TinHiFi T2 Plus review

Sound performance

My main sources were: FiiO M5 / FiiO M3 Pro  / iBasso DX160 / Chord Mojo. Those were – nearly – the same sources I used when I reviewed the T2, T3 and T4, so it’ll be easier to compare the newcomer to the previous models.

As usual, files were played from Qobuz / Spotify, or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, so you can try it at home too !

Overall signature

To no one surprise, the new T2 Plus sounds a lot like a shoehorned T4.

Like the T2/T3, the bass is a bit too shy, and you don’t get the same kick. But, highs and mids are nearly as good as the one you get on the T4, with sparkling details from low, to high volume. Head to head, this is a big improvement compared to prior models, and I’d easily top the T2 Plus above the T3 in that regard.

The soundstage is fairly wide, helped by those crisp mid-highs. On Feel good from Maribou states, I could easily pinpoint each instrument and pan-effect. Obviously, it’s not as potent as the T4 or the P1, but again, it definitely feels superior to the previous T2/T3. My main regret is missing the T2 Pro for comparison as that would have been a fair competition between the two models.

The sole 10 mm driver makes a wonderful job. The layering is excellent and honestly, if no one tells you, you may never believe that that tiny IEM only less than 60 bucks. Crisp mids? Check. Clean highs? Check. Shy lows … Check. Take a T4, dampen the bass, and you get a T2 Plus.

There are no sibilants, but there is a clear emphasis on high-mids, around 6-8kHz. Transients feel fast and it would easily compete with balanced drivers, even paired with a phone. It’s very much like the T4, signature-wise, but never as good on every other aspect.

To my surprise, the T2 plus were super sensitive to the source I chose to use. With my iPad, it sounded good but not really superior to the T2 and T3. Sure, there were more details and a wider soundstage, but nothing enough to justify the “plus” label. Although once paired with the Chord Mojo – my trusty one – things were quite different. 

The sound became sharper, cleaner, and simply put, better. Wider soundstage, thicker lows, rich details, and unlike the T4 and P1, the T2 Plus didn’t trade musicality for accuracy. It’s never synthetic and even if transients get faster, it’s never uncanny. Voices are poised, drums feel real and everything seems to take place naturally. 

In that regard, I think TinHifi made the right choice and found the sweet spot for this new model. In fact, after the TinHifi P1, the T2 Plus was the most “natural-sounding” one in the brand catalog. It’s not amazing, but it’s definitely good and at least better than its “regular” counterpart.

Last but not least, if you can go balanced, do it. I tried it with the DC01 from iBasso and for less than 100$, you won’t find anything that sounds this wide, yet so natural. It’s a magic match and one of the best combos I tried this year, in terms of bang-for-a-buck.

Tonality

Highs: clean hit. The TinHifi T2 Plus, were great on that aspect. Everything sounds sharp and fast, even with small DAP as the FiiO M3 Pro. Obviously, if you hook on a middle-to-high tier source, things get even better, but would you pair an iBasso DX160 with a $60 IEM? That’s the question.  

Good test-track: Night Drive – Laura Misch

Mediums: spacious and clear. The soundstage is amazing and transients are crazy sharp, which translates into dashing mids. Jazz and vocal tracks feel just right, and for an IEM this cheap, I was surprised to hear details usually hidden, now in plain sight.

Good test-track: How deep is the ocean – Diana Krall

Bass: fast but shy. Like the TinHifi T2/T3 lows are nowhere near of what the T4 delivers. Even when paired with my FiiO M15, I couldn’t get the “oomph” I needed to get my daily kick of bass. And it’s even worse with foam tips, so if you’re a bass-head, you should check other models.

Good test-track: Time – Solee

Sensitivity / Hiss

Impedance is low, sensitivity correct. This makes the TinHifi T2 Plus easy to drive. They are sensitive to hiss so choose your source carefully.

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