Pros:
-fun engaging basshead sound
-not too resonant and bleedy boom
-decent female vocal presence
-very wide soundstage
-weighty dynamic
-great construction
Cons: -boomy bass that swallow mid bass definition
-recessed mids with noisy timbre
-poor resolution and blurry definition
-roll off upper treble that lack air
-poor imaging
-fatiguing
TONALITY: 7/10
TECHNICALITIES: 7/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7/10
INTRO
SUPERTFZ is a sister brand of TFZ which is known for making bassy sounding earphones with dynamic driver that deliver intense energy.
Today I will review for the very first time an IEM from this company, the Force1.
Priced 80$, the Force1 use a ”tesla magnetic dynamic driver with berylium coated diaphragm”. It promise a ”high resolution sound with powerfull dynamic”.
Let see in this review how these sound!
Specification
Model: FORCE1
Driver: 10.2mm dual magnetic Tesla magnetic group Beryllium coated diaphragm
Impedance: 32Ω
Sensitivity: 105dB
Frequency response: :5Hz-40kHz
Cable length: 120cm
Plug: 3.5mm stereo straight plug
Connector: 2pin 0.78mm
CONSTRUCTION
Construction is very impressive since this is the type of heavy resin one piece molded IEM that really feel invincible. They are very beautifull to look at and the ergonomic organic shape is rather comfortable even if the nozzle is long.
Some complaint about driver flex with these, i didn’t have this issue but they sure seal intensely, as well isolation from outside noise is high.
The 2pin 0.78 seem tighter in one IEM, not sure why, but they are solidly embeded in housing, promise long durability too.
When it come to packaging, its very minimal, it come with 6 pairs of basic silicone ear tips i dont care to use and a carrying pouch.
The cables is very decent, and I like the fact that it’s unique in design. Ive never seen a rectangular 3.5mm plug of this type. Funny description, they call it HD plated cable, which in other word mean silver plated cable that inflict on brightness perhaps. Anyway, you’ll get same result than a KZ spc cable. Not a bad cable, quite OK.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS
Here we have a very bally V shape signature, but with a balanced W dynamic twist to it since it’s not too sharply V’ed where mids will be too recessed or thin nor too boosted in upper mids, it’s a Basshead warm W shape with slight extra crispness on top to avoid pure darkness oblivion.
Basshead iem you say? Take this away from my! I’m an AU! Dio! Phile! This is for kiddo!
Really? Well, not at all here since we talk about a Well Balanced V shape, with big chunky bass that add head shaking fun to beat heavy track yet slide into lower mids gently, in a warm way that add density to the timbre.
Sure it’s not a very technical set, but we will talk about this later.
Bass is big quantity over well define and separate quality, it’s a bit warm in resolution yet well rounded in body and most importantly not too resonant or boomy, it have an heavy slam, not the fastest in speed yet the flexibility is there too so it’s possible to have both kick and sub bass line playing, like we often find in IDM, and they are well layered enough, again, in a soft, dense and warm tone. Juicy bass we can say, with lot of physicality to it that can surprise sometime since rumble can go very heavy like having a sub-woofer between 2 ears. For ex, track KurrEncy from IAMDDB move some air and is such a fun basshead ride, flexibility of low end is well shown since rumble bass line stay in the back while digital chunky kick drum hit very hard, what surprise is the vocal staying rather in front, sure it’s not well define in separation but far from feeling distant. It’s about this thick sustain that mid bass slam have, which avoid long blurry resonance.
Again, I’m surprise the mid range isn’t that bad with these, especially in vocal presentation where female vocal feel bodied and fowards enough yet prompt to slight sibilance and a bit rough in timbre. Sure, its overall mids are bit recessed compared to bass but quite on par with treble even if I would never consider the Force1 as L shape tuned. Let say it embrace upper mids and treble in a natural way, yet, tone is slightly bright with warmed lower mdis that add density to a fuzzy timbre.
Definition is a bit blurry, but dynamic note weight while blunted in edge isn’t too light, nor instrument too lean. These aren’t refined sounding mid range, and resolution is poor, instrument like piano will sound distant unless in low or high harmonic register. When it come to male vocal, it sound thin, distant and dry, so not suggested for that nor for anything but female vocal it seem. But what can we expect with this type of tuning? It could have been way worst, way more veiled, so it more than passable for big beat electronic, pop, rap, R&B and anything that dont have acoustic instruments like classical or jazz (tough for guitar jazz trio it can be enjoyable).
Treble, where is the treble? Some would surely say due to it’s slightly dark nature that lack micro details. But it doesn’t mean it’s not lively on top, far from it in fact and you got some crunch and snap to add percussions energy. So, while mostly tamed in edge, the treble is a bit spiky but not particularly sparkly, airy or extended. Violin will have energic presence, but slight metallic sheen to it and lack of natural resonance and sens of openess, pecussions are a bit half cook, in the sens some are louder than other in dynamic.
Let say the treble tend to boost fake resolution to the cost of proper micro definition of every instrument, it’s not very refined yet not disastrous, but I would not suggest the TFZ for classical music or any instrumental music that need crisp neutral presentation and rich resolution. It does lack brilliance and sens of lead in impact. Spiky but not edgy, perhaps we are in shouty slightly trebly territory but in a dryish way that will be understated when listening to beat driven music. As well, using a copper cable can smoothen those highs peak, which in first place are rather well balanced within the bassy W shape signature. It’s the kind of highs boosted in presence energy that are hit or miss depending the music you play, but what do you expect with a basshead IEM? To make Pierre Hantai Clavichord playing sound mind blowing? It surely not, but I will not even care playing Goldberg Variations on these TFZ yet it have enough energy and brilliance to make acoustic guitar fowards.
SOUNDSTAGE is impressively wide and out of your head, tallness is good too but it really lack a sens of clean deepness to make spatiality 3D like, so more like a wide wall fo sound here.
IMAGING is rather mediocre. Blurry and unprecise, its not realist in rendition nor accurate or clean enough to permit proper positioning. With bass, instrument separaiton will lack clean spacing too.
SUBJECTIVE MUSICALITY APPRECIATION
These are plain banger basshead IEM that doesn’t try to do alot of compromise, yet aren’t resulting in supreme boomy blurry mess. I do find the Force1 very fun and enjoyable with R&B and RAP that ahve female vocalist, not so much when its male rapper since it feel too distant. With electronic, it depend of complexity, but i do shake my head quite often, feeling like gangsta badass with those, it seem to make me younger yet make my hearing age faster!
In the sens, the intense bass pressure inflict hearing fatigue and depending of music dynamic loudness variance, i need to lower the volume and then highen it to hear mid range better and then…
No doubt it’s guilty pleasure and its not the type of IEM i would bring at audio meeting with snobbish audiophile since I will be judge as immature and non worth of audiophile title.
Yet, i’m not ashame to enjoy big bass time to time, even if quality is questionable, because these still have slight W shape twist to their dynamic that permit the Force1 to avoid too dark warm or laid back boomy musicality.
COMPARISONS
VS FIIO FD3 (1DD-100$)
Both of these are Bassy W shape, but TFZ is warmer and more U shape and sub bass boosted. FD3 sound more technical and bright, timbre is more textured and bass have cleaner separation.
Imaging is more precise too with FD3.
For the bass, quality seem better yet less impactfull and rumbly, less rounded in physicality and with longer resonance, sub bass is less thick too.
Mids while brighter and more detailed seem a bit leaner and more recessed but upper mids push scream their presence more, yet timbre of TFZ is more natural making overall darker vocal more pleasant and natural, less prompt to sibilance yet not as well separated and lacking a bit of bite for instrument like violin. Overall mid range is more bodied and wide in presence yet dark in texture with TFZ, piano have more note weight but less decay and less edgy definition.
Treble isn’t mesmerizing with both these IEM, but FD3 is notably clearer and more detailed on top, have more crunch and sparkle and overall higher resolution, yet it’s more agressive than TFZ and can feel too boosted for percussions that take front stage….while it’s opposite with TFZ, having darker treble and just a hint of snap.
For the soundstage, TFZ offer wider presentation and FD3 have this strange taller and deeper presentation.
All in all, the FD3 have a less cohesive organic tonality which is more energic and superior in technical performance like imaging, attack control and crisp definition. Both of these are guilty pleasure for different reason, but it’s easier to enjoy the more laidback basshead musicality of Force1 due to less abrasive timbre and fowards upper mids.
VS IBASSO IT00 (1DD-80$)
Ok, firstly i wanna note that my Ibasso have defective MMCX at arrival, so built quality is mile better with SuperTFZ since it feel invincible and use 2pin connector.
But this doesn’t mean the dynamic driver is superior too. Again, technical performance are clearly superior with the IT00 that deliver a crisper U shape signature with leaner sub-bass extension and less packed punch.
So TFZ is an overall warmer and darker Basshead take on a similar tuning balance.
Bass hit harder with TFZ and feel a bit lacking in mid bass body for the IT00, but separation is better and doesn’t mix in a thick organic macro resolution.
Mids are brighter in presence, more artificial for female vocal and less wide and upfront with IT00, so thinner but more detailed and well define are instrument and vocal in general.
Treble is more extended and snappy, more airy too as well as more precise in definition with IT00, underlining the dark highs of the TFZ which cruallly lack air on top.
Soundstage is about same wide but taller and deeper with IT00, imaging is crisper and more accurate with cleaner space in separation.
All in all, well, hum, it’s more and more evident that technical performance of the Force1 are underwhelming since here we have a case of fuller crisper tonal balance and superior technicalities with the IT00, which i’m not really afound of due to this mid bass scoop and not as lush warm timbre as TFZ.
VS HZSOUND MIRROR PRO (1DD-80$):
Lets begin by saying the PRO is miles ahead in term of plain technical performance…it can’t even be compare since attack speed and control as well as resolution and treble extension is just from another league.
Saying that, the tonality isn’t the same too, as expected the Force1 is notably bassier and offer a more radical V shape with way bigger slam and more vibrant-resonant sub bass rumble, its proper basshead weapon vs bassy balance W.
Bass of HZpro is a bit similar tough, i mean, in mid bass boost that affect definition edge, it hit hard but deliver less wide explosive boom and tend to keep mid range cleaner and more detailed, it’s more balanced let say and textured too, with less boosted sub bass that tend to be better separated and offer more kick drum separation while Force1 mix mid and sub bass and concentrate the impact in a warmer, denser way.
Mids reoslution is higher, transparency, separation and layering all better and upper mids are more softed with HZpro, while the Tforce have more recessed and dakr mid range, yet offer enough female presence and note weight.
Treble is polar opposite here, Tforce being way darker, with hint of crunch from upper mids bite but no sharp snap and airy extension like the HZpro wich is notably crisper and more sparkly as well as less dirty in attack sustain. With Force1 the treble roll off rather fast while it keep its clean extension with HZ whatever the type of music or number of bass.
Soundstage wise the Force1 seem a bit wider, but doesn’t have any deepness to it, unlike HZ which its one of its highlight.
Imaging is near inexistent with Force1, while ultra precie accurate and crisp with HZpro unless for bass and lower mids instrument positioning and separation.
Even basshead would prefer the HZsound Hearth Mirror Pro I think, since its very superior in technical performance and better balanced as a whole due to less recessed and warmed mid range. But it have about 10db less bass boost, and its sharper so who know what die hard basshead will conclude?
CONCLUSION
The SuperTFZ Force1 might be the most intense basshead IEM I test yet, and it wasn’t as disastrous as expected.
Sure, the ”high resolution” promise are far from being fullfill here, since clarity is questionnable and the Force1 are these kind of earphones with an intense dynamic energy that make you struggle to conclude if they are warm or bright. Bass and mids are warm up to upper mids where brightness and crunch help to add a sens of fake clarity and tiny bit of air.
Let’s not beat around the bush, those are aimed for basshead that doesn’t enter critical listening approach to their big beat and in that regard, the Force1 deliver a fun and engaging sound with intense dynamic impact that can create brain and ears damage, so be cautious about volume level of your music!
PS: I want to thanks Penon for sending me this review unit. I’m not affiliated to this audio distributor and truely surprise to receive anything from them since my critical listening is far from being a good marketing strategy for products like this. Respect for that, Penon!
You can buy the SuperTFZ Force1 for 80$ here:https://penonaudio.com/supertfz-force1.html
No Borders Audiophile 