Chinese / Asian Brand IEM Info Thread
Nov 14, 2018 at 8:39 AM Post #19,771 of 33,689

You will be surprised. I had fixed up the single DD NiceHCK EP35 with a simple copper cable (from the PHB EM-023) and the widest possible rubber tips (from the UE900S) and listened to them in comparison with the D4 and the popular Urbanfun Hifi. The V-shaped Urbs sounded muddy in comparison. I conclude that DDs have come a long way in the last couple of years, too (not only the BA drivers).

As to the cable business: the included fancy-looking "silver" cable makes the EP35 much harder to drive than the simple copper cable - but the copper also gives it a fuller sound with more bottom end. I am at a loss as volume differences stem from impedance differences, but that should not affect the sound at all in a DD. Something must be wrong with the "silver" cable design.

Impedance difference effect sound in all drivers. DD actually more. The bass has much more range to change then say if you put an Ety P to S on the Ety it will sound a bit more tighter and quicker and accurate but not huge. Put that on some dynamics and there is much more audible bass difference(always a lessening). The BGVP A/B/C tuning adapters are built for that as well. I can put the "A" reference cable on many a dynamic and the bass will really drop. Harder to drive usually leans the bass in a dynamic provided it is enough impedance added. Zero surprise to me esp. since it sounds like it adds enough. Doubt there is anything wrong with the cable. Some cable are about propagation speed and being easy to drive others are about adding resistance. Like Linum cables can be 2.0 ohm or 1.5 ohm or .75 ohm. They recommend if you want more bass go to one of their lower Ohm cables.
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 9:04 AM Post #19,772 of 33,689
Unless you live in China. Then shipping will be fast (I imagine).

I was in china for a work trip last year (after the 11.11 sale) and my colleague bought a juicer, tonnes of clothes, jackets and even bedsheets xD

They arrived a day later and max 2 days later and i was like i should have just sent my purchases to the china office in the first place =_= but come to think of it (and also checking my purchase history), didnt buy anything this period last year, but now...... T.T
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 10:51 AM Post #19,773 of 33,689
I wasn't suggesting you do the mod, nor have I done it myself (which is why there is no mod mentioned in my review) - that would make for a pretty poor review IMO. I was just saying that insertion depth alone can change the sound of the T2/T2 Pro which might be why you heard things differently. Regardless, to me, the Pro's tuning and higher price make it a very average IEM.


This is really strange. You've seen the antrdoid's measurement of t2 vs t2 pro, right? Unless one of you has some problems with the measurement rig, you must have measured different iems, lol.

Let me repost it so its its easier to compare..
T2 Pro vs T2  Raw FR.jpg

I've not heard the pro version, but from what I've read, treble should be more extended, which would agree with antdroids measurement (the 12kHz peak slightly pronounced and overall more linear treble).

However on your graph, we can see boost around 5dB in the whole 2-12kHz area, which would make the iem sound almost completely different :xf_eek:

I'm confused.. Maybe there has been some secret changes again, similar as before with the blue gunk - described by Slater?
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 10:56 AM Post #19,774 of 33,689
This is really strange. You've seen the antrdoid's measurement of t2 vs t2 pro, right? Unless one of you has some problems with the measurement rig, you must have measured different iems, lol.

Let me repost it so its its easier to compare..


I've not heard the pro version, but from what I've read, treble should be more extended, which would agree with antdroids measurement (the 12kHz peak slightly pronounced and overall more linear treble).

However on your graph, we can see boost around 5dB in the whole 2-12kHz area, which would make the iem sound almost completely different :xf_eek:

I'm confused.. Maybe there has been some secret changes again, similar as before with the blue gunk - described by Slater?
His graph is raw and mine is compensated which is probably the main difference.
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 11:01 AM Post #19,775 of 33,689
His graph is raw and mine is compensated which is probably the main difference.
Sure, I was talking about relative differences between the two models you measured vs. difference in the previous measurements.
Not trying to compare your measurement with antdroids of course.
I hope I explained myself clearly now :D
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 11:07 AM Post #19,776 of 33,689
This is really strange. You've seen the antrdoid's measurement of t2 vs t2 pro, right? Unless one of you has some problems with the measurement rig, you must have measured different iems, lol.

Let me repost it so its its easier to compare..


I've not heard the pro version, but from what I've read, treble should be more extended, which would agree with antdroids measurement (the 12kHz peak slightly pronounced and overall more linear treble).

However on your graph, we can see boost around 5dB in the whole 2-12kHz area, which would make the iem sound almost completely different :xf_eek:

I'm confused.. Maybe there has been some secret changes again, similar as before with the blue gunk - described by Slater?
In my opinion, the T2 Pro has more treble throughout. It also has an increased sense of soundstage (very engaging). The bass seems more impactful too and separated. This may be due to the fact that bass hits (a lot of them anyways) actually have a lot of treble in them, so they sound bigger and more expressive. The T2 Pro sounds massive when listening to an album like Ghost in the Machine by the Police. There’s really a lot of lows on that record creating atmosphere and even some “bomb” drop sounds (probably a big fat bass drum) that are very impactful yet distinguishable. Not to mention all that high hat stuff and percussion from Stewart Copeland that sounds amazing with these. The regular T2 doesn’t have as much precision. The highs are more defined and have better accuracy with the pro. The Pro is better. The regular T2 is already great.
 
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Nov 14, 2018 at 11:18 AM Post #19,777 of 33,689
In my opinion, the T2 Pro has more treble throughout. It also has an increased sense of soundstage (very engaging). The bass seems more impactful too and separated. This may be due to the fact that bass hits (a lot of them anyways) actually have a lot of treble in them, so they sound bigger and more expressive. The T2 Pro sounds massive when listening to an album like Ghost in the Machine by the Police. There’s really a lot of lows on that record creating atmosphere and even some “bomb” drop sounds (probably a big fat bass drum) that are very impactful yet distinguishable. Not to mention all that high hat stuff and percussion from Stewart Copeland that sounds amazing with these. The regular T2 doesn’t have as much precision. The highs are more defined and have better accuracy with the pro. The Pro is better. The regular T2 is already great.
How any IEM with that much sibilance can be considered "better" is beyond me. Each to his own I guess...
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 11:41 AM Post #19,778 of 33,689
In my opinion, the T2 Pro has more treble throughout. It also has an increased sense of soundstage (very engaging). The bass seems more impactful too and separated. This may be due to the fact that bass hits (a lot of them anyways) actually have a lot of treble in them, so they sound bigger and more expressive. The T2 Pro sounds massive when listening to an album like Ghost in the Machine by the Police. There’s really a lot of lows on that record creating atmosphere and even some “bomb” drop sounds (probably a big fat bass drum) that are very impactful yet distinguishable. Not to mention all that high hat stuff and percussion from Stewart Copeland that sounds amazing with these. The regular T2 doesn’t have as much precision. The highs are more defined and have better accuracy with the pro. The Pro is better. The regular T2 is already great.

This is pretty much what I heard actually :)

Percussion, and bass guitars tend to be mushy on T2 while they are much better defined with T2Pro.

More like, with T2, the treble was less defined, with T2Pro the treble seems better defined, more explosive.

How any IEM with that much sibilance can be considered "better" is beyond me. Each to his own I guess...

I mention sibilance as an issue with both, but as @silverfishla said, T2Pro is simply more pleasing to my ears, I don't hear it as more sibilant, but more precise, especially in percution. That's where T2 the original was a tad flat, and where the Pro comes off as better defined, also where I felt the bass was better.

To be honest, not everyone hears sibilance the same, and if you listen to a lot of metal you don't mind it as you'd mind sibilance if you were listening to Diana Krall (or other female vocals) and her SSsssssss's.

Music used might play a huge role, and I was using mostly rock, metal, and electronic music for this review, which may be why T2 came off as less intriguing and T2Pro better, T2Pro really does those styles better, as I mention a few times in my review.

I made this post in the FH5 from FiiO thread, but it is interesting to see here as well, there's never a true better, there's only a better for a style of music, even for the same listener.

Very good question.

The most honest answer is that it depends on what I'm listening to. Some music simply works better with each.

For example, if I'm listening to some Mojo Juju, some kind of Avant Garde Jazz, it works better with FiiO FH5 due to its focus on a thick bassline, combined with a girl-ish sounding male vocal.

On the other hand, if I'm going for something that's supposed to sound bright and sparkly, like some metal, especially death metal, like say, Wintersun, then I prefer IT04, it works better with a larger soundstage, and with a brighter sound, with a less thick and quicker bass.

I'd probably go with them this way:

If the music requires a large soundstage: IT04

If the music requires a thick bassline: FH5

If the music requires impact in the bass: FH5

If the music requires female vocals to sound feminine and to have a strong emotion: FH5

If the music requires airy and bright cymbals: IT04

If the music requires quck bass / percution: IT04

If the music has lots of complex percution: IT04

If the music is supposed to be forward (like punk): FH5

If the music is supposed to be smoother: FH5

I think I tried my best when doing the reviews to recommend music styles like this, so people can look after what those IEMs compliment each musical style the best :)

FH5: Jazz, Electronic, Hip-Hop, Classic Metal, Thrash, Punk, Alternative, Dubstep, Techno, Downtempo
IT04: Orchestral, Symphnic, Symphonic Metal, Power Metal, -Core music (Hardcore, Post Hardcore, Emocore, Trancecore, anything that ends in core), Emo, Classical, Avant Garde
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 11:47 AM Post #19,779 of 33,689
I wasn't suggesting you do the mod, nor have I done it myself (which is why there is no mod mentioned in my review) - that would make for a pretty poor review IMO. I was just saying that insertion depth alone can change the sound of the T2/T2 Pro which might be why you heard things differently. Regardless, to me, the Pro's tuning and higher price make it a very average IEM.

Comment on the measured differences: Holy macro! Measurements don't lie. I can't emphasize enough that measurements provide useful and unbiased information on the basic flavour of an earphone IN ADDITION to all other aspects. As a potential buyer, looking at the T2 Pro's curve saved me $60. Thanks Crabdog.

My rig is now calibrated - and a replacement microphone is on the way.
 
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Nov 14, 2018 at 12:13 PM Post #19,780 of 33,689
This is pretty much what I heard actually :)

Percussion, and bass guitars tend to be mushy on T2 while they are much better defined with T2Pro.

More like, with T2, the treble was less defined, with T2Pro the treble seems better defined, more explosive.



I mention sibilance as an issue with both, but as @silverfishla said, T2Pro is simply more pleasing to my ears, I don't hear it as more sibilant, but more precise, especially in percution. That's where T2 the original was a tad flat, and where the Pro comes off as better defined, also where I felt the bass was better.

To be honest, not everyone hears sibilance the same, and if you listen to a lot of metal you don't mind it as you'd mind sibilance if you were listening to Diana Krall (or other female vocals) and her SSsssssss's.

Music used might play a huge role, and I was using mostly rock, metal, and electronic music for this review, which may be why T2 came off as less intriguing and T2Pro better, T2Pro really does those styles better, as I mention a few times in my review.

I made this post in the FH5 from FiiO thread, but it is interesting to see here as well, there's never a true better, there's only a better for a style of music, even for the same listener.
Of course, the original doesn't sound as clear side by side with the Pro; boosting the upper treble region = more clarity and detail retrieval. But just increasing treble is a cheap parlour trick and is inferior to having true resolution.

So, you listened to them both together and came to the conclusion that the T2 sounds "mushy". How many times have you seen that term or anything similar used for describing the T2 over the last year? Probably 0. Instead, it has been praised for its neutrality and clear, balanced sound but that and pretty much anything else will sound dull/warm right after you've had the Pro in your ears.

I've already said in my review that the Pro is great with certain types of music but that doesn't make it a great IEM overall. I've also said that for a $60 IEM I think the Pro kinda blows and explained how I came to that conclusion.

Anyway, I'm done with this topic. The people can make of it what they will.
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 12:39 PM Post #19,781 of 33,689
While we are on the subject of the T2s my T2 look-alikes with the 2 pin cables have arrived. They are very well-made and sound impressive with a neutral signature and plenty of detail. Resolution is excellent with a good soundstage and nice smooth extended highs. Bass is solid and nicely balanced. Cable is great quality. I don't have the T2 so can't compare but they are superior to the DM5, V80, ZS10, QT2 and Artiste DC1. I will burn in for a bit longer (only had 24 hours so far).
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 12:50 PM Post #19,782 of 33,689
While we are on the subject of the T2s my T2 look-alikes with the 2 pin cables have arrived. They are very well-made and sound impressive with a neutral signature and plenty of detail. Resolution is excellent with a good soundstage and nice smooth extended highs. Bass is solid and nicely balanced. Cable is great quality. I don't have the T2 so can't compare but they are superior to the DM5, V80, ZS10, QT2 and Artiste DC1. I will burn in for a bit longer (only had 24 hours so far).
Yes that is a solid iem
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 1:22 PM Post #19,783 of 33,689
How any IEM with that much sibilance can be considered "better" is beyond me. Each to his own I guess...

How a pair of IEM's can have treble in the bass hits is beyond me :wink:
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 1:45 PM Post #19,784 of 33,689
my T2 look-alikes with the 2 pin cables have arrived. They are very well-made and sound impressive with a neutral signature and plenty of detail. Resolution is excellent with a good soundstage and nice smooth extended highs. Bass is solid and nicely balanced.

What is this? Is it an actual T2 with another branding or is it something else?
 
Nov 14, 2018 at 1:52 PM Post #19,785 of 33,689
What is this? Is it an actual T2 with another branding or is it something else?
I'm not sure if I can mention it but the brand has the same initials as Astell and Kern and the model number is the same as a German wartime rocket ha ha.
 

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