Tanchjim Hana 2021. a feast to the eyes
Tonality: 6/9
Technicalities: 5.3/9
(5 mins read)
my first relationship with Tanchjim was through
Tanya and it's getting stronger ever since. so I've been always wondering what Tanchjim has to offer from their top-shelf even before Tanya. apparently, they have this thing called "Oxygen" which is well known as one of the
best single dynamic driver IEMs in the world by many enthusiasts, but that's Oxygen. while Hana has a very close frequency response, build, and shape to the Oxygen, does it perform, if not the same but close to the Oxygen? is it a mini Oxygen? I can't answer that but according to some reliable accounts, it's not the same as Moondrop Starfield to KXXS kind of comparison and sadly there is no such thing as 'mini Oxygen' until now.
Tanchjim re-release the Hana as Hana 2021 with a new tuning that seems to soften the mid and treble peaks to achieve a "
more neutral and smooth in the treble orientation, and the overall sound that is more delicate..." according to Tanchjim. it's also has a new look that's more... '
feminine' with a new gold paint job which is further in the direction of the jewelry part of accessories. I can imagine where they're going especially with the recent release of Prism.
Tanchjim Hana vs Hana 2021 frequency response via squiglink courtesy of Super* Review
* I'm using Azla Sedna Earfit Light because others just don't work for me. it's like a shorter Spinfit with a wider bore. comparing to stock tips, Azla Sedna helps to produce a better instrument separation & layering, better accuracy & clarity, better soundstage & imaging = better music reproduction. no more blurry, hazy, muffled, chaotic, or congested sound. you don't know your IEMs' true capabilities until you tried Azla Sedna Earfit Light. buy a pair and hear the difference! (I have no affiliation with Azla whatsoever. wide bore [Azla] rules! but seriously they should pay me money)
I think the wide bore ear tips are suitable for the Hana 2021's frequency response but I'm using Azla Sedna for the reasons above. the stock cable is nicely built, with a pair of beautiful connectors (although the L/R indicator is a little hard to see), well in some way it sounds a little too bright for my taste. the copper cable I got gives a more 'earthy' tone that makes the bass more solid while tames the treble. it also provides a better separation, but I'm using the stock cable for this
quickimp.
my preferred signature is neutral with or without bass boost, with an exception for a little warm-tilted, or mild V-shaped but honestly, I'm a "signature agnostic" because anything can work. I listen to mostly everything but currently lusting more on the modern sub-genres of Jazz, Progressive Rock & Metal, Drone, Noise Rock, No Wave, Minimalism, Totalism, modern recording of Chamber, Orchestra, Concerto, or Modern Classical at large. I’m a musician myself and very passionate about music & music reproduction.
FR & Tonality
the bass is fast and lean which is something that I can appreciate and adore very much. but does it play well with other regions? the answer is yes. it slams hard without any bloatedness or muddiness even with my clean Topping EX5. really good slams. its fast attack, short and smooth decays are the selling points for fast tempo music. progressive metal songs like
Between the Buried and Me's Extremophile Elite &
Mastodon's Capillarian Crest showcasing a perfect example of good bass agility from the sub-bass to the mid-bass with good texture & dynamics, though I'd love a little bit more body. the rumble is surprisingly quite deep with a satisfying amount of bass coming from a single dynamic driver at this size.
the mids also go along & are nicely glued to the bass and treble. the
lush mids gelling the mid-bass and lower treble, connecting these regions fluidly & coherently. everything seems perfectly tuned. it does a great job at reproducing pop music like
Nancy Ajram's Ah W Noss &
Dua Lipa's Don't Start Now.
its punchy yet controlled continuation from the bass, clean & clear mid-range presentation is capable to please my brain. I love what I'm hearing right now. the timbre, the tonality, the dynamics. it's so pleasant to listen to. but be informed, albeit retaining the ability to intercept any sibilance from the treble, it can be a little aggressive & energetic at times.
while not being the best treble I've heard, it does embody all the mandatory elements that I can think of as a good treble reproduction. the upper treble gives ample sense of air and space though I'd love a little bit more extension to the reverb & room depth. nonetheless, it's never too forward or shouty like the presentation on let's say, the fad ThieAudio Legacy 3. Hana's treble extension is just a little shy from what Blessing 2 Dusk is offering. but to be frank, it's still very good coming from this small single dynamic driver. I can say the tonality is more
organic to compare to Blessing 2 Dusk's glassy BA timbre.
size comparison: from top left Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, Tripowin Mele, Tanchjim Hana 2021
Technicalities+
the sound stage is above average with good height, width, and depth though it doesn't quite reach my preferred standard. while having a considerably good sound stage, the imaging size is rather 'smaller' than what I used to (emphasis on the 'imaging size'). while having good imaging, it feels overall
thinner and that in my book, makes it dipping into the warm mild V-shaped territory. a good kind of V-shaped I suppose.
the instrument separation & layering is just slightly better if not almost equal to the cheaper Tripowin Mele in my opinion. not the best separation if you ask me, but wholly acceptable. like many single dynamic driver IEMs, 3D imaging is almost non-existent.
Tanchjim Hana jewelry edition: like a perfect spice; it always complements what's already there
Conclusion
Hana 2021 is undoubtedly one of the best single dynamic driver IEMs I've heard up to this point but the existence of Oxygen for a little more money challenges the objectives of purchasing a pair of Hana today. in my opinion, it could be the top choice among all other Harman-tuned single dynamic driver IEMs if priced at a little lower price tag. from my consumer perspective, Tanchjim is somehow overshadowed by its counterpart whenever it comes to price to performance value.
I can see Hana as a perfect gift with its beautiful look, package & packaging as a whole unless you'd want something more low-profile like I do. but seriously, companies like Tanchjim (Moondrop too) really need to put more effort into making and providing the right ear tips and cables because they do not get it quite right even until now (
emphasis on 'right'. ps: Azla Sedna exists). to be honest, that's all I care & that's all what people need in the first place and at the end of it all. other than that, I don't really bother much about the packaging or accessories.
thanks for reading.
*this review unit is provided by Hifigo for the tour, and I want to thank my buddy Bryan for including me in the tour. I have 100% control of my words and am not compensated by any party.
purchase Hana (2021) here
(non-affiliated)