TANCHJIM Zero Ultima

Introduction​

Tanchjim is a very popular brand in the Chi-Fi industry, so I guess there’s no need to speak about the brand itself. Better jump straight into the review, in which I’ll be speaking about the Tanchjim Zero Ultima, a single DD bullet style earphone that was recently released.

Disclaimer: the Tanchjim Zero Ultima were sent to me by Tanchjim so that I could write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set, it isn't promotional or paid content and I don’t get any revenue from the sales of this product.
At the time of the review, the Tanchjim Zero Ultima were on sale for about $15.99 at Amazon.

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Technical Specifications​

• Driver Configuration → 1 x DD
• Impedance → 30 Ω +10%
• Spec-sheet Frequency Response → 20Hz-20kHz
• Sensitivity → 123 dB/Vrms
• Cable → fixed, 1.2m Litz Copper Silver-plated cable
• Plugs → 3.5mm jack (there also exists a type-c DSP version, but it's not this one I'll be reviewing)

Packaging​

The packaging of the Zero Ultima is pretty basic and contains:

• The Tanchjim Zero Ultima
• Two sets of different tips (different bore diameter)
• A soft carry pouch
• User manual

Design, Build Quality, Comfort and Isolation​

The Zero Ultima keep it simple with traditional bullet style shells, a fixed cable and plastic build. It’s a well built product but it’s also very easy to understand that we’re speaking about a budget set.
The shells are very lightweight, the nozzle length is spot-on and it’s angled to provide decent comfort (even though I can understand that some would like an even thinner shell to push them even deeper), and overall we’re talking about an IEM that will fit most users with no issues. The isolation is not the best around, but if you’re a mid-volume listener this won’t really be an issue since a few steps of volumes are enough to make up for it.

Cable​

The cable is fixed and it’s not really the best fixed cable that I’ve had the chance to see on this kind of product. The main issue, I think, is that it looks and feels solid enough not to fail very soon, but it has an annoying microphonics effect that is unpleasant if you use the IEMs while walking (since the cable rubs on clothes and you can hear that annoying noise in your ears).
Despite the fixed cable, which is something I do not really dig, there’s a chin slider and a remote microphone on the cable, which are nice additions.

Sound​

GEAR USED FOR THE TEST

• DAC: Topping E30
• AMP: Topping L30, Fiio A3
• Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3
• Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0
• Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Fosi DS2, Hidizs XO, Kiwi Ears Allegro Pro, Tanchjim Stargate 2, Dunu DTC480, Dunu DTC800, Truthear SHIO
• Portable DAPs: Snowsky Echo Mini, Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
• Bluetooth DACs: Snowsky Retro Nano, FiiO BTR11
• Bluetooth Adapters: KBEAR S1, KZ AZ10
• Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, Elgato Wave XLR

Amplifier needed?
There’s no need for an amplifier as the Zero Ultima are easily driven from most sources. If you want to use an amplifier, do it as it could lead to some benefits, but don’t use a warm source since these are already pretty warm-sounding.

Let’s speak about the sound.
The sound of the Zero Ultima follows a soft V-shaped signature with a generous amount of mid-bass that makes these sound very punchy and gives them a pleasant warm timbre. I think that my only gripe with the midbass is the lack of proper texturing, as the last bit of punch/upper bass is often veiled (for example, high pitched kicks aren’t that “clear” and transparent sounding), and that it’s not the fastest around. It’s a pretty dense and weighty bass though, a satisfying one, and apart from what I’ve underlined above, the overall roundness of the bass is satisfying and there’s enough power and viscerality so I quite enjoy the Zero Ultima in this regard.
The lower midrange has a touch of recession even though this doesn’t really impact male vocals’ timbre, instead it impacts their quantity in the mix, pushing them slightly behind the bass and behind female vocals, and the same thing happens with most instruments the play around the lower midrange region (especially acoustic ones). Female vocals are more forward and sometimes have a bit of spice that could not be appealing for some listeners, but overall they sound pretty good and energetic at the right point.
The treble doesn’t have the best extension out there, since there are a few boosts between the lower treble and the mid treble, whereas the upper treble has an evident roll-off. This, combined with the bass shelf, provides for a very warm signature that doesn’t really shine in terms of air and sparkle, but I gotta say that they never sounded congested to my ears although they don’t have that out-of-your-head feeling.

The soundstage isn’t very big but there is a sense of space in this small space rendered. The imaging is mostly ok, even though the lack of proper sparkle doesn’t help with super precise pinpointing, so you get correct directional clues but the depth and height are a bit messy when pinpointing vocals and instruments.

Are they something I would use considering my taste and preferences?
Yes, I like their warm approach along with the punchy bass and a bit of spice between the upper mids and treble. If they didn’t have a fixed cable with some microphonics issues going on, I would have used them for my commuting routine. I am using them with a clip while commuting but I prefer other IEMs for that purpose, and I prefer using the Zero Ultima at home when I am sitting at my desk or when I want to relax on the couch.

Some comparisons:​

Tanchjim Zero Ultima vs Tanchjim Tanya (both 3.5mm versions)

The Ultima is a more mature set, with better managed upper mids, a fuller low/end, slightly better comfort, a better and less “sticky” cable, and a more controlled and coherent treble response. The detail retrieval isn’t much better, but it’s clear that the Zero Ultima are more refined and that they’re a newer product. Soundstage is a touch more realistic on Zero Ultima, imaging is a bit better on the Ultima but the difference is negligible.
Build quality is good on both sets. Packaging and accessories are similar but the Tanya used to come with a set of spare filters, which was a nice addition.
In my opinion, the Zero Ultima just take the place of the older Tanya, as it’s the most affordable set from Tanchjim and offers a similarly smooth and warm sound while performing in a better way.

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Tanchjim Zero Ultima vs Soncie Meory SM1 Lite

Get the Zero Ultima: fuller low-end, warmer mids, more natural treble response. The SM1 Lite are superior when it comes to imaging, but other than that the Zero Ultima are just superior, period.
Build quality is similar, comfort and isolation are better with the Zero Ultima in the ears.
The cable of the SM1 Lite is detachable and it’s of superior quality, and they also come with two sets of spare nozzle filters and a type-c to 3.5mm jack cable. The Zero Ultima come with a much better set of tips.

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Tanchjim Zero Ultima vs KZ Saga Bass

I am a fan of the Saga Bass because they’re tuned similarly to the older Blon BL-03: bassy, warm and super fun. However, the Tanchjim Zero Ultima sound more refined and better tuned to my ears, especially because of the slightly richer midrange with respect to the Saga Bass, which instead have more recessed mids, and the less spicy yet more extended treble response. Soundstage and imaging are mostly on par.
The KZ Saga Bass have better build quality and detachable cable, whereas the Zero Ultima are cheaper to the touch and have a fixed cable. In terms of comfort and isolation, the Saga Bass have a slight edge but the difference is negligible in my opinion.
The packaging and accessories of the Zero Ultima are better.

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Final Thoughts​

The Tanchjim Zero Ultima is a well-done bullet-style set that, in my opinion, brings very good value to the table. The response is not fatiguing, the bass is punchy and has good viscerality, the midrange is softly recessed but this doesn’t really impact the overall timbre. Sure, the fixed cable might be a problem for some folks, and the limited technical performance and transparency could not be satisfying for those who usually search for more analytical sets, but if you’re on the market for a fun sounding cheap bullet-style set then stop here and give the Zero Ultima a chance.

TONALITY: 7.8/10
TECHNICALITIES: 7.5/10
RESOLUTION: 8/10
TIMBRE: 8.2/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7/10
IMAGING: 7.5/10
CONSTRUCTION: 7.5/10
ACCESSORIES: 7/10
SOUND VALUE: 8.5/10


TANCHJIM is a well known audio company, a bit similar to Moondrop since they get inspired by harman target a lot, but their own way, with more focus on timbre and overall naturalness of their sound…which is 90% of time quite ‘’mature minded’’.

Today i will review their ultra budget IEM, the Zero Ultima, which uses a ultra low distortion dynamic driver called DMT-4 Ultra, total harmonic distortion rate is as low as 0.05%....this is something quite promising for sure on paper. Especially with a price tag of 16$usd!

Let's see in this review how this translates into sound performance and musicality.


SOUND IMPRESSIONS


The tonality of Ultima is smooth and safe, leaning toward warm neutral with slight mid bass boost, energetic but well rounded upper mids and vocal and a docile non offensive, nor spiky dynamic.

The macro dynamic is a bit hazy and ethereal, timbre is warm and organic, attack edge is polished, everything is rather safely tune apart slight upper mids energy which is creamed on top, not sibilant or harshly offensive in upper mids, but vocal are loud and focused, more so than other instrument like piano, guitar, bass.

The Bass isn’t digging very deep, there is no big slam or rumble, just minimal punch when the track delivers proper kick drum dynamics. It’s no clean and lean bass either, we have warmth in attack sustain-release, the layering between kick and bass line isn't the finest layers are glued together. Texture has few details, bass line don't grunt nor resonate wide, it’s docile bass with compressed sub bass.Don’t expect a fun head banging ride with Ultimate, it’s mature all arounder set.

Mid range is vocal centric, and excel in that task mostly well offering creamy timbre free of noise or harsh spike, this avoid sibilance but don’t boost intelligibility of lyric. The vocal presence isn't that well defined, nor very again this warmth stole crispness of air around instruments which are near each other and intimate, we don’t have a super open and clean center stage, and the dynamic isn’t very lively nor note weight very heady. Sense of excitement and engagement is more contemplative than active.

The treble offers enough energy to make snare snappy, but percussions are crisp enough in rendering but warmed and shortened in release, delicate and non offensive, never splashy too.. Then acoustic guitar gets minimal attack lead and crunch without real brilliance and sparkle release, it’s not easy to follow guitar or percussions in busy tracks.
The sense of air and openness on top is lacking, micro details are average at best, it’s an overall dark treble with just a pinch of spice in mid highs to never distract the listener from the vocalist or main instrument in music.

Imaging is average, lack of air and space between instruments as well as a notch of warmth release mixing in their air affect positioning readability.

Soundstage is average too, near stock in your head in fact, it's slightly wide but not tall nor deep.

Overall musicality is on the soft mid centric side, but mostly in vocal range in terms of dynamic reach, which benefit saxophone as well and do well with calm classical and jazz, not with music that need energetic rendering like rock, metal, electronic etc. Some will find those boring, other too vocal specialist, other will find those cozy and versatile.


COMPARISONS

VS SIMGOT EW200 (1DD-40$)

The EW200 is more U shape, sharper and brighter, more technical and crisp sound as well as leaning more to an extended W shape signature than warmer, more neutral Ultima.

The bass is cleaner, dig deeper with more controlled extension, it’s more transparent and layered, it’s thinner too, less rounded and dense in mid bass punch. Double bass extends way more naturally and deeper and bassline and kick drum is better defined and textured and layered in presence even if less weighty in punch. Slam is wider, more resonant and faster with EW200 too.

Mids are crisper and more open, peakier in upper mids and more shouty for female vocal, more prompt to sibilance and edginess in attack. Resolution and transparency are from another league, as well instrument presence is wider, better defined in contour, more snappy in attack. Note weight is lighter but has more attack bite and speedier less hazy rendering.

Treble is true master class performance for the price with EW200 so no chance to win for the Ultima here (but its to expected since EW200 is 2x pricier, but i need to underline sound benefit is immensely higher if you can stretch up there and well, find the highs not too fatiguing). But it’s sharper and spicier, it’s not as smooth and lean and darkish as Ultima, it’s snappier, sparklier and airier, we have more air around percussions and high range instruments. Snare can be borderline piercing, while it’s more rounded with Ultima. Acoustic guitar can feel overly forwards while for the Ultima it’s the opposite. This again underlines the more mid centric (and safer) nature of Ultima too.

Soundstage is cleaner, wider, taller and deeper with EW200.

Imaging is from another league, you can monitor with EW200. Positioning is crisp and sharp in definition separation. Ultima feels like flat paper with drafted sound info compared to more multi layered EW200.

All in all, it was an unfair comparison ... .EW200 literally destroyed Ultima in terms of technical performance, while for tonal balance, it’s smoother and vocal are more pleasant and full (and less fatiguing) with Ultima too.

VS TANGZU WANER (1DD-20$)

The Waner is brighter and more V shaped, it has a more lively dynamic and fun musicality.

Bass offers bigger slam and less mellow punch, sub bass is more boosted, more vibrant and wider in release, it’s more textured but more grainy too, not as juicy and liquid, nor as warm and round in mid bass presence.

Mids are more open, more energetic and forward with female vocals, which are wider and fuller sounding, timbre is again more grainy though, not as polished as Ultima but still more holographic, tactile and well layered.

Treble is more distorted, splashier and crunchier with Waner. Not as snappy for percussion, more excited and energetic in sustain-release.

Soundstage is notably wider and taller, as deep though.

Imaging is on par, nothing to write about here, both are meh.

I find musicality more fun an dynamic with Waner, but less refined in balance and more grainy in timbre, technical performance is near on par but resolution is higher with Ultima and less prompt to harmonic distortion, attack is more controlled but macro dynamic and layering isn’t as articulate and open, in that regard Waner sound more holographic so if i do prefer musicality of Waner because it’s more engaging.


CONCLUSION

Out of my ‘’musical enjoyment’’ bias, I can confidently say the Zero Ultima offers a tuning refinement and technical performance that sure hit above its humble price tag.

For me, these are vocal specialists, smooth and forwards, like the Origin was. These are Origin babies, we can say, a way to know if you are made for this maturely polished musicality.

Since these are near neutral, it makes them very versatile, safe in a dynamic way. Don’t expect to be impressed by macro dynamic rendering with those, but if you begin to try to nail timbre or balance issues, you’ll be hard pressed too due to their relaxed and natural balance that focus on midrange first, yet offer enough bass and treble presence too.

I was impressed by how docile is the transient response of this dynamic driver, percussions are speedy yet lean and controlled, a sign of technical glory if any. Think about a less warm and bassy Final E4000, and you're not far from the smoothen musicality you get from a correctly yet not creatively nor excitingly tuned ultra budget IEM.

Hello everyone! I am happy to see you in this review. Today I am going to review the TANCHJIM Zero Ultima DSP. A single DD IEM for around 16$. Without any further ado, let's begin!



Disclaimer
I received the Zero Ultima from TANCHJIM in exchange for my honest review, but still – my opinions about the IEMs are personal and written based on my own experience with them, and I was not paid for this review.


What's in the box?



In the box you will find:

• Carrying pouch.
• 2 types of silicon ear tips.
• The IEMs themselves.
• User manual (with link for downloading the TANCHJIM app)

Let's break it down.

To be honest, at this price point I did not expect to receive a carrying pouch. But you get one here, and a good one that doesn't feel cheap at all. It helps to store the IEMs and it is pocket friendly.



The silicon ear tips are also good, with a nice selection of them. One type is wide bore, and the second type is regular. Both fit me very well, I ended up using the wide one.



The cable attached to the IEMs is decent, it may seem cheap, but it doesn't feel like that. Yeah, it is not detachable, but it is still a good cable. You just need to take that into account and take good care of it. It has a mic and a button to play/pause the music. I have not tested the mic, but the button is clicky and working well. You also got a working chin slide that I enjoyed using.

Build Quality & Fit and Comfort​

The IEM is made of plastic, and yeah you feel it while using. But hey, it is not like we are talking here about an expensive IEM, so this is something to expect. The fit is shallow, the nozzle is large so you cannot get a deep fit, what makes this IEM sort of half IEM and half flat earphone. To be honest, it took me quite a while to get to this type of fit, but when I did, it was ok. You do need to do some tip rolling to get a good fit with them, as the nozzle could bother you if you don't. My advice is to start with the smaller ear tips and then go up until you get comfortable fit.


That's all I can say about the non-audio stuff, but now let's move on to the more interesting part: how do they sound?

In Terms of Sound​

The graph can be found at this following link.

The tuning of the DSP version IEM is leaning towards the bright side, you get a lot of upper midrange/treble, but there is a nice emphasis on the bass. I personally enjoyed this tuning, as I am comfortable with bright tuning, but if you are sensitive to treble, then it might be an issue for you.

Sub-Bass​

The sub-bass, which covers the lowest frequencies and often delivers the rumbling sensation rather than distinct sounds.

The sub bass of this IEM is very interesting, it is light, you don't get tons of rumble, but at the same time it was enough to satisfy me. For reference, I am a person who loves sub bass, and even this IEM might not have the rumble I love, it was enough to satisfy me along with the other frequencies. But take in account that you have an app and you can boost the bass. So, I did it, and it was wonderful, I really liked the result. That said, even without EQ, I really liked the sub bass presentation here, it blends well with the other frequencies.

Mid-Bass​

The mid-bass, where the bass becomes more distinct and perceptible, is equally well-executed. In this range, you hear kick drums and some male bass vocals more clearly.

The mid bass of this IEM has nice punch, kick drums and male vocals sounds good; the mid bass sounds clean, it doesn't bleed into the midrange and overall has a nice presentation. That said, the tuning leans more on the bright side, so don't expect to get a lot or mid bass, but there is just enough to satisfy.

Mids​

The mids are the home to most instruments and vocals.

Alright, here is where all the fun happens. The midrange presentation is very leaning toward to clean-bright side, it presents vocals and instruments separately from the bass and it sounds good. I have to say, I couldn't pull them out of my ears when I started playing instrumental music. Yeah, these are bright, but they sounded so sweet, lively, musical. The work of the bass department and the midrange combined gives here a fun and engaging experience.

Music that has mainly vocals sounded especially good; the vocals are well presented with a lot of upper midrange details. For example, when listening to Billie Eilish's new album HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, the vocals were well separated, located very well and had room to breathe, you can hear a lot of vocal details. The instrument blend well with the vocals, and the overall presentation turned out to be enjoyable and musical.



And again, my lovely album Tales Weaver Exceed by Vanilla Mood, which mainly has instrumental music, felt so lively and musical. I can go on and continue my excitement… But I think you got my point.

Treble​

The treble, which captures high-pitched sounds like cymbals, violins, and higher synthetic tones, adds brightness, sharpness, and sparkle to the music. However, excessive treble can lead to harshness or fatigue.

The treble on this IEM is well presented, you cannot ignore it. When I was listening to electronic music such as Snail's house music, synth and high tones sounded especially well. Hi-Hats are also well presented and blend beautifully into the mix, well done. That said, the treble region is a tricky part; some of us really love treble, and some of us cannot handle it and it may be "harsh". Let me be honest with you here, there are tons of treble details here, and while I really like it and can handle it, if you are sensitive to treble, you might not, so please consider that first. Anyway, where was I? Ah! I have enjoyed the treble in the Zero Ultima! The combination with the rest of the frequencies is done tastefully, and let's the treble shine and sparkle.

Technical Performance​

To be honest, usually with budget IEMs this is the department where they fall, but not in this IEM, and don't let their small size fool you. The soundstage on this IEM feels wide and open, even better than some more expensive sets. I think this might be the case because as I have mentioned in the beginning, the fit of this IEM is not deep, it feels like half IEM and half flat earphones, something in between. But anyway, it helps the stage feel wide, open, very natural to my taste. The imaging of this IEM is also decent, I did not expect that, but yeah, you get here a quite impressive stage & imaging. The layering here is also good, but not the best, so yeah, here is a department where they do fall a little bit. Is that concerning? Yeah, it might concern you in very busy tracks. But most of the time, it was fine, and didn't bother me too much.

To sum up​

The TANCHJIM Zero Ultima is doing school for IEMs around its price range. Yes, the cable is not detachable and to me it is its biggest con. But other than that, you get here rich packaging, and an app that works great and smoothly, good quality DSP chip that will drive your IEM loud enough, without needing to crank up the volume, and I personally didn't hear any noise or hiss. Do we need to talk about the sound again? It is great! The technical performance is also excellent.

You know what is interesting to me? I sometimes chose to listen to the TANCHJIM Zero Ultima instead of my other sets. I really think that it is good. And for 16$?



So yeah, I think the TANCHJIM Zero Ultima is a great set, and whether you are new to this hobby, or already own many sets, this IEM might be a great addition to your collection, and who knows, it might surprise you as much as it has surprised me. The TANCHJIM Zero Ultima earns my recommendation!


I hope you have enjoyed my review and hope to see you in my next review!