Peter West
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2015
- Posts
- 43
- Likes
- 271
This is my first review and I hope I'm posting in the correct manner. Let me know if I'm not.
Pos: tiny, non-twist non-microphonic cables, comes with extra cushions for better seal, inexpensive, inline microphone for use with smartphones
Cons: none at this price ($36 US)
I don't buy cheap headphones or in-ear buds. I'm retired now and I can afford, and have bought, way more expensive in-ear monitors (Shure 535) than these Korean made earphones.
I got them from the nice people at CTC Audio as a gift after the delivery of my Cozoy Astrapi got held up for a few days. So I was pleased with the generosity of the company but I wasn't expecting much when the T-Peos D-202N earbuds showed up with my new DAC (review to come).
I mean $36! Really! Seriously folks?
So I ripped them out of the shipping box (BTW I don't do unboxing reviews. The units survived the postal office and arrived safe and sound. The box got ripped to pieces.) and I plugged the earphones into my ears.
Using both the Astrapi and direct into the MacBook Pro I started listening to Rihanna's Stay over and over again via TIDAL streaming.
First thing I liked about the 202N's is they have a 15 degree bend to fit into the ears so there's no confusion with which piece goes into the left ear and which one goes into the right ear. Can't say the same thing about my other in-ears. I'm always looking for my glasses to see which one has the L and R imprinted in tiny print.
Second thing I liked is the 202N package comes with extra tips and I found one size larger created a much better seal in my ears. Nice touch. They do take a little wiggling around to get the seal right but that's not a big deal. Because these guys are so small compared to the 535s and so light that it's easy to forget they're in your ears.
It keeps getting better as I noticed the cord was a flat soft cable that didn't knot itself up like some of my other inexpensive in-ears. Comes in a variety of colours if that's a fashion issue for you.
So how do they sound?
Well they're not neutral and the response curve isn't flat. The sound stage isn't huge but it's there. And if you're listening to a song that emphasizes somebody banging cymbals or bongo drums loudly, it's going to hurt. I'm too new to know if this is sibilance but let's just say there is a prominent peak at those frequencies.
But is that a bad thing? Well when Rhianna sings her voice is in this sweet spot and suddenly you can hear every nuance, every vibrato, even her breathing right inside your head. It's an incredible effect. At my age, this doesn't happen too much anymore.
Okay let's get back to somebody more my age. I know Lucinda Williams voice almost as well as my own. I've heard everything she's ever sang and saw her once when she gave a concert here in Toronto at the very special Massey Hall. The first guitar riff off her song Right In Time hits hard and then there's Lucinda and the band right up close and personal.
Lucinda's guitar players like to use Leslie speakers or at least Leslie affect pedals that cause a swelling of the guitar. In Those Three Days the early guitar work is luscious but sharp.
So to compare I switched over to modified Sennheiser HD-439s and there was more bass but the rawness of Lucinda's voice was lost in a muddy mess. Just for fun I also switched to my Audeze LCD-Xs (perfect), HD--590s (nearly perfect), Grado 60s (about as bright and cheerful as the 202Ns with a more balanced sound and a better sound stage) and IPhone earbuds (not quite as good).
In comparison to the IPhone earbuds, the 202Ns have more bit of what CTC Audio calls a "fun sound". They sound like the IPhone earbuds but hotter. For example the opening notes on John Coltrane's A Love Supreme will sonically clean out the ear wax in your left ear and there are cymbals in your right ear and then there's a piano dead centre in your head.
So what's the effect?
I can feel my leg keeping time with the music. And it doesn't matter whether it's Rhianna or Lucinda or John, it's the same bright fun sound which is perfect coming out of a smartphone as you're walking around the neighbourhood. Unlike some of my other in-ears there's no cable noise if the cable rubs up against your clothing. There's also an inline microphone for use when plugged directly into your cellphone.
Finally switching to fellow Canadian Diana Krall's Wallflower album, California Dreaming is well dreamy but there's that harsh maraca or shaker sound keeping time in right ear. Next up Desperado is perfect.
I've listened to the D-202Ns now for about 20 hours and, bottomline, I like them. I like them a lot. They're a perfect replacement for the earbuds that came with your smartphone and their "fun sound" cuts through ambient outdoor noises if you're wearing them outside. Inside where it's quiet, there are better choices but none that I know of at this price.
Would I recommend them to a friend? Absolutely and at $36 I might even buy them for them as a gift.
Pos: tiny, non-twist non-microphonic cables, comes with extra cushions for better seal, inexpensive, inline microphone for use with smartphones
Cons: none at this price ($36 US)
I don't buy cheap headphones or in-ear buds. I'm retired now and I can afford, and have bought, way more expensive in-ear monitors (Shure 535) than these Korean made earphones.
I got them from the nice people at CTC Audio as a gift after the delivery of my Cozoy Astrapi got held up for a few days. So I was pleased with the generosity of the company but I wasn't expecting much when the T-Peos D-202N earbuds showed up with my new DAC (review to come).
I mean $36! Really! Seriously folks?
So I ripped them out of the shipping box (BTW I don't do unboxing reviews. The units survived the postal office and arrived safe and sound. The box got ripped to pieces.) and I plugged the earphones into my ears.
Using both the Astrapi and direct into the MacBook Pro I started listening to Rihanna's Stay over and over again via TIDAL streaming.
First thing I liked about the 202N's is they have a 15 degree bend to fit into the ears so there's no confusion with which piece goes into the left ear and which one goes into the right ear. Can't say the same thing about my other in-ears. I'm always looking for my glasses to see which one has the L and R imprinted in tiny print.
Second thing I liked is the 202N package comes with extra tips and I found one size larger created a much better seal in my ears. Nice touch. They do take a little wiggling around to get the seal right but that's not a big deal. Because these guys are so small compared to the 535s and so light that it's easy to forget they're in your ears.
It keeps getting better as I noticed the cord was a flat soft cable that didn't knot itself up like some of my other inexpensive in-ears. Comes in a variety of colours if that's a fashion issue for you.
So how do they sound?
Well they're not neutral and the response curve isn't flat. The sound stage isn't huge but it's there. And if you're listening to a song that emphasizes somebody banging cymbals or bongo drums loudly, it's going to hurt. I'm too new to know if this is sibilance but let's just say there is a prominent peak at those frequencies.
But is that a bad thing? Well when Rhianna sings her voice is in this sweet spot and suddenly you can hear every nuance, every vibrato, even her breathing right inside your head. It's an incredible effect. At my age, this doesn't happen too much anymore.
Okay let's get back to somebody more my age. I know Lucinda Williams voice almost as well as my own. I've heard everything she's ever sang and saw her once when she gave a concert here in Toronto at the very special Massey Hall. The first guitar riff off her song Right In Time hits hard and then there's Lucinda and the band right up close and personal.
Lucinda's guitar players like to use Leslie speakers or at least Leslie affect pedals that cause a swelling of the guitar. In Those Three Days the early guitar work is luscious but sharp.
So to compare I switched over to modified Sennheiser HD-439s and there was more bass but the rawness of Lucinda's voice was lost in a muddy mess. Just for fun I also switched to my Audeze LCD-Xs (perfect), HD--590s (nearly perfect), Grado 60s (about as bright and cheerful as the 202Ns with a more balanced sound and a better sound stage) and IPhone earbuds (not quite as good).
In comparison to the IPhone earbuds, the 202Ns have more bit of what CTC Audio calls a "fun sound". They sound like the IPhone earbuds but hotter. For example the opening notes on John Coltrane's A Love Supreme will sonically clean out the ear wax in your left ear and there are cymbals in your right ear and then there's a piano dead centre in your head.
So what's the effect?
I can feel my leg keeping time with the music. And it doesn't matter whether it's Rhianna or Lucinda or John, it's the same bright fun sound which is perfect coming out of a smartphone as you're walking around the neighbourhood. Unlike some of my other in-ears there's no cable noise if the cable rubs up against your clothing. There's also an inline microphone for use when plugged directly into your cellphone.
Finally switching to fellow Canadian Diana Krall's Wallflower album, California Dreaming is well dreamy but there's that harsh maraca or shaker sound keeping time in right ear. Next up Desperado is perfect.
I've listened to the D-202Ns now for about 20 hours and, bottomline, I like them. I like them a lot. They're a perfect replacement for the earbuds that came with your smartphone and their "fun sound" cuts through ambient outdoor noises if you're wearing them outside. Inside where it's quiet, there are better choices but none that I know of at this price.
Would I recommend them to a friend? Absolutely and at $36 I might even buy them for them as a gift.
