The TIN Audio T2 are decent critical listening in-ear headphones. They have a good audio reproduction for in-ears and have a solid build. They're fairly comfortable thanks to the multiple tip options, including memory foam tips, to help you find the best fit. They also have a nice braided and detachable cable which make them more durable than most in-ears. Unfortunately, they don't have an in-line remote and microphone, but their wired connection offers no latency, and they're portable and easy to keep on you to enjoy their sound quality anywhere.
Our Verdict
Average for mixed usage. The TIN T2 have great and well-balanced audio reproduction that critical listeners should enjoy and are comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to a variety of tip options. They isolate a decent amount of background noise and barely leak which makes them a decent choice for commuting. They can also be used for sports activities as they're stable and breathable. Their wired connection gets rid of all latency issues, which is good for TV and gaming, but they don’t have a microphone, and their short cable doesn’t offer you enough range for those uses.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Braided and detachable cable.
- Minimal leakage.
- In-ear fit might not be for everyone.
- No in-line remote and microphone.
Above-average for neutral listening. The in-ear design might not be ideal to most neutral listeners, but if you want to enjoy great audio reproduction on-the-go, the T2 have a powerful bass, well-balanced mid-range, and a good treble. However, the bass is slightly overemphasized, low-mid might sound a bit cluttered, and the treble is a bit lacking. Overall, they have a decent sound quality, but the in-ear design won’t have a great speaker-like soundstage.
Okay for commuting. Their in-ear fit isolates a good amount of ambient noise, and since they barely leak, you’ll be able to mask even more noise by raising your listening volume. Your isolation performance will depend on the type and the size of the tips you use. Unfortunately, the in-ear fit might not be comfortable enough for long flights but should be fine for bus and subway rides.
Decent for sports. They're decently stable in-ears for physical activity, and their in-ear design makes them very portable. You can easily fit them inside pockets or a gym bag. However, since they're wired headphones, you’ll have to worry about their cable being in the way and getting hooked on something.
Average for office. They isolate a decent amount of ambient chatter, but they won’t be comfortable enough to wear for a full work day. On the upside, you won’t have to worry about battery life, and since they barely leak, you’ll be able to listen to music at high volumes without disturbing colleagues around you.
These are wired headphones and aren't suitable for this use.
Sub-par for wired gaming. They have decent sound quality and no latency, but if you’re looking to play online, they don't have a microphone and might not be the ideal choice. They also won’t be as customizable as other gaming headsets we’ve reviewed so far.
These headphones have no microphone and aren't suitable for phone calls.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 19, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Mar 28, 2019: We've updated the Sound and Bass section of the review to better reflect a typical use case for an average user.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The TIN Audio T2 are good wired in-ear headphones that are versatile for different types of use. They're not as neutral-sounding as the Sony MH755, but some users may prefer their warm and smooth sound profile, which delivers a bit of extra boom to your mixes. They also have a great build quality with metal buds and a nice braided, detachable cable which makes them more durable. They're fairly straightforward wired in-ears since they don't have an in-line remote and microphone, but you can use a third-party cable with one since their cable is detachable. See our recommendations for the best budget earbuds, the best earbuds under $50, and the best wireless earbuds under $50.
The KZ ZS-10 and TIN Audio T2 are two fairly similar headphones, but the T2 might be better by a very slight margin. They score similarly in sound quality, but the TIN Audio have a slightly more balanced and even response, especially in the bass range. They also have better isolation performance. Also, the metal buds might be more durable than the transparent plastic cases of the KZs. On the other hand, if you’re looking for headphones that stand out, go with the KZs. They are slightly more comfortable, but this may vary from user to user. The KZs also have a model variant with an in-line remote and microphone.
The 1More Triple Driver are more versatile headphones TIN Audio T2 thanks to their in-line remote and microphone. However, if you don’t mind that the TIN are missing those features, they're better-built headphones overall. The TIN isolate more ambient noise and leak less. Both have similar sound signatures, but the TIN have a less recessed mid-range. On the other hand, the 1More come with a nice hard case that doesn’t add too much bulk.
If sound quality is your only or most important factor, the TIN Audio T2 are better headphones, but otherwise, the Shure SE215 are more comfortable, come with a nice case, are more stable, and isolate a lot more noise than the TIN. They also have a detachable cable like the TIN, and you can find third-party cables with an in-line remote and mic. However, they are more expensive than the TIN.
The JBL Endurance Sprint are better headphones than the TIN Audio T2. They have better sound quality and they are wireless, meaning they offer more freedom to move around and are best suited for sports. However, they have a touch-sensitive control scheme, which is nice at this price range, but it is very hard to use and registered unwanted commands often. They will also have latency which the T2 don’t have. On the other hand, the T2 are better-built headphones and feel more durable, thanks to their metal buds and detachable cable.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The TIN T2 are great looking headphones that have a high-end and premium feel. The metal earbuds look durable and they have a nice white braided cable. They're in-ears, so they won’t really stand out too much like bulkier over-ears. They also come with bright blue foam tips that add a bit of color to the whole build but don’t have any color variants to fit your preferred style.
These headphones are typical in-ears that enter the ear canal and aren’t the most comfortable in-ears we’ve reviewed so far. Also, the headphones' nozzles seem to be a bit larger than average and might be uncomfortable in smaller ears. On the upside, they come with lots of tip options, including great memory foam tips, which some may prefer. You can also check out the Shure SE215 or the KZ AS-10 if you like in-ear fit but want a more angled design that better fits within the notch of your ear.
These headphones don't have an in-line remote or a control scheme.
Like most in-ears, the TIN T2 are breathable headphones since they don't trap any heat under ear cups. This means you won’t sweat more than usual while wearing them and are a decent option for sports.
Like most in-ears, the TIN T2 are very portable and can fold into a compact format that can easily fit in your pockets or a bag. They're easy to keep on you at all times, but unfortunately, they don't come with a case.
The TIN Audio T2 are very well-built headphones. They have a premium feel thanks to the dense metal earbuds, and they shouldn’t get damaged if dropped accidentally. Like the MOONDROP KATO, they also have a nice braided and detachable cable that you can replace if damaged, making them more durable.
These headphones are fairly stable, especially if you hook the cable around your ears, which adds more support. They should be stable enough for sports and running without popping out of your ears, but you might feel the cable bounce up and down as you work out. Also, since they're wired, the cable can get hooked on something and yank the headphones out of your ears.
The frequency response consistency is excellent. If the user can achieve a proper fit and an air-tight seal using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones, then they should be able to get consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones. It should also be noted that we have measured these headphones with the foam tips, for better seal and bass performance. If you can't get a good seal with the silicone tips, you may experience a loss in lower frequencies.
Update 03/28/2019: We re-tested the T2 with silicone tips, instead of the foam ones, since most users reported that they weren’t perceiving the same amount of bass in our initial measurement, check the discussion thread below. Another reason for the re-test was that we noticed the T3 measures like a T2 that has its ports blocked. This means that the T2, with the silicone tips, have a little less bass than the T3 with their silicone tips. The rest of the frequency range measures the same.
The TIN T2's mid-range is great. The response is very even and flat throughout the range, which results in a well-balanced reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. However, low-mid is overemphasized by about 2dB, which adds a bit of thickness to the vocals and a bit of clutter to the overall mix.
The treble performance is good. The whole range is mostly under our target curve, but it is fairly even. Low-treble is 3dB under our curve, resulting in lack of brightness on vocals and lead instruments, while the peak at 10KHz will make sibilances (S and T sounds) sharp and piercing, but this may not sound the same for everyone.
The stereo imaging is excellent. Their weighted group delay is at 0.1, which is very low. The group delay graph also shows that the entire response is well below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Also, the L/R drivers of our test unit were well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response. This is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo image.
The soundstage is poor. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the pinna (outer ear). The design of in-ears and earbuds is in such a way that fully bypasses the pinna and doesn't interact with it. Also, because these headphones have a closed-back enclosure, their soundstage won't be perceived to be as open as that of open-back earbuds like the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless, or the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless.
The isolation performance of the TIN T2 is above-average. They won’t be ideal for commuting since, in the bass range, where the rumble of airplane and bus engines sit, they achieved 2dB of isolation, which is negligible. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they reduce outside noise by more than 17dB, which is good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds, they isolate by more than 44dB, which is great. Overall, their noise isolation performance is above-average but would be better with the memory foam tips.
The leakage performance is excellent. The overall level of the leakage is very low. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage averages at about 22dB SPL, and peaks at 33dB SPL, which is way below the noise floor of most offices.
These headphones don't have a microphone. If you're looking for earbuds that have a microphone, consider the Google Pixel USB-C Earbuds or the Samsung AKG Type-C, though you should be aware that they can only connect to devices with a USB-C port.
These headphones don't have a microphone.
They don't have a battery.
They don’t have a companion app to customize the sound to your liking.
These headphones don't have Bluetooth connectivity.
The headphones have a 1/8” TRS connection and only provide audio when connected to consoles and PCs since they don't have a microphone.
These wireless in-ears don't have a dock. If you want a headphone that's versatile and has a dock, try the Astro A50 Gen 3 Wireless 2017.