Be it Mangird or XENNS, Tea is still a ridiculous name, but I have become accustomed to some terrible product names from companies big and small over the last few years of writing for TechPowerUp. What hurts more is knowing of ongoing changes without any notice, which can lead to customer distrust for a company undergoing a rebranding exercise. Take the Mangird Tea, as it is currently known. When it launched, the nozzle was a different design without the lip notch that helps keep ear tips in place. The vent was not filtered from what I know and smaller too. The launch product also came with a different set of accessories. There have been at least two sets of changes over the last ~6-7 months, pertaining first to the shell design and then the packaging itself. There will likely be a third too, with all mentions of Mangird dropped in favor of the new XENNS name. As long as the relevant hardware remains unchanged, I am fine with that.

My current dilemma is whether the shell design update to the nozzle and vent has affected anything compared to before, especially with the transient response in the treble region. That is the only issue I really have with the tuning and cross-over, but it may just be due to driver limitations since going from one set of balanced armature drivers to another can be tricky at the cross-over point. It is still a sensitive pair of IEMs, but that can easily be worked around with some common sense and a decent source. The overwhelming number of positives tends to otherwise drown out the cons, even including any clipping potential.

Notice how I put comfort first in the pros list above, which is because that is how good the Mangird Tea gets with an averagely sized and shaped set of ears. This includes the positioning in the ear canal, with the angled nozzle that protrudes better than many others I have tested. Do note that this is is subjective, but the pinna model I have also had one of the better fits to date. Now, this was all with the provided silicone tips, and aftermarket ones may be even better (or worse) depending on your situation. The foam tips may be a different experience, but there is too much struggle in getting them on over the wider nozzle.

With the seal properly achieved, the enhanced balance of isolation and comfort works beautifully in reproducing a sound signature that will appeal to far more people than those with a similar preference to mine. I would have liked something more balanced throughout, particularly in the highs, but this is another set I would actually keep and EQ the treble peak shifts out to then add to my rotation for the music genres listed above. There is certainly room for improvement, which is why I am curious about the new XENNS UP tribrids too. As for the Mangird Tea, I do understand the hype and am happy enough to recommend it with the caveat around the potential treble response.