The TIN HiFi T1 Plus is a warm and bassy experience that lacks the finer details of the BLON BL-01.
TIN HiFi strives for affordable audio products while providing high-quality sound without paying for a luxury price. Although when I look at the T1 Plus, all I see is a beautiful canvas of the cosmos sprinkled with stardust.
While I don’t own any other TIN HiFi products, I am aware of the other products that the company makes. The T1 Plus are the latest IEM from TIN HiFi. It is reported that their previous IEM, the T2 Plus differs significantly from the T1 Plus.
They differ in design, sound signature and sound quality. The T2 Plus have CNC-machined aluminum alloy housings that are naturally sturdier because of the material used. The T1 Plus uses ABS plastic housings. The T2 Plus has a “coherent neutral-warm signature”, while the T1 Plus have more of a warm and smeared sound signature.
- Warm and smooth sound
- Lots of pulsing bass
- Great stardust housing shell design
- Removable cables
- Very comfortable
- Lacking in detail
- Below average resolution
- Mids are smothered by pulsing bass
- Treble is subdued as well
- Only comes with removable cables and ear tips
- There’s no carrying case. Not even a soft pouch carrying case.
- Lacks bass control
- Strain relief above the 3.5mm TRS jack is lacking in durability
- My ears aren’t suitable for the stock ear tips
Company Overview
In 2017, TIN HiFi launched its brand after being committed to the original equipment and design manufacturing (OEM/ODM) business. TIN HiFi’s dream is to bring HI-FI sound to a more affordable price point. Not only that, TIN HiFi wants to ensure that its products introduce high-quality sound as a norm rather than a luxury.
Technical Specifications
- Price: USD $24.99
- Form: IEM
- Driver: 1 X 10mm Beryllium-Coated Diaphragm Dynamic Driver
- Sensitivity: 105dB/mW
- Frequency Response: 10-20KHz
- Earphone Interface: 2-Pin 0.78mm
- Plug Type: 3.5mm Gold Plated Straight Type
- Cable Length: 1.2m±3cm
Packaging
Unboxing the TIN HiFi T1 Plus wasn’t difficult at all. The overall presentation was rather basic but very organized. The T1 Plus earpieces were placed in cutout recessed holes in a felt-like square. The cable and ear tips were placed in a rectangular prism box that sits below the felt-like square. The manual was found underneath both of these items.
In the box
- Removable cables (2-pin 0.78mm)
- Six pairs of ear tips (3 pairs of narrow bore ear tips and 3 pairs of wide bore ear tips)
- TIN HiFi T1 Plus
- A manual
The entirety of the TIN HiFi T1 Plus accessories.
Cable
Quite ordinary in terms of design. The braided cable that comes with the T1 Plus are soft and shiny. What I like most are the “L” and “R” letters that are engraved on the appropriate sides. This is quite useful for anyone to prevent signal crossing. One thing that stands out is the chin slider. Not only it’s presence but because it’s spherical. I usually don’t see chin sliders look like that.
As for the strain reliefs, I find them to be solid, but they aren’t everywhere that it counts. There is adequate strain relief just above the connectors, but sadly lacking above the plug. There’s a strain relief there but it’s short with no real inspiration in terms of design. I find the strain relief relatively marginal and advise you not to put it under extreme strain. It could lead to damage to the cable itself.
Design
The shells of T1 Plus remind me of the nighttime. Dark purple with the faint shimmering stars that blanket the night sky. While this design looks absolutely great, it lacks in build quality. The shells are made of hard plastic, quite unlike the BLON BL-01’s tough metal shells. Although at the end of the day, these shells’ durability should be enough for everyday use.
The raised connectors are well made and quite sturdy
Comfort
It’s as if I put a couple of marshmallows in my ears. Soft and comfy. I can wear these for hours. Although sadly, I can only achieve this feeling using the Final Audio Type-E ear tips. The largest stock ear tips do not give my ear canals the proper seal I needed to hear the actual sound of the T1 Plus.
Internals
The T1 Plus utilizes a 10mm Beryllium-coated diaphragm dynamic driver. The internal structure looks very clean. The wires connected to the connectors inside the T1 Plus are very distinct and easy to detect. It’s very easy to see them connected to the dynamic driver.
T1 PLUS Sound
After a burn-in period of the T1 Plus for 25 hours, I have determined that the T1 Plus sound warm and bassy with below-average resolution.
Before I go on to the core of the review I need to mention the equipment and soundtracks used. The equipment used for my observations is the HiBy R6 Pro with Spotify (Highest Audio Quality Settings).
The soundtracks used to achieve accurate observations are “M.B.S.” by Kidd Kaos and Brian Eddie (Hard Dance), “Jungle Storm” by Talamasca (Psychedelic Trance), and “Freedom Fighters” by Thomas Bergersen and Two Steps From Hell (Epic Score).
Bass
This part of the frequency is saying, “Here I am! Hear me roar!” Yet somehow it tries to keep its yelling under control as much as possible. Sadly the bass control is not enough and it bleeds somewhat into the mids. The bass can dive deep, but the most audible section of the bass is the upper sub bass and mid bass.
Otherwise, the bass tones are good. The scales are audible and moderately strong. Also, the bass slams hard. Thankfully not near the pain threshold. When I was listening to “M.B.S.” by Kidd Kaos and Brian Eddie, the bass was pulsing like waves. However, the pulsing bass was lacking control and it was evident when the hi-hats were taking a backseat because the bass was so upfront and thunderous.
Midrange
It’s certainly there and warmed up by the fierce and roaring bass. It’s not bad but it’s not good either. I’d say “in-between”? Don’t get me wrong. The T1 Plus’ mids are warm and pleasant.
I get that the T1 Plus are a budget tier IEM, although I feel that there’s much left to be desired. Even the BLON BL-01’s mids have more detail. It may not be a fair comparison, given that the BLON BL-01 have a more clear and cool midrange tone.
While listening to “Freedom Fighters” by Thomas Bergersen and Two Steps From Hell (Epic Score), I didn’t feel the serene intensity from the vocals chanting in the background. Nor did I feel the raw energy from the violins. It was smothered by relentless warmth. However, the vocals are present and so are the instruments with low-moderate levels of detail.
I feel that the overall resolution and imaging would be significantly improved if the super warm atmosphere was dialed down from an 8 to a 3.
Treble
You are climbing an 8,000-foot jagged mountain, but it’s covered in thick fog and cloud cover. Then you get to the peak of the mountain. Yet all you see is more clouds and fog. You can’t see anything around you with any proper clarity. So you just wait there at the peak, requesting a rescue team. The treble is shrouded in obscurity, which dulls the finer details of the treble frequency.
Comparisons
I must admit that the TIN HiFi T1 Plus and the BLON BL-01 are nearly polar opposites. The T1 Plus’ sound can be described as a warm and stuffy day in the Deep South US in the middle of the summer. The BLON BL-01’s sound can be described as a cool and crisp sunny autumn day with a gentle breeze in the Northeast US.
What I mean by this, is that the T1 Plus are ridiculously warm and this makes the sound seem stuffy and congested at times. Which explains their poor resolution. By comparison, based on my previous review, the BL-01 overall sound signature is balanced, and I find the BL-01 to sound cooler than the T1 Plus.
Where to Buy
Conclusion
The T1 Plus are decent for casual use but ultimately the sound quality falls short on resolution.
The overwhelmingly warm and bassy sound that shrouds the soundscape obscures the finer details of the overall picture that the T1 Plus are painting. As long as you aren’t intending on using the T1 Plus for analytical listening, the T1 Plus will give that bump in bass that will satisfy your inner basshead.
