TINHIFI C3: Just Simply Fine
TINHIFI is taking up an audacious step in releasing new models from their new line-up series, The C series in last quarter of 2022. I have previously done a review of its cheaper companion model, The TINHIFI C2: Mecha Warrior on which that I have some mixed impression about it.
This is TINHIFI C3, this serves as more of an accompaniment to the TINHIFI C2. But the C3 takes a different design philosophy and a slightly different tuning compare to its cheaper-priced sister.
Like its sister, TINHIFI C3 has the transducer set-up which is a single dynamic driver with composite materials consisting of Polyurethane (PU) and Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP). With these composite materials, this will give a more fluidity on vibrations on drivers to achieve a better transient performance and better dynamic range response. The transducers were encapsulated in a resin-like material in a UIEM-style shell chassis with a carbon-fiber finish faceplate that reminds me of a hypercar. The said resin-like material shell chassis undergoes in a 3D printing moulding process to give a best possible fitting to all ear sizes via software aid.
Another significant feature on C3 was its removable stock cable which is quite unusual within its price range. It is a solid and an yet supple 4-core silver-plated copper wiring cable in a 2-pin connector with a straight, 3.5mm termination plug which in my opinion is of up to the high quality standard.
As for fitting and comfort, with its smooth contour shell design, it perfectly match and rest well into my lug holes without any hint of discomfort and it also has a fairly good passive isolation that block external noises from outside. It is quite balanced when it comes to its weight as you will feel a solid built quality on this set.
The product packaging of TINHIFI C3 is rather simple and pretty basic by all any means. The packaging box is identical to C2 but the difference was the front design which only a model name in a stylistic huge bold font place at the center and small brand logo of TINHIFI at the top-left.
The inclusions are the following:
■ A pair of TINHIFI C3 IEMs
■ A high quality, 4-core pale silver-coloured stock cable.
■ 5 pairs of extra black ear tips in different sizes.
■ Contact card.
■ Instruction manual/ warranty card.
When it comes amplification and scalability on audio sources, TINHIFI C3 is quite versatile on handling power output as it can easily driven even by a decent power output from a smartphone as it can give a better amplitude rating and more dynamic sounding. Putting them in a quality DAC/Amps seems doesn't have any changes at all that might affects the overall sound quality as remains invariable to my lug holes.
As for tonality, it seems that TINHIFI C3 has U-shaped sound profile which has a similar sound curvature target of C2 but more balanced as it has less recession on midrange, a more emphasis on the midbass and more balanced but still noticeable raised upper midrange to presence treble.
Here are some of my observations on sound characteristics in the overall frequency range spectrum.
LOWS/BASS:
Punchy, thumpy and with a good depth level, that's my initial impression on the bass quality of TINHIFI C3. It focuses on mid bass texture than the sub bass as it has a more substantial texture on it.
It has a decent sub bass presence that I can still discerningly hear the reverberations of electronic drums, synthesisers and low tone bass guitars either from synth-pop or old school hip-hop tracks. Because of the mid bass' considerable fair amount of texture, it gives a tad warmer sound in the overall frequency range spectrum. It gives a gravelly growl on bass guitar to have sustaining and earthy sound, a thudding sound on bass kicks and a decent heft and authority on bass-baritone vocals.
MIDRANGE:
The midrange of C3 is rather a tad recess in the overall presentation but it takes pretty-well balanced, ample note weight and transparency that give vocals and instruments a more pristine and uniform sound. Both male and females vocals are benefited on ample texture that it gives an deep, authority and steely on other type of baritones and tenors then on females vocal like contralto has deep, smoky and sweet sound while soprano with high note registry has these rich, vivid and emotive sound.
When it comes to the sound quality on instruments, all classes and types of instruments seem to have an organic tonality but on strings and woodwinds, it has some added brightness on it. Let me start on percussives, snares have this penetrating and sharp sound while Toms have hard, resonant and sonorous sound. Piano has a vibrant and rich tone and Celeste has this shimmering and ethereal sound to give that heavenly vibe. Brass instruments like trumpets and trombones have an intense and brassy sound; it's somewhat overpowering. Then when it comes to woodwind instruments, flutes seem to have this brilliant and silvery sound while saxophones have these lustrous to expressively intense sounding.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
The C3 takes a more balanced approach in tuning the treble region, it has a sufficient brightness to give a crisp, shimmer and ample details on females vocals, cymbals and other mid-treble focus other percussions like glockenspiel and xylophone.
It has an emphasis on upper-mids then quite a some smoothening (probably a dip) on between presence to brilliance treble to give a less airy response on which other reviewers will translate it as roll-off on their vocabulary.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & TECHNICALITIES:
The sound/speaker stage on C3 is quite interesting as it has an above average on perceive wideness, with good height and a more balanced depth in distance between front and back. In regard of this subject, these proportion gives me a quite sense of spacious spatiality within my headroom.
Imaging is rather a two-dimensional, performing on a typical stereo panning presentation which I can able locate the placements of vocals and instrument. It has a good spacing that it has some gaps of the elements and these elements seems to have its own individual frequency and dynamics within the sonic canvas which gives a good mark on separation and layering.
Coherency-wise, the drivers perform pretty fast and responsive to deliver on such envelop performance on amplitude and modulation of sound.
On resolution capability, it has keen and sharp definition on micro-details as on macro-dynamics have tidy note weight on texture and transparent that it might give an impression to sound on the leaner side. Timbre colour seems on the natural point with just tad of brightness.
PEER COMPARISONS:
KIWI EARS CADENZA
● Both products are quite comparable in any means, from pricing to build quality though Cadenze is a bit cheaper. It also uses a proven and impressive Beryllium-coated dynamic driver on its internals.
● They have taken a similar sound profile which is U-shaped which is quite a norm in last year's profile tuning. Cadenza has warmer and richer tone but it has a less airy treble compare to C3. Its has rather a laid back sound.
● Technicalities-wise, Cadenza has just a mere average average technical performance as it has narrower soundstage, exhibits a mediocre separation and layering quality. It has also blunted definition but it has a more organic sounding on tonal colour.
TINHIFI T2 DLC
● This is a more pricey cousin of TINHIFI C3, It uses the same metal shell casing of the already familiar T2 regular. It uses a DLC drivers as its transducers.
● Both employed a U-shaped sound profile on their tonal aspect. To be honest, they sound both very similar if you don't taking more critical listening on comparing these sets but T2 DLC takes a more balanced and less recess midrange and at the same time, it has a better treble air extension.
● Technicalities-wise, they perform very similar from soundstage to timbre but on nitpicking, it seems the T2 DLC have better detail retrieval and more solid macro-dynamics.
To sum up this review, all I can say that TINHIFI C3 performs fairly well that TINHIFI deliver once again on such a product with good tonal balanced sounding with fairly valid technical performance. It is also noted that TINHIFI seems to take up the current trend of tuning which is U-shaped, Harmanish target curve with just some slight deviations on tuning that was already saturated in the under US$50/£42 price segment as other audio companies were also adopting this kind of tuning on some of their models.
I'm looking forward to other TINHIFI products in the future with different flavours of tuning that will impress me and not to utterly say "Jack of all trades, Master of none" again.
TINHIFI C3 is now currently available on KEEPHIFI, Just click the link below (Guaranteed Non-affiliate link)
And also in LINSOUL too.
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: TINHIFI C3
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 106dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER
PROS:
△ Good quality shells as it has a solid built and has smooth contours.
△ Probably one of the best IEMs when it comes to fitting and comfort .
△ Good quality stock cable.
△ A sound signature that will be probably versatile to almost known music genre.
△ Fairly good technical aspects.
△ Textured with some transparency on note definition.
CONS:
▽ Airy extension seems inadequate.
▽ For its asking price, the inclusions are a bit spartan.
▽ It has some perceptible peaks between upper mids and presence treble that treble-sensitives should be aware about it.
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 KEEPHIFI and LINSOUL providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity towards me and other reviewers.
Comments
Post a Comment