Review: TinHiFi T4 – Doin’ it Right

iem-tinhifi-t4-review-headfonia (13)

Sound performance

My main sources were: FiiO M5 / FiiO Q5S / Chord Mojo. Those were the same sources I used when I reviewed the T2 and T3, so it’ll be easier to compare the newcomer to the previous models.

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

Overall signature

I ran across some positive feedback regarding the TinHifi T4 when I checked the Indiegogo page. And… I have to concur: these are some impressive IEMs for the price.

First, the sound stage is much wider than the previous models. On Reykjavik from Joachim Pastor, the various effects can be spotted with ease, and even the modest FiiO M5 was able to drive some serious bass out of the T4.

That’s the second big improvement you’ll hear: at least some bass ! That was my main complaint regarding the T2/T3, the lows were too shy compared to their competitors. That’s not the case with the TinHifi T4, and once you’ll get the right tips, you’ll be pleasantly rewarded with some neat, deep, lows.

The sole 10mm driver does a wonderful job. The layering is excellent and honestly, if no one tell you, you may never believe that that tiny IEM only costs a mere 100 bucks. Deep lows ? Check. Crips mids ? Check. Clean highs ? Check. With electro tracks, it’s simply night and days compared to the TinHifi T3.

There is no sibilance, even if the high-mids are a bit forward. It’s a fast IEM, with sparkling details at every level of volume, without the annoying harshness that you may find on some models. It’s very much like the T3, signature-wise, but better in every other aspect. Voices feel real, drums are deafening and everything seems to take place naturally.

Once combined with the Chord Mojo, the TinHifi T4 trades some musicality for more accuracy. It’s almost synthetic and if the P1 felt just right, the T4 began to sound like the Beyerdynamic T5 : too bright for me. The transients were too fast, too blunt, leaving me breathless after each listening session.

And that’s another quirk of the T4, they are very sensitive to the source. With the right source, they may sound like a sub 300$ IEM, with rich details, good balance, and superb musicality. But, with the “wrong” source, they will sound chemical, as one of those IEM that try too hard, and never feel right with those hard-hitting highs and falsetto mids.

Yet, once paired with the right source, they’ll truly sound amazing.

Tonality

Highs : clean hit. The TinHifi are not prone to sibilance, which is great. Everything sounds really natural and the great ADSR is definitely at work here. With the FiiO Q5S and the Cowon Plenue D2, Diana Krall was astonishingly pleasant to listen.

Good test-track : Alone Again (Naturally) – Diana Krall

Mediums: spaciousness and effortless. The sound stage is amazing and transients are crazy sharp, which translates to dashing mids. Jazz and vocal tracks feel just right, and once you’re seated, you’ll have a hard time leaving.

Good test-track : We Choose – Her

Bass: deep, fast, powerful. If I liked the TinHifi T2/T3 lows, they were nowhere near to what the T4 delivers. The bass is pinpoint, clean, deep and never overtakes the rest of the spectrum. Even when you push the volume, the T4 follows the straight line and gives you one of the best basses, in this price range.

Good test-track : Time – Solee

Sensitivity / Hiss

Impedance is low, sensitivity correct. This makes the TinHifi T4 easy to drive. They are sensitive to hiss so choose your source carefully.

The article continues on Page Five, after the click here.

4.8/5 - (5552 votes)
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A nerdy guy with a passion for audio and gadgets, he likes to combine his DAC and his swiss knife. Even after more than 10 years of experience, Nanotechnos still collects all gear he gets, even his first MPMAN MP3 player. He likes spreadsheets, technical specs and all this amazing(ly boring) numbers. But most of all, he loves music: electro, classical, dubstep, Debussy : the daily playlist.

14 Comments

  • Reply November 14, 2019

    Nisha Batel

    Thank you for the tinhifi t4 review.

  • Reply November 14, 2019

    Zero

    Wow, the Tin T1 is forgotten even here.

  • Reply November 15, 2019

    antoine amanieux

    a $129 iem that requires a $100 external amp to sound good is not a $129 iem, it is a $229 iem. it should then be compared to $229 iems that does not require external amp 🙂

    • Reply December 5, 2019

      Sam

      You wouldn’t use a 200+$ iem without a decent audio source period. Doesn’t matter what iem it is, if the signal going in is wack, the iem isn’t going to fix that.

    • Reply July 16, 2020

      Laurent

      Hi, i have the t2, will by the t4, works perfectly good with only my S8. Using Flac, Dsd filles and Fiio application.

  • Reply November 21, 2019

    Sp12er

    ^Lol of course not!
    I do think the comparison choices is kinda sparse tho.

  • Reply December 20, 2019

    Richard

    Last chance to get Tin HiFi T4 at $89 from HiFiGo if you miss the chance to get from indiegogo
    https://hifigo.com/products/tin-hifi-t4-cnt-dynamic-driver-inear-earphones-iem-monitor-mmcx-connector

  • Reply January 2, 2020

    Connie

    Thanks for review of Tinhifi T4.
    As it is using Carbon Coated Driver which is 1 DD like IT01S.
    Which one is better of their tonality?

  • Reply January 10, 2020

    Anil Kumar

    Thanks for sharing the Info.

  • Reply February 14, 2020

    JITHU CHANDRADAS

    T4 is the best iem around $100 i’ve ever used.As you said it is very picky to the source.Out of my three sources i liked it only with one my trusted fiio x5 ii.I even completely prefer t4 over my kanas pro.With the right source t4 sounds absolutely fantastic.That rich premium timbre you will not get from other iems around or double this price.

  • Reply April 3, 2020

    Matúš Jurčík

    Hello, you wrote that the T4 is very sensitive to the source. Chord mojo – lost musicality, Q5s – is alright. What about LG quad DAC should it be alright on that? Lg g7, V30,V40 …

    Thank you

    • Reply April 3, 2020

      NanoTechnos

      Hi !

      I tried the TinHifi T4 on my iPhone, who’s amp section isn’t known for its “power”. So yeah, you shouldn’t have any issue to drive it with a LG smartphone 🙂

      Especially if they have the Quad DAC.

  • Reply April 3, 2020

    Matúš nurčík

    Thank you for your reply but I meant it like if lg quad dac is soundwise good enought by its sound character or sound quality. I know that there is plenty of volume from it. Because in that article was written that is very picky to the source. I have lg g7 and it has sabre 9218 dac(quad dac) that has realy soft sound and I also have nextdrive spectra and i need to know if the t4 is good match with it… Ok but anyway thanks :).

  • Reply October 27, 2020

    Chris

    I had the T3 then upgraded based on this and other reviews but I was really dissapointed. They did extend and smooth out the treble vs. T3 a little. However the midrange has such a huge bulge now that half the recordings that sound decent on the T3 sounds terrible with these. Also male voices lose timber completely. It sounds rather like one of those old portable record players. Also there’s a dip at around 6 kHz which loses some positional information making everything sound mono. I think these where designed with a very specific set of recordings in mind. I personally would not recommend them as they are not very versatile.

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