Preamble:
Originally posted on my mixed content German and English audio review site, the "
Kopfhörer-Lounge", here comes my re-post of my review of the TFZ Series 2 in-ear, an affordable single dynamic driver model that is available in many different, attractive colours.
Introduction:
Truth to be told, TFZ, “The Fragrant Zither” (
http://www.tfzither.com/), is a company I already stumbled across but don’t know much about. What I know is that they are an Asian company located in Shenzhen, China, and that were founded not too long ago – there just isn’t too much info about TFZ available on the internet even though many of their in-ears have already been covered in various reviews. What I heard is that TFZ consists of some members who were involved in the TTPod in-ear brand, but I am not sure if this is just a myth or actually true.
Anyway – TFZ offers a rather broad range of dynamic driver in-ears, ranging from more entry-level-geared models in the low two-digit dollar range, to more ambitious products in the three-digit price range.
What really grabbed my attention about the
Series 2 (and basically most of TFZ’s models although before this day, my interest in them was only halfway there) was a) their rather unique (although, at least in my case, not that easily immediately recognisable as TFZ without seeing the logos) shell design despite using mass production universal fit shells and b) the amount of colours that are available and easily exceed what almost all universal fit in-ear makers offer. So when I saw the Series 2 being available in “006 Transparent Green” with a mesh pattern on the faceplate, my interest was immediately there and I was very interested in reviewing that particular in-ear that retails for $45 on Penon Audio. What I didn’t realise immediately is that the in-ears have got detachable cables and are using 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors, which is extremely nice to see in this price range.
What the TFZ Series 2 sounds like, if it can do more than just being beautiful, and how it compares to the
TTPod T1 (non-E) and
final E3000 is to be found out in this very review.
Before I go on, I would like to thank TFZ and Penon Audio for making this review happen and for arranging a sample of the Series 2 to be sent to me at no cost. Nonetheless, as usual, my words will remain true, unbiased, honest, and I was not given any guidelines or requirements for the review, no matter how it would turn out.
Technical Specifications:
Price: $45 (
https://penonaudio.com/TFZ-SERIES-2)
Type: In-Ear
Drivers per Side: 1
Type of Driver: dynamic; dual voice coil 12 mm graphene driver
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Sensitivity: 105 dB/mW
Cable: 1.2 m, detachable (2-Pin)
Available Colours: 9
Delivery Content:
In-Ears, cable, shirt clip, carrying pouch, three pairs of narrow bore silicone tips, four pairs of wide bore silicone tips.
Looks, Feels, Build Quality:
Rather unique is that the Series 2 in-ears are offered in different designs and colours – which alone isn’t all that unique since many manufacturers offer two or three different colours, however TFZ’s Series 2 in-ears are available in no less than 9 different colours. Since their shells are not handmade but injection-moulded, this also means that they are immediately available unlike customisable universal fit in-ears that are manufactured identically as custom-moulded models. This of course also means that the TFZ models are not further customisable unlike those handmade customisable universal fit in-ears from companies such as NocturnaL Audio or Eternal Melody, two companies whose products are however also in a
totally different performance as well as price class, nonetheless 9 different colours to choose from is quite a lot for an in-ear with mass-manufactured universal fit shells.
What really grabbed my interest was “006 Transparent Green”, the colour that I have right here, and it looks great together with the outer vent’s golden rim and the silver metal mesh.
While the colour and design of the shells are really nice, build quality is only about average because the shells are made of rather thin plastic.
Extremely nice given the price category the Series 2 is in is that its cables are replaceable and that it is using the common 2-pin standard. And the included cable really is nice – it consists of four twisted conductors wherefore it is very flexible and soft. It’s not unlike my
TTPod T1 (non-E)’s cable, however with twisted conductors. What it however lacks is a chin-slider.
Comfort, Isolation:
The shells are ergonomically shaped and should therefore provide a good fit for most people, myself included.
The in-ears are supposed to be worn with the cable around the ears which improves fit, ergonomics and provides better security.
The cable has got ear guides that however consist of simple and flexible silicone tubes that are ergonomically shaped, adjust to one’s ears and lack memory wire.
Noise isolation is a bit better than average.
Sound:
My main sources for listening were the
iBasso DX200 (
AMP2 module) and
Cowon Plenue 2.
I only used the included tips for listening.
Frequency response measurements can be found here:
frequency-response.blogspot.com
What slightly surprised me about the sample I received, in a very positive way, was its extremely good channel matching with a deviation of less than 0.3 dB (not +/-, but in total!) per side from 20 to 20 kHz, which is something that only very rarely occurs. Maybe a sign for really good acoustic quality control and consistency at TFZ?
Tonality:
The narrow bore tips will basically have a slightly splashier upper treble response. Measurements of the difference between the two included types of silicone tips can be found here:
http://frequency-response.blogspot.com/2017/11/tfz-series-2-frequency-response.html
The following observations were done using the included wide bore tips.
Well, the Series 2 follows a tuning that is quite commonly found among many Asian dynamic driver and hybrid in-ears, since it follows a W-shape with an elevated sub-bass, bright and highlighted upper mids, and an emphasised upper treble. In case of the TFZ, while the implementation of the bass emphasis on its own is done tremendously well, the company might have gone just a little overboard with the upper midrange and treble.
Starting with the good thing, regarded on its own, the bass, that is implemented really well: it doesn’t start climbing before 550 Hz, and then climbs down with a quite slow and gradual increase, peaking at 30 Hz with an emphasis of around 10 or 14 dB compared to an in-ear that is diffuse-field neutral in the bass, such as the
Etymotic ER-4S/
SR, depending on whether the inner vent is fully open or blocked, which will ultimately depend on one’s individual ear anatomy.
So yes, what you get is a pretty perfect sub-bass elevation that gets along without any bloom, added warmth or even the tiniest bit of bloat.
While a slowly, gradually increasing bass emphasis that peaks in the sub-bass, as found in the TFZ Series 2, is generally desirable, a more traditional and warm midbass hump with a warm fundamental range and lower midrange would have been the more harmonious and pleasant implementation for this in-ear since its midrange unfortunately lacks some countervailing warmth.
Moving on to the midrange, what we find is a quite thin and rather artificial presentation with a boosted upper midrange that makes male vocals lack body and appear on the thinner side, while female vocals tend to be slightly shrill at times and thin as well. Remember my comment about the bass right above? Yeah, the Series 2 unfortunately lacks some warmth to make up for the upper midrange elevation.
An upper midrange elevation, if done tastefully, can emphasise clarity, air and female vocals, but here it is a bit too much and even surpasses the
Shozy x AAW Hibiki’s midrange brightness to some degree, leading to a quite artificial and thin midrange presentation.
In-ears such as the
UPQ Q-music QE80 (
Fidue A83 OEM),
iBasso IT03 or
Echobox Finder X1, just to name three examples, show how a bright midrange and treble tuning can be done rather well, but no, in case of the TFZ it is just a bit too much in the upper mids, skewing the timbre and vocal balance to a degree that comes across as quite unnatural and thin.
From 1 to 10 kHz, level climbs almost continuously, with definitely too much energy between 3 and 5 kHz to create a realistic midrange, only a slight dip around 6 kHz that is definitely too mild to generate headroom for the elevation(s), and a bright 9 to 10 kHz upper treble with a super treble extension past 10 kHz that is bright as well. Nope, what’s missing here is definitely a dip in the middle highs to create headroom for the brightness.
While the gradually increasing upper midrange to upper treble emphasis is even wherefore one won’t find any sudden edgy peaks, the treble comes across as a bit too hard and also somewhat edgy. Cymbals (and other instruments such as pianos and violins) by the way don’t sound like cymbals either but appear more like some (badly done) electronically generated stuff.
This sort of tuning can definitely work with some slower to moderately fast acoustic recordings without any vocals and, depending on tuning preferences, K- and J-Pop, however fast tracks come across as a bit hard and edgy (although not to the degree of being unpleasant) and anything with vocals sounds unnaturally thin and artificial wherefore the Series 2 loses quite some points in the midrange timbre rating and doesn’t sound very coherent.
Sure, if the Equalizer is not your enemy, then this sort of tuning can be “naturalised” quite easily, but why deal with it in the first place (that would probably also require being stuck with only one device that has got a precise enough EQ) when there are several other in-ears with a more natural and realistic tuning?
Resolution:
Detail retrieval on the other hand is where the TFZ doesn’t suck – I probably kind of wish that it would so that I could subjectively fully hate it, but this not the case while its tuning is objectively too thin and artificial in the midrange anyway.
Starting once again with the bass, the Series 2 surprises the listener with a nicely nimble, quick, tight and well-controlled bass response with sub-bass notes that are textured well. Yup, the lows are definitely a strong point of this in-ear and among the better that is available at this price.
Solely those who are expecting a soft and/or layered and visceral bottom-end presentation might be disappointed.
Speech intelligibility and midrange resolution are good for the price and don’t leave anything left to be desired.
Not the same can be said about the treble unfortunately, since while it is adequately detailed and separated for the price, it just lacks the softness and ultimate resolution to really pull of this emphasis. It is just a bit too hard and also a bit edgy to fit to the lean upper-end implementation.
Soundstage:
The spatial presentation doesn’t really stand out, nor is it bad in any way.
The soundstage appears to be quite circular, with quite good openness for a semi-open dynamic driver in-ear while it doesn’t really leave the base of my head by much.
Layering, separation and placement of instruments are appropriate for the price – while they aren’t any bad and surpass some models, most higher-priced in-ears perform better in this regard, as it could be expected anyway.
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In Comparison with other In-Ears:
I used the Series 2 with the largest included wide bore silicone tips for the following comparisons.
TTPod T1 (Non-E):
The T1 rolls somewhat off towards the sub-bass, however it has what the TFZ lacks in the lows: countervailing warmth and fullness in the root (fundamental range).
When it comes to midrange, despite also being slightly boosted in the upper mids/lower treble, the TTPod features the much more mature, even and natural implementation, which also goes for the treble in general that is implemented considerably more tastefully and naturally, despite being slightly too bright around 10 kHz. Either way, the T1 reproduces instruments a good bit more realistically and is definitely more coherent when it comes to tuning.
The TFZ has got the slightly cleaner treble separation whereas the T1 has got the slightly higher midrange resolution, but otherwise they are pretty similar in terms of details and bass quality.
In terms of soundstage, the T1 has got a little more width while depth is about comparable. Separation is slightly cleaner on the Series 2.
final E3000:
Depending on if the inner vents are free, as designed, or blocked, there might either be a sub-bass roll-off present on the final, or a strong sub-bass emphasis. Either way, the E3000 has got the thicker, warmer and (much) more body-focused fundamental range and lower midrange, and is considerably darker in the midrange and treble in comparison to the bright Series 2.
Instruments are reproduced noticeably more naturally on the final despite having a good bit more body than neutral.
When it comes to detail retrieval, both in-ears are more or less comparable.
The E3000 is slightly ahead when it comes to midrange details, while the TFZ has got the tighter, faster and better controlled bass.
Soundstage is about comparable with the TFZ having a bit more spatial depth and the final slightly more width.
Conclusion:
The technical performance is certainly there and quite good, the removable cable is definitely a plus, the design is beautiful and the bass, when regarded on its own, is implemented very tastefully with a nice sub-bass emphasis, however the treble and midrange are a bit too much on the artificial and thin side, leading to a lack of vocal naturalness and coherency that isn’t fully there. In addition, the shells’ plastic appears a bit thin.
I can definitely see the Series 2 not working well in most cases, whereas its signature might fit sometimes, however that is rather the exception than the norm if one is out for realism and balance.
If that sub-bass emphasis was coupled with a more tastefully, harmoniously and naturally integrated midrange and treble, we would have a
really nice tonal tuning along with good technical performance. Too bad that this is not the sound and tonality that TFZ went for.