Short answer: the Tin HiFi T3 Plus. It ranks #209 of 1291 in-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $59; the Tin HiFi C3 ranks #287, rated 4.2/5, at $59. Close enough in price that the sound-quality gap is the deciding factor.
Why pick the Tin HiFi T3 Plus: Crinacle’s measurement gives a preference score of 77 with only 1.78 dB of deviation around the target, an unusually smooth response for an inexpensive in-ear. The tradeoff: Presence and treble sit about 2 dB under target with a 5.7 dB dip near 6.3 kHz in the squig.link measurements, which softens cymbals and sibilance for a slightly relaxed sound.
The case for the Tin HiFi C3: The median of 16 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 76 with a 1.65 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. The catch: Its 1.65 dB spread is less even than the best measured sets.
Buy the Tin HiFi T3 Plus. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Tin HiFi C3 at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
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Crinacle’s measurement gives a preference score of 77 with only 1.78 dB of deviation around the target, an unusually smooth response for an inexpensive in-ear.
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The median of 16 hobbyist measurements gives it a very good Harman preference score of 76 with a 1.65 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Tin HiFi T3 Plus | Tin HiFi C3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59.00 | $59.00 |
| Ranked | #209 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #287 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 77 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 76 (median of 16 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.78 dB standard deviation | 1.65 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.41 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.57 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wired |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic | 1 x 10mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 32 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 105 dB @ 1kHz, 0.179V | 106 dB/mW |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 10Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | - |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.4 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Tin HiFi T3 Plus from achoreviews, aftersound, ankramutt, arc, avishai, bedrock, bryaudioreviews, eplv, hbb, hu-fi, ianfann, jacstone, musicafe, obodio, pw, rg, superreview, timmyv and vortexreviews; the Tin HiFi C3 from achoreviews, aden, ankramutt, arn, bedrock, cqtek, hbb, hobbytalk, ianfann, musicafe, pw, soundcheck39, superreview, timmyv, tonedeafmonk and vortexreviews, all via squig.link.
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