Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II: The Budget IEM Empress Strikes Back?
An in-depth look at the successor redefining value in the sub-$20 audio realm.
The Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II, often simply called the Wan'er 2, arrives as the highly anticipated follow-up to the original Wan'er S.G., a model that carved a significant niche in the ultra-budget in-ear monitor (IEM) market. Building upon its predecessor's success, the Wan'er 2 aims to refine the formula, offering enhanced sound quality, improved build, and exceptional value, all while maintaining an incredibly accessible price point, typically around $20.
Key Highlights
What Makes the Wan'er 2 Stand Out?
- Balanced & Engaging Sound: Offers a near-neutral tuning with slight bass and upper-mid elevations, delivering a musical, detailed, and versatile performance suitable for many genres.
- Exceptional Value Package: Includes premium Tang Sancai eartips (often retailing for over half the IEM's price), significantly enhancing comfort, seal, and overall value.
- Refined Design & Comfort: Features an ergonomic resin build, elegant faceplate design, shorter nozzles for comfort, and improved drivability for use with various sources.
Unboxing Experience: More Than Just Budget Basics
What's Inside the Box?
For an IEM hovering around the $20 mark, the Tangzu Wan'er 2 provides a surprisingly generous and thoughtful unboxing experience. The compact packaging punches well above its weight class, containing:
- The Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II IEMs
- A detachable stock cable (available with 3.5mm or USB-C termination, using flat 2-pin connectors)
- Two distinct sets of silicone eartips, each in three sizes (Small, Medium, Large):
- Standard Tangzu stock eartips
- Premium Tangzu Tang Sancai balanced eartips
- A cleaning cloth (a small but appreciated extra)
The standout inclusion is undoubtedly the set of Tang Sancai eartips. These are highly regarded in the community for their comfort and ability to provide an excellent seal, which positively impacts sound isolation and bass response. Given that these eartips often retail separately for $10-$12, their inclusion adds substantial tangible value to the Wan'er 2 package, making it feel much more premium than its price suggests.
Tangzu Wan'er IEMs (Original Model Pictured, Similar Aesthetics)
Design, Build, and Comfort: Aesthetics Meet Ergonomics
Craftsmanship and Fit
The Wan'er 2 retains an aesthetic inspired by Chinese history, featuring elegant, symmetrical gold patterns and cloud motifs on the faceplates, set against a resin housing available in various colors. While budget-conscious, the build quality feels solid and represents an improvement over the original model, particularly concerning the cable and overall durability.
Housing and Driver Technology
The shells are crafted from lightweight resin, contributing to comfortable long-term wear. Internally, each earpiece houses a single 10mm dynamic driver equipped with a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) diaphragm. Tangzu highlights upgrades to the driver chamber and diaphragm compared to the original, aiming for reduced distortion, enhanced clarity, and improved top-end detail. The connectors are now the flat 0.78mm 2-pin type, offering reliable connection and compatibility with aftermarket cables.
Detailed Faceplate Design of the Wan'er S.G. II
Comfort and Fit Considerations
Ergonomics are a strong point. The shell shape is designed for a comfortable fit in most ears. Notably, the nozzles are slightly shorter than average. While this reduces the feeling of invasiveness, it might require some users to experiment with eartips to achieve a perfect seal. Pairing them with the included Tang Sancai tips generally yields excellent results, providing both comfort and effective passive noise isolation. The lightweight nature ensures they remain comfortable even during extended listening sessions.
Wan'er S.G. II with Assorted Eartip Options
Sound Performance: Balanced Tuning, Engaging Listen
Dissecting the Audio Signature
The Tangzu Wan'er 2 is widely praised for its sound signature, which leans towards a balanced or warm-neutral profile. It closely follows established tuning targets like Harman 2019 but incorporates subtle boosts in the bass and upper midrange, resulting in a sound that is both technically competent for the price and musically engaging across a wide variety of genres.
Bass Response
The low end receives a slight emphasis, providing a satisfying punch and rumble without becoming overwhelming or muddy. The bass is generally described as clean, detailed, well-extended into the sub-bass regions, and reasonably tight. It delivers good impact for electronic music, hip-hop, and pop, making drum kicks and basslines feel present and dynamic. While some listeners note a potential for very minor bleed into the lower mids on complex tracks, it's rarely distracting and generally well-controlled for a budget IEM.
Midrange Clarity
The midrange is a highlight, often described as thick, musical, and relatively forward. Vocals, both male and female, are rendered with clarity, detail, and presence, avoiding shoutiness or harshness despite a lift in the upper mids. This characteristic makes the Wan'er 2 particularly adept at handling vocal-centric genres, pop, rock, and acoustic music, allowing instruments and voices to maintain a natural and engaging timbre.
Treble Smoothness
Treble performance is smooth, sweet, and well-behaved. It avoids aggressive peaks, sibilance, or harshness, making for a non-fatiguing listening experience even over long periods. While smooth, the treble still provides sufficient sparkle, air, and detail to render high-frequency information like cymbals and hi-hats accurately. It complements the bass and midrange effectively, contributing to the overall balanced presentation.
Technical Capabilities
For its price, the Wan'er 2 exhibits commendable technical performance. The soundstage is noted for having good width, feeling more expansive than many competitors in this bracket, though depth might be average. Imaging is generally precise, allowing for decent separation and placement of instruments within the stereo field. Detail retrieval is impressive for a sub-$20 IEM, revealing nuances in recordings that might be missed on lesser sets. Timbre is considered quite natural, and distortion levels are kept low.
Audio Performance Radar
This chart offers a visual representation of the Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II's key sound characteristics, based on synthesized reviews. It provides a quick overview of its strengths in areas like bass quality, vocal clarity, and overall balance, relative to expectations for a budget IEM.
Wan'er 2 Feature Summary Mindmap
Key Aspects at a Glance
This mindmap provides a structured overview of the Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II's core features, sound characteristics, and overall package, helping to visualize the key elements discussed in this review.
Video Review Perspective
See and Hear More About the Wan'er 2
Visual reviews can offer additional insights into the unboxing, build quality, fit, and comparative sound impressions. The video below provides an "ultimate review" perspective on the Tangzu Wan'er S.G. 2, likely covering comparisons and detailed sound analysis, which can complement this written review.
In-Depth Video Review of the Tangzu Wan'er S.G. 2
Comparisons: Wan'er 2 vs. The Competition
How Does It Stack Up?
The budget IEM market is fiercely competitive. The Wan'er 2 distinguishes itself through its specific tuning and value package.
Wan'er 2 vs. Original Wan'er S.G.
The Wan'er 2 is generally considered a direct upgrade. Key improvements include:
- Build Quality: Enhanced durability, particularly the cable and connectors.
- Drivability: Easier to drive effectively from various sources, including smartphones.
- Sound Refinements: Improved clarity, slightly better detail retrieval (especially in the treble), while retaining the overall balanced and musical character loved in the original.
- Accessories: The inclusion of Tang Sancai tips is a major value-add not present with the original.
Wan'er 2 vs. Other Budget Contenders (e.g., Moondrop Chu 2, KZ Castor)
Compared to peers like the Moondrop Chu 2 or variants of the KZ Castor:
- vs. Moondrop Chu 2: The Wan'er 2 typically offers a warmer, slightly bassier, and perhaps more "fun" tuning compared to the Chu 2's potentially more neutral or brighter signature. Fit and accessories (especially the Tang Sancai tips with the Wan'er 2) can be deciding factors.
- vs. KZ Castor (Bass or Harman version): The Wan'er 2 is often praised for a more balanced and less potentially fatiguing sound than some KZ models, especially regarding treble smoothness. While certain KZ models might offer different technical strengths or bass quantity (depending on the version), the Wan'er 2 generally provides a more universally agreeable and refined tuning.
Comparative Overview
This table summarizes key differences between the Wan'er 2, its predecessor, and a common competitor.
| Feature | Tangzu Wan'er S.G. II | Tangzu Wan'er S.G. (Original) | Moondrop Chu 2 (Example Competitor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Signature | Warm-Neutral / Balanced, slight bass/upper-mid boost | Similar Balanced/Musical, potentially less refined treble | Often Neutral-Bright / V-Shaped (depending on source/tips) |
| Bass | Slightly boosted, punchy, good quality | Good quality, perhaps less controlled | Leaner or more focused sub-bass (varies) |
| Mids | Forward, clear vocals, musical | Similar, perhaps slightly less clear | Clear, potentially thinner depending on tuning |
| Treble | Smooth, detailed, non-fatiguing | Smooth, potentially less detailed/airy | Can be brighter, potentially more fatiguing for some |
| Build | Improved Resin, Better Cable | Resin, Basic Cable | Metal Alloy Housing, Decent Cable |
| Key Accessory | Tang Sancai Eartips Included | Standard Eartips | Spring Tips (Usually) |
| Comfort | Very Good (Lightweight, Shorter Nozzle) | Good (Lightweight) | Good (Metal can be heavier/colder) |
| Price (~USD) | $20 | $20 (often discounted/phased out) | $19-$20 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the Tangzu Wan'er 2 best suited for?
The Wan'er 2 is an excellent choice for:
- Beginners entering the world of IEMs seeking high value.
- Listeners who prefer a balanced, slightly warm sound signature that's versatile across genres.
- Anyone looking for a comfortable IEM for long listening sessions.
- Music lovers prioritizing clear vocals and smooth treble.
- Budget-conscious buyers who appreciate premium accessories like the Tang Sancai eartips.
Is the Wan'er 2 a significant upgrade over the original Wan'er?
Yes, while maintaining the core appeal, the Wan'er 2 offers tangible improvements. The key upgrades are the inclusion of the superior Tang Sancai eartips, slightly refined sound tuning (improved clarity and top-end detail), better drivability (easier to power), and improved build quality, especially the cable. For the same price, it represents a clear step up in overall value and refinement.
Are the included Tang Sancai eartips really that good?
Yes, the general consensus is that the Tang Sancai eartips are a significant value-add. They are known for providing a very comfortable fit and an excellent seal for most users. A good seal is crucial for optimal sound performance, especially bass response and isolation. Their inclusion saves buyers the potential cost and hassle of purchasing aftermarket tips to achieve the best sound and comfort from the Wan'er 2.
Do I need a DAC/Amplifier for the Wan'er 2?
One of the improvements in the Wan'er 2 is its enhanced drivability. It performs well even when driven directly from most smartphones or laptops. While a dedicated Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) or amplifier can potentially offer cleaner sound and better volume scaling (especially for the 3.5mm version), it is not strictly necessary to enjoy the Wan'er 2. The USB-C version includes its own basic DAC chip. For critical listening or to extract maximum performance, a simple dongle DAC can be a worthwhile addition, but it's not essential for casual enjoyment.
References
- TANGZU AUDIO WAN'ER S.G. II - Reviews - Head-Fi
- Tangzu Wan'er S.G II | HiFi10mm Dynamic Driver PET Diaphragm - Linsoul
- Tangzu Wan’er: good tuning is everything - Kothic Reviews
- Tangzu Wan'er S.G Review - SoundGuys
- Tangzu Wan'er SG 2, my impressions and comparisons vs Wan'er OG, Chu 2, Salnotes Zero - Reddit
- TANGZU WANER SG 2 Single Dynamic In-Ear Headphones - TANGZU Official
Recommended
- Explore other top-rated IEMs under $50 known for their balanced sound signatures.
- See a direct comparison between the Tangzu Wan'er 2 and the Moondrop Chu 2.
- Learn more about how different eartips can significantly impact the sound of your IEMs.
- Understand whether investing in a DAC/Amplifier is beneficial for affordable IEMs.
Last updated April 15, 2025