DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Tangzu for providing this review unit.
The Tangzu x HBB Xuan Nv can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/tangzu-xuannv (no affiliate links).
SPECIFICATIONS
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide Tang Sancai silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of balanced Tang Sancai silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of narrow bore silicone eartips
- Cable
- Carrying pouch
For a sub-$100 set, the accessories are so so. We do not have a modular cable or foam tips, or even a semi-rigid/hard case, but everything included is nevertheless serviceable.
The wide Tang Sancai tips, as per their namesake, are wide-bore. These boost treble and air, and improve staging. The narrow-bore pair increases bass, albeit at the expense of soundstage. The balanced Tang Sancai ones are a midpoint between the two sonically.
The stock 2-pin single crystal oxygen-free copper cable is braided in a Litz design. It is very tangly, though with minimal microphonics. There's a chin cinch for stabilization during usage.
The leatherette soft pouch can prevent scratches on the IEM, but it may not survive a drop or knock.
The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock wide Tang Sancai silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.
BUILD/COMFORT
Featuring a beautiful gold motif on a red housing, the Xuan Nv's shells are 3D-printed from medical-grade resin.
While on the larger side to house 2 DDs, the earpieces are light, with a concha protrusion for added grip. Comfort is good in spite of the bigger shells, and Tangzu states in marketing materials that the shape of the housings were designed after accumulating numerous ear anatomies.
Being a vented IEM, isolation is bang average. I did not encounter any driver flex, which is a sign of good acoustic airflow.
INTERNALS
The Xuan Nv is a 2 DD set, packing a 10 mm ceramic DD and an 8mm PU + LCP DD.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Xuan Nv 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 quite difficult to drive in terms of headroom.
Due to the low 8.5 Ω impedance, it is best paired with sources with < 1.0625 Ω output impedance, due to the rules of eights. Pairing it with higher OI sources may make it overly bassy and mess with the frequency response.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES
Graph of the Xuan NV via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.
Tonally, the Xuan Nv sports a warm U-shaped profile that is quite laid back.
This is a sub-bass focused IEM, with decent rumble down to 20 kHz. It isn't an outright basshead set in terms of quantity and thump though. The mid-bass is on the slower side, with some bleed and average texturing. This frequency band may smear during complex tracks.
The lower mids are on the thicker side, warmed by the bassy veil. Upper mids reach a climax of 8 dB or so, which translates to vocals being forwards but just lying at the edge. If underpowered or blasted at loud volumes, the Xuan Nv may on occasions hit shouty territory.
Sibilance is absent, and the treble is very smooth and polite, which should please the treble-sensitive amongst us. Conversely, this results in a lack of resolution and clarity, and trebleheads might find a distinct lack of pizzazz.
Timbral accuracy is organic and natural, no complaints on this front. In fact, this is one of the Xuan Nv's stellar aspects.
In terms of technical chops, the Xuan Nv is below average: it goes for a musical tuning over outright technical prowess. While soundstage is above average with decent imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation are sub-par. This IEM gets overwhelmed when complex tracks with competing riffs appear.
COMPARISONS
The Xuan Nv will be compared against other DD containing budget gear. Hybrids, multi-BAs, and pure planars, which have their own pros and cons, are left out of the comparisons.
Kefine Delci
The Delci is a warm U-shaped set with more mid-bass. It has less upper mids than the Xuan Nv, but a more extended treble.
The Delci is clearly no technical tour de force, but still shades the Xuan Nv in technicalities, with the Delci having a hair better soundstage, imaging and micro-detailing.
The Delci is easier to drive, but has a less natural timbre.
Simgot EA500LM
The EA500LM is a more aggressively-tuned IEM with 3 tuning nozzles - these confer mostly bright Harmanish tunings, with a more jacked-up upper mids and lower treble. As such the EA500LM can come across as more shouty and fatiguing.
However, the EA500LM trumps the Xuan Nv in technicalities, with the former providing better imaging, micro-details and soundstage.
The EA500LM is easier to drive, but has a more metallic timbre.
CONCLUSIONS
The Xuan Nv is a musical dual DD IEM, which is quite relaxing and laid back. It is a suitable transducer for sitting back and chilling to, as the natural timbre and sibilant-free sonics are akin to being surrounded in a warm tub of honey. It can hence be used for longer listening sessions without much fatigue.
However, one may see it as a one-trick pony, as the technicalities on offer are sub-par, with a dark treble shaving off resolution. It struggles with complex instrumentation with competing riffs. To top it off, this IEM is one tricky customer to drive in view of the low impedance; source pairing and drivability may be an issue as such.
In the big scheme of things, the Xuan Nv lies at just below $80 USD, and at this retail price, the competition is really cut-throat. While not an outright bad set, customers have a wide array of more technical rivals to pick from. Verily, I'm not sure the Xuan Nv may still be talked about in a couple of months' time.
I would like to thank Tangzu for providing this review unit.
The Tangzu x HBB Xuan Nv can be gotten here: https://www.linsoul.com/products/tangzu-xuannv (no affiliate links).

SPECIFICATIONS
- Driver configuration: 10 mm ceramic DD + 8mm PU + LCP DD
- Frequency response: 7 Hz - 20 kHz
- Impedance: 8.5 Ω
- Sensitivity: 98 dB
- Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; single crystal oxygen-free copper cable; 3.5 mm termination
- Tested at: $79 USD
ACCESSORIES
Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide Tang Sancai silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of balanced Tang Sancai silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 1 pair of narrow bore silicone eartips
- Cable
- Carrying pouch
For a sub-$100 set, the accessories are so so. We do not have a modular cable or foam tips, or even a semi-rigid/hard case, but everything included is nevertheless serviceable.

The wide Tang Sancai tips, as per their namesake, are wide-bore. These boost treble and air, and improve staging. The narrow-bore pair increases bass, albeit at the expense of soundstage. The balanced Tang Sancai ones are a midpoint between the two sonically.

The stock 2-pin single crystal oxygen-free copper cable is braided in a Litz design. It is very tangly, though with minimal microphonics. There's a chin cinch for stabilization during usage.

The leatherette soft pouch can prevent scratches on the IEM, but it may not survive a drop or knock.
The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock wide Tang Sancai silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.
BUILD/COMFORT

Featuring a beautiful gold motif on a red housing, the Xuan Nv's shells are 3D-printed from medical-grade resin.
While on the larger side to house 2 DDs, the earpieces are light, with a concha protrusion for added grip. Comfort is good in spite of the bigger shells, and Tangzu states in marketing materials that the shape of the housings were designed after accumulating numerous ear anatomies.
Being a vented IEM, isolation is bang average. I did not encounter any driver flex, which is a sign of good acoustic airflow.

INTERNALS
The Xuan Nv is a 2 DD set, packing a 10 mm ceramic DD and an 8mm PU + LCP DD.
DRIVABILITY
I tested the Xuan Nv 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 quite difficult to drive in terms of headroom.
Due to the low 8.5 Ω impedance, it is best paired with sources with < 1.0625 Ω output impedance, due to the rules of eights. Pairing it with higher OI sources may make it overly bassy and mess with the frequency response.
SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

Graph of the Xuan NV via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.
Tonally, the Xuan Nv sports a warm U-shaped profile that is quite laid back.
This is a sub-bass focused IEM, with decent rumble down to 20 kHz. It isn't an outright basshead set in terms of quantity and thump though. The mid-bass is on the slower side, with some bleed and average texturing. This frequency band may smear during complex tracks.
The lower mids are on the thicker side, warmed by the bassy veil. Upper mids reach a climax of 8 dB or so, which translates to vocals being forwards but just lying at the edge. If underpowered or blasted at loud volumes, the Xuan Nv may on occasions hit shouty territory.
Sibilance is absent, and the treble is very smooth and polite, which should please the treble-sensitive amongst us. Conversely, this results in a lack of resolution and clarity, and trebleheads might find a distinct lack of pizzazz.
Timbral accuracy is organic and natural, no complaints on this front. In fact, this is one of the Xuan Nv's stellar aspects.
In terms of technical chops, the Xuan Nv is below average: it goes for a musical tuning over outright technical prowess. While soundstage is above average with decent imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation are sub-par. This IEM gets overwhelmed when complex tracks with competing riffs appear.
COMPARISONS
The Xuan Nv will be compared against other DD containing budget gear. Hybrids, multi-BAs, and pure planars, which have their own pros and cons, are left out of the comparisons.

Kefine Delci
The Delci is a warm U-shaped set with more mid-bass. It has less upper mids than the Xuan Nv, but a more extended treble.
The Delci is clearly no technical tour de force, but still shades the Xuan Nv in technicalities, with the Delci having a hair better soundstage, imaging and micro-detailing.
The Delci is easier to drive, but has a less natural timbre.
Simgot EA500LM
The EA500LM is a more aggressively-tuned IEM with 3 tuning nozzles - these confer mostly bright Harmanish tunings, with a more jacked-up upper mids and lower treble. As such the EA500LM can come across as more shouty and fatiguing.
However, the EA500LM trumps the Xuan Nv in technicalities, with the former providing better imaging, micro-details and soundstage.
The EA500LM is easier to drive, but has a more metallic timbre.
CONCLUSIONS

The Xuan Nv is a musical dual DD IEM, which is quite relaxing and laid back. It is a suitable transducer for sitting back and chilling to, as the natural timbre and sibilant-free sonics are akin to being surrounded in a warm tub of honey. It can hence be used for longer listening sessions without much fatigue.
However, one may see it as a one-trick pony, as the technicalities on offer are sub-par, with a dark treble shaving off resolution. It struggles with complex instrumentation with competing riffs. To top it off, this IEM is one tricky customer to drive in view of the low impedance; source pairing and drivability may be an issue as such.
In the big scheme of things, the Xuan Nv lies at just below $80 USD, and at this retail price, the competition is really cut-throat. While not an outright bad set, customers have a wide array of more technical rivals to pick from. Verily, I'm not sure the Xuan Nv may still be talked about in a couple of months' time.
Bravo.