TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
FOUR STARS - The Tinhifi Tinbuds1 are a total surprise in the overly crowded market of budget friendly wireless earbuds. Other than you may expect from the brand, these offer a bassy, warm, and downright immersive sound. They also have a problem.
TinHifi Tinbuds1 / Tin Hifi Buds1 specs and features
Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec
IPX5 waterproof (rain and sweat proof)
6 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC off)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 5 times
Has: ANC, Transparency mode
Doesn't have: App support, multipoint connection
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$25 - $30 - Buy on AliExpress or Linsoul
In and underneath this Tinhifi Tinbuds1 review, you will find comparisons of the Tin Hifi Tinbuds1 vs SoundPEATS Clear, Moondrop Space Travel, and Soundcore A20i.
Update July 19th 2024: Changed the overall score from 4,5 to 4 stars due to the connection issues.
All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Want to support my research? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.
Design, comfort and battery life
Do you happen to recall Tinhifi's debut to the earphone market in 2018? The then named Tin Audio T2 rocked a solid white cable, beautiful metallic housings and eccentric blue foam tips - it took the audiophile community hunting for affordable Chinese earphones by storm.
The Tinhifi Tinbuds1 has the same $25 to $30 asking price as the T2 back in the days, but it's absolutely nothing like that. These are super straightforward wireless earbuds, with a white plastic housing for both the charging case and the earbuds itself.
The case is like every competitor: a pebble that's flat enough to wear in a jeans pocket, has a sturdy enough lid, a LED light to indicate the remaining battery, and a matte white finish that's hard to keep clean.
The earbuds have short and flat stems, and the earpieces follow the proven trend of oval earpieces and oval rubber ear tips - meaning these are easy, snug and comfortable to wear for a couple of hours. Their IPX5 waterproof rating protects them from rain and sweat - neat.
The Tinbuds 1 last at least 6 hours on a single charge. That's with the standard setting of ANC off, which you'll likely keep in many circumstances. The case can recharge the earbuds 5 times fully before needing new power via USB-C itself. Wireless charging isn't supported.
App support, Controls and connectivity
Unlike more and more wireless earphones at this friendly price point, the Tin Hifi Tinbuds 1 doesn't have app support on iPhone or Android phones. Thankfully though, all the desired controls are already on the responsive touch panels on top of the stems:
Double-tap L or R to play/pause
Tap R to increase volume
Tap L to decrease volume
Triple-tap R to skip a track
Triple-tap L to return a song
Hold R to switch between Transparency mode, ANC on, ANC off
Hold R to (de)activate the Game mode
Hold L+R at the same time to (de)activate the voice assistant
The ANC variations and game mode are confirmed by inoffensive female English voice prompts, so you always know which function you've activated.
The TinHifi Tin Buds 1 doesn't automatically pause music when you take an earbud out. It also doesn't have multipoint connection, so you can only connect it to one device at a time.
Sadly, the Bluetooth connection is the worst part of these earbuds. The connection seems a little weak when you're close to many wireless signals or near devices that transmit them. The sound can dip shortly between the left and right earphone. The Tinbuds1 always pick up and synchronize the sound well after these short dips, but they do get in the way of the enjoyment when you're on the move in crowded areas.
Happily, these problems don't occur when you're sitting at your desk, and they also didn't occur when you travel by train. Still - it's not a great ‘feature’ of wireless earbuds.
Phone and video calls
Phone and video calls on the Tinbuds1 sound restless. Your voice can go from clear to fuller to darker in just seconds, just like background noises are sometimes loud and sometimes reduced well. There's a bit of echo on the line too.
Brace yourself when there's a bit of wind involved: it can completely drown out your voice. Phone and video calls are only doable in quiet areas.
Video and games playback
The Tin Hifi Tinbuds1 has no problems whatsoever playing videos on iPhone or Android phones: there's lipsync performance in YouTube and other video streaming services.
Next to that, the gaming mode is a genuine surprise. Triple-tap the left earbud and the sound in a challenging game like Call of Duty mobile synchronizes fantastically with the action on your screen. You can barely notice any delay when reloading or shooting, and thanks to the sound performance of these earbuds, the action sounds immersive and it's possible to locate whether gunshots come from your left or right.
ANC quality of the Tinhifi Tinbuds1
Just like the Moondrop Space Travel that pretty much rocks the $25 to $30 earphone market, the Tinhifi Tinbuds1 comes with Active Noise Cancelling.
ANC is off by default and that's a logical choice. It leaves out the wind noise when you're listening to music and helps to get more out of the battery.
You have to twist the earbuds in a specific manner so they block out the most noise, but when you do, the ANC works fine for the price.
It can then reduce lower frequencies like basses and electronic humming well. Highs, like kids laughter of birds chirping in the background can also be softened greatly. Mid-tones are also attacked in a decent manner, with background radio's and keyboard ticks reduced in volume. Irregular sounds and conversations still come through clearly, however.
What's described, is the performance when you're not playing any music. Push that play button, and your surroundings disappear. As it also doesn't apply too much pressure to your ears and the ANC doesn't show an audible white noise floor, the ANC performance is better than that of the Space Travel.
The Transparency mode helps to put through traffic sounds and conversations when you're playing music, but this only works when you're playing on background volumes.
Also read: The best earbuds under $25
Sound quality of the Tinbuds1: immersive!
The Tinbuds1 gets you frowning from the beginning… and then, before you know it, you can't stop listening to it.
Forget the 2018's neutral Tin Audio T2, and forget the treble-heavy TinHifi TinBuds 3. The Tinhifi Tinbuds1 goes strong on the lows!
Tinhifi's newest has a surprisingly punchy mid-bass. Drums give a proper kick and electronic basses have a strong impact. Strikes are quick and full-bodied too.
The sub-bass also has a strong presence. These darkest bass frequencies, which you can feel as much as hear, easily show themselves, dive deep and sound full. The rumble in James Blake's perfect test track Limit to Your Love has a fast pacing and strikes deep, while keeping control.
Like mid-bass thumps, sub-bass attacks definitely stretch out a bit, rumbling on longer than average. It can be a bit (too) much at times, almost as if Tinhifi put a syringe to the bass and injected it with fullness. If you're looking for a mostly tight and slim bass - this is not it.
It is super engaging, though. Especially as music doesn't resolve around the bass.
Female and male vocals take the most prominent position in the music. Voices are vibrant and full, with a warm undertone. As lower mid-tones are boosted, vocals have a strong lower body. They don't reach into the highs very far, as treble rolls off before it has the chance to become sharp.
In between the weighty lows and the forward vocals, the Tinbuds1 doesn't leave the most room for center mid-tones like guitars and piano play, which can be a bit in the background - although they do sound comfortably warm thanks to, again, the strong lower-mids.
That said, the Tinhifi does have a good sense of space in its musical presentation. While it's hard to place instruments precisely, it feels that there are details (closeby) around you, and vocals and instruments are separated wonderfully - even up to the hefty basses.
What that makes, is a gripping, immersive sound. Music feels big on higher volumes, at times giving a stadium vibe in more electronic (dance or techno) genres and a warm bath in more acoustic genres like jazz and blues. The only complaint, perhaps, is that the maximum volume on Android phones could be a tad higher, while it can go loud on iPhone.
It may not be neutral or bright sound character Tinhifi is known for, but this is one of the most enjoyable wireless earphones on a tight budget.
—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100
Tinhifi Tinbuds1 comparisons
Tinhifi Tinbuds1 vs Soundcore A20i
Like the Tinhifi Tinhuds1, the Soundcore A20i is another great pair of budget earbuds for those who seek a warm and comforting sound. The sets seems like brothers from different mothers, both boosting the lower-mids and putting vocals forward in reduced treble. The Tinhifi's execution feels like an evolution over the Soundcore in that regard; it's a bit less ‘softly rounded’ and entertains with a punchier mid-bass, more intense sub-bass rumble and better vocal authority on higher volumes.
The Soundcore comes with extra sound and control options from the app, but the Tinhifi does both things better without it. The A20i has 2 hours more battery life on a single charge, a more robust connection, and slightly better call quality; the Tinbuds1 has solid ANC and a great gaming mode going for it.
$20 - $25 on Amazon US or other Amazon countries
Tinhifi Tinbuds1 vs Moondrop Space Travel
Also equiped with ANC for a ~$25 asking price, the highly popular Moondrop Space Travel seems to have inspired Tinhifi to make the Tinbuds1. Tinhifi learned from its inspiration, with stronger Active Noise Cancelling and 2 more hours of battery life on a single charge. The Tinbuds1 has more controls and is better for gaming too, while the Moondrop handles (indoor) calls better and comes with app support.
The last part means the Space Travel has a wonderfully balanced, a flatter, and a bassier equalizer preset. The Moondrop is more versatile as a result and can present a more natural and balanced musical picture, but Tinhifi does the bassy signature better, with deeper and harder bass hits, accompanied by more pleasantly controlled treble and more sense of space. Both could be louder on Android phones, but sound terrific for their small price.
$25 - $35 on Amazon US, other Amazon countries or AliExpress
Tinhifi Tinbuds1 vs SoundPEATS Clear
The SoundPEATS Clear's sound is tuned wonderfully for its small price, combining strong (if somewhat loose) mid-bass thumps, a bright tonality and clear vocals. When you're willing to tweak the sound in de app a little, the Clear has a more natural presentation and stronger treble presence than the Tinhifi Tinbuds1, while the Tinhifi pumps up the lower-mids to create a warmer and more gripping sound.
The SoundPEATS Clear and Tinhifi Tinbuds 1 tie when it comes to controls, their waterproof rating, and their great gaming performance. The Clear has longer battery life (8 vs 6 hours), a stronger Bluetooth connection, and better call clarity, but as the Tinbuds1 throws solid ANC in the mix, this tough choice is yours to make.
$25 - $35 on Amazon US, or other Amazon countries
Verdict: Tinhifi Tinbuds1
Not only does the Tinhifi Tinbuds1 have solid Active Noise Cancelling and a great gaming mode; its immense bass and spacious sound make music immersive and enjoyable. It's easily one of the most fun options for bass lovers on a budget.
If the Bluetooth connection was a tad stronger when you're on the move, it would have floored many competitors. Now it's ‘only’ one of the most entertaining budget earbuds most of the times.
Four STARS - good
Buy Tinhifi Tinbuds1/ check price:
Buy on Linsoul
Buy on AliExpress
I received the Tinhifi Tinbuds1 for the manufacturer to test and review.
The links in this article are affiliate links and I can get a small percentage of the money from them, while it doesn't cost you extra. This doesn't change my opinion. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.
Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:
Also read:
Guide: The best earbuds under $75
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
