Chinese Brands - IEMs Discussion

Another nice, detailed review. A good read.

Awesome review!! I had them in mind for a couple of weeks and Amazon’s reviews were my only reference. I only use IEM on my commute and the Tin Audio T2 and CCA-C16 are my best ones. I love T2 when my idea is to immerse myself in to the music without getting in too much detail, just enjoy it while walking or reading.
CCA-C16 is the opposite, they are very detail and fast that some times force me to analyze the music .
My idea is to get another pair of IEM for the “enjoy and love” of the music (another better than T2, which sometimes are to bright.) and now I truly believe these guys are the ones.
Thanks!!

1 Like

KZ AS16 - this thing sounds awful. nuff said.

6 Likes

Oh sweet Audiophile Jesus, what did they do…

If you inverted the fr graph along the X axis, it would sound better. Just saying.

3 Likes

BGVP DMS: First Impressions

The DMS is the latest from BGVP. I rank this one above the DMG and DM6 for my personal tastes and just below the DM7. Sound-wise, these are V-shaped but balanced much better than the DMG and DM6, as their bass is a little more subdued, the mids are slightly more elevated, and treble isn’t sharp or harsh. The bonus on the DM7 is that these extend treble in the upper range more than the more premium model. They don’t resolve details as well as the DM6 or DM7 though, which is why these are $155 and not $200 and $300.

2 Likes

Simgot EN700 Pro IEM Review

Introduction

The Simgot EN700 Pro is a single dynamic driver IEM that has an interesting design that is a lot better looking in person than in photos. I had not had a chance to listen to any other Simgot IEM in the past, so this was my first opportunity to do so, and I’d like to thank, and also provide the disclaimer than this IEM was provided to me by Alan of Simgot for reviewing.

The EN700 Pro comes packaged with a nice array of accessories: A series of tips, a carrying case, and a thin, braided black cable. The cable is lightweight and works well enough. It does sometimes tangle but for the most part, I found it very usable. It has preformed soft hooks, and 2-pin connection.

The EN700 Pro itself is a very nice metal shell, that is very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. It’s lightweight and ergonomic. The detail on the faceplate, also metal, is very nice and is much more attractive in-person.

How does it sound?

The Simgot has a gentle V-shaped sound signature, meaning there is a slight dip in the mids and accentuated bass and treble. I found the general sound signature to be lean and clean in the upper end, but a tad bloaty in the lower end, and this varies with volume.

The Fletcher-Munson curve is really apparent on this IEM, more so than others I’ve tried. At lower level listening, this IEM sounds very lean and airy, but as you raise the volume up, the bass becomes more impactful and the midbass becomes more prominent. While it does generate some fast rumble, it also does muddy up the lower mids as well, which is something I am not a huge fan of myself.

The mids on this unit were slightly recessed and vocals, again, felt a little thin. That’s not to say they were bad, but just thinner sounding. I feel like where this IEM excels the most is the upper mids and treble, where it has a good cohesion as it moves up and has a good sense of air and detail. I never found this IEM to be sibilant and I threw my sibilance tests at it with an array of music from Norah Jones, Cocteau Twins, and Alvvays without any trouble.

The EN700 Pro does have an average-width soundstage and does sometimes feel a little congested during more hectic moments with more things going on in the scene.

Comparisons

Moondrop Kanas Pro

The Moondrop Kanas Pro follows a Harman Target curve for the most part and is rather smooth, just like this model is. The EN700 Pro has much more bass feels to it than the KP, and more air. The KP’s mids are more balanced and even, despite being a tad recessed. Detail-wise, I feel like they’re comparable with a slight nod to the EN700 Pro. Where the EN700 Pro fails is the occasional muddiness at higher volumes, where the KP improves with volume, the EN700 Pro starts to fall apart.

BGVP DMG

The DMG does share similarities to the EN700 Pro in that they are both v-shaped with coherent mids. The DMG treble is much more-harsh than the EN700 Pro, but I found the DMG bass to be cleaner and less muddy.

Etymotics ER3SE

The Etymotics ER3SR is essentially the same IEM as the ER4SR but manufactured in China instead of the USA and with slightly lower tolerances. It follows the diffuse-field target which is more balanced and mid-forward than the EN700 Pro. The ER3SE does not have anywhere near the same bass performance as the EN700 Pro but doesn’t exhibit muddiness either. Small microdetails are more apparent on the ER3SE and coherency is unquestionably better. The upper end extension however gets the EN700 Pro a slight nod with more air and space.

Overall

The EN700 Pro is a generally decent IEM. I found the upper mids and treble to be coherent and with good air. I did not like the bass performance on it as I found it a little too muddy due to the boosted bass and lower-mids dip, and slower bass decay. The whole package does come with a nice set of accessories and a very comfortable and well crafted shell design.

This price in the market is very full of competition and the EN700 Pro sort of carves itself a spot somewhere in the middle of it all.

9 Likes

Hey Guys,

I just thought I would post some initial “stream of consciousness” impressions of the BGVP DMS earphones. My full review will come in a couple weeks, and some of the thoughts below may change over that time :slight_smile:

More and more, I find I don’t have set in stone preferences in terms of sound signature, as I enjoy a change from time to time. I do know that I enjoy healthy amounts of bass, that’s pretty much true across the board.

The BGVP DMS arrives in a nice little box, with more accessories than I expected for the MSRP. You get S/M/L of what look like spinfit knock off, S/M/L of…wide bore, something? Type tips, and S/M/L of typical wide bore single flange silicon tips. The cable is nothing fancy but I really like its utilitarian nature. It does the job, and it does the job well.

The fit, for my ears is a bout 75% great. The left side is SO comfortable. The right side, no as much. It workable, and certainly isn’t causing any pain, it just isn’t as comfortable as the left hand side. I guess I have weird ears.

The bass is definitely north of neutral, and perhaps a tiny bit bloated sounding depending on what you are listening to. However, it is pleasant, and fills out the low end nicely. I really don’t like lean bass light sound signatures, so this works well for me. I can see these earphones working really well for someone who listens to a lot of electronics but doesn’t want to break the bank to do so.

The mids are pulled back. This is definitely a slightly V shaped earphone. Though the treble isn’t super tipped up and piercing, so its a tastefully done V shape. The mids aren’t cozy wozy, and warm. If you like acoustic guitar and things like that, you might be better with a different pair of earphones.

The treble isn’t as elevated as I thought it would be. A typical V shape “Chi-Fi” IEM, at least the ones I have run into in the past have been BASS mids TREBLE!!! Anyhow, not so here. There is a little bit sparkle to the treble, but its not over done and is pretty pleasant. Sibilance hasn’t been a problem so far, but once or twice I have winced a little bit at a really strong cymbal crash. All in all, not too bad :slight_smile:

There is one thing I am worried about that I need to do more testing with and that is the open (semi open?) nature of the earphones. Isolation is ok, I’m just worried about sound leak and bothering others around me with my music. My main use for IEMs is for when I need peace and quiet both out and in, so we shall see. I’ll ask those around me later how much they leak.

All in all, so far, I’m happy with the BGVP DMS. They aren’t blowing me away for the MSRP, but I’m certainly not like “man these are a rip off!”

If you need an IEM under $200, and enjoy a slight V shape sound signature, you could do a lot worse than these I think.

I will report back with my full review in a couple weeks, so these thoughts may change, but I though I would get some initial impressions written to share with you guys :slight_smile:

6 Likes


BGVP just released the BGVP DM7 and are right back at it with this new semi-open back DMS model that is seen as an upgrade on the DMG. A short time ago, someone posted a quick measurement of the DMS and it looked quite nice, especially when considering the DMG and DM6. I was busy reviewing the DM7 though and sort of forgot about the DMS at the time. The DM7 turned out to be a nice intimate sound, which was pricier than the rest of the BGVP lineup at the time. But I had the DMS in the back of mind.

Lucky for me, Linsoul sent me a review unit of the BGVP DMS recently and I had a few weeks now of listening to it, and spoilers ahead, once I put them on, I have a hard time taking them off. But there are a bunch of quality IEMs that have just come out at this price range and I’ll try my best to compare to them in this review of the DMS. So, let’s get started!

New Looks

The new DMS features a new housing that takes a lot of the stylings of the DMG, and adds a beveled circular grill on the shell. This semi-open look provides air for the single dynamic driver to play with, and that along with the 6 balanced armature drivers in each shell are packaged within this metal housing. The shell also features mmcx connections, and the included cable is a bit generic and standard. This is a bit disappointing considering the premium and attractive cables that came with the DMG, DM6 and DM7 IEMs.

In terms of fit and wearability, I found that, like the DMG, I can easily wear the DMS for hours upon hours. The shell size and shape really go well with my ear anatomy and I have nothing but good things to say about this area.

Isolation will definitely be an area of concern here for those who want to completely block off external noise. The grill on the front has large enough holes that you can hear your surroundings with no music on pretty well, and it’ll let a little bit in while music is playing. I didn’t find this too distracting, but I wouldn’t recommend these for transportation and plane travel. In addition to poorer isolation, these do leak sound out of the grill. That said, you have to be really blasting music to make your ears hurt before anyone can hear the music, unless they were right up against your ear for some reason.

The Sound

The DMS is a fun, foot-moving listen. It has a slightly less V-shaped sound than it’s older brother DMG, but it still retains a boosted bass and dipped mids, but the upper mids and treble is much smoother and restrained than the DMG and the DM6. This gives it an overall very warm, yet lively listen that is both wide, fast, and entertaining.

It’s not without faults though. The bass, while very fast and surprisingly toned down from the DMG and DM6, still is missing some key things. First, it is not very detailed and tricky bass layering and textures feel smeared and dirty. It’s weighty and has impact, but the dynamic driver is also nimble and fast. I found this to be quite enjoyable on fast-electronic dancey tracks like Chromeo’s Must’ve Been and Count Me Out.

Sub-bass has nice rumble and extends quite well. I felt it when I listen to some tracks that push those limits – for example, local Seattle drummer, KJ Sawka, and his “Subconnectors” track has some deep electronic bass lines that provide backup to his drumming. The impact of each drum hit, and the panning of the electronic samples and Christa Wells echoes feels quite wide and positioned pretty well for this type of budget class.

Pretty Lights, who I find to be a more modern DJ Shadow, and his track, “Gazing at the Glare” has similar bass impact and wide instrumentation and sampling that just works well with the DMS. In these electronic dance tracks, I don’t necessarily look for clean, taut, and well detailed bass and so the DMS does excel here in my opinion. It struggles more in rock music where I want to hear the intricacies of the bass guitar and the kick drums and what not.

The mids are recessed a few dB and in practice, this doesn’t seem to really rear any significant troubles. The lower mids are warm and rich, with male vocals slightly behind, while female vocals sound more forward. Guitar strings are accentuated slightly with this V-shape signature, but with the tamer upper-mids and treble than that of the DM6 and some other Chinese IEMs and other generic V-shape in-ears, there is never a sense of harshness at all. Sometimes that can make the mids a tad dull, but I find there is enough bite here to make it lively.

Treble, as mentioned before, is nice and relaxed, yet extended. I find it one of the strongest parts of this IEM and it has a great sense of air, especially with the open-back and open sound. The fact that it’s generally even and extended makes it a much better listen than the DMG and the DM6, which I found could be quite harsh and bright with certain genres, recordings, and songs.

Comparisons

Here is a selection of other $150 IEMs that I have enjoyed in the past or are new to the scene and would be competition to the BGVP DMS:

Etymotics ER2XR

The latest line from the original In-Ear company, Etymotics, is their dynamic driver-based ER2 series. I not had a chance to listen to the ER2SE (Studio Edition) model, but I recently purchased the ER2XR (Extended Range) version which features a warmer, and elevated bass response than the standard diffuse-field-like sound signature of the SE models. I also did try out the ER3SE (BA-based model). The ER2XR is quite a good IEM with great isolation and that trumps the open-back DMS. The DMS has punchier and more bass response, however the ER2XR has a surprisingly warm and rich sound with as quick if not quicker bass response than the DMS. ER2XR wins on clarity, imaging, and resolution, but the DMS wins out, in spades, with width and soundstage.

Moondrop Kanas Pro

The Moondrop Kanas Pro is still my top overall pick in this price class, and the reason being is that it has a great all-around sound profile that works across multiple genres. It has less bass impact and rumble than the DMS but it’s ever-present. It’s sound signature is more flat and probably more tonally correct, but it also does not extend quite as well and it’s treble isn’t as even. With the Moondrop Kanas Pro, I find it’s a great choice for everyone, while the DMS is a more fun, get your body moving type of sound.

BGVP DMG

The DMG is the predecessor to the DMS and it really doesn’t do anything better in any sound category. In terms of cable, it does beat it though. The DMG has more bass and more elevated treble, but both are borderline over-done. The saving grace for the DMG was that it had very coherent mids for a V-shaped IEM, but the DMS has taken this to another level in terms of coherency and a non-fatiguing listen.

Knowledge Zenith AS16

The newest flagship KZ IEM is the 8 BA (per side) AS16 model which recently was released. I have yet to do a full review on this (it’s coming…) but this has a much different tuning than the DMS. It’s a bright headphone that is brighter than Diffuse Field tuning, and severely lacking bass quantity. The detail level of the AS16 is better than the DMS, however the anemic bass makes this IEM very sterile and very boring, and rather harsh compared to the DMS.

BGVP DM6

The DM6 is priced $40 above the DMS, and beats it out in terms of resolution and clarity, as well as elevated bass response and bass detail. The DMS is much tamer in upper mids and treble and this doesn’t cause the same harshness and occasional harshness I found with the DM6 set I was sent. The spaciousness of the DMS also beats out the DM6, which I found to be a bit muddled and closed-in on busier songs. The DM6 was a mixed-bag experience for me, but with the DMS, I know what I am getting.

Overall

I’ve mentioned in a few times now, but I’ll reiterate that the DMS has a very open and wider than average soundstage that keeps these IEMs on my ear with a lively, fun natured sound. The bass can feel “bleh” sometimes, but there’s always good fast punchiness and gives you good quantity without being excessive. Mids are warm and rich, and yet the added air and good treble response makes this IEM an enjoyable listen, especially for dance tracks, and sounds that require a good wide soundstage to excel.

If you are interested in this IEM, please check out Linsoul.com for more information and to purchase it. This IEM can also be found on amazon.com at the following location: https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-Hybrid-Audiophile-Earphone-Detachable/dp/B07RDPDZ2F

9 Likes

Thanks @antdroid for the review!

2 Likes

Great to see another chi-fi thread but with the notch up from the budget one.

I was tempted by the DMS as I love my DMGs bit with less isolation and less bass I think I’ll give them a miss… Great review though so thanks (for saving me some money :joy:).

I’m super excited to give the Tin Audio P1s a try when they drop as I’ve never heard Planars before, and the build quality looks superb.

Hopefully you’ll get a set in for review before I decide to pull the trigger… So I’m looking forward to a review :wink:

Let the games begin! This should be a fun combo to work through my playlists for a few days…

Coming in a few hours later to drop off some first impressions. Run single-ended out of the N5iiS does require a pretty severe adjustment period in comparison to even the Tin T2 Pro, it seems. Granted, I’ve tape-modded the T2Ps, but the KP sit much closer to what I’ll call a “Harman-neutral” signature. Where I get a better sense of punch and dynamics out of the T2P, the KP present themselves in a more mellow fashion.

That wasn’t, however, an invitation to reach for the volume wheel and boost the gain. Doing so rewarded me with a great amount of fatigue and minimal improvement in “fun factor.” Kanas Pro is serious…and it doesn’t appreciate being called Shirley. It’s quite an enjoyable experience with jazz and classical, but tracks that fall victim to brickwall compression will stick out like a sore thumb here and result in fatigue much earlier than I’m used to with more traditionally V-shaped IEMs. I don’t mind brutal honesty in a sound signature, but it was something I didn’t expect out of the KP as quickly as it was received.

Tl;dr - Be gentle with the KP’s gain, don’t try to make it play like an IEM it’s not, and feed it well-recorded tracks for the best chance at enjoyment. I’ve still got to spend some time with them to get a better feel for technicalities, but I’m very happy they fill a niche that not even their more budget-friendly Tin brethren had fully locked down.

8 Likes

Tin Audio P1 Impressions


Planar Magnetic headphones have been around for decades at this point. My first taste of planar magnetic headphones was the Fostex RP series, which is popular in the modding community and as a budget headphone with very low distortion. More recently, a small handful of companies have attempted to micronized the planar driver into a smaller form-factor for in-ears including top names like Audeze and RHA with varying success.

In my personal experience, I have owned and tried out a few of these – namely the Audeze iSine 10, the RHA CL2, and a universal and custom version of the Unique Melody ME1. These three IEMs have unique sound signatures from one another, but all have some tuning flaws that really require equalization to perform well. The Audeze series even includes a hardware-based DSP in the Cipher cables for iOS devices, as well as the Reveal plugin for computers.

So when Tin Hifi, makers of the popular T2 and T3 in-ear monitors, announced they were releasing a 10mm planar driver at budget prices, I was not only surprised, but also excited to hear how it stacks up. The CL2 is the closest to the Tin P1, as they are both closed backs. Now, I just want to mention that there have been a recent wave of Chinese planar IEMs that have come out including the Toneking BL1, Senfer MT100 hybrid, Nicehck F3 hybrid, Sendy Aiya, a planar from AAW, and a new one in the works by Danico Labs. I have yet to try any of these new wave of IEMs, but the reviews for each one of them (sans the unreleased Danico Labs one) have been less than appealing, each with their own unique flaws – much like what the first wave of planar IEMs experienced.

First off, I like to thank Lillian from Linsoul for providing me not only this production pre-release unit for review, but also an earlier build which was re-tuned based on initial feedback from reviewers. It seems like they’ve taken this to heart, as the new tuning is a significant improvement upon the original. I will post some links at the end of this review for presale purchasing.

Second disclaimer: This is just my initial impressions based on approximately 15 hours of listening time. I usually listen for more time, and will more than likely revise this with a final review in the future if anything changes. For now this is going to be impressions in a review format.

Build Quality, Accessories, and Fit

The Tin P1 comes in a very cute mirrored metal shell that is very small and thin, but has a long wide nozzle. Inside houses the 10mm planar driver, and the housing also uses mmcx connections. The build is very well made, and looks from afar like the head of a golf club.

Accessories are very standard here. It comes with 2 sizes of foam tips, and a selection of silicone tips in varying sizes and shapes. The package also comes with a faux-leather pop-up case that’s pretty nice to use, and reminiscent of a narrow watch box.

I found the shell design to be less than ideal for fit in my ears. The long nozzle does not make up for the shallow and small size of the design, and getting good tip seal was a challenge. I struggled trying to find the right tips that remained in my ear and provided ample seal. Not getting good seal with these really deteriorated the sound quality and it’s very, very noticeable when you get that right tip in place. I ended up using Final Audio E tips, something I commonly have been using with other IEMs.

Power & Sourcing

This is important. The P1 has 20 ohm impedance, but it’s sensitivity is 96dB/SPL and that means that it is a little less efficient and more power hungry than many other IEMs. They still are nowhere near as power sensitive as an over-ear planar, but the P1 does require a bit of juice to make it shine. I did a bunch of testing on various sources and can safely say that more amping power provides a much better experience in terms of dynamics and bass response.

First off, the Google Pixel USB-C audio adapter is very inadequate for the P1. At max volume on my Essential PH-1 phone running stock android, I was only able to get it to lower than average listening volume. Luckily, the Apple lightning adapter proved much better results using my iPad Mini 4 as a source.

I used the RME ADI-2 DAC and I felt it was a little weak and underpowered using it’s IEM output, but at the time, I wasn’t completely settled on tips yet, so that could have played a large role in what I was hearing. I did have very good luck using a desktop Pete Millett Starving Student Tube Hybrid amp, which was a DIY creation. This one provided plenty of power and really made the P1 show it’s true potential.

On the DAPs front, I own the Astell & Kern SR15 and Pioneer XDP-300R. Both were pushing higher volume requirements than most of my other IEMs, and even more than the Etymotics ER2XR that I purchased recently. The ME1, in comparison, is much less power hungry, in terms of pure volume loudness.

Sound Check

The P1 has neutral and laid-back tuning that will remind folks of a Diffuse Field/Planar bass and mid response up to 1K and then a more tone down upper mids and treble presentation that is reminiscent of the Campfire Andromeda tonality. The treble is definitely boosted above 10KHz and this is quite noticeable.

The bass response is slightly rolled off, and if you do not have a good source, I felt that it was a little weak and missing something. When amped correctly, the bass is much more present, and has decent subbass rumble and pop. This tuning is more punchy that I expected, but still is rather lean compared to most other IEMs in this price range, and should be rather familiar if you like the Tin Audio T2/T3 bass response.

Closing the front driver vent, near the nozzle, helps flatten the sub-bass and improves it’s weight and performance. I do not know if this affects anything with ear pressure or any other long last effects.

The mids are generally done okay. They are slightly recessed, especially when compared to Etymotics or the Moondrop Kanas Pro, partially due to not having as elevated upper mid-range and lower treble response, but they do not sound bad at all. I found female vocals to sound very good, including the typical listenings of Stevie Nicks in Fleetwood Mac, Norah Jones, Molly Rankin in Alvvways, Lauren Mayberry in Chvrches, and various country singers like Catherine McGrath and Allison Krauss.

Male vocals sounded a little bit off to me though, like they are slightly veiled and almost having the same effect I was experiencing with female vocals on the IO but not nearly as bad. For example, I found Chris Stapleton to lose a lot of bite and grit, and Chromeo vocals from the two electrofunk band members to just sound digitized.

In fact, this digitized artifact, could be related to the treble boost in the upper region, which I thought I may be immune to with age and concert-going life in the past. When I first heard the original test model of the P1, I didn’t notice it at first, but I let another audio-nerd with ears half my age listen and he quickly mentioned how shrill and bright the treble effected the music he was listening to. Since the tuning of the P1 was so “wrong”, I didn’t quite pick up on it then as there were many other issues with the P1 at the time. Now that the biggest issues with the P1 have been resolved, the treble edginess stands out, and can quickly make this IEM fatiguing and sound a little grainy and strained.

I find it occurring in songs like “Get Out” by Chrvches, and “Juice” by Chromeo, amongst many others. It may lend itself to the electronic-pop and EDM type tunes more so than rock songs, but it’s still noticeable even on rock tracks. I found some Smashing Pumpkin tracks to be more bright than normal with Billy Corgan’s voice just a tad more “weird” than normal. The piano, guitars and falsetto-ish voice of Andrew Wood from Mother Love Bone on “Chloe Dancer” all have a lingering high pitch shrill to it that I can find a little annoying.

Hi-Hats and Cymbal crashes have that tizzing sound from this treble spike that can add to the aforementioned fatiguing issues.

If you can get past that, the resolution is actually quite good, as I’d expect from the low distortion planar driver. (I did not measure distortion, but just going by generic planar experience) The soundstage is both wide and has depth to it, and really, detail retrieval is quite good at this price point, and will even beat many more expensive IEMs in these categories. It’s been too long since I’ve owned the iSine 10 to really compare the two, but I feel like I am more impressed with the resolution of this one than I was with the iSine.

So with the stock tuning out of the way, and now that I’ve mentioned the flaws with it, I will have to say that the P1 is the best planar stock tuning I’ve heard to date. It’s only a sample size of 4 IEMs from larger companies, but it’s something to point out. Tin is the closest one so far to hitting it right. It’s not perfect though, as mentioned already. And just like the other IEMs I’ve tried out, the use of equalizer can really help make these sound much better than the stock tuning.

Throwing a low-shelf filter at +5dB at 125Hz, and then boosting the 2-8KHz region a couple dB and reducing the 10KHz and above by (a lot) of dB can really make this IEM sound quite pleasant, at least to my ears. I also threw a slight dip between 500 and 1KHz to give it a very shallow U-shape curve, and it’s getting pretty close to my ideal target curve, and I find the P1 to be quite good, if not outstanding for $150-170, taking on the Audeze giants.

General Overall Impressions

That was a lot of stuff, so quickly recapping my impressions thus far:

I found the build quality to be very good. The design made fitting and getting ample seal very challenging for me, but I was eventually able to find a good tip combination. They are comfortable, but not exceptionally good. I still like the comfort over T2/T3 though.

The P1 is very power hungry for an IEM, so some phones and especially the Google Pixel adapter may not cut it. I thought the lightning adapter for iOS was good though, and quite clean. A clean DAP source would be ideal, and it scaled even better with desktop amps.

Finally, the tuning has shortcomings that can be overcome with Equalization. Even without it, the P1 is the best out-of-the-box Planar IEM tuning I’ve heard yet, in my limited experience with planars (check introduction for the list). The subbass is rolled off, but can be patched with vent hole mod or eq. The mids are mostly good except male vocals sound recessed and tingy. The treble is consistent but then peaks up very bright in the upper registers which seems to affect how splashy some instruments sound, which can be very fatiguing.

Resolution, width, depth, and general technicalities is really good for this price range, and is only improved with equalization.

So, there’s my short impressions of the Tin P1. I hope I gave you, the reader, a good overview of the pros and cons of it. There are definitely trade-offs here, and you’ll have to weigh your decisions accordingly.

For me, I have some mixed feelings about it. I would prefer to not have to EQ but I have the ability to. The stock tuning, even without it’s treble flaws, is still not my ideal sound, but it does follow the popular Andromeda mid-range and lower/mid-treble tuning with less bass weight, and that should make a lot of people happy. That’s not my ideal or preferred tuning though, as I mentioned in a previous Andromeda review posted last week. I like a little more presence region boost (2-5KHz) and the P1 doesn’t do that without EQ.

Purchasing Info

To purchase the Tin Audio P1, Linsoul is selling them on their Linsoul.com website, and they’ll also be released on Drop.com using the following links:

Linsoul Audio:https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/tinhifi-p1-iem

Massdrop: https://drop.com/buy/tin-audio-p1-iem

7 Likes

Hey neo_styles,
I am looking forward to your review of the ZSN Pros. I ordered them and a few other inexpensive iems that have received good reviews. The ZSNs should come in the mail tomorrow.
John

1 Like

Thanks @antdroid!

So as a quick impression they wouldn’t knock the KPE and the Etymotic of the top of your preferences?

I am still interested in checking these out, let’s see what the price is like here when they finally become available.

I really like your reviews!
Your writing style, clarity, judgment and comparisons to other iems was excellent without sounding too pretentious. Thanks

3 Likes

Thanks, bud. Still waiting on my review sample to arrive; communication with the vendor hasn’t been as good as I’d hoped, but my son does have a pair. Worst case, we’ll work out a trade so I can make it happen.

Hope you enjoy the ZSNs! These things sure can get addictive.

Thanks for the feedback!

That’s a tough call. Out of the box, I like the tuning of the Etymotics and KPE a little more, but the P1 is very capable of sounding excellent. Below is my EQ and I am really like this sound now, as it matches more of my “antdroid” target curve and the detail resolution is very very good on this IEM.

3 Likes

Below is my review of the Tanchjim Oxygen. You can also read it on my blog.


The Tanchjim Oxygen is an in-ear monitor with a single 10mm diamond-like carbon diaphragm dynamic driver per side. This review is based upon a retail unit purchased by me at list price for personal use from Linsoul Audio.

SOURCES
I have used the Tanchjim Oxygen with the following sources:

Windows 10 PC > JDS Labs The Element > Tanchjim Oxygen
Pixel 3 > Fiio BTR1K (Bluetooth Apt-X) > Tanchjim Oxygen
Windows 10 PC > Fiio BTR1K (USB-DAC) > Tanchjim Oxygen
Pixel 3 > Apple USB-C to 3.5mm dongle > Tanchjim Oxygen

I have tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium.

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES


The Tanchjim Oxygen comes in a mid-sized grey cube-shaped package. The front panel of the slipcover bears a rendering of the IEM, as well as the model name, the Tanchjim logo, and manufacturer tagline “Feel more, Hear more.” The left- and right-side panels bear the Tanchjim logo and the model name, respectively. The back panel of the slipcover shows an exploded diagram of the IEMs, along with specifications and manufacturer contact information. This information is presented mostly in Chinese.

Underneath the slipcover and a top lid removing the slipcover reveals a series of smaller overlapping boxes, the topmost containing the eartip selection, a warranty card, a card indicating how to attach the cable, a QC pass chit, an owner’s manual, and a set of 20 spare nozzle filters. There are two sets of dark grey silicone eartips, one set of short, wide bore tips (S, M, L) and one set of more typical eartips (S, 2xM, L).

Underneath this top box is a mounting foam sheet holding the IEMs faceplate-up, and a box containing the zippered carry case. The carry case is on the small side, made of dark grey leather embossed with the Tanchjim logo in black. The carry case will fit the IEMs with either of the included cables, but if you use a bulkier braided aftermarket cable with the Oxygens you will likely need a larger carry case. The two included cables are stored underneath the foam mounting sheet.

BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN
The Tanchjim Oxygen’s housings are polished dark grey stainless-steel slabs in the shape of a heavily rounded right triangle. The machining and polish are impeccable. The left and right faceplates bear the model name and manufacturer’s logo in black. The standard .78mm 2-pin cable connections are flush with the housing on the forward-facing side of the IEM. “Tanchjim Oxygen” and “L/R” is written on the inner surface of the housing in silver. The forward-swept short nozzles protrude from the bottom corner of the housing. The serial number is written in silver around the nozzle of the right earpiece.

Each earpiece has two circular vents, one above the nozzle on the inner side of the housing, and one on the rear-facing side. There is no driver flex, but I did experience diaphragm popping upon first insert in the first day of using the Oxygens. This only occurred while using dual-flange eartips. The nozzles have substantial lips, which facilitated use with a wide variety of eartips.


The 2-pin connections are snug and secure, but are slightly recessed, limiting alternative cable options. The mic’d cable is encased in a black rubbery sheath, while the OFC silver plated cable is enclosed within a clear plastic sheath. Both cables have straight 3.5mm terminations, use pre-formed plastic ear-guides, and have blue or red dots on the 2-pin housings to indicate left or right. The silver cable has a choker, but the mic’d cable does not. The silver-plated cable is flexible but does have minor microphonics. The mic’d cable is more microphonic than the silver-plated cable. Neither cable is prone to tangling. The pause control on the mic’d cable works as intended, but the +/- volume controls trigger an increase or decrease to maximum or minimum volume rather than a single volume step change. I did not have the opportunity to test mic call quality before writing this review.

COMFORT / FIT / ISOLATION


The Tanchjim Oxygen is intended to be worn cable-up only. The Oxygen has a shallow insertion depth and the housings are on the small side, but because the cross-section of the Oxygen is more aesthetic-focused than ergonomic I did experience some discomfort after prolonged wear over the course of several weeks.

Extensive tip rolling is essential. For me, getting a secure fit and a good seal was troublesome with any but the largest conventional silicone eartips. I settled on using Sony Hybrid type tips, which are made of a grippier material than most eartips. Double or triple flange eartips will also work. Noise isolation is average for a single dynamic driver design.

SOUND
The Tanchjim Oxygen has a cool, neutral-ish tuning with an emphasis on presence, detail, and clarity.

The Oxygen has accurate, insistent bass. The well-extended sub-bass is slightly elevated compared to the mid-bass. The mid-bass is impactful yet precise and does not bleed into the lower mids at all. Bass comes across as textured despite the restrained presentation. There is some rumble but little slam. Bass articulation is lightning-quick.

The midrange tonality is dead neutral, and listeners coming from IEMs with a warmer tonality will likely find it cool. The lower mids are recessed compared to the upper mids, but male vocals are crystal clear. Both male and female vocals can overshadow instruments in the lower midrange. Female vocals are vibrant without being sibilant. There is enough presence to render detail and grit convincingly, but not so much that the IEMs are inherently harsh.

The treble is crisp and energetic with ample air and sparkle. Transients are very natural sounding. Resolution is outstanding but unforgiving to poorly recorded sources. Instrument separation is superb. Soundstage is small compared to hybrid or multi-BA designs but compares well to other single dynamic designs. The Oxygen is the first IEM I have heard that has “holographic” imaging.

MEASUREMENTS


My measurements were conducted with a Dayton iMM-6 microphone using a vinyl tubing coupler and a calibrated USB sound interface. The measurements use a compensation file derived from comparing my raw measurements with Crinacle’s published measurements. The measurements are presented with 1/24th smoothing. There is a resonant peak at 8k. Measurements above 10k are not reliable.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING
With a sensitivity of 110dB and an impedance of 32ohms, the Tanchjim Oxygen can be driven to comfortable listening volumes with a smartphone or dongle but will benefit from the additional headroom provided by a dedicated source if one wants to listen at high volumes. I did not notice hiss with any of my sources.

COMPARISONS
Tanchjim Oxygen [$270] vs Nicehck M6 (brass filter) [$94]


The Oxygen has much more extended sub-bass. The Oxygen’s bass is faster, better articulated and is much less boomy. The M6 has more textured bass. The M6 has more slam than the Oxygen. Even with the brass filter, the M6 has more midbass bleed than the Oxygen.

The M6 has a warmer, less recessed lower midrange, and a more aggressive upper midrange. The M6 has more intimate midrange, while the Oxygen creates more space between the listener and vocals. The M6 is more prone to harshness and sibilance.

The M6’s lower treble is elevated compared to the Oxygen. The M6 has more sparkle but less air. The Oxygen has more realistic transients. The M6’s treble is splashy in comparison.

The Oxygen is more detailed and resolving. The M6 has a much larger soundstage. The Oxygen has better instrument separation and more precise imaging. The M6 is slightly easier to drive.

The Oxygen has a more premium unboxing experience and a greater variety of eartips. The Oxygen includes two cable variants and a higher quality case, but the case included with the M6 is larger. The M6 is tunable via swappable filters.

Tanchjim Oxygen [$270] vs Simgot EM1 [$60]


Despite the price difference between the two, the Oxygen and the EM1 have similar frequency responses. The Simgot EM1 has slightly better sub-bass extension. The Oxygen’s bass is faster and better articulated.

The two IEMs are nearly identical in frequency response between 40hz and 4000hz, where after the EM1 exhibits a pronounced 5k peak. With that said, the EM1 has a warmer midrange tonality and a slightly brittle timbre compared to the Oxygen.

The Oxygen has more air than the EM1. The Oxygen is significantly more detailed and resolving.

The EM1 has a slightly wider soundstage, but the Oxygen has better imaging and much better instrument separation. The EM1 is easier to drive.

The Oxygen is more comfortable but the EM1 sits more securely in the ear. The EM1 has a venting issue that the Oxygen does not have. The EM1 has a more premium unboxing experience and a similar variety of included eartips but does not include a real zippered carry case. I prefer the braided cable that comes with the EM1 to either of the cables included with the Oxygen.

CLOSING WORDS


The Tanchjim Oxygen is a lightning-quick, highly resolving IEM with outstanding instrument separation and imaging. However, the unboxing experience is underwhelming given the more premium packaging of IEMs which cost less than 1/3rd of the price of the Oxygen, and while the design and finish of the IEMs themselves are astonishing, the cables are disappointing at this price point. Commendable from a performance standpoint but not the best value in IEMs.

6 Likes

My Tripowin TP10 review is now up on my blog as well.

2 Likes