The TANGZU Zetian Wu 14.5mm Planar In Ear Monitors

"Empress Wu is considered one of the greatest emperors in Chinese history due to her strong leadership and effective governance, which in-turn made China one of the most powerful nations in the world. The importance to history of ZETIAN WU period of political and military leadership includes the major expansion of the Chinese empire, extending it far beyond its previous territorial limits."

So choosing to name a planar IEM after a legendary of Chinese Emperor is a pretty big display of confidence? I mean you must think/know the IEM is going to be a success? Truly in side-by-side tests the ZETIAN WU is quite the force against than the other planar IEMs I own. Now I must say the ZETIAN WU is not the most detailed planar, but it does offer one of the best musical tones as well as the bass is darn good. On my list of 6 planar IEMs I place the ZETIAN WU number two. Still that’s simply my preference. As far as a fast recommendation the ZETIAN WU rises to first place. Reason being the Moondrop Stellaris isn’t for everyone, it’s too mid forward to be loved by all. To many the Stellaris is simply too bright, with not enough bass emphasis or warmth. So the TANGZU ZETIAN WU becomes my number one recommendation for all. This is an easy review to write as there are plenty of positives to write about. Also when a tune comes this way there is something about it that’s inspiring. While touted by many as the best timbre of any planar! I do know is TANGZU did their home work coming up with a Goldilocks tune, and FR is probably 80% of why someone likes an IEM. Plus add that they are lightweight and fit perfect. They come with a great set of extras that go on to add to the experience, and finally they are really not the most expensive planar. When you add price to the list of accessibility factors, it almost makes the ZETIAN WU a simple no-brainer purchase. If this will be your first walk into the land of planar, you couldn’t have found more of a no risk purchase. The ZETIAN WU is what is called a safe bet, and you don’t really need to read on, just buy it. But if you are the inquisitive type, I’ve included many more words on the subject of the ZETIAN WU if you would like to read on?

$149.00 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/collections/featured-home/products/tangzu-wu-zetian?variant=43301859557593
Free shipping and one year warranty when you purchase from Linsoul

SPECIFICATION:
TANGZU ZETIAN WU
IMPEDANCE: 16Ω
SENSITIVITY: 100db
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78mm)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm/4.4mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) 14.5mm PLANAR DRIVER


Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

You’re still here? OK.

I have the LETSHUOER S12 PRO planar IEM showing up any day, and will later add to this review to help with completeness. But so far I have tested 6 planar IEMs and place them in this specific order.

S) Moondrop Planar Stellaris
A) TANGZU ZETIAN WU
B) RAPTGO HOOK-X
C) TINHIFI P1 Max
D) Kinera Celest Gumiho
E) 7Hz x Crinacle Salnotes Dioko

The ZETIAN WU
To start off the ZETIAN WU has a special way of sounding just slightly different with each source, yet always sounding great. With some (other) IEMs changing sources is a challenge, as with some sources they become good or bad…….but not here. While not the most detailed the WU’s ability and forgivability starts to show. Each source is shown for its own individual character, yet that character is enchanting and uniquely different depending on the source!

https://www.linsoul.com/products/shanling-ua3

Take for example the $109.00 Shanling UA3, while the ZETIAN WU is power hungry, the UA3 was still a perfect choice. But more than that, the ZETIAN WU seemed to show the UA3s unique abilities in contrast to both the Sony WM1A Walkman and Sony WM1Z Walkman. What was fascinating about the ZETIAN WU was (for one) the soundstage, and how this sub-bass response was delineated far off to the side. Showing a form of clarity due to blackness of background combined with slightly better than average soundstage, plus good (not great) definition. You are kinda hearing deeper into the music, resulting in involvement and entertainment. But more than that, the notes show a size. Not only is the imaging spread out wide, they are formed forward and up-front......somehow spread-across the soundstage. Now you would think just that would be enough.....but no, there it’s combined with a style of correctness shown in baskingshark’s graphic representation.


baskingshark’s graphic representation

That’s right, they have the FR correct also. This style of graph represents treasures.....emperor’s treasures! But what does the graph show? It really shows about four main things.

A) the balance of bass to treble
B) the specific curtailing of the treble
C) the pinna gain peaks at 3K
D) the slope arriving from 1K to 3K

Obviously the FR is the whole deal, the full enchilada. But for one, the way the bass is catered to blows the Dioko out of the water, in my eyes. But beyond the graphic representation, the timbre is truly closer to reality that what is found with your everyday planar off-the-street. There is a slight blanket of warmth that an average (extra-warm) listener wouldn’t maybe notice, as it’s dialed in just right, like the adjustment of salt to your favorite dish of food.

It’s this immediate accessibility that is of value here. And just like all my favorite IEMs, there is no catering to do, no demands to agree to. The ZETIAN WU is easy going and truthful as well as blends well with whatever amplification you have. The ZETIAN WU plays all genres of music and gives the listener a wide range of ear-tip possibilities.

Remember:
Though the ZETIAN WU has her limitations, I mean I’m proposing an IEM that is the best thing since sliced-bread here. Remember it is only a $149.00 dollar offering, yet I’ll be guilty (daily) of choosing it over a ridiculously large amount of more expensive IEMs. Am I still on the honeymoon here? Well, such aberrations of perception are a given, yet we are in the moment aren’t we? The moment is all we have.......still I’ll get my act together and report on the possible objectivity of the ZETIAN WU.......at some point. Lol

For starters the included cable is fantastic, such small features as an extra-long stainless steel plug goes miles to upscale the feel and look of the cable. But more than that, the stainless is also featured on the cable splitter and chin-slider. Finally we notice the gorgeous continuation into the 0.78mm 2Pin! This 5N OFC Cable has the copper shining through the entire length inside of the light brown transparent cover. Unfortunately my cable came as 3.5mm, and while half of my testing started with the 3.5mm, I migrated over to 4.4mm in an attempt to access bigger sounding amplifiers. There is an economy here which displaces the regular notion of needing power for the low-end. Meaning, the ZETIAN WU needs power, but not necessarily to fix bass issues, like the (difficult to drive) Sony XBA-Z5 or anything. So somehow the bass is often the same from whatever source you choose. Maybe slight soundstage differences, probably imaging placement effects? But tonally the ZETIAN WU is stubborn, which is a good thing. Showing basically the same tonal balance with whatever your replay device happens to be. I see such traits as a form of well-rounded-ness, and would come into value taking the ZETIAN WU off to work using only a phone, in comparison to your more elaborate home set-up. And while cable composite differences made a change, it wasn’t totally drastic, but noted none-the-less. Still you can understand what TANGZU was doing when they chose the 5N OFC Cable they provide. There was a girth and authoritative bounce was what they were looking for. Such needs are not first in comprehension upon first listening to the ZETIAN WU. There is style of sensory overload when you first put the Purple Monsters in your ears. It’s like what? What? Then after about 30 minutes your brain figures out more about the town you’re visiting. Nothing is really that wrong, as note (all the) descriptions above, yet you do start to find small clues as to why this isn’t a $1000 IEM. Probably the known character of a planar. While being one of the best planar IEMs I own, there was still room to gain optimization. The Penon Audio G4 cable brought a new level of instrument density and separation into the soundstage. At $99.50 the G4 is an expensive add, yet if you find it moves the ZETIAN WU to a slightly better place, well…….and if the ZETIAN WU is your main IEM, and you wanted to find greener pastures………start with the DAP. But after you think you have the right DAP, there is nothing wrong with looking for that last ounce of quality!



The Sony TA-ZH1ES desktop:
There is a place, not a bad place but a realistic place, that no-matter-what, we must face. That in-fact the Sony TA-ZH1ES is showing us the true faults in our playback. The amplifier is way more detailed than the ZETIAN WU, hence we can finally find the ZETIAN WU’s limitations. Not a big deal, but there are sound responses (obviously) which are more detailed.

Treble:
While honest and natural, the treble is not airy or overly hyped up. There is a satisfaction that starts to take place due to the treble not owning any unnecessary (fake) boost just to grab hold of detail or imaging. At the same time the treble walks that fine-line offering just enough detail and brightness to balance the bass. Some may challenge my methods to say I’m using the wrong ear-tips for treble? And to that a quick switch-a-roo to my wide-bores. Actually I have two wide-bore favorites, but these being less extreme, fit better with the ZETIAN WU. Remember too tip placement often changes the size of the space created inside your ear-canal. Meaning each tip always has the chance of moving the driver distance, thus changing when the ear-canal wave matures. Such differences are in addition to the nozzle circumference opening.

Yet, here once again, I’m met more with an upper midrange change and the treble has almost been left the same. Why? Well have you ever known someone who only knows how to perform a single dance? Yep, no matter which song is played at the Dance Club, the resulting movements are identical. Different song, same dance.......and that’s the treble with the ZETIAN WU, as it’s not bad, it’s just that the driver only has a single level of ability and somehow ear-tips don’t work miracles. Plus I don’t need to change the treble response anyway? It simply is what it is, day in and day out. Though the midrange after tip-change-our did offer-up some relatively noticeable character wake-ups.

Midrange:
The pinna gain at almost right at 3K and seems to be the perfect placement for my ears. Also the quantity (of the bump) and relationship to the bass and treble spell a wonderful walk in paradise. At the same time such easygoing nature means the playback can be found to be optimal from either old favorites or modern well produced classics. Truly the forgiveness and smoothness shows itself from any playback device. Even playback from a regular phone brought the bass and accompanying note weight. Using the supplied cable is great for out-and-about phone use. And while not offering the volume levels of a Dongle or DAP, the response was purely audiophile. But vocals are always slightly set backwards into the mix, no matter which source we go with. It’s not that the vocals are that troublesome frequency wise, as they are there and can be heard in detail, just not in full texture. While these are not vocal specialist IEMs, they are a do-all, ask-no-questions style of playback. The switch to the Penon G4 cable slightly brought the vocals forward and into the stage! Now really this is only a slight improvement, but reality none the less. You truly don’t need the G4 to enjoy the ZETIAN WU, it may be something later that yo want to use to further dial the WU in. All in good time!



Dead Can Dance
Anastasis
“All In Good Time”
44.1 kHz - 24 bit

Bass:
Oh my, oh my.....this song....straight-out of a un-amped phone is great! Better than great. But see, this is an unusual recording, not to be found everyday. Though I chose it for this section as it has a great bass, which in turn will help us to comprehend both the bass deficits and attributes. Now I can just imagine the thousands of people walking into an IEM store preparing to demo IEMs with a phone. Judging the products full ability with the final device (for them) the simple phone. What percentage of the general population does this describe, probably 99.80%? Yep, most everyone will be using a phone with these. And the bass is there, it’s there always with almost the same levels of good and bad, we can’t change it……..too much. The bass comes as slightly defuse, yet warm and fully present, but not bass-head or anything. It’s just offering a slightly downplayed detail, in trade with this wonderful broad layering ability.

The ZETIAN WU has beautiful spacial movements as this song has a network of interplay between the vocals and the bass. This is just the Zetian's ability and character shinning through, yet I don’t think I have heard this connection before? It’s not the clearest bass but at the same time it’s fully organic and deep. Yet there is the accent bass tone at 6 seconds in that is special in that it’s a slight reduction of volume. It is in these small nuances which lays the foundation for planar magic. What the ZETIAN WU doesn’t do in detail in makes up for in finite nuances of volume levels. Thus the transference of mood, and emotion though layers, layers of imaging with critical forms of volume emphasis.

The included cable is a 0.78mm 2Pin 5N OFC affair. You have the choice of getting either 3.5mm single ended or a 4.4mm balanced plug.

Box opening experience:

Included outside the box is a drink coaster no less? They want you to drink with the Wu!

The tips are wonderful, though the place labeled for foam tips has silicone.

Build:
Offering a remarkable CNC aluminum faceplate, anodized in beautiful purple, the body is 3D printed. Some have wondered as to the low weight and wanted something more substantial feeling in hand. I have to disagree, the weight and build are perfect. You don't want weight in your ears if it can be helped. The comfort occurs due to an amazing semi-custom shape. Here they have used a database of thousands of ears to dial the perfect form. Such a shape adds to sound occlusion properties, and well as looks. The two pin is flush to the sides, with white markings as to right or left. Amazingly there can be found three air vents one on every side of the IEM directly under the faceplate. Then one vent near the R/L letter in the middle of the structure. With the beveled edge of the faceplate, the ZETIAN WU shows no seam lines to the touch.

Conclusion:
While offering up possibly the ultimate tune, the ZETIAN WU's magic propels her to the top of the planar IEM stack. While not offering the most detail, the ZETIAN WU does something way more important.......it’s musical. There is a good chance you will relate to what is going on here. Is this not the final test of an IEM, to be musical? The ZETIAN WU offers a very special demeanor and stance, different than anything I own, while at the same time being accessible and true. True to what? True to the artists intent or at least it sounds that way?

While upon closer inspection it’s not perfect, but way more perfect than $149.00 would have you believe. The fact that the ZETIAN WU's build is lightweight and fits your ear spectacularly. The fact that it comes with a cable and carrying case that mean business. They are extras as the ZETIAN WU is worth all the money just by itself due to the tune and technical performance. I can’t make this stuff up.....in fact if you do some investigating footwork you will find others to have “glowing” reviews of this single product. What’s that mean? Nothing truly that hard to figure out, TANGZU simply did their homework and gave people a correct tune. The fundamentals were approached with respect. When it came to actualization then the Planar driver went along with the tuning program to create subtle after-effects indicative of planar nature. Such a powerful thing does not happen by chance, but is the result of both hard work and luck…….oh and science, there is some science in there.

Just get the ZETIAN WU and don’t worry about a thing. The ZETIAN WU plays all styles of musical genres, plays well off every source and seems to fit people’s ears correctly. When you add musically such a decision has already been made for you. Just walk through the purchasing process and don’t look back!


$149.00 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/collections/featured-home/products/tangzu-wu-zetian?variant=43301859557593
Free shipping and one year warranty when you order from Linsoul

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Disclaimer:
I want to thank Kareena of Linsoul for the love and the TANGZU ZETIAN WU IEM review sample.

Disclaimer:
These are one persons ideas and concepts, your results may vary.

Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
UA3 Dongle DAC/Amplifier 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Samsung Android smart phone 3.5mm