Background about me
A friend introduced me to this hobby around two years ago. As a bedroom musician, I was able to pick up this interest easily, like a pair of comfortable gloves. This hobby has kept my sanity at my desk job since then. In addition, this hobby has reconnected my love of music, and it has been a wonderful journey so far.
I see myself as a music lover in all aspects (and genres, but I have personal biases, of course) rather than an analytical one. I have limited to no experience with very expensive gear, so take this review with a lot of salt
This review (and future reviews) is geared towards the first experience, like a newcomer to this hobby. That also includes the modest gear used for testing.
Introduction and Specifications
According to the spec sheet, the TangZu Yu Xuan Ji (YXJ) has:
Driver configuration: Single 10mm TPLX Topology Dynamic Driver
Material: Zinc Alloy
Impedance: 15.6Ω 1kHz ± 20%
Connector: 0.78mm 2-pin
Plug: Available in 4.4mm balanced, Type-C, and 3.5mm single-ended
Sensitivity: 104.5 dB @ 1kHz
Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20kHz
Cable: OFC Silver Plated Cable
Cable Length: 1.2m ± 5%
Box Contents and Impressions
Inclusions:
- YXJ IEMs
- TangZu pouch
- 3 Pairs of Tang Sancai Balanced ear tips
- 3 pairs of silicone ear tips
- Cable
Now, let’s get to hearing.
Testing Methodology
Music files: Spotify “very high” quality (320 kbps OGG), Apple Music Lossless (various formats, but ranging from 16 to 24-bit depth, 44.1 to 48kHz sampling rate ALAC)
Sources: Apple USB-C dongle, FiiO JadeAudio JA11, FiiO BTR13, ifi Uno Desktop DAC. Played from either a Samsung Galaxy Note 10 lite, a work laptop, or my desktop.
Music: Mostly guitar-driven tracks, but personal biases include pop-punk and emo (it's not just a phase), metalcore, post-hardcore, pop-rock and Top 100, local music (known as Original Pilipino Music), J-rock and J-pop, and K-pop. Preference for Warm-balanced tuning.
Unit: TangZu YXJ 3.5mm in Matte, Sancai Wide, Xinhs cable for extra comfort during testing.
I bought this unit online with my own resources.
Measurements and impressions
All credits to OB Odio for the measurement on squig.
Overall, this set reminds me of a first love, the Wan’er S.G., and how TangZu has evolved the sound in its products released since then. However, these two sets are distinct (including the price).
Bass
Bass has a fast attack and decay (a significant difference from the Wan’er S.G., which has an audible bleed). It has more emphasis on the mid-bass thumps and kicks. It's not overpowering, but great execution.
Midrange
It's not boxy, but also not thin. Maybe borderline thin; it avoids the “lifeless” level by a hair or two. Distorted guitars lack some of their bite. On the vocals, male vocals sometimes lack the energy on certain tracks and screams sometimes feel subdued. On the flip side, female vocals are prominent and are reproduced cleanly. It does not feel shouty, either.
Treble
Hi-hat and cymbal strikes are well reproduced, and there’s no excessive sibilance in them. Acoustic guitars have excellent bite. Decent air that the overall package isn’t congested.
Soundstage and Imaging
I describe it as a “second-row seat” in contrast to a “front-row” seat that has an “in your face” kind of sound. It has more width than depth by a tad bit. Used the set for a bit of gaming (The Finals, Deadlock, Battlefield I and V), and the positioning is fairly accurate. Footsteps are accurately reproduced to their position relative to the game. In my opinion, the fast attack and decay of the mid-bass prevent footsteps from being muddy.
Comfort
Despite its metal shell, this is a set I can use for hours on end. The semi-open design relieves much of the pressure. It is also lightweight enough to bring to public transportation. (The faceplate is also a head-turner, no?)
Comparisons
I only have a few sets in my collection, and I do not have any set that is relatively in the same price bracket. Maybe some of my TangZu sets?
vs Waner S.G.
YXJ has faster transients and has none of the audible bass bleed. YXJ has a wider soundstage.
vs Waner S.E.
Waner S.E. might be positioned as a smaller YXJ. These two are balanced sets, but the S.E. has a smaller soundstage and is more comparable to the S.G.
vs Xuan NV
The Xuan NV is a warmer, more relaxed set and is relatively harder to drive than the YXJ.
Conclusions
The Yu Xuan Ji is an excellent release from TangZu. It's a superb package overall. It can play most genres with good sound reproduction. Since this is a balanced set, it's not for both bassheads or trebleheads. This is also a good choice for gamers who want a cost-effective IEM.
thanks to you for taking the time to read this review. Many thanks to the community, too.
All comments are welcome.
Happy listening