Disclaimer
I got this product as a review unit from Shengzenaudio. Except from the review unit I did not receive money or any other necessities to influence the review in anyway. This is my honest and unbiased opinion on TinHiFi DUDU. My likes and dislikes on this IEM are based solely on my own personal experience. If you’re interested in buying DUDU check out shengzenaudio.
Design & Build Quality
The design of TinHiFi DUDU is pretty minimal with their brand name in the middle. The white branding changes color on light’s presence. The faceplate has a subtle but interesting texture to it. The edges are slightly on the sharper side. The faceplate is covered by a border on every side. I’ve noticed color chipping on those edges, a important piece of that needed to be mentioned. The body of the shells are made of aerospace-grade aluminum.
The inner side of DUDU is really smooth, has R & L text indicator on both drivers. If it wasn’t for the slight bump on the nozzle, I might have dropped it couple of times by now, it’s that slippery! Under the mesh, I’ve noticed a white subject, I’m guessing it’s the filter. Both the nozzle and the shell is made from a single, seamless piece of material, on the bright side it’s more safe for mass audience’s usage. on the other hand, you loose the option to swap nozzle.
It was definitely a wise choice to put two OFC cables inside the box. One is 3.5 and the other one is type C. You might wonder like, “It’s interesting how they managed to make the shells with aerospace-grade aluminum, two cables and 13mm planer magnetic driver inside and still priced it under $100.” You’re right, build and box content wise they’ve put good stuff. So this will the only IEM that I’m not criticizing for not providing any carrying pouch.
The stock eartips are of pretty decent quality. I really liked the foam ones, as they were pretty comfortable. If you’re a general user, don’t bother upgrading them. But if you’re a weird audiophile like me, who needs 2 different types of aftermarket eartips for a single IEM, go ahead. I won’t blame/scold you.
Comfort
TinHiFi DUDU is lightweight, good for wearing long period pf time. The complaint that I’ve with DUDU is, the edges are not curved. I’ve seen people struggling while keeping them in their ears or struggling while wearing. The number is quite low, but the minorities does count, I can just hope that you’re not that person.
Although for me, it wasn’t really an issue. Even though I didn’t feel any discomfort while wearing, it wasn’t really comfortable either. The isolation was pretty average, or bellow average.
Sources
- Ibasso DC04 Pro
- Ibasso DC Elite
- Cayin Ru7
- Cayin Ru6
- Fosi audio DS1
- IFI Hip-Dac 2
- Cayin N3 ultra
- Plenue R2
- ΚΑΕΙ Tap-2
- DUNU DTC-480
- Moondrop Dawn Pro
DUDU pairs well with most of the DACs I’ve tried. It pairs well with bright sounding source, sources with wide soundstage or open mid-range. Warm sounding source or sources with really narrow stage won’t be ideal.
All of the DACs mentioned above paired quite well with MR DUDU.
Packaging
- TinHiFi DUDU drivers
- High-purity OFC copper cable with 3.5mm jack
- High-purity OFC copper cable with USB C connection
- Two types of silicon ear tips (S/M/L)
- A foam eartip
- User Manual
Specifications
Specification source: LINSOUL
Pairings
Eartips
- Stock
- DDHIFI ST 35
- Final E (Black)
- Spinfit CP100+
- Tri Clarion
- KBear 07
- Dunu Candy
- Spinfit W1
Being a warm sounding IEM DUDU pairs well with many eartips. Among them my favorites are definitely DDHIFI ST35, Dunu Candy. ST35 makes DUDU’s presentation more soothing, while candy makes the midrange more open, still having a good bass. W1 is another good option.
Cable
- Stock
- KBear (Inspiration C) 4 core copper
- NiceHCK mixPP
Upgrade cable isn’t really necessary, but if you have one in your collection you can definitely use them. Both the stock cables are of high quality. The type C can also be used, in case if you don’t own a DAC.
Sound Quality
Dudu is a warm sounding IEM with a Mid-bass emphasis. The mid-range is warm and open. Fine meaty vocals pairing with a warm sweet sound makes it a delicious combo, I mean delightful.
Here’s a graph for reference-
Source: AudioAI
Sub-Bass
The Sub-Bass is of good quality. Feels a bit light and lacks presence compared to Mid-bass. It’s rich and hits deep. It’s not a rumbly Sub-Bass, rather it’s like a soft-cozy, full-bodied Sub-bass.
Mid-Bass
The Mid-bass is more forward compared to Sub-bass. It’s not that tight, it’s more like a soft and warm type of bass. The texture is smooth that perfectly matches the Sub-bass profile. It’s decently fast with some decay. I personally loved the way it presented the Mid-bass.
Mid-range
As you might have guessed, the mid-range is warm and sweet. Gives off a welcoming vibe. It’s subtle but you can feel details in this region. Instruments like piano, harmonica sounds really nice. The bass presence makes these instruments shine from most other instruments. Has a good seperation between vocals and these instruments. Bass does bleed into the mid-range, yet it feels so open and detailed!
Male Vocals
Male vocals sound meaty thanks to the bass presence. Vocals aren’t forward, neither laid back. It seems like a perfect place for me. Vocals are full bodied with a lovely texture. Just a nitpick- maybe on one or two tracks, the vocals felt like hollows. Can just a issue of that particular track, but it is something worth noting.
Female Vocals
Female vocals on the other hand sound fantastic! They shine so nice, without creating fatigue. Pairing with dawn pro, it doesn’t stays the same. Can even pierce through my ear if I listen way too long. A neutral or warm dac won’t do the same though. There is a distinct line between instruments and vocal presentation.
Treble
Didn’t you smell something fishy? Everything about this IEM can’t be good, can it? The treble is it’s weakest point. It’s inaccurate and sometimes sounds a bit off. Acoustic guitar might sound moderately correct, but most other doesn’t. Although the treble is laid-back, so treble sensitive folks can enjoy it with their eyes closed. Seems like I just discovered that we don’t need eyes to listen to music!
Instruments
Instruments seperation is decent in DUDU, although there’s a catch. Instruments playing in the same region, or has a really thin line in the sound spectrum can crash into one another. What I mean is, if there are too many instruments playing in the background and they stays within the treble or any other region, most likely the seperation won’t be distinct. Although vocals are well separated and positioned in the center.
Soundstage & Imaging
The soundstage of DUDU is quite spacious and does feel premium. Along with it’s accurate imaging I was able to locate most of the instruments playing in the background. Even on gaming…Let’s talk about that in the gaming section!
Mobile Gaming
Dudu is not a technical device. Despite that, it didn’t let me down while I was gaming. With its decent soundstage and imaging, it helped me wipe downs enemies pretty easily. Now don’t make me misunderstood by saying things like, “Oh, does it whisper into your ears the locations of your enemies or gives you auto headshot or something”. Absolutely not! I’m a decent player you know. You don’t have to know about new season’s rank reset.
Anyways, it’s pretty balanced on height, width and depth. Spotting enemies becomes a piece of cake with such good imaging. Firing sound can easily be located. But footsteps are a different case. Mostly you’d know your foe’s location, until they throw any explosives at your face. It’s not bothering as most of my enemies are not aware of my DUDU (I mean the IEM). So just don’t tell your enemies about your DUDU (again, the IEM).
Why should you consider it
- If you prefer warm sound
- If you like open mid-range
- If you like relaxing treble
- If you’re a fan of wide soundstage
- If you’re a gamer
- If you don’t have a source or aftermarket cable
- If you like good vocals
Why should you look elsewhere
- If you’re a bass lover
- If you’re a treble lover
- If you’re a fan of energetic sound
- If comfort is on top in you’re priority list
- If you hate planner timber
Verdicts
Dudu might not be an all rounder, but it does really well what it supposed to do. The warm non fatiguing sound might not suit everyone’s taste, initially I didn’t liked it either. After giving it 2 days, I realized what I was missing out. It’s not always about fast and engaging vocals or the treble. Sometimes, we do enjoy listening in a quiet environment. Songs that can reach deep into our heart. If you’re someone like me, you won’t regret buying it.
As always thank you for your attention! Let me know your thoughts on this IEM.
Until then,
Keep on listening ·͜·♡
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