TangZu uprising has been nothing short of spectacular so far with awesome releases since the days of TForce Yuan Li till their new TangZu pseudonym and their products have been consistently great. They are the rare few who kept their roots intact with their famed Chinese imperial theme that comes with original design, solid build and of course a superb performance. Their current releases have been a crowd favourite like the Heyday, WanEr, Nezha and the flagship Bajie stamping them as one of the giants of Chi-fi earphone makers. Recently they have been teasing us with their collaboration with Dethonray from Shenzhen China by co-tuning an IEM that has a glorious design named the YuXuan Ji and they have finally been launched with a surprisingly decent price. Joseph from TangZu has kindly sent us a pair of the all new YuXuan Ji and we are grateful for the opportunity they have given us. How will they fare in this price range? Does the looks match the performance? These will be answered soon enough.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the TangZu YuXuan Ji;
● Driver Unit: 10mm TPLX (Topology Dynamic Driver) Co-Tuned With Dethonray
● Unit Features: 10mm TPLX (Topology Dynamic Drivers), Open Back Design
● Shell: CNC Zinc Alloy
● Sensitivity: 104.5dB 1kHz
● Impedance: 15.6 Ω 1 kHz ± 20%
● Frequency Range: 20Hz – 20kHz
● Cable Spec: 3.5mm/4.4mm/ USB C Plug OFC Silver Plated Cable
● Cable length: 1.2m ± 5%
● Socket Interface: Flush 2 pin 0.78mm
The TangZu YuXuan Ji can be purchased directly at the TangZu website with free shipping and plenty of other platforms around the world.
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging here has the usual TangZu flair of classic imperial themes in a manga style. It came in a solid black paper box that is similar with the other products by them like the ShiminLi Encounter and they are packed neatly and quite premium looking. Inside we are greeted with 3 pairs of Tang Sancai balanced eartips, 3 pairs of generic silicone eartips, a soft PU leather case, the cable which users can select from 3.5mm, 4.4mm and USB C and the IEM itself. Simple yet straight to the point packaging with all the necessities but I would prefer a solid case for better protection for these beauties.
Design
The design here for me is the star of the show and it has captivated me since their early teaser for their eye-catching, classy, luxurious design of a lotus flower bloom and they certainly have the looks of a flagship product. It comes in 2 colour schemes, silver or black and the one with me is the black ones. The flower decoration also doubles as their vents and the YuXuan Ji is an open back IEM. The body is casted zinc alloy composite with a slight weight to them and from experience, zinc alloy shells are more robust and have better scratch resistance than normal aluminium alloy ones. A pat on the back for their designers, 10 over 10 for their design and build without a doubt.
Fit here is superb for my ears as they have good ergonomics with a medium sized shell and a slightly matte body of the black version. The silver version has a polished metal body that might have slightly better isolation.
Inside the YuXuan Ji is a topology 10mm dynamic driver developed and tuned in collaboration with Dethonray. Topology dynamic drivers have been used in the past but quite rarely seen in this price range. They have a specific pattern designed by the engineers on their diaphragm different from conventional ones to produce better audio precision. With these precise control of the diaphragm pattern, engineers have the upper hand in fine tuning the sound output to their liking. Making a topology dynamic is a tedious job with a higher cost but the outcome might be worthy if it is tuned right.
The nozzle here is a metal nozzle in gold and they are short with an outer diameter of 6mm and 4.5mm on the inner side. They are fitted with a black metal mesh for protection.
There are a total of 23 holes disguised as petals on each side of the YuXuan Ji and they have a metal mesh in rose gold on them. Another pinhole vent is on the other side of the body and they are there to relieve pressure build up to prevent driver flex. No driver flex is present which is a good sign of a well vented IEM also to prolong the life of the drivers.
The YuXuan Ji has a flush type of standard 0.78mm connection with a slightly tight connection which is great.
The YuXuan Ji comes in a rectangular soft fabric case with their brand name and they do look premium with their gold button. The case is rather small and doesn’t protect the IEM from impact as much as a hard case.
The cable has 3 choices where the user can choose from. First is the normal 3.5mm single ended, a balanced 4.4mm and another is a USB C cable and they are slightly pricier. Cable material is made from oxygen free copper with silver plating and they have 4 cores of cable and braided tightly. The cable is similar to the TangZu FuDu and they do have a mild rubbery feel to them. They are soft and pliable, suitable for an everyday carry but a better cable does improve the sonic attributes quite well.
Gears Used for Comparisons
Fiio Q7
Qudelix T71
Hiby FC6
FiiO BTR7
Intime Sho DD
Letshuoer S15
Letshuoer DZ4
TangZu Xuan NV
RHA MA750i
Hiby Lasya
Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro
Moondrop A8
Dunu EST112
Truthear Zero RED
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the TangZu YuXuan Ji is a L shaped sound that has a boosted high range with a neutral, flat midrange and low end. The lower region does have some lift with certain sources and tracks, they may come as a mild U shaped sound at times. The tone here is a bright sound with a clinical sound but isn’t too cold nor dry and they do possess a mild warmth in their lower midrange along with an energetic high range for a livelier presentation. They have an above average technicalities that punch above their asking price with amazing overall details with a wide dynamic range. The sound I am getting is almost colourless sound that has great accuracy and transparency making them a good monitoring EM while also suitable for a casual listening.
Soundstage
The YuXuan Ji soundstage here is decently good in their price range with a wide, deep stage and along with their airy soundstage for their asking price. Height here is mediocre though as I do find them to be deep and wide rather than tall slightly affecting their spaciousness marginally. One big plus of the YuXuan Ji is their holographic soundstage that is surreal given their asking price as they are accurate and true to life giving an accurate representation of sound directions clearly making them suitable even for gaming and movies. Immersiveness here is average but they are in no way dull or monotonous.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is superb and they are one the main attraction on this YuXuan Ji as they have wide separation and a clear left to right stereo sound that possesses no crosstalk issues showcasing the strength of a well implemented single dynamic driver. Coherency here is also superb as usual for a single dynamic setup and they do have a rather wide dynamic range almost like a hybrid setup which is great for a single driver doing all the job. Each frequency is well presented without any gaps and they sounded full all around. Timbre here is piercy and they are slightly rough on the higher range but they are a breathy and quite energetic one. On the higher range with certain high staccato, there are some instances of unnatural metallic timbre but only marginally and far between.
Drivability
Rated at around 15.6 ohms at 104.5 dB sensitivity, the YuXuan Ji is easily driven from any source and they are quite sensitive in picking up noise so a low impedance output is better suited to them. The YuXuan Ji is easily driven from any source with ample volume and their scalability is actually pretty good as they sound better with a good source given the matching is good. I do find that a bright source will exacerbate the peaky high incurring more fatigue so a warm, smooth source will suit them immensely. They are a transparent set which may show flaws in a bad recording which makes them a good set for critical listeners or for monitoring purposes and also the higher bitrates tracks will indeed sound better in terms of their clarity and dynamics.
The Bass (Low)
The bass here lives up to a dynamic driver name as they are thumpy and will perform when called upon without overpowering issues. They are a neutral balanced bass with a mild lift in the mid bass section with a tight bass slam that is agile and elastic. Details are good with a great clarity producing a clean and clear bass without any muddiness or midrange bleed present. They aren’t a bass focused set that suits bass heads, instead an accurate bass presentation that is natural and organic. The resolution here is average with an average texture while having superb transparency as they present the bass in an accurate manner with no artificial amount added. Subbass here is deep and extends pretty well with an airy presentation that gives music some soul and. One thing to note is that the bass roll off rather early that gives the bass slightly less air and on some EDM tracks they may lack a good impact. Other than that, the bass here is great and competent in their price range.
The Mids
Midrange here is a neutral sound that has a clinical sound leaning towards the higher range which gives them a brighter sound signature. Details here are superb with micro and macro details sounding crystal clear along with top notch clarity without any veil present. The midrange have a great amount of space and they have accurate placement of sound that doesn’t sound too forward nor too far. The upper midrange has a great amount of energy but they do display some peaks and on some bright source, they might incur fatigue in the long run. They are a slightly deviated house sound of TangZu’s warm, thick house sound with a less warmth in them thus making the sound a little lacking in body and lushness but on the other hand, the midrange here has superb imaging accuracy with great transparency. Coloration here is non-existent and they present the midrange just as it is. Vocals here are great especially with female vocals for their brilliance in the upper midrange but for male vocals they do lack some depth and may sound a little thin. Resolution here is great as they do provide a vivid sound albeit with no coloration, the YuXuan Ji resolves sound with a lively sound. Instrumentals like strings, drums and others high staccato perform great but with instruments that have depth like oboe, bass and cello may sound thin but only marginally.
The Highs
High range has slightly boosted highs and they sounded neutral with a good extension that provides a good amount of air. They do have a good amount of details with great clarity and they possess a strong, lively sparkle along with a mild crisp decay. They do sound bright but aren’t overly bright but can be strong for treble sensitive folks as on certain tracks they do sound spicy. The YuXuan Ji actually do borderline a sibilant sound but somehow manage to sound just enough to be in control and they produce a lively high range. There are some peaks in the 8 kHz to 10 kHz region but to my ears they aren’t harsh or too piercing but rather blends well with the overall presentation of these IEM. Transparency here is great with an accurate reproduction of the high notes without any unnatural timbre and they do sound spot on most of the time. Treble here has an extended high intensity that gives an upbeat presentation with some decent bite that possesses a rather fun, high energy sound but not for those who seek a laid-back, relaxing sound.
Comparisons
VS Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro
The Rose Technics or RoseSelsa Star City 5 Pro is one of their best selling IEM as they are able to sound amazing and package generously all in a low price range. They are priced a smidgen more than the YuXuan ji and they are a hybrid setup that consist of 1 dynamic driver with 2 balanced armatures. Build and design here without a doubt goes to the YuXuan Ji but the packaging of the Star City 5 Pro is really unbeatable at this price range.
High range
Highs on the YuXuan Ji have a slightly bigger amount with a bigger bite for a livelier presence and they have more energy. Both high ranges have great amounts of clarity and detail along with good resolving sound but transparency on the YuXuan Ji is more natural as they do not possess a balanced armature timbre. The Star City 5 Pro has better extension here but the YuXuan Ji does have slightly better air partly due to their open back design.
Midrange
YuXuan Ji midrange has a more balanced sound and has a slightly forward versus the mild recessed mids of the Star City 5 Pro. Details are on the Star City 5 Pro side by a small margin but the YuXuan Ji does sound clearer. The YuXuan Ji does have a more spacious feel versus the Star City 5 Pro intimacy. The Star City 5 Pro does sound thicker with a little more coloration, thus sounding lusher than the YuXuan Ji which in return has better accuracy along with greater transparency.
Bass
Bass on the Star City 5 Pro is tighter, faster and stronger while the YuXuan Ji has a leaner bass response. The Star City 5 Pro bass is more suitable for EDM, jazz or modern pop genres for their hard hitting bass while the YuXuan Ji suits a wider genre selection for their more natural bass but they do sound a little lean for bass driven tracks. Details and clarity here are similar but the Star City 5 Pro does sound deeper with a better sub-bass extension.
Soundstage
The soundstage on both have similar width with average height but the YuXuan Ji does have an airer sound.
VS Truthear Zero RED
The Truthear Zero RED is another value for money product with collaboration with Crinacle and they are a dual dynamic setup with a similar price point with the YuXuan Ji. Both are packed similarly but the cable on the YuXuan Ji does look better and have more terminations to offer. The zero RED does come with an impedance adapter for increasing the bass amount and that makes them more versatile. Build on both is good where the Zero RED is full resin build and YuXuan Ji with the zinc alloy shell. The Zero RED does have a wider dynamic range but overall technicalities goes to the YuXuan Ji.
High region
The highs of the YuXuan Ji are more sparkly and sharper than the balanced highs of the Zero RED. Details and clarity seems to be better here on the YuXuan Ji but the Zero RED does possess a smoother, natural highs. Zero RED extends slightly better and will suit more users with their smoother sound but the YuXuan Ji does sound airier. Treble is more extended on the YuXuan Ji while the Zero RED is more natural.
Midrange
Midrange on the Zero RED has a thicker, warmer and more forward sound while YuXuan Ji has a more neutral slightly thin mids with a more spacious mids. Details and clarity goes to the YuXuan Ji but the Zero RED has a slightly better upper midrange with a less peaky sound. Zero RED does have a more accurate timbre here but brilliance and energy on the YuXuan Ji is livelier. Vocals on the Zero RED is more of an all rounder but the YuXuan Ji with the extra brilliance does sound livelier.
Bass
The amount of bass on Zero RED has the edge of being more extended with a more accurate slam with a more evident mid bass lift versus the mild roll off bass of the YuXuan Ji. Sub-bass in both sets is similar in depth but the Zero RED does rumble deeper and stronger. Details and clarity does side on the YuXuan Ji as they are clearer and cleaner overall.
Soundstage
Soundstage height is similar but depth and width is better on the YuXuan Ji.
Synergy
Hiby FC6
Hiby FC6 is a miniature version of their flagship DAP RS2 Darwin R2R architecture that is Hiby’s creation packed in a portable audio dongle form. They have a smooth, analogue sound with a lush and organic sound with great technicalities in their sound and they match the energetic neutral signature of the YuXuan Ji making them sound more full bodied. Though only having a 3.5mm single ended output, they have adequate power that is enough for most IEMs out there including the YuXuan Ji which is relatively easy to drive.
Bass has a more organic sound with slight details and clarity increase. The bass has better texture and has some mid bass lift and that makes the overall bass sounds more enjoyable. They do sound fuller and have an extended bass with a slower roll off. Sub-bass do possess a deeper and stronger rumble but in a small margin.
Midrange sounds thicker and that gives the sound some body. Vocals sound smoother on the upper mids and sounded more natural with a more resolving sound. Male vocals now sounded deeper with more depth. Intimacy also does sound sweeter and lusher here along with more enjoyable instrumentals.
High range is slightly leaner and there is some decrease in their treble intensity while retaining their lively sparkle. Details and clarity is better as they do add some extension and air here making the high range less fatigue. The high range here does sound smoother overall while still being well defined. Great synergy is going on here.
Soundstage has seen improved width and height with the same size headroom.
FiiO Q7
The Q7 from FiiO and they are a transportable DAC amplifier that launched in 2023 and they are still the flagship in the Q series in FiiO. They are equipped with the venerable Sabre ES9038pro dac chip with dual THX 788+ chipset that boast a maximum of 3000 mw power with the DC power supply. They have a bright to warm sound that has tons of power to drive any IEMs and most of the headphones around. The synergy here actually does show the fullest potential of the most of the IEMs if they are scalable. The YuXuan Ji scalability here is marginal but they do have some minor improvements in the clean source provided.
Bass has a cleaner sound that has a slightly mid bass lift and they sounded fuller with a slower roll off but the amount remains the same. They have a deeper sub-bass extension with a stronger rumble. Details and clarity has a slight increase and they sound airier with a slightly more authority.
Midrange has a slightly thicker sound making the midrange sound fuller and they are slightly more intimate with a more resolving sound. The midrange also does sound warmer with a more forward sound. The upper midrange here does add some amount here and it may cause some fatigue for their peaks.
Highs has the same amount of sparkle but has a better extension along with a crisper sound. Details and clarity stayed the same but they do sound a little more polished. Treble extension is the same but the do sound smoother while still being strong.
Soundstage height and width is better with a wider, airier sound overall.
Who Is It For?
The YuXuan Ji is a recommended product for those who want a top of the line design and a solid build that possesses great technicalities all in an entry price range. They are suitable for those who want great clarity and a neutral sound for modern pop, classicals, acoustics and even rock but not really suited bass driven tracks for their lack of bass amount and body. They are a great IEM for gaming for the great imaging and holographic soundstage but not for movies as they do lack immersion. The YuXuan Ji also works fine for monitoring as they have good transparency and they are accurate in their timbre. Treble sensitive users might want to take note as the treble here is on the more intense side.
Final words
Well does the carpet match the drapes? For me it is a yes for this TangZu YuXuan Ji given the low asking price point. It is without a doubt one of the best, if not the best looking IEM at this price and better than some way above the price. The sound here is actually quite technical with a slight mix of TangZu’s warm house sound and Dethonray tuning producing a stronger treble that possesses superb imaging along with great details across the whole frequencies. Though there is some refinement needed on the upper midrange and a rather lean mid bass, it is still a worthy contender in the entry realm where the YuXuan Ji is certainly competent. TangZu has certainly found their footing within the portable audio scene and I am stoked for what’s to come in the year 2025 for them.
I would rate this product 4 over 5 stars
Pros
- Solid aluminium alloy build with a gorgeous design
- Comfortable, ergonomic fit
- Great overall clarity and detail
- Superb imaging and separation
- Accurate bass with good sub-bass extension
- Wide dynamic range
- Natural, piercy timbre
- Neutral spacious midrange
- No colouration for an accurate sound
- Good overall resolution and transparency
- Great sparkly high range
- Good treble extension
- Wide airy soundstage
- Good for monitoring
- Easily driven
- Value for money
Cons
- Upper midrange peak
- Slightly thin midrange
- Peaky upper midrange
- Not suitable for basshead
- Not a fun sounding set (preference)
- Slightly dry sound
- Bass rolled off a little early
- High range lack crispness
- Vocals lack body
- Small soft case that is impractical
