TangZu Audio XuanWu Gate

Introduction
Introducing TangZu Audio, the wildcard entry of this brand in the audio world with their Wan’er. Their latest and greatest creation, the TangZu Xuanwu Gate has 1 Dynamic Driver, 4 Balanced Armature and 2 Sonion Est Drivers. Constructed with Aerospace-Grade Aluminium Alloy CNC, feels incredibly premium in hand, and even looks like it is something, there is Terraced Field Line Design all over the IEM. I recieved this IEM as a part of a review tour held locally, desipite I would like to mention at first that by no means this review is being influenced in any way.

Build and Comfort
The TangZu Xuanwu Gate is a pair of headphones that truly showcases the brand's dedication to quality craftsmanship and user comfort. Made with a sturdy aerospace-grade aluminium alloy shell, the Gate feels durable and expensive in hand; it exudes a sense of sophistication. The intricate terraced outlines inspired by rice terrace fields add a touch of elegance to its design, showing the attention to detail put into its creation. However, the large shell size may be a bit of a challenge for users with smaller ears. Once adjusted properly, the Gate sits securely in place, reducing the problem of slippage during long listening sessions. The modular cable allows for easy interchangeability between single-ended and balanced outputs, adding to its versatility. The luxurious PU-leather carrying case ensures that the Gate remains protected during transport, keeping it in pristine condition when not in use. Overall, while there may be some initial adjustments needed, the Gate's thoughtful design and premium materials make for a comfortable and enjoyable listening experience, making it a great companion for extended use. The cable that comes with these IEM’s are excellent, looks like the Effect Audio - Cadmus, comes with quality plugs, also modular, basically there is no need to replace the cable of these, the stock is an excellent cable in my opinion.

Sound
Let's start with the lows. The bass response of the Gate is precise and controlled, striking a fine balance between impact and texture. The sub-bass presence is notable, providing a deep and rumbly foundation without overpowering other frequencies. Instruments like bass guitars and kick drums sound fantastic, with a satisfying resonance and articulation that adds richness to the overall sound. However, if you're someone who loves a pronounced bass slam, you might find the Gate falling slightly short compared to other bass-centric IEMs.
Moving on to the midrange, the Gate truly shines. The midrange is characterised by clarity, coherence, and natural tonality. Vocals are rendered with exceptional detail and accuracy, allowing the nuances in the singer's performance to shine through. Whether it's male or female vocals, each note is delivered with precision and warmth. Instruments like guitars and pianos sound lifelike, with a captivating presence that enhances the listening experience across different genres.
Now, let's talk about the highs. The treble response of the Gate is smooth and shimmering. The treble remains articulate and well-defined; the details are best in this price range competing with the likes of mk2. Cymbals have a sparkling clarity, and string instruments possess a delicate yet lively presence. The transition between the midrange and treble is seamless, creating a cohesive and engaging soundstage that is free from any harshness or fatigue.

Overall sound characteristic of Gate is neutral with slight more yet controlled bass, the midrange is on the baseline and treble feels a bit more sparkly, it has tons of air and feels very incisive, it's more of an analytical listening, so not very smooth or musical, it will sound excellent with good tracks and with poor recordings it will not forgive. Otherwise this IEM is very enjoyable.

Soundstage
The TangZu Xuanwu Gate presents a commendable soundstage, It gives an immersive and expansive auditory experience. Despite its in-ear form factor, the Gate manages to create a sense of spatial depth and dimensionality that belies its compact size. The soundstage of the Gate is wide although not in the realm of mk2, with instruments and vocals positioned across a broad lateral expanse. This width allows for a sense of openness and airiness in the presentation, enabling individual elements of the music to occupy distinct spatial locations within the listener's perceptual field. Additionally, the Gate demonstrates impressive depth in its soundstage, with instruments and vocals projected forward and backward along the depth axis. This depth adds a layer of realism to the listening experience, creating a sense of distance and proximity between the listener and the performers. Moreover, the Gate excels in imaging accuracy, with precise placement and localization of sound sources within the soundstage. Instruments are rendered with clarity and precision, allowing listeners to discern subtle nuances in instrument separation and layering.

Comparison with Monarch Mk2
Comparing it with the renowned mk2, it is more similar that it is different, the Gate is already up to the the marks and hanging there with the big boys, it can even go head to head with the mk2, overall if talking about the differences, the build is there, Tangzu being metal and the other being resin. Tangzu feels more premium tbh, anyways coming to the sound experience the Gate sounds more balanced in the mid range, the bass of both of these IEM are on the same page but gate bass sounds to have more quality and control over the mk2, the treble section I would say the gate has more sharpness, but the details on both of these IEM are on par. Soundstage is the one difference that is noticeable, Gate even though it has an ample amount of soundstage the mk2 has a better sense of space, feels wider.

Comparison with Performer 8
An unfair comparison as performer 8 costs half the price of gate. Coming off to the build quality it's again the same story resin and metal difference, the size is a huge difference, the gate is almost twice as big as P8 (not really twice). The sound quality, starting off with the lows, the gate has a bit more punch and better authority. Basically the quality of the bass is slightly better than P8, quantity wise also the gate feels a tad more. The mids section on both IEM’s are great but again gate feels more natural where P8 at times could feel artificial, and lastly the treble both IEMs are again similar P8 Being slightly more sharper, it lacks the finesse of the EST drivers, although the P8 has excellent treble for the price, it competes with the likes of Gate and Mk2, but then yes obviously the EST drivers can do treble a lot more smoother than BA that is lacking on the P8. Basically P8 is a great IEM, but if you have the funds for Gate, it is an excellent choice.

Rating Scores:
Sound Quality:
Low Frequency (Bass): (4.5/5)
Mid Frequency: (5/5)
High Frequency (Treble): (4.5/5)

Comfort:
Fit and Ergonomics: (4/5)
Prolonged Wear Comfort: (5/5)

Soundstage and Imaging:
Soundstage Width: (4/5)
Soundstage Depth: (4/5)
Imaging Accuracy: (5/5)

Overall Rating: (4.5/5)

Gallery:

TangZu products have been creeping up in price lately! We had the Nezha which was 400 USD and now the Gate is 650 USD. But still, considering its their flagship, the price is not absurd. The Nezha was amazing, fantastic actually. Let's see what the Gate is up to!

Build and Fit
The unboxing experience is what you'd expect from a 650 USD product: it is a show! The box is huge, heavy and beautiful. The entire theme of the product is the rice paddy lines. Now coming to the actual product- the build is really solid, no surprises there. But what is surprising is the size of the shell. Its big! Out of all the earphones I have had the pleasure of wearing- only the Blessing 2 was too big. And now the Gate! I had to insert it by stretching my ear. The nozzle size is not too wide but the shell itself is larger than average. I do get some discomfort after wearing them for an hour or so before I need to re-adjust it. Granted, my ears aren't too big, but it's needed to be mentioned.
The included Tang Sancai tips are really soft and non-irritating on the skin, and with these tips the fit is quite good. With harder stem tips/stiff tips the insertion may be painful for some. The paddy line is engraved on the back side of the shell as well and this is a design overlook, I feel because the lines collect dust, grime pretty easily and it may even capture earwax. It does need to be cleaned frequently. You get the same luxurious and over-engineered carry case as you get with the Nezha, along with a similar modular cable- which is great.




Amp Needs
At 10.5 ohms and 103dB @1kHz sensitivity this is quite sensitive and easy to drive, no dedicated amplifier needed. But as is the case as always; a good usb dac will go a long way.

Sound Quality
At first, I was hoping it would be Nezha but on steroids- but it's not. Not at all. It's totally different to Nezha. Where Nezha was open and agile and very resolving, the Gate is softer, laid back, easy going, and slightly warm. I had to re-adjust my expectations on first listen as it was such a different sound. And then it grew; the more I heard it, the more addicted I became. The smoothness to the sound is very forgiving of even the worst possible kind of recording- making everything pleasurable. And yet it maintains a very natural tone. You can say that the Gate is very refined sounding. The star attraction is the midrange, which is very resolving, and the vocals are extremely "legible". I know, pointing out the legibility of vocals seems like a stupid observation but hear me out: the Gate is very good at isolating the midrange from the mix and its great resolving characteristics help enable this. It really does draw your attention.
Compared to Nezha, the Gate has a more refined midrange while Nezha is more raw and uncolored - it's rougher sounding as well. The edges aren't as smoothed. This can be a double-edged sword depending on the music you are listening to. In my previous review I did point out that the bass of Nezha did show slight characteristics of the "BA Timbre" where the impact and depth felt lacking. Thankfully the bass of Gate is a very significant upgrade; it's much deeper and slams harder and bigger as well. Now coming to the treble: this is where the opinions are going to be divisive. Nezha's treble was very open sounding with great extension and resolution and yet it was smooth. It was one of the standout features that is rare to find in the earphone industry. The Gate's treble is noticeably warmer, and it is not as high extending as the Nezha's. BUT! The midrange-treble transition region is remarkable and indeed more coherent than that of Nezha. It's quite detailed; just that the details aren't shoved at you. Everything is there, just chilling.
I am never left wanting for more. The forgiving nature of the tuning makes it very versatile and pleasurable for all kinds of genres.





Conclusion
Let me draw a parallel that many folks will relate to, the Gate is like HD650 of earphones. It's very similar in terms of presentation indeed. It doesn't aim to wow you with jaw dropping specific technicalities; it is an earphone that makes anything and everything sound pleasurable all the time. It really is something you can rely on, no matter what. What more do you want?
While yes, the price tag is definitely high and higher still than that of the Nezha- I would still pick Gate over it. Because to me, it is more refined and mature sounding. Great job again, TangZu!

"With bronze as a mirror one can correct one's appearance; with history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of a state; with good men as a mirror, one can distinguish right from wrong"

~~Li Shimin, also known as Emperor Taizong, Second emperor of Tang Dynasty.


Xuanwu Gate Incident was a pivotal moment of Tang Dynasty's history where a coup initiated by Li Shimin also known as Emperor Taizong, who was a prince back then, assassinated his elder brother, the heir apparent of the imperial throne and also his younger brother for bidding of its imperial power and also avenging its allegedly poisoning attempt by them. This event culminates the distant and cold relationship between Li Shimin and his father, Li Yuan, the first emperor of Tang dynasty even until the latter's death.



TANGZU products have their own significance in the audio market on which they named their product models from historical personalities during the Tang Dynasty era. But this time, the model name is based on a historical event that truly changed the destiny of the Tang rulership in ancient China.



TANGZU Xuanwu Gate is the latest product from TANGZU which is also their first flagship midrange line. It has hybrid driver configuration consisting of dynamic driver, balanced armature drivers and “Electrostatic(EST)/Electret” drivers. The dynamic driver that was used here has a dimension of 10mm and is made of carbon composite which is known for its flexibility and lightweight properties that will benefit the quality of the bass. The four (4) customised balanced armature drivers will handle the clarity and lucidity of midrange and highs, and then, the EST/Electret driver made by SONION will be responsible for the resolving, transparent and extension of ultra-high frequency. It also has an electronic frequency crossover for better separation while having a cohesive sonic performance.



The drivers were encased in a rather large modified UIEM-type shell chassis made of solid aerospace-grade aluminium alloy which are known for its less resonance properties with fatigue resistance and tensile strength. Its gold-plated faceplate looks pretty gorgeous and sophisticated with its terraces-like outlines that were inspired by rice terraces fields that are usually found in Asia. Even on its cavity base, it has those outlines to look even more élan and classy. Like most TANGZU sets, it uses a 0.78 bi-pin connector as its interlocking mechanism with its detachable cable.



Despite the large size of its shell chassis, it still fits well into my lugholes without any discomfort and ear fatigue as it rests well on it. It also offers a good passive noise isolation that is able to block some noises from the outside surroundings.



Flagship midrange sets should have a high quality stock cable and Xuanwu Gate has it. It has a premium thick stock cable which has a modular option where we can interchange its angled L-shaped termination plug in which we can choose either single-ended output or balanced output. It has an 8-core monocrystalline silver-plated copper which is known for its clear and lively sound (according to cable sound advocates).



As for product packaging, The product box of Xuanwu Gate is quite humongous and probably the largest IEM box that I've encountered so far and it also remarkably grandiose in terms of unboxing on how its contents inside are organised and well-presented.



Here are the following contents inside of Xuanwu Gate's box.

• Pair of TANGZU Xuanwu Gate IEM transducers.
• Stock cable
• 3.5mm single-ended termination plug adaptor.
• 4.4mm balanced termination plug adaptor.
• Carrying case
• Three (3) pairs of Sancai wide bore eartips in different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of Sancai balanced bore eartips in different standard sizes.
• Paperwork like user's guide and warranty card.

In terms of power output and amplification, Xuanwu Gate can be driven by a device like a smartphone with normal gain output in a device but putting in better sources will surely give the most satisfying output with its full range and vivid sound.



As for its tonality, This set has this balanced-neutral sound profile in which all parts of frequencies are evenly presented across its sound spectrum without too much emphasis of a certain specify frequency




LOWS/BASS:

In my ears, this is clearly a quite balanced bass as it has a rumbly and reverberating sub-bass presence and sufficiently textured mid-bass. Overall, it has an accurate, precise and rumbly bass response that make this set truly a midranger sound quality.

Sub bass-focused instruments like synthesisers, drum machines and low tone bass guitars have this perceivable deep reverberations and rumble sound generated from those instruments. Bass guitars have a resonant and rasping sound from fretting, slapping and fretless on its note strings. Bass kick drums have sustaining, thudding and resonant sound although sometimes it has lack of slam and authority that this instrument should have but it has quite fast that syncs well with fast double bass drumming from extreme metal tracks. Bass to bass-baritone vocals appear to have a less depth and lack of well-modulated gravelly sound to have that deep, full and dark tone that these particular male voices should have.


MIDRANGE:

Probably the strongest assets of this set on how the midrange presentation of this one has well-balanced, tidy, neutral and energetic sound that gives more lively and vividness on most vocal types on either male or female and instruments. It also has a slight warmth just to give ample note weight on male vocals and percussives.

On male vocals, it gives a smooth, adequately rich and plush sound on some baritones like light and lyric baritones but it sounds less steely, less fuller and a bit milder on kavalier baritones, verdi baritones and noble baritones. Tenors sound almost flawless on this set as it sounds brassy, dazzling and spicy that all tenor types sound very well and depicts its accurate tone on this one. For countertenors, they sound smooth, velvety and tender that makes them pleasant and lilting to listen to. As female vocals, contraltos have a lush and smoky sound from their voices but I wish that it has more depth on it. Mezzo-sopranos have these fiery, emotive and tender voices that makes them sound so insouciant and captivating while sopranos are well-presented here with is spacious, energetic and detail vocals as they sound quite gleaming and crystalline that coloratura-type of soprano can execute those complex, florid vocal passages.

On instruments, strings like guitars and violins, it sounds crisp, ceiling and bright on the former while a vibrant, lively and sweet sound of the latter instruments. As for woodwinds, it has clear and brilliant sound on piccolos, a bright, airy and silvery sound on concert flutes, a dramatic and expressive sound of clarinets and a sonorous and forceful sound of saxophones. Brasses like trumpets, trombones and horns, they sound intense, penetrating and ponderous respectively. On percussives, there's a resonant and ample warmth on tom-toms, a sharp and precise sound on snare drums, a majestic sound of field drums on every stroke of its drum head and a velvety yet resonant sound on kettledrums. The sound of the pianos are quite well-balanced with sufficient bright and ample warmth of its tone.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble response of this one is mildly bright and a tad smooth sounding as it has slight yet correct emphasis on upper-mids up to the presence part of the treble region to give detail, definition and clarity on vocals and attack of instruments on either percussive and rhythmic ones. There is a noticeable slight dip somewhere between presence and brilliance treble as I didn't hear any sibilance and stridency on this set despite its tad shimmery sound. Although, I will still suggest that treble-sensitive folks should be aware of energetic tuning as it might be still sensitive to them.

It has a good sparkle and excellent treble air extension that make this set quite impressive for its own right. Cymbals have a lustrous and sizzling sound while hi-hats have a short buzzing sound from them. Celestas have a silvery and sweet sound, and glockenspiel have a bell-like and sheen sound on it.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

Overall, the Xuanwu Gate has an excellent mark in all aspects of technical performance, it has a spacious proportion of its sound field within my headroom as it has a wide lateral span from left to right, good height reach and stage depth distance from front to rear. As for stereo imaging, it appears that it has a concave-like presentation rather than holographic that I usually encountered in most midrange sets that I've tested but I was able to locate the placement of instruments and vocals precisely in a well-layered soundscape and I can assure its remarkable separation. So playing the most complex multi-instrumental tracks on this set is not an issue at all.

The cohesive performance of its tri-brid driver configuration of this one is quite astounding on how fast and responsive its dynamic driver is while the supporting other types of drivers are quite sensitive and responsive gives a detailed, clear and less distorted sound reproduction and smooth yet airy presentation of its SONION electrets. On resolution capability, this set is quite resolving on both macro-dynamics and micro-detail retrieval as its solid note texture while its micro-detail definition is able to capture some nuances and details like vocal ends, attacks and reverberations.


PEER COMPARISONS:


LETSHUOER EJ07M

• Like the XUANWU GATE, EJ07M also has a tribrid set-up consisting of 1 dynamic driver, 2 Sonion balanced armature drivers and 4 Sonion “ESTs” and also encapsulated in solid stainless steel shell chassis but in a more compact size. Both sets have a generous amount of accessories inside their respective packaging box but the stock cable of EJ07M is not a modular one.
• As for tonality, both sets are on the neutral side of tuning as I also classify the EJ07M as a balanced-neutral sounding one. Compared to the XUANWU GATE, the EJ07M has a more tad more mid-bass texture, similarly well-balanced and neutral midrange presentation albeit the EJ07M is less energetic, and smoother, less brighter yet airy treble response.
• When it comes to technical capabilities, both sets are actually trading blows in one another, While XUANWU GATE has a wider sound/speaker stage but the EJ07M has better stereo imaging as it projects a more holographic presentation and a tad more accurate on locating certain instruments and vocals.

KINERA IMPERIAL URD

• One of the tri-brid driver set-up IEM model from Kinera on the midrange as it has 2 dynamic drivers, 1 custom-built balanced armature driver and 2 Sonion “ESTs” albeit unlike XUANWU GATE, IMPERIAL URD has a resin shell chassis. Both sets have a generous amount of inclusion of contents of their respective product packaging box and their stock cables have a modularity option which makes them versatile on different audio jack outputs.
• IMPERIAL URD has this warmish-neutral sound which makes it a bit more coloured compared to XUANWU GATE. Its bass response is more impactful and tactile compared to XUANWU GATE, a tad more textured and rich midrange presentation but well-composed, smooth treble response which makes it a bit darker sounding with just a moderate amount of treble air.
• As for technical performance, compared to XUANWU GATE, this one is fall short in almost all categories as it has a bit narrower sound/speaker, a two-dimensional stereo imaging with less defined placements of vocals and instruments in a soundscape but at least it has good separation and layering. Its macro-dynamics somehow has a bit more solid note texture.

FEARLESS AUDIO ROLAND

• This model was actually my first taste of a tri-brid driver set-up as this one has a single dynamic driver, dual balanced armatures and quad Sonion “ESTs”. But unlike XUANWU GATE, this unit has a resin shell structure and its stock cable doesn't have any modular features as this was an older generation of tri-brid driver IEMs from the previous decade.
• As for its tonality, The ROLAND has a mild U-shaped sound signature which is a bit coloured compared to XUANWU GATE as it has slightly recessed midrange presentation with a more punchy and slamming bass response, a warm midrange which adds more heft and depth on male vocals,and then a more smoother and less sparkly on the brilliance treble. Therefore, its airy extension is rather modest.
• On its overall technical aspects, the ROLAND has just an above-average sound/speaker stage dimensions which gives a bit on the intimate side, a concave stereo imaging and somehow, it has a good separation and a multi-layered presentation of its soundscape. The ROLAND also has excellent resolving capabilities for its own performance with good cohesiveness of its tri-brid driver system.

To summarise and in conclusion of my assessment of this set, It proves that TANGZU has a capability to create a product in every part of the price segment in the audio market. It shows its testament as a reputable audio company to create a beautifully-crafted set with a phenomenal sound quality for discerning ears of audiophiles and audio professionals alike.

If you are a neutral head type of listener who doesn't want a less colouration of the sound quality, the Xuanwu Gate is a must have one that will truly define listening pleasure.

TANGZU Xuanwu Gate is now available in all online stores. You can check it out on the unaffiliated links below.

★★OFFICIAL STORE★★

★★LINSOUL★★

★★HIFIGO★★


For more TANGZU product reviews, just click the provided links down.

■ TANGZU/TFORCE YUAN LI

■ TANGZU WAN'ER SG

■ TANGZU PRINCESS CHANGLE

■ TANGZU FU DU VR.1

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TANGZU XUANWU GATE
IMPEDANCE: 10.5Ω
SENSITIVITY: 103dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 7Hz – 20KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M
PIN TYPE: 0.78mm 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: MODULAR 3.5mm, 4.4mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (4) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS + (2) "ELECTROSTATIC"/ELECTRET DRIVERS


Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **


P.S.

I am not affiliated to TANGZU AUDIO nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to the TEAM TANGZU for sending this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.