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Tekfusion Twinwoofers

Tekfusion Twinwoofers Review

Tekfusion Twinwoofers

Details: Enhanced-bass earphone from India-based Tekfusion
MSRP: $49.99 for Twinwoofers (manufacturer’s page); $69.99 for Twinwoofers M with mic & 1-button remote (manufacturer’s page)
Current Price: $50 from amazon.com for Twinwoofers; $40 from amazon.com for Twinwoofers M
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 16Ω | Sens: 113 dB | Freq: 19-21k Hz | Cable: 3.9′ I-plug
Nozzle Size: 4.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock single-flanges
Wear Style: Straight down or over-the-ear (preferred)

Accessories (3/5) – Single-flange (3 sizes) and triple-flange (2 sizes) silicone tips, shirt clip, and velvet spring-clasp carrying pouch
Build Quality (3.5/5) – The construction of the Twinwoofers is par for the course, with sturdy-feeling metal housings coupled to a pretty conventional cable. Mild driver flex is present
Isolation (3.5/5) – Above average for an earphone of this type
Microphonics (3.5/5) – Moderate when worn cable-down; very good otherwise
Comfort (3.5/5) – The Twinwoofers look bulkier than they really are. The housings are long, but relatively slim and not too heavy. They are just a touch bigger than similarly-priced T-Peos models such as the D200R and Popular, and I’ve always thought those very comfortable

Sound (7.2/10) – Tekfusion’s Twinwoofers are bass-heavy in-ears with a warm and rich tonal character. The deep bass is strong, but outpaced still by the mid-bass hump of the Twinwoofers, which results in well above-average impact. Compared, for example, to Nuforce’s bass-heavy NE-700X model, the Twinwoofers have more mid-bass presence and as a result sound “bassier” in the conventional sense. The side effect of the mid-bass boost is, of course, some bass bloat, with sets such as the NE-700X and the pricier Brainwavz S1 sounding less boomy in comparison.

Possibly the greatest asset of the Twinwoofers is the midrange, which is quite strong for an earphone with so much low end presence. IEMs with the bass power of the Twinwoofers, especially at this price point, tend to have more recessed mids. Here, however, the prominent midrange keeps the sound natural and cohesive. For instance, the mids are warmer and more natural compared to the Nuforce NE-700X and NE-600X, with the Twinwoofers sounding a little more balanced and less mid-recessed. Also, while the clarity of the more v-shaped Nuforce units is technically greater, vocal intelligibility was better with the more forward Twinwoofers, except on tracks with very prominent bass.

The Twinwoofers are quite smooth up through the treble, again benefitting from their sound being less v-shaped than much of the competition. The earphones do an excellent job of avoiding harshness and sibilance. There’s not a whole lot of energy here, but it’s doubtful purchasers of mid-range basshead earphones will mind. The presentation could be more open as well, but it is quite uncongested considering the bass power of the Twinwoofers, reminding me of NarMoo’s dual-driver S1 model.

Select Comparisons

Fidue A31s ($30)

Fidue’s tiny A31s headset is comfortable and inexpensive, but not very good-sounding. While definitely bass-heavy, it has nowhere near the same amount of depth and impact as the Tekfusion Twinwoofers. The bass of the Twinwoofers is a touch more boomy, but not proportionally so considering the greater bass quantity. The midrange of the Twinwoofers is more forward and a little clearer despite its greater bass quantity. The A31s is muddier, and while its treble is smoother, the lack of clarity is just too great to get past.

JVC HA-FR301 ($40)

The flagship of JVC’s enhanced-bass “Xtreme Xplosives” line has one of the most v-shaped sound profiles I’ve ever encountered, with greatly boosted bass and treble. It is actually bassier than the Twinwoofers but lacks the fullness and smoothness of the Tekfusion. The midrange of the FR301 is much more recessed, though also a bit clearer, and its top end is way harsher, making its sound less natural tonally. The Twinwoofers do sound a little muddy in comparison to the FR301, but on the whole I found them more natural.

NarMoo S1 ($40)

While the NarMoo S1 is no slouch, Tekfusion’s Twinwoofers are among the bassiest earphones I’ve tried this year, providing an even warmer and smoother sound. The Twinwoofers have a darker tonal character and sound a bit less clear. Their bass is comparable in quantity to that of the S1 but seems more powerful still thanks to the more laid-back treble. The Tekfusion unit also has a smoother top end, while the S1 is brighter and thinner, delivering a bit more detail and slightly better clarity as a result.

Signature Acoustics Elements C-12 ($50)

As the only product I have from the only other India-based IEM manufacturer I know, the Signature Acoustics Elements C-12 made for a logical comparison with the Twinwoofers. The two are actually quite close in performance, with similar bass impact but with the Twinwoofers boasting a slightly less mid-recessed, more balanced sound. The midrange of the Tekfusion sounds warmer and more natural, whereas the C-12 is a little more mid-recessed. The C-12 is more v-shaped as well, and while the extra top-end energy makes it sound slightly harsher, it also gives the C-12 a more neutral tone and at times permits it to sound clearer/less muddy in the midrange.

Value (7.5/10) – The Tekfusion Twinwoofers are competent bass-heavy earphones that suffer from a spot of bass bloat but still offer up good midrange presence and a smooth, inoffensive top end. The large-ish housings are more comfortable than they look, too, and deliver above-average noise isolation. In the US market, the Twinwoofers are faced with stiff competition, but much of the low pricing that we enjoy here simply isn’t available overseas, making the Twinwoofers an even stronger proposition.

Pros: Basshead sound with good mids; good noise isolation
Cons: Some bass bloat; mild driver flex

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ABOUT AUTHOR

ljokerl

ljokerl

Living in the fast-paced city of Los Angeles, ljokerl has been using portable audio gear to deal with lengthy commutes for the better part of a decade. He spends much of his time listening to music and occasionally writes portable audio reviews across several enthusiast sites, focusing mostly on in-ear earphones.

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4 Responses

  1. The Twinwoofers are much bassier, warmer, and smoother through the treble. The JVCs are clearer, less forward in the midrange, and a lot brighter.

  2. The Tank is more v-shaped than these and sounds clearer, but also thinner. It’s also considerably lower on the bass impact scale – I wouldn’t classify it as a basshead earphone whereas these would pass. The lower bass quantity does of course mean the bass is tighter as well. The Tank also has more treble energy, at the expense of sounding harsher. One place the Tank is just not very impressive is soundstaging, which these do better.

    $21 is a much more impressive price, too!

  3. Interesting sig. Head-shaking-bass, prominent mids and a smooth top. A combination not seen often. A lot of the bass heavy music these days features quite a bit of action up top, and not much going on in the middle. How would they handle those genres.

    From your review, comparisons that spring to mind include the T-peos Tank. Who’s winning that battle?

    PS: It’s nice to see companies like SA and Tekfusion come-up in my country. Bodes well for the future, which I hope will not be the IEM desert it is today.
    PS2: These are reasonably price in India (~21$). A good value proposition for the bass loving majority.

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