[unifutomaki]

Just to muddy the waters further, I did end up selling my T2 Plus because I kinda sorta grew bored of its sound and the short nozzle meant that whichever eartips I tried would invariably end up becoming lodged in my ear at least once a day, which is not pleasant. If a girlfriend analogy is allowed, the T2 Plus would be like a girl next door who is impeccably refined, well-spoken and unquestionably adept at carrying a conversation, but has a fairly middle of the road personality with no particular eccentricities or strong beliefs. So I took the oppoty to move them along.

 

[Adide]

That is exactly what an impedance adapter will do, such as these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32839680827.html


It adds to the already existing impedance in the iem, so if you have an iem with 16 ohms and you connect it with the 200 ohm adaptet, it becomes 216 ohms.


You could also try the Ifi iematch: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/the-iematch-is-not-an-impedance-adapter/

I'm pretty sure that's not the way impedance adapter works else it won't ever alter the sound response (they do most of the time).

Afaik it increases the load to the source - that' true! - but impedance matching wise it counts towards the source and not towards the phone/IEM.
It is like having a high impedance (very bad) cable.

So ppl don't get confused in thinking this kind of adapter will increase phone impedance and achieve impedance matching with a crappy source.
It actually does the opposite and changes the phone signature - to better or worse..., that's for everyone to decide.

Ifi products and similar (there are several DIY's floating on the nets) are NOT impedance adapters and are the recommended way to go for impedance matching although they sometimes behave unexpectedly with your source so try first if you can.

 

[RikudouGoku]

I'm pretty sure that's not the way impedance adapter works else it won't ever alter the sound response (they do most of the time).

Afaik it increases the load to the source - that' true! - but impedance matching wise it counts towards the source and not towards the phone/IEM.
It is like having a high impedance (very bad) cable.

So ppl don't get confused in thinking this kind of adapter will increase phone impedance and achieve impedance matching with a crappy source.
It actually does the opposite and changes the phone signature - to better or worse..., that's for everyone to decide.

Ifi products and similar (there are several DIY's floating on the nets) are NOT impedance adapters and are the recommended way to go for impedance matching although they sometimes behave unexpectedly with your source so try first if you can.

I believe they do add impedance to the transducer and that is why they are used to trick LG phones into the high-impedance mode (if the transducer is over 50 ohms it uses the full potential of the amp). But I might be wrong.

 

[Adide]

I believe they do add impedance to the transducer and that is why they are used to trick LG phones into the high-impedance mode (if the transducer is over 50 ohms it uses the full potential of the amp). But I might be wrong.

I am a LG V30 user and yes have been using them to trigger the HI mode. That's the load part.

But an LG V30 user is also taught to remove de adapter after triggering the HI as not to mess with IEM response. That's the impedance calculation part.

 

[ChrisOc]

As several others have said, it is probably better to pick up the T2 Plus instead of the T4.

The T4 has greater detail retrieval and microdetail, but I don't know if that really enhances the musicality of a track. I don't think it's more coherent. The T2+ is pretty coherent. It lacks the faux-leather carrying case of the T4, but it's $40 cheaper.

[Fit is way better on the T2+ and that clinches it for me].

Another option is to wait for upcoming TinHifi models that use 2-pin or something instead of MMCX. That's the build weakness of both T4 and T2+. The counterpoint to all this is that that T4's superior technicalities might make it better for classical music, although I haven't necessarily found that to be the case. Maybe I'll have to give both a listen today.

I have the Tin T4 and Tin T2 plus. For me the TRI Starsea is the best of the three.

The T4 definitely the more technically capable of the two Tins, but the TRI Starsea is the next step up in my view, the Starseas are superior in every way to the Tins.

The Starseas are 2 pin and also give you the tuning options, so you can get a musical setting if that is what you want.

Unless price is your primary consideration, I would suggest the TRI Starsea.

 

[ShakeThoseCans]

I have the Tin T4 and Tin T2 plus. For me the TRI Starsea is the best of the three.

The T4 definitely the more technically capable of the two Tins, but the TRI Starsea is the next step up in my view, the Starseas are superior in every way to the Tins.

The Starseas are 2 pin and also give you the tuning options, so you can get a musical setting if that is what you want.

Unless price is your primary consideration, I would suggest the TRI Starsea.

I decided to test T2+ vs T4 a little this afternoon. I used tracks from "Hilary Hahn Plays Bach" [original Sony recording], Minnesota Orchestra plays Copland, Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek: The Motion Picture score, Yes - 1971 - Fragile, and Janis Ian - Between the Lines.

I'm not one of these sophisticated people who can tell you about the extended treble of the TRI i3 vs the FH3 and subbass rolloff or whatever, but here's what I thought:

My Thoughts

T4 is more crisp overall, percussion more authoritative, sweeter strings, violin more crisp, harmonies more easily detectable. It's a cleaner sound, and the characteristics of the T4 that aren't too helpful with "fun" music are more helpful with classical.

Soundstage on the T4 is pretty confined or 'intimate' compared with what I prefer. It's like someone is playing a recording of a violin 1-4 feet in front of you. On a good recording, it's pretty clean.

T2+ has warmer sound, deeper bass, less fatiguing tuning. A bassier sound overall that's often more appropriate for pop/indie/alternative as compared with the T4. Even Hip Hop.

The T2+, playing Hilary Hahn on violin, is almost as clear in rendering the strings, but they may have less "presence." It's not quite as sharp-feeling. The tuning is gentler, so it's probably more sustainable, so it depends what you're looking for. For those "3 hours of classical music relax listening" on Youtube tracks, T2+ works really well. But I don't think it does justice to Hilary Hahn.

My Edifier 1280 bookshelf speakers blew away T2+ and T4 with Janis Ian when I took the DAC out, so that's all I'm going to say about that.


In practice, I find the T2+ is something I can listen to while reading or writing, whereas the T4 demands more focus. For long-form light classical listening, T2+, if you really want to get into it, then T4.

T2+ definitely bassier in tuning, such as in "The Mandalorian Theme on Guitar" when compared to T4. And yet strings aren't as authoritative. You can similarly hear the more 'crowd-pleasing / general audience' tuning of the T2+ as opposed to T4 on the official Orchestral Version of that theme. [And on the "Lofi HipHop Mix" available on Youtube, the T2+ bass really shines through.]

So for T2+ vs. T4, I would say it depends on how you plan to listen to classic music.

However, I think I have to go with the recommendation for the TRI Starsea, or even the Moondrop mentioned earlier. If people are saying Starsea is better, I see no reason to go with T2+/T4. Neither are optimized for classical, in my opinion. Another move is to save up for the NM2+, best in its class for neutral-ish detail, but it might be 'too much of a good thing.'

 

[dharmasteve]

I decided to test T2+ vs T4 a little this afternoon. I used tracks from "Hilary Hahn Plays Bach" [original Sony recording], Minnesota Orchestra plays Copland, Jerry Goldsmith's Star Trek: The Motion Picture score, Yes - 1971 - Fragile, and Janis Ian - Between the Lines.

I'm not one of these sophisticated people who can tell you about the extended treble of the TRI i3 vs the FH3 and subbass rolloff or whatever, but here's what I thought:

My Thoughts



So for T2+ vs. T4, I would say it depends on how you plan to listen to classic music.

However, I think I have to go with the recommendation for the TRI Starsea, or even the Moondrop mentioned earlier. If people are saying Starsea is better, I see no reason to go with T2+/T4. Neither are optimized for classical, in my opinion. Another move is to save up for the NM2+, best in its class for neutral-ish detail, but it might be 'too much of a good thing.'

If you want an IEM for classical music the Starsea is the right IEM. I've been using the Starsea every day since the 20th October on the balanced setting. The staging, imaging, layering and resolution are exellent and the tweeter top notch. They are very much a reference IEM but with Bass. They take some time to brain burn in and empirically burn in, but are a really rewarding IEM. I have over 30 IEMs and the TRi Starsea and the TRi i3 are my favourites.

 

[citral23]

I'm looking for a set that would provide more isolation (much more if possible) than the Tin T2, and a bit more bass if possible while remaining neutral-ish, and that can be wear cable-down, any recommendations? Haven't been following lately.

Maybe T4 and swap cable for a straight one?

 

[IEMusic]

I'm looking for a set that would provide more isolation (much more if possible) than the Tin T2, and a bit more bass if possible while remaining neutral-ish, and that can be wear cable-down, any recommendations? Haven't been following lately.

Maybe T4 and swap cable for a straight one?

The T4 doesn’t have any better isolation than the T2. If you want a lot better isolation, look at the Tri Starsea or an Etymotic IEM.

 

[onlyteagan]

That is exactly what an impedance adapter will do, such as these:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32839680827.html


It adds to the already existing impedance in the iem, so if you have an iem with 16 ohms and you connect it with the 200 ohm adaptet, it becomes 216 ohms.


You could also try the Ifi iematch: https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/the-iematch-is-not-an-impedance-adapter/

Idk, but after seeing Ifi's "audiophile" power adapter, can't really shake the feeling of uneasiness of their accessories are kinda snake-oily, but what do I know, I haven't demoed their products before haha...

Their Hip DAC looks really dope though

 

[chinmie]

I'm pretty sure that's not the way impedance adapter works else it won't ever alter the sound response (they do most of the time).

Afaik it increases the load to the source - that' true! - but impedance matching wise it counts towards the source and not towards the phone/IEM.
It is like having a high impedance (very bad) cable.

So ppl don't get confused in thinking this kind of adapter will increase phone impedance and achieve impedance matching with a crappy source.
It actually does the opposite and changes the phone signature - to better or worse..., that's for everyone to decide.

Ifi products and similar (there are several DIY's floating on the nets) are NOT impedance adapters and are the recommended way to go for impedance matching although they sometimes behave unexpectedly with your source so try first if you can.

high impedance doesn't mean bad, it just means we can use higher gain, while lower impedanced earphones would surely clip/distort at that level. on analog amps, higher use of gain is sometimes a desirable goal, because at higher gain it will introduce harmonics and distortion that would make the sound "richer"

on a full digital amp however, that might not be a factor, so lower impedanced earphones is more efficient.

Idk, but after seeing Ifi's "audiophile" power adapter, can't really shake the feeling of uneasiness of their accessories are kinda snake-oily, but what do I know, I haven't demoed their products before haha...

Their Hip DAC looks really dope though

IFI IEmatch and Earbuddy are not impedance adapter, but more of an attenuator. they don't change the sound's EQ (like what we would get from using different impedance adapters), but it allows us to push the phone/DAP volume higher, past their noise floor. the result on the sound would be a "darker blackground", that in turn makes for a better spatial and sound separation.

if you already have a DAP that has very low noise floor to begin with however, the IEmatch would not be necessary

i always bring them when travelling by plane to plug my earphones to the plane's media output (which is notoriously noisy)

 

[unifutomaki]

i always bring them when travelling by plane to plug my earphones to the plane's media output (which is notoriously noisy)

Ah, the glory days of air travel... I remember those.

 

[Slater]

Ah, the glory days of air travel... I remember those.

You even used to be able to smoke on a plane. Everyone was smoking like a chimney during flights lol

 

[baskingshark]

Just to muddy the waters further, I did end up selling my T2 Plus because I kinda sorta grew bored of its sound and the short nozzle meant that whichever eartips I tried would invariably end up becoming lodged in my ear at least once a day, which is not pleasant. If a girlfriend analogy is allowed, the T2 Plus would be like a girl next door who is impeccably refined, well-spoken and unquestionably adept at carrying a conversation, but has a fairly middle of the road personality with no particular eccentricities or strong beliefs. So I took the oppoty to move them along.

Actually I also thought the Tin T2 plus was a bit too undynamic and boring for me. The tuning is very safe and inoffensive though. I think the timbre is good, quite hard to find good timbre/tonality at this price point, as most CHIFI go for driver nuclear race counts or copious technicalities or even driver material hype eg beryllium. It's commoner to find a highly technical multi driver CHIFI at the sub $50 price bracket with V shaped/harmanish tuning then something like the Tin T2 Plus, but I think most folks will find the Tin T2 Plus safe at least.
Just that the poor isolation and MMCX issues on my set put the final nail in the coffin for it, it has not been used for a long time, maybe I only take it out now and then for A/B testing for comparisons with other single DD.

Haha if u want a more zany/eccentric girlfriend IEM as per your analogy, let me introduce you to some "crazy" girls IEMs that are way more vanilla than your Tin T2 Plus:

1) BLON BL-05S -> radioactive green coloured shells AKA the rock punk girl with dyed green hair and golden metal studs in the nose. I brought the BLON BL-05S once on the subway and got stares from a lot of folks. Okay, it will not be used outdoors again. Ever.



2) HZSound Heart Mirror -> the vain girl that looks in a mirror every day 24/7. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? The shells are really mirror like and u can see your reflection and fingerprints on it yeah. Be careful of putting photos of the Heart Mirror online, your fingerprints might be used for some criminal activity!



3) Toneking Ninetails -> the girl with 9 different split personalities (9 tuning signatures). Can be anything from mild and demure (neutralish) to more extroverted (V shaped) to even a crazy drunk life of the party (basshead). Probably the girl with the most varying personalities!!! Can suit different moods for sure!



4) TRN VX - > the shouty sibilant loud girl. Be careful, may be a too hot wildchild to handle! I needed hearing protection with this one!

 

[furyossa]

Actually I also thought the Tin T2 plus was a bit too undynamic and boring for me. The tuning is very safe and inoffensive though. I think the timbre is good, quite hard to find good timbre/tonality at this price point, as most CHIFI go for driver nuclear race counts or copious technicalities or even driver material hype eg beryllium. It's commoner to find a highly technical multi driver CHIFI at the sub $50 price bracket with V shaped/harmanish tuning then something like the Tin T2 Plus, but I think most folks will find the Tin T2 Plus safe at least.
Just that the poor isolation and MMCX issues on my set put the final nail in the coffin for it, it has not been used for a long time, maybe I only take it out now and then for A/B testing for comparisons with other single DD.

Haha if u want a more zany/eccentric girlfriend IEM as per your analogy, let me introduce you to some "crazy" girls IEMs that are way more vanilla than your Tin T2 Plus:

1) BLON BL-05S -> radioactive green coloured shells AKA the rock punk girl with dyed green hair and golden metal studs in the nose. I brought the BLON BL-05S once on the subway and got stares from a lot of folks. Okay, it will not be used outdoors again. Ever.



2) HZSound Heart Mirror -> the vain girl that looks in a mirror every day 24/7. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? The shells are really mirror like and u can see your reflection and fingerprints on it yeah. Be careful of putting photos of the Heart Mirror online, your fingerprints might be used for some criminal activity!



3) Toneking Ninetails -> the girl with 9 different split personalities (9 tuning signatures). Can be anything from mild and demure (neutralish) to more extroverted (V shaped) to even a crazy drunk life of the party (basshead). Probably the girl with the most varying personalities!!! Can suit different moods for sure!



4) TRN VX - > the shouty sibilant loud girl. Be careful, may be a too hot wildchild to handle! I needed hearing protection with this one!

Great comparison It turns out that you are like a "Sultan" with many beautiful women, with a different "personality", in his "harem"
I have always liked the concept and uniqueness of the Ninetails model.