Tangzu - Nezha

Tangzu Nezha is a mind-blowing iem...looks are very beautiful and so is the sound signature...only one issue, little big for my ear

Hay headphone zone thanks for this amazing and beautiful product Tangzu - Nezha I really love it audio is amazing 🥰

I will be comparing the Nezha closely to Tangzu's own Zetian Wu Heyday, which is one of my personal favorite earphones to come out recently.

Build & Fit
The Nezha is significantly lighter than Heyday as it's a resin shell as compared to all metal. Size wise the Nezha is bigger as well. The Nezha looks more eye catching due to the red flakes (specially when the light hits them directly) as compared to Heyday which is really understated. When it comes to fit, even though the Nezha is a bit bigger, it sets better and snugger than the Heyday and that translated to better comfort in the long run. But both are comfortable to my ears. One thing to note though: The 2 pin on the Nezha is very tight, I wish it were a bit looser. Time will tell if it loosens up. The luxurious carry case and the cable that came with the Heyday was amazing, at any price range. And the same is the case for Nezha but it is now even more refined. The material on the carry case is now leather (mock leather I presume) and is textured. It is also a bit more streamlined as compared to the Heyday version. I would consider the Nezha case an improvement. But either way, neither can be fit in a pocket. They are transportable cases, meant to be put in bags.
The improvement carries to the cable as well. Both cables are gorgeous looking, but the Nezha plug is significantly smaller and less bulky, even though it retains the modularity.
The Nezha also comes with Tang Sancai Wide Bore & Balanced set of eartips (more in sound quality section).

Amp Needs
The Nezha is a BA+electret combination and it should be very sensitive, and it is. It is easy to drive. It is significantly easier to drive than Heyday which is a big (for portable uses) planar driver and needs more current. I use them both with my time tested E1DA 9038D and also the Fiio UTWS5 when outside. With Nezha i get loads of headroom, much more than I will ever need. With the Heyday I get loads of headroom on the 9038D but and also sufficient headroom with the UTWS5 unless the recording is quiet and, in that case, I need to max out.
So, in conclusion, no external amp is needed for the Nezha.
Sound Quality
As a reviewer, lots of earphones have come over the past to me. Some good, some bad, mostly "okay". I had really liked the Heyday, so much so I purchased a retail unit for myself. Up to that point, it remained one of the most resolving earphones I had heard, by a big margin. I really couldn't find much fault with it.
Honestly, I expected Nezha to be at most as good as Heyday for my personal taste. And I was a bit apprehensive about the electret driver, hoping it would be treble murder. Boy was I wrong. The moment I put it on, I was shocked to hear the smoothness in the treble, AND that excellent extension. It sounded open, un-restrained, extremely resolving as well. It out-resolved the Heyday by a big margin. A/B'ing the two, it sounded like the upper treble of Heyday was almost missing in comparison. I was shocked really. It was like going to 4k from 1080p. All of a sudden, the Heyday sounded a bit spicy in the upper midrange, slightly thin and simply put, a bit V shaped.
Nezha's sound is what you get if you take Heyday's sound, flatten it a bit and stretch it on both sides. The treble extension is very smooth and very high, devoid of sharp peaks. Upper treble extension is key to hearing ambiance of the recording and low-level details. And it shows. Then entire midrange is so natural and very resolving. The ear gain region is not overkill at all, which is not the case in most earphones. I have used the Nezha for hours each day- at home, while commuting as well. Just plug them in to the UTWS5 and it's a done deal. The included Tang Sancai tips are also of higher quality than the tips included with Heyday.
But does it have "BA timbre"? What does it even mean? I have heard multiple BA sets before and yes, there is a "sound" to some of them. But that is only due to bad implementation. I have heard all BA sets like the BGVP DM8 which have minimal "BA timbre" because it was designed properly. Etymotic's BA driver is insane as well. The Nezha is also a BA earphone majorly. I kind of do hear it in the bass region, just slightly. The bass punch and extension are very good, simply put. But the bass presentation of a BA is different to that of a planar or DD. It is not a bad thing; it is just different. I do hear the slight "BA timbre" in the bass of Nezha, but that takes away nothing from the resolution, speed and overall punch that it already provides. I would categorize it as neutral (yet very resolving) bass with a slight hint of that "BA timbre". Except the difference in presentation, Nezha's bass is similar to that of Heyday.

Pros: + Amazing Comfort, due to very well chosen semi-custom shell shape
+ Nice and uniquely tuned treble
+ Treble extension and channel matching well done for the driver type used
+ Fast bass for the type of tuning
+ Decent but not great techs
+ Responds well to EQ
+ Nice unboxing experience
+ Good cable
+ Good isolation
+ Nice optics
Cons: - The bass is very tame and doesn't punch at all
- Treble probably not for everyone
- Included Wide Bore tips are not good/ very weird
- I feel EST/PZT: neither is used here, it's a flat DD only pure marketing gimmicks.
Packaging and Accessories
the box the Nezha comes in is HUGE. Well, the style here fits the IEM and the spec on the back is pretty detailed and in multiple languages… Unfortunately no measurements though.

Sliding out the inner box reveals classic black, thick cardboard. Opening that reveals the IEM in all of its glory in a thick, big foam pad, the cable is directly inserted. Below that is the carrying case and beneath the foam with the IEM the ear-tips.

And speaking of ear tips, we do get the Tang Sancai tips, which are pretty good generally. And because Tangzu is “generous” they also add the wide-bore Tang Sancai…
And last but not least let’s look at the carrying case: it is ok. Sturdy yes and it doesn’t bend much… Adding to that is the zipper which is gold-colored, but isn’t that smooth to use. Overall I think the case is rather cheap for the IEM price and I would like to see better here.

Overall the packaging is too big though and they could save money and affect the environment less with smaller packaging. But at least the included tips are good and having a longer and shorter version also is appreciated.
IEM Build
Utilising a semi-custom shell made of resin, the Nezha has an overall very good build. It is a one-piece design where the nozzle and faceplate are indistinguishable from the rest of the shell, with a material thickness that does have some weight to it, without coming off as heavy at all.

There’s a pressure hole near the connector, which is a flat 2-pin that unfortunately is very difficult to handle.
Other than that, there isn’t much to talk about: at the bottom of the IEM is a small print of “Nezha” with an not so well visible “L/R” behind it
Oh, maybe one word about the style here: the metallic red shimmering flakes Tangzu put in here make the IEM with its shiny transparent back look very expensive and unique, overall the Nezha looks and feels very well made and even in the details it seems to be made well.
Comfort & Fit
And what should I say: it totally pays off in the comfort department. This IEM fits like a glove and is the most comfortable IEM I have worn, simply everything here works: the insertion angle, the nozzle length, the nozzle diameter and the shell shape.
Isolation
The Nezha isolates very well. Even normal silicone tips do well here and you can basically wear it with any tip you like while maintaining a good isolation for all situations.
Drivability
As most BA IEMs, the Nezha has a low 16Ω of impedance with 106dB@1kHz. This is very efficient.
Bass
bringing me to the bass… sorry. The BAs do not manage to deliver as you expect them to. Yes, the speed and texture is great, probably better than most planars and DDs I have heard, but the lack of punch, slam and weight is disappointing.
Verdict
I think I can make this chapter short: the Nezha does everything here well without any deficiencies: the stage has a good size in all directions, the layering is mostly 5 layers
Same for separation: the Nezha manages to isolate even the busiest instrument lines, That means that the IEM with its superb isolation and excellent comfort, good cable, good build, nice style and good included tips will be liked by the masses but price wise this should exceed more than Rs.20K.

Pros:
1) very good sound quality
2) premium accessories and looks

Cons:
1) subbass rumble could be better
2) size on the bigger side for some

DISCLAIMER:
I would like to thank TangZu for including me in this review tour which is held in my country. No sort of financial assistance has been provided to me for this review.

INTRODUCTION:

Tangzu, the brand which needs no introduction is a relatively new brand based in China, they have been quite popular in recent times given their previous Yuan Li & Shimin Li iems. Today we take a look at their high end Nezha iem.

SPECIFICATIONS:

IMPEDANCE: 16Ω
SENSITIVITY: 106dB.
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz - 20KHz.
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M.
PIN TYPE: 0.78mm 2-PIN CONNECTOR.
PLUG TYPE: MODULAR 3.5mm, 4.4mm.
DRIVER UNIT(S): (6) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVER(S) + (1) ELECTRET DRIVER.

Tangzu nezha overview:

the body of the nezha is on the bigger side but i found no issue in comfort. the outer face plate looks beautiful and classy and the red color is very flashy. Sound wise it offers a smooth and very detailed sound reproduction that I enjoy very much. There is no harshness in the sound even though the upper treble region is very extended.

Sound Analysis:

Bass Section:
1) The bass is strong and punchy, the mid bass is more punchy than the subbass.
2) Subbass extension is good and captures plenty of detail.
3) Midbass provides warmth and fullness to the sound.
4) Bass rumble is present but it can be better.

Mid Section:
1) The mid section is the star attraction of Nezha's sound. It is detailed and very full bodied sounding.
2) Male and female vocals sound lush and full bodied, with nice tone.
3) Mids are more on the forward side but it is not too much.
4) Timbre of vocals is good and realistic, providing a realistic experience overall.

Treble Section:
1) Treble is smoothly extended to upper treble but it is not harsh at all
2) Very resolving treble which adds to overall resolution.
3) Cymbal hits are sharp but not fatiguing so it leads to a comfortable listening experience.

Technicalities:
The soundstage is wide and the layering is very good. Imaging is also spot on. Resolution is high because of the extended upper treble. Details are not forced so it is a relaxing listen. Tone and timbre overall I feel is smooth and neutral.

Verdict:
The Nezha is a high end iem with a high end sound. The included accessories and case are premium quality and the overall sound profile is neutral and smooth.