TINHIFI C2 MECHA WARRIOR: Shining, Shimmering, Sparkling

"Mecha genre is a kind of science fiction literature that revolves around mechanical robots, mostly humanoid-types. It has become an integral part of anime culture ever since and it also inspires some advances on engineering of Japan's robotics industry."

This is my second review article for TINHIFI, and we in audio enthusiast scene already know the reputation of TINHIFI and its contribution in the history of the Chi-Fi movement with their venerable, TINHIFI/TIN AUDIO T2. With their years of experience in audio manufacturing, they are very knowledgeable the current trend in audio scene and decide to release a product that will be more appealing to most listeners.

Presenting TINHIFI C2 Mecha Warrior, TINHIFI's answer to ever-changing, more fiercer competitive product in entry-level segment in the current audio market as the under $100 keeps evolving the quality of tuning might challenge the realm of midrange segment. TINHIFI C2 has a single driver setup and it was housed in a lightweight aviation-grade aluminium CNC milling process to ensures uniformity in quality and structural integrity.

The type of transducer that was in C2 is a 10mm dynamic driver with a hybrid composite diaphragm consisting of Polyurethane (PU) and Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) in a dual cavity design. These hybrid composite will deliver a very responsive, more sensitive sound with lower rate of distortion. The CNC-milled aluminium shell chassis takes some inspiration from design cues from Campfire Audio Andromeda then combines it with some design elements inspired from a mecha design. Since the T2 DLC, TINHIFI has changed its preferred type of connector and it was also implemented on C2 , a 0.78mm 2-pin connector.

Fitting-wise, it is quite comfortable and inserts well into my lug holes without any discomfort. The choice of its shell design gives me some uneasy glance due to its outline edges but it proves me wrong, it doesn't hurt my lug holes at all. It has a decent sealing that blocks some noises from the outside surroundings.

As for product packaging, TINHIFI takes rather a more simple and logical inclusions but might be too spartan for its given price.  It was packed in a white-coloured square small box with a brand, product model and a mecha illustration at the front, some basic specs at the right side and company address with some QR codes at the rear.

Here are the following inclusions in the box:

■ TINHIFI C2 IEMs

■ SPC parallel wired stock cable with an L-shaped termination plug.

■  5 pairs of extra black ear tips in different sizes.

■  Contact card

■ Instruction manual/ warranty card

TINHIFI C2 is an easy to drive one that a decent output source will amplify this set very well with good dynamic range and amplitude.

Like the TINHIFI T2 DLC, C2 takes a U-shaped sound signature as it has an emphasis on lows and highs and a bit recessed midrange in the overall frequency range spectrum. It exhibits a bright and crisp tonality that detail retrieval will absolutely love.

LOWS/BASS:

C2 has rather a tighter, penetrating and solid bass response. It has a more sub bass-focus tuning that gives a substantial deep with a perceived rumbling and reverberation on every single bass track that I'm throwing either Synth-pop or old school Hip-hop ones as I clearly hear those synthesisers and electronic drums.

Mid bass somehow has an enough texture that it doesn't sound wobbly and too malleable in my liking. It gives a rumbling and resonant sound on bass kicks, a more rasping and broad sound on bass guitars and sufficient deep and gravelly vocal quality on bass-baritones. All I can say is that the bass register remains clean and well-separated as I don't hear any frequency smudging across the overall sound spectrum.

MIDRANGE:

As expected to a U-shaped sound signature, it is in a tad notch in the overall presentation. It has a balanced texture on both vocals and instrument. It seems that it gives more definition on female vocals than male ones as it has crisp and clarity in it. Females voices in different vocal types and pitch has this regal and silvery feel but I have some fuss about, most vocals even the males have  this characteristic that it has some occurrences of being coarse grained and raspy that I find it a bit unrefined in my hearing. Male vocals have this gruffness at the same time resonant sounding.

Regarding instruments, Strings like guitars (acoustic or electric) and violin have this crisp, lingering and vivid sound. Brass like trombones, trumpets and horns have this brassy, intense and metallic sounding. Woodwinds like flute and saxophone has a bright, brilliance and a tad of shrillness on them. Percussive like snares have this clattering and penetrating effect on every strike. Toms and field drums alike seem to have full and sonorous sound while marimba l has this resonant and lustrous sound. Celeste takes a bell-like and glistening to add more that "heaven-like" sound and lastly, the Piano sounds rather bright and vivid like most modern ones which I find a bit exaggerated.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

Treble of TINHIFI C2 is bright, somewhat velvety and with a modest amount of air on it. It does have some noticeable raise and peaks on the frequency response between presence up to brilliance treble region. As I mentioned about the raspiness on vocals. It does exhibit some grainess and a tad of grattiness in general but here's some interesting snippet, the sibilance is well-controlled and smoothen up a bit.

Cymbals have a shimmer and a good amount of sizzle but there are some occasions that it exhibits being splashy but it isn't really a major concern to me at all, just a quibbling matter. Hi-hats seem to have a very distinct sound, a dry and shortened soughing sound. It also has a good amount of air on it to add better harmonics.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

In overall sound field dimensions, soundstage width appears to be above average with its perceived spaciousness, it has good height but depth is an interesting case on this one as I find it variably immersive and can't fathom the perceived distance between front to back.

Imaging performs decently it projects the basic gradual panning from left to right which makes a stereo experience on the C2 very compelling. Separation and layering on this set seems fine as I hear a decent spacing of instruments and vocals then at the same time, a distinctive placement of frequency and dynamics of specific instruments and vocal tone that playing instrumental score track carry it out properly.

Coherency of this set is quite impressive given how fast the drivers of this one perform homogeneously. As for timbre, they are rather on the bright side given how it was tuned.

As for resolution capabilities, due its tuning, it has an edgier definition on micro-details with a solid macro-dynamics as it has a substantial in note weight presentation.

PEER COMPARISONS:

KIWI EARS CADENZA

● They are the closest possible match-up, both are at almost the same price bracket and also the same single DD implementation but transducer tech's are quite different, Cadenza uses a beryllium-coated diaphragm compared to a composite one of the C2.

● They are in the same playing field when it comes to the tonal curve, both have U-shaped sound signatures. Cadenza takes more natural and perhaps a tad warmer to have a "safer" t une due to a laid back nature, it has less shimmer and less air compared to C2 and yet it has a more cleaner presentation.

● Technicalities-wise, Cadenza has a mere average performance, as it has a narrower sound/speaker stage, mediocre separation and layering. Resolution definition is rather blunted but on timbre, Cadenza executes it in a very organic manner.

TRIPOWIN CENCIBLE:

● Another product that is one of the contenders of C2, same single DD set-up but diaphragm is a graphene one, Shell housing is different as Cencible's shell was made of resin.

● Even in tonality, they are strikingly similar, taking a bright U-shaped sound profile. Cencible has more prominent mid bass while C2 is focus in sub bass, both midrange have similar balanced texture, but Cencible has a tad more warmth, vocals are slightly cleaner though it has some instances of being too shouty. Trebles of both products perform similarly as they have both a shimmer and modest amount of air on the brilliance region.

● Technicalities are also similar with exception of separation and layering as Cencible performs this area in a mediocre manner as there are some complex instrumental tracks that Cencible sounds a bit congested and disordered.

TINHIFI seems aggressive recently in releasing products in the entry-level segment. Along with C3 which I will review later and T4 which I don't have right. I am still thinking and trying to process it out why this company took this direction to market their products in a simultaneous manner at the same price bracket which is under US$50/£41.

For sure that TINHIFI C2 will have its supporters and critics on how it was tuned. But for me, C2 is decently tuned with some good technical performance for its asking price but to market it at an already very competitive IEM market, especially on a price category under US$50/£41, C2's appeal to new audio enthusiasts is quite uncertain.

TINHIFI C2 Mecha Warrior is now available in KEEPHIFI, you can check it out HERE (Non-affiliate link).

It is also available at LINSOUL, Just click HERE. (Non-affiliate link)

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TINHIFI C2 MECHA WARRIOR

IMPEDANCE: 32Ω

SENSITIVITY: 104dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 20KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M

PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm, 4.4mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER

PROS:

△ Shell chassis are made of aluminium alloy so the assurance of durability is solid.

△ Affordable for its asking price.

△ Well-done bass response.

△ Good detail retrieval.

△ Impressive technical performance for a single DD set.

△ Crisp and bright sounding.

CONS:

▽ Not the best stock cable as it quite look cheap, quality is comparable to some ultra-budget segment sets.

▽ Barebones inclusions.

▽ Unrefined treble response due to noticeable graininess and granular sound on the said part frequency response, so  treble-sensitives should beware on this set.

Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

Lauren Christy – Steep *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to TINHIFI nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to LINSOUL and also KEEPHIFI for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity towards me and other reviewers.