TIN Audio T3 Headphones Review

The T3 are very similar to the T2 model in style, but don’t come with flashy blue foam tips that add color to the design. However, the overall feel is the same with nice looking metal earbuds that have a high-end design. The braided cable is transparent with gold accents, which gives a nice premium finish to the headphones.

The TIN Audio T3 aren’t the most comfortable in-ears we’ve reviewed so far. You can wear these headphones with the cable hanging down or hanging over your ears. However, they have a different fit than the previous T2 model. They come with a good variety of tip options, including foam tips, which most people seem to find more comfortable. Unfortunately, the nozzle of the headphones is still larger than average, and some may feel it as they enter your ear canal.

These headphones do not have an in-line remote or a control scheme.

Like most in-ears, the TIN Audio T3 don’t trap much heat inside the ear, which means you shouldn’t notice a big difference in temperature when wearing them for a while. This makes them suitable for sports, as you won’t sweat more than usual.

Like most in-ears, the T3 are very portable and easily fit inside pockets or a bag. They are easy to carry around, but unfortunately, they don’t come with a case.

These headphones don’t come with a case to protect them when you’re on the move.

Like the T2s, the T3s are very well-built headphones. They look and feel premium thanks to their metal buds which shouldn’t get damaged if accidentally dropped. Also, their cable is braided and detachable, making it easy to replace it if it gets damaged. It is also a bit thicker than the T2's cable, giving it a sturdier feel. They have a high-end build and the replaceable parts make them even more durable.

These headphones are very stable, especially since the main difference in design between the T2 and T3 is that the orientation of the T3 buds indicates you should be wearing them with an ear-hook design. There is also a coating around the cable near the earbuds, which encourages the ear-hook fit. They shouldn’t pop out of your ears during physical activity, but you might find their cable to be in your way sometimes. Also, since the cable isn’t easily detachable, the headphones can still be yanked out of your ears if it gets stuck on something.

• TIN Audio T3 headphones
• 6 silicone tip options
• 2 foam tip options
• Manuals

Update 02/25/2021: Due to user feedback, we have reexamined the elevated bass response we received during our tests. We ran a pass with both the small silicone ear tips and the foam tips. The small silicone ear tips had much lower bass, while the foam tips had a significant increase in the bass-range. You can see a comparison of our results here. As a result, our results have not changed, but we have clarified the test settings used to achieve these results.

The TIN Audio T3 have a bass-heavy sound profile. They deliver a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom. However, some users may find them a bit muddy. Vocals and lead instruments are accurately reproduced but are a bit veiled.

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.

The bass performance of the TIN Audio T3 is great. LFE (low-frequency extension) is down to 10Hz, which is great. The response throughout the range is flat and even, but it is slightly hyped and overdone. The 3dB overemphasis in low-bass will make it slightly more thumpy, which some people may prefer. Mid-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitar and kick instruments, is well-balanced, but high-bass is hyped by more than 3dB, which will add a bit of boominess to the bass.

The T3'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 is the continuation of the overemphasis in high-bass. This adds a bit of thickness to the vocals and a bit of clutter to the overall mix.

The treble performance of the T3s is okay. The response before the 8kHz region is flat and even but gets overly sharp and piercing (sibilant) around 10kHz. This will be most noticeable on vocals, lead instruments, and especially cymbals.

The stereo imaging is excellent. Their weighted group delay is at 0.12, 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. However, these results are only valid for our unit and yours may perform differently.

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, Google Pixel Buds, or the Bose SoundSport Free.

Update 02/25/2021: We have updated the test review settings for Tip/Pad to 'Foam (small)' to match the original test settings.

These are the settings used to test these headphones and our results are only valid with these settings.

The isolation performance of the T3 is great. They surprisingly performed much better than the similar T2, especially against bass noises. In the bass range, where the rumble of airplanes and bus engines sit, they achieved more than 8dB of isolation, which is okay. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they reduce outside noise by more than 22dB, which is very good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds and air conditioning noise, they isolate by more than 51dB, which is remarkable.

Note: We tested the headphones with the foam tips.

The leakage performance is excellent. They basically do not leak, so there's no need to worry about disturbing people around with your music, even if you listen at very loud volumes. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 21dB SPL and peaks at 25dB SPL, which is roughly as loud as a whisper and way below the noise floor of an average office.

Note: We tested the headphones with the foam tips.

These headphones do not have a microphone.

These headphones do not have a microphone.

They do not have a battery.

They don’t have a companion app to customize the sound to your liking.

The TIN Audio T3 are wired headphones and aren’t Bluetooth compatible.

Since they have a wired connection, these headphones practically don’t have any latency and will be suitable for gaming and watching video content without any delay.

The headphones have a 1/8” TRS connection and only provide audio when connected to different platforms since they do not have a microphone.

These headphones don’t have a dock or a base. For gaming headsets with one, you can look at the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless for a dock with customization options, or look at the Astro A50 if you want a charging dock. However, they won’t be as portable as the T3.