Tinhifi Dudu IEM Review – Childish Giggles Ensue

INTRO

Tinhifi Dudu marks my second review of Tinhifi gear this year, when the mid-tier budget made a splash with the T5S Mars. Not sure what Tinihifi was thinking with the naming scheme, but I think they had a different concept versus where my childish brain may go. It marks another departure from their uncomfortable T2,3,4 series shell that I am glad to see gone. What we are left with is a smooth metal $79 planar earphone that is in stark contrast to the aggressively midrange heavy tuning that has some bright spots, despite the Master of Balance slogan.

DESIGN PACKAGE

When the Tinhifi Dudu ($79) was offered to us for evaluation, I requested to get the deluxe Commemorative set ($99) that included the additional USB-C cable with built in DAC. The DAC sips a measly ~20mA from the USB-C connection. This would be useful for devices without a 3.5mm connection, otherwise I might skip it if you do not need it.

Both dark copper colored cables have a nice tight twist, not braided and have above average flexibility. They do tend to show kinks, but more importantly transmit very little microphonics. Connections are solid and overall good construction. The 3.5mm plug has a recess at the end to accommodate phone cases, which is good considering they are highly sensitive and easy to drive from a phone of DAP such as the HIDIZS AP80 Pro-X.

The smooth CNC painted shell of the Tinihifi Dudu has what I consider a large size nozzle with a shallow fitment. The included eartips are the a good match in terms of the firmness and provide a good seal. Unfortunately, no carrying case is included to keep all this together.

Inside Tinhifi equipped the Dudu with a newly designed 13mm planar driver. They have struggled with planar drivers being too sharp in the past, so I was hoping this newer generation might correct some issues that were present on the early generations of the P1 and P1-Max. The slogan of Master of Balance had me curious if they tamed some of the aggressive treble , but it appears they traded it for aggressive upper mids.

For those using the optional USB DAC dongle version, there is an app being planned to allow EQ customization. It was not available during my testing.

SOUND

Tested with LG G8, Hidizs AP80 Pro X and SMSL DO400.

Right away the snappy full bodied bassiness of the Tinhifi Dudu stands out with higher accentuated upper mid-range also drawing attention. Sometimes that attention is too much and I find it fatiguing. The sharpness of the upper mid-range while adding some excitement and artificial clarity has drawback to the impact on timbre.

Female voices can sound overly shrill and male singers can sound more biting. When using the USB-C dongle, instruments such as shakers and cymbals feel more chopped and minced. While the standard 3.5mm connection improves this area, there is still some trouble with definition and they sound a tad unnatural in timbre.

On the positive side, the Tinhifi Dudu delivers on excellent width with good depth and layering, although some of that is due to the additional mid-range quantity. I did something I do not always do and played with the EQ to see what would happen if I took some of that away. As expected some the magic mid-range disappears, and the driver capabilities show up as mediocre.

COMPARISONS

Putting the Dudu up against some peers such as Truthear Hexa ($79) , Kefine Delci ($59) and one stretch benchmark, the Sennheiser IE 200 ($149) we can gauge where the Dudu sits in the competition.

Truthears Hexa has deep insertion, lighter feel, and even lighter softer bass output, sounding brighter and sharper. I had not revisited this one for some time, so with a thinner bass reproduction, the mid-range stands out equally as a brute. 

Kefine Delci has a punchy bass that also sounds full compared to the snappy and also full bodied Dudu, but overall the Delci sounds more recessed resembling a V shape signature. Kefine Delci has a little more crowding in the middle, layering and depth is comparable with the Tinhifi edging it out purely due the extra upper mid-range. Treble is more natural on the Delci, but neither is a poster child for resolution and definition that is hard to achieve at this price tier.

Haptic rumble is present when playing Dead Can Dance Song of the Stars on the Tinhifi Dudu, with the Delci achieving slightly deeper reach, and the nuanced lowest bass registers of the Dudu pulling off lower bass definition. So while one can go deeper, the Dudu has a tighter quality to it.

Sennheiser IE200 demonstrates proper depth and timbre while delivering a more neutral bass quantity where drums lack the same snap and punch, but also sound less boxy. What I like about the Sennheiser is the ability to not use some tuning tricks to enhance the shortcomings of the drivers. Sennheiser IE200 treble is more resolute with more meat to it, with clarity to boot. The Tinhifi Dudu pitchiness is off putting when swapping back and forth. The shape and size may not be for everyone however, as I see most general reviews complain about not enough bass or fitment issues.

FINAL COMMENTS

While I appreciate the universal shell and fitment of the Tinhifi Dudu, the quality of the dynamic ddriver is masked by the boosted pinna gain in the upper midrange leading you to a false sense of detail and clarity. I think it would probably fin a more sympathetic market elsewhere, it comes off too forward for my tastes.

Disclaimer: I thank thee Shenzhenaudio for sending these free for review as I am always curious on the developments of the latest planar driver earphones.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• 3.5mm vs USB-C
• Tinhifi Dudu vs Kefine Delci vs Sennheiser IE200

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DISCLAIMER

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.