TinHifi from China needs no more introduction ever since they made their debut with the infamous T2 in 2017 that is beloved in the audiophile community for their excellence in sound quality along with a wallet friendly price tag that helped launch the company into fame. Since then, the T2 has branched off to different variations such as the T2Pro and the T2Plus that are also very well received by the community garnering great respect for their sound that punches way above its price range. With their current high-end releases such as the P1, T5 and their flagship P2 Plus, they have been actively pursuing audio perfection with their products ever since. In spite of all those new models being made, TinHifi has decided to extend the lineage and bring back the glory of the T2 series by releasing an all new professional tuning with the same ‘tank’ design while staying true to their root philosophy of a more accessible price point. TinHifi has kindly sent us a pair of the T2EVO in exchange for an honest take and we thanked them for this opportunity. Will the T2EVO be another hit for TinHifi in today’s stacked arena of in-ear monitors? We shall find out.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the TinHifi T2EVO :
- Aviation-grade aluminum alloy cavities.
- 10mm Carbon molecule composite diaphragm dynamic driver unit.
- Bright, Energetic sound tuning.
- Comfortable wearing experience.
- Gold-plated MMCX connectors.
- 5N 8-core OFC silver-plated cable.
- Impedance: 32Ω±15%.
- Sensitivity: 93±3dB@1kHz.
- Frequency response: 10Hz-20kHz.
- Rated Power: 3mW.
- Max Power: 5mW.
- Max distortion: 1%@1kHz.
- 3.5mm straight termination plug.
Retail Price & Where To Get
The TinHifi T2EVO can be purchased at TinHiFi’s Aliexpress Official Store :
TinHifi Aliexpress Official Store
Packaging & Accessories
The T2EVO packaging is similar to all the T2 series by looks and it is simplistic and also quite basic but they have now included a TinHifi black fabric pouch, a first in the T2 line. Inside we will find the T2EVO IEM, an 8 core MMCX cable, a pair of blue foam ear-tips, 3 pairs of rubber ear-tips with different sizes, the manual and the warranty card.
It is packed quite minimalistic and accessories include the basics to bring down the cost price, thus focusing on the product itself, which matters the most in my opinion.
Design
Staying true to the classic T2, the T2EVO has brought back the ‘tank’ bullet style design that can be worn over the ear or cable down by reversing the earphone sides and i really prefer this type of design versus the over ear T2Plus as they bring more versatility in the wearing option while having an easier insertion into the ear canal. The T2EVO feels solidly built and they are quite light in weight as they are made from aluminium. Being a bullet style insertion I do find them quite comfortable and can be worn all day without any stress being put in and on my ears. Front of the earphones nozzle is a metal meshed cover to prevent dust from entering. At the back of the earphones we can find a ‘smiley’ line added that is coloured blue and red for left and right indicators.
Cable included is rather thin but it is very well made with a decent plastic ball chin slider. The MMCX plugs also have a red and blue colour plastic tip for left and right indicator and they are very tight on certain cables. The tight MMCX may be a problem to some users but I do find it good as they are sturdy and provide a solid connection. The 3.5mm plug is gold plated and has a straight termination. Though being thin, the cable is flexible, robust and sounds great even for my other earphones.
Gears Used for Comparisons
- FiiO M11Plus LTD
- RHA L1 Dacamp
- Hidizs S9 Pro
- FiiO Q5 with AM3D THX amp module
- Beyerdynamics Xelento
- Intime Kira
- Moondrop A8
- Tanchjim Tanya
- Moondrop Quarks
- Venture Electronics Bonus IE
- Blon A8 Prometheus
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The T2EVO inherit the fun sound of the classic T2 lineage with a boosted treble and a deeper, more slam in their bass department. It has a mild ‘V’ shaped, almost neutral-bright sound signature with an elevated treble performance giving an energetic sound that is quite smooth without any harshness. It has a hint of wamness present in their tone, making it a pleasant performer with most music. The treble boost is quite significant from the classic T2 but it is not as piercing as the old T2 and the bass is very well tuned while the midrange is flat but still present. Overall, they are a fun pair of earphones that is a smooth all-rounder in my opinion.
Soundstage
Soundstage of the T2EVO has a rather intimate feel to it. Height on the T2EVO has a decent height to it but the width is rather close and they are rather intimate and ‘in your face’ kind of sound. Music sounded quite airy with this T2EVO and they are quite an emotional performer but at times they may sound boxy especially on live performances.
Separation and Timbre
Separation and timbre of the T2EVO is excellent and better than its predecessor, T2. Though being bright, instruments and vocals sounded crystal clear without any veil or harshness. They are able to sound right without any congestion on busy tracks such as EDM or metal songs. Timbre is quite accurate and they do not sound metallic or plasticky in their sound presentation. Layering is great with micro details rather present especially in their treble.
Drivability
Rated at only 32ohms, the T2EVO is easily driven by any source and they are not picky with sources and power. With bigger power and better DACs, I do find them slightly better but not a night and day difference as they do not scale up significantly with sources. They are quite forgiving on poorly mastered tracks and low resolution files will sound decent as well as lossless tracks.
The Bass (Low)
Bass on the T2EVO is great as they have a good slam without sounding too boomy or too hollow. They sounded great with EDM and provided a very energetic performance in the music. Bass has a mid bass boost to it with decent sub-bass extension making it sound quite deep. They certainly won’t satisfy bass-head users out there as I find the low end amount just right and they do not sound too powerful. Details and clarity are great in the bass department and they do not bleed into the mids. Bass has a slight roll-off and is sometimes overpowered by the huge treble quantity but the bass is still present in most music.
The Mids
The midrange of the T2EVO is very slightly recessed and has a neutral taste to it. The midrange performance is slightly thin but they are present in every music played. They have an emphasis in their mid to high region making it a brighter set of earphones. Vocals sounded okay but sometimes it may sound thin especially on male vocals but they perform well with female vocals. There is a mild hollowness in their midrange but they are not severe to the point of an emotionless sound. Details and clarity in the midrange is good and they perform quite well without any cloudiness.
The Highs
The high range of the T2EVO has a big emphasis to it and is the dominant signature of this set. It reaches quite high but they manage to sound smooth without any excessive peakiness or shoutiness to it. They are borderline to be sibilant but somehow manage to sound smooth and coherent. This signature might deter treble sensitive users out there but they sounded great to my ears as I am a treble freak in nature. The highs have a sparkly and crisp performance to it and they extend very well giving the T2EVO an airy and energetic treble. Hissing is very minimal but due to their amount of treble, they might cause some fatigue in higher volume but in normal volume they are fine to me. To my ears, they sounded quite unique and the treble performance here is rare especially in their price range besting most of their counterparts.
Comparisons
VS Intime Kira
Intime Kira is an earphone from a boutique earphone company from Japan and the Kira are known for their superb treble performance with a great price for a Japanese made earphones. They are priced 3 times the price of the T2EVO but they have their similarities especially in the treble department.
The High region on both the units has the same quantity and quality. The Kira sounded crispier and smoother overall. The T2EVO treble s slightly more edgy but they both sounded airy and smooth
Midrange of the Kira is slightly more present and clearer with better separation on the Kira. T2EVO midrange are slightly more recessed than the Kira but both have the transparency and details level the same.
Bass on the T2EVO is bigger and more present with them sounding deeper. Sub-bass on the T2EVO is also more audible than the slightly thin bass on the Kira. Bass on the Kira has a sharper slam than the boomier bass of the T2EVO.
Soundstage of the Kira is wider but height is almost the same as the T2EVO.
Overall, they sounded eerily similar but Kira has the edge by sounding more accurate and has a more balanced midrange performance.
VS Blon A8 Prometheus
A rather similar price range of the both with A8 has a slightly more expensive retail price. The A8 sounded more balanced of the pair but both sounded very energetic and fun to listen to. T2EVO is brighter while the A8 is warmer and thicker sounding.
Bass both has the same quantity with A8 bass sounding sharper and T2EVO’s bass boomier with more sub-bass presence.
Midrange on the A8 is thicker and has a more forward presentation. Details on the T2EVO midrange are better but clarity on both is similar. A8 midrange has a better presence than the slight hollow mids of the T2EVO.
High range on the T2EVO has the edge in quantity and quality. T2EVO treble is more present and they are more airy than the A8. The T2EVO treble is crispier and more energetic than the slight neutral treble in the A8. A8’s highs are smoother to listen to compared to the T2EVO
Soundstage on the A8 is ever so slightly better than mostly similar in height and width
VS Moondrop Quarks
The recent release from the legendary Moondrop the they are very cheap but not in sound quality and build. They are a harman tuned with a neutral tone to it. Build wise the T2EVO has the edge as they are made from aluminium versus the plastic mould of the Quarks and also cable is removable on the T2EVO.
Bass on the T2EVO has a better presence especially in the sub-bass region and they possess more impact in their decay. Bass on the Quarks has a better texture but the bass of the T2EVO is more energetic and fun to listen to.
Midrange of the Quarks has a more forward presence with a thicker tone. Clarity on the midrange is rather similar but midrange on the T2EVO is more airy than the Quarks.
Highs on the T2EVO have better quantity and quality. Though having more treble, the T2EVO managed to sound less shouty than the Quarks. Clarity is similar but the T2EVO highs is crispier and have more air in their presentation
Soundstage in the T2EVO is better with deeper and wider effect in their performance while the Quarks sounded somehow very small maybe due to their closed vent system.
Synergy
FiiO M11Plus LTD
The latest iteration of the M11 series with better sound and design equipped with a pair of now rare AKM4497eq DAC chips and a pair of THX amplifier modules. They sounded very clean and warm to begin with and they pair very well with the T2EVO giving them a warmer and smoother tone to it. Bass on the T2EVO with this pairing has a better extension and resolution in their presentation, giving the bass more body while retaining the high impact. Midrange has become slightly thicker with a more forward presence making a less hollow sound in their midrange. Highs remain the same with a high treble quantity but has a smoother decay to it. Treble is better extended giving a more crisp performance to an already crisp treble in the T2EVO. Soundstage has widened out a little with a better height as well. Overall it is a good pairing giving a more accurate sound profile while retaining the joyful sound of the T2EVO.
RHA L1 Dacamp
RHA L1 is a DAC amp that is very versatile that gives the users the option of a treble and bass switch to adjust to the user’s preference. It has a clear and wide sound signature to it and gives the T2EVO a better resolution and clarity overall to their presentation. In this setup I would put the treble at 1 and the bass at +1. Bass has a more forward presence and the impact is tighter and sharper. Midrange on the T2EVO has thickens and sounded thicker overall but still a little recessed. High range has the same quantity but the high range sounded fuller and thicker. Treble still remained in quantity but has a more airy and a better extension while sounding a little smoother with no harshness. Soundstage has a better holographic feel to it but size remains the same.
Who Is It For?
For treble lovers out there, the T2EVO is certainly a performer in their treble region giving out a high quality and quantity of treble in their performance found nowhere in their price range. It is a unique type of V shaped signature that sounded very energetic and fun. It is suitable for music enjoyment but not really recommended for critical listening. Bass is adequate and might suit mainstream music and users but not for hardcore basshead out there. For those who are a fan of the classic T2, the T2EVO sure is an upgrade over the T2 with a more jovial feel to it’s signature.
Final words
The T2EVO is certainly a performer especially in their treble region and they do require some initial burn-in. Though the midrange is slightly hollow, they managed to sound presentable with great clarity. Soundstage in my opinion can be improved with a wider sound but on the other hand, the T2EVO sounded intimate giving a more emotional feel in the music. The T2EVO might deter treble sensitive users as the treble can be hot on high volume and fast tracks like metal or rock genre but to me, they are smooth and very energetic without sounding too peaky or shouty. Sibilance is kept in control and they sounded very crisp while possessing a great sparkle. They sounded very unique from the usual harman target curve and their price tag is accesibles to most users out there. They are built with the same pedigree of the famed T2 and certainly an upgrade in their performance while retaining the same classic design that is durable and comfortable. And lastly, they are a great pair of earphones that manage to catch my heart and ears. Hats off to the team of TinHIfi for the T2EVO.
I would rate this product a solid 
(4 / 5)
