Reviewed by ybricko
:
Exceptional accessories and premium unboxing experience.
Beautiful design with a solid resin and metal build.
Pleasant, warm, and non-fatiguing sound signature perfect for long sessions.
A great all-rounder that works well with many genres.
Surprisingly wide soundstage for a single DD.
Punchy, fast, and well-controlled bass.
Excellent value for the price.
:
Bulky housing may not be comfortable for smaller ears.
May not be suitable for listeners sensitive to the 5k - 8k region.
Sound can be sharp or piercing if you don't achieve a proper seal.
Imaging is just average, can feel a bit 2D.
(Subjective) Upper treble could use a bit more air.
Hey everyone,
Just got my hands on the new IEM from Harmonic Empire (a Tangzu sub-brand), the Xiao Qiao. The design is absolutely gorgeous, but the real question is: does it sound as good as it looks? Let's dive in and break it down!
Technical Specifications
• Driver Configuration: Graphene Dynamic Driver
• Sensitivity: 104dB @ 1kHz
• Impedance: 9.8Ω @ 1kHz (±20%)
• Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20kHz
• Cable Material: Leeds coaxial 5N LC-OFC silver-plated cable
• Plug: 4.4mm Balanced
• Cable Length: 1.2m (±5%)
• Connector: 2-pin 0.78mm
Unboxing & Accessories: Absolutely Top-Notch!
Before we even talk about the sound, I have to give major props for the package. Seriously, the accessory set is insane for the price. You get a fantastic carrying case, a pretty nice silver-plated cable that perfectly matches the housing's color, and two types of eartips (3 pairs each) – one standard silicone and one set of what feels like liquid silicone tips (these are my personal favorite). They even throw in some cute stickers and a keychain. The whole unboxing experience feels incredibly premium.
• Accessories: 4.9 / 5
• Unboxing Experience: 4.75 / 5
Build & Fitting
Gotta be honest, the resin and metal housing is a bit on the bulky side. However, for my ears, the fit is surprisingly perfect—no complaints at all. The weight is pretty standard, so it doesn't cause any fatigue over time. That semi-open-back design is also a real head-turner; it definitely gets noticed.
An important note on fit: Because the housing is bulky, getting a proper seal is crucial. A poor fit can make the sound come across as a bit hot and sharp. A friend of mine experienced this firsthand when he tried my unit; he initially found the sound piercing. However, once we swapped eartips and found a pair that sealed perfectly for him, his opinion completely changed, and he agreed it was "quite a warm-sounding set." So, I highly recommend tip-rolling (trying different eartips) if the stock ones don't work for you.
• Fit: 4.25 / 5
My Review Setup
To keep things consistent, here's the gear I used for testing:
• DAC: iBasso JR Macaron (it's the only one I have, haha)
• Cable: Stock 4.4mm
• Eartips: Stock Liquid Silicone (Size S, as the M was surprisingly too big for me)
Disclaimer: These are purely my subjective opinions from my humble ears. If I get any terms wrong, feel free to correct me, veterans!
Sound Impressions
Technical Performance
With its eye-catching semi-open-back design, you'd expect a wide soundstage, right? And you'd be correct! Even for a single dynamic driver, it feels quite spacious, and the design definitely helps a lot here.
When it comes to imaging, it's decent for its price point. To my ears, it still feels a little 2D, which might just be a limitation of a single DD setup. However, the instrument separation is excellent, with no complaints from me.
• Technicals: 4.0 / 5
Tonal Signature
Overall, I'd describe the tuning as balanced-warm. It’s a very pleasant and non-fatiguing sound profile that's great for long listening sessions.
Bass:
You can still feel a decent amount of sub-bass rumble, but the Xiao Qiao leans more towards a punchy, tight bass. Thankfully, it's a relatively fast bass, which makes it surprisingly great for the heavier metal tracks I occasionally listen to. It never feels muddy or slow.
Mids:
For my taste, the mids are just right. Male vocals have good weight and presence, while female vocals are clear and well-balanced. It's a fantastic IEM for vocal-centric tracks. Instruments like pianos and guitars are rendered beautifully, especially in their upper registers—very pleasing to the ear.
Treble:
Now for the most crucial part for me when buying an IEM: the treble! The mid-treble here has a good amount of energy without being harsh. However, and this is purely subjective, I personally feel it could use just a tiny bit more boost in the upper treble/air region to give it that extra "sparkle." That said, it's not a dark-sounding IEM by any means. Cymbals and other high-frequency details are still present and don't get buried in the mix.
• Tonal: 4.15 / 5
In my opinion, the Harmonic Empire Xiao Qiao is a fantastic all-rounder that suits a wide variety of genres. Its smooth and engaging character is perfect for long, fatigue-free listening sessions.
Is it competitive at its price point? A resounding YES!
Final Scores
• Fit: 4.25 / 5
• Tonal: 4.15 / 5
• Technicals: 4.0 / 5
• Accessories: 4.9 / 5
• Unboxing Experience: 4.75 / 5
Overall Score: 4.41 / 5
My Test Playlist (via Apple Music):
• Bernadya - Masa Sepi
• 510 - Ritual
• Deadsquad - Enigmatic Pandemonium
• Rhapsody of Fire - Emerald Sword
• Green Day - Jesus of Suburbia
• Aoi Teshima - Kokoro wo Komete
• The Beatles - Yesterday
• JKT48 - Percik Kecil
• Pidi Baiq - Dan Bandung
• ...and many more.
