Source(s)
Build Quality
Tonality
Bass
Technicalities
Resolution
Soundstage
Imaging
Conclusion
Thanks for reading!
- Conexant (CX-Pro) CX31993
- Adds some brightness and sparkle in the treble.
- Reduce a little bit of warmth in the midrange, making the bass cleaner.
- Acoustune AET07
- Fairly neutral ear tips with a decently hard stem for a comfortable fit.
- Comes with a decent amount of accessories
- IEM.
- Cleaning cloth
- Wide selection of ear tips.
- 3 pairs of narrow bore silicone tips (S, M, L)
- 3 pairs of wide bore silicon tips (S, M, L)
- Cable
- Decent, thin and braided but tangles a little bit sometimes.
- Should be a slight improvement over the clear/black version from what I remembered when I tried the Wan Er in my local store.
Build Quality
- Lightweight.
- Plasticky body.
- Build quality is only average and cheap.
- Nozzle width and length is average.
- Shell does not have an ergonomic design to complement the ear cavity shape like the Moondrop Aria or the Letshuoer x Gizaudio Galileo. Unfortunately, this does affect the overall comfort for me.
- I was able to listen on short period of time comfortably but it gets a bit uncomfortable and painful after extended use (3-4 hours).
 |
| Galileo, Wan Er, Aria shell comparison |
Tonality
- Mild V-shaped.
Bass
- Bass is quite balanced with the mid bass taking a slight lead.
- Impactful, has good mid bass slam, decent rumble and depth, texture and definition is more on the average side but not bad by any means.
- However, the speed is a little on the slower side and it is not the most well controlled bass, which bleeds a little bit into the midrange but not necessarily a bad thing.
- Good amount of bass, very satisfying but never too overpowering.
- Midrange is warm and natural.
- Vocals has a nice weight and body to the, which makes them sound full and lush.
- Female vocals are a step more forward and energetic compared to male vocals, but is a little fatiguing and shouty to me after long listening sessions, depending on tracks too.
- Most of the instruments sounded natural, but due to the thicker note weight, strings like acoustic guitars is affected a little more by that thickness.
- Treble is sparkly on the lower region but rolls off in the mid and upper region.
- Overall, it is quite smooth and not harsh.
- However, it does lacks a sense of airiness since it doesn't extends well into the upper region.
Technicalities
Resolution
- Resolution is decent and competent for the price but not the best in this bracket.
- It sits somewhere in between the Truthear Hola and the 7hz Salnotes Zero, differences between the 3 are minor but noticeable in my opinion.
Soundstage
- Soundstage is average, which sounds a little compressed and in your head but not a huge problem for an IEM at this price point.
Imaging
- Imaging and accuracy is also average, I am able to tell where the instruments and vocals come from but only roughly.
- Gaming:
- Apex Legends: Sound of footsteps and gunfire can be pinpointed in the correct direction but hard to pinpoint it exactly.
- Separation and layering is quite decent for a single DD budget set. Most instruments in busier tracks are layered well enough without feeling too overwhelmingly congested.
Conclusion
- Great starting point as a first IEM as it is very well balanced, versatile, and affordable.
- Truthear Hola leans towards the warm and relaxing side.
- 7hz Salnotes Zero leans towards the bright and sparkly side.
- This is my absolute favorite budget set of all. Fun, exciting, while being not too offensive at the same time. Very enjoyable, easy to listen tonality and decent technicalities, what else could I have asked for at this price range?
- Have spent almost 3 weeks using the Wan Er daily and I genuinely enjoyed listening to it a lot.
Thanks for reading!
02 / 08 / 2023 update;
I increased my score from 4 / 5 to 4.5 / 5. This model is one of my favorite models in the budget segment, very well set. I have passed dozens of products in a similar segment, Waner was one of the best. comfort, setting, whatever you are looking for
Remember your last hype trains? truthear hola, waner sg. I'm here with waner today, let's see if waner is an exaggeration or is it really good?
Box contents;
- Ear tips I forgot the number of
- iems cleaning cloth with waner picture on it
- cable
- iems
There is also a waner picture on the box, it doesn't look like a iem box.
cleaning cloth;
iem and cable quality;
We see a waner made of resin, with different engravings on it. I remember that the black one had different lines in the embroidery. Mine is transparent and free from quality control issues. I would say average for this price band, personally I like the color. The quality is also fine.
sound quality;
It has a slightly warm and balanced sound, it certainly doesn't feel muffled. What I will say next is for the price band.
bass;
The bass is tight, voluminous and punchy. When I look at the price band, I come across a lot of bass sounds that bleed so little. A few years ago we could find v-shaped headphones with plenty of bass at these prices, quite a nice improvement.
mids;
As the vocals should be, as a vocal lover, I did not feel the vocals behind. Assuming I'm pretty careful about it, the waner vokla is a good iems. The instruments that show themselves on the mid-frequency graph are quite shallow in detail, if they were a little better, they would definitely be one of the few headphones that I can call the best in the headphone segment.
treble;
-It's definitely not too bright at normal volume, and the glow isn't bad either. I would say average for the price band, maybe they could have been a little more detailed. When you turn the volume up, things change and the trebles start to mix and if you are sensitive to treble like me, you start to feel cold even from this earphone. Wrong headphone for listening too loud.
timbre accuracy;
The timbre accuracy is fine, it plays naturally. I would give 8.1/10. Vocals and instruments play very naturally, I really like the timbre of it because it has a slightly warm voice character.
resolution;
I think the biggest deficiency of waner starts here. The resolution is generally low compared to its competitors, it does not play in detail. If you care about details, I recommend you to look for different options. Too many details fail without detail processing. Maybe this is the reason why waner can't compete with products in the 30-35 dollar band, if it had a little more detail success, it could definitely compete with a higher league.
comfort;
The iems is resin, and when it is light, it is already comfortable. When a small earmuff is added to this, I can listen to it for hours. I would easily say 8.5/10.
last word;
I have quite a few earphones in the 0-200 dollar band and I like to listen to waner on a daily basis the most. I use these headphones, especially when watching videos on platforms such as youtube, not like other headphones. Added to this very good comfort, the waner has become one of my favorite headphones. For something $20 it exceeded my expectations, highly recommend.
I ordered the headset through hifigo and they gave a discount. Thank you for that, I don't have any affiliation with hifigo other than waner. I ordered theiem from this store.
hifigo store
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EHD4nVj
I increased my score from 4 / 5 to 4.5 / 5. This model is one of my favorite models in the budget segment, very well set. I have passed dozens of products in a similar segment, Waner was one of the best. comfort, setting, whatever you are looking for
Remember your last hype trains? truthear hola, waner sg. I'm here with waner today, let's see if waner is an exaggeration or is it really good?
Box contents;
- Ear tips I forgot the number of
- iems cleaning cloth with waner picture on it
- cable
- iems
There is also a waner picture on the box, it doesn't look like a iem box.
cleaning cloth;
iem and cable quality;
We see a waner made of resin, with different engravings on it. I remember that the black one had different lines in the embroidery. Mine is transparent and free from quality control issues. I would say average for this price band, personally I like the color. The quality is also fine.
sound quality;
It has a slightly warm and balanced sound, it certainly doesn't feel muffled. What I will say next is for the price band.
bass;
The bass is tight, voluminous and punchy. When I look at the price band, I come across a lot of bass sounds that bleed so little. A few years ago we could find v-shaped headphones with plenty of bass at these prices, quite a nice improvement.
mids;
As the vocals should be, as a vocal lover, I did not feel the vocals behind. Assuming I'm pretty careful about it, the waner vokla is a good iems. The instruments that show themselves on the mid-frequency graph are quite shallow in detail, if they were a little better, they would definitely be one of the few headphones that I can call the best in the headphone segment.
treble;
-It's definitely not too bright at normal volume, and the glow isn't bad either. I would say average for the price band, maybe they could have been a little more detailed. When you turn the volume up, things change and the trebles start to mix and if you are sensitive to treble like me, you start to feel cold even from this earphone. Wrong headphone for listening too loud.
timbre accuracy;
The timbre accuracy is fine, it plays naturally. I would give 8.1/10. Vocals and instruments play very naturally, I really like the timbre of it because it has a slightly warm voice character.
resolution;
I think the biggest deficiency of waner starts here. The resolution is generally low compared to its competitors, it does not play in detail. If you care about details, I recommend you to look for different options. Too many details fail without detail processing. Maybe this is the reason why waner can't compete with products in the 30-35 dollar band, if it had a little more detail success, it could definitely compete with a higher league.
comfort;
The iems is resin, and when it is light, it is already comfortable. When a small earmuff is added to this, I can listen to it for hours. I would easily say 8.5/10.
last word;
I have quite a few earphones in the 0-200 dollar band and I like to listen to waner on a daily basis the most. I use these headphones, especially when watching videos on platforms such as youtube, not like other headphones. Added to this very good comfort, the waner has become one of my favorite headphones. For something $20 it exceeded my expectations, highly recommend.
I ordered the headset through hifigo and they gave a discount. Thank you for that, I don't have any affiliation with hifigo other than waner. I ordered theiem from this store.
hifigo store
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EHD4nVj
Wan'er S.G. is Tangzu's first foray on the ultra-budget segment. First, I need to introduce this audio company and what they are in the audio industry. Tangzu Audio was an audio brand formerly known as Tforce Audio. Their first product was the TForce Yuan Li and it received some praises and accolade from the audio community as it delivered an impressive sound that it was considered as a price to performance product that delivers a tonality beyond its price value.
Wan'er S.G. is a single transducer IEM and it has a self-developed 10mm single dynamic driver with a PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) diaphragm which offers a more durable, better resistant to wear and tear due to constant vibration with less distortion. The internals were encapsulated in a solid polycarbonate plastic shell with geometrical lines and some design-inspired from Tang dynasty era on its faceplate with utmost exhibiting in an attention to detail and it uses a QDC-type 2-pin connector.
The fitting is incredibly comfortable as it is quite light that I don't encounter any issues in a long listening usage. It has a satisfying sealing into my lug holes that it block some external noises from the outside surroundings.
With its product packaging, Tangzu Wa'ner is commendable on this one as it has a decent number of included accessories. For an ultra-budget level set, the presentation of the included accessories are well-organised. Even the product box itself is attractive and it has a stylised portrait of the Premier at the front then some basic specification, QR codes and address at the back. Tangzu really knows how to make the unboxing of their product very appealing.
Here are some included accessories:
● a pair of Tangzu Wan'er S.G. IEMs.
● a white-coloured OFC cable with an L-shaped, 3.5mm termination plug.
● 3 sets of white, medium bore ear tips in different standard sizes. (It actually reminds of a Final audio ear tips)
● 3 sets of black, narrow bored ear tips in different standard sizes.
● a cleaning cloth with a print of the Premier.
For amplification and driveability, Wan'er S.G. is an easy to amplified set that a device with decent power output will be able to power it suitably. It will deliver a good amplitude and full range sounding due to its low impedance circuitry on its internals.
As for tonality, Wan'er S.G. takes a more of a U-shaped sound signature with a balanced-warmish profile on its tuning. This kind of tuning is somewhat of a norm on current Chi-Fi tuning.
LOWS/BASS:
My initial impression of the bass quality of wan'er was it is thumpy, intense with ample impact. This is not a quantitative bassheads' preferred low frequency sound per se but it delivers a sufficient bass texture. It seems that it focuses more on the mid bass rather than sub bass.
Sub bass certainly has a presence as I discerningly felt those reverb and grumble coming from the instruments such as synthesisers, electric drum machines and low tuned bass guitars on my favourite tracks on certain genres like classic rock, synth-pops and old school hip-hops.
Mid bass has a good texture that will gives more body in bass drum kick, bass guitars and bass-baritone vocals. Bass kicks definitely have this full and thunderous sound while bass guitar has this sombre and resonant then bass-baritone vocals have this broad and dark sound quality that gives a weight and depth in the overall voice quality. This is not the cleanest bass, I hear a noticeable smearing towards the midrange.
MIDRANGE:
Due to some smearing from the bass region, it does give that warmth sounding but it gives a good amount of note density. Another observation that I heard on its midrange quality was that it has a smooth and decent crisp on it. Both male and female vocals boon to the quantity of the note weight. Baritones especially the lighter ones have substantial pleasant and mild with substantial gravelly tone while countertenors have this glassy and mellow quality especially if someone is doing a falsetto singing then tenors have a chesty, fuller and powerful sound that gives a sustaining range. Female vocals especially contralto and mezzo-soprano singers have this euphonic, luscious and tender sound while soprano has a rather a bit warmer sound as I expected a more lighter, brighter and energetic sound especially on lyrical and coloratura types. At least Björk sounds good on this but Mariah Carey and Celine Dion sound a tad lethargic.
On how the instruments sound, strings like acoustic/electric guitars had this crisp sound with ample bright sound on them while violins have this brilliant and sparkling sound on them. Brass instruments like trumpets have this vivid, metallic brilliance sound while trombones have the tense, full and brassy on it. Meanwhile, the flutes have this rich and penetrating sound on them while saxophones have an expressive and reedy sound on them. And the last ones are percussions, toms seem to have a hard and menacing sound, snare drums have this cracking and sharp on them, celesta have a lustrous and bright sound, and pianos have this vibrant and warm sound.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
The treble on Wan'er SG takes on a smooth and safer tuning. It has a enough shimmer due to some possible elevation on the upper mids to presence then a gradual slope towards the brilliance region that gives a lack of air and dampens a bit of its harmonics. The inherent reduction of the upper end is a double-edge sword, it gives a fatigue-free and less sibilance listening experience but at the expense of less detail and resolution capability.
Cymbals have ample glistening and lustrous sound on them and hi-hats have a soughing and shortened buzzing sound.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
Like its contemporaries within its price range, Wan'er SG has a rather average technical performance. On the overall dimensions of its perceived sound/speaker stage. It has an average to above-average on wideness, a decent height and enough depth on it.
Imaging performance is just usual and nothing exceptional as it gives a fairly 2-dimensional stereo panning that I was able to locate vocals and instrument placement. Separation and layering aspect on this set is passable as it has an enough spacing on each element and stacking of each frequency and dynamic layering on the sonic canvas are quite bog-standard that playing a more complex tracks like multi-instrumental movies scores and orchestral tracks exhibits a thronged and jumbled presentation.
Coherency of the driver performs pretty well, it gives a homogenous and faster transient response given that it has a newer generation of dynamic driver. Resolution-capability wise, it has a more rigid presentation on macro-dynamics and micro-detail retrieval has an ample sharpness to exhibit nuances and fine subtleties of elements on its tracks. Timbre is more natural with just a hint of warmth and a bit of glint.
PEER COMPARISONS:
CCA CRA
● They are actually analogous in everything from implementation of drivers to build quality but Wan'er SG has better product packaging presentation and a bit better stock cable.
● This will be their contrasting aspects and it is their sound profile. CRA is more of a V-shaped sound profile. It focuses on sub bass, a less textured mid bass and lean and recessed midrange. then a scintillating and tad airy treble but it has sibilance and raspiness on it.
● As for technical performance, they have similar technical performance with the exception of soundstage width on which CRA has a narrower presentation.
TRUTHEAR HOLA
● Both Wan'er and Hola are comparable in many ways. Hola shells are 3d-printed, it has an LCP driver and a thicker cable which is currently the best stock cable in the under US$20 price segment. It also has a IEM faux-leather pouch which is quite a rarity on the said price range.
● As for tonality, both of them have a U-shaped sound signature but Hola has more emphasis on sub bass which gives a more tight and cleaner bass, a less textured midrange and an even more smoother treble.
● Technicalities-wise. They are almost alike with the exception of resolution capability but it has less sharper definition on detail retrieval and a narrower soundstage.
To wrap up my review on Tangzu Wan'er S.G.It seems that Tangzu did a good job on Wan'er SG as it became one of the cherry on the top set in under US$20/£17 which makes this price segment even became a crucial point on the current state of portable audio market.
With a very attractive pricing and a competent tuning that you can only find on a $100/£83 price segment a few years ago. For sure that this is not the most technical set but Wan'er SG seems to deliver the best possible sound quality that Tangzu can offer, a compensating feature set in affordable form.
TANGZU Wan'er SG is still available on all e-commerce platforms. Grab and try this set out.
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: TANGZU WAN'ER SG
IMPEDANCE: 28Ω
SENSITIVITY: 107dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER
Some 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 *
P.S.
I am not affiliated to TANGZU 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 STEVE TONG and also to KENT ALFONSO for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Tangzu. I bought this through Shopee with my own money so no one has any affect on this review
Packaging:
I’ve accidentally lost the cloth when I was cleaning my house, so I’m borrowing the picture from Hifigo instead (thank you Hifigo).
Inside the box include: a cloth with the same art style as the outer box, the iem itself, a SPC cable, 3 pair of grey narrow tips, and 4 pair of white wider bore tips.
Upon closer inspection, the white tips are exactly like the widely known Kbear 07 tips which are wonderful tips in my opinion.
Design/Build quality/Comfort:
I opted for the black version of the Waner.
The housing is made from resin/plastic with a metallic nozzle. The drivers are not so visible compare to the white version because of the dark colored resin.
The faceplace has some very unique pattern on it. Here on the black version, there’re some golden coin pattern along with a “cloud” symbol (I think) on the faceplate. The coin patterns are not really vibrant, just enough to see if you pay close attention to it. The overall build quality feels cheap, but it’s acceptable given its price.
The housing is on a medium size. It sits perfectly into my ear as you can see in the picture. That being said, the cable itself ruin the wearing experience for me. Eventhough I have a snug fit with the iem itself, the cable’s hooks are to big which keeps pulling the iem out of my ear. The cable itself is too soft, which in turn very prone to become tangled. It reminds me of the Blon 03’s cable.
Sound impression
Here’s where the Tangzu Wan’er shine.
Bass: The bass is very well controlled, although there’s not a lot of bass here. The overall bass will not satisfy hardcore basshead out there, but for me it’s just enough. The subbass is present with good rumble, the midbass are well detailed with enough presence to be suitable with some genre like Rock, Pop, EDM, ... I don’t find the midbass to be muddy at all.
In “Phoenix Rising” by Calum Graham I can hear every distinct guitar string being plucked. The overall timbre of the guitar sounds natural.
In “Mighty Down Fall” by One OK Rock, the kick drum has enough slam to it without overwhelming the lead singer.
Mids: With midbass being just enough, has a gentle glide/transition into the mids, I find the mids to be very clean overall with a slight sense of forward to the vocals. The male vocal has this light coloration, warmer characteristic to it where as the female vocal or vocal in the upper midrange to be more engaging, more energetic while not being shouty or harsh.
In “Mocking Bird” by Eminem, his voice was well presented without being push into the background
In “Racing Into The Night” by YOASOBI, it’s pretty easy to observe how energetic her voice was without being disorted, shouty or sibilant.
Treble: The Wan’er has decent yet slightly more laid back, darker treble. It’s just enough to show all the micronuances in some busy track that ít’s there. Cymbal strikes and hi hats sound natural with good attack and decay yet it lacks some of the sparkle characteristic that I crave. I find the piano or string instruments in these region sound very natural. Overall I find the treble of the Wan’er to be easy too enjoy, yet being too safe in my opinion. Those who are treble sensitive will find these easy to listen to.
In “YouSeeBigGirl” from Attack On Titan or “Licht Und Schatten” from Tokyo Ghoul, I can notice all the micro details in the upper treble range, although I wish to perceive it just a little bit more.
Technicalites: Soundstage wise, I’d say these have a good sense of width and depth, especially for the price. The imaging, detail retrieval, seperation are average at best.
Source
Phone: Poco F3
Dongle: KT4099, Jcally JA03, 7hz 71, Hiby FC4
I find the Tangzu Wan’er to be very easy to drive. The Wan’er has good compatibility with both the 7hz 71 and Hiby FC4. I find the KT4099 to be too warm and the Jcally JA03 to not have the best detail retrieval.
Comparison
Tangzu Wan’er vs 7hz Zero
Both of these have what I’d called balance tuning, but it’s a little bit different to each other. Using the the same white tips from the Wan’er, I can hear the bass on the Wan’er has a bit more of a punch compare to the 7hz Zero. The female vocals on the Wan’er are a bit more forward, more engaging whereas the male vocals are more or less the same. The instruments in the mid region sounds more satisfying. The trebles are where the most differences lie. The 7hz Hero is a tad airier, more lively as well as more detailed compare to the Wan’er. Part of it was due to the lack of bass on the Zero, which in turns shift my focus more onto the treble region. I’d say the timbre on the 7hz Zero are more correct compare to the Wan’er, but both are good. Technicality wise, both are very similar to each other.
About build quality, I like the 7hz Zero way more. Even though the housing on the Zero was a little bit bigger compare to the Wan’er, the overall package was nicer (decent non tangled cable, 2 pin, straight jack)
Conclusion
For 20$, the Tangzu Wan’er is a no brainer for its balance sound signature, especially for someone new to the hobby. I’ve recommended these for 3 of my friend and so far all of them liked it. Along with other contenders like the 7hz Zero, the Tangzu Wan’er has earn its place among some of the best iem for under 20$, maybe even 50$. It would've easily get 4.5 if it weren’t for the low quality cable. So yeah, that’s my review of the Tangzu Wan’er. I’m looking forward to what Tangzu has to offer in the future.
Packaging:
I’ve accidentally lost the cloth when I was cleaning my house, so I’m borrowing the picture from Hifigo instead (thank you Hifigo).
Inside the box include: a cloth with the same art style as the outer box, the iem itself, a SPC cable, 3 pair of grey narrow tips, and 4 pair of white wider bore tips.
Upon closer inspection, the white tips are exactly like the widely known Kbear 07 tips which are wonderful tips in my opinion.
Design/Build quality/Comfort:
I opted for the black version of the Waner.
The housing is made from resin/plastic with a metallic nozzle. The drivers are not so visible compare to the white version because of the dark colored resin.
The faceplace has some very unique pattern on it. Here on the black version, there’re some golden coin pattern along with a “cloud” symbol (I think) on the faceplate. The coin patterns are not really vibrant, just enough to see if you pay close attention to it. The overall build quality feels cheap, but it’s acceptable given its price.
The housing is on a medium size. It sits perfectly into my ear as you can see in the picture. That being said, the cable itself ruin the wearing experience for me. Eventhough I have a snug fit with the iem itself, the cable’s hooks are to big which keeps pulling the iem out of my ear. The cable itself is too soft, which in turn very prone to become tangled. It reminds me of the Blon 03’s cable.
Sound impression
Here’s where the Tangzu Wan’er shine.
Bass: The bass is very well controlled, although there’s not a lot of bass here. The overall bass will not satisfy hardcore basshead out there, but for me it’s just enough. The subbass is present with good rumble, the midbass are well detailed with enough presence to be suitable with some genre like Rock, Pop, EDM, ... I don’t find the midbass to be muddy at all.
In “Phoenix Rising” by Calum Graham I can hear every distinct guitar string being plucked. The overall timbre of the guitar sounds natural.
In “Mighty Down Fall” by One OK Rock, the kick drum has enough slam to it without overwhelming the lead singer.
Mids: With midbass being just enough, has a gentle glide/transition into the mids, I find the mids to be very clean overall with a slight sense of forward to the vocals. The male vocal has this light coloration, warmer characteristic to it where as the female vocal or vocal in the upper midrange to be more engaging, more energetic while not being shouty or harsh.
In “Mocking Bird” by Eminem, his voice was well presented without being push into the background
In “Racing Into The Night” by YOASOBI, it’s pretty easy to observe how energetic her voice was without being disorted, shouty or sibilant.
Treble: The Wan’er has decent yet slightly more laid back, darker treble. It’s just enough to show all the micronuances in some busy track that ít’s there. Cymbal strikes and hi hats sound natural with good attack and decay yet it lacks some of the sparkle characteristic that I crave. I find the piano or string instruments in these region sound very natural. Overall I find the treble of the Wan’er to be easy too enjoy, yet being too safe in my opinion. Those who are treble sensitive will find these easy to listen to.
In “YouSeeBigGirl” from Attack On Titan or “Licht Und Schatten” from Tokyo Ghoul, I can notice all the micro details in the upper treble range, although I wish to perceive it just a little bit more.
Technicalites: Soundstage wise, I’d say these have a good sense of width and depth, especially for the price. The imaging, detail retrieval, seperation are average at best.
Source
Phone: Poco F3
Dongle: KT4099, Jcally JA03, 7hz 71, Hiby FC4
I find the Tangzu Wan’er to be very easy to drive. The Wan’er has good compatibility with both the 7hz 71 and Hiby FC4. I find the KT4099 to be too warm and the Jcally JA03 to not have the best detail retrieval.
Comparison
Tangzu Wan’er vs 7hz Zero
Both of these have what I’d called balance tuning, but it’s a little bit different to each other. Using the the same white tips from the Wan’er, I can hear the bass on the Wan’er has a bit more of a punch compare to the 7hz Zero. The female vocals on the Wan’er are a bit more forward, more engaging whereas the male vocals are more or less the same. The instruments in the mid region sounds more satisfying. The trebles are where the most differences lie. The 7hz Hero is a tad airier, more lively as well as more detailed compare to the Wan’er. Part of it was due to the lack of bass on the Zero, which in turns shift my focus more onto the treble region. I’d say the timbre on the 7hz Zero are more correct compare to the Wan’er, but both are good. Technicality wise, both are very similar to each other.
About build quality, I like the 7hz Zero way more. Even though the housing on the Zero was a little bit bigger compare to the Wan’er, the overall package was nicer (decent non tangled cable, 2 pin, straight jack)
Conclusion
For 20$, the Tangzu Wan’er is a no brainer for its balance sound signature, especially for someone new to the hobby. I’ve recommended these for 3 of my friend and so far all of them liked it. Along with other contenders like the 7hz Zero, the Tangzu Wan’er has earn its place among some of the best iem for under 20$, maybe even 50$. It would've easily get 4.5 if it weren’t for the low quality cable. So yeah, that’s my review of the Tangzu Wan’er. I’m looking forward to what Tangzu has to offer in the future.
Review Of The Tangzu Wan'er
Introduction
When Tangzu, a Chinese company formerly known as Tforce, released their first planar magnetic driver in-ear monitor, the Zetian Wu, it gained a lot of attention. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to review it until now, despite the fact that many audiophiles praised its tuning and other products. They developed an entry-level IEM called the Wan'er S.G, a $20 IEM that I have evaluated, and yes, they live up to the accolades just like the Zetian Wu, thanks to their first take on the planar that provided them a nice exposure. Here is what I have to say about it, but first:
Disclaimer
*Since this unit was sent by the generous people at Linsoul, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, visit this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as "Wan'er"
*I am using different Ear-tips (Moondrop Spring Tips and Azla Sedna Earfit) for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Wan’er based on their performance, even though I will convey some thoughts over its physical and aesthetics properties as well as what accessories they offer with Wan'er.
Specification
S.G. is a single dynamic driver in-ear monitor that uses a PET diaphragm dual-cavity dynamic driver with a strong neodymium n52 magnet. This is the first device I've heard in this price range that use this configuration. If we continue with the shell quality, these are well within the range of what I would anticipate from a $20 IEM. A translucent shell with a metal nozzle and an exquisitely designed faceplate. These unquestionably come with a 5n occ excellent quality cable, an average IEM cable; nothing groundbreaking here, but I can attest to the cable's great caliber. There are two different types of eartips, vocal and balancing, each with three pairs. To keep the IEMs clean, a beautiful printed microfiber cloth is also included. Now for the technical information: these have a sensitivity of 107 dB and an impedance of 20 ohms. The frequency range where the distortion rate is less than 0.5% is between 20Hz and 20kHz.
Sound
These offer good technical performance for the price, and the sound is tonally lovely and agreeable. If I can obtain a clean, non-offensive sound for $20, I'm all in. Under this price range, the market has already started to become competitive. Given that the entire response is seamless and loving, the PET driver resembles a natural driver in certain ways. The treble is calming and non-offensive, the mid-range is very well rounded and realistic, and the bass is boomy and fleeting. The characteristics of this IEM are definitely up to par, and I don't think there are any other IEMs in this price range that can compare. Let's explore the sound more.
Treble
The treble is clear and unoffensive. The details are beautiful and have a good airy presence in the upper treble, which extends effectively. The lower treble is quite forward-moving and energetic. Particularly the female vocals sound wide and natural in the upper treble and don't distort or get heated. The music in this doesn't have a sibilant or hot sound; it retains the notes' integrity and is presented clearly. The vocals do sound upfront in the lower treble, and the instruments practice cohesiveness. Together, these two elements complement the mix, which most often sounds melodic. Additionally, there is no indication of any objectionable traits. With the exception of the crashes and snares, where I do detect a trace of peakiness, although that is obviously nitpicking. The guitars and synths maintain the metallic persona extremely well to themselves and under control without overpowering the mix. The treble region as a whole can be described as lively and unoffensive, without being overly loud or shouty.
Mid Range
The mid range is well-rounded and forward-looking. Although more beautiful and melodious, the higher mids are just as upfront as the lower treble. This region's voices are incredibly expressive and attack you with vigour. The vocals don't sound thin, which makes the mix more robust. While the instruments are as energetic in the lower treble, the vocal and instruments continue to complement one another. The mixture as a whole is quite enticing and appealing. As we approach the lower mid range, the notes maintain the established foundation of warmth and girth, which celebrates the character of the mid range and treble. Although the singers and instruments sound a little muffled, there are no indications of bloating or excessive power. Although it may appear that the lower mid-range are a little reserved, their impact on the upper mid range is minimal. To summarize the mid-range, they are lively, well-controlled, and lyrical.
Bass
The bass can best be described as explosive. A PET driver's bass has a lot of boom and is extremely fast and accurate. It has a more amiable, natural tone for the other frequency response zone. Although the mid bass has a strong influence as well, the sub bass zone is where the bass focus is most prominent. Even though it doesn't appear to be bleeding, I am certain after listening to these that it does. The bass has a boomy sound, rumbles loudly, and retracts quickly. Tangzu outdid themselves on the bass response. Even though the sub bass extends far and hits hard, the overall bass response is quite well regulated. The bass response is deep, powerful, and controlled overall.
Technical Performance
IEMs in this price range often do not actually exceed much on the technical side. But this IEM performs roughly on par with models like CHU and Zero. Although comparison with CHU and Zero, the stage is not bigger but Wan'er does have outstanding imagery and separation. As all three sounded the same to me, there isn't much to compare in terms of detail retrieval and resolution. The S.G. also has a significant edge here due to speed.
Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation
Although the holographic staging of the soundstage seems like a very nice approach, and the imaging is quite sharp with good separation, I can generally identify the direction the sounds are coming from.
Speed & Resolution
The resolution and detail retrieval are very much average, similar to the other IEMs in this price range, but the attack and decay of notes are incredibly quick, which is incredible for an IEM of this caliber.
Sound Impressions
Sources
Tempotec V6 - The Tempotec V6 produces a warm, calming tone. It is incredibly simple to power these IEMs. While the overall response is crisp and the bass response is strong and sounds just perfect, the vocals may sound a touch laid back. I made use of both the flac and wav files I had on hand and streaming services like Apple Music. I had no concerns or problems of any kind. I had a terrific time with the Wan'er with V6. Nothing from the V6 came through this IEM that was unpleasant or muted.
Questyle M15 - The presentation becomes more impartial and easier to understand as you listen to the questyle. The voices do appear to be leaner, but still expressive. Although less warm, the bass got more detailed. The treble is wider and crisper. Presentation overall comes off as more analytical than melodious. I gave myself permission to submerge with this couple, and while I found it interesting, I couldn't say the same for how much I liked it.
iFi HIPDAC - When compared to the M15, the iFi HIPDAC's audio output sounds more expansive but feels less detailed. The best part is that the explosion's bass presence is once more audibly felt. The mid range does, however, sound a little shoutier than the other two sources aside from this.
Tracks Used
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno
Conclusion
There is certainly fierce competition in this price category, and some of the products have even dubbed themselves the "best budget entry IEM." I doubt I would discuss Wan'er in the same manner if I had to. However, I think that most of these IEMs today have far greater tonal qualities than they did in the past, so it all depends on your preferences. The Wan'er impression can be summed up as musical sounding IEMs with strong bass, a forward midrange, and unobtrusive treble. And I will suggest these to anyone who enjoys a well-balanced IEM.
Sen here! We are going to review another sub-$20 IEM. BUT! This is no ordinary sub-$20 budget IEM, this is definitely one of the best sounding pair as of this moment. This is the Tangzu Wan'er S.G., Tangzu Audio's latest budget IEM.
DISCLAIMER : This unit is provided by Kent Aldriann Alfonso, in exchange for an honest, no frills review. I am not paid before, during, and after this review.
TANGZU WAN'ER S.G.
During the November Hi-Fi Show we had samples of the Wan'er in the Chi-Fi booth. Initially, I had no interest in the Wan'er since I expected it to have the usual V-shaped Chifi sound that most earphones in the sub-$20 budget offered. However, I was wrong. Most earphones tend to become so repetitive, and irrelevant that I personally stay away from most models below $20. When I first got my Wan'ers, and put these pairs in my ears for the first time, I was in awe. I am going to describe the sound in the later part of this review. The Wan'ers are a single driver IEM with a distinct faceplate design in a universal fit resin shell. Tangzu outdid themselves on the packaging, and I was so impressed with everything, from the box to the contents, that you wouldn't believe it cost only $20. 6 pairs of eartips, the IEM, and a cloth for cleaning.
Just a short background check, Wan'er S.G.(Shangguan Wan'er) was a Chinese politican, poet, and the leading advisor of Wu Zetian of Zhou. As we know, Tangzu Audio released the Zetian Wu Planar IEM a few months back and know we have the great Empress' advisor, Wan'er.
SOUND:
LOWS : The lows are pronounced but not boomy. It is definitely not a basshead type of bass. The midbass and subbass are balanced and complement each other well, but there are times that the midbass dominates the subbbass. The impact is not the in-your-face type of bass but it isn't lacking in terms of weight, it still has that thumpy, energetic rumble that is somehow satisfying without the need of being too boomy.
MIDS : The midrange is average at best. Lower mids are rich and thick. .The vocals are engaging, but depending on the track, there is a slight hint of vocals being recessed, especially on busier tracks. The upper mids are sufficiently crisp and airy. It did not exhibit harshness, unnecessary peaks, and sibilance.
HIGHS : The treble is the first thing I noticed when I first inserted these Waners in my ears. It just didn't sound unnatural and metallic to me. It's clean, crisp, and airy. The treble does not offend my ears, it's prone to sibilance, and harsh glares. I can guarantee that these are friendly for any treble-sensitive listeners. However, details are not the absolute best on the treble region of Wan'ers so it is still far for detail retrieval being its strong suit. The treble can sometimes sound dull and less energetic due to its laid-back nature. Nevertheless, the trebles offer an inoffensive and sufficiently airy and clean treble which makes the Wan'er a good selection for most casual listeners.
TECHNICALITIES: Technicalities are average. Like most budget earphones, technicalities were never their strongest suit. The soundstage has average depth and has a very shallow presentation, it has enough width but not the most spacious that I ever heard, for the budget, it should suffice, and I wouldn't ask for more. Imaging is also average, the separation between vocals and instruments is spot on but may suffer and be harder to distinguish on busy tracks and poorly mastered tracks.
The Wan'er deserved to compete with IEMs noticed for their superior price-to-performance ratio, such as the likes of Salnotes Zero, KZ EDA, and CCA CRA. When I listened to the Wan'ers I would not regret recommending them to any music lovers, or casual listeners looking for an affordable IEM. With just a few tweak, I believe this can even exceed the ShiminLi in terms of performance. Top that with Wan'er's cool looking design, especially the white color, and I have to notice how clean these Wan'ers are, there is no dirt, cloud, or glue residue on the shell, which really makes the quality top-notch. The only flaw that I can give the Wan'ers is the use of QDC connectors, which is a personal hindrance for me. Personally, I dislike protruding pins since they have a high risk of snapping in place. Other than that, I highly recommend the Wan'ers to those who want to invest in an expensive setup or just want an extra pair to go.
DISCLAIMER : This unit is provided by Kent Aldriann Alfonso, in exchange for an honest, no frills review. I am not paid before, during, and after this review.
TANGZU WAN'ER S.G.
During the November Hi-Fi Show we had samples of the Wan'er in the Chi-Fi booth. Initially, I had no interest in the Wan'er since I expected it to have the usual V-shaped Chifi sound that most earphones in the sub-$20 budget offered. However, I was wrong. Most earphones tend to become so repetitive, and irrelevant that I personally stay away from most models below $20. When I first got my Wan'ers, and put these pairs in my ears for the first time, I was in awe. I am going to describe the sound in the later part of this review. The Wan'ers are a single driver IEM with a distinct faceplate design in a universal fit resin shell. Tangzu outdid themselves on the packaging, and I was so impressed with everything, from the box to the contents, that you wouldn't believe it cost only $20. 6 pairs of eartips, the IEM, and a cloth for cleaning.
Just a short background check, Wan'er S.G.(Shangguan Wan'er) was a Chinese politican, poet, and the leading advisor of Wu Zetian of Zhou. As we know, Tangzu Audio released the Zetian Wu Planar IEM a few months back and know we have the great Empress' advisor, Wan'er.
SOUND:
"The Wan'er has a U-shaped sound signature with a focus on the bass and treble, allowing for a fun listening experience without sacrificing much of the midrange. I do not recommend using a warm source here, just as I did with my V20, the bass is chunkier but the vocals are dipped, which is not really my preference."
LOWS : The lows are pronounced but not boomy. It is definitely not a basshead type of bass. The midbass and subbass are balanced and complement each other well, but there are times that the midbass dominates the subbbass. The impact is not the in-your-face type of bass but it isn't lacking in terms of weight, it still has that thumpy, energetic rumble that is somehow satisfying without the need of being too boomy.
MIDS : The midrange is average at best. Lower mids are rich and thick. .The vocals are engaging, but depending on the track, there is a slight hint of vocals being recessed, especially on busier tracks. The upper mids are sufficiently crisp and airy. It did not exhibit harshness, unnecessary peaks, and sibilance.
HIGHS : The treble is the first thing I noticed when I first inserted these Waners in my ears. It just didn't sound unnatural and metallic to me. It's clean, crisp, and airy. The treble does not offend my ears, it's prone to sibilance, and harsh glares. I can guarantee that these are friendly for any treble-sensitive listeners. However, details are not the absolute best on the treble region of Wan'ers so it is still far for detail retrieval being its strong suit. The treble can sometimes sound dull and less energetic due to its laid-back nature. Nevertheless, the trebles offer an inoffensive and sufficiently airy and clean treble which makes the Wan'er a good selection for most casual listeners.
TECHNICALITIES: Technicalities are average. Like most budget earphones, technicalities were never their strongest suit. The soundstage has average depth and has a very shallow presentation, it has enough width but not the most spacious that I ever heard, for the budget, it should suffice, and I wouldn't ask for more. Imaging is also average, the separation between vocals and instruments is spot on but may suffer and be harder to distinguish on busy tracks and poorly mastered tracks.
The Wan'er deserved to compete with IEMs noticed for their superior price-to-performance ratio, such as the likes of Salnotes Zero, KZ EDA, and CCA CRA. When I listened to the Wan'ers I would not regret recommending them to any music lovers, or casual listeners looking for an affordable IEM. With just a few tweak, I believe this can even exceed the ShiminLi in terms of performance. Top that with Wan'er's cool looking design, especially the white color, and I have to notice how clean these Wan'ers are, there is no dirt, cloud, or glue residue on the shell, which really makes the quality top-notch. The only flaw that I can give the Wan'ers is the use of QDC connectors, which is a personal hindrance for me. Personally, I dislike protruding pins since they have a high risk of snapping in place. Other than that, I highly recommend the Wan'ers to those who want to invest in an expensive setup or just want an extra pair to go.
"take me out tonight, take me anywhere" - There's A Light That Never Goes Out -The Smiths
