TangZu Zetian Wu Review : Under the Empress' Gaze
Huge thanks for TangZu Audio for giving me an opportunity to try these out.
Disclaimer: This unit is provided to me for a set amount of time as part of a tour. Your mileage may vary.
Specifications-
Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-pin
Driver Configuration: 14.5mm Planar Driver
Frequency Range: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 100dB @ 1kHz
Price: 150$ (Linsoul)
Sources Used-
Zishan U1 ES9038Q2M
Sony NW-A55 (MrWalkman CFW)
Colorfly CDA M1
Introduction:
Planar Magnetic Drivers. A speaker tech that is commonly used in headphones and speakers, and rarely used in IEMs. In the past few years the application of planar drivers in IEMs is not popular because of factors like R&D costs, production costs, etc. One of the brands known to use this tech in their IEMs is AUDEZE. However recently we all have witnessed a boom of planar IEMs. From brands like KZ/CCA (PLA13, PR1 Standard, PR1 HIFI), MOONDROP (Stellaris), DUNU (Talos), Kinera (Gumiho), Shuoer (S12, S12 Pro), and more and upcoming planar IEMs. This time I have my hands on TangZu's first planar offering, the one and only Empress, TangZu Zetian Wu. This is my first time trying out a planar IEM, so join me as I enter a whole new world of planar IEMs.
Build Quality:
The unit provided in the tour only comes with the case, cable, and the IEM itself. Sadly I can't give any unboxing experience with this IEM.
Disclaimer: This unit is provided to me for a set amount of time as part of a tour. Your mileage may vary.
Specifications-
Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-pin
Driver Configuration: 14.5mm Planar Driver
Frequency Range: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Impedance: 16 ohms
Sensitivity: 100dB @ 1kHz
Price: 150$ (Linsoul)
Sources Used-
Zishan U1 ES9038Q2M
Sony NW-A55 (MrWalkman CFW)
Colorfly CDA M1
Introduction:
Planar Magnetic Drivers. A speaker tech that is commonly used in headphones and speakers, and rarely used in IEMs. In the past few years the application of planar drivers in IEMs is not popular because of factors like R&D costs, production costs, etc. One of the brands known to use this tech in their IEMs is AUDEZE. However recently we all have witnessed a boom of planar IEMs. From brands like KZ/CCA (PLA13, PR1 Standard, PR1 HIFI), MOONDROP (Stellaris), DUNU (Talos), Kinera (Gumiho), Shuoer (S12, S12 Pro), and more and upcoming planar IEMs. This time I have my hands on TangZu's first planar offering, the one and only Empress, TangZu Zetian Wu. This is my first time trying out a planar IEM, so join me as I enter a whole new world of planar IEMs.
Build Quality:
The unit provided in the tour only comes with the case, cable, and the IEM itself. Sadly I can't give any unboxing experience with this IEM.
The case included with the Zetian Wu is by far the largest case I've ever seen. It's made of synthetic leather outside with two gold plated zippers. The leather feels generic to feel with the brand's name imprinted to it. Aside from it's large size, nothing exceptional on the outside.
Inside the case is large as expected of the size of it. The top part is your usual inside pouch where you can store small stuff like eartips or cables. The bottom part of the case has a divider where you should slot the earpiece in and coil the cable around it. Both top and bottom part is layered with some kind of thin synthetic felt. This is to make sure that the contents of the case is protected with the divider and the felt layer.
The earpiece is a bit bigger than your usual IEMs, given that it houses a 14.5mm Planar Driver. To my surprise, even with its size the earpieces are very light, as if it was weightless. Just the look of its faceplate alone makes it look very elegant, befitting its name. The faceplate is made out of CNC Aluminum and the housing is made of 3D Printed Resin.
The cable is made of 5N Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) in 4.4mm Balanced plug/0.78mm pin termination. The thickness of the cable is way thicker than standard 4 Core cable. Despite its thickness, the cable itself is soft and easily manageable.
Sound Quality:
Since the unit sent to me is lacking in accessories (ear tips), I chose to use my preferred ear tips for the Zetian Wu which is JVC Spiral Dots.
In the headphone scene where planar headphones are known to require an amplifier to reach their full potential, the same can be said with planar IEMs. The Zetian Wu requires a powerful source to reach its full potential, at least 2VRMS which is common nowadays. The noticeable difference between SE and BAL on my CDA M1 is only the volume, but with the A55 it’s a different story. With the A55 alone it sounds ok but definitely lacking overall, using a weak source for the Zetian Wu inhibits its ability to perform at full potential.
I was surprised at the quantity of bass that the Zetian Wu has given me on my first listen with it, as it has sub-bass rumble and mid-bass impact that I did not expect for my first planar IEM experience. It is not muddy, controlled, tight, and well textured bass. I usually listen to J-Pop and Doujin music, and having bass like this is really good.
Vocals are excellent for both male and female vocals. Warm, slightly intimate, and extends really well. There are times where I can hear sibilance, but most of the time it is just song specific and I just had to turn down the volume a little bit to make it disappear. Other than that minor inconvenience, there is really nothing much for me to complain about the vocals.
The treble of the Zetian Wu is no slouch either. Listening to instrumentals is a bliss with the Zetian Wu. Detailed and well-extended, with a decent amount of sparkle.
Soundstage is above average, with very good imaging and layering. It does give that planar-like performance that I had with the only planar headphones that I owned, Hifiman HE400se OG. But obviously it does not completely replicate the performance of a planar headphone.
Conclusion:
Overall I find the Zetian Wu to be a very good all-rounder IEM that will fit everything that you’ll throw at it. Rich and natural sounding balanced signature that most people would love. If you have a proper source to use with the Zetian Wu and are looking to try planar IEMs for a change, I’d definitely recommend it. I am looking forward to TangZu new and upcoming releases. Thank you everyone for reading.
Sound Quality:
Since the unit sent to me is lacking in accessories (ear tips), I chose to use my preferred ear tips for the Zetian Wu which is JVC Spiral Dots.
In the headphone scene where planar headphones are known to require an amplifier to reach their full potential, the same can be said with planar IEMs. The Zetian Wu requires a powerful source to reach its full potential, at least 2VRMS which is common nowadays. The noticeable difference between SE and BAL on my CDA M1 is only the volume, but with the A55 it’s a different story. With the A55 alone it sounds ok but definitely lacking overall, using a weak source for the Zetian Wu inhibits its ability to perform at full potential.
I was surprised at the quantity of bass that the Zetian Wu has given me on my first listen with it, as it has sub-bass rumble and mid-bass impact that I did not expect for my first planar IEM experience. It is not muddy, controlled, tight, and well textured bass. I usually listen to J-Pop and Doujin music, and having bass like this is really good.
Vocals are excellent for both male and female vocals. Warm, slightly intimate, and extends really well. There are times where I can hear sibilance, but most of the time it is just song specific and I just had to turn down the volume a little bit to make it disappear. Other than that minor inconvenience, there is really nothing much for me to complain about the vocals.
The treble of the Zetian Wu is no slouch either. Listening to instrumentals is a bliss with the Zetian Wu. Detailed and well-extended, with a decent amount of sparkle.
Soundstage is above average, with very good imaging and layering. It does give that planar-like performance that I had with the only planar headphones that I owned, Hifiman HE400se OG. But obviously it does not completely replicate the performance of a planar headphone.
Conclusion:
Overall I find the Zetian Wu to be a very good all-rounder IEM that will fit everything that you’ll throw at it. Rich and natural sounding balanced signature that most people would love. If you have a proper source to use with the Zetian Wu and are looking to try planar IEMs for a change, I’d definitely recommend it. I am looking forward to TangZu new and upcoming releases. Thank you everyone for reading.
Shopping link: ZeTian Wu(40% off)