T-PEOS Altone200 - 3 - Way - Hybrid Discussion Thread.

[olddude]

I just swapped out a pair of Complys (maybe Premiums?) that had worn out for a new pair of Active Complys (pretty much their cheapest) which were a bit shorter and what a difference they made!  Seal is better, bass is rumbling, top end is tamed, everything I throw at it sounds great.  I really think a lot of issues people have/had with these iems is due to tip choice.  I had tried some silicon tips, which sounded good for a while, but then one day everything sounded... not good.  My suggestion is that when these start sounding less than stellar, users try new tips.  Or different tips.  

 

[nmatheis]

olddude: Which size Comply? 200, 300, 400, 500?

 

[olddude]

When I buy them at Comply, the 500s (large).  But I bought some at Radio Shack and they are the S 500 Active but no size is listed (they look like mediums).  Pretty cheap at Radio Shack as well.  But everyone's ears are different, so ymmv.  

 

[Brooko]

400s fit pretty good as far as the nozzles go.

 

[nmatheis]

Cool. I've got some 400 and 500 TS Comply and will give them a try.

olddude: Have you tried TS Comply? They're also shorter but denser and are more expensive.

 

[eke2k6]

I've been listening to the Altone200 for the last few hours.
 
Quick impressions:
 
The bass is nice. It finds a good balance between delivering a weighty punch, and staying tight. Sub-bass could be better though, and texture seems to be lacking a bit.
 
The mids are pretty nice as well, with a slightly dry quality to them. I sometimes wish they were more present though.
 
Treble is where things start to fall apart for me. I'm hearing a few spikes here and there that make things sound pretty rough overall. Timbre isn't particularly good, nor is overall refinement. I find it pretty fatiguing after a few minutes, actually.
 
Soundstage is also another weak point. It's a bit closed in for my liking, and too left-right-center for me. It isn't exactly a masterclass in depth or height.
 
 
Overall, I find the Altone200 to be pretty decent, but ultimately lacking compared to the likes of the KC06. The KC06 is more detailed, more open sounding, and a good deal more refined in its presentation. 
 
I'm not sure what to say of the value proposition. Price-wise, it's the cheapest triple hybrid out there...but that's about it. I've heard quite a lot of hybrids, and the Altone200 is second to last the list when it comes to taking advantage of the technology...right above the H-100. The H-200 from T-Peos is a much better option, IMO.
 
If you're looking at the Altone because it's a well-priced hybrid, don't. You can get better raw sound from even less expensive options, IMO.

 

[vlenbo]

I've been listening to the Altone200 for the last few hours.

Quick impressions:

The bass is nice. It finds a good balance between delivering a weighty punch, and staying tight. Sub-bass could be better though, and texture seems to be lacking a bit.

The mids are pretty nice as well, with a slightly dry quality to them. I sometimes wish they were more present though.

Treble is where things start to fall apart for me. I'm hearing a few spikes here and there that make things sound pretty rough overall. Timbre isn't particularly good, nor is overall refinement. I find it pretty fatiguing after a few minutes, actually.

Soundstage is also another weak point. It's a bit closed in for my liking, and too left-right-center for me. It isn't exactly a masterclass in depth or height.


Overall, I find the Altone200 to be pretty decent, but ultimately lacking compared to the likes of the KC06. The KC06 is more detailed, more open sounding, and a good deal more refined in its presentation. 

I'm not sure what to say of the value proposition. Price-wise, it's the cheapest triple hybrid out there...but that's about it. I've heard quite a lot of hybrids, and the Altone200 is second to last the list when it comes to taking advantage of the technology...right above the H-100. The H-200 from T-Peos is a much better option, IMO.

If you're looking at the Altone because it's a well-priced hybrid, don't. You can get better raw sound from even less expensive options, IMO.

Now this is a surprising impression.

I blame the rockets.

 

[Shawn71]

Now this is a surprising impression.

+1.

 

[rontant]

I wonder how many hours were clocked in for burn-in? Was the review based on the straight-out-of-box Altone?

 

[pat1984]

I actually found the Altone 200 quite a bit more detailed and the treble to be much better layered than the KC06, but again everyone hears things differently and thats what makes the different impressions so fascinating to me..

 

[Brooko]

Interesting thoughts Eke. I tend to agree with you on a lot of things - but on this one I definitely can't. I still rate the Altone200 above the DN1000 and if it wasn't for the A83 it would still get most of my listening time.

Might also be a good time to point those who're seeing Eke's comment as a definite "don't buy these"! - to also check out Joker's thoughts:

http://theheadphonelist.com/brief-review-dunu-dn-2000-fidue-a83-t-peos-altone200-sony-xba-h3-triple-driver-hybrids-compared/
 

T-Peos’ new model is by far the most reasonably-priced triple-driver hybrid on the market. This can be seen in the rather more modest packaging and accessories compared even to the $200 Dunu DN-1000, but not in the sound. The tuning of the Altone200 reminds me of the T-Peos H-100, which had the same emphasis on bass and clarity with a bright, v-shaped signature. The H-100 arguably went a little too far with that tuning, and the Altone200 can be viewed as a more refined, better-balanced upgrade to it.

The signature is still v-shaped, but the bass is excellent in both quantity and quality. The midrange is a little thin and withdrawn, but not with the same severity as that of the H-100. Clarity and detail are impossible to fault, keeping up with any other universal monitor I’ve tried recently. The Dunu DN-1000, for instance, has a more full-bodied midrange but the Altone200 sounds clearer.

At the top, the Altone200 picks up some steam and tends to run on the bright side. The lower treble can be a little hot and unforgiving. The stock tips didn’t do much to help, but switing to Comply foamies helped a little. I still think the Altone200 sounds best at low-moderate volumes, though, as this tends to dampen the v-shaped sound but makes even more impressive the clarity, bass prowess, and overall intelligibility of the earphones. The presentation of the Altone200 is typical of a v-shaped earphone, but again better than most, with excellent width and good depth to its soundstage and a good amount of air.

 
and his summary:

The Altone200 from T-Peos is the most reasonably-priced triple-driver hybrid on the market, and definitely a bargain for the performance offered. With clarity and detail resolution on par with the $1300 K3003, the Altone200 is going to be a reference point for future generations of triple-driver hybrids.

 
Just thought I would add some balance from someone who really does review way more IEMs than most.
 
At the end of the day it comes down to preference.  I still love mine 

 

[d marc0]

I've reviewed and heard quite a few hybrids and I personally think the Altone is up there amongst the best...
 
It's not perfect but it's a damn good hybrid especially for the price!

 

[maguire]

Well as all things IEM's, again I urge people to tip roll. Once found, the right tips will be bring out just how enjoyable these things are.

 

[eke2k6]

  Interesting thoughts Eke. I tend to agree with you on a lot of things - but on this one I definitely can't. I still rate the Altone200 above the DN1000 and if it wasn't for the A83 it would still get most of my listening time.

Might also be a good time to point those who're seeing Eke's comment as a definite "don't buy these"! - to also check out Joker's thoughts:

http://theheadphonelist.com/brief-review-dunu-dn-2000-fidue-a83-t-peos-altone200-sony-xba-h3-triple-driver-hybrids-compared/
 
 
and his summary:
 
Just thought I would add some balance from someone who really does review way more IEMs than most.
 
At the end of the day it comes down to preference.  I still love mine 

 
Ha, funny you should bring up joker's thoughts...
 
 
 
Quote:

I've been listening to the Altone200 for the last few hours.

Quick impressions:

The bass is nice. It finds a good balance between delivering a weighty punch, and staying tight. Sub-bass could be better though, and texture seems to be lacking a bit.

The mids are pretty nice as well, with a slightly dry quality to them. I sometimes wish they were more present though.

Treble is where things start to fall apart for me. I'm hearing a few spikes here and there that make things sound pretty rough overall. Timbre isn't particularly good, nor is overall refinement. I find it pretty fatiguing after a few minutes, actually.

Soundstage is also another weak point. It's a bit closed in for my liking, and too left-right-center for me. It isn't exactly a masterclass in depth or height.


Overall, I find the Altone200 to be pretty decent, but ultimately lacking compared to the likes of the KC06. The KC06 is more detailed, more open sounding, and a good deal more refined in its presentation. 

I'm not sure what to say of the value proposition. Price-wise, it's the cheapest triple hybrid out there...but that's about it. I've heard quite a lot of hybrids, and the Altone200 is second to last the list when it comes to taking advantage of the technology...right above the H-100. The H-200 from T-Peos is a much better option, IMO.

If you're looking at the Altone because it's a well-priced hybrid, don't. You can get better raw sound from even less expensive options, IMO.

 
 
 

T-Peos’ new model is by far the most reasonably-priced triple-driver hybrid on the market. This can be seen in the rather more modest packaging and accessories compared even to the $200 Dunu DN-1000, but not in the sound. The tuning of the Altone200 reminds me of the T-Peos H-100, which had the same emphasis on bass and clarity with a bright, v-shaped signature. The H-100 arguably went a little too far with that tuning, and the Altone200 can be viewed as a more refined, better-balanced upgrade to it.

The signature is still v-shaped, but the bass is excellent in both quantity and quality. The midrange is a little thin and withdrawn, but not with the same severity as that of the H-100. Clarity and detail are impossible to fault, keeping up with any other universal monitor I’ve tried recently. The Dunu DN-1000, for instance, has a more full-bodied midrange but the Altone200 sounds clearer.

At the top, the Altone200 picks up some steam and tends to run on the bright side. The lower treble can be a little hot and unforgiving. The stock tips didn’t do much to help, but switing to Comply foamies helped a little. I still think the Altone200 sounds best at low-moderate volumes, though, as this tends to dampen the v-shaped sound but makes even more impressive the clarity, bass prowess, and overall intelligibility of the earphones. The presentation of the Altone200 is typical of a v-shaped earphone,but again better than most, with excellent width and good depth to its soundstage and a good amount of air.

 
 
 
I find that the clarity associated with the Altone is related to the spikes in the treble, and the bass can be a bit monotonous.
 
 
Still, all this is just my own 2 cents. For me, the Altone200 isn't even in the same ballpark as the K3003. 

 

[olddude]

To each their own.  I love mine, I listen to them much more than I do my Dunu1000s.  I'm not experiencing "spikes" or other strangenesses.  The mids are incredibly clear and well-defined, that's the strongest area of the Altones.  Bass is strong and solid (remember these are fairly neutral iems, not supposed to be bass-y).  The highs can get close to being shrill without going there, but the right tips handle that.  The sound is clear and well-defined.  With well-mixed music the sound is exceptional.  With poorly-mixed music they still sound quite good.  I don't understand the post above except to consider that that person's listening preferences are in some way far different than the rest of the people's on this thread.  
 
For months people have been raving about the Altones (with the exception of people who had the broken units).  They still bring a smile to my face whenever I use them.  For the money I spent, they are worth every dollar.  I would suggest that ANYONE who is looking for a good set of iems spend the (moderate) money to purchase them.  They cost less than my TF10s and my Dunus, and they are clearly head and shoulders above either.