Sound Quality
The Mangird Xenns Up sounds fun and exciting with its emphasized bass and treble ranges. Furthermore, the midrange feels slightly recessed compared to the rest of the spectrum thus I can say that IEMs feature a U-shaped signature. The clarity and resolution are impressive, to say the least. It is exceptionally satisfying to have a punchy, rounded, and textured bass response with great control. The engineers behind this product managed to find a tuning that was both fun and technically competent at the same time. Could this be your ultimate tool to help you with your audio engineering endeavors? No, I don’t think so. Could this be your daily driver, all-rounder IEM that puts a huge smile on your face no matter the genre? I would personally bet big on yes. Let’s dig deeper.
Lows
The Mangird Xenns Up has a powerful, rounded, punchy, and surprisingly fast bass response. The extension is great, the sub-bass has a good presence and is reproduced with finesse. The bass is quite clean. What is really good about the bass response of the Xenns Up is the control. These monitors have excellent control over the low range. The bass does not bleed into the midrange or overpower the overall presentation in any way. It does not hinder the detail-retrieval ability of the IEM and I think that is quite important. Another important matter I’d like to talk about is the bass note thickness. The Xenns Up has an airy presentation because it shows good balance when it comes to the meatiness of the notes. It is neither too light nor too thick so the saturation does not stand out more than it should. In my opinion, the Mangird Xenns Up offers an excellent bass response and will satisfy most of the audiophiles who enjoy bass.
Mids
Now, this part is going to be a little interesting. Before I requested this product to review it, I read a few reviews that said it had a V-shape sound signature, but that’s not my opinion. I hooked up this IEM to various sources, such as the JDS’s Atom+ stack, SMSL’s S8s stack, Topping’s E50-L50 stack, and more to eliminate source bias. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t hear a strict V-shape sound signature from the Xenns Up. The IEMs have a U-shape sound signature in my opinion. Despite being ever so slightly recessed, the midrange is clean, has adequate body and good resolution. The vocals are articulate and present with plenty of micro details. Vocals and mid-based instruments do not feel light and artificial just as many IEMs with bass and treble emphasis.
Furthermore, the upper mids are breathy and energetic while showing good control. The level of energy increases as we get closer to the treble region. Cymbals and hi-hats are vivid and clean while steering clear of the sibilance waters. Overall, the midrange performance of the Xenns Up is quite good for a tribrid. Don’t forget that it’s the hardest region to get right when it comes to tribrids.
Highs
The Mangird Xenns Up has a pristine treble presentation. EST drivers do an excellent job here. The IEM features a very clean, energetic, vivid, and resolving treble reproduction with top-notch extension. This range enhances the perceivable resolution and clarity of the overall signature.
Furthermore, the high frequencies are layered, airy, articulate, and incredibly detailed thanks to the EST driver. The treble extends into the top octave easily, without any shrill. Higher notes of instruments such as piccolos and violins have excellent definition and clarity. The relaxed but detailed presentation of the treble region helps stereo imaging and improves the perception of stage height and width.
Technical Performance
Mangird Xenns Up is a capable monitor when it comes to technical performance. Despite being a tribrid, different types of drivers work in total harmony without any coherency issues. The transition between ranges is smooth and doesn’t feel disjointed. Apart from that, the Xenns Up offers a fairly accurate sense of stage projection. The stage width and height are adequate. There is ample air between the instruments so separation is very impressive. As I mentioned earlier, the imaging is really good, the positioning of the instruments feels accurate. PRaT-wise, I had low expectations because of the configuration, however, it surprised me. The IEMs are fast, agile and handles congestion quite easily, even during multi-instrument passages. The transients are sharp and fast. Overall, the Xenns Up provides a great experience from a technical standpoint.
Source Selection & Tips
I tried many tips and sources with the Xenns Up while I was trying to replicate the V-shape signature mentioned in the reviews on the web. I couldn’t but I have learned valuable information. First of all, narrow-bore tips hinder Xenns Up’s technical capability by increasing the bass quantity. Secondly, if you want the most balanced, hi-fi, yet fun signature out of this IEM, go for the wide-bore tips. You could also try aftermarket tips such as the JVC SpiralDots. Apart from that, source selection is vital for this tribrid. The Xenns Up does not like warm and dark sources. They also hinder IEM’s technical capability. I’ve tried several sources with the Xenns Up and my favorite was the SMSL’s SU8s & SH8s stack. If you’re looking for a more budget-y approach, the Xenns Up sounds wonderful with the JDS Labs’ Atom+ stack, as well. Both of these sources have neutral and detailed signatures with plenty of power for the Xenns Up. You can’t go wrong with either.
Last Words
Frankly, I quite like the Mangird / Xenns’ new flagship and I think it is a great tribrid. The accessories are rich and all the materials used are of very good quality. The earphone is made of good quality materials such as high-quality imported resin and it also offers a medium-sized shell that is smaller than the majority of the tribrids on the market.
Design-wise the IEMs look like precious little gems, thanks to the hand-painted swirl faceplates. Apart from package contents and aesthetics, the Xenns Up perform well above my expectations. I believe it is a serious contender in its price bracket and I definitely recommend you to try it.
Page 1: Intro, The Company, Mangird IEMs, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Fit & Build Quality
Page 2: Sound Quality, Low, Mid, High, Technical Performance, Source Selection & Tips, Last Words
