HiFi Mai Tai

The Tangzu Waner (Or Wan’er) series of IEMs can be a bit confusing. They are cocktails for which you have to be very specific as there are several versions all with almost the same name but all a little different. The Red Lion is the latest variant of the cocktail and it promises to have addressed the restrained (sometimes disappointing) bass that has plagued the series whilst maintaining the strong vocals that have underpinned its success. So lets get to it. Lets have a look at the Bartender’s Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review.

Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review – The Cocktail:

The Tangzu Waner Red Lion is a single dynamic driver for which I paid £21. The specifications of this cocktail are fairly typical. So moving swiftly onward.

Drivers: 10mm PET Single Dynamic Driver
Frequency: 20 to 20,000 HZ
Impedence: 20 Ω
Sensitivity: 113.5 dB

Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review – The Taste Test Setup:

For this taste test I have used HE Sonic Eartips. It was a choice between these and Sancai eartips. I made this choice and never checked back to convince myself I was correct. Therefore, I must acknowledge the shortfall in my own knowledge. I do not know the effect these tips have on the sound.

The rest of the test setup was as it always is. This setup is likely a little overkill for this IEM with the moondrop Dawn Pro 2 costing significantly more than the IEM but hey might as well give it a chance to shine. Plus the same is true for other IEMs I have reviewed.

DAC/AMP: Moondrop Dawn Pro 2
Cable: 4.4mm Tripowin C-01
Eartips:HE Sonic (Silicon)

Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review – The Non-Audio:

The Tangzu Waner Red Lion comes in quite the package. The provided cable is pretty good. Its a little stiff but it feels solid and is way better than anything from KZ or other budget IEMs. In addition to a decent cable the Red Lion is accompanied by both HE Sonic and Sancai eartips (both in small, medium and large). These are popular tips and given the typical price of these tips getting the Red Lion just for the tips maybe be an appealing approach for some. But the package isn’t done yet. In addition to the better cable and the good eartip selection you get a carry case. Its a cheap rubbery thing clasped shut by a single magnet. Its pretty nasty but far more than was expected. But that is not all. There is more. It really is quite the package. In addition to the decent cable, the good selection of tips and the nasty carry case there is a cleaning cloth that matches the box art.

Moving on from the accessories lets talk style. I could probably be more subtle about this but I need to make up for all the time spent on the IEM package. So without beating around the beach… I don’t like how these look. The Red Lion lacks any definition and is hard to make out. The clear red shells look like the cheap plastic that they are. The IEMs have no shaping or patterning. Overall I think they look cheap and childish. I know I have complained about KZ making all their IEMs grey/silver but it turns out that all red just doesn’t work for me either.

As has been hinted at already these feel delicate. They are very light and very plastic. I didn’t notice any obvious signs of poor manufacture but I wouldn’t expect them to last too long.

And finally. Comfort. These are pretty comfortable. The Red Lion are not as small as may be expected but they aren’t huge. Their size combined with their lack of weight means that they can be worn comfortably for long durations. However, they didn’t quite have that ‘nothing is in my ears feel’ and so though really good are not perfect.

Accessories: Top Notch Nibbles (A Full IEM Starter Set)
Style: Undrinkable (Stop. Just Stop)
Build: Hand wash Only (Light & Plastic)
Comfort: Sat in the Booths (Mid Sized & Generally Complaint Free)

Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review – The Audio:

The internet seems to be a wash with good things to say about the Waner series. In particular the series is praised for its vocals. I have not used any of the previous versions of IEMs in the family and so the Red Lion is where I am jumping in. Overall I am a little disappointed. Yes they are a budget set but I had expected them to still have something going for them.

The bass is good but it neither slams hard not rumbles. It is fairy clean but not really clean. The mids are not bad but can feel crushed and lack any great definition or substance. The highs are never really harsh but never really sparkle or shimmer. Across all these frequencies the sound is okay. A bit forgettable. But okay. The vocals are where this series has made their name and they were one of the better aspects of the sound but I thought they felt thin. Female vocals were generally a little better than male vocals.

The sound stage is fairly small. You might say intimate or you might say cramped. Details were generally all there but were never highlighted even in tracks that are detail heavy.

The Base Spirit (Bass): 72.45% (A Bit of Bite & a Gram of Grumble)
The Modifier (Mids): 61.24% (Doesn’t Really Stick with You)
The Sweetener (Treble): 63.73% (A Fleeting Presence)
The Vocals: 64.45% (Sometimes a Little Thin)
The Garnish (Details): 63.03% (Nothing Missed but Nothing Gained)
The Presentation (Technicals): 55.79% (Crowded but Still Fun)

Tangzu Waner Red Lion Review – Overall:

To reiterate I have not listened to any of the previous Tangzu Waner IEMs. Therefore, I can’t comment on whether the Red Lion is an upgrade, a sideways move or a step in the wrong direction. All I can say is that I didn’t really bond with these.

Of the other cocktails that I have recently reviewed the CVJ Vivian is an obvious comparison. Both are single dynamic drivers for about the same price. The CVJ Vivian is more comfortable and better looking (Maybe?). Looking at the scores of my review perhaps I was a little kind to the CVJ Vivian. Its bass is certainly better than the Red Lion with a little more rumble and presence. But I also rated it higher in every aspect. I stand by the CVJ Vivian being the better option but maybe by not as much as my scores suggest. And don’t forget there are other IEMs at this really low price point that I think perform better (Anyone remember the KZ Duonic?)

Best Song: 80.00% (Royals by Lorde)
Best Genre: 71.00% (Jungle)
Vocal Preference: 3.23% Female (Slight Female Vocal Preference)
Total Audio Score: 63.45% (A 20th Birthday Party. Not the Party to be Remembered)