DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Tangzu for including me on the Singapore leg of the Nezha tour.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver configuration: 6 x balanced armatures (2 Sonion BAs + 4 custom BAs) and 1 x EST driver
- Frequency response: 10 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Sensitivity: 106 dB
- Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; OCC silver-plated cable; 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm modules
- Tested at: $399 USD
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore SANCAI silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore SANCAI silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of balanced silicone eartips
- Cable
- Modular plugs for 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm terminals
- Large carrying case
The accessories are certainly princely and befitting of a midFI set. No complaints here, perhaps other than the lack of foam tips.
Other than 1 pair of balanced silicone tips, we have 2 variants of the popular SANCAI eartips. The wider-bore SANCAI tips boost treble and soundstage, whereas the narrow-bore ones increase bass, though with some compromise in staging.
Tangzu has provided an OCC silver-plated cable. This comes with 3.5 mm and 4.4 mm terminations to pair with single-ended and balanced sources, depending on your preferences. This cable is braided extremely well in a Litz design, with a PVC external sleeve that promises to reduce EMI. It has minimal tangling and has a chin cinch for added grip. Microphonics are zero.
Last but not least, we have a huge leatherette zipper carrying case, lined internally with a velvet and webbing. It is semi-rigid to withstand compressive forces, and is large enough to contain the IEM plus accessories. Definitely an elegant yet functional addition in the packaging.
The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock wide-bore SANCAI silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.
BUILD/COMFORT
The housings are fashioned from dermatological-friendly and hypoallergenic medical-grade resin. The shells are a real looker, incorporating electro-plated aluminum flakes in the faceplate, with laser-cut aluminum gold-plated motifs etched into the earpieces. These metal flakes are hand-layered onto the shells, with one side of the Nehza featuring rising flames, whereas the other earpiece has lotus fires, which ties in with Nezha's firewheels (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezha).
Though the shells lie on the larger side, they are light and ergonomic, with a concha protrusion for stability. There are no weird protrusions to poke the ears, and the Nezha can be used for hour long sessions on my end.
I found no driver flex on my unit, though isolation is below average in view of the vented acoustics.
INTERNALS
The Nezha utilizes a unique 6 BA + 1 EST driver setup, with no DD being used at all. Instead we have the following configuration:
- 2 Sonion vented subwoofer BAs handle the low-end
- 2 custom BAs take care of the midrange
- 2 custom BAs settle the treble
- 1 EST is added for upper treble air
These eclectic drivers are paired via a Q-IAO crossover.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Nezha with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 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
This IEM is easy to drive, and amplification is not 100% essential.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
Graph of the Tangzu Nezha via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact.
Tonal-wise, the Nezha sports a U-shaped smooth and darkish signature.
This set is sub-
bass focused, but bass extension is not the deepest. Quantity is just north of neutral but not at basshead amounts. We hear a whiff of BA bass, in terms of a lack of movement of air and decay, compared to traditional DD bass. Sets with BA bass generally face this issue, even with a vented subwoofer concept implemented here in the Nezha, but it thankfully redeems itself in bass quality, with a very nimble bass without bleed, coupled with solid texturing.
The lower
mids are slightly depressed, but this region is still relatively transparent without any bass encroachment. The upper midrange hits about 5 - 6 dB, resulting in smooth and fatigue-free vocals.
Treble rolls-off relatively early, and the Nezha is quite dark in the
treble. Thus, this furnishes a very sedate and sibilant-free upper-end, which is well-suited for the treble-sensitive amongst us. There is no splashiness or harshness, and this IEM is a great option for longer chill listening sessions. Conversely, this IEM may not be for the trebleheads.
Timbre is surprisingly natural for a BA-containing setup, with not much BA timbre heard for acoustic instruments. There are way worse offenders in this arena for sure! Note weight is on the thicker side and the sonics are lush.
In terms of
technicalities, the Nezha won't uproot any trees, and I would class it as being quite middle-of-the-road. While imaging is quite accurate, layering and soundstage are bang average; the Nezha may struggle to be smear-free when it tackles complex riffs with competing instrumentation. Micro-details are decently captured, but the darkish tone does contribute to some veiling of resolution. As such, the Nezha is a musical rather than analytical IEM.
COMPARISONS
Comparisons were made against other midFI multi-driver types. Planars and single DDs are omitted, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.
EPZ 530
Graph of the EPZ 530 via IEC711 coupler.
The EPZ 530 is a bright V-shaped pure BA setup. It has much more treble than the Nezha, which may lead to sibilance and fatigue, but on the flip-side, the 530 has better resolution.
The 530 has superior isolation, but has a metallic timbre and a thinner note weight. The 530 has improved technicalities - in soundstage, imaging, micro-detailing and transients.
Yanyin Canon II
Graph of the Yanyin Canon II via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact.
On paper, the Canon II has 4 tuning permutations. Sadly, as one can visualize above, the tuning switches are gimmicks, with not much change in tonality (just a 2 dB difference in the bass across the most extreme of tunings). This IEM also has a U-shaped signature across all the tunings, though the Canon II is a bit more recessed in the lower mids, but with a hair more treble extension.
The Canon II is slightly better in soundstage, imaging and layering, with micro-detailing about on par. Timbre is also quite natural on this set.
The Canon II comes with a poor accessory inclusion, but has better isolation.
CONCLUSIONS
The Nezha is a buttery smooth sibilant-free set, which is felicitous for relaxing late-night listening, with no harshness present in the upper frequencies. Timbre is surprisingly good for a BA-containing IEM, with the darkish signature a match made in heaven for the treble-sensitive. The thick and lush signature furnishes a hefty note weight. The accessories are quite premium, coupled with fetching looks and easy drivability.
Admittedly, trebleheads will need to look elsewhere for their kicks, and analytical-junkies may find the technical chops middling. Indeed, the Nezha is a beast that aces musicality over outright technicalities. Bassheads may also yearn for more quantity, but the Nezha makes up for that with good quality - with a quick and textured bass, with no bleed.
This IEM promises a tranquil and pleasant soundscape, and should be in the conversation for the treble-sensitive, or folks wanting a set for chilling back to enjoy music, rather than to analyze every fine minutiae in the track.
You don't have to spend $400 bucks to get a well done laid back signature, the Hexa is significantly cheaper.
Lastly, there seems to be some confusion with the EST driver, I think it's a magnetostatic or piezo driver because you never see EST IEMs with a single EST driver, only in twos and fours from what I've seen.