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T-Peos D200R

T-Peos D200R Review

T-Peos D200R

Details: One of several sub-$50 headset models from Korea-based T-Peos

MSRP: est. $35 (manufacturer’s page)
Current Price: N/A
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 32Ω | Sens: 105 dB | Freq: 20-18k Hz | Cable: 4′ L-plug with mic & 1-button remote
Nozzle Size: 4.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock single-flanges, MEElec M6 single-flanges
Wear Style: Straight down or over-the-ear (preferred)

Accessories (2.5/5) – Single-flange silicone tips (3 sizes) and soft carrying pouch
Build Quality (4/5) – As with the other T-Peos earphones I’ve tried, the construction of the D200R is well above average, utilizing metal housings and a sturdy cable that’s nylon-sheathed below the y-split and terminated with an angled plug. The D200R boasts an inline mic with a 1-button remote, but no cable cinch
Isolation (3/5) – Good, on par with other earphones of this type
Microphonics (3.5/5) – Present with cable-down wear; very good when worn over-the-ear
Comfort (4/5) – The 8mm driver allows a slim and compact housing design and the earphones are not heavy despite the metal construction. Due to the soft and flexible cable, the D200R can be worn very comfortably both cable-down and cable up

Sound (7.9/10) – The T-Peos D200R is the latest in a long line of sub-$50 T-Peos earphones I’ve had the pleasure of listening to, the others being the Tank, Popular, Spider, and Rich200. While they all share a familial resemblance in sound signature, the D200R is the most balanced of the lot by a margin – it has the least bass enhancement, the smoothest treble, and the strongest midrange.

The bass of the D200R is still emphasized, however, and the tonal character is on the warm side of neutral. Its bass quantity is lower compared to the other T-Peos earphones but impact is still on par with sets like VSonic’s VSD1S. Bass quality is good – there is just a touch of “boom” compared to the T-Peos Popular and Rich200, both of which impressed me to no end with the quality of their bass, as well as the pricier SteelSeries Flux.

The midrange of the D200R is in good balance with its bass – not forward, like that of the Fidue A63, but not recessed. It is more prominent and full-bodied compared to the other T-Peos earphones I’ve tied, which tend to be more v-shaped. In the case of the D200R, the v-shape is so mild that calling the overall sound “balanced” is hardly a stretch. Clarity is very good, again lagging just behind the Popular, Rich200, and SteelSeries Flux.

There is a small amount of elevation in the treble region, but the D200R is smoother and less treble-heavy than the other T-Peos sets. It’s still not as smooth as the HiFiMan RE-400 or Fidue A63, for example, but its treble presence is excellent in my book – enough to convey the energy of cymbals, but not quite enough to be consistently harsh or sibilant. It teeters right on the edge of what I would call unforgiving, but more often than not stays on the right side of that line.

The presentation is good, with decent depth and better width. Thanks to more balanced sound, the D200R has better imaging and less congestion than the other entry-level T-Peos earphones I’ve tried so far.

Select Comparisons

T-Peos Rich200 ($33)

The T-Peos D200R and Rich200 boast similar audio performance but differ in sound signature, with the Rich200 offering up a slightly more v-shaped response. Its bass is a bit more impactful but impresses greatly with its quality – it is very tight and extended. The D200R, on the other hand, boasts more presence in the midrange and has a more full-bodied sound. The mids of the Rich200 are a touch more recessed, but also clearer. Part of the clarity comes from the stronger treble, which also causes it to be somewhat more harsh and sibilance-prone than the D200R.

The similarities in price, form factor, and even feature set make choosing between these two earphones more difficult than it should be, but what it comes down to is this: the Rich200 has better bass while mids are a toss-up – fuller and more forward on the D200R, more recessed but clearer on the Rich200. Treble is better with the D200R and its less v-shaped sound grants it a slightly more natural tone.

NarMoo R1M ($30) (silver ports) 

NarMoo’s entry-level R1M model features interchangeable tuning ports which give it three different sound signatures. The R1M is at its best with the (least bassy) “silver” tuning ports. Even in this configuration, the D200R has slightly less bass quantity but still maintains excellent extension and is capable of very solid punch. The low end of the R1M appears stronger and at times more intrusive while the bass of the D200R is tighter and its midrange is more prominent and clear. However, the T-Peos also tends to sound harsher at times. The R1M is significantly less crisp, but boasts a wider soundstage and more open sound next to the more forward D200R.

Astrotec AM-90 ($44)

The Astrotec AM-90 is one of the most affordable Balanced Armature earphones on the market and a decent enough example of BA sound. Several years ago, a BA earphone would in this price range would have been a no-brainer, but dynamic-driver sets have come a long way, which the D200R illustrates perfectly. As expected, the T-Peos unit boasts significantly more bass than the AM-90 – its low end has greater depth and body, delivering more of both sub-bass rumble and mid-bass impact.

In the midrange, the AM-90 sounds thinner, but surprisingly not any clearer than the D200R. The D200R also boasts greater treble energy while the AM-90 is smoother and more forgiving. Personally, I find the D200R’s greater treble presence to be more realistic. It is also the more dynamic and engaging of the two earphones and images better, making the AM-90 sound a little too flat and forward in comparison.

VSonic VSD1S ($50)

VSonic’s VSD1S is more v-shaped in response than the T-Peos D200R. Its bass is similar in impact to the T-Peos but a bit tighter, and its midrange is more recessed and a little clearer, more like that of the T-Peos Rich200. The D200R has more midrange presence and sounds thicker and more full-bodied than the VSD1S. It is also smoother up top, though still far from forgiving. The VSD1S can be a touch more sibilant at times. Both earphones are quite capable on the presentation front, but the VSonic unit is a bit more spacious.

T-Peos H-100 ($120)

T-Peos’ higher-end H-100 model is a hybrid earphone – that is, it uses a combination of dynamic and balanced armature drivers, in this case one of each. Despite the H-100 having a dynamic driver dedicated to producing bass, the D200R is bassier. It offers up more impact, but its bass sounds boomy in comparison to the tight low end of the H-100. It seems that the woofer of the H-100 is tuned for quality over quantity.

Thanks to the boomier bass, the D200R also sounds muddier in the midrange. The mids of the H-100 are significantly clearer and more detailed, but also somewhat thin-sounding and a little withdrawn. The tone of the D200R is warmer, whereas the H-100 is fairly bright. The more crisp and energetic treble of the H-100 is also less tolerant of sibilance, though not as much so as one may expect from such a bright earphone. Thanks to its more recessed mids, the H-100 has a wider, somewhat more distant sound whereas the D200R is more forward.

THL Recommended Badge 2014Value (9.5/10) – As far as reasonably-priced earphones go, the T-Peos D200R has a lot going for it – sturdy build, headset functionality, and a sonic signature that makes all the right concessions. It might not have the tightest bass or clearest sound, but it avoids recessed mids and is smoother up top compared to its siblings. Its round cables make it easier to wear over-the-ear compared to the flat-cabled T-Peos sets, and it is less microphonic. For all these reasons, the D200R gets our “Recommended” badge.

Pros: Good bass and excellent all-around performance; compact and comfortable housings; solid construction
Cons: Bass quality not quite as impressive as with the T-Peos Rich200

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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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16 Responses

  1. They’re like an improved T-Peos H-100. Very clear sound, bright treble, mids a little thin and withdrawn, very deep and robust bass. I do think they are better than the pistons by quite a bit, but then the price is also 5x higher.

  2. Nice..what are your quick impressions of them? I’ll wait for your review before deciding on those or the Pistons

  3. Well, if you end up getting the D200R do let us know if they provide enough sensitivity for you! Never know when someone else might have the same question.

  4. Yeah, wouldn’t be to bad if I had an amp or MP3 player to trun my IEM’s, just a plain old Desktop PC with the motherboard on board sound. So looking for something really easy to power/get to max volume, etc. =P

  5. The S1 didn’t sound too quiet to me, but I haven’t used it very much. Fitting issues are another matter, though – they are definitely on the large side thanks to the dual drivers.

  6. Thanks, Joker. Yeah, I think that’s the name of my current iems. Just having a hard time driving it. For example, if I get a good seal, which is hard due to the grey housings on the S1’s, I have to turn my Windows PC volume to probably around 50-60% or more to even make out the sound.

  7. I agree – the D200R works fine with portable sources. All of the T-Peos IEMs I’ve tried have good efficiency. Not as good as the Xiaomi Piston, which was designed primarily for phones, but the Piston has pretty wide housings and I don’t think it will work for you from a comfort standpoint.

    It sounds like you have the NarMoo S1, which is significantly larger than these are. Weight is about the same, but the D200R doesn’t feel heavy in the ear.

  8. Yeah, that’s the main reason for the good comfort. Plus, they include pretty good tips which really help. I have small ears too, and they are really comfortable especially when worn over the ear. Good things are being said about the Xiaomi Piston and the VSonic Vsd1s already has a good reputation. So I would look into those too. But the d200r has the smallest housings so that might work best for you. Good luck!

  9. Thanks Koby, I appreciate the fast response. No stores close to me, so no way to be able to test any IEM’s, so I’m kind of in the hole at the moment cost wise. So, because of them having smaller housing, you think they would be comfortable for relatively small ears/shallow fit?

  10. Sorry, I’m no Joker, but I currently own these headphones. They are quite easy to drive and they sound great from both my phone and my laptop without an amp. The housing is really small, so it’ll probably be fine. And movies and games sound immerse and the voices are easy to hear. I assume it would be the same for audio books. For music they are really pleasant to listen to. They are fun but still retain clarity and a close to balanced sound signature. Joker’s response will probably be better than mine, but hopefully my opinion will help you a bit.

  11. Joker,

    Thanks for the wonderful and detailed reviews. I was wondering if the D200r’s are easy to drive? Need something that i can basically use on everything, ranging from Laptops, computers, MP3 plauers, phones, etc. Currently own a Narmoo set but they are comfortable to me, the grey housing is relatively big for my ears. Plus, I have to turn volume up on everything. Do you think these would be a good pair to get? I mean, for easy driving and overall use for everything? Music, audio books, games, movies, etc, etc?

    Thanks,
    Enigma

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