Tin Audio P2- The Hungry Beast

After P1, Tin Hifi reimagined its planar design and hit the market with a much-anticipated piece of wonder P2. P2 has a unique design and sound signature. Earphones body is metallic, unpolished but smooth with a rich appearance. Its premium looking build design is as gorgeous looking as its comfortable on ears. Faceplate is raised and appears to have a sandpaper texture, but this in-fact looks like a porous surface, but the IEM is purely closed back. Its smooth triangular design and silver surface is stunning and very comfortable to wear.

IEMs are paired with 2.5mm balanced cable with two adapters 3.5mm and 4.4mm. This gives us a lot of flexibility in choosing the sources. A fancy blue leather pouch accompanies IEM and cable set. This pouch is as sturdy as it is good looking. In terms of look and feel, P2 is premium earphone and has set new standards in the planar market.

Package Contents:

· One pair of Tin P2 IEMs.
· 6N OCC 2.5-millimetre balanced cable.
· 2.5mm to 4.4mm adapter.
· 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter.
· Silicon and Memory Foam ear tips.
· Leather carry case.

Disclaimer:

I have received Tin Audio P2 as part of review circle from Hifigo in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range. One can purchase the same from the following link.

Pros:

1. Warm Lush Sound
2. Very good micro detailing and timber
3. Very well controlled and textured bass
4. Very good soundstage, imaging and separation
5. Very well build quality and fit

Cons:

1. Needs desktop grade amplification, hard to drive even with portable amps
2. Foam Tips recommended instead of silicon ones

Sources:

For this review the unit has been paired to A&K SE100 (ES9038 Pro) and Fiio Q5 (AK4490), Dragonfly Red (MQA Support)

Amplification:

The P2 is extremely power hungry, one cannot rely on DAP only to drive P2 to even its half of potential. In my experience even portable amps are not doing any justice to it, initially I paired it to my portable amp Aune B1/B1s, but the presentation entirely changed once paired to Schiit Vali2(Tube Hybrid) and Anode Acoustics SS AMP#2. In a nutshell P2 is very hard to drive and you need a desktop grade amplifier to get the best out of it, else you are not doing any justice to the IEM.

Highs:

I generally start listening with one of my favourites tracks the “Shape of My Heart by Sting”. And this time when I plugged in and listen to it, it immediately took me to another realm. The highs are so refined and textured and the way it filled the complete headroom with all the airiness and microdetails was something heart touching. The treble response I would say was bit tamed to some extend that there was no sibilance or harsh tones at any point of time. it’s well extended, and airiness is all around the headroom with crisp details. I have used P2 for more than 8 hours straight when paired to Vali2 and Anode SS Amp while working from home these days, and not any point of time there is any treble fatigue, or I could complain loss of details.

The overall presentation of highs is also bit relaxed, tracks like “Rehna Tu from Delhi-6” or “Quartet 1 by John Cage” had an amazing presentation on it that can even beat a lot of full-size cans behind.

Mids:

The mids are have a bit laid back presentation but have a very nice body to it. Tonality wise these are one of the best vocals I have heard on this price range. The instruments have got a good timber and wonderful imaging producing an organic and tube-like sound giving a rich and lush experience. At any point of time it does not feel congested in any way no matter whatsoever track has been thrown to it.

Tracks Rebecca Pidgeon in "Spanish Harlem" to Eric Clapton singing "Wonderful Tonight" sounded angelic over these IEMs. And It was another level listening to Amber Rubarth’s “A Kiss to Build a Dream On” and “Hold On” with all lush sound experience followed by amazing soundstage and imaging capabilities that it took to another dreamland in just a matter of seconds.

Lows:

The Bass response of P2 is punchy and has a nice slam to it. It is full bodied and have a nice texture. Even sub-bass region is not shy at all. The bass is controlled but very much detailed that it immediately elevates the mood and the overall warm presentation of IEM compliments this region and sets one to groove mode.

I enjoyed listening to my favourite bass-oriented track - “Tokyo Drift” by KVSH, the bass was tight and precise. Tracks like “Bass Rani by Nucleya” had such an amazing feel when listened using P2 with all that detailed relaxing highs and mids with deep detailed bass drops in an overall warm lush presentation. “Infinity (Dubdogz & Bhaskar Edit)” is another track that I have had on frequent replays on it and enjoyed every bass drop.

Soundstage/ Detailing/Imaging:

The P2 has a very airy and wide soundstage. Infact its quite hard to find out this kind of width and depth in any other IEM of this price range, and when combined with awesome imagining and detailing it becomes very good. On tracks like “Bubbles” or “Fluid” by “Yosi Horikawa” had an amazing presentation with all the lush warm sound and the amazing details combined with good staging, layering, depth and imaging capabilities.

P2 had done a marvellous job in tuning and implementation of 12mm planar unit, it offers brilliant micro details. To me the best part of P2 is the way it brings out all the technicalities in a relaxed and laid-back manner. Till now it hasn’t disappointed me in any track that I have played on it.

It was a nice experience I must say while listening to “Reaching Out by Bassnectar” and “Draft Punk’s Giorgio by Moroder” with great bass response along with the micro detailing and the dynamics.

Final Verdict:

To me P2 somehow felt even better than some of TOTL IEMs and even it beats some of full-sized cans in its price range in terms of tonality, details, and presentation. I have been so impressed by it that soon planning to get myself a same unit. In a nutshell it’s a power packed IEM which has awesome imaging, detailing, staging and layering capabilities with an airy warm lush presentation. Bass and sub bass slams are cleaner and detailed. It is by far my number one recommendation if one is looking for not so portable IEM in mid-price range and myself has decided to make it as my daily night time driver due to its laid back and relaxing nature without compromise in any details or soundstage. Only drawback so far is the power-hungry nature of P2, in my experience it is not portable at all, somehow it reminds of Jerry’s younger cousin, but once properly fed, its just a beast in every aspect.