The XENNS Mangird Top is not a set you'd simply purchase on a whim. Even beyond the pricing that is already beyond the reach of many, XENNS has opted for a specific tonality which makes the Mangird Top not one of your safe bets as an all rounder either. Instead, it does something interesting by going for a deliberate take on the latest Harman in-ear target but deviates from it where you notice the effects the most. I've maintained for a while that the Harman target for IEMs is more V-shaped than people think owing to an overemphasis on bass and ear gain that can be unpleasant—it certainly is for me. The Mangird Top still has a similar bass shelf but spread out further to add mid-bass emphasis and some warmth to the upper bass too without taking away from the sub-bass slam and punchy bass signature it has. This can be quite fit-dependent, however, and I've already seen some people complain the bass response came off more hollow than substantial.

Likewise, the upper mids and ear gain region here are tamed down compared to the Harman target and this in turn leads to one of the smoother treble responses I've had with IEMs to date. The Mangird Top is highly resolving overall but does come off over-dampened here similar to the AFUL Acoustics Performer 5 to where some tribrids with ESTs/planars or even all-BA sets from the likes of Symphonium Audio make for a more compelling offering. There's also the part where some vocals here come off recessed but others sound spectacular. It's clear then that the XENNS Mangird Top is not for everyone. At $530, there isn't the overwhelming competition you see from IEMs at the $20/50/100/200 price ranges so there is something to be said about whether you should even consider something more expensive. But the Mangird Top does offer a selective sound and does it quite well to where I maintain its the best from the company to date and has become somewhat of a guilty pleasure over the last few weeks. How could I not recommend a set that doesn't just do what everyone else does, and then executes it well enough? Just be aware of its strengths and weaknesses and choose accordingly.