Pros: • Balance-neutral sound signature
• Pristine and prestige look and feel
• Very flexible performance. All rounder
• Fast attacks and decays for a DD driver configuration
• Exceptional scalability with or without extra amping
• Very decent vocal tracking
• Above par detail retrieval
• one of the best performance-price ratio out there
• Very flexible performance. All rounder
• Fast attacks and decays for a DD driver configuration
• Exceptional scalability with or without extra amping
• Very decent vocal tracking
• Above par detail retrieval
• one of the best performance-price ratio out there
Cons: • Smudge magnet. You’ll see on my photos below.
• Bass-heads might be left wanting more
• Might need more power to unleash its true potential
• Bass-heads might be left wanting more
• Might need more power to unleash its true potential
INTRODUCTION
Tforce is a new company in the world of audio. They have experienced personnel in tuning and producing quality products. And Yuan Li is a solid contender in the sea of IEMS in the chi-fi world. Something that gained respect and love in the community. As a gigging musician, mainly a pianist and a saxophone player, I found this pair very enjoyable, flexible and an easy-pick to listen to. I listen mostly to almost any genre, but minimal rock and almost to none metal. So if you are trying to find if Yuan li performs well on metal music, I might not be the person to tell you that.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Driver: 10mm DLC (single dynamic driver)
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 103.5db
FR range: 20hz-20khz
DISCLAIMER:
I did not buy this product. It was provided as a review unit for the Philippines reviewer circle tour. Much thanks to Tforce audio for providing us one. We are not compensated in any way. My thoughts and opinion here are not influenced by any form of incentive.
Manage your expectations as what works for me, might not work for you. We all have different perception when it comes to sound. My setup and gears may not be the same as yours, and that plays a big role in what I hear. So, as we reviewers always say, take this as a grain of salt.
Tforce is a new company in the world of audio. They have experienced personnel in tuning and producing quality products. And Yuan Li is a solid contender in the sea of IEMS in the chi-fi world. Something that gained respect and love in the community. As a gigging musician, mainly a pianist and a saxophone player, I found this pair very enjoyable, flexible and an easy-pick to listen to. I listen mostly to almost any genre, but minimal rock and almost to none metal. So if you are trying to find if Yuan li performs well on metal music, I might not be the person to tell you that.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Driver: 10mm DLC (single dynamic driver)
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 103.5db
FR range: 20hz-20khz
DISCLAIMER:
I did not buy this product. It was provided as a review unit for the Philippines reviewer circle tour. Much thanks to Tforce audio for providing us one. We are not compensated in any way. My thoughts and opinion here are not influenced by any form of incentive.
Manage your expectations as what works for me, might not work for you. We all have different perception when it comes to sound. My setup and gears may not be the same as yours, and that plays a big role in what I hear. So, as we reviewers always say, take this as a grain of salt.
INCLUSIONS and PACKAGING:
As a review unit, we were fortunate to receive the official package. So far, this pair has the most premium unboxing experience for me. I was like a kid, hyped and excited, opening a Christmas present.
The box has that Chinese art and is decently big for an IEM. Very nice to look at with contemplating colors. It almost like looking at those big Chinese paintings that you’ll see on hotels. After removing the sleeve, a very simple yet elegant logo of Tforce greets you on the main box. Opening the magnetic flip, you’ll see this.
The pouch and the IEM itself.
The pouch is very simple, synthetic leather I think, with a magnetic flip. And is quite thick. It won’t fit in your pockets. It is sturdy though, and won’t be squeezed so easily, thus protecting your IEMs.
And inside the pouch you’ll find the cable. 6N OCC copper. Nice colored. Though I find it cumbersome sometimes as it stays the shape how you store it. Cable interface is 2-pin.
Beneath the IEM holders, you’ll find 7 pairs of tips. 3 balanced, 3 bass enhanced, and 1 pair foam tips. I used the M size bass enhanced tips, the balance tips are just too soft for me. Foam tips, they are just not for me.
At the bottom of the box, the warranty, thank you card, and a parchment paper with Chinese art that gives you an added authentic feel of a chi-fi purchase.
THE SHELL:
The build is made of top-grade aluminum with the right weight. No-fatigue for long listening hours. Very shiny and elegant looking. It is as if you are wearing an earing when you have it plugged in your ears. It is scratch, print, and smudge magnet though. Extra effort on taking care of it will be very beneficial in the long run.
Now on to how it sounds…
TREBLE – 4.2/5
I tested the final version of Yuan li and I find it a bit tamed but not lacking. This will favor treble sensitives. It did favor me when I tried listening to really loud rock songs. I find no sibilance here. As a detail freak, I sometimes look for that air and shimmer on top but again this is subjective. I perceive this is what they fixed compared to the pre-released version. Hihats, cymbals are yet still enjoyable on this final variant. Treble heads might be a tad bit wanting more. Nonetheless, depending on how a track was mix, Yuan li provided remarkable reproduction for trebles.
BASS - 4.5/5
Surprisingly, for a DD driver setup, Yuan li presented controlled lows and on the smooth side. Right on my alley. Never bloated and no bleeds. Sub bass is present on bass heavy tracks, very subtle and decays quickly. On some classic tracks like Earth Wind and Fire’s – Can’t Hide Love, neutrality was on point. Mid bass is close to perfection. Grit and bass string attacks are very natural and true. Punchiness if there is the track calls for it. Safe to say, this one is not for bass heads.
MIDS - 4/5
Mids are nicely textured and well rounded. Instruments like pianos, cellos, violins, organs, guitars, Rhodes and many others sounded natural and organic. I prefer my mids forward, and I find the mids here a bit pushed back but very rarely. Quite often, I liked how guitars were presented a bit more than pianos. Instruments have a good balance and contrast with the vocals.
VOCALS - 4.7/5
Vocals is Yuan li’s key strength for me. Be it female or male. Ok a bit more bias on the female voice. It has exceptional vocal tracking and layering. Harmonies are well presented on the ranges of vocals. Clarity and intimacy is on point.
SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING – 4.2/5
The stage is decently good here. I sense the depth more than the height. Imaging is also very commendable. Panning of elements is enjoyable. But not too far to sacrifice details. Note on this, I perceived Yuan li’s soundstage effectiveness when I listened using Hiby Music player app. In the case of Diana Krall’s The Girl in the Other Room, the stage was widened noticeably.
FITTING/ISOLATION – 4/5
Fitting is very nice here with above average isolation. Never felt any discomfort. It never fell off my ears on different situations like on-stage performance, studio work, or just listening at home. Even while washing the dishes. LOL
Here are some TRACKS that I used for reference. Allow me to share you some notes I’ve taken.
1. Redefine by Incubus – 16 bit FLAC, Deezer Hifi
2. Chunky by Bruno Mars – 16 bit FLAC, Deezer Hifi
3. Africa by TOTO – offline FLAC, 24/48, via Hiby Music Player
4. September by Earth Wind and Fire – offline 24/48 FLAC via Hiby Music Player
There are so much more tracks I’ve tested but this 4 will do.
SOURCES AND GEARS
On this review, I have switch from Iphone to Android. I am now using a well-equipped DAC phone, the LG V30.
VERDICT
The Yuan li is one of those gems, that is unique, enjoyable and very hard to put down. To be honest, I was not blown away on the spot. It grew on me and its flexibility just kept on impressing me. Many reviewers say it has that organic and classic sound which I totally agree. It is very hard to describe and claim where category it falls. And for its price, you won’t go wrong on this one. Unless you are a bass head. It markets more on mature listening and hard-core audiophiles. I have used it on my work as a musician. On stage, in the studio, studying songs and casual listening. Indeed, a true all-rounder. I enjoyed almost every track that I throw at it and it appealed quite nicely to me. A must-have for casual and analytical listeners and musicians.
As a review unit, we were fortunate to receive the official package. So far, this pair has the most premium unboxing experience for me. I was like a kid, hyped and excited, opening a Christmas present.
The box has that Chinese art and is decently big for an IEM. Very nice to look at with contemplating colors. It almost like looking at those big Chinese paintings that you’ll see on hotels. After removing the sleeve, a very simple yet elegant logo of Tforce greets you on the main box. Opening the magnetic flip, you’ll see this.
The pouch and the IEM itself.
The pouch is very simple, synthetic leather I think, with a magnetic flip. And is quite thick. It won’t fit in your pockets. It is sturdy though, and won’t be squeezed so easily, thus protecting your IEMs.
And inside the pouch you’ll find the cable. 6N OCC copper. Nice colored. Though I find it cumbersome sometimes as it stays the shape how you store it. Cable interface is 2-pin.
Beneath the IEM holders, you’ll find 7 pairs of tips. 3 balanced, 3 bass enhanced, and 1 pair foam tips. I used the M size bass enhanced tips, the balance tips are just too soft for me. Foam tips, they are just not for me.
At the bottom of the box, the warranty, thank you card, and a parchment paper with Chinese art that gives you an added authentic feel of a chi-fi purchase.
THE SHELL:
The build is made of top-grade aluminum with the right weight. No-fatigue for long listening hours. Very shiny and elegant looking. It is as if you are wearing an earing when you have it plugged in your ears. It is scratch, print, and smudge magnet though. Extra effort on taking care of it will be very beneficial in the long run.
Now on to how it sounds…
TREBLE – 4.2/5
I tested the final version of Yuan li and I find it a bit tamed but not lacking. This will favor treble sensitives. It did favor me when I tried listening to really loud rock songs. I find no sibilance here. As a detail freak, I sometimes look for that air and shimmer on top but again this is subjective. I perceive this is what they fixed compared to the pre-released version. Hihats, cymbals are yet still enjoyable on this final variant. Treble heads might be a tad bit wanting more. Nonetheless, depending on how a track was mix, Yuan li provided remarkable reproduction for trebles.
BASS - 4.5/5
Surprisingly, for a DD driver setup, Yuan li presented controlled lows and on the smooth side. Right on my alley. Never bloated and no bleeds. Sub bass is present on bass heavy tracks, very subtle and decays quickly. On some classic tracks like Earth Wind and Fire’s – Can’t Hide Love, neutrality was on point. Mid bass is close to perfection. Grit and bass string attacks are very natural and true. Punchiness if there is the track calls for it. Safe to say, this one is not for bass heads.
MIDS - 4/5
Mids are nicely textured and well rounded. Instruments like pianos, cellos, violins, organs, guitars, Rhodes and many others sounded natural and organic. I prefer my mids forward, and I find the mids here a bit pushed back but very rarely. Quite often, I liked how guitars were presented a bit more than pianos. Instruments have a good balance and contrast with the vocals.
VOCALS - 4.7/5
Vocals is Yuan li’s key strength for me. Be it female or male. Ok a bit more bias on the female voice. It has exceptional vocal tracking and layering. Harmonies are well presented on the ranges of vocals. Clarity and intimacy is on point.
SOUNDSTAGE AND IMAGING – 4.2/5
The stage is decently good here. I sense the depth more than the height. Imaging is also very commendable. Panning of elements is enjoyable. But not too far to sacrifice details. Note on this, I perceived Yuan li’s soundstage effectiveness when I listened using Hiby Music player app. In the case of Diana Krall’s The Girl in the Other Room, the stage was widened noticeably.
FITTING/ISOLATION – 4/5
Fitting is very nice here with above average isolation. Never felt any discomfort. It never fell off my ears on different situations like on-stage performance, studio work, or just listening at home. Even while washing the dishes. LOL
Here are some TRACKS that I used for reference. Allow me to share you some notes I’ve taken.
1. Redefine by Incubus – 16 bit FLAC, Deezer Hifi
2. Chunky by Bruno Mars – 16 bit FLAC, Deezer Hifi
3. Africa by TOTO – offline FLAC, 24/48, via Hiby Music Player
4. September by Earth Wind and Fire – offline 24/48 FLAC via Hiby Music Player
There are so much more tracks I’ve tested but this 4 will do.
SOURCES AND GEARS
On this review, I have switch from Iphone to Android. I am now using a well-equipped DAC phone, the LG V30.
VERDICT
The Yuan li is one of those gems, that is unique, enjoyable and very hard to put down. To be honest, I was not blown away on the spot. It grew on me and its flexibility just kept on impressing me. Many reviewers say it has that organic and classic sound which I totally agree. It is very hard to describe and claim where category it falls. And for its price, you won’t go wrong on this one. Unless you are a bass head. It markets more on mature listening and hard-core audiophiles. I have used it on my work as a musician. On stage, in the studio, studying songs and casual listening. Indeed, a true all-rounder. I enjoyed almost every track that I throw at it and it appealed quite nicely to me. A must-have for casual and analytical listeners and musicians.
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