T180 Pro
Intro Notes
I was offered these at a discount for the review. Per usual, I offer an honest note on my experience with them as it's not worth 'trading' my time for $25.
*I removed the dampers after a quick AB, they do not need them by any stretch of imagination
TLDR;
Well built, mid centered well rounders that have a polite presentation with rounded of highs and present but not overbearing bass. I only wish they had a touch more sparkle, but can forgive them at this price and given all else.
Source
Spotify HQ through a Dragonfly v1.2 in general, Pixel 3a for Mobile
Build
Well molded two piece plastic shell in hot orange, solid feeling overall. The nozzles have serial numbers laser etched which points to some manufacturing control, combined with the genuine knowles armatures sitting in molded pedestals, I would assume these to have better than average longevity and greater consistency between units. They come in an oversized package with a nice clamshell zipper case. There is a set of silicones and three pairs of memory foams. The silicones fit well but I found the material a little too rigid for comfort when I sized up for a good seal. I would suggest making/getting an adapter for different tips or getting a set of Westone Star Tips that come in half sizes.
The small shells allow for a pretty easy fit and the long nozzles makes for decent isolation. The included cable is pretty well made, a quad braid splitting into two channels with a knurled aluminum chin slider. I prefer slimmer cables for my portables but it would be a safer bet that this cable is more or less acoustically transparent (ie low resistance). The heatshrink for the over-the-ear section is pretty burly and some might prefer to remove it. It can easily be reformed with a hairdryer.
The Pro model comes with 300Ohm dampers pre-installed in the tip of the nozzles. I highly recommend removing them as the particular BA driver is not particularly shrill / well extended in the first place. Even with the damper removed, we are talking less bright than Ety XR series. You are just losing volume and boosting bass where it doesn't need to be boosted while losing clarity. If you don't have a tool to remove them (you can use a coarse screw), you can always use needlepoint tweezers to remove the dampening fabric.
Sound
They are pretty much the definition of well rounded, their polite signature makes for easy listening while the mids carry the show. I would say that as a whole, they are slightly on the warmer side of the spectrum with forward mids scaffolded by a full lower register, albeit not extending deep into the sub region. Likewise, they roll off before reaching far into the highs, though they are certainly capable of reproducing 18khz+ on a simulated test. While they lack the air and detail one finds in etymotics and other higher end balanced armature contenders, they are also far more forgiving of source materials and devices.
The star of the show is the well rendered mids that are present and that have good timbre. For the lack of a better word, they sound musical, if a little polite.
On the highs, don't expect to hear lips parting, fingers brushing over muted springs, breaths taken in the back row. I wish they reached slightly higher for the occasional splash of a cymbal slicing through the crowd. I haven't had the HD600s in a while, but they do remind me of them a little bit. With all this being said, there isn't much resonance (at my insertion depth anyhow) which makes for pleasant upper mids, I can pull them out a bit for a brighter sounds but really you are pushing the 7k peak at that point. If you have access to an equalizer, I would boost the top end by a db or two.
On the lows, as noted, single bas are not going to cause any earthquakes, lacking the sub 20hz rumble. Having said that, they do have a slight ~50hz tilt that gives enough body to the music. If I pull some detroit minimal techno like Robert Hood, they punch just enough to bob about but don't deliver the chest thump that you get with MH755, Blons et al. Being BAs, they are fast and precise about it and so generally don't sound like raking mud in crowded sections.
All in all, pretty solid mid-forward pair at this price that seem like they would last a tumble or two. Just remember to remove the dampers and consider a set of alternative tips with wider bore openings to not further attenuate highs (I'm using Final Es with a nozzle size adapter)
Comparison
For those wondering about Etymotic comparisons in the single BA realm, I have the ER2SE here as well (which are reportedly -and from memory- similar to ER4s), I can safely say that they are not similar at all. Etymotics, while they have a more intimate soundstage, sound like you lifted a wool blanket off of the band. The bass (if you get a deep seal) is a touch less on the Etys, a little more laid back in the lower mids / higher lows which lends an effect of precision and thinner mids. The highs however open up a whole another level of detail to be observed and enjoyed that are not present in the T180s(and most sub$50 earphones). This also makes them less forgiving of sources, and they are notably harder to drive (My pixel 3a needs to be at %80-90 for the Etymotics).
Notes
The official store is pretty fast at communication and shipping, which I appreciate when they are being schlepped halfway accross the world.
