XENNS, formerly called Mangird, apparently came out of no place as well as took off onto the earphone scene with the Mangird Tea. We, like numerous audiences, liked that earphone. Today, we re taking a look at its flagship XENNS UP , a $699 earphone that integrates 4 balanced armatures, two electrostatic drivers, and also a vibrant driver in each ear for an extraordinary, lavish, audio experience.

This is Golden Ears, our column dedicated to checking out the world of high-end desktop audio. Our objective is to explore specifically what makes an expensive piece of equipment well worth its high price of entrance and just what the audio neighborhood is going crazy around. If you ve ever before wondered why a person would certainly get a $699 headphone, this is the area to discover.

Specifications .

Existing Price: $699 (Linsoul).
Vehicle driver: 2EST +4 BA +1 DD.
Frequency variety: 20-80Khz.
Level of sensitivity: 110+/ -1 dB.
Impedance: 20+/ -2 ohm.
Distortion price: 1.0%+/ -0.2%.
Cable television length: 1.2 meters.
Adapter: default 0.78 mm 2pin.
Plug: default 2.5 mm well balanced plug (3.5 mm and 4.5 mm plug consisted of).
What remains in the Plan?
Earphone.
2.5 mm well balanced cable.
2.5 mm to 4.4 mm plug, 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm plug, 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm plug, U-shaped plug.
silicon eartips (S/M/L), foam eartips.
storage space bag.

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What Makes a $699 Earphone? (Introduction of the XENNS UP) .

So, what makes a $699 earphone, you ask. Just how could any type of earphone potentially be worth that much cash? As we dive right into this subject right here are a few points to maintain in mind:.

Neglect what you learn about value. When you go into the globe of premium sound, that obtains turned on its head. As soon as you tip into the world of HiFi, it s not uncommon to see top-of-the-line earphones opt for several thousand bucks. Right here s a list of over-ear earphones that feature electrostatic drivers like the XENNS we re taking a look at today. $410 to $6200. This is an expensive pastime soaked in chasing incremental renovations that typically set you back even more the greater up the chain you go.

Yes, you can hear a distinction. Despite just how terrific your favored set of Sony s of Bose earphones noise, there s always area to expand as well as, yes, you can definitely hear a distinction. No, you don t need to be an audiophile to hear it. Yes, placebo result is definitely a point. But no, that s not a factor to dismiss an earphone without hearing it for on your own.

Craftsmanship Prices. As you ll see with this earphone, it s not everything about the audio. When you step up to these pricey earphones and headphones, you re paying for the modern technology inside it and also the workmanship outside. Hand-painted shells. Special layouts. Unique finishes. These are all factored right into the cost.

It s not all about price. Just due to the fact that an earphone is costly does not suggest it s great. Even if an earphone is cheap doesn t imply it s bad. If you can just manage $100 on one headphone, there are a lot of fantastic alternatives that can also appear great. High-end listening is very much a video game of nuance as well as personal taste.

When it comes to the XENNS UP, what we have is a seven-driver system that combines 3 different sorts of drivers. That s fourteen tiny speakers complete– probably greater than your house theater. Each earpiece includes 4 balanced armatures, 2 electrostatics drivers, and also one dynamic to handle the bass. These are superior Sonion components for the Bachelor s degrees and also ESTs, and also the vibrant motorist is beryllium covered for improved speed and also resolution. The combination is what s called a tribrid.

The XENNS Up are my initial headphones with electrostatic drivers, as well as they re a large part of what makes these earphones so special (and also expensive). Electrostatic drivers have actually been around for years, yet have just lately began climbing in multi-driver IEMs. They excel at extremely premium information, expanding the frequency feedback variety from 20-80,000 Hz. That s clearly well beyond the variety of human hearing, but the accuracy, detail, and also clearness they have the ability to produce in what you can hear (as well as the sense of air as well as room) as well as remarkable.

By combining numerous chauffeur kinds, each has the ability to beam in the world where it does ideal. The electrostatic drivers are in charge of ultra-high-frequency sounds. The balanced armatures cover the mids as well as highs (with 2 devoted per band). The dynamic chauffeur covers the bass. These drivers are each managed with a little device called a crossover which divides the frequency band and also sees to it each motorist only covers its collection of frequencies. This means, those 7 drivers aren t taking on each other as well as leaving you with a muddy paying attention experience. Instead, they re specialized and also orchestrated. Inform that to your single-driver Bose (I kid – solitary drivers can be great too).

What s the point? By enabling each driver to specialize, the XENNS UP is able to deliver an impeccably tidy and also in-depth noise. When the sounds hit your ears, you re not hearing 7 various drivers. You re hearing your music, broken right into 7 high-resolution pieces, as well as played out as a high-resolution whole. Assume of the jump from 720p to 4K. This is what the XENNS UP accomplishes with your music, while likewise adding its own taste and also color.

Back to the functionalities– to the earphones themselves. These are a boutique item: each covering is hand-painted with a gorgeous red, black, as well as white layout. The XENNS logo design is stamped in gold cursive, like a signature. The earpieces themselves are built in traditional UIEM type, so must fit most ears comfortably and also securely. There are little ports on each to ease stress and also rise convenience. Over these are the two-pin ports, which are extremely tight (a little bit excessive, in my viewpoint, yet at the very least they will not diminish).

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The cable is exceptional as well as features interchangeable ends to match any gamer, DAC, or amp you would certainly such as to pair it with. It s a thick, rope-like oxygen-free silver that is ended in 0.78 pins that connect to each earpiece. The opposite end features a 2.5 mm well balanced connection (on my sample), however with adapters for 3.5 mm (? ) and 6. 5mm ( 1/4 ) and also 4.4 mm well balanced. A wire could appear tiny, yet this kind of wire frequently costs $75-100+ by itself.

Also on the box is an option of silicone ear ideas and a great fake leather lug situation. The entire plan really feels really exceptional and also suitable for such a high-end audio product.

Fit and also Comfort .

The XENNS Up healthy my ears well. They get on the bigger side to house all those drivers yet have enough time nozzles to fit safely in the ear canal while also being supported by your external ear. As constantly, it is necessary to find the ideas that fit your ear best, both for fit and also audio.

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In spite of their larger-than-average size, they don t feel heavy or trigger inflammation. They re not a terrific fit for workout, but they re not meant to be. These are earphones made for taking a seat as well as appreciating songs and also various other content.

Listening Impressions .

Prior to continuing, it is necessary to keep in mind that I m coming from an area of BA/Dynamic crossbreeds, single dynamic/BA/planar earphones, and also various types of earphones. These are my first EST tribrid, so I can not cross-compare. That claimed, every person has a very first time as well as this is mine.

And also what an initial time it is. The XENNS Up are unbelievably good for the kind of music I pay attention to and also games I play. These headphones have strike and power in the low end as well as lots of information and also air in the mids as well as highs. Linsoul claims this about their tuning:.

This isn t simply marketing buzz. It may be one of the truest descriptions of the audio you ll review a headphone on its item web page. I pay attention to a vast array of songs, every little thing from post-hardcore, to ambient chillstep, to Billie Eilish. These earphones are fun, enjoyable, enjoyable.

On the planet of headphones, there s a chase for neutrality as well as hearing the music the means the artist intended. That s fantastic, but what about just how you such as to pay attention to it? The XENNS Up aren t about neutrality. Instead, they re about pumping the bass (however not frustrating you with it) as well as cranking the information.

The bass is thorough and also limited. There s enough of it to fill up out tracks and also create the perception of vibration. The beryllium covering right here actually radiates with the rate as well as control the vibrant motorist is able to supply. It begins as well as ends precisely when it s expected to.

Regardless of that low-end power, the motorist range stops and bloat or loss of information in the various other regularities. The mid-range does feel a little stepped back. Vocals aren t going to be straight in your ear yet will still be clear, detailed, as well as pleasant.

Guitars reside in the midrange, and also there s a virtually fluid high quality to them. As a guitar player, I pay attention for texture in the means notes ring out. Do power chords filled with distortion blend with each other or can you hear the individual notes sounding out? On these, you can hear those information. They re not etched and probably not as crisp as some over-ear planars like the HIFIMAN Ananda, however they re detailed enough that without that side-by-side A/B comparison, the change in micro information isn t something most listeners will certainly discover.

Highs aren t sharp or sibilant. I confess to being worried regarding this with such high-frequency-centric drivers driving the ultra-high-end. Rather, there s a heightened feeling of room. Beyond a particular frequency array, you quit hearing notes and rather listen to a light airy sound that adds to the feeling of environment. Paired with the fairly large and also deep soundstage (which is excellent for video gaming), this creates an excellent feeling of area and also separation that succeeds past what most of in-ear headphones have the ability to supply.

Final Thoughts .

The XENNS Up have actually turned into one of my all-time preferred earphones. The audio they have the ability to deliver is absolutely nothing short of superior, particularly for energetic rock as well as bass-driven tracks. The tuning and sense of room also make them an excellent fit for video gaming if you would love to have a single earphone for all of your listening. They don t come cheap, and beyond a few hundred bucks, reducing returns set in within the audio globe. BUT, if you re climbing the audiophile ladder, these are a distinctively enjoyable pay attention that left me returning over and over after I must have relocated onto the next item. They make a strong instance – lessening returns and also all – of what you get when you spend extra as well as why a lot of people are warm on the chase in this leisure activity. Every once in a while, you locate a gem as well as this is one.

The product defined in this write-up was supplied by the maker for assessment functions. .