Tanchjim Kara

Intro


TANCHJIM KARA is an in-ear monitor (IEM) known for its exceptional sound quality and craftsmanship. It features a unique hybrid driver configuration, combining a 1 dynamic driver with 4 balanced armature drivers to deliver a natural, rich, lush sound signature across the frequency spectrum.


Disclaimer


I would like to thank Tanchjim for providing a unit for me. My opinions are unbiased, and I haven't been influenced or instructed to praise these IEMs. Every detail in this review is actual experience made by listening for hours everyday.




Specification

• Driver Type: 1DDD 9mm with PEEK+PU diaphragm, 1 composite BA driver for mid and high frequencies Sonion 2389D, 1 composite BA driver for ultra high frequencies designed by Tanchjim.
• Frequency response: 7Hz - 40kHz.
• Sensitivity: 115dB/Vrms.
• Impedance: 27Ω±10%.
• THD: < 0.8%@1kHz.
• Drive Unit: DMT 3 Ultra.
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5m gold-plated.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Cable: Oxygen-free Litz 6N copper wire.
• Cable Length: 1.25m.

Build and Comfort


The build quality of the TANCHJIM KARA is often praised, featuring a sturdy shell with an elegant and transparent design. The fit is comfortable for extended listening sessions, thanks to the lightweight and ergonomic shape and various ear tip options included in the package.




Sound Aspects


Source used :


Realme 9 Pro

Jcally AP7

Ibasso DC04 pro


This iems spend 30-40 hours of burn in before taking details of this review


Bass

The kara is sub-bass focused. The sub-bass has a good impact. There is texture, and decay, creating an engaging yet controlled sense of impact. The mid-bass is less prominent but still have enough to provide some warmth, texture, and punch to the sound. The bass is have smooth and organic presentation. It does not bleed into the midrange.

Midrange

The mids is its forte. As it showcases its warm centric tuning, and its in showcasing its vocals with lush presentation and acoustic instruments, especially guitar. The midrange is smooth and natural sounding with better clarity when paired with right sources. The mids are forward, especially the upper mids which give to the female vocals with more emotions whereas the lower mids are slightly recessed where male vocals are less prominent.

Treble

The treble is relaxed and smooth, with no signs of sibilance or harshness. It has not enough sparkle and air. It is not very energetic or lively, but rather laid-back safe tuning and easy-going. It complements the warm mids and supporting the strong sub-bass, creating a empirical and musical sound.


Technicalities


The imaging is good, with a clear and accurate placement of instruments and vocals within the soundstage.
The soundstage is not very wide or spacious, but rather average in its price point.The depth and height are decent, but not exceptional. The separation and layering of instruments are also good, but does not have special about. It does not have a holographic or immersive sound, but rather decent one.






Conclusion

Overall, the TANCHJIM KARA is highly regarded for its combination of premium build, comfort, and good musical sound profile. Whether you're an audiophile seeking accurate sound reproduction or a casual listener looking to elevate your music experience, the KARA delivers an impressive performance and comfort for long listening session.

I purchased this product myself with the intention of writing an independent review. I listened to it for about 100 hours before writing a review. Tanchjim is a company that has both lovers and haters. Let's see what Kara promises us.

Specs
SENSITIVITY: 115dB/rms
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 7-40kHz
THD: <0.8%@1kHz
DRIVE UNIT: DMT 3 Ultra
IMPEDANCE: 27Ω±10%
PIN SPECIFICATION: gold-plated straight pin
DIAPHRAGM: PEEK+PU
WIRE SPECIFICATIONS: 1.25m 3.5MM 0.78PIN
CONDUCTOR: Litz oxygen-free copper wire




Build

Excellent.

The simple box presents its contents with good presentation and quality. Standard but good cable. Tips enough. A quality case (usage habits are individual).

It looks very nice. The resin shell is both small and sturdy. It's quite reassuring. The weakest link here is the plastic cover, which raises a little suspicion.

This cable is identified with tanchjim. I don't have many comments for the cable, I like it.

The fit is quite nice, the nozzle is a little long but the small shells make up for it.

Sound

Let me say this from the beginning, this is hard to drive. I recommend pairing this with amps that deliver over 140 mW at 32 ohms.

There is a sound not far from the Tanchjim line. The mids take the lead; There is a sound where the feeling of vocals, string instruments and drums are beautiful. There is revival in the area where the upper mids and lower trebles meet. This revival crushes the upper treble a bit.

The soundstage is not very large and there is a quiet background. Separation in sound is generally good.

The bass is extremely controlled and somewhat punchy. It is not very strong, but it makes itself felt. The sub is located slightly in front of the midbass. Distortion is low and speed is high but it's not considered tight, it's natural. It is clean and shows extension when necessary. Not very prominent so it's not recommended for bassheads. In terms of resolution, it is normal for its price. Separation is standard here

The lower mids remain below the upper mids. Female vocals sound more resolution than male vocals. What stands out most in the midrange is the wonderful feel of stringed instruments, and specifically the guitar. The sad thing is that despite the good resolution, there is a lack of micro detail in the midrange. Exactly, details are good, micro details are poor. On the other hand, the nice thing is that the mids have good separation.

The highest mids are the explosion point of energy. Now that's a real Tanchjim touch. It's up to you whether you like it or not.

Trebles are not analytical and have very slight extension, is relaxed and ideal for long listening. The resolution of the treble is average for the price and separation is still good. Lower trebles are in front of the upper trebles. There is a slight roll-off at 10khz and sounds a little soft. There isn't much detail here, but I think it's enough unless you're doing critical listening. So actually not that bad the treble completes presentation and the cymbal performance is not bad.

There is no extremely soft treble, I invite those who say it is soft to listen to Astrotec Volans and any Final Audio.

Let's come to the conclusion. It is very suitable for daily listening and I think it is a very reasonable iem for its price.

Today I'm going to talk about my experience with the Tanchjim Kara.
The Kara is a hybrid IEM with one dynamic and four balanced armatures, this is a complex configuration that has been popular as of late. Such IEM as Joyodio VZ10, Simgot EM6L, Truethear Nova, Yanyin Canon and a few others off the top of my head. The Kara comes in at around $140-180 depending on the vendor, so its not the most expensive but more in the middle range when considering a ten-driver hybrid.
I'm not going to bore you with the box, it's a sturdy box and has good information and graphics, nuff said.
Inside that box one finds two sets of tips and they come in three sizes, a very large rounded white case, it is more than adequate to store the IEM and tip with room for a dongle or Bluetooth amplifier of smaller proportions. You will also find a thin but nice-looking quality cable, it is 3.5mm and a standard two pin 0.78mm, similar to many Tanchjim cables in thickness. It is made from LITS with anti-oxidization structure and made from oxygen free copper with silver plating. The Kara is a smaller/ Medium sized IEM so it was comfortable for long use, isolation was average.
Overall construction is entirely Resin with the back being transparent and the front plate opacity giving it an almost ICE looking affect. This unit was sent to me from Apos to test out and give my honest opinion as always, I'm not paid or influenced, just a guy who has listened to thousands of IEM over the years. https://apos.audio/products/tanchjim-kara-hybrid-iem

Specs:
Sensitivity: 115dB/Vrms
Frequency response: 7-40kHz
THD: <0.8%@1kHz
Drive unit: DMT 3 Ultra
Impedance: 27Ω±10%
Pin specification: Gold-plated straight pin
Diaphragm: Peek+PU
Wire specifications: 1.25m, 3.5mm, 0.78 PIN
Conductor: Litz oxygen-free copper wire


Sound Impressions:
Equipment for reviews from now on will be simple, I will no longer use BT for testing as it can dramatically change the signature and honestly steaming FLAC or ALAC files via Bluetooth kinda defeats the purpose, I'll still use them from my private enjoyment and am awaiting more support for lossless Bluetooth. So, equipment used was the ifi Hip-Dac 3 via the Hibiy music app and Foobar2000 and the Hidizs S9 pro plus, the ifi Gryphon and Questyle M15.

BASS:
As always, I'll start at the bottom and work upwards.
The lower end of the Kara is tuned towards neutral but with the Sub-Bass being more balanced in its presentation. Sub-Bass has a nice, rounded impact with average speed and decay, it is very organic sounding with a smooth detailed and decently textured sound. Mid-Bass is tighter and faster but falls behind the sub-bass and is just shy of neutral. Songs like Imagine Dragons: Bones show off the excellent control the Bass has.

Midrange:
The lower Mids have a mild recession, they present with a fine warmth and body, there is average separation and details are good with some smoothing. Upper Mids are brighter with a nice sense of neutrality. Vocals both male and female are forward and a little before center. Female vocals are energetic with a non in your face distance I can appreciate. While the Mids have a nice tone there can be some thinness to them at times, it's not overly so but will depend on source and music. Ultimately Mids are pleasant and enjoyable without harshness.

Treble:
The highs are well controlled and not intrusive. treble sensitive people take note you will love the Kara.
Treble has a nice amount of sparkle and air but only enough as to add to the natural sounding highs. The details are average with a nice smooth presentation and a fast roll-off. Just enough to keep it from being dull.

Soundstage:
The Kara has a natural field of stage, it surrounds one's head but is not holographic or over boosted. The width is above average, and height and depth are a little smaller. There is good separation and imaging is accurate. I found no fault even on busy recording, so it does a good job here. Listening is more towards a theater sized building and perhaps the middle row.

Afterthoughts:
The Tanchjim Kara is unique among similar hybrids, the Canon is more detailed and has more energy, the Nova is super fun and Bass is emphasized but the Kara has its charm as it is not harsh, peaky or shouty in any way. The Kara can easily be a daily driver and something you keep in all day long it's just that well rounded.

TONALITY: 6.5/10
TECHNICALTIES: 8/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
IMAGING: 8/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7/10
ACCESSORIES: 8/10
SOUND VALUE: 6.5/10

TANCHJIM is an experienced IEM compny from China, similar to Moondrop due to their obsession with Harman target.
In fact, it has been founded by an audio engineer that left Moondrop.
This company is mostly known and respected for one IEM: the Tanchjim Oxygen, which i've never try.
Today I will review my third Tanchjim IEM, the Kara.
Priced 180$, the Kara is an hybrid using 1DD+4BAs drivers and promising ''smooth ultra-high frequency response, fantastic lower-end punch, and clear, lively midrange response. Kara achieves a balanced profile in the sound response.''

Let see in this review if Tanchjim hit the sweet musicality target or at least offer competitive performance for it's price.

CONSTRUCTION & ACCESSORIES



The construction of Kara is rather unique and will be hate or love affair in term of both aesthetic and comfort. Personly, i find the design quite ugly and cheap looking due mostly to the 3D printed cloudy looking plastic back plate.
The nozzle is very big and long and dont have nozzle lip to hold steadily the ear tips, it seem thinked for deep fit but the size of nozzle will be problematic for smaller ear canal.
Overall design isn't the most comfortable.




In term of accessories, it's rather minimal. You have an OK but non impressive litx oxygen free copper cable that come in 3.5mm single ended plug. A nice looking carrying case and 6 pairs of silicone ear tips.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS



Ok, this wasn't an easy listening for me since i've been mislead by all those reviewers hyping the mid range of these...which I found so dull, lean, lifeless and boring it drive me depress after 5min of listen.

First and foremost: the Kara isn't mid centric at all and have whole lower mid range tamed to the bone. Then we have hint of sub bass warmth and smooth but centric upper mids bump.

Yes, we are into harman territory, warm wannabe lush but fail to way.

The texture of vocal are boosted in a breathy yet dryish way, their no low harmonic lushness going on here, it make the projection quite lean and not exactly distant due to good presence focus but far from wide in presence release. I can't enjoy my female singer with these even if it's not as shouty as other harman IEM like Aria or Snow.

So, for those that need good macro dynamic liveliness: stay away of the Kara. It's maturely tuned, very safe and smooth, it's grandpa musicality.

And talking about Moondrop Snow, it's quite similar but with less pinna gain shout and hint warmer bass response.

I know that writing this review all grumpy mode way will earn me nothing but a blacklisting from Tanchjim, and i'm more than OK with this since i'm done with Harman bore. But I will try to be mature enough for a maturely tuned IEM.

Saying the tonality is harman tuned mean nothing, and it's not your typical Harman take either since here upper mids aren't boosted too the sky, so overall balance feel like a lean U shape with rolled off upper treble. We can say warm neutral too, with very slight bass boost that belong in sub and mid bass transition.

The BASS offer slight punch and tight sub bass that feel compressed in density and release, it don't rumble alot and will boost and compress bass line in a questionnable way that is uneven in term of musical cohesion yet add a sens of ''oomph'' and dynamic in the back in a thick wobbly way.
Then we have smoothly define kick drum, surprisingly presence is well rounded but feel tiny and a bit distant. It do produce minimal mellow punch and don't get lost in sub bass warmth completly. You will never headbang with the Kara, it's too dull for this so both basshead and bass lover should stay away of those.
This is very polite bass response with an emphasis on bass line extraction, warm way. It's a ''jack of all trade master of none'' kind of very boring bass with safe slam, safe bass line rendering, very safe kick drum punch. It's lean as a spleen and lack proper texture edge to be at least engaging in a cerebral way.

Then this mid range. Lean, blend and dull, yet with a natural timbre that isn't thin nor affected by balanced armature roughness. Timbre is the highlight of the Kara and what surely impress some reviewers but the dynamic is so dead flat that everything feel distant even if it isn't.
Overall presentation is clean and open with flat center stage that feel very static in dynamic, any instrument or vocal will be well resolve in presence enough, dense in natural timbre but sticked on this stage with sound layers that struggle to project towards the listener. Sax sound boxy, vocal sound boxy, but in a lush way! Thats the troubling part of this mid range: i cant appreciate tone and timbre but they never reach me, i'm an observer of colorful image that feel protected behind a glass.
It's dead safe. And surely the Tanchjim with lower pinna gain ever, so in that regard, it's a bit extremist and will get a hate/love reception, the love being very niche I feel, surely people with hyperacusis issue or something.
The definition edge is softed, note weight is mellow, natural resonance is scooped to avoid unwanted resonance issue, its so well behave that listener need alot of ''brain burn in'' effort to make it engaging.
Piano feel miniaturized and overly colored with warmth, its near texture less. Violin and female vocal do better, but again it will not blossom in they air and stay sticked in soundscape as if it was shy to play too loud.
Anyway, I guess it's the best part of Kara, or the worst. Very hard to tell.

So I would say Treble is the most focused part of the audio spectrum even if quite roll off after 10khz. It does lack air, sparkle, brilliance and attack edge and snap but it's smooth and clean.
This is something special in it's own right, we can follow percussions which are less damped in natural resonance and more dynamic than mids. So, Tanchjim are in fact treble centric, darkish way.
It's quite full too and dont tend to lost alot of sound info in them mix, apart fine micro details.
Lower treble is smoother than mid treble wich add just a minimum of crunchyness so percussions splash can be lively enough. Yet, overall definition edge is softed, especially in lead attack of percussions.
Highs are a bit dry and dull still, electric guitar sound wonky, clavicord lack sparkle and overall highs lack air, brilliance and extension pass 10khz.

Soundstage is average wide and lack deepness. Nothing to write about here.

Imaging is decent in term of sound layers projection which doesn't go muddy, yet positioning lack clear definition edge for proper separation.



SIDE NOTE

At 27ohm of impedance and 115db of sensitivity, the Kara shouldn't be that hard to drive but it is. To wake up the dynamic of these you need quite alot of amping in fact, at least 200mW I would say. They don't seem that sensitive to source otherwise.

Then eartips, well, the nozzle is long and thick, so i guess its thinked for rather deep fit, which is conter intuitive with such thick nozzle...so I suggest small short wide bore which is the ear tips that make the sound the more open for me.


COMPARISONS


VS SIMGOT EM6L (1DD+4BA)

Simply put: the EM6L are what the Kara should sound if well tuned. Those are more mid centric, but more W shape in overall dynamic too.
EM6L are a hint brighter due to higher upper mids boost so female vocal jump at your more yet have fuller wider presence with slightly more textured timbre. Mids are less lean, less compressed in presence so instrument aren't as boxy too, bass warmth thicken more the timbre and offer more note weight. Piano has both presence and note weight as well as less softed attack edge so bot lead attack and release are more natural, less creamy and more open.
Kara mids are more distant, leaner in dynamic, more foggy in restitution, more colored too with unatural warmth that don't come from lower mid range but bass resonance warmth it seem.

The bass is more boosted with EM6L, offer more rumble sustain, it's less dry and thin and a hint warmer in mid bass punch, which make kick drum definition less edgy but less boxy too. The sub bass line seem compressed with Kara, and sound one tone too, it's notably more vibrant and open with the EM6L which offer both better bass performance and bigger boost.

Then the treble is darker but cleaner with Kara due to more open and recessed center stage where belong mind range instrument. Percussions are more controlled and better separated with Kara. EM6L can go splashy or blurry in macro dynamic more easily. Both these IEMs dont offer impressive treble and EM6L don't lack as much air and sparkle.

Soundstage is notably wider and taller with EM6L, slightly deeper with Kara.

Imaging is a notch better with Kara due to more transparent layering and less in your face mid range. But both these IEM are just average in that regard.

All in all, im not really afound of any of those 2 but it's clear i love way way more the musicality and macro dynamic heft of EM6L. It's way more lively and mids aren't as lean and dull, bass is rounder offer more slam and rumble, vocal-piano-saxo are more upfront and wide in presence and treble while not as refined and safely smoothen as Kara, add more openess to the spatiality. Going from EM6L to Kara is very troubling since you feel you need to crank up the volume to make those mids lively enough yet: it will not work. The issue isn't just about pinna gain balance here, it's about whole drivers configuration issue and this wide lower mid range scoop.

VS ISN NEO5 (1DD+4 knowles BAs-290$)

I want to compare the Kara to similar priced IEMs like Penon Fan2 or cheaper ISN H30, alas I loan them to a friend. So I'll go with 100$ pricier Neo5 due to similar drivers configuration. And low upper mids pinna gain!

Again the Neo5 feel more W shape in dynamic since whatever IEM I try it sound suddenly more lively than leaner more blend Kara.

But let begin by the bass, the Neo5 are way bassier and near basshead level, it pack more punch and have a more speedy and open bass presentation. Rumble more, move more air and mid bass hit way harder too. It dominate more the mix too and bleed more into mids than cleaner leaner Kara.

Mids are more upfront but it's more evident with bass less music. Solo piano is way more enjoyable with Neo5, each note blossom in a wider way, offer more natural resonance, are fuller in harmonic and drop harder in note weight. It don't feel as compressed in center stage too, and dynamic is less lean. Vocal direction is towards you and embrace listener more with their wide presence but it's not as smooth and natural in timbre, biggest highlight of Kara i feel. Mids are a hint thinner but more textured with the NEo5, it feel more creamy and lush yet boxy way with the Kara.

Treble is darker but cleaner again, more organic with Kara while its more detailed and crunchy with the Neo5, electric guitar feel less blunted, percussions have more splash or decay release, as well we have more air on top and more holographic layering.

The Soundstage is way wider, taller and deeper with the Neo5.

Imaging of both is rather bad but due to leaner more monitor like rendering of Kara, it permit better positioning, you pull out of music to observ it's darkish rendering better while with Neo5 your in middle of it.

All in all, Neo5 is notably more fun and engaging, offer more articulate macro dynamic, deeperr rumblier bass, more fowards near as thick mids and livelier treble....which is near polar opposite of Kara even if graph wise apart bass boost they are very similar the dynamic isn't at all.


CONCLUSION



I think it's evident i don't like the Kara and found it's musicality non engaging and supremely dull....yet, it doesn't mean it's plain bad IEM, just not competitive in it's price range and offering a quite niche tonality that will please god know who.

In fact this review was complete month ago, i struggle to find the motivation to publish it because Kara is one of few IEM i just can't endure, which is strange because it's non offensive in it's nature, but for me the mid range sound plain dead, bass lack definition and punch, and treble is roll off, dry and boring.

Personaly, it's the last IEM i will review ever from Tanchjim. I've done the same with Moondrop. These company just have a ''musicality target'' that lead me completly indifferent and far away from my music.

So, nope. I can't suggest the Kara to anybody because I can't lie and just can't find potential listener for those...perhaps people that seek a warmer darker Moondrop Blessing 2? I don't know, i hate those IEM too..

OK! Thanks for reading this anthipatic review!



------


PS: tx to Basking Shark for helping me getting those Kara. No need to help me more with Tanchjim, im done.

You can order the Tanchjim Kara for 180$ here or on Ali express etc:
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/tanchjim-kara-1dd-4ba-in-ear-headphone

Tanchjim Kara ($179)


i remember when Tanchjim anounce the kara, how it looks and how seemingly competitive the price is.... from a company thay make the legendary oxygen
this was hyped.... and it got released and just like that... the hype stop

build :
it feels like one of those thick resin that you can trust.... it feels solid, no bubble on sight an does looks thicker than the average chifi resin iem
i reall like the overall clean and clear aesthetic, from side it looks small but from above boy.. it's thicc and loong with those large nozzle..

small ears be careful....
cable feels cheap though..

fit :
emm no problem with the housing overall no harsh edge touching my ears...
really the problem is the big nozzle and i have small ears... so it feels like my ear canals are pushed to spread larger than usual... it does cause sore and discomfort after long period of use... at least for my small ears, bigger ears should have no problem

sound :
tonal : can be categorized as warm neutral with emphasize abit on the bass and a bit lean ear gain and not so extended treble

bass : fun and punchy in just right amount, nothing wrong but nothing special, personally i'd like a bit more sub bass for rumble in orchestral music

mid : again nothing wrong here... nice balance for female and male vocal, but not special..... again..... it does feels kinda bland and missing soul from the singer..
even though it is balanced.. i couldn't really hear the energy from the vocalist here...

treble : smooth with just enough amount of sparkle.. i prefer more extension past 8khz though, it lacks air for some instruments making violin upper frequency bite sounds dull

technical : nice separation, so so soundstage but the resolution is lower than average at this price.... the resolution is not that far from dunu titan s or aria... and below the cheaper EM6L and planars like Shuoer S12 or Dioko

comparison :

vs EM6L : similar driver configuration but em6l follow harman target more truthfully, having better sub bass and treble extension with just a bit thinner midrange

EM6L easily beats kara in terms of overall resolution, note definition and attack are more incisive here... simply cleaner and clearer

in the end kara is good... and easy to accept.. but nothing from it feels "special" at least for me, and the technical level isn't on par with its price....

no wonder the hype stops

Introduction :-

Always wanted to review the kara. As they seemed like a really beautiful iem.

But the not so stellar reviews from some had left me a bit skeptical, but after I got it for review I was really happy as to how it turned out.

I have shared a video review on YouTube here. If you prefer to watch it than read, a like and a subscribe will be appreciated if you so wish to.

This was a review unit from Grave Audio Aliexpress Store, all the thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can check Grave Audio Store here

Also you can buy the Tanchjim Kara here

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories :-

1. Very Solid build yet the shell is very lightweight

2. Absolutely fantastic looking shells

3. Fantastic cable, very supple and great for everyday use

4. Sadly the cable is not modular, specially at the near $200 mark or even at the $150 mark during a sale.

5. Case is inlined with velvet which is great for the iems, Overall the shell is hardcase which will protect the iem

6. But the above point also brings in another point where in the case although very posh and nice makes it too big for everyday use.

7. No driver flex on the iem, the tanchjim tips for me have worked really well.

8. Very comfortable to wear for long sessions

9. These have 2 sonion 2389D BA for midrange and treble, 2 Custom BA for upper treble and A single DD for bass.

10. BA's are inside the shell which leads to less shout, many iems shove the BA on the nozzle which causes that shout no such issues here.

11. Although very well accessorized I would have to love to see a pair of foam tips at least, as many have reported that for them foam tips have worked really well.

Music Used :-

I listen to varying genre of music, all my music are local flac files played via uapp android app in the bit perfect mode.

I have used the 2019 fiio btr5 as my source of power for the kara, and it worked out perfectly. You will find out later in the review as to why.



Sound :-

I will be giving the sound impression in terms of points so that it will be easier for you the reader to stay focused on the review rather than writing long paragraphs. This is something i was taught during my uni days for writing the exam just wanted to try it here. Lemme know how you feel about it, if you find it a bit jarring i will try to change the format.


1. Well talking about the overall sound I would say that these are very mid-range focused. I would call them the mid range champion as these does that very well.

2. Absolutely fantastic for vocals! Both Male and female vocals sound really good here. (More details on later points)

3. I have found no BA timbre here, if you gave me this iem and told me this had a BA i would have had a hard time noticing it. I generally am susceptible to the BA timbre but not here.

4. The coherency between the drivers are really good.

5. Fantastic imaging, I was really happy watching movies and tv shows specially action scenes wearing these iems.

6. A bit of a gaming test as i am trying to include them more in in my reviews as many use their iems for gaming too. For gaming these have been really good too the overall non-offensive tuning worked out really well and the gunshots weren't too piercy when they were fired in successive rounds. Also the great imaging was really nice for footsteps on a shooter game.

7. Great soundstage over here for this iem, one of the songs i use to test out the soundsage is "Galactic Funk By Casiopea" the live version of the song from the 1985 Tokyo Ryogukan. Listenting to that song makes you feel like you were almost on the top balcony of the show and the fans cheering feels so realistic and instruments positioning is really good too.

8. Talking about the bass I would say these do lack a bass in quite a few songs, although you will be completely fine in most songs. But in many songs you will lack that dynamicness and that overall bite from the bass. For example - Hollow (16 bit remix) by Bjork i do feel the bass to be quite lacking at around the 20 seconds mark. In Crack Crack crackle by classy i feel the bass to be ok and the transition from the bass to the other instruments feels a bit blunt. While it doesnt stop me from enjoying the song at all, it does feel a bit odd. Again this is to say that in no shape or form did the bass feel lacking in most songs but in some songs it was a bit more apparent.

9. The vocals in this iem is absolutely fantastic! The male vocals are really good where in both chris cornell and bill withers sound really good. Female vocals is specially where this shines. Sakura and Hanawa Sakura by ikkimonogakari is a song i always test for female vocals and these passed them with flying colours it was an absolute treat for me to listen to them with these iems.

10. Talking about treble, these are quite dark when it comes to that. If you are treble lover or a treble head stay away from this iem. Although for me it never stopped me enjoying in most songs. But i did feel the lacking details to be quite apparent in some songs. But then again this could be a boon for some as this plays ot very safe for those are allergic to even a bit of sharp or piercy-ness.

11. Not the most resolving iem out there as i have mentioned in the previous comment.

12. I will talk about the btr5 pairing and as to why it is good. Well you see this iem does require a bit of amping to sounds its best because if plug them directly to your smartphone then these will sound pillowy in the bass region and vocals will sound even more dull. Remember how i told that the trbele is a bit dark? well with the pairing of btr5 which has a bright neutral signature it actually turned out to be quite good and the treble did improve significantly. So if you do get this iem and are unsatisfied with the dark treble i highly suggest pairing it with something bright neutral.

13. The kara are very tip dependant. So please do try as much as tips possible before you give your judgement. For example i did read many loved the iem with the foam tips, quite a few used sring tips. Although i got lucky and i was ok with the stock tips. There are two types of tip provided. Wide Bore - Treble and Soundstage ; Narrow Bore - Boosts the bass and bit smaller soundstage.

My entire testing of the iem was done using the wide bore tanchjim apb tips included inside the box.





Reccomendation ?

Do i reccomend these iems? Well yes these are great for a chill listen and i personally really use them a lot for that. These are also very light weight and very comfortable too. Although treble heads stay away from this iem as these are not for you. I highly suggest keeping the small negatives in mind i have mentioned throughout my entire review if you do get them.

Thank you for reading my review! If you have any questions please feel free to comment. And big thanks again to Grave audio store for the review unit, you can check them out if you want to buy to your net audio product.

Introduction

Tanchjim was one of the first IEMS brands I reviewed on my blog, back in early 2019. At that time, the model reviewed was called Cora. Four and a half years have passed and from that model to this one, two letters have changed: Kara. As I said then, Tanchjim was established in 2015 in Dongguan, China. Their philosophy is based on combining excellent design with exceptional craftsmanship, treating the products as works of art. With the Kara model their philosophy is clear. This new model mounts 1DDD + 4 BA inside a medical grade resin capsule printed with high precision DLP3D technology. It uses a three-way electronic frequency divider that tries to keep the essence and eliminate the undesirable to improve the performance of each driver. Kara uses the Sonion 2389D mid and high frequency composite BA driver imported from Denmark. The other ultra-high-frequency composite BA driver has been designed independently by the brand itself. For the dynamic driver, a 9mm composite diaphragm and voice coil have been used. For the cable, high-purity 6N oxygen-free silver-plated copper Litz wires have been used. The metal parts are made of stainless steel and a PVC leather box with the brand logo is used as storage case. After this thoughtful introduction, let's take a look at what the beautiful Tanchjim Kara can do.



Specifications

• Driver Type: 1DDD 9mm with PEEK+PU diaphragm, 1 composite BA driver for mid and high frequencies Sonion 2389D, 1 composite BA driver for ultra high frequencies designed by Tanchjim.
• Frequency response: 7Hz - 40kHz.
• Sensitivity: 115dB/Vrms.
• Impedance: 27Ω±10%.
• THD: < 0.8%@1kHz.
• Drive Unit: DMT 3 Ultra.
• Jack Connector: SE 3.5m gold-plated.
• Capsule Connection Type: 2Pin 0.78mm
• Cable: Oxygen-free Litz 6N copper wire.
• Cable Length: 1.25m.

Packaging

The Tanchjim Kara comes in a relatively square white box with dimensions 152x152x73mm. Almost the entire surface of the main side is occupied by a real photo of a capsule. At the top left is the brand name and below that the model. At the top right is a grey box inside which is the mix of each frequency response of each driver contained in the model, next to the word "Hybrid". At the bottom, at the bottom, there is a sentence indicating that T-APB silicone tips are used. On the back is the frequency response and specifications in four languages, Chinese, Japanese, English and Korean. After removing the outer cardboard, a grey box with a pattern of interlocking T's is revealed. In the centre is the brand logo in white. Lifting the lid reveals a white cardboard with the name of the model in grey letters. Underneath is a kind of grey envelope with the brand logo in the centre of the flap. Inside are various paper elements. Finally, there is the grey piece containing the capsules and a lower white compartment with the rest of the accessories. Removing this level reveals two sets of tips in an upper compartment, while in the lower compartment is the white case encased in an even whiter foam mould. Inside is the cable. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

• The two Tanchjim Kara capsules. Comes with both white silicone tips size L.
• 1 set of silicone tips size SxMxL T-APB Bass Enhancing.
• 1 set of silicone tips size SxMxL T-APB Treble Enhancing.
• User guide.
• Manual.
• Warranty card.
• Certificate.
• Social media link card.
• 1 x 1.25mm cable consisting of oxygen-free 6N Litz copper wire, 2Pin 0.78mm interface and SE 3.5mm connector.
• 1 white leather storage case with magnetic closure and grey velvet interior.

To be honest, I like the presentation, small in size but very well presented, with those light colours. The effort for the personalised branded tips is appreciated, but I miss a balanced/neutral set. The box is nice but it's a bit big compared to the classic zippered cases of the competition, so it becomes impractical. Honestly, the cable is not up to the standard of the capsules and I would have preferred a multi-stranded copper cable, to complement the silver trend of the colours.



Construction and Design

The capsules are shaped like a right triangle, but with rounded corners. The top side is flat, while those forming the right angle are more rounded, even that vertex is the roundest and smoothest, for improved ergonomics. The capsule is made of imported medical grade resin. It is slightly white in colour, translucent throughout, but with two windows so transparent at the bottom base of the outer face that it appears to be an opening rather than a window. From it, you can see the printed circuit board that forms the three-way frequency divider. On the more opaque side of the outer side of the capsule you can read a brand inscription on the right capsule and the model name on the left. On the edge of the flat side is the 2Pin 0.78mm connection, inside a slightly recessed rectangle. Its connectors are gold-plated. Nearby is a perforated grille in the shape of an elongated oval, which is also recessed in the body of the capsule. The inner side is very transparent and you can clearly see the BA drivers and the channels coming out of the mouthpieces. There are three channels, one from the DD driver and two from each pair of BA drivers. Each of them goes to the outside independently. The bass channel is the narrowest and does not appear to be shielded. While the other two have a metallic cover when approaching the outside and two fabric filters, red and white. You can also see another duct coming out of the DD driver, but towards the edge vents. Underneath the drivers you can see the copper wires that connect the drivers to the electronics board containing the frequency divider.
Each inner side is inscribed with the make and model as well as the lettering indicating the side.
The mouthpieces are smooth, without any steps and are slightly oval and not very long. I would have preferred a little more length for a better fit.
The cable is very simple, consisting of a single transparent strand. The wires are silver-plated copper with a very transparent PVC coating. The connector is a simple metal cylinder with the marking written lengthwise. The connector is a 3.5mm gold plated SE connector. The splitter piece is the same, but has the model name inscribed on it. The pin is a smaller metal piece in the same style as the other parts of the cable, as are the sleeves of the 0.78mm 2Pin connectors. It is worth noting that these connectors are very long, mounted on a rectangular piece that is slightly inserted into the capsule. The length of these gold-plated connectors is longer than the usual cables, which makes them less compatible with other replacement cables: as they do not have such long connectors, they come off easily.
Finally, the cable has slightly rigid over-ear guides made of transparent plastic.
The design of the capsules is very good, very transparent, showing the degree of craftsmanship with which each element is made. They are very light and may appear fragile. In reality, however, this is not the case. The lower window on the outer face is very distracting, looking more like an opening than a protected window. And this effect accentuates the fragile feel, which is misplaced when viewed up close. On the other hand, the cable does not live up to the quality of the capsules, nor does it live up to the price: it is thin and simple. I can't say that the wires are bad, but there are better-looking and better-impressing cables for less money.




Adjustment and Ergonomics

The capsules are very small and fit very well with the size of the pinna. The nozzles have no step and therefore there is no stop when inserting the tips, which can limit the insertion into the canal. The deeper the tips are inserted, the closer the sound is to the ear canal, but the closer the capsule is to the pinna. A positioning compromise must be found between the sinking of the tips and the proximity of the domes within the pinna. Sometimes this is not possible due to the lack of a stop. Squeezing the capsules inwards may cause the tips to slide slightly in the canal, if they have not reached the end of their travel. The sinking of the tips may also make it difficult to tilt the tips into the ear canal.
If all these minor pitfalls are overcome and a suitable tip is found, the insertion will be no more than superficial, although a good occlusion level, good isolation and integration between the capsule and the pinna can be achieved. However, if the fit is not very tight, the slightest movement can ruin the seal and with it, the best version of the great sound performance that the Kara can offer. On my scale of tightness I would classify them as desktop IEMS, not suitable for a lot of movement or daily outdoor use.



Sound

Profile

Performing an archaeology exercise among my past reviews, I have found that there is a reasonable resemblance between the FRs of my beloved NS Audio NS5MKII Bass. Those had a balanced profile with a slight mid-centric tendency. I find the Tanchjim Kara to have a similar profile, though they are more balanced, with even smoother mid-highs. Eloquently, the treble dips before 10kHz, giving it a dark harmonic treble. The sub-bass is not as extended and the low end is centred in the centre. The midrange is present and the relationship between the low-mids and high-mids is very well achieved, with a balance that allows for a very pleasant midrange harmony.



Bass

The low end is restrained and controlled in presence, subtly above neutral, yet inoffensive to me as a lover of powerful bass. I openly wouldn't choose the Kara for a brisk walk or exercise. In those situations I always go for fun IEMS with energetic bass. On the contrary, the Kara is an IEMS designed to spend hours and hours with them in your ears. You could call them desktop IEMS, which require a good source to shine and to demonstrate their full technical quality. And that quality certainly starts from the low end. Although in the pure tone test, the behaviour of the LFOs was not the best. With tones below 40Hz you notice that the dynamic driver does not behave as such and emits a vibration more worthy of a BA driver. This means that it is coloured and more audible than sensory. There is little depth to this behaviour. Fortunately, from 40Hz onwards the sound changes for the better and becomes a more natural, realistic, well-executed and more powerful bass. There is still an excess of colouring, lacking some darker, more organic timbre, but the recovery is good towards a more canonic bass from a dynamic driver. The result, transferred to real music, is that the bass is concise and fast, with no apparent aftertaste and no intrusion into the mids. There is control and recovery is swift. The punch has a subtle rubberiness to it, perhaps to give a little more body to the low end, adding a nice spark to the enjoyment. But the fun stops there because the power and energy level is restrained, so it will never sound excessive, let alone boomy. On the other hand, that does not detract from the fact that the bass has a certain prominence and allows the music to be dressed up as it should be, but always within what I consider to be neutral and restrained margins, as it will never sound above the rest of the frequencies. That is the level of respect for the lower range of the Kara, they enjoy a certain authority, but it is the central range that rules.
Where the Kara's fared worst was in my very low frequency bass test, with unfiltered, hard-to-follow bass lines. If the volume is adequate, the loudness will still be relatively realistic. But if you like to listen to loud music, the Kara's will suffer from representing LFO and trying to follow all the bass lines, giving a sonority closer to a BA driver than a dynamic driver. This makes me wonder if the dynamic driver design is the right one or if, on the other hand, the frequency divider is not cutting the Sonion BA drivers at that point in the bass. The result is that the Kara's are better designed to reproduce kick drums than continuous, very low frequency, overlapping, unfiltered bass lines. I don't usually give examples of specific songs, but what I'm talking about is very clear in Massive Attack's Better Things, which has an opening bass line that can reveal this kind of embarrassing situation for some IEMS and, in particular, for the Kara's. You can't have everything.



Mids

The mid-centric character comes to the fore as soon as the frequencies set foot in the centre range. The inoffensive lows drop just enough to give the first half of the mids the warmth, weight, body and physicality needed to demonstrate all the strength and balance they possess. It is clear that the mids are protagonists, but they perform naturally, without being over-represented. It is not a matter of projecting the voices above the rest, but of interweaving them with the rest of the instruments, endowing them with a superior harmonic richness and an almost idyllic realism. For all the strength in the first half, the weight of the notes in this fragment is not thick, but a perfect balance of warmth, sweetness and technicality. In contrast to the LFOs, there is no hint of BA sonority in the mids, and both timbre and reproduction are much more natural, realistic and organic. So much so, that more than one, in blind tests, would not be able to tell that this is a hybrid with 4 BA drivers. The slight warm character tries to fight against an incipient analytical ability, imposed by the technical skills of the Sonion drivers. In the end, the most logical result seems to be a draw. There is a higher exposure in the mid-high and early treble details. While the details in the centre are less exposed and that's something I find curious: When using songs to look for those kind of micro details that we know are there, the Kara represents them by recreating the best conditions for them to be reproduced, but it is not always able to present them. It is as if the wrapping is better than the gift, leaving the gift more valuable the more resolving the source is. In this sense, I find the Kara more detailed when paired with technical and analytical sources. Even so, they do not become detail monsters, but they will attest to their level of resolution and definition. In this respect, micro detail also suffers from the thickness of the mids. Note weight is very balanced, it doesn't feel thin, nor does it feel thick. The execution of each of them is quite precise and has enough space to be reproduced with sufficient uniqueness. Even so, they never come across as cutting, cold or too sharp. That is the balance I am referring to, the almost perfect balance between warmth and analytical ability. The result is a pure exercise in pleasing harmony that will always remain respectful to our ears. That's why I say that the Kara is an IEMS to enjoy for hours and hours, even at a good volume, if you exclude those bass passages I mentioned in the previous section.
The result of all this exposure is an excellent representation of the voices, whether male or female. Their presence is outstanding, never excessive, but exuberant and tremendously musical. As I say, the integration with the instruments is special, both worlds are fully represented, maintaining their vital space and without any overlapping. The separation in this sense is excellent, but without any hollowness between elements, causing a loss of information due to the volatility of notes or elements within the scene. The relationship between the base of the notes, their overtones and the details is also very remarkable. There is no predominance of detail over the fundamental or the other way around. And this is another great sign of the great balance that has been achieved in the tuning of the Kara. As a sign of their great class in this range is the ability to represent sibilance: you have to put them to the test to realise the great skill they possess in this aspect, the result could not be more elegant, pleasant and realistic. One of the best IEMS I have tried in this respect. And this is made possible by masterfully tuned mid-highs: they have just the right level to add clarity and transparency to the music, without being overpowering. The transition between low-mids and high-mids is one of the best in its price range. Totally exemplary.



Treble

The highs are good until they say enough is enough. They have a sustained performance that aims to be pleasant, delicate and silky, but the timbre and the final sparkle suffer from the clear drop before 10kHz. The energy is also perceived as controlled, not a crunchy high end, I would say neutral and complementary. But they have their grace. The Kara's have a smooth high end that maintains a good level of balanced energy up to a certain point. In this way they show a very tolerable, sweet and relatively natural treble. However, there is also a sense of incompleteness, of a lack of air, of that final sparkle. And everything seems to indicate that it is that drop that exists in the second half of the treble. This could be one of the reasons why the Kara does not go beyond detail and higher resolution to become an analytical IEMS. Maybe that is not their purpose either, or maybe they would not be as melodious. But I personally think that the Kara falls short of being a more expressive, descriptive and technical ensemble, but without giving up on being musical.



Soundstage, Separation

The Kara scene is represented as a fairly rounded oval. I imagine it as such because of its height level and good laterality. It suffers from a certain depth, though, which gives a sense of immersive closeness. The mid-centred profile brings the elements closer to the listener even though they are presented very well separated. The levels of clarity and transparency are obvious, with no opacity or darkness at any time. Moreover, the background and separation are easily discernible. As I said, the notes are very well outlined and unique, which allows them to be identified effortlessly, even if it is not an analytical set. On the other hand, the micro detail suffers and the sound can become drier due to the lack of extension in the upper treble and air area.
On the other hand, the proximity of the elements to the listener tends to magnify the music and enlarge the scene, becoming almost overwhelming and explicit. This is due to the richness of the sound and the ability to show many elements on the same plane. But at the same time, the layering of layers feels more limited and the nuances present in those other planes are more diluted. The initial sensation is almost overwhelming, but when looking for minute details in the background, they are not readily apparent or with sufficient resolution or definition.
Finally, a wide frontal scene achieves a well positioned image, in which it is easy to locate each element, also thanks to the great clarity and very good sense of separation that the Kara have.



Comparisons

NS Audio NS5MKII Bass Ed

With a similar profile are some of my favourite IEMS of all those I have had the pleasure of reviewing. This is a brand that has few models, but I wish they would create new ones, because their level is fantastic. These are the NS Audio NS5MKII Bass Ed, IEMS with a fabulous dynamic driver inside a small, ultra-comfortable metal capsule. Yes, they have a metal construction that surpasses the Kara's and superior comfort. The integration inside my ears is close to perfection. Even though they are metal, being so small their weight is negligible and they sit very flat in my ears. The cable is slightly better in the NS5MKII and they come with more silicone tips. Both models come with silver plated cables. Personally I would have chosen pure copper cables.
The NS5MKII are easier to move while the Kara appreciate a powerful source.
Starting with the low end, the NS5MKII doesn't suffer from dangerous bass lines like the Kara does. It has a much more natural, deeper and more skilful sub-bass. Pure tones below 40Hz reveal the NS5MKII's better, more realistic and more sensory reproduction capability. The rest of the bass band, frankly, the NS5MKIIs are better, with fuller, more defined and refined bass, as well as more extended bass. The NS5MKIIs follow complex bass lines seamlessly, and while it's not the most sensory or least coloured bass, it proves its class above the Kara.
Actually, the graphics of both models are very similar, of that there is no doubt. But I find the mids of the Kara to be closer, while the NS5MKII offers a slightly more luminous and brighter midrange. I find that there is a little more flesh and physicality in the Kara's, in the first half of the mids. Male vocals are more evident on the Tanchjim, while on the NS5MKII they may be more integrated with the stringed instruments, due to the greater emphasis on the upper-mids. The female vocals are more sparkling and juicy on the NS5MKII, while on the Kara they are drier and a bit more nuanced. As I say, the Kara's sound is drier, more detached, more finite. The NS5MKIIs have a final flare, a sparkle, a halo that disperses the notes, but also binds them together. There is more silence in the background of the Kara. So the result is different, the NS5MKII's treble is more crisp, energetic and vivid, with that wetter, more vibrant flash. The result is a more natural, less mellow high end. The more wiry nuance of the Kara's sharpens the notes, but detracts from the harmonics. There is more air in the NS5MKII and the perception of detail is different. It is able to represent more layers and the background detail, despite the brightness that unites them, makes them more perceptible.
The size of the scene is greater in the NS5MKII, there is more depth and also more laterality. Their sound seems to go through 180 degrees, but without going all the way around. The Kara's are more frontal and rounder.
The dryness of the notes in the Kara gives them better separation, a more precise image, as well as a darker sound and background.



Conclusion

Tanchjim Kara are an IEMS who seek to move away from many trends to create their own style of sound. It is certainly not alone in this field, but it is looking for a place among the best in its class. It stands out for its great ability to reproduce the midrange, starting with a subtle warmth and a smooth treble profile. The Kara presents music in a very organic, natural, exciting and approachable way. It is not a very technical or analytical sound. In that respect, Tanchjim has been very capable of sweetening the BA drivers for maximum musicality, although they have also restrained both extremes to achieve this, something that penalises them as an all-rounder IEMS. However, the price paid is well worth it - you only have to put those beautiful transparent capsules in your ears to realise that their virtues far outweigh their shortcomings, going where others cannot.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• Tempotec BHD Pro.
• Tempotec V6.
• Aune X8 XVIII Magic DAC + EarMen ST-Amp.
• Aune M1p.
• Burson Audio Playmate II.

Purchase Link

Link to the WEB

TANCHJIM KARA​

Introduction: -

Tanchjim Audio has been active in the industry since 2015 as a premium Hi-Fi In-Ear monitor brand from China. With a professional team of acoustic engineers, Tanchjim has released several award-winning in-ear monitors in the industry including Oxygen, Hana, and more. Here, the Kara makes use of a single 9mm dynamic driver, a pair of Sonion 2389 BA drivers, and a pair of custom Tanchjim BA drivers for frequencies beyond the 10kHz range. Kara’s shell is constructed from resin DLP3D Printed shell with a transparent finish. The Kara fits better in the ear due to its smaller size and lighter build, making it significantly comfortable all around and perfect for all-day listening. Moving to its price, it retails at US$ 179.00.



Specifications: -

• Driver Configuration: 1 Dynamic Driver (PEEK+PU Composite Diaphragm DMT3 DD Unit) & 4 Balanced Armature (2 Custom BA + 2 Sonion 2389 BA)
• Crossover: Three-Way Analog Frequency Crossover
• Impedance: 27Ω
• Freq Response: 7Hz-40Khz
• Sensitivity: 115dB/mW

Disclaimer: -

We are thankful to Tanchjim for the discounted price for the IEM. We were also delighted with the opportunity to review it.

Packaging & Accessories: -

The Tanchjim Kara comes in a medium-sized box with the IEMs and all the accessories. The unboxing experience is truly premium, and it’s rarely seen in a product of this price range and even higher. Removing the box lead, we have the manuals and quick guides. After that, we found the IEMs in an assembly. Followed by the white premium carrying case which includes the High-Purity 6N litz Oxygen free Silver-plated Copper cable with 3.5mm termination. The Kara comes with 7 pairs of T-APB pressure balancing ear tips that ensure maximum comfort by balancing the internal and external air pressure. This is perfect for an item of such a price point.





IEM Build & Design: -

Tanchjim Kara features a small and compact building. The IEM features a transparent shell design that looks like a crystal and allows users to see the insides of the Kara. The shells are lightweight, small, and have a compact design. The shells are made up of high-quality imported medical-grade resin material. The compact design also ensures a comfortable fit for the users. Overall ergonomics are top-notch with no driver flex experienced.



Sound Analysis: -

Credits: @aftersound

The tonality of Tanchjim kara leans towards the warm and mid-centric. The Kara has a beautiful musical signature with decent technicalities for a sub-US$ 200 product. The coherency between the BA drivers handling the mids and treble and the DD driver handling the bass is top-notch. Vocals and acoustic instruments sound very natural without even a whiff of the BA timbre. The Kara isn’t class-leading in micro detailing or clarity but for a somewhat darkish signature, the resolution is surprisingly not lacking. Credits

• Lows: - The kara focuses on Sub-Bass a bit more. The sub-bass has a decent impact here. There is texture, and decay, creating an engaging yet controlled sense of impact which improves a lot when Kara is matched with a decent source such as Dethonray DTR1+ and Tanchjim Space lite. The mid-bass is less prominent but still present enough to provide some warmth, body, and punch to the sound. The bass is not very fast or tight, but rather smooth and organic. It does not bleed into the midrange or overpower the other frequencies.

• Mids: - The mids of the Tanchjim kara is the high point of its sound signature as it showcases its warm centric tuning, and its forte in showcasing its vocals and acoustic instruments, especially guitar. The midrange is smooth and natural with good clarity and resolution. The mids are a bit forwarded, especially the upper mids which gives the female vocals more emotions whereas the lower mids are slightly recessed to keep the sound signature balance.

• Highs: - The treble of the Kara is relaxed and smooth as the upper treble rolls off somewhat early. It has enough sparkle and air to keep the sound from sounding dull or dark, but it does not have much extension or detail. The treble is laid-back and easy-going keeping up with the signature of the IEMs. It complements the warm midrange and the strong sub-bass, creating a coherent and musical sound. Instruments in the upper treble have an average level of resolution. The treble is not the best for critical listening, but it is suitable for long natural smooth and fatigue-free music sessions.

• Soundstage & Imaging: - The soundstage of Tanchjim Kara is not very wide and spacious but rather intimate and cozy. The soundstage is decently wide, but the height is just average. The separation and layering are average when considering the price of the IEM. Soundstage depth and height are decently expansive. Tanchjim Kara adopts a three-way analogue frequency division architecture. One for high pass, one for band pass and one for low pass. The aim is to divide the audio signal into three distinct parts so that the sound is balanced across the frequency but the risk with this structure is to achieve coherency and we are happy to inform you that the Kara truly achieves it by providing a good imaging with a clear and accurate placement of instruments and vocals. Both Soundstage and Imaging were heavily improved when the kara is amped and wide bore tips (Even Factory-supplied ones) make the IEM tips sensitive.

• Synergy: - The Kara pairs well with sources that have a neutral or slightly bright sound signature, as they can balance out its warm mid-centric tuning and bring out more treble presence and detail. Despite its low impedance of 27 ohms the Kara is not as efficient and at least needs a good dongle DAC/Amp to show its true colours. The Tancareim kara’s synergy with neutral and analytical sources is amazing. To our surprise, the Tanchjim kara really paired well with the Tanchjim Space lite dongle instead of the warmer Tanchjim Space (Regular) dongle. When it comes to DAPs and DAC/Amp it really pairs well with Dethonray DTR1+ in comparison to Aune M1p, DTR1, Astell & Kern AK SP1000m and Dethonray Pegasus SG1 Gold edition. It scales really with Dethonray DTR1+ as it gives sufficient power for its dynamic driver which in turn brings out more refinement and detail in its sound.

Conclusion: -

The Tanchjim Kara is a special warm and mid-centric IEM that offers a smooth and musical sound. It has a strong sub-bass presence, a lush midrange, and a relaxed treble. It is not a perfectly neutral IEM, but rather one that emphasizes vocal emotion and enjoyment over accuracy and detail. It is also important to highlight it is very good at playing string instruments like bass and electric guitars. It is not suitable for audiophiles who prefer a more analytical sound with more treble presence and extension. One of the high points of Kara is its wonderful natural timbre in comparison to other hybrid IEMs and not to forget its accessories, ergonomics and build quality which is quite impeccable in comparison to similar priced IEMs.

Non-Affiliated Links-
- https://www.amazon.com/TANCHJIM-Kara-Headphones-Listening-Earphones/dp/B0C5QZJ454/
- https://hifigo.com/collections/tanchjim/products/tanchjim-kara

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Sam Audio for furnishing this unit.

Sam Audio is a Singapore-based audiophile shop. They have a physical brick-and-mortar shop, in addition to a few online portals (no affliate links):
https://samaudiosg.com/products/sg-tanchjim-kara-1dd-4ba-hybrid-iems
https://shp.ee/k5s74st
https://s.lazada.sg/s.bP3Sn




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x 9 mm composite dynamic driver (PEEK + PU composite diaphragm) + 4 x balanced armature drivers (2 x custom BA and 2 x 2389D Sonion BA)
• Impedance: 27 Ohms
• Frequency response: 7 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 115 dB/rms
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm, 6N Litz oxygen-free copper wire
• Tested at $179 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone eartips
- 4 pairs of narrow-bore silicone eartips
- Leatherette carry case
- Cable

For something retailing at sub$200 USD, the accessory spread is decent enough, other than the lack of a modular cable and foam tips.



The silicone eartips incorporate Tanchjim's T-APB air pressure balancing design, which assists in equilibrizing internal ear pressure with the atmosphere, in addition to reducing the incidence of driver flex/discomfort. There are 2 variants - a wide-bore, and a narrow-bore one - with the former giving better treble extension and improved soundstaging, while the latter boosts bass albeit with some compression of the soundstage.

One point to note - the Kara is extremely sensitive to eartips. I would advise tiprolling with the stock tips, or even various aftermarket eartips, as the Kara's bass tightness and soundstage is very much influenced by the tips; the wrong eartip fit can compress the soundscape. During my tests, I found the large wide-bore stock tips gave the best soundstage and layering, and was my preferred eartip.




The included stock cable - made from 6N Litz oxygen-free copper wire - is on the thinner side, though it is quite tangle-free and supple, with just a slight smattering of microphonics. There's a chin cinch to give added stability, with a gold-plated 3.5 mm distal terminal.

This cable has coloured dots to assist in identifying the sides (blue for left cable terminal, and red for right terminal, as per usual convention). The 2-pin connectors on the proximal end generally promises better shelf life than MMCX ones, especially when it comes to frequent cable changes.




A PVC leatherette carrying case, which is marketed as water resistant and static proof, graces the packaging. This is larger than the usual carrying cases we see in IEM packages, which allows audiophiles to carry the Kara and some accessories! Additionally, the case's innards are lined with velvet to cushion its contents.


The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock wide-bore tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The Kara's housings are fashioned from transparent medical-grade resin, which allows users to see the innards of the Kara in all their glory. The shells are produced with DLP3D printing technology, and the earpieces are very light. Ergonomics are top-notch with no driver flex.




There are R and L letting for users to mark out the right and left earpieces.

Even though the Kara is heavily vented, isolation is actually above average, as the drivers are housed in their own individual acoustic tubes, as we will read below.


INTERNALS

The Kara contains some choice drivers - specifically 2 Sonion 2389D BAs that handle the midrange and treble. 2 more custom BAs handle the upper treble above 10 kHz, and a 9 mm composite dynamic driver (PEEK + PU composite diaphragm) takes care of the bass frequencies.



There is a three way crossover via sound tubes to divide the bass, midrange and treble frequencies. Unlike the dime-a-dozen CHIFI hybrids that dump BAs in the nozzle - this can lead to shoutiness especially if the nozzle isn't damped - Tanchjim was quite thoughtful in their design of the Kara, in utilizing acoustic tubes from the nozzle that leads to the BAs housed within the shell.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Kara with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

The Kara is not the easiest IEM to drive. It's sensitivity is 115 dB/Vrms, which is about 99 dB/mW. While one can get adequate volume when driving the Kara off weak sources, this IEM scales tremendously with amplification (in terms of dynamics, soundstage and bass tightness).

With a regular non-LG phone, the Kara sounds compressed and boring, with a flabby bass. I would highly recommend a decent dongle or DAC/amp with the Kara to reap the best sonic benefits. There is thankfully no hiss with sources.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the Tanchjim Kara via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz area is a coupler artefact peak.

Tonally, the Kara is a warm midcentric IEM, with a generous sub-bass boost.

Timbral accuracy is superbly organic - there is not even a whiff of BA timbre! Vocals and acoustic instruments sound very natural.

Coherency between the BA drivers handling the mids and treble, and the DD handling the bass is top-notch, with their timbre and driver speed tightly in step. If you didn't tell me that the Kara was a hybrid, I would have opined that it sounds like a pure single DD! Sporting a thicker note weight, notes have zero harshness with a feather like touch.

The Kara eschews outright technicalities for a musical signature. Technically, the Kara is no slouch though, and would qualify as above average for a sub $200 hybrid. Soundstage depth and height is decently expansive, with soundstage width that goes outside the ears laterally - this department improves when the Kara is amped, and as discussed, is quite eartip dependent.

Imaging, separation and layering is sharply demarcated, with no issues pinpointing vocals and instruments on a dark palate. The Kara isn't class-leading in micro-detailing or clarity, but for a somewhat darkish signature, resolution is surprisingly not lacking. Edge definition is slightly blunted, to provide an ephemeral and ethereal delicate touch to the music.

The Kara is sub-bass focused, with an almost subwoofer like sub-bass with a visceral rumble. Extension in the sub-bass goes deep, though the Kara is not a basshead IEM by any means. There's good texturing and moderate bass speed displayed, especially when the Kara is juiced with a robust source. Just a sliver of mid-bass bleed is present, and the Kara copes decently well with complex bass tracks.

The midrange is the star of the show. It is forwards, and despite having a lush midrange, there is good transparency, while deftly avoiding shoutiness in the upper mids. The Kara is a midcentric IEM at heart, and its forte is in showcasing vocals and acoustic instruments. As mentioned previously, the layering and imaging on a dark background really lets the midrange standout. If you are a vocal or mids lover, the Kara is a match made in heaven.

The upper treble rolls off somewhat early, so the Kara does not have much air or sparkle. This borderline dark treble is safe for treble sensitive folk, but on the flip-side, trebleheads who want the most resolving IEM might need to consider alternatives. With restrained cymbals/high hats and minimal sibilance, the keyword to describe the Kara is "soothing".


COMPARISONS




Comparisons were made with other hybrids/tribrids around the $200 mark. Planars, single DDs and pure BA types were left out of the equation as the different transducers have their pros and cons.


AFUL Performer 5

The Performer 5 is a U-shaped sub-bass focused hybrid. It has a slightly thinner note weight, with a more anemic midrange. The Performer 5 is brighter, but can be more sibilant and splashy.

The Performer 5 flops at timbre - BA timbre rears its ugly head - and also with coherency, with the Performer 5's untextured bass notably slower than the faster BAs handling the other frequencies. The Kara in contrast, is coherent throughout the entire frequency response, with timbre and speed amongst the drivers very well blended.

Technically, the Performer 5 has similar levels of imaging, micro-detailing and resolution. However, the Performer 5 has a very compressed soundstage, with music sounding congested, and a very "in-your-head" soundscape heard.


Geek Wold GK100

The GK100 is a neutral bright tribrid. The GK100 is the polar opposite of the Kara - the former is way more analytical and technical, but totally lacking in musicality. The GK100 can pick up minutiae in music tracks which you never knew existed, but it is very sterile sounding, lacking emotion.

The GK100 has a thinner note weight, with an artificial timbre, with some piezo zing in the high end. It has less bass (especially at the sub-bass), though the GK100 has markedly more upper mids and treble, with superb air and sparkle in the upper treble. This does lead to splashiness in cymbals and high hats, with sibilance in spades. The GK100 can be hot for treble sensitive folk, in contrast to the sedate and chill Kara.

The GK100 has a smaller soundstage, though it has better imaging, edge definition, transients, micro-detailing and clarity. The GK100 comes with a modular Hakugei cable for 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm options, unlike the sole 3.5 mm stock cable of the Kara.


SeeAudio Yume II

The Yume II is a U-shaped hybrid with a thinner note weight. It is brighter in the upper mids/treble, with less bass.

The Yume II has a more metallic BA timbre, though it has better edge definition and imaging, with improved clarity and micro-detailing. The Yume II has inferior soundstage and layering, and sounds compressed during A/B comparison.


CONCLUSIONS

The Kara is a special warm mid-centric IEM, in a sea of Harman tuned fare. Sub-bass is reverberant, with a smooth and lush midrange to die for - indeed, the midrange is definitely the Kara's raison d'etre.

One of the other selling points of the Kara, is its wonderful coherency, with a sonic profile almost akin to that of a single DD. Timbre is very natural - this is a breath of fresh air compared to the commonly pungent BA aroma found in multi-driver BA containing hybrids. Accessories, ergonomics and build are also quite impeccable; I've seen similarly priced gear with major flaws in these areas.



The Kara's tuning is very musical, and the keyword to describe this IEM is "soothing". Granted, it is not the most technical, analytical or micro-detailed focused IEM, but the Kara has superb layering and imaging within a spacious soundstage, and when well amplified, the Kara is not as claustrophobic-sounding as some more technical rivals.

Unfortunately, the Kara is not the easiest IEM to drive; while it can be powered off a weak smartphone, one might not be getting its full potential without adequate amplification, so that's something to consider for folks who do not have suitable sources on hand. Detail-heads or trebleheads may also need to look elsewhere, as the borderline darkish treble may not be this subset of users' cup of tea.

In a nutshell, the Kara is quite unique - a warm midcentric IEM for vocal-heads and midrange lovers, with a hefty and sweet tone in an open soundscape. Coupled with the pleasant timbre and well whisked coherency, we have a very euphonic and soothing sound for sore ears that are tired of the hackneyed steroid-infused ultra-technical hybrids.