TinHifi T3 Plus Review

Sound performances

My main sources were the iFi Go Blu / EarMen Sparrow / ddHiFi TC35i. Trusted sources from trusted brands that I used extensively for the past months.

As usual, files were played from either Apple Music / Spotify or my own music library. Some tracks will be highlighted, just so you can try them home too!

Overall signature

So, how does the T3 Plus compares to the usual T3? Different, but also (way) better in many ways.

The sound is well-balanced, even if there’s a slight emphasis on the upper-range, but nothing enough to be a real bother on the long term. Dynamic range definitely improved, allowing more micro-details to shine at lower volume, and a more impactful sound at higher volume. Paired with a good source, I was impressed by how full the T3 Plus sounded, giving me that toe-tapping bass, with no audible distortion.

Resolution and clarity are excellent, and the whole spectrum shows an impressive level of definition. Head to head with the first T3, the T3 Plus feels like a real step-up, especially in the low range where the latter reaches notes the prior only skimmed on the surface.

On tracks like Rock You from Dirty Loops, the IEM displays nicely controlled bass response and impact. For a sole-driver, the result is compelling, helped by the tight-seal offered by the new acrylic design, and techno-lovers, like me, will undoubtedly prefer the new one, to the first T3.

If lows are tight, mids don’t fall short either. Voices especially were given a lot of love and attention, and I was deeply impressed by how natural the mid-range came out, even when just paired with ddHiFi’s TC35i. TinHifi did a very good revamp and tweaked the flaws found in the T3 – like the narrow soundstage – while keeping the good traits – such as the punchy mid-range –  for an excellent end result.

Of course, perfection isn’t of this world – at least for now – and there’s still a few issues that should be addressed: highs can be a bit too forward sometimes, and depending on the source you’ll pair, voices can sound a bit artificial, missing the natural delay you hear in real life. That’s not an issue most of the time, but on bad recordings, you may have to lower the 8kHz on your EQ, to tone everything down.

Add a potent source like the FiiO M11 Plus Ltd and the TinHifi T3 Plus opens up really nicely. Highs are sharper and lows gain more weight, without infringing on the voices. The transition between low, mids, and highs is usually seamless, but as I said before, mids can sometimes work solo, before blending back with everyone. 

I listened to classic tracks like Hysterias from SebastiAn, or vocal one like La Jeune Fille en Feu from Par One and that confirmed my first impression: if bass remain one the best feature of the T3 Plus, everything else has been improved. I also tried complex tracks like Crash Landing from Illangelo which highlights the ear’s excellent ADSR and wide dynamic range. A good example is Blaxploitation from Noname, whose polyphonic patterns were perfectly positioned with the T3 Plus.

In the long run, the IEM remains highly impressive and feels like a real alternative to models such as the iBasso IT00 or the FiiO FD1 thanks to a more consistent render across every genre I tried. Big improvement!

Tonality

Highs: engaging and sharp. High-frequencies extension is great, even if the T3 Plus can be a tad too bright sometimes, especially with bright sources like A&K or Cayin – even if I bet not many people would pair a $69 IEM with a quadruple-digit DAP. All in all, it’s still pretty impressive.

Good test-track:  The Look Of love – Dusty Springfield

Mediums: wide and quick. As usual with TinHifi, mids are superb and provide the perfect balance of sharpness and oneness. Sometimes, they can appear to not be completely in phase with lows and highs, but this is mostly hearable with badly recorded tracks. 90%, everything seemed perfectly on-point and the T3 Plus remains a vast improvement in this regard. 

Good test-track: Plastic Love – Mariya Takeuchi

Bass: solid bass and deep rumble. Bass is there, well-defined, impactful, and the more you push, the more you’re rewarded. It’s deeply addictive, with powerful kicks and good definition from top to bottom, even more, if you can use a balanced source, with a balanced cable.

Good test-track : Peur des filles – L’impératrice

Conclusion

For $79, the TinHifi T3 Plus is a sure choice, trading the usual quirks for something much more important: great performances.

Build quality is excellent, comfort is good, and the sound is even better, with impressive lows and sharp highs. Paired with a quality source, the IEM behaves really well, and this makes the T3 Plus a real competitor for other chi-fi in-ear, in this price range.

A sure choice that I’ll recommend for every newcomer.

Page 1: About the brand, design, and build quality
Page 2: Design and build quality
Page 3: Bundle and specifications
Page 4: Sound performances