TANCHJIM Zero Ultima

Tanchjim are a company I'd not been aware of. They got in touch with me and asked if I'd put a few of their products through their paces. I said yes. This is therefore a review sample and should be read as such.
The Tanchjim Zero Ultima is a single driver IEM. It is a dynamic driver. It retails at around £21-25 in the UK. It is available in 2 formats. The first format, which I chose to have sent to me, is the 3.5 mm jack termination cable. The 2nd option is the all in one usb C termination. This then puts the Zero into the USB Dac Dongle category, and adds a not too huge £4 to it's retail price.
I'm going to tell you all about my adventures with the Zero Ultima. I have 100s of IEMs and full size headphones. We all know that. Maybe you share a similarly massive collection? I don't turn my nose up at a product because it is in the budget category. Many such products are a highly enjoyable listen. I've found that this end of the market is where the most improvements have come from, value for money is simply awesome for so many things out there nowadays. If you are going to go for an IEM in this bracket, often a single dynamic driver will fetch the least problems. There are no crossovers to be concerned with; therefore no crossover distortion issues. You only have to fit 1 driver into the headshell, so you can keep down size and weight. All you have to find, put simply, of course, is a driver that does what you want it to and tune it to you and your customer's tastes.



The Zero has had a redesign from it's 2022 counterpart, which was a good seller for the company. The new version performed ably through the snazzy Starlight II Dac Dongle and rather less well on it's own when plugged int my smartphone, but nonetheless both were a pleasant listen. The Bass was not annoying, the mids and highs gave no glare and were not fatiguing. The angled drivers were a comfortable fit which didn't need contant adjustment, further anchorage was obtained using the chin strap attached to the cable, and settling down to an extended music listening session was firly effortless as these things are s light in your ears that you soon forget you have them in.
These compare favourably to the like of CVJ and CCA competition, given that each has a little bit of extra roughness or edginess in 1 or more of the frequency bands which I couldn't detect in the Zero's.
Ok, so I am reviewing a budget IEM, so the caveat here is that I am saying this is better than my HiFiMan Susvara Headphones, or any other flagships, come to that. What I am saying is, as is typical in the Chi-Fi market these days, you will marvel at the sound they can get from such a simple looking device as this. You like? You won't be disappointed.

TANCHJIM as an audio company has a strong following from the audio community as it has a good reputation profile. They are known to produce some of the best IEMs in the audio market like Zero and the legendary Oxygen that until this day still resonates among audio enthusiasts given its long tenure in the audio market.



And the product that will be featured in this review article is their latest budget-friendly entry-level set, the TANCHJIM ZERO ULTIMA. The ZERO ULTIMA, like all of the TANCHJIMs models has single driver configuration and it was housed in a composite shell chassis.



On its transducer part, it uses a newly improved proprietary dynamic driver, DMT-4 Ultra and this driver has 10mm dual cavity layout with a composite diaphragm consisting of PU (Polyurethane) and titanium-coating to ensure rigidity, resistance and better electrical conductivity for lower distortion as it deliver a responsive and rich bass quality, a clear and detailed midrange and a crisper treble response.



And then, the driver was encased in a short cylindrical hypoallergenic composite shell structure with a polycarbonate cavity base and a small circular stainless steel faceplate. In a certain section on its internal, there’s an acoustic conduit structure to improve its sub bass quality. The cable is pretty firmly fixed on the shell chassis which is pretty similar to some of their models like the original Zero and Tanya.



The overall structure of its shell offers a nifty comfortable wear and fitting as it secures well into my lugholes for a long listening session without encountering any discomforts. It offers a good passive noise isolation as it manages to block a substantial amount of external noises from the outside surroundings.



The quality of the cable looks fine but not the best one. I usually prefer a bit thicker and less susceptible from entanglement. It has a parallel design with an 8-core Litz silver-plated copper wiring with a clear PU insulator sheath on its exterior with 3.5mm single ended termination plug. There’s a physical console at the right part which has a single button for call and basic media controls and also, it has a built-in all-directional HD microphone for a crystal clear voice quality. You can also choose another option of termination which is a USB Type-C with DSP decoding chip which is also supported by TANCHJIM’s own app.



LIke the majority of TANCHJIM sets, the ULTIMA ZERO is fairly loaded with accessories and it was packed in a medium-size square packaging box.



These are the following contents inside of its packaging box:

• Pair of TANCHJIM ULTRA ZERO IEM transducers.
• Three (3) pairs of balanced bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of wide bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Velvet storage pouch.
• Instruction manual

This set is relatively sensitive as it can be driven by devices with unbalanced analogue ports even though it was rated to have a standard signal amplification a.k.a normal gain mode. With a normal gain mode, it is enough to dial the volume level at moderate level as it will respond with wide range and dynamic sound quality.



As for its tonal aspect, this one has a U-shaped sound profile which has more emphasis on the low and high frequencies with a balanced-warmish tonality on it.




LOWS/BASS:

The bass quality on this one is fairly well-balanced as it has clear sub bass presence and a sufficiently textured mid bass. It has a punchy, tactual and reverberating bass response while maintaining a segregation to sound clean as it doesn't smear too much across the midrange section.

As I mentioned the clearness of its sub bass as it has that deep rumbling that were produced by selected instruments like synthesisers, drum machines and strings instruments like bass guitars and double-basses. Meanwhile, with an adequate mid bass texture, it is enough to give a suitable note weight on bass-clef instruments and on some deep male vocal types. Bass guitars sound resonant while the double-basses have more weight and it sounds more raspy and bass kick drums seem to sound more sonorous. In part of male vocals, both bass and bass-baritone sound dusky and fairly resonant but there are some slight issues as it has an inadequate depth and weight as it should deliver an intensity and power to have a rich, authoritative voice that these types of vocals should convey naturally.


MIDRANGE:

While the midrange presentation of this one is noticeably recessed on its overall audio frequency range, it doesn't too lean that might affect the vocal texture on the male vocals, a striking sound on percussives and bold and blaring sound on brasses. The midrange had enough warmth and energy as it sounds clear and detailed while maintaining that natural tone and correct tonal colour.

When it comes to male vocals, baritones have these smooth and plush sounds while the tenors have that brassy and a tad spicy vocals and the countertenors have a tender and velvety sound from their falsettos. As for female vocals, contraltos have those smoky and rich sound from their chesty voice as it conveys emotional appeal from sorrowful to authoritative, mezzo-sopranos have a coppery and fierceness from their voices and sopranos have gleaming and silky sound that makes it an all-rounder on sopranos types, from dramatic up to the lyric ones.

Consequently, on how the instruments sounds like, the strings like the guitars, cellos and violins, guitars have a bright and crisp sound while cellos have lustrous and cantabile sound from plucking and bowing on its note strings, and a vibrant and sensuous sound from violins. Regarding brasses, trumpets have full and a bit metallic sound, trombones have brassy and overpowering sound and horns have a tempestuous and velvety sound. The woodwind instruments, they have that bright and adequate airness as piccolos have brilliant sound, concert flutes have clear and rich sound, clarinets sound melodic and dramatic, and then saxophones have a reedy and lively tone on them. And lastly, on the percussives, tom-toms have a warm and resonant sound while snare drums sound clear and sharp, field drums have a more menacing sound on every stroke and kettledrums have these resonant and rumbling sounds. The pianos seem to have a balanced tone as they sound rich, sweet and clear.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

Pretty lustre sounding , that's how I describe its treble quality initially as it maintains a smooth delivery and with just enough shimmer on it. That shimmer is most like a slight boost on the initial presence enough to give some clarity and definition on vocals and some instrumental attack without having some harshness and sibilance.

On the brilliance section, the treble air quality is quite modest with just satisfying intensity on its sparkle enough for harmonic presence. As for treble-clef instruments, cymbals sound lustrous while hi-hats have a bit dull and dry tone from its distinctive chick-y sound, celestas sound sweet and somehow mellow, and glockenspiels have a silvery sound on them.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

When it comes to this technical aspect part of the review, the perceived sound/speaker stage on this one is more a above-average as it has a moderate extension its lateral span from left to right channel, a reasonable height reach and good depth that gives me at least an average head room within my aural sense. On stereo imaging, it projects a rather two-dimensional stereo presentation in which I was able to point out the possible placements of instrumental sections and vocals but not the most accurate that I really want in a rather two-layered soundscape with just a decent separation on the elements. And with those performances, playing back some complex multi-instrumental tracks might be a challenging one in that regard.

The driver performance of the ZERO ULTIMA is pretty coherent and clear on how it was able to execute a responsive transient on its bass and consistent clarity on the rest of the frequency section. As for its resolution capability, it has good macro-dynamics as it was able to emphasises the varying signal output level from the quietest part up to the loudness threshold on both instrumental passages and chorale lines, while its micro-dynamics seems to have a good definition on highlighting details, grains and nuances from an audio track like notational texture, vocal ends and reverb tails.


PEER COMPARISONS:

TANCHJIM TANYA (DSP VARIANT)

• One of the previous models of TANCHJIM with a single dynamic driver that was encased in a cylindrical metal alloy casing.
• This one is also fairly packed with the quantifying amount of inclusions similar to the ZERO ULTIMA.
• It also has non-detachable cable design and this one has a USB type-C connector for modern mobile device usage.
• Like the ZERO ULTIMA, this set has also has a U-shaped sound profile but it has more sub-bass presence, less energetic midrange in which some vocals and instruments sound a bit less lively and vibrant, and then an almost similar treble response which is also has a sheen and satiny response.
• On its technical performance, certainly that it has strong similarities with the ZERO ULTIMA but the difference in its resolution capabilities particularly on the micro-details as this set is a bit less resolving.

7HZ AERO

• This one is currently 7HZ’s ultra budget model with a teardrop-shaped shell chassis and newer dynamic driver with a metal wafer diaphragm inside.
• The product packaging of this is pretty basic as it has a meagre amount of inclusions.
• It has a non-detachable cable and on its termination, it has a 3.5mm single-ended plug.
• The sound signature of this one has a U-shaped with a balanced-warmish tonality that it shares some tonal similarities with the ZERO ULTIMA as it also has balanced bass quality with a punchy and rumbling sound but I think that this one has more textured mid bass, a warmer but less energetic sound on its midrange, and a smoother treble response but it has a bit lacking of air and sparkle.
• Technicality-wise, it has a fairly similar performance with the ZERO ULTIMA but there is one difference as this one sounds a bit less resolving on detail retrieval.

KZ LING LONG

• One of KZ’s models with bullet-type shell design that sports a micro dynamic driver.
• While its inclusions appear to be barebones but at least it includes a storage case which is quite unusual for KZ especially on this price range.
• It has a non-detachable cable with a 3.5mm termination plug and also this one is a bit hard to drive.
• This one also shares similar tonal profile with the ZERO ULTIMA as it also has balanced-warmish tuning but it has a noticeable less recession on its midrange presentation but it still has punchy bass, an adequate warmth and rich midrange and a smooth but less airy treble response.
• On its technical performance, it has an average sound/speaker stage, with a linear two-dimensional stereo imaging with less layered soundscape and less resolving resolution capabilities particularly on micro-dynamics.

As I conclude this product assessment, The TANCHJIM ZERO ULTIMA is indeed a good budget entry-level set. It was tuned in a balanced way as it signifies its years of experience as a veteran on a portable audio market as it continues to refine its products. While I'm not a particularly a big fan of non-detachable cable IEMs because if the cable is damage, it will become useless unless you are a modder who knows how to fix it and in my case, I'm not that kind of bloke, but with its sheer tonal performance alone, it's a good offer for its value that we can do some compromises about it.


TANCHJIM ZERO ULTIMA is now readily available in the audio market, you check it out with your favourite e-commerce vendors online.



For more information on other TANCHJIM products, you can read some of my review articles on their previous product models:

■ TANCHJIM TANYA

■ TANCHJIM ONE

■ TANCHJIM MINO

■ TANCHJIM MINO ASANO TANCH


SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TANCHJIM ZERO ULTIMA
IMPEDANCE: 30Ω
SENSITIVITY: 123dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 48kHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m
PIN TYPE: **non-detachable**
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER


TRACKS TESTED: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *


P.S.

I am not affiliated to TANCHJIM nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to the TANCHJIM REP or providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Review Tanchjim Zero
When it comes to audiophile brands, the expensive brands often dominate the conversation. Every so often, a smaller player quietly steals the spotlight. One of those brands is Tanchjim. Born from the vibrant Chinese audio scene, Tanchjim has carved out a loyal following by doing something few manage: delivering genuinely musical and refined sound on a budget.

Make no mistake, this is not a luxury brand flaunting milled aluminum housings or exotic driver arrays. Tanchjim is unapologetically focused on budget-conscious audio, yet manages to achieve a level of musicality and finesse that (also in my case) surprises even seasoned listeners.

Let’s be honest, in the audiophile world, there are always those who refuse to even give budget gear a fair shot. Some won’t grant it the courtesy of a listen or even a look, convinced that good sound must come with a hefty price tag. But those willing to approach Tanchjim with open ears will quickly discover that music doesn’t care about price. It either moves you, or it doesn’t.

In this review, we will take a closer look at two of Tanchjim’s new budget offerings: the Tanchjim Zero, an ultra-affordable in-ear monitor aiming for sonic precision, it reflects Tanchjim’s philosophy music first, price second.

The Tanchjim Zero is a budget-friendly in-ear monitor (IEM) that has garnered attention for its neutral tuning and impressive technical performance, especially given its modest price point of around $16 USD. Designed with musicality not the bass happy few in mind, the Zero aims to deliver a balanced and accurate sound signature without breaking the bank.

Test equipment for this test:
– Chord Mojo2 + Poly
– Tanchjim Stargate II (for the Tanchim Zero ofcourse)
– MacBook Pro 2024

Tested Tracks:
Melody Gardot – Morning Sung
Sinne Eeg – Unpredictable Love
Big Phat Band – Hit The Ground Running
Catherine Russel – Talk to Me
Michel Camilo – Suite Sandrine Pt 3

Unboxing and Accessories
Upon opening the compact packaging, users are greeted with a selection of (expected) accessories. The package includes a carrying pouch, three sets of wide-bore silicone eartips (S, M, L), and three sets of narrow-bore silicone eartips (S, M, L), allowing for a customizable fit.
The inclusion of multiple eartip options ensures that listeners can achieve optimal comfort and sound quality.However, it’s worth noting that the Zero comes with a non-detachable cable, which in this price range is not a weird choice, buying a new one is cheaper than a seperate cable.

Design and Comfort
The Tanchjim Zero features a minimalist design with clear shells that house a 10mm composite diaphragm dynamic driver. The lightweight and small form factor contribute to a comfortable fit, making them suitable for extended listening sessions.

Sound Quality
The Zero’s sound signature can be described as neutral with a slight emphasis on the upper mids and treble regions.This tuning approach results in a clean and detailed presentation that appeals to listeners who prefer accuracy over coloration.

I also tested these IEM’s on the Chord Mojo2 + Poly, and to my surprise, the Zero scaled nicely, I actually listened to the Zero, writing this review…. that should say enough (I am very sensitive to listeners fatique)

Bass
The bass response is lean and actually quite precise, focusing on accuracy rather than quantity. While it may lack the depth and impact desired by bass enthusiasts, the zero delivers a clean low-end that complements its overall neutral profile. For people like me that prefer neutrality above all, no bloated bassline, it is actually very nice.

You need to get a decent fit though. Like most IEM’s, choose the right eartip, to get a decent bass. Otherwise like some (I read) misjudge the neutral signature of the Tanchjim Zero missing low end bass. This is by no means a Bass happy iem (and that is a GOOD quality!) In fact the Zero has a clean and actually REAL audiophile neutrality in the sound signature. It actually surprised, because jazz sounds very nice on these, without anything sounded bloated and no overpowering bass..

Midrange
The midrange is clear and flat, providing a natural reproduction of vocals and instruments. The upper midrange is slightly forward, which enhances the presence of female vocals and certain instruments without introducing harshness.

Treble
The treble is lively and engaging, offering a good level of detail without becoming sibilant or fatiguing. This contributes to the overall sense of clarity and openness in the sound.

Technical Performance
Despite its budget-friendly price, the Tanchjim Zero exhibits commendable technical performance. The soundstage is notably wide for its class, providing a sense of space and air, Instrument separation and imaging are unheard of in this price.
The bass details are not the highest class, or the most smooth sounding, but can you really expect flagship performance? I don’t think that’s fair. Getting a pleasant sounding in-ear like this, in this low price range, I already would call quite an achievement to begin with!



Final Thoughts
The Tanchjim Zero shows that Tanchjim knows exactly how to make budget products that sound anything but cheap. Together, however, they form a budget-friendly chain that delivers a surprisingly refined and musical listening experience. And altough I am used to very expensive flagship IEM’s and DAC’s, I enjoyed listening to music on them both, while writing this review.

The Zero offers an impressively neutral and balanced tuning, with excellent clarity and separation that rivals IEMs far above its price point (I mean 16USD less expensive than a average fastfood meal). Paired with the Stargate II, the synergy becomes clear: the DAC enhances the Zero’s already impressive resolution, gives it just a touch more openness, and smooths out the listening experience without sacrificing detail.

Besides that, trying the Zero in a highend Mojo2+Poly, showed the Zero could give more than that.

For anyone looking for an affordable yet truly nice sounding portable setup, the Stargate II and Zero combination is a reminder that great sound doesn't always come wrapped in luxury packaging. In this particular situation the packaging is very stylish. Sometimes, it just sounds right.

Want to read the combined review of the Zero and Stargate II, have a look at my website:
JJAZZIFI REVIEWS