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TForce Audio Yuan Li Review: A Sweet Start For Chinese Dynasty!!

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TForce Audio is a new entry into the world of high-fidelity IEMs, where the brand has debuted with its very first pair of single dynamic driver IEMs, the TForce Audio…

TForce Audio is a new entry into the world of high-fidelity IEMs, where the brand has debuted with its very first pair of single dynamic driver IEMs, the TForce Audio Yuan Li. TForce Audio is founded by experienced audio engineers with years of experience in the industry. They planned and based their debutant IEMs on the legendary Chinese Dynasty. Yuan Li their very debutant IEM is named after the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China. This shiny beauty houses a 10mm dynamic driver with DLC(Diamond-Like Carbon) diaphragm coil. I am a sucker for single dynamic driver IEMs with my favorites being FiiO FD5, DUNU Zen, KBEar Believe, and many more. So when I got to know TForce is planning on organizing a review tour for Yuan Li in my country, I instantly grabbed the opportunity to be a part of the tour. Let’s check out whether this beauty marks a good entry point for TForce or not?? I will be answering at the end of this review.

TForce Yuan Li-1

Disclaimer:-

I received the Yuan Li as a part of the review tour being organized here in my country by TForce themselves. I am in no way associated with TForce to write positive or negative about Yuan Li all the impressions in this blog are completely my own based on my own usage with the product over the past week. The unit will be shipped ahead to the next reviewer after this review is complete. If you are interested, you can buy the TForce Yuan Li from HiFiGo Store for just 119$ from the link below(Not affiliated).

https://hifigo.com/products/tforce-yuanli-10mm-dlc-single-dynamic-driver-in-ear-monitors

Design, Build Quality, Fit:-

Yuan Li has full metallic CNC machined earpieces with a shiny mirror finish to them. Despite being full metallic, the pair is quite light in weight. The earpieces have a T-Force branding logo printed at the center of the earpieces close to which we have an air pressure vent. Another air pressure vent is located at the inner side close to the ear nozzle. The ear nozzle here is also fully metallic and has a golden finish to it.  The earpieces feel solid and sturdy to hold. It looks like they will withstand a fall without breaking a sweat at all. Though with a full metallic, shiny mirror finish, the earpieces are fingerprints magnets, every time I hold them, I see myself rubbing them against a cloth or something to clean. Overall the design, look, and build quality of the pair are pretty good.

TForce Yuan Li-2

I received the pair with its original carry case, which is a Faux Leather case. It is extremely good, has enough space for another spare cable even with the Yuan Li with its stock cable and a few pairs of ear tips. I received seven pairs of ear tips, three pairs of white silicone(thin material and wide bore), three pairs of grey silicone(narrow bore, high-quality), and one pair of memory foam ear tips. The stock cable with the Yuan Li is a copper cable with two-pin connectors and 3.5mm termination. The carry case is the best part among the accessories of Yuan Li.

TForce Yuan Li-3

In terms of fit, the pair is ergonomic & lightweight. I find no issues in fit even for long listening sessions(Up to 4-5 hours on a single sitting). The pair covers my entire ear canal blocking any external noises(with M size ear tips). Isolation and fit-wise, Yuan Li has no errors.

Ear Tip Rolling:-

I had some issues with earpieces slipping out of my ears on stock white silicone ear tips, plus the Vocals were too into the face with their wide bore design. I tried and found the Yuan Li best with Spinfit CP100 tips. They have a medium bore with better silicone quality than the stock white ones. Spinfit CP100 also improved the bass response with better rumbles and better depth extension. I mainly used CP100 with Yuan Li and would recommend everyone to use it.

TForce Yuan Li-4

Final Audio Type-E is also an excellent pair to try on the Yuan Li. Its narrow bore increases the bass response even further. Personally, I find the pair sound best with the CP100.

Driving The Yuan Li:-

I don’t find Yuan Li to be a demanding set at all. It performed quite decently straight out of my Samsung Tab S6 Lite. The pair was sounding adequately loud for me at around 60-65% volume level. Though I will say the pair misses out on its capabilities such as bass punch and overall clarity with the S6 Lite. Once you plug the pair into a half-decent source such as a USB Dongle DAC such as Audirect Atom 2, the pair scales well enough. I personally paired the TForce Yuan Li with S6 Lite, S6Lite + Atom 2, Cayin N6ii(A01), and Cayin N6ii(A02)+Topping NX4.

TForce Yuan Li-5
TForce Yuan Li-6

I would say, the pair sounds decent enough straight out of regular smartphone output, but pairing it with better sources rewards a better punch in the lower end, wider stage, and better overall dynamics. Even adding a small Audirect Atom brought Yuan Li to improved dynamics, so I would recommend using at least a Dongle DAC/AMP or Hi-Res Player for taking the full benefit of Yuan Li.

Sound Impressions:-

Yuan Li has a sweet musical tonality to its sound. It delivers a quick and punchy lower end whenever called upon, sweet & melodious vocals, and a wide soundstage. Tforce has done a safe, smooth treble response for its debutant IEM. It doesn’t have any harshness or sibilance to itself. It looks like the pair has a slow roll-off in the upper treble region. This though benefits the users by maintaining good energy in the output without it being fatiguing or harsh at all. Yuan Li’s sweet tonality, the warm powerful presentation make one appreciates and enjoy their music for countless hours. I would say, the pair has a dead silent noise floor with no noticeable hiss or background noise. Pitch dark background allows the music to be more enjoyable for the listener.

TForce Yuan Li-7

Lower End:-

Yuan Li delivers a well-extended fast and punchy bass response. The lower end has a good body with fast slams and a tightly controlled presentation. No, the pair doesn’t feel overpowering in the lower end. In fact, the pair maintains a well-defined presentation in the lower end. I would say mid-bass slams have a slight prominence in the lower end as compared to the sub-bass region. Though that doesn’t mean it lacks rumble or power, the pair will surprise you with its lower-end response even in quick tracks such as Dance Monkey by Tones & I or Billie Jean by the legend MJ. Super satisfied with the lower-end response of Yuan Li(for the best experience I would recommend CP100 ear tips and a decent source(like Shanling M3X or maybe a Dongle DAC such as Lotoo Paw S1).

Mids:-

Yuan Li holds its magic in its mid-range. The presentation here is slightly forward with a warm melodious tone to vocals and instruments. I love the well-textured presentation of both male and female vocals with the pair. They sound sweet, listening to vocal-based tracks such as “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, “Cannon Ball” by Damien Rice, is a mesmerizing experience. Acoustic instruments have a good sense of air between them. I would say the Tonality and presentation of midrange with the Yuan Li are exceptional for the price segment.

Treble:-

TForce has Gove with a safe bet for the treble region. It has a smooth, non-fatiguing presentation with a slow roll-off in the upper treble region. Treble extension for the price is good, there are no sudden spikes or peaks in the treble that might make the pair sound harsh or fatiguing. There is no noticeable sibilance to any of the instruments such as Violins, Electric Guitars. All-in-all a smooth presentation.

TForce Yuan Li-7

Soundstage, Layering, Instrument Separation, & Imaging:-

In terms of soundstage, the TForce Yuan Li excels with a deep & wide soundstage. It has enough air to provide a good separation between the vocalist and instruments. Imaging is average for the price segment. One can identify different instruments in a track, but pin-pointing them on the stage is sometimes not possible with fast & complex tracks such as “Dark Necessities” by RHCP.

TForce Yuan Li vs Hisenior T2 Classic:-

Both the IEMs are priced at 119$. I have Both right now with me. Yuan Li is the debutant product for TForce, Similarly T2 Classic is one of the first universal IEM from Hisenior launched recently. Here’s my take between these two:-

>Yuan Li has a more fun tuning while Hisenior has a dead-neutral tuning.

>While Yuan Li has a slightly forward presentation for the mid-range, Hisenior has no emphasis on any particular frequency.

>Soundfield has better width & depth with the Yuan Li, Hisenior has an average soundstage presentation.

>Yuan Li has a warm, sweet tonality, Hisenior T2 Classic has a completely natural tone.

>As per me Hisenior is more suitable for professionals with a taste for natural, neutral sound, Tforce Yuan Li is suitable for end consumers with a sweet and melodious sound.

TForce Yuan Li-8

A Few Final Words:-

To explain the TForce Audio in a few words, It’s an absolutely brilliant set starting off the journey for TForce Audio worldwide. I loved its musical tonality, Sweet vocals, and wide soundstage presentation. The lower end & the mid-range are the charms here. Treble extension could have been slightly better here. And while the included carry case is extremely good, the ear tips are not up to the mark in quality especially the white silicone ones. I preferred using CP100 with the pair. Once you get it right with the ear tips, You are in for a great time with the TForce Yuan Li!!

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