Introduction
Collaboration is a hot thing now in the audiophile scene where brands are teaming up with reviewers to fine tune their product and what is rarely seen is a collaboration of 2 big brands of the industry to create something unique, that was what Tangzu and See Audio had done. They have joined hands in creating what is possibly a masterful tuned in-ears along with a now classic design of Tangzu’s ShiminLi and created a ShiminLi Encounter edition. Now painted in bright blood moon red and lavishly packaged, they promised a better sound performance that will captivate users out there. Tangzu and See Audio along with Angel Dac Audio Store China have kindly sent us a pair for an honest review and we are truly grateful. How will they fare in this price point? Will this collaboration take off? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Tangzu x See Audio ShiminLi Encounter;
- Driver: 10mm Carbon Nano Dynamic Driver Unit.
- THD+N: <5%.
- Sensitivity: 111dB
- Impedance: 20Ω.
- Channel Difference: 1dB
- Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz.
- Connectors: 0.78mm 2-pin connectors 3.5mm termination
- Cable Type: 4 core twist-braid OFC
- Designed & Tuned in a collaboration with See Audio
- 5-Axis CNC machined metallic ear shells.
- Newly developed 10mm Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver Unit.
- High-quality Carbon Nano Diaphragm.
- Powerful N52 Neodymium Magnets.
- New Baked Pain Process Blood Moon Finish.
Retail Price & Where to Get
The ShiminLi Encounter can be purchased at
AliExpress：https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805040935057.html
LAZADA :
https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i4488593564.html
Also do visit Angel Dac Audio store for more products and promotions
Twitter：https://twitter.com/AngeldacAudio
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging of the ShiminLi Encounter is actually a mix of uniqueness, simplicity and exclusivity blended well together. Its manga theme is actually one of the boldest designs that is rather a little too much for me but might attract others. It has a “Rinko” theme front packaging that is a manga character that is See Audio’s character.
Inside we will be greeted with a polishing cloth, also Rinko themed, and a premium packaged product that showcases their bright, deep redness of the in-ears themselves. It oozes with a full fledged premium feel.
Then we will find 6 pairs of Kbear 07 and 08 eartips, a leather soft case, a high quality twisted cable, a lucky draw scratch card and of course the in-ears itself. Overall, very well packaged and totally worth the asking price in their packaging department.
Design
The design of the ShiminLi Encounter has a similar design shape, with hexagon dragon scales type shapes on the faceplate like the original ShiminLi but with an eye-catching blood moon red that is unique as there are very few, if not none, other in-ears that have this colour. It is made from metal and has a baked color process that will lower the chance of paint chips.
The front nozzle is the same metal in gold along with a metal mesh. There are 2 vent holes on the in-ears where 1 is situated near the nozzle and another on the front faceplate. No driver flex is present here and they seal pretty well for a vented in-ears
The ShiminLi Encounter is driven with an all new 10mm carbon nanotubes driver with a N52 magnet.
The cable included is an all black 1.2 meter, 4 core high quality OFC copper cable with a 3.5mm termination along with the standard 2 pin 0.78mm plugs. The plugs, slider and y-splitter is made from metal. The cable itself is quite thick and flexible but they are somewhat a little rubbery and sticky to the touch.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
Questyle M15
Hidizs S9 Pro
Truthear Shio
LetShuoer D13
FloAudio Lily
TinHifi P1Max Panda
Tanchjim Tanya
Rose Technics QT9 MK2
Hidizs MD4
Dunu EST112
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The ShiminLi Encounter is a balanced warm set that has a good transparency and energy along with a musically fun sound signature with decent technicalities. It has great bass and treble extension without any major recessed midrange while producing a fun warm sound reproduction. The ShiminLi Encounter is tuned towards a more intimate sound that makes music lusher and more enjoyable. There is a slight coloration to their midrange but it doesn’t make the music unnatural.
Soundstage
The ShiminLi Encounter has an average soundstage and this area certainly isn’t their strength. They have a rather small width and height but not to the point of being claustrophobic but for music but they do lack some headroom. Air on the other hand is decent, especially in their bass and high regions but in a rather small soundstage. You do have great intimacy in their sound making music sound closer to you and more involved.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is great here as they are a single dynamic driver doing all the job and they seem to work pretty well across all frequencies without any major gaps. Their left to right separation is also great but they lack width in this region. They have a natural timbre that is smooth sounding along with an accurate dynamic sound signature that gives music a lush sound.
Drivability
Rated at 20 ohms with a 111db sensitivity, they are easily driven and a simple setup like a dongle is sufficient and perform at their best with a great DAC/amplifier, dedicated DAP or any more powerful source. Their scalability is big and a simple setup will not show their true potential. They are also not forgiving with the type of files played as they are quite revealing in flaws and they do perform better with well mastered tracks with higher bitrates like DSD or MQA with better resolution and details being displayed.
The Bass (Low)
The bass on the ShiminLi Encounter is actually one of their strengths in terms of quality with a little bit of quantity as well. While they do have the quantity, they are insufficient for bassheads as they are tuned towards a pure linear bass response with a minor lift in their mid bass. The bass has a good authority presence producing an energetic attack with a tight slam along with good details and clarity. Bass texture is average here as they might sound lacking in body at genres such as hip-hop or EDM. Sub-bass amount is good with an extension that is quite deep along with a decent rumble and they do possess some air here which makes their sub-bass perform more realistic. Bass bleed here is non-existent which is great for complex and bass heavy genres. Overall I do find the bass performance here rather pleasing as they are not overpowered while still having the presence when called upon and their sub-bass is pleasantly extended.
The Mids
The midrange here is a neutral midrange that is quite flat without any major recesses and they have a slight warmth to their presentation. It has good clarity and details in their midrange but resolution here is rather mediocre for their asking price. Macro and micro details here are average but in their price segment, they are acceptable. It has a borderline thin sound that might make certain vocals sound distant and lacking some body but nothing major here. Male and female vocals sounded accurate and natural with an intimate presentation but male vocals do sound a little lackluster as they are thin at times. Overall, their midrange is a hit or miss as they might sound thin and not competitively resolving on certain music but on the other hand, they are lush, intimate and possess good clarity in their presentation.
The Highs
The high range in my opinion is another strength of the ShiminLi Encounter as they are a neutral high range with great clarity and details with superb brilliance for a dynamic driver. They have a superb sparkle with a crisp decay making music quite enjoyable and fun. They are a little shouty on high volume but they are still able to sound smooth at the high range along with great energy and good brilliance. Resolution here is also great with the highs and they sound lively without any dullness. Treble on the other hand is slightly intense and they may sound a tad metallic on certain bright sources but they are still acceptable as they are not as bad as some certain balanced armature in-ears metallic sheen. Overall, I do enjoy the high range here and they are an improvement over the original ShiminLi as they are smoother, crisper and not as peaky as the original ones.
Comparisons
VS Letshuoer D13
The Letshuoer D13 is a single DLC dynamic in-ears that in my opinion has technically inclined sound that punches above their price range. They are slightly pricier than the Encounter and have tuning nozzles option to play with.
The high range on the Encounter has better presence with livelier sparkle and they are crisper. Details are on par with each other but the D13 has better resolution and sounded more natural.
Midranges on the D13 sounded thicker and more balanced overall while the Encounter sounded clearer with better transparency. Resolution on the D13 is slightly better.
Bass quantity on both of these pairs is similar but the Encounter has more authority in their slam and sub-bass region. Details and clarity on the D13 is better in this departure.
Soundstage on D13 is wider, taller and airier versus the rather closed, intimate sound of the Encounter.
VS FloAudio Lily
The FloAudio Lily is the latest offering from a newcomer in this audiophile segment and they are equipped with a single full range balanced armature providing a rather intimate sound with a strong bass response. They are priced slightly cheaper than the encounter.
High region on the Encounter has a stronger, crisper and livelier feel versus the rather laid-back highs on the Lily. Details and resolution is better on the Encounter but Lily sounded more natural and accurate.
Midrange on the Lily is more forward tuned and has a thicker mid-range but details and clarity is better on the Encounter. Both have clear and lush vocals but the Encounter sounds more open and has a better dynamic sound.
Bass quantity on the Lily is bigger and has a better slam to them while the Encounter has a tighter slam with better extension especially on the sub-bass region. Details and clarity on both is on par with each other. Soundstage of both is similar, which is kind of small but the Encounter has a slight edge in airiness.
Synergy
FiiO M17
The portable desktop DAP of FiiO, the M17 and they are packed with humongous driving power along with all the current high end features. Though the price range of the M17 doesn’t do justice to the Encounter, it is good to know how the Encounter scales up with great source and driving power.
The M17 is to give a cleaner bass response with an increase in their clarity and details. Sub-bass seems a little deeper with a clearer rumble along with an extended bass response.
Midrange in the Encounter sounded clearer with a more forward sound making them more enjoyable especially on vocals. Details and clarity has also increased with better definition. Somehow the midrange also sounded thicker and lusher as well. Separation has improved quite well here with better texture.
High range has better definition and sounds more natural. The slight metallic sound has almost vanished in this setup and they sounded crisper by a little. Extension on the high range is also improved.
Soundstage has improved but only a little but air has been added by a small margin.
Overall, the Encounter does scale up pretty well and they do sound remarkable with this setup with a very well balanced and natural sound while still providing a fun vibe.
Truthear Shio
The Shio from Truthear is a rather recent dongle and they are truly decent in their sound. They are equipped with dual CS43198 that is usually found in high end dongles that cost 2 or 3 times more.
Bass on the Encounter has a better, tighter impact in their slam with greater resolution. Sub-bass amount remains mostly the same but their rumble has increased slightly with a deeper extension.
Midrange has been pushed slightly forward with better clarity and details. Vocals sounded thicker and better with greater definition. Their intimacy in the midrange is increased but they still sound a little too close and their separation hasn’t improved here.
High range seems livelier with more clarity and details but their amount has been slightly toned down which can be good or not depending on your preference. Sparkle and crispness remains the same amount but possesses greater air.
Soundstage to my ears remains mostly the same. Overall, a great portable companion for the Encounter as they are able to give a more relaxed sound for them along with sufficient driving power.
Who Is It For?
The ShiminLi Encounter is suitable for those who want an intimate sound with a slightly warm sound presentation that has decent clarity and resolution. Their tuning is a balanced sound signature that has great extension in their highs and lows that will suit most of the genres out there. Their bass has a great impact with a superb extension and they are a rather pure bass that might suit light bassheads out there. Their highs are a little strong but still capable of sounding smooth overall, so treble sensitive users might find this palatable. They are not for those who want a potent ‘V’ shaped or an aggressive ‘W’ shaped sound as they are a quite well balanced set without any major emphasis on any frequencies.
Final words
With all the drama going on with this product, I would like to keep an open mind as what matters to me is the performance itself and i would gladly say that the ShiminLi Encounter is a rather good sounding set with the right eartips and cable, they sounded awesome to me as they are fun sounding with a well balanced sound signature along with a crisp highs. Their bass response is superb and with a deep sounding sub-bass, they are enjoyable for a wide range of genres. The downside is their rather intimate soundstage and they are slightly lacking in airiness. Also worth noting that their treble is a little metallic at times making some genres like pop a little unnatural. Their pricing in my opinion is quite good but competition is stiff in this price range. Their build is superb and their accessories are complete but a hard case is very much welcomed here. All being said, Tangzu and See Audio have created something special here and I am quite fond of the color scheme here.
I would rate this product 4 stars over 5 stars
Pros
- Nicely balanced signature
- Deep impactful bass
- Great sub-bass extension
- Dynamic and musical sound
- Crisp highs
- Great overall clarity
- Solid build
- Nice stock eartips(Kbear 07 & 08)
- Premium packaging
Cons
- Midrange a little thin
- Male vocals lack body
- Timbre a little unnatural
- Average resolution
- Small soundstage
- Stiff competition in this price range
- Rubbery cable
