plated straight 3.5mm headphone plug, it’s slim and should fit well with any DAP, amp, or smartphone case.  Cable from the plug to y-splitter is braided and looks very professional, also taking into consideration TTPOD used higher quality silver-plated wires.  There is not much strain relief at the headphone plug, but the nature of the braided inter-weaving helps to relief a strain when you bend the cable.  Y-splitter is small, plastic, with a unique look and the same deal without a strain relief, though you can still rely on a braided wire support.  After the split, wire is twisted rather than braided since now you're dealing with two wires going to each earpiece.  Also, there is no chin slider (cable cinch) which would have been a nice addition.  Perhaps they assumed that included earhook guides were sufficient, but I personally prefer a cable cinch to assist in pulling wires together in over-ear cable fitment, the only way to wear T2.  On the other hand, cable is soft, flexible, easy to manage, and has minimum microphonics.
 
When it comes to earpieces, you actually have a short metal strain relief which looks really good and fits the design nicely.  The shell itself has a similar fitment philosophy as VSD3/3S and Westone/Shure IEMs, but obviously a different shape.  Some people might find a resemblance of T2 shell with VDS3/3S design and their multi-facets surface, but T2 stands out with a thicker, slightly longer shape where facets have a different geometry with sharper angles/edges.  Plus, it has a little flat surface where you can place included stickers to customize it.  Nozzle is of an average length and has a stopper ring which is great for different eartips where you can slide them on half way or all the way (another way to control the fitment or to fine tune the sound).  Furthermore, there are two air vents located around dynamic driver with one pointing toward your ear when earpiece is inserted and the other one at the edge of earpiece.
 
By the nature of hybrid design, T2 has a mix of three drivers with one 10mm dynamic driver and dual Knowles ED-29689 balanced armature drivers.  The included spec for T2 also mentions that T2 Pro will have different Knowles TWFK-30017 BA drivers, considered to be of a higher quality and obviously at a more premium price.  Since the shell of T2 is translucent, you get a benefit to see these drivers inside of the earpiece, and it’s quite an impressive view including a little crossover circuit board.  As far as I can tell, all T2 models should come in sets of two different colors which helps to distinguish Left from Right pieces, though they still include L/R marking on corresponding sides.  Personally, I found the fitment to be very comfortable, but it could vary depending on your ear-shape anatomy.  Also, isolation was just average with music on and slightly below average when idle, nothing to complain about.  Since I don't take public transportation (bus or subway), it's not a problem for me, plus I use the largest size eartips to achieve the best seal.
 
T2 design.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Now, with design details out of the way, let's take a closer look at T2 sound performance.  I found T2 to have a balanced sound with a slightly mid-forward signature.  The sound has a very clean and smooth characteristics, but it's not very detailed.  In no way I would consider it to be veiled, just in my opinion the retrieval of details and layering/separation of instruments and vocals was just below average and a bit congested.  I also found soundstage to be just average in width and slightly below average in depth which creates a more intimate listening experience.  At the same time, it has a great separation of bass and mids/treble, definitely a benefit of the hybrid design with an assistance from crossover partitioning dynamic driver lows and balanced armature driver highs.
 
In more details after 50+ hrs of burn in (which is ABSOLUTELY A MUST), I found bass to be tight, extending down to sub-bass with a moderate rumble and a nice fast mid-bass punch.  The quantity is not overly boosted, well controlled, and without any spillage into lower mids.  Mids are bright but not harsh, more toward bright-smooth characteristics and slightly forward but not dominating too much over the rest of the frequency range.  Treble is crisp and bright, but not too bright or sibilant, and has a moderate extension.
 
In a quick comparison,  I found next to T2:
 
- T1E has a lot more sub-bass, mids are more recessed, treble has a bit less extension, upper mids/treble are slightly more detailed, and soundstage is a bit wider.
- VSD3 has more sub-bass and a more aggressive mid-bass punch, upper mids/treble are brighter/crispier and more detailed, treble has more sparkle, and soundstage is wider.
- KC06A has more sub-bass and more mid-bass quantity, upper mids/treble are brighter and more detailed though less organic in tonality, treble has better extension, while soundstage is similar.
- A83 has a tighter bass with more sub-bass, similar mid-bass punch, mids/treble are a lot brighter and crispier, sound is more detailed, and soundstage is a lot wider.
 
Overall, I don't want people to interpret my review as being not too optimistic.  When it comes to hybrid IEMs, it's not an easy task to find a smooth sounding headphones since a lot of them are skewed toward a bright analytical highs.  It's easier to tune a bass of a dynamic driver, but apparently balancing it out with smooth higher frequencies of BA drivers is a bit of a challenge.  TTPOD T2 accomplished that task quite well, but at the expense of some compromises.  I have a feeling that with upcoming T2 Pro and a different set of BA drivers the sound will be brighter and more detailed, though you can never guarantee if it still remains as smooth.  If you look at the big picture of this T2 design, you have one great looking set of in-ear headphones with a quality build and an excellent cable.  You get a sound with a balanced mix of bass and high frequencies, and overall smooth signature great for an extended non-fatigue listening.  If you want a more detailed and brighter sound, I would recommend to wait for T2 Pro, but if you are ok with what T2 has to offer - you will not find another 3-way hybrid IEM at a better price!