The original Mangird Tea earphones were one of the highest acclaimed sets that were released in 2020. Now, almost two years later, we have their successor, the Xenns Mangird Tea 2. Featuring a refined driver arrangement and a tuning that takes aim at the criticisms levied against the original, does it have what it takes to earn its $349 asking price?
Thanks to Linsoul for providing the sample for this review!
Specifications
- Current Price: $349 (Amazon)
- Drivers: 1 dynamic driver, 6 balanced armatures
- Impedance: ± 18Ω
- Frequency response range: 20-36Khz
- Sensitivity: 110±1DB
Xenns Mangird Tea 2 - First Impressions and Key Features
When the original Mangird Tea released, the company was just called Mangird. They’ve undergone a rebranding to Xenns (see our review of the outstanding Xenns Up here), but aren’t leaving behind one of its most popular models with the transition. Today, we’re looking at the Mangird Tea 2, a successor to the original Mangird Tea which we reviewed positively back in 2020. Much is the same, but in some key ways, Xenns has changed things up to deliver a more engaging, fun version of its prior hit set.
Like the original Tea, the Tea 2 features a seven-driver array. A dynamic driver and two balanced armatures cover the low end. Those two BAs help transition from the bass to the mids and enhance the performance with more punch and detail. Two more BAs cover the mids, and another two the highs. The segmented frequency response allows each pair (or trio, for the low end) to have an enhanced focus on its particular section of the register. Having so many drivers also lends itself to better layering — not a rule, but certainly true here.
These drivers are paired with a tuning meant to address the biggest critiques of the original Mangird Tea. Namely, that the bass lacked punch compared to similarly priced competition and that the treble was rolled off too quickly, masking some of the detail the drivers could provide. It’s a success, and the Tea 2 one-ups the original in every way — except for price.
This new set comes in $50 more expensive than the original Tea, tipping the scales at $349. That puts it firmly in audiophile territory (no surprise there) and in close competition with other popular sets, like the Moondrop Blessing 2. Sadly, I’ve never heard that set to compare, but I suspect those comparisons won’t be hard to find.
The Tea 2 comes with a new and improved 6N oxygen-free cable, which comes pre-attached but uses a 2-pin connection for easy swapping. There are no interchangeable ends, which isn’t surprising at this price, but it is able to be ordered with your choice of 3.5mm, 2.5mm, or 4.4mm balanced terminations. There are no microphonics with this cable and it’s soft enough to easily wrap and avoid tangles.
Also included in the box are six sets of silicone tips (more on that in the next section), and two sets of memory foam tips. There’s a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter to use the Tea 2s with desktop audio hardware and an airline adapter for use on plane rides. Finally, Xenns includes a nice faux leather case. It’s too big to carry in a pocket, but is fine for throwing in a bag or keeping the earphones in storage.
Xenns Mangird Tea 2 - Fit and Comfort
The Mangird Tea 2 take a lot of cues from the original Teas for their fit and comfort. Like that set, they feature a CIEM-inspired design meant to secure both in the ear canal and to reset on the outer ear. It’s contoured to rest accordingly without pressing uncomfortably on any part of the ear, and even includes little protuberances to match the nooks and crannies of the ear so they won’t come loose in normal use. It’s a design that doesn’t take any risks, and that’s okay, because it works well and is comfortable to wear.
That said, these earphones are medium-large in size to house all of those drivers. If you have smaller ears, you may find that they hang a bit farther out than you’re used to. This also means that they’re prone to coming loose with any kind of vigorous movement. I was able to use these for relaxed listening (sitting, walking) but anything more than that would eventually cause them to lose their seal. This isn’t really a knock against the earphones, as you’re less likely to run with an unsealed (and expensive) IEM than something better suited for the task, but is something to keep in mind if you like to exercise with audiophile-grade earphones.
To enhance the fit and comfort of the Tea 2s, Xenns has included a selection of tips to choose from. There are two sets of memory silicone tips and two pairs of memory foams. While there is a difference in firmness between the two pairs of silicones (red is more firm, while black is softer), the bigger difference is that the red tips have much shorter nozzles. If you need a bit more reach to secure into your ear canal, the black tips will be the way to go. The downside is that if you prefer a softer silicone tip but don’t have longer ear canals, the blacks become uncomfortable quickly.
Xenns Mangird Tea 2 - Listening Impressions
Graph courtesy of In-Ear Fidelity
The original Mangird Tea was lauded for its mostly balanced sound signature, tuned such that it offered satisfying bass and pleasant amounts of detail for the cost. The Tea 2 keeps up that tradition, but its aim is to address both bass presence, impact, and texture, and to enhance the level of upper-register detail that shines through. To accomplish that, it pairs the new dynamic driver with a pair of balanced armatures tuned for bass and mids, aiding the transition between the ranges and adding detail. I think it’s safe to say Xenns has succeed.
While the original Tea was enjoyable, I found myself bouncing off of it fairly quickly. The balanced signature had a tendency to play it tame, lacking some of the punchiness in the bass that I’ve come to appreciate over time. The Tea 2 is a definite improvement in this area and is much more engaging as a result. As a fan of heavier, guitar-driven music, the speed of the bass drivers play very well with noticeably more kick. Atreyu’s Bleeding Mascara is a great litmus test for the capability of bass drivers with its machine-gun double kick drums, and it performed excellently.
That improved response is also a great match for pop and hip-hop. The kick in Love the Way You Lie by Rihanna and Eminem has realistic impact and decay. Rather than be a simple thump, you can make out the texture in a way the original Tea just couldn’t.
The most impressive qualities really come out in the upper register, however. There has been a treble boost, which brings out some of the detail and sparkle that was missing or masked with the original Tea. Love the Way You Lie and Monster are showcases for how well the Tea 2 transitions between the bass, mids, and highs. The acoustic guitar cuts through crisp, clean, and articulate. It’s the kind of performance you would expect at this price point and sounds great. That also applies to vocals, which are somewhat forward but particularly sweet from female vocalists.
The tuning also allows soundstage and imaging to step forward. Because you can hear more, instrument separation and layering are clearer than ever. The Tea 2 isn’t exceptionally spacious, but instruments and singers have enough room to breathe and have their own section of the headspace. If you’re planning on using these for gaming, definitely turn on Dolby Atmos, but their out of the box performance is going to sound good and offer enough detail that you’ll be wishing your gaming headset could compete (in all but spaciousness — it is an IEM after all).
Final Thoughts
At $349, the Xenns Mangird Tea 2 is a big improvement from the original and addresses the biggest reasons why many users eventually shelved their pairs. This is an audiophile set above all, and though it doesn’t require a powerful amp to drive, will benefit from a good source and scales well with more power. If you’re looking for a great sounding set that’s more engaging and fun than the original Mangird Tea, this is a solid and satisfying evolution of an already popular set.
The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Products purchased through our links may result in a small commission to support the site.
