T-Peos Altone Series
Early on in my Head-Fi journey, I was reading a lot of reviews in search of the latest and greatest “bang for your buck” IEMs when I stumbled across the Altone 200 thread. A small group of well known reviewers were really hyping the Altone 200, sparking my interest. I jumped on the wagon when they were running promotional pricing for Head-Fiers. To this day the Altone 200 is still one of my top ranked earphones in my possession.
When I was contacted to partake in the new Altone line promotional review, I have to admit that I was a little down about the fact that all of the Altone 350 and 250 models were designated to go to other reviewers, and I was going to cover the Altone 150. Not because I thought the 150 was bad, but more that I wanted to experience the 250 and 350, knowing how good the Atone 200 was.
Needless to say I have great friends on Head-Fi and “connections”. With the help of some very good people borrowing me their gear, I not only have the opportunity to hear them, I have them all at once and am honored to do a review and comparison on all five IEMs in the series (including the Baguette). Thanks to all of you great guys for helping to put this together.
I will keep things simple and do a brief mini review on each earphone. I will give a brief description and focus mainly on sound quality and tuning.
T-Peos Baguette ($69 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-baguette-dynamic-earphones
The Baguette is an attached cable IEM with a HPS single dynamic 10mm driver. The cable is made of the same material as the rest of the recently released Altone line. The cable seems very durable and has a considerable amount of spring and memory to it. There is an inline universal remote with a single button function. The housings are made of what looks to be a combination of metal and heavy duty plastic. All in all the Baguette is a tough built and stylish looking monitor.
The Baguette caught me off guard with their sound. I was expecting them to sound similar to the warm and smooth Altone 150, but to my surprise they were very balanced and probably the most neutral sounding IEMs of all the Altone earphones.
PRT was pretty decent. I was catching myself playing the hand drums on my desk a number of times with these. Their signature worked well with all genres, and with more popular genres the sub bass extension was impressive. All in all they had a tuning that was maybe just a touch midrange forward with a very faint roll-off in the higher frequencies. The only thing I could really identify as weaknesses in their sound was a sense of the driver getting overwhelmed during complex passages, and separation of sounds was not on par with more elite and higher priced gear. Other than that, these were a very fun sound that won’t leave anyone feeling cheated of their hard earned dollars.
T-Peos Altone 150 ($89 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone150
The 150 series was another “HPS” dynamic driver, but this time it was a smaller 8.6mm driver that delivered a much different tuning than the Baguette. The cable is the same material as the Baguette, but offers a detachable cable with the trademark DC style male plug adapters that plug into each earphone. They have the same universal single button microphone and remote as well. Housings on the Altone 150 are made of mostly heavy duty plastics and aluminum accents. I did get a fair amount of driver flex with these, and was able to control it by being careful when inserting them in my ears.
Because this was the review sample I was originally sent, there is a more detailed review here:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/t-peos-altone-150-in-ear-monitor-with-detachable-cables-mic-and-remote/reviews/13191
The Altone 150 is the darkest, warmest and most intimate sounding of the Altone lineup. I was sold that T-Peos house sound was either neutral or above in the high frequency range until I heard these. The 150 has plenty of bass, warm midrange and a very relaxed treble response. It was a bit too warm for my taste, but those sensitive to treble will enjoy these. Overall they sounded a bit stuffy to my ears. An EQ adjustment did help improve the treble response and soundstage. YMMV.
T-Peos Altone 200 ($189 on CTC Audio’s website) *currently out of stock
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone200-3way-hybrid-earphones
The Altone 200 is the grandpa of the Altone line, but is also arguably the best sounding as well. They feature a metal housing and a fixed and more flexible cable with less spring and memory than the new models. They have a straight barrel design that fits very well and works looped over and hanging under the ear. They are a hybrid design that has a single dynamic and two armature drivers. Their accessories package is formidable with a zipper case and some foam and silicone tips.
The Altone is somewhat of a legend in its sound. It is what I would consider to be a slight V-signature. The bass is punchy, fast and robust. There is definitely more punch than rumble to my ears, not to say that it doesn’t have sub bass, but more that it isn’t the star of the show. Whatever midbass there is, it is very high resolution and not overdone whatsoever. I wouldn’t say the Altone 200 is warm, but it’s not cold either. It lies right in between, and yields an INCREDIBLE amount of detail and clarity that competes with any IEM out there, and this is their strongest and best attributes in my opinion. Treble is very responsive, crisp and with great separation, with their one shortcoming being that at louder volumes the treble has a spike that can become fatiguing. This is not an issue at lower volume and I really enjoy the Altone 200 for quieter listening sessions for this reason. Also, the 200 pairs very well with warm sources.
If I had to pick one of the Altone line to keep, and had to give the others away, this would arguably be the one I would keep. They really are a gem in terms of tuning, and they can be worn over and under the ear. Doing this write up rekindled my appreciation for them.
T-Peos Altone 250 ($199 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone250-2-way-hybrid-earphones
Altone 250 takes a step up in housing build, featuring a titanium housing. It is a nice package with plenty of different sized tips and a zipper case. The 250 comes with two detachable cables. One is a black cable with a universal single button microphone and remote. The other is a red cable with no microphone or remote. Both are made of the same springy cable as the other recently released Altone models.
The 250 is a mixed bag in terms of tuning. I will start by saying that out of all the Altone series, these were the most enjoyable sounding WITH AN EQ ADJUSTMENT. The Altone 250 reminded me of an older favorite in the Sidy DGS100. In fact, both earphones feature the same configuration of a single dynamic and single armature driver, and both have a very warm lower midrange and midbass forward tuning.
I could hear a lot of potential in the Altone hidden underneath what I can only describe as overwhelming midbass. with an EQ adjustment to tame these frequencies, I found them to be the most enjoyable of all the Altone series. To my ears the midrange and treble frequencies are great with just the right quantity and plenty of detail. If only the Dynamic drive could have been tuned to not be so forward, we would have a real winner here. If you have the Altone 250, give the eq adjustment a try, and I can almost guarantee you will be happy you did. These are a great earphone being overshadowed by a cloud of boom.
T-Peos Altone 350 ($379 on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone-350-3-way-hybrid-earphones
The 350 carries a similar package to the 250, with titanium housings and the same cable options. You get two cables (one with a single button microphone in black and a red cable with not mic/remote). The 350 takes things a step further with more tips to choose from and a high qualtiy leather case to hold everything.
The 350 takes a road less traveled in the IEM world. If you are sensitive to treble, STAY AWAY! Without an EQ adjustment, the Altone 350 are flat out sibilant in my opinion. Your mileage may vary, just be warned that these are not for those sensitive to forward treble response.
The Altone 350 is a triple hybrid design with a 10mm HPS driver and two Knowles armature drivers playing the high frequencies. They really do have a dynamic tuning that provide a level of timbre that the others don’t (with the exception of the 250 being relatively close). Everything plays with fantastic resolution and clarity, but the tuning is not neutral or natural to my ears. There is a boost in the mid bass range. While it doesn’t bleed or overshadow the sound like the Altone 250, it is very forward and sound unnatural to me. There is also the previously mentioned Treble boost that jumps out in front of the rest of the mix.
I will go as far as say that these are different from the pack and some will really like them for what they are. What they are not is neutral or natural sounding. If you want a very aggressive tuning with enhanced dynamics these are right up your alley. Their dynamic tuning and resolution will impress those who are looking for this type of sound.
T-Peos is a company that continues to evolve, and they aren’t afraid to take chances and break from the norm with their builds and tuning. I think this is a step in the right direction with the new Altone lineup. I was able to listen and come to the conclusion that their models all bring something different to the table.
My personal favorites of the lineup would have to be a tie between the Altone 200 and an equalizer adjustment done to the 250. I’m looking forward to the day T-Peos introduces a lovechild of these two earphones. When that happens I’ll be all over it like a chubby kid chasing the ice cream truck.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
Early on in my Head-Fi journey, I was reading a lot of reviews in search of the latest and greatest “bang for your buck” IEMs when I stumbled across the Altone 200 thread. A small group of well known reviewers were really hyping the Altone 200, sparking my interest. I jumped on the wagon when they were running promotional pricing for Head-Fiers. To this day the Altone 200 is still one of my top ranked earphones in my possession.
When I was contacted to partake in the new Altone line promotional review, I have to admit that I was a little down about the fact that all of the Altone 350 and 250 models were designated to go to other reviewers, and I was going to cover the Altone 150. Not because I thought the 150 was bad, but more that I wanted to experience the 250 and 350, knowing how good the Atone 200 was.
Needless to say I have great friends on Head-Fi and “connections”. With the help of some very good people borrowing me their gear, I not only have the opportunity to hear them, I have them all at once and am honored to do a review and comparison on all five IEMs in the series (including the Baguette). Thanks to all of you great guys for helping to put this together.
I will keep things simple and do a brief mini review on each earphone. I will give a brief description and focus mainly on sound quality and tuning.
T-Peos Baguette ($69 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-baguette-dynamic-earphones
The Baguette is an attached cable IEM with a HPS single dynamic 10mm driver. The cable is made of the same material as the rest of the recently released Altone line. The cable seems very durable and has a considerable amount of spring and memory to it. There is an inline universal remote with a single button function. The housings are made of what looks to be a combination of metal and heavy duty plastic. All in all the Baguette is a tough built and stylish looking monitor.
The Baguette caught me off guard with their sound. I was expecting them to sound similar to the warm and smooth Altone 150, but to my surprise they were very balanced and probably the most neutral sounding IEMs of all the Altone earphones.
PRT was pretty decent. I was catching myself playing the hand drums on my desk a number of times with these. Their signature worked well with all genres, and with more popular genres the sub bass extension was impressive. All in all they had a tuning that was maybe just a touch midrange forward with a very faint roll-off in the higher frequencies. The only thing I could really identify as weaknesses in their sound was a sense of the driver getting overwhelmed during complex passages, and separation of sounds was not on par with more elite and higher priced gear. Other than that, these were a very fun sound that won’t leave anyone feeling cheated of their hard earned dollars.
T-Peos Altone 150 ($89 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone150
The 150 series was another “HPS” dynamic driver, but this time it was a smaller 8.6mm driver that delivered a much different tuning than the Baguette. The cable is the same material as the Baguette, but offers a detachable cable with the trademark DC style male plug adapters that plug into each earphone. They have the same universal single button microphone and remote as well. Housings on the Altone 150 are made of mostly heavy duty plastics and aluminum accents. I did get a fair amount of driver flex with these, and was able to control it by being careful when inserting them in my ears.
Because this was the review sample I was originally sent, there is a more detailed review here:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/t-peos-altone-150-in-ear-monitor-with-detachable-cables-mic-and-remote/reviews/13191
The Altone 150 is the darkest, warmest and most intimate sounding of the Altone lineup. I was sold that T-Peos house sound was either neutral or above in the high frequency range until I heard these. The 150 has plenty of bass, warm midrange and a very relaxed treble response. It was a bit too warm for my taste, but those sensitive to treble will enjoy these. Overall they sounded a bit stuffy to my ears. An EQ adjustment did help improve the treble response and soundstage. YMMV.
T-Peos Altone 200 ($189 on CTC Audio’s website) *currently out of stock
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone200-3way-hybrid-earphones
The Altone 200 is the grandpa of the Altone line, but is also arguably the best sounding as well. They feature a metal housing and a fixed and more flexible cable with less spring and memory than the new models. They have a straight barrel design that fits very well and works looped over and hanging under the ear. They are a hybrid design that has a single dynamic and two armature drivers. Their accessories package is formidable with a zipper case and some foam and silicone tips.
The Altone is somewhat of a legend in its sound. It is what I would consider to be a slight V-signature. The bass is punchy, fast and robust. There is definitely more punch than rumble to my ears, not to say that it doesn’t have sub bass, but more that it isn’t the star of the show. Whatever midbass there is, it is very high resolution and not overdone whatsoever. I wouldn’t say the Altone 200 is warm, but it’s not cold either. It lies right in between, and yields an INCREDIBLE amount of detail and clarity that competes with any IEM out there, and this is their strongest and best attributes in my opinion. Treble is very responsive, crisp and with great separation, with their one shortcoming being that at louder volumes the treble has a spike that can become fatiguing. This is not an issue at lower volume and I really enjoy the Altone 200 for quieter listening sessions for this reason. Also, the 200 pairs very well with warm sources.
If I had to pick one of the Altone line to keep, and had to give the others away, this would arguably be the one I would keep. They really are a gem in terms of tuning, and they can be worn over and under the ear. Doing this write up rekindled my appreciation for them.
T-Peos Altone 250 ($199 USD on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone250-2-way-hybrid-earphones
Altone 250 takes a step up in housing build, featuring a titanium housing. It is a nice package with plenty of different sized tips and a zipper case. The 250 comes with two detachable cables. One is a black cable with a universal single button microphone and remote. The other is a red cable with no microphone or remote. Both are made of the same springy cable as the other recently released Altone models.
The 250 is a mixed bag in terms of tuning. I will start by saying that out of all the Altone series, these were the most enjoyable sounding WITH AN EQ ADJUSTMENT. The Altone 250 reminded me of an older favorite in the Sidy DGS100. In fact, both earphones feature the same configuration of a single dynamic and single armature driver, and both have a very warm lower midrange and midbass forward tuning.
I could hear a lot of potential in the Altone hidden underneath what I can only describe as overwhelming midbass. with an EQ adjustment to tame these frequencies, I found them to be the most enjoyable of all the Altone series. To my ears the midrange and treble frequencies are great with just the right quantity and plenty of detail. If only the Dynamic drive could have been tuned to not be so forward, we would have a real winner here. If you have the Altone 250, give the eq adjustment a try, and I can almost guarantee you will be happy you did. These are a great earphone being overshadowed by a cloud of boom.
T-Peos Altone 350 ($379 on CTC Audio’s website)
http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone-350-3-way-hybrid-earphones
The 350 carries a similar package to the 250, with titanium housings and the same cable options. You get two cables (one with a single button microphone in black and a red cable with not mic/remote). The 350 takes things a step further with more tips to choose from and a high qualtiy leather case to hold everything.
The 350 takes a road less traveled in the IEM world. If you are sensitive to treble, STAY AWAY! Without an EQ adjustment, the Altone 350 are flat out sibilant in my opinion. Your mileage may vary, just be warned that these are not for those sensitive to forward treble response.
The Altone 350 is a triple hybrid design with a 10mm HPS driver and two Knowles armature drivers playing the high frequencies. They really do have a dynamic tuning that provide a level of timbre that the others don’t (with the exception of the 250 being relatively close). Everything plays with fantastic resolution and clarity, but the tuning is not neutral or natural to my ears. There is a boost in the mid bass range. While it doesn’t bleed or overshadow the sound like the Altone 250, it is very forward and sound unnatural to me. There is also the previously mentioned Treble boost that jumps out in front of the rest of the mix.
I will go as far as say that these are different from the pack and some will really like them for what they are. What they are not is neutral or natural sounding. If you want a very aggressive tuning with enhanced dynamics these are right up your alley. Their dynamic tuning and resolution will impress those who are looking for this type of sound.
T-Peos is a company that continues to evolve, and they aren’t afraid to take chances and break from the norm with their builds and tuning. I think this is a step in the right direction with the new Altone lineup. I was able to listen and come to the conclusion that their models all bring something different to the table.
My personal favorites of the lineup would have to be a tie between the Altone 200 and an equalizer adjustment done to the 250. I’m looking forward to the day T-Peos introduces a lovechild of these two earphones. When that happens I’ll be all over it like a chubby kid chasing the ice cream truck.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
