Review: Thinksound ts02 + mic In-ear Headphones

Name: Thinksound ts02 + mic| Price: $89.99 [Buy it] | Rating: 5/5

In the past, we have reviewed a pair of the Thinksound Rain headphones which impressed us with their natural sound and decent bass. I was told their ts02 headphones had the same excellent clarity, except with an improved bass. Naturally, I was very keen on getting my hands on them so Thinksound were kind enough to send us a pair for review. Read our thoughts after the break!

Thinksound are an extremely environmentally friendly company who’s aim is to create great sounding headphones with as little an eco-footprint as possible. For that reason, the packaging, the headphones come in, is made entirely from recycled materials. Along with that, the cables used are all PVC free, the wood used in making the headphones is from a renewable source and likewise for the cute little cotton pouch to place the headphones in. The headphones come with 4 pairs of silicon tips and a cable clip to help minimize cable noise.

Design:

Like the Thinksound Rain headphones, the ts02 model are made primarily from wood. Thinksound, and I agree, believe that having a wooden encasing on the headphones give a more natural feel and resonance to the music. The headphones come in either a chocolate brown colour or a cherry colour. The chocolate version has a black metal finish whilst the cherry version has a silver finish. Both colours look stylish, sleek and rather fashionable, whilst still remaining discreet in your ear.

The ear-pieces are relatively small and feel very light when held. The cables, as I mentioned, are PVC free and have a similar circumference to the stock Apple iPod headphones. The connections between the cables and the ear-pieces are insulated with additional plastic to ensure they don’t get chafed.

The included ear-tips are all in the conventional dome shape and range in size from small to extra large. The ts02 headphones include a microphone, but no remote. In other words, it only has one button to pick/hang up a phone call, but cannot change the volume or pause/play the song.

Comfort:

There is nothing wrong with the ts02 headphones when it comes to comfort. Being made out of wood means the headphones are very light and coupled with the good quality ear-tips, they sit in your ear securely.

For me, there was no problems with the included ear-tips, but for those who can’t find the right size I recommend looking into the T-200 ComplyFoam tips. They will ensure you get a good seal, which means you get to experience the low-ends these headphones produce fully.

Sound Quality:

What was most impressive about the Rain headphones, and was clearly inherited by the ts02 model, is the immense soundstage these headphones seem to produce. With some headphones you feel like the music is coming directly from just above your ears, where the ear-pieces are. With Thinksound’s headphones, it is different. You feel like the music originating from the center of your head whilst coming from in front of you as well as the sides at the same time. It sucks you into the music much more as it essentially envelopes you in great quality sound.

Now to test the improved bass in these headphones. To do this, I switched on ‘Kush by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg & Akon’. I wasn’t disappointed. The bass is much more substantial than their Rain model, and not only that, but it is of a great quality. It isn’t muffled, but is tight and punchy. There is no ‘wash’ in the low-ends, the sound that is produced remains neat and tidy.

You may think that with this additional bass, something would have to give in another area in the quality, but this isn’t true. The high remain clear, and the mids, well, you know they are there. Because of the clarity, you are able to pick out every instrument or part of the song because nothing gets lost. The headphones are truly a joy to listen to and for their price, they are unrivaled.

Other Notes:

The ts02 headphone have passive noise isolation, and with the right ear-tips, they do a great job at it, especially as the music the emit such full sound that envelopes you. If someone were to shout at you at the top of their lungs, you would have trouble hearing them.

Ratings:

Design: 4.5/5: The wooden casing along with the metal accents make these headphones look stylish and sleek whilst remaining discreet in your ear. However, as with the Thinksound Rains, does the wooden casing mean some of the durability has been sacrificed?
Comfort: 5/5: The included ear-tips, along with the lightweight ear-pieces, mean the headphones are perfectly comfortable and remain securely in your ear.
Sound Quality: 5/5: The only problem with Thinksound’s Rain headphones was the lack of bass. This has now been rectified so the ts02 headphones can earn the score they deserve, a 5/5.