—“Wu”? Who?
—About myself
===START OF INTRODUCTION ===
—Background
Audio equipment reviewer with over 20year+ of experience in headphones/earphones/IEM/DAP, initially motivated by:
Sennheiser | AKG | Westone| Sony | Bose | JVC | JBL
===START OF INTRODUCTION ===
—Background
Audio equipment reviewer with over 20year+ of experience in headphones/earphones/IEM/DAP, initially motivated by:
Sennheiser | AKG | Westone| Sony | Bose | JVC | JBL
—Imprinted instruments timbre
Drums (TAMA & Zildjian cymbals) | Guitar (Gibson Les Paul & Marshall Amp) | Piano (Yamaha)
—Bio
After spending a decade with full-size headphones, and home audio speakers, I shifted my main listening environment to IEM. Of which, I have over 100 personal inventories —not loaner or review units—purchased with my hobby budget
—On mobile
I enjoyed Lexus’s Mark Levinson system and moved to Mercedes AMG’s Burmester 4D System
—Affiliation
Under the penalty of perjury of the United States of America, 28 U.S.C. § 1746, I’m neither affiliated with any sellers/stores/makers nor given review samples or paid for this review.
I purchased Wu Zetian from Tangzu Official Store at my own will with my own disposable income, for purely my personal entertainment purpose.
=====END OF INTRODUCTION=====
—About Tangzu
Formerly known as T-Force with their Yuan-Li, a CNT driver single dynamic IEM offer. Now renamed as Tangzu, offering entry-class single DD, Wan’er S.G, besides another budget friendly single DD Li-Shinmin, to their first yet most influential 14.5mm planar, Wu Zetian.
—About Wu Zetian
Named after the one and the only Empress of ancient Chinese Dynasties, Wu Zetian.
A legendary ancient beauty, resurrected once again—
Drums (TAMA & Zildjian cymbals) | Guitar (Gibson Les Paul & Marshall Amp) | Piano (Yamaha)
—Bio
After spending a decade with full-size headphones, and home audio speakers, I shifted my main listening environment to IEM. Of which, I have over 100 personal inventories —not loaner or review units—purchased with my hobby budget
—On mobile
I enjoyed Lexus’s Mark Levinson system and moved to Mercedes AMG’s Burmester 4D System
—Affiliation
Under the penalty of perjury of the United States of America, 28 U.S.C. § 1746, I’m neither affiliated with any sellers/stores/makers nor given review samples or paid for this review.
I purchased Wu Zetian from Tangzu Official Store at my own will with my own disposable income, for purely my personal entertainment purpose.
=====END OF INTRODUCTION=====
—About Tangzu
Formerly known as T-Force with their Yuan-Li, a CNT driver single dynamic IEM offer. Now renamed as Tangzu, offering entry-class single DD, Wan’er S.G, besides another budget friendly single DD Li-Shinmin, to their first yet most influential 14.5mm planar, Wu Zetian.
—About Wu Zetian
Named after the one and the only Empress of ancient Chinese Dynasties, Wu Zetian.
A legendary ancient beauty, resurrected once again—
—Royal & Beautiful
The color violet —back in ancient times—was a symbol of Nobility, only high-class royals and nobles were allowed. Now we have that nobility at our door steps. Here comes Wu Zetian.
—Sound
▶︎impressive yet inoffensive, natural and organic diffusion
▶︎a slice of hints in U-shape but only few decibels away from neutral
▶︎Almost warm-neutral with slight hints in upper mid as well as treble
▶︎Sub-bass is not overly emphasized (Not L-shape), with mid-bass having a welcoming warmth.
▶︎People with 200hz sensitivity may feel it a slight “bleed” and may prefer Timeless style scooped uppper-to-mid bass,
▶︎I’m perfectly fine with this mid-bass, a matter of preference
Let me put it this way. Wu’s voice does not contain any “husky” or “Dry” characteristics, her voice is “wet” and full of “emotion”. Not too wet, like unpleasantly humid level, it’s slightly wet, as if you are seeing Wu veiled with small splashes of raindrops on her hair, at the bus stop next to you, on a rainy day, waiting for the last bus of the day to arrive.
—Personal Impression
Wu has a very musically talented tuning. I can see the big boss of Tangzu spending nights and nights adjusting it.
This tuning is not a random attempt, the tuning has his/her philosophy in it.
Wu has a higher level top-down comprehensive bird’s eye type “sound as a whole” presentation, just like someone creates instruments.
Tangzu big boss has a talent to that extent.
2022 is a year of good tuner…Salnotes Zero and Wu.
—What is musicality? Wu gently asks.
You should have your own answer. Wu will ask you about this question, what musicality means to you.
To me, what matters the most is not technicality, after all things considered for “enjoying/live with your favorite songs”.
Surely technicality is like big engines in a car, a sports-car, a hyper-car, it goes as fast as you put your feet on pedal.
But once you’ve done everything you could imagine with sports-car & hyper-car, you feel the suspension is way too firm for going over the speed bumps, and if you hit any potholes on road with high performance sports tire&suspension, it will be very unpleasant for sure.
To me I’m inclined for cars made for “comfort & luxury “. I know I’m not too young anymore.
You don’t need huge engines for the comfort. That exactly same thinking applies to the IEM/headphones.
It’s just a man’s change in “sound” preference .
Things are not static.
Yet still, Wu reminds me of what an emotionally appealing sound is, regardless to the degree of the technical aspects.
Don’t “Think”, “Feel” it.
Wu is tailored for your comfort and pure enjoyment over technical things.
“Gentlemen perishes, His fame does not”
—Sound
▶︎impressive yet inoffensive, natural and organic diffusion
▶︎a slice of hints in U-shape but only few decibels away from neutral
▶︎Almost warm-neutral with slight hints in upper mid as well as treble
▶︎Sub-bass is not overly emphasized (Not L-shape), with mid-bass having a welcoming warmth.
▶︎People with 200hz sensitivity may feel it a slight “bleed” and may prefer Timeless style scooped uppper-to-mid bass,
▶︎I’m perfectly fine with this mid-bass, a matter of preference
Let me put it this way. Wu’s voice does not contain any “husky” or “Dry” characteristics, her voice is “wet” and full of “emotion”. Not too wet, like unpleasantly humid level, it’s slightly wet, as if you are seeing Wu veiled with small splashes of raindrops on her hair, at the bus stop next to you, on a rainy day, waiting for the last bus of the day to arrive.
—Personal Impression
Wu has a very musically talented tuning. I can see the big boss of Tangzu spending nights and nights adjusting it.
This tuning is not a random attempt, the tuning has his/her philosophy in it.
Wu has a higher level top-down comprehensive bird’s eye type “sound as a whole” presentation, just like someone creates instruments.
Tangzu big boss has a talent to that extent.
2022 is a year of good tuner…Salnotes Zero and Wu.
—What is musicality? Wu gently asks.
You should have your own answer. Wu will ask you about this question, what musicality means to you.
To me, what matters the most is not technicality, after all things considered for “enjoying/live with your favorite songs”.
Surely technicality is like big engines in a car, a sports-car, a hyper-car, it goes as fast as you put your feet on pedal.
But once you’ve done everything you could imagine with sports-car & hyper-car, you feel the suspension is way too firm for going over the speed bumps, and if you hit any potholes on road with high performance sports tire&suspension, it will be very unpleasant for sure.
To me I’m inclined for cars made for “comfort & luxury “. I know I’m not too young anymore.
You don’t need huge engines for the comfort. That exactly same thinking applies to the IEM/headphones.
It’s just a man’s change in “sound” preference .
Things are not static.
Yet still, Wu reminds me of what an emotionally appealing sound is, regardless to the degree of the technical aspects.
Don’t “Think”, “Feel” it.
Wu is tailored for your comfort and pure enjoyment over technical things.
“Gentlemen perishes, His fame does not”
[Tang-Dynasty] Wu Zetian, "Under the Track of the Minister - Integrity
—Tentative impression (based on my HRTF)
Overall | A+
Tonality | S+
Resolution | B+
Overall Coherence | B-
Blessing 2 (84/100: A) | Blessing 2 Dusk (85/100: A) | Mangird Tea (84/100: A) | Truthear HEXA (85/100 : A) | AKG N5005 (A) | See Audio Bravery (A)
My higher than A-rated:
Timeless (A+) | Westone W80 (A+) l DUNU SA6 (S-) | Variations (S-) | Softears RSV (S-) | Monarch (S-) | MEST MKII (S) | Anole VX (S+)
—Looking more technical set for Warm-Neutral?
Here is Westone W80
—Looking for a crisp neutral IEM instead?
With all my 20year+ of passion &love for IEM, my full mark recommendation is Truthear HEXA. My review is here. If you have both HEXA and Wu Zetain, you have pretty much reached all you’ll need. “Musicality” Wu, and “Technicality” HEXA.
—Want to enjoy some exotic music with your Wu?
You may hear a faint soprano “harmony” —inside your head—from these deep Monks’ choir. One of a kind harmony technique that yet to be known to western music theory.
Overall | A+
Tonality | S+
Resolution | B+
Overall Coherence | B-
- Diffusion Field coherence | B
- Image coordinate positioning coherence | C+
- Image Focusing Coherence | B-
- Sound wave momentum & Sound Image vectoring coherence | B-
Blessing 2 (84/100: A) | Blessing 2 Dusk (85/100: A) | Mangird Tea (84/100: A) | Truthear HEXA (85/100 : A) | AKG N5005 (A) | See Audio Bravery (A)
My higher than A-rated:
Timeless (A+) | Westone W80 (A+) l DUNU SA6 (S-) | Variations (S-) | Softears RSV (S-) | Monarch (S-) | MEST MKII (S) | Anole VX (S+)
—Looking more technical set for Warm-Neutral?
Here is Westone W80
—Looking for a crisp neutral IEM instead?
With all my 20year+ of passion &love for IEM, my full mark recommendation is Truthear HEXA. My review is here. If you have both HEXA and Wu Zetain, you have pretty much reached all you’ll need. “Musicality” Wu, and “Technicality” HEXA.
—Want to enjoy some exotic music with your Wu?
You may hear a faint soprano “harmony” —inside your head—from these deep Monks’ choir. One of a kind harmony technique that yet to be known to western music theory.