Tangzu WAN ER SG

Tangzu Wan’er: good tuning is everything



Intro

Since I started writing reviews, I dreamed of doing the one you will see below. One of my first ideas when I began this hobby was to compare three of the IEMs that the community talked about the most. That is why, in this review, in addition to bringing you my personal opinion about the well-known Tangzu Wan’er (currently priced at $19 USD), I also compare them with two products that no longer even need an introduction. However, to know which ones I am talking about, you will have to reach the comparison down below. Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this review after a long time without writing.


If you wish to read this review in Spanish, click here

Check out previous reviews here (or in spanish here)


Disclaimers:

• The IEMs were bought with my own money
  • You can find the Wan'er here: https://es.aliexpress.com/i/1005004905380908.html
• Analysis over 4 days - Sessions of approximately 2 to 4 hours
• All music used is lossless (Qobuz > 16bit – 44.1kHz)
• Gear Used: TempoTec V3

Unboxing, Build & Comfort





Tangzu Wan’er: The Wan’er are not earphones that stand out for their build quality, but they do not disappoint either, fitting adequately within the IEMs found below $20 USD. Their housing is made of resin with a somewhat dark tint in the version I have, and their faceplate features cloud drawings along with a symmetrical gold pattern, all inspired by Chinese history according to Tangzu.



They feature a 10mm driver with a PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) diaphragm, promising less distortion. Additionally, the Wan’er comes with reliable 0.78mm 2-pin type connectors. Finally, their nozzle measures approximately 5.6mm in diameter.



Cable: It is compatible with 0.78mm 2-pin connectors, and the pins are coated in plastic. It's the weakest part in terms of accessories but gets the job done.



Tips: Tangzu offers two different types: 3 pairs of gray tips with standard/balanced holes and 4 pairs of white tips with a wider hole (my personal preference).



Cloth: An interesting and unexpected addition for the price, featuring the Chinese woman who inspired the design.

Comfort: The Wan’er comes with pre-installed M-sized tips. I used them straight out of the box, and they fit wonderfully. They offer good sound isolation and above-average comfort, though they protrude a bit more than I would like, but not excessively so.

Driveability: As should be the case for any IEM in this price range, the Wan’er can be amplified with virtually any source. Users who still have phones with a 3.5mm jack need nothing more to use these earphones.



Sound description


Credits: Paul Wasabii


Bass

The sound signature follows the Harman 2019 curve but with slightly more aggressive bass elevation, allowing drum kicks and electronic music bases to stand out with an extra punch. However, this also causes some disruption between subbass and bass, as the former does not have the extension that other earphones possess, leading to a "fight" between these two frequencies to see which shines more (separation = average leaning towards below average).


Mids

Moving up the spectrum, the lower midrange is benefited in this case and has more body than one might be accustomed to compared to Harman signatures that focus more on the subbass. Listening to Sinatra is a pleasure, with his deep voice completely filling the scene. Vocals that sit more in the middle of the spectrum retain their naturalness and do not lose too much presence against the bass. The most affected, in my opinion, are higher midrange vocals, which can sound distant, like Billie Eilish in the chorus of "No Time To Die". However, apart from this, the Wan’er does not present this range as shouty, which is always appreciated.

In the mids, the resolution and clarity presented by the Wan’er are acceptable for its price. It does not excel in reproducing brass instruments, as I noticed with the trumpets in “Luck Be A Lady” during a live performance by Sinatra, but on the plus side, they never become fatiguing at low/medium volumes. Its strong point in instrumental representation tends to be electric guitars and violins, making one feel the texture of each note played without overwhelming with their "bite".

Finally, the cohesion between instruments is generally good. Violins stand out a bit more than the winds (flutes, clarinets, and oboes) in the performance by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra – “Symphony No. 4 in A minor, Op. 63: II. Allegro molto vivace”, but this is minimal and nothing to worry about. Additionally, timpani are usually easy to discern even at low volumes.


Treble

For the treble, I used my typical song to evaluate the sibilance of the Wan’er: listening to the 2:10 mark of “Swan Lake, Op. 20, TH. 12 / Act I: No. 2 Valse (Corps de Ballet)” by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Tangzu IEMs passed the test very easily and are fully recommendable for people who struggle with high frequencies. The trade-off is the microdetails at the top of the spectrum, where the Wan’er tends to lack enough air to let the listener hear all those small musical fragments in each song. An example of this is the cymbals at the beginning of “Black Magic” in Live Undead/Haunting The Chapel by Slayer, which come across as somewhat dull with a quick decay after being hit.


Soundstage & Imaging

The soundstage is typical of what we can expect at these prices: good width to both sides (though not the best under $20 USD) but with a depth that leaves something to be desired. Since soundstage creation is closely linked to imaging, we can expect guitars in “Hallowed Be Thy Name (Live at Long Beach Arena, 2015 Remaster)” to be well differentiated, but the singer and bassist, who are closer to the center, tend to blend a bit, along with a drummer that the Wan’er presents as less distant on the stage than they should be.



vs 7Hz Salnotes Zero & Kiwi Ears Cadenza



The segment I've been wanting to write for a long time: how do these "low-cost titans" compare? (Current prices: Zero = $19 USD, Cadenza = $35 USD, Wan’er = $19 USD)


Credits: Paul Wasabii

To be brief, I always prefer to provide my scoring system along with a few short observations to understand each one's strengths or differences.


Scores (TL;DR for those who prefer a more concise format)

-Best to worst (left to right)
-More ">" used indicates a greater difference between left and right IEM
-"=" is used to indicate that the left and right sets are similar in a certain aspect “>=” indicates that two IEMs could be similar depending on the song

• Ergonomics: Cadenza >= Wan’er >= Zero
• Driveability: Waner > Cadenza = Zero (however, the three of them are easy to amplify)
• Subbass: Cadenza > Zero > Wan’er
• Bass: Wan’er = Cadenza >> Zero
• Lower Midrange: Cadenza = Wan’er > Zero
• Upper Midrange: Zero >= Cadenza > Wan’er
• Treble: Cadenza = Zero > Wan’er (taking into account detail retrieval) – – Wan’er > Cadenza = Zero (for longer listening sessions)
• Imaging: Cadenza > Zero = Wan’er (difference between the three is negligible)
• Soundstage: Zero >> Cadenza = Wan’er

Observations:

• Cadenza stands out in the subbass section with the best extension and resolution among this lineup. The rumble they create is beneficial in electronic music genres.
• Both Zero and Wan’er feature a clean transition from bass to mids thanks to only a moderate elevation in the bass section. In "Miss You" by Adele, there is particularly good harmony between the organ, which does not overwhelm the singer. Meanwhile, the Cadenza can sometimes put the deep notes of this instrument on par with Adele's voice when it shouldn't.
• For Sinatra's "Luck Be A Lady", I find more depth and details in the singer's voice with the Zero. The 7Hz and Kiwi Ears earphones show the trumpets with greater force and bite (resolution and presence), while the Wan’er make them slightly less fatiguing, which will be a plus for many.
• In "No Time To Die" by Billie Eilish, I found a slightly insignificant difference in the upper mids of the three earphones. The Wan’er makes Billie sound a bit more distant in the final chorus. None of the three earphones render high-register female voices as "shouty".
• During the playback of "Survive" by Stratovarius, the resolution and clarity of electric guitars were just slightly superior in the Wan’er, but none of the three were fatiguing at the volumes I usually listen to.
• As I've mentioned in previous reviews, the Cadenza and Zero are earphones with a sharp treble for some users (not exactly my case due to the low volume I'm accustomed to). However, the Wan’er are ideal for users who aren't fond of such frequencies and are willing to sacrifice details in the top of the spectrum.
• All three IEMs usually handle the positioning of each voice and instrument well, and after several tests, the slight edge goes to the Cadenza.
• The width of the soundstage is generally well represented by all three models, but the Zero performs better in this aspect as well as in the depth it creates in live songs

Conclusion

As of today, the earphones used in my comparison remain among the most mentioned in the community when starting anyone's journey into the world of in-ear monitors. For that reason, it's very easy to recommend any of the three sets.



Now, as the price of the Cadenza is almost doubling the cost of both, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero and the Tangzu Wan’er, these last two become the top recommendations I can give to newcomers to the hobby eager to explore different sound signatures. The Zero, perhaps, for those seeking a more faithful representation in classical music and instruments in general, while the Wan’er is a wildcard that isn't perfect but performs admirably with any music you throw at it. My praises don't overlook their imperfections, mostly visible in the high spectrum by Tangzu's IEM, but their incredible price to performance ratio earns the Wan’er the excellent grade I'm giving them.

Hoping to shake up the ultra-competitive budget IEM market, the new Tangzu Wan'er SG packs a surprising sonic punch for its paltry $20 price tag. This compact single-dynamic driver earphone goes for an enjoyable, musically engaging sound rather than ruthless technical prowess.

Aesthetically, the Wan'er SG keeps it simple, with a lightweight plastic build in smooth or transparent flavors. The angular shape offers a secure and comfortable fit for long listening sessions. The included cable is nothing special, so an upgrade may be in order.

Sonically, these IEMs live up to their name, with a playfully musical tuning. There's a mild V-shaped signature at play, with a mid-bass bump lending a pleasing warmth and weight. The low end shows decent impact and extension but skimps on textures.

The midrange takes on a natural timbre but lacks crisp clarity and detail due to the warmer orientation. Lower mids avoid thinning out, while an upper mid dip results in smooth, if not totally transparent, vocals. Treble is politely relaxed, losing sparkle and air but gaining listenability across a wide variety of tracks.

Technical performance is merely passable, with an intimate soundstage and average levels of imaging precision, detail retrieval, and resolution. The dynamic driver keeps up well enough but won't impress purists.

The Tangzu Wan'er SGs make sensible sonic sacrifices to deliver a smooth, fatigue-free listening experience well beyond typical budget offerings. If you value engagement over analysis for not much money, their charming sound should bring a smile to your ears.

Source(s)

• Conexant (CX-Pro) CX31993
  • Adds some brightness and sparkle in the treble.
  • Reduce a little bit of warmth in the midrange, making the bass cleaner.

Ear tips

• Acoustune AET07
  • Fairly neutral ear tips with a decently hard stem for a comfortable fit.

Packaging

• Comes with a decent amount of accessories
  • IEM.
  • Cleaning cloth
  • Wide selection of ear tips.
    • 3 pairs of narrow bore silicone tips (S, M, L)
    • 3 pairs of wide bore silicon tips (S, M, L)
  • Cable
    • Decent, thin and braided but tangles a little bit sometimes.
    • Should be a slight improvement over the clear/black version from what I remembered when I tried the Wan Er in my local store.

Build Quality

• Lightweight.
• Plasticky body.
• Build quality is only average and cheap.

Fit

• Nozzle width and length is average.
• Shell does not have an ergonomic design to complement the ear cavity shape like the Moondrop Aria or the Letshuoer x Gizaudio Galileo. Unfortunately, this does affect the overall comfort for me.
• I was able to listen on short period of time comfortably but it gets a bit uncomfortable and painful after extended use (3-4 hours).

Tonality

• Mild V-shaped.

Bass

• Bass is quite balanced with the mid bass taking a slight lead.
• Impactful, has good mid bass slam, decent rumble and depth, texture and definition is more on the average side but not bad by any means.
• However, the speed is a little on the slower side and it is not the most well controlled bass, which bleeds a little bit into the midrange but not necessarily a bad thing.
• Good amount of bass, very satisfying but never too overpowering.

Midrange

• Midrange is warm and natural.
• Vocals has a nice weight and body to the, which makes them sound full and lush.
  • Female vocals are a step more forward and energetic compared to male vocals, but is a little fatiguing and shouty to me after long listening sessions, depending on tracks too.
• Most of the instruments sounded natural, but due to the thicker note weight, strings like acoustic guitars is affected a little more by that thickness.

Treble

• Treble is sparkly on the lower region but rolls off in the mid and upper region.
• Overall, it is quite smooth and not harsh.
• However, it does lacks a sense of airiness since it doesn't extends well into the upper region.

Technicalities

Resolution

• Resolution is decent and competent for the price but not the best in this bracket.
• It sits somewhere in between the Truthear Hola and the 7hz Salnotes Zero, differences between the 3 are minor but noticeable in my opinion.

Soundstage

• Soundstage is average, which sounds a little compressed and in your head but not a huge problem for an IEM at this price point.

Imaging

• Imaging and accuracy is also average, I am able to tell where the instruments and vocals come from but only roughly.
• Gaming:
  • Apex Legends: Sound of footsteps and gunfire can be pinpointed in the correct direction but hard to pinpoint it exactly.

Separation

• Separation and layering is quite decent for a single DD budget set. Most instruments in busier tracks are layered well enough without feeling too overwhelmingly congested.

Conclusion

• Great starting point as a first IEM as it is very well balanced, versatile, and affordable.
  • Truthear Hola leans towards the warm and relaxing side.
  • 7hz Salnotes Zero leans towards the bright and sparkly side.

• This is my absolute favorite budget set of all. Fun, exciting, while being not too offensive at the same time. Very enjoyable, easy to listen tonality and decent technicalities, what else could I have asked for at this price range?
  • Have spent almost 3 weeks using the Wan Er daily and I genuinely enjoyed listening to it a lot.

Thanks for reading!