Disclaimer:
Tanchjim provided me with a sample unit of their TWS Tanchjim Mino. A product that wants to be a response to the Moondrop Space Travel.
To be honest, I’m a bit late on the review of this model but in the first version that was sent to me, there was an unexpected issue that stopped me in the review phase. Basically, something on the Bluetooth modules created quality variations during playback. The new model has obviously solved these problems that I may talk about in more detail later.
I’m going to be as objective as possible, and being a common audio enthusiast, I will use simple words in this review.
I will highlight what I liked and what I didn’t without any fear.
The price is slightly higher than the Space Travel ones but the quality is also slightly higher so it might be worth spending a few extra bucks.
So I’m not going to use super-technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.
My review won’t be the most technical you will find online, but I hope you like it.
Tech Specs:
- Bluetooth version: 5.3
- Driver: 10mm Beryllium Coated Dome + PU Suspension Ring
- Frequency Response: 20-20000Hz
- Impedance: 32 ohm
- Supported protocols:SBC/AAC
- Charging port: Type-C
- Working distance: 15 m (barrier-free open environment)
- Earphone charging time: About 1 Hour
- Charging time of charging case: about 1.5 Hours
- Earphone battery capacity: 3.7V/35mAh
- Battery capacity of charging case: 3.7V/380mAh
- Battery life of earphone: About 5 Hours
- Battery life of charging case: About 26 Hours
- Tanchjim APP
Packaging:
The packaging is particularly well-finished, even if simple. In the first box we find the manuals with the accessories:
- Type C cable
- Tips
- Replacement filters (excellent)
Leaving aside the basic accessories, the presence of mesh filters for the nozzle is a nice addition. Over time, especially the TWS, accumulate deposits of dust and earwax, and with the spare parts at a certain point, they can be restored.
Design/Build Quality:
The design of the TWS is often monotonous; there is no particularity to report. The charging case has a simpler design and perhaps even more practical than the one seen on the space travel, which is exposed to water and dust more easily. The two TWS are light and quite robust; I would say slightly better than the Moondrop. We can notice how above and below there are two microphones and in the internal part a ventilation hole.
I feel the lack of a status LED on the TWS. It is difficult to understand what state they are in. I see that there is a tendency to remove the LEDs that were once present on the TWS, perhaps to reduce costs or perhaps to reduce battery consumption. However, on the charging case there is an LED that indicates the charging status. To see the charging status of the TWS precisely, the app helps us.
If we consider the price of 42 USD, perhaps we could have expected a little more.
Fit and Comfort:
In terms of comfort, I have to say that I found the Tanchjim Mino better than many other models. Although the tips are always very cheap, in this case the combination guarantees an excellent seal. The sound is full and without loss but the charging cases always limit the choice of eartips a bit. In terms of comfort, they do not cause any discomfort; they are light and stable in the ear.
Built-in Technology & App:
Just like Space Travel, they don’t have any particular technology; in fact, the vocal prompts of the Moondrops are of a higher level. But the driver of the Tanchjim Mino is better or at least it should have a slightly higher price. The app is honestly not bad at all and allows some customizations that are not bad at all. On the app, we also have a very respectable EQ with many valid presets and the possibility of creating customized ones. We have the possibility of reducing the latency and the bit rate through a gaming mode. We can personalize the functionality of the touch controls almost freely.
Functionality and Features:
I have to admit that the Tanchjim Mino has a good implementation of the transparency and ANC features. The transition between the different modes is smooth and does not create any change in sound quality, which is not unusual in this price range.
As always, microphones have their limits, especially in the case of wind; the transparency mode does not work perfectly and neither does the ANC. But it is totally normal; even much more expensive products suffer from the same exact problems, even in a more critical way.
Gestures for Calls and Music:
The following are the stock gestures, but they can be customized quite a bit. Honestly, they’re pretty intuitive.
- Answer call: Single tap (both)
- End call: While in a call, long press for 2 seconds
- Reject call: Press and hold either earbud for 3 seconds
- Voice assistant: Press 3 times on the earbuds to turn on the voice assistant and another 3 times to turn it off
- Game/music mode: Press three times on the right earbud with app open on the smartphone.
- To Play/Pause: Touch the right or left earbud to pause the track, and touch it again to continue playing.
- To rewind to the previous track With earbuds in operation, double-tap the left earbud.
- To Skip to the Next Track With earbuds in operation, double-tap the right earbud.
- ANC: press and hold the left earbud for 2 second to turn on/off the ANC mode
- Trasparency: press and hold the right earbud for 2 second to turn on/off the Trasparency mode
Equipment used for testing above:
Device:
- Redmi Note 7
- Poco M4 Pro
- Hotwav Pad 8
Software:
- Amazon music UHD 24bit 96kHz
Initial sound impressions:
From the start, it appeared to me that the Tanchjim Mino was an upgrade of what I had heard in the Moondrop Space Travel; however, I have not received other models from this brand, so I cannot make comparisons with newer models that will undoubtedly raise the bar again. In any case, the Tanchjim Mino impresses with its soundstage and note tangibility; the bass is nicely emphasized.
Sound impressions:
I live in a country where TWS are practically 90% of the market; everything else is not even taken into consideration, especially by young people. In a certain sense, the difference between wired and wireless in terms of quality has significantly reduced; now some models somehow manage to not make you feel the lack of the cable. The only difference still audible is the background, which almost always presents a background noise due to Bluetooth.
The equalization possibilities are endless but in neutral mode, I would say that it is a U-shaped signature typical of Tanchjim. What impressed me is how the sound is enveloping and not flat at all; the bass moves a considerable amount of air that gives a certain emphasis and organicity to the sound. The result surprised me positively because it creates a certain atmosphere not common on all TWS.
For the proposed price, they offer a sound that is definitely above expectations—a mostly soft sound without annoying peaks on the high frequencies. We could define it as a signature suitable for the current market but thanks to the EQ customization, you can easily adjust them to your liking.
Fast Comparison:
The best comparison can be made with the Moondrop Space Travel, as the Tanchjim Mino are essentially an upgrade of these that came out slightly later.
The similarities are many; being two products that compete, they are extremely similar. Aesthetically there are also important functional differences. The charging case for example, is undoubtedly less particular and fragile than the Tanchjim Mino. Moondrop Space Travel’s vocal prompts are more refined, with an anime voice explaining the various modes (a decidedly pleasant and premium feature). In terms of performance, the Tanchjim mount is a slightly more refined driver, and the difference is quite noticeable. In both cases, we have a phone companion app. The app’s quality is nearly identical, with neither standing out in particular. Considering that the Moondrop cost around 24 USD, they remain an excellent purchase. If you want something better, then the 40 USD or so of the Tanchjim are certainly well spent.
Conclusion:
The quality of even entry-level TWS has improved a lot; there is certainly better on the market by raising the budget but if the goal is to use them without worries, this kind of product has a huge market. I personally would not worry about ruining TWS that cost so little; the speech changes with AirPods or products with a much more expensive price. That said, the first version of the Tanchjim Mino (black color) had problems with the BT modules that caused some production interruptions or strange effects during playback. Tanchjim has now fixed it and I have not noticed any problems with the new ones. A really well-balanced sound and wide soundstage.
8.2/10
Pros:
- Build quality and materials are good
- Improved Moondrop Space Travel
- 3 sets of tips
- U-shaped, warm signature
- ANC and transparency mode function fairly well.
- Auto pause when removed from the ears
- Nice app support with custom & preset EQ
- Improved Bass feeling (quite beefy)
- Game mode for low latency
- 3 different modes: Normal/ANC/Transparency
Cons:
- Slightly higher price
- Stock tips could be better
- Case scratch
- Just AAC and SBC (no APTX)
