[DynamicEars]

My Spring 2 spent a week at a shipping facility in Nevada, but arrived yesterday. Been listening almost non stop, and left it burning overnight, so it's probably got about 18 hours of burn in. I almost left a slightly underwhelmed initial feedback post this morning, but some tinkering has left me with a much stronger impression.

First, a cable swap made a massive difference in sound and comfort. Mids were pinched and imaging was hazy with the stock cable. Also the ear guides are screwy and stick out perpendicular from the direction that they should really go. This pushes them up against the back of your ears, which is uncomfortable, and makes it difficult to keep the nozzles inserted at a consistent depth. I swapped out for the upgrade Tanchjim Oxygen cable and the mids came to life.

Second big discovery was that these do better with deep insertion rather than shallow insertion. Imaging was a bit wonky with Sedna Earfits and Final Type E tips both, I'd hear things like a drum kit where the snare is dead in the middle of my head and a high hat was way off to the side, so it didn't sound like the imaging of an actual performance of a drummer at a kit.

I've got pretty big ears, so medium Symbio W hybrids work for very deep insertion for me. Those give a very vivid, vocal-forward experience, but seemed to be missing some air and separation, despite all of the treble details presented. Comfort was ok but not great. Soundstage had ok height but almost no depth. The real winner though turned out to be Tennmak Whirlwind tips with the deepest nozzle insertion I can manage. That is far more comfortable, and enhances separation. Whirlwinds also make the sound stage have more depth, helping eliminate the sensation that the sound stage is left to right from ear to ear. Not sure I'd go so far as to call it consistently "3d" or "holographic", and it's not really an outside-of-your-head experience, but I do find myself being nicely pleased by the sound stage with the right tips.

Tuning is good, and fun. Feels kind of like a W shape, but with the mid bass and sub bass fairly linear to each other. It's surprisingly warm, although not excessively so. I just was expecting something cool and treble focused because of the piezo and looking at Spring 1 graphs, but that's not the case. This definitely has the best piezo timbre I've heard so far, I never get the "zing/ring" tonality like occurs on (especially) NiceHCK NX7 or LZ A6 mini. Treble isn't harsh and there isn't sibilance, despite the emphasis and sparkle. I enjoy treble detail, but am also not a fan of shouty upper mids/lower treble, and this finds a nice sweet spot there.

The biggest tuning difference compared to most chi fi sets in the same price range (or below) is that vocals are given plenty of emphasis, even male vocals. That's where the "w-shape" description is coming from -- not sure if it looks like a w on a graph, but you get a nice mix of bass presence, vocal emphasis, and treble sparkle. I think this is a set more suited to rock or hip hop rather than classical or jazz, but I think timbre for things like saxophones and strings sound pretty proper in the context of rock arrangements.

Still feeling my way around some of my "reference albums" and will tinker some more with tips and sources, but my day 2 reaction for Spring 2 is a thumbs up. Not trying to say that this is flawless, but my initial thought is that the Spring 2 is better than many other IEMs in the same price range that I currently own (thinking Ikko OH10, Moondrop KPE, and ISN D10). It's missing the effortless coherence of my best single driver sets though.

Nice impressions! And seems like your preference is similar with mine, i also not a fan of upper mids boost tuning. My best preference is pinna gain at around 8db increment from 1khz, be it on 2khz or 4khz but definitely must have 3khz dip.

Spring 1 is great, especially after grill mods that fix a lot things, and I told BQEYZ about this grill mod, turned out that inital Spring 1 tune is actually based on 'grill mod version' even the marketing FR actually is similar to grill mod version. I think the final production messed up with that cloth mesh damper under the grill that changed the sound too much making artificial soundstage, smoothen out textured and bloated bass.

And finally BQEYZ agree with my opinions. They ditch the cloth mesh for the Spring 2. Not only gimmicky removes the cloth mesh alone but they said they retune the Spring, and add 2 additional layers of piezo from 7 to 9.

Still with grill mods, the problem is laying on bass tuned. Mid and upper bass is too big, their speed is fast for 13mm DD. Just the tune. And about 8khz yes, they are boosted but not harsh, but made soft tizziness as i emphasized on my Spring1 review. The piezo itself sounded natural even not as natural as good DD or good BAs but definitely much more extension and details compared to DDs and BAs.
I agree that the piezo on Spring1 is better than on NX7 Pro and LZ A6. Nx7 pro required cotton mod to avoid glaring and zinging issues.

I hope Spring 2 give much different experience especially on bass segment. If the sub bass bigger than mid bass. So mid and upper bass aren't too much, they will be great. Mids are their strengths. Forwarded, details, and yet smooth. Remind me of my sony M7, or Tri i3 but without that 3khz pinna gain peak.
Do you think the bass is great / better than Spring1 (if you have listen to)?

My Spring 2 still in the ocean currently and expect long time delivery at this moment. I really can't wait

 

[ayang02]

With the Spring1&2s, I love the Acoustune AET07 tips with them: the sound really opens up and you get better soundstage. Using these tips I prefer slightly smaller-sized tips to allow for deeper insertion.

I’ve been playing with the new AZLA Xelastec tips for the past few days and I also find them to work well with the Spring 2s. The treble feels even more extended with these and so is the bass response. The tips are very sticky, conforms to your ear canal via your body heat and seals very well so I don’t need as deep of an insertion to get good seal, great seal actually. Because they also stick to your ear canal quite a bit, I use a slightly smaller size compared to the previous AZLAs.

 

[jibberish]

Nice impressions! And seems like your preference is similar with mine, i also not a fan of upper mids boost tuning. My best preference is pinna gain at around 8db increment from 1khz, be it on 2khz or 4khz but definitely must have 3khz dip.

Spring 1 is great, especially after grill mods that fix a lot things, and I told BQEYZ about this grill mod, turned out that inital Spring 1 tune is actually based on 'grill mod version' even the marketing FR actually is similar to grill mod version. I think the final production messed up with that cloth mesh damper under the grill that changed the sound too much making artificial soundstage, smoothen out textured and bloated bass.

And finally BQEYZ agree with my opinions. They ditch the cloth mesh for the Spring 2. Not only gimmicky removes the cloth mesh alone but they said they retune the Spring, and add 2 additional layers of piezo from 7 to 9.

Still with grill mods, the problem is laying on bass tuned. Mid and upper bass is too big, their speed is fast for 13mm DD. Just the tune. And about 8khz yes, they are boosted but not harsh, but made soft tizziness as i emphasized on my Spring1 review. The piezo itself sounded natural even not as natural as good DD or good BAs but definitely much more extension and details compared to DDs and BAs.
I agree that the piezo on Spring1 is better than on NX7 Pro and LZ A6. Nx7 pro required cotton mod to avoid glaring and zinging issues.

I hope Spring 2 give much different experience especially on bass segment. If the sub bass bigger than mid bass. So mid and upper bass aren't too much, they will be great. Mids are their strengths. Forwarded, details, and yet smooth. Remind me of my sony M7, or Tri i3 but without that 3khz pinna gain peak.
Do you think the bass is great / better than Spring1 (if you have listen to)?

My Spring 2 still in the ocean currently and expect long time delivery at this moment. I really can't wait

I have never heard the Spring 1, so unfortunately I can't compare the bass to the Spring 2 for you. I do think the Spring 2 bass has plenty of mid bass, so hopefully it won't be too much for your preferences. It feels a a little bit smooth, no heavy impact, not a ton of moving air or weighted slam. It does sound "musical" and provides a good sense of fullness to the overall presentation though. It may also change with more burn in, perhaps. I do enjoy the bass, although it doesn't compare to the texture and impact of something like TFZ No. 3, and it doesn't favor sub bass like KPE or OH10.

 

[DynamicEars]

I have never heard the Spring 1, so unfortunately I can't compare the bass to the Spring 2 for you. I do think the Spring 2 bass has plenty of mid bass, so hopefully it won't be too much for your preferences. It feels a a little bit smooth, no heavy impact, not a ton of moving air or weighted slam. It does sound "musical" and provides a good sense of fullness to the overall presentation though. It may also change with more burn in, perhaps. I do enjoy the bass, although it doesn't compare to the texture and impact of something like TFZ No. 3, and it doesn't favor sub bass like KPE or OH10.

Actually quantity here doesnt matter. I just want reduced mid and upper bass than spring 1 and more sub bass than midbass so they will be less dry. Thanks for your fast reply

 

[Electrolite]

I plan to sell my T2 to a friend and buy something similar on the same bracket.

Are the KB100 and K2 still the way to go or we got better IEMs under $50

 

[DynamicEars]

I plan to sell my T2 to a friend and buy something similar on the same bracket.

Are the KB100 and K2 still the way to go or we got better IEMs under $50

depends on what you want to upgrade from the T2, can you define what similar is? because T2 is low in bass quantity, other $50 relatively have more bass in general.
KB100 still 1 of my best pick under $50 but they have different signature than T2. Wait are you saying this is TinHifi T2 right?
jade audio EA3 is great, thanks to its knowles driver. KZ ZSX, CCA C12, TRN v90 if you like more bass, BLON BL-03 for great tuning, or up your budget a bit to get CCA CA16 (dont be mistaken with C16), its the new CCA 1DD+6BA and have great reviews but i havent hear them myself.

 

[IEManiac]

I plan to sell my T2 to a friend and buy something similar on the same bracket.

Are the KB100 and K2 still the way to go or we got better IEMs under $50

Overall I prefer the KC2 still to the KB100.

 

[Electrolite]

depends on what you want to upgrade from the T2, can you define what similar is? because T2 is low in bass quantity, other $50 relatively have more bass in general.
KB100 still 1 of my best pick under $50 but they have different signature than T2. Wait are you saying this is TinHifi T2 right?
jade audio EA3 is great, thanks to its knowles driver. KZ ZSX, CCA C12, TRN v90 if you like more bass, BLON BL-03 for great tuning, or up your budget a bit to get CCA CA16 (dont be mistaken with C16), its the new CCA 1DD+6BA and have great reviews but i havent hear them myself.

I own the Tin Hi-fi T2. Can you please compare a little the T2 and the KB100?

I like a neutral signature with punchy sub bass but not boomy and good mids presence. The T2 was great but lacked some sub-bass.
I plan to gift the T2 to my friend and want something similar but with more sub-bass and a tiny little less treble basically.

My Starfield fits that but I want a cheaper IEM to use daily while outside, something I can abuse a little more and not feel bad.

I never heard about the Jades, I'll check them. About the KZ and CCA I confess I'm little skeptical about them, I never liked the KZ treble tuning but never heard the higher models (the ED16 was the only KZ I really loved). The Blon seems like a decent option but some find it too boomy, I feel like some people either love or hate it. The TRN V90 I tested their earlier model (forgot the name) and didn't like the treble but I heard it was kinda fixed with the V90 so may ill have to check them.

Overall I prefer the KC2 still to the KB100.

Please can you explain why?

 

[IEManiac]

I own the Tin Hi-fi T2. Can you please compare a little the T2 and the KB100?

I like a neutral signature with punchy sub bass but not boomy and good mids presence. The T2 was great but lacked some sub-bass.
I plan to gift the T2 to my friend and want something similar but with more sub-bass and a tiny little less treble basically.

My Starfield fits that but I want a cheaper IEM to use daily while outside, something I can abuse a little more and not feel bad.

I never heard about the Jades, I'll check them. About the KZ and CCA I confess I'm little skeptical about them, I never liked the KZ treble tuning but never heard the higher models (the ED16 was the only KZ I really loved). The Blon seems like a decent option but some find it too boomy, I feel like some people either love or hate it. The TRN V90 I tested their earlier model (forgot the name) and didn't like the treble but I heard it was kinda fixed with the V90 so may ill have to check them.



Please can you explain why?

Both the KB100 and KC2 are keepers and no doubt the best value in Chi-Fi under $40. What are the differences between the two? Let's take the KC2 as as the baseline or reference. The KC2 is neutral-bright. The KB100 adds a tad more bass and warmth and reduces the highs a tad. I prefer the slightly leaner, airier presentation of the KC2 as well as its better fit and isolation. It's not a matter of which one is better between the two but rather one of taste and desired tonality because the differences are not great and both are excellent. I own and use both.

 

[IEMusic]

I plan to sell my T2 to a friend and buy something similar on the same bracket.

Are the KB100 and K2 still the way to go or we got better IEMs under $50

I‘d also consider the T2 Plus. I think it’s a lot more resolving and dynamic than the original T2, and definitely has more bass. While it doesn’t have a lot of sub bass, like the BL03, it has a lot more than the T2. So far, I’m very impressed with it, but it is right at your $50 limit currently.

 

[jibberish]

So after about a week with the Spring 2, I really am pleased. I think it's definitely the most "fun" set of IEMs I have. They're not perfect:

• The bass should be better controlled, during especially busy tracks with a lot of mid bass it gets a little loose. It's not out of control or overwhelming, but it gets a bit flabby when the bass is really getting tested and there's a lot of other stuff going on (like in really demanding electronic music tracks).
• The imaging similarly gets a little bit hazy when that scenario above occurs.
• I wish the sound stage had a little bit more depth (this is really a nitpick to be honest, it's totally acceptable, but more depth would really make this have a unique 3d sound stage).

For the most part though, the Spring 2 is just really good, and really entertaining. Good layering and separation, plenty of treble extension and air without any harshness, and the tuning has a bit of a thicker sound which makes it a nice contrast to thin sounding Harman tuned sets. The sound stage really expands in terms of width and height. I'm really impressed with the treble, this piezo driver is better implemented than the piezo sets I've heard before. I can see now how piezo could be used in mid tier or even totl sets if done properly.

Oh, and the green set looks really great, in real life it's cooler looking than the product pictures.

 

[RikudouGoku]

So after about a week with the Spring 2, I really am pleased. I think it's definitely the most "fun" set of IEMs I have. They're not perfect:

• The bass should be better controlled, during especially busy tracks with a lot of mid bass it gets a little loose. It's not out of control or overwhelming, but it gets a bit flabby when the bass is really getting tested and there's a lot of other stuff going on (like in really demanding electronic music tracks).
• The imaging similarly gets a little bit hazy when that scenario above occurs.
• I wish the sound stage had a little bit more depth (this is really a nitpick to be honest, it's totally acceptable, but more depth would really make this have a unique 3d sound stage).

For the most part though, the Spring 2 is just really good, and really entertaining. Good layering and separation, plenty of treble extension and air without any harshness, and the tuning has a bit of a thicker sound which makes it a nice contrast to thin sounding Harman tuned sets. The sound stage really expands in terms of width and height. I'm really impressed with the treble, this piezo driver is better implemented than the piezo sets I've heard before. I can see now how piezo could be used in mid tier or even totl sets if done properly.

Oh, and the green set looks really great, in real life it's cooler looking than the product pictures.

Sounds like the battle between the Spring 2 and the LZ A6 will be fun

 

[IEMusic]

Sounds like the battle between the Spring 2 and the LZ A6 will be fun

LZ A7 soon though, correct?

 

[RikudouGoku]

LZ A7 soon though, correct?

Yeah I think it was in october. But havent heard anything more so 3-4 months left?

 

[zenki]

A7 piezo?