TinHifi T5S Mars IEM Review – Oddball Amongst Us
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LIFT OFF
Tinhifi T5S Mars joins the universal shell revolution to deliver a large but comfortable shell unlike their T2/T4 variations, I welcome the change although they are no longer unique. It is the latest in their mid-tier product lineup priced at $129 (sometimes on sale at $99) giving us a pleasant popular tune with up-lifting sub-bass, clear midrange with medium pinna gain and just enough presence treble to carry us through to the finish line to give a sprinkling of air.
PACKAGE CONTENTS
The TinHifi T5S is aiming to be taken more seriously than the C5 or C3, and perhaps a notch above the T4 which I enjoyed sonically. The thicker cable resists massive tangles and is solidly constructed while attaching snuggly into the 2 pin connection. The black and silver Zebra appearance and thickness adds some feeling of strength and while pliable, it has a brute toughness to it.
A CNC metal shell fills the crevices nicely and holds steady during my ritual daily dog walking test. Isolation is strong given the material properties of metal over plastic, and the nubs filling in dead space contribute as well to exceptional passive noise blockage. It is not a small shell or a small nozzle however, and the Sennheiser IE200 looks like a dwarf in comparison.
I appreciate the Final like smaller diameter ear-tips included as well as one pair of foam and then a standard quality larger diameter set of ear-tips. Unfortunately the smaller exit ear tip diameter does not match large nozzles. They are not too difficult to first get on the nozzle despite being grossly undersized, yet trying to push them down the nozzle to make sure they stay on was like arguing with a toddler. Despite these struggles, I found myself settling into the smaller exit eartips to eek out some more mid-bass.
When you are finished listening to the TinHIfi T5s they give you a premium white leather case with a pocket to keep them tucked in to avoid unwanted accidental ejections. Looks pretty on my desk, but not so pretty in a pocket if I can even fit it in there. They are more at home in a bag of sorts when time to transport.
The final parts of the Tinhifi T5S Kit include 3 pairs of mesh screen filter replacements, and a set of plastic tweezers to aide removal and replacement. I would probably still need to use a sewing needle and a better set of tweeters, but its the thought that counts.
Tested with LG G8, HiDIZS AP80 Pro-X, HIDIZS S8 Pro and S9 Pro, SMSL DO400.
SOUND EXPERIENCE
Right away I can tell the Tinhifi T5S was aiming to appeal to the masses, they are a very easy listen with perhaps the sub-bass deviating from what could be considered a balanced or mild V shape. There is a trend where it is ok to push bass up quite a bit as long as it peaks in the sub-bass region. I think this is to avoid midbass bleed, and also the general majority of audiophile music may not even utilize the sub-bass so it can hide out.
I enjoy some good sub-bass which these deliver without bass head throbbing levels, but they can also sound slightly disconnected or hollow. There is less punch, and more rumble. Kettle drums easily thunder through, electronic sounds clubbly, and the pop sounds bassy but not necessarily punchy.
Depending on the source pairing, midrange can pop a bit or play in line with everything else with sufficient spacing coming from vocals. I notice when listening to busy tracks by Brian Seltzer Orchestra, the Tinhif T5S can become a little compressed, but overall good at resolving the various instruments playing over each other.
On the same track the brass has good bite and edginess reproduction without blaring and becoming uncomfortable through upper midrange lower treble. These are the things I notice when comparing mid-tier offerings to their more budget products. While not resolution monsters like multi-BA setups, the Tinhifi T5S deliver a more natural timbre.
Snare hits are tight yet not overly wincing, cymbal, triangle and woodwinds all sound pleasant and correct. Some of the micro dynamics are smoothed over, but overall it has that everyday tune that is non-fatiguing. There are minor differences when comparing the class leading Sennheiser IE200.
COMPARISONS
Both deliver a wide and deep soundstage for in-ear monitors. The Sennhieser sounds cleaner and more resolving up top with triangles, cymbals and woodwinds having more room to breathe. Perhaps the larger driver of the TinHifi T5s has more focus on the bottom end, but gives up the top end as a result. The Sennheiser IE200 has more punch and warmer bass profile, but perhaps does not give the sonic rumble of the T5S.
The Sennheiser gives the impression of slightly more depth layering, and can fill in those micro details better. While I might prefer the Sennheiser IE200 sound over the T5S, everything is not completely rosy. The Sennhieser cable is clearly inferior and infuriating as it tangles easily much like earlier KZ budget cables, and I prefer 2 pin over mccx connections as the rotating of the earhooks is just one more thing to fight with. If you read most of the negative reviews it’s either because of the Sennheiser cable or the bass is not enough for the general population.
The TinHifi T5S offers the premium metal shell although larger, for those that prefer smaller and less intrusive nozzles the Sennheiser is more attractive. Passive isolation from both is superb however so a tie there. Both stay in place while walking, but the Sennheiser again edges out in front when you factor wind noise since they are more tucked in. Similar features and logic can be applied to the differences in carrying cases, everything about the Sennheiser is compact.
BACK DOWN TO EARTH
Tinhifi T5S proves that they can produce a wonderful and competitive product and I prefer it to the overly eastern leaning tune (shouty forward upper midrange) Moondrop Starfield 2. However, when comparing to a well established recognized brand such as Sennheiser the T5S allure loose some sheen and now has competition with the closely priced IE200. The Tinhifi T5S is a great replacement for the T4, more so for the fitment. They are a solid mid-tier pick that does nothing wrong, and delivers a sort of comfort food experience.
Disclaimer: These were provided free of charge by Linsoul, further cluttering my shared office space. Wife none too happy with clutter.
TINHIFI T5S SPECIFICATIONS
- Drive Unit: 10mm
- Sensitivity: 103 +/-1db @ 1khz
- Frequency Response: 10-20Khz
- Impedance: 32 ohm
- Rated Power: 3mW
- Max Power: 5mW
- Max Distortion: 1% @ 1khz 0.179V
- Cable: 2 pin, 4 core copper silver, 2 cores oxygen-free copper+ 2 silver plated
- Lngth: 1.2m
GRAPH
- Left vs Right
- Senheiser IE200 vs TinHifi T5S
DISCLAIMER
I am thankful for Linsoul providing the TINHIFI T5S free of charge for experimentation.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
