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T-Peos H-300 Review
Firstly I would like to thank T-Peos for this sample to review, I will write as honest a review possible and write my own subjective findings based on many hours listening. These received over 50 hours of burn-in, no real changes were noted.
Gear Used:
Fiio X3 > H-300 (small bi-flange tips)
Fiio X3 (coax out) > Silver interconnect > DDS HA-01 (coax in) > H-300
Tech Specs:
-Driver Units :
Double Balanced Armature & Dynamic Driver
Impedance : 22 Ohm / 1 kHz - Sensitivity : 105 dB / 1 kHz
Sensitivity : 105dB/1kHz
Power : 100 mW (Max.)
Frequency Response : 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz -
Connectors & Plugs : 2.5mm DC Jack Connector and 3.5mm / 24k Gold Plated L-Type Plug
Cable : PVC Round 1.2M / Y-Type
Weight : 16g
Packaging, build quality and accessories:
The H-300 come well packaged with a picture of the IEM's on the front, specs on the back. An inner sleeve slides out with a window showing the IEM's held in place securely in foam. Once you lift off the outer part/window you are greeted with the IEM's and also the extra cable and carry case below. Underneath this layer is another layer with all the rest of the accessories neatly packed inside a small rectangular card box. Very neatly and securely packaged and the packaging is eye catching.
Build quality is not bad, but not that great. The housing is metal but doesn't feel like the strongest as there are joints, but if you treat them well I don't see any long term problems. The cable is detachable but uses an interesting DC jack connector, not as easy to get aftermarket cables like the MMCX (better choice as used a lot and also small) or the 2 pin JH/Westone connector. The connector they use also means it is a bit longer in length than the standard MMCX or JH/Westone 2 pin connector, which means they are more difficult to wear with the cable over the ear. Both cables feel fairly sturdy but the coloured cable could do with better strain relief near the ear piece as it is very soft and prone to coming loose after some usage.
Accessories are plentiful which is good, we have a soft case, cable clip, 6.3 to 3.5mm adapter, 10 pairs of tips, (S, M and L bi-flanges), (S, M and L wide bore grey single flange), (S, M and L narrow bore black single flange) and (M foam tips). So plenty of tips and accessories, guaranteed to get a good fit with at least 1 pair of the supplied tips.
Comfort, Isolation, Driver Flex and Cable Noise:
Comfort is not great, the strain relief on the cable that goes in to the housing is too long and the housing if quite large. They do fit fine but it took me a long time to find the right tip, and they are still not the most comfortable IEM's for long listening sessions. Also they are best worn with the cable straight down.
Isolation is pretty average, as they are vented and also the housing is too large for deep insertion. Fine for your general everyday usage but not great for flying and tube journeys.
Driver flex is not a problem, they are vented and I can only sometimes hear a tiny bit of driver flex.
Cable noise is very present, I mainly use the coloured cable and I have to use the chin slider to reduce the slack otherwise the cable noise is very distracting and annoying, and not being able to wear them over the ear makes it even worse.
Sound:
Split in to the usual categories with a conclusion at the end
Lows:
The low end is where these shine, they have such a solid low end with great punch and dynamics, the sub-bass extends right down to 20hz and below, the quantity would satisfy all but the most extreme bass-head, and the quality is superb. It is controlled and not boomy and it doesn't mask the other frequencies either, I find myself really enjoying the lows and they just fill out the sound without overwhelming the overall signature, you never lose track of the rhythm of the track because bass guitars are always present and the kick drum sounds very real.
Mids:
I am undecided on the mids, as sometimes they do sound a little recessed in the lower mids, othertimes they are fine so it is very track dependent. The lower mids do suffer a little sometimes, and this is to do with the crossover I think, as the lower spectrum of male vocals can sound a little muffled, but higher male vocals and also most female vocals don't suffer from this, but they do suffer from a little sibilance and metallic tone due to a peak in the upper mids/lower treble. There is a lot of detail in the upper mids, but the lower mids do lack a little resolution, so depending on the music you're listening to they are hit or miss. They are a little behind the lows and highs in terms of presence.
Highs:
Here is where most people have their problems, and I must agree, I do not mid some nice detailed treble, and I am not the most treble sensitive person, but I do agree that the highs are a little bit too much, which makes them fatiguing after longer listening periods, they are not well suited to sitting back and relaxing to some music. I must say though that it does mainly stick out on lower quality mp3 tracks and also pairing them with a warmer/more laid back amp/DAP does help somewhat but ultimately the highs do need a little taming as there is quite a sharp peak. Using comply tips also helps, but ultimately if you are going to be using these a lot then EQ is the best way to get them to your liking. The highs do however have very good detail retrieval and control, cymbals never sound splashy and they do extend nicely, just a shame about them being fatiguing.
Soundstage is a strong point of these IEM's being deep and wide, the music has real depth and spaciousness to it, very impressive, it never sounds detached either.
Instrument separation is also very good, with air between everything, all instruments are well separated.
Conclusion:
These IEM's have potential, as they are incredibly detailed and clear but they do have their downfalls, the highs are fatiguing without EQ, and the lower mids could do with being brought forward a bit. Also the comfort isn't the best around. If they tuned these with a little toned down treble, made the housing more ergonomic and the cable as well, they would be very good IEM's, as nothing in this price range comes close to the detail retrieval and bass performance of these.
I cannot fully recommend this product unless you don't mind EQing them a little, and have fairly large ears.
I do find myself really enjoying the sound of these for periods of time, but for ultimate long listening I do choose my Westone UM Pro30, the H-300 definitely beats the UM Pro30 on detail and extension on both ends, the H-300 sounds a lot more engaging and fun, but the UM Pro30 is so much more comfortable and also non fatiguing, very contrasting IEM's.
I have not heard the Dunu DN-1000 in a long time, but overall again the H-300 wins on crisp and clear controlled sound, but the Dunu was more comfortable and the treble was present but not harsh or fatiguing.
Thank you for reading this review, comments are welcome.
Firstly I would like to thank T-Peos for this sample to review, I will write as honest a review possible and write my own subjective findings based on many hours listening. These received over 50 hours of burn-in, no real changes were noted.
Gear Used:
Fiio X3 > H-300 (small bi-flange tips)
Fiio X3 (coax out) > Silver interconnect > DDS HA-01 (coax in) > H-300
Tech Specs:
-Driver Units :
Double Balanced Armature & Dynamic Driver
Impedance : 22 Ohm / 1 kHz - Sensitivity : 105 dB / 1 kHz
Sensitivity : 105dB/1kHz
Power : 100 mW (Max.)
Frequency Response : 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz -
Connectors & Plugs : 2.5mm DC Jack Connector and 3.5mm / 24k Gold Plated L-Type Plug
Cable : PVC Round 1.2M / Y-Type
Weight : 16g
Packaging, build quality and accessories:
The H-300 come well packaged with a picture of the IEM's on the front, specs on the back. An inner sleeve slides out with a window showing the IEM's held in place securely in foam. Once you lift off the outer part/window you are greeted with the IEM's and also the extra cable and carry case below. Underneath this layer is another layer with all the rest of the accessories neatly packed inside a small rectangular card box. Very neatly and securely packaged and the packaging is eye catching.
Build quality is not bad, but not that great. The housing is metal but doesn't feel like the strongest as there are joints, but if you treat them well I don't see any long term problems. The cable is detachable but uses an interesting DC jack connector, not as easy to get aftermarket cables like the MMCX (better choice as used a lot and also small) or the 2 pin JH/Westone connector. The connector they use also means it is a bit longer in length than the standard MMCX or JH/Westone 2 pin connector, which means they are more difficult to wear with the cable over the ear. Both cables feel fairly sturdy but the coloured cable could do with better strain relief near the ear piece as it is very soft and prone to coming loose after some usage.
Accessories are plentiful which is good, we have a soft case, cable clip, 6.3 to 3.5mm adapter, 10 pairs of tips, (S, M and L bi-flanges), (S, M and L wide bore grey single flange), (S, M and L narrow bore black single flange) and (M foam tips). So plenty of tips and accessories, guaranteed to get a good fit with at least 1 pair of the supplied tips.
Comfort, Isolation, Driver Flex and Cable Noise:
Comfort is not great, the strain relief on the cable that goes in to the housing is too long and the housing if quite large. They do fit fine but it took me a long time to find the right tip, and they are still not the most comfortable IEM's for long listening sessions. Also they are best worn with the cable straight down.
Isolation is pretty average, as they are vented and also the housing is too large for deep insertion. Fine for your general everyday usage but not great for flying and tube journeys.
Driver flex is not a problem, they are vented and I can only sometimes hear a tiny bit of driver flex.
Cable noise is very present, I mainly use the coloured cable and I have to use the chin slider to reduce the slack otherwise the cable noise is very distracting and annoying, and not being able to wear them over the ear makes it even worse.
Sound:
Split in to the usual categories with a conclusion at the end
Lows:
The low end is where these shine, they have such a solid low end with great punch and dynamics, the sub-bass extends right down to 20hz and below, the quantity would satisfy all but the most extreme bass-head, and the quality is superb. It is controlled and not boomy and it doesn't mask the other frequencies either, I find myself really enjoying the lows and they just fill out the sound without overwhelming the overall signature, you never lose track of the rhythm of the track because bass guitars are always present and the kick drum sounds very real.
Mids:
I am undecided on the mids, as sometimes they do sound a little recessed in the lower mids, othertimes they are fine so it is very track dependent. The lower mids do suffer a little sometimes, and this is to do with the crossover I think, as the lower spectrum of male vocals can sound a little muffled, but higher male vocals and also most female vocals don't suffer from this, but they do suffer from a little sibilance and metallic tone due to a peak in the upper mids/lower treble. There is a lot of detail in the upper mids, but the lower mids do lack a little resolution, so depending on the music you're listening to they are hit or miss. They are a little behind the lows and highs in terms of presence.
Highs:
Here is where most people have their problems, and I must agree, I do not mid some nice detailed treble, and I am not the most treble sensitive person, but I do agree that the highs are a little bit too much, which makes them fatiguing after longer listening periods, they are not well suited to sitting back and relaxing to some music. I must say though that it does mainly stick out on lower quality mp3 tracks and also pairing them with a warmer/more laid back amp/DAP does help somewhat but ultimately the highs do need a little taming as there is quite a sharp peak. Using comply tips also helps, but ultimately if you are going to be using these a lot then EQ is the best way to get them to your liking. The highs do however have very good detail retrieval and control, cymbals never sound splashy and they do extend nicely, just a shame about them being fatiguing.
Soundstage is a strong point of these IEM's being deep and wide, the music has real depth and spaciousness to it, very impressive, it never sounds detached either.
Instrument separation is also very good, with air between everything, all instruments are well separated.
Conclusion:
These IEM's have potential, as they are incredibly detailed and clear but they do have their downfalls, the highs are fatiguing without EQ, and the lower mids could do with being brought forward a bit. Also the comfort isn't the best around. If they tuned these with a little toned down treble, made the housing more ergonomic and the cable as well, they would be very good IEM's, as nothing in this price range comes close to the detail retrieval and bass performance of these.
I cannot fully recommend this product unless you don't mind EQing them a little, and have fairly large ears.
I do find myself really enjoying the sound of these for periods of time, but for ultimate long listening I do choose my Westone UM Pro30, the H-300 definitely beats the UM Pro30 on detail and extension on both ends, the H-300 sounds a lot more engaging and fun, but the UM Pro30 is so much more comfortable and also non fatiguing, very contrasting IEM's.
I have not heard the Dunu DN-1000 in a long time, but overall again the H-300 wins on crisp and clear controlled sound, but the Dunu was more comfortable and the treble was present but not harsh or fatiguing.
Thank you for reading this review, comments are welcome.
