Introduction

XENNS is an up and coming audio brand that made a name for itself in the global audiophile community with its Mangird Tea IEMs—a set I reviewed and was quite impressed by. It's still a good option today, which is more than could be said for the vast majority of all IEMs released at the same time. This was also around the same time the company behind the Mangird name decided to re-brand to XENNS and the first of the newer releases was the tribrid XENNS UP which was more divisive. It offered nice bass but ultimately was too dark and not detailed enough to really make itself a contender in a competitive tribrid IEM market. I was left wondering whether XENNS could have done something else for the money had it not gone with the Sonion EST tweeters, that can be notoriously hard to work with, and stuck to a hybrid design.


As it turns out, XENNS had the same idea. There was the XENNS Mangird Tea 2 which came after the UP but I thought it was mostly inoffensive and too safe a tuning to really stand out in any particular manner. I was worried that perhaps XENNS could not replicate the magic of the original Tea, even though I should clarify that both the UP and Tea 2 have its share of fans. So when I heard about the new XENNS Top hybrid set using a 1 DD/8 BA driver configuration and it also getting rave reviews out of China, I agreed to take it on for review. Thanks to Linsoul for providing a test sample to TechPowerUp as we examine it closely in our review today beginning with a look at the product specifications in the table below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

XENNS does like to go fancy on the product packaging and also maintain a formula across its products at the same time. This means the use of an external sleeve over a thick box to make you feel you are about to unbox a premium product no matter the cost of the IEMs inside. The Mangird Top gets a dark blue sleeve aiming to replicate the night sky, complete with stars abound. On the front is the new XENNS logo which I have yet to find a usable version online to replace the one on the previous page, as well as a brief summary of the driver configuration in Mandarin. This continues on the back with product specs but again in Mandarin to where you are better off relying on the product page on the Linsoul shop to know more about the set, albeit the units do help out. Pull out the box from either side you will see this too employs a two-piece design with XENNS embossed in blue on the side that also tells you where to lift the top from. Doing so reveals a layered approach to the contents inside with thick foam used for added protection and the various items placed inside machined cutouts for a snug fit.


XENNS throws in a thick card that has the serial number of the actual unit inside, this review sample is #8000 as it turns out. Then there's a gold-colored keychain that has Mangird in a cursive font which I don't see the point of since it's not even that functional as the letters snag easily in the pockets. Most other things are placed inside labeled boxes and include a soft fabric drawstring carry pouch, an airline adapter, a 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm (1/4") adapter and the other plugs for the modular cable. There should be both 2.5 mm and 4.4 mm TRRS plugs here somewhere based on the product page but clearly you see only the 4.4 mm one. I've asked for clarification on this aspect but have yet to hear back. That said, if I had to pick two of the three modular connection plugs we typically see with IEMs. I'd have gone the 3.5 and 4.4 mm route anyway.


XENNS provides three types of ear tips with the Mangird Top covering both silicone and foam compositions. The white colored silicone tips have a stiffer flange compared to the black ones but otherwise are similar in bore size and length alike. The silicone tips come in sizes S/M/L whereas the soft foam tips are provided in sizes M and L as seen above.


XENNS has gone with a different case design for the Mangird Top compared to its previous offerings and we get a green-colored faux leather case with the XENNS logo embossed on the front. The stitching is well done and the gold-colored zipper harkens back to the keychain whereas the green on the case itself matches well with the IEMs themselves. It's a rectangular cuboid case that is hardly pocketable but gives you plenty of room for the IEMs, the cable, and even a portable DAC/amp in the separate compartment to the top where we also see a shirt cable clip. The inner lining is soft velour and we see separate compartments for the IEM shells as well as a central base for the cable to be wrapped around to make for a highly functional case at the very least.


The IEMs come with the cable pre-installed and both are found inside the case itself. As such, for a closer examination of the IEMs and the cables separately, I had to first remove the individual shells from the plastic zip-lock bags and then remove the cable. A quick look here reveals the use of standard 0.78 mm 2-pin connectors rather than MMCX, so things are simple enough given this is a friction fit. Carefully dislodge the connectors by holding one of the IEM shells in one hand and applying outward pressure on the cable connector with the other without wiggling things sideways or up/down. Repeat this with the other side and you are good to go!