Synergy
Under no circumstances have I heard the OX Demon King pick up any noise from any device, even when the cables are placed close to the DAPs or phone.
And I find the OX Demon King not sensitive enough to expose the noise floor of the sources I used in this review.
The OX Demon King isn’t particularly hard to drive, as it can be driven loudly with modestly powerful sources.
But I find it slightly below average in sensitivity and requires more power from the sources to achieve the same volume as average-sensitivity headphones.
Pairings
The OX Demon King pairs nicely with the iBasso DC-Elite, which is a medium-powered dongle DAC, when connected to either its 4.4 mm or 3.5 mm output.
I hear good frequency response, with full-sounding bass and undistorted midrange and treble, even at listening levels above my normal volume.
I hear the sound distorting when the OX Demon King is paired with the MUSE HIFI M6 Double in tube mode, whether on the 4.4 or the 3.5 mm connection. I must say that the tube output stage of the M6 Double is not a good pairing with the OX Demon King.
However, when paired with M6 Double in the transistor or solid-state output mode. I hear the neutrality of the M6 Double, with its flat, extended bass, neutral midrange, and flat, extended treble, without exaggeration in the overall sound. And good dynamics in either of the 4.4 or 3.5 mm output jacks.
With the FiiO M15S, using either the 4.4 or 3.5 mm connections, I hear good dynamics, nicely controlled and tight bass, a neutral midrange, and slightly relaxed, clean treble.
I must say, the OX Demon King pairs nicely with my sources, except in the M6 Double’s tube mode.
Select Comparisons
Though I have heard all the sources in this review with all the headphones in this comparison, I decided to use the FiiO M15S because it pairs well with all the headphones.
Sennheiser HD 6XX
The Sennheiser HD 6XX is an older model, released in November 2016. Though I don’t particularly enjoy its somewhat boring, dull, near-neutral sound signature, it has gained many followers over the years. It is here as a reference and due to its popularity.
Technical & Design
The HD 6XX utilizes a 38mm dynamic driver in an open-back acoustic design. It has a sensitivity of 109 dB, an impedance of 300Ω, and a weight of 260 grams.
The HD 6XX is primarily made of plastic, except for the grill and the clamp on the headband. The design is utilitarian and uninspiring; it includes a detachable 6-foot-long cable, 3.5 mm TRS with a 1/4″ adapter.
Performance
The HD 6XX is apparently more neutral with its flat perceived frequency response and equal representation of bass, midrange, and treble.
Compared to the mildly V-shaped sound of the OX Demon King, with moderately boosted bass, relaxed midrange, and elevated upper midrange and treble.
The OX Demon King has a wider soundstage, while the HD 6XX has a deeper soundstage. I find the imaging in the HD 6XX more laid back, more accurate, and more natural, while the imaging on the OX Demon King is too forward and sometimes in your face.
The OX Demon King is livelier and more dynamic-sounding than the HD 6XX, which I mentioned earlier has a somewhat boring and dull sound compared to most headphones.
MOONDROP Horizon
Technical & Design
The MOONDROP Horizon features a 50mm UHE Dynamic Driver with an angled driver arrangement and an open back acoustic design. It has an impedance of 32 ohms, a sensitivity of 109 dB, and weighs 351 grams.
The Horizon has a classy yet science fiction vibe and is quite fashionable in a mature way. It has large earcups with soft earpads, and the grills feature a unique perforation pattern.
It includes a very nice 1.5-meter-long cable with a replaceable plug that accommodates 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs. The cable has two 3.5mm connectors at the headphone end.
Performance
The Horizon has a mildly bassy, neutral sound signature with mildly boosted mid-bass and a very neutral midrange and treble, with a slight relaxation in the upper treble.
The OX Demon King has a much-boosted mid-bass, a recessed midrange, and a much-boosted treble.
Neither has the biggest soundstage; they have similarly sized soundstages, but the Horizon has a deeper soundstage, and the OX Demon King has a wider stage.
In terms of imaging, I find the Horizon much more accurate and natural; the OX Demon King presents its center image aggressively and sounds too forward in comparison.
The OX Demon King is apparently more dynamic and lively-sounding due to its boosted bass and treble.
I also find the OX Demon King much more powerful and louder than the Horizon; the Horizon shows driver distortion earlier due to the driver running out of excursion or the suspension being too soft to prevent it.
FiiO JT7
Technical & Design
The FiiO JT7 features a 75mm Planar driver with an open-back acoustic design, an impedance of 18 ohms, and a weight of 321 grams without the cable.
The JT7 combines a professional and utilitarian aesthetic, avoiding a fashionable look; instead, it has a somewhat mature, serious, and straight-to-business appearance.
The earcups can swivel and fold to make it smaller for storage. It includes a 1.5 m cable terminated with 3.5mm connectors at the input and two 3.5mm connectors at the headphone end.
Performance
The JT7 is a near-neutral-sounding headphone with a slight midrange lift, making the sound slightly mid-centric on some songs, while the OX Demon King is V-shaped, with much more boosted bass, a recessed midrange, and an overtly boosted treble, making it sound bright.
They have about equal stage width, with the OX Demon King seemingly wider due to its brighter sound signature.
However, I find the JT7 to have more depth, not only in its soundstage but also in image layering, decay, and the distance from which the images emanate. Making the JT7 more 3-dimensional in comparison.
Regarding dynamics, both are lively, but the OX Demon King is more energetic due to its elevated bass and treble. I also noticed that OX Demon King can take more power and go louder without distorting than the JT7, but it becomes dangerous to the hearing at those volumes.
My Verdict
The TANGZU OX Demon King is a very nice first pair of headphones from TANGZU. I like the design language that conveys TANGZU’s aesthetic. I also like the energetic, fun sound signature.
However, I’m not fond of the elevated upper midrange and overtly boosted treble, which sounds too bright for my taste on some songs, making the OX Demon King unsuitable for mature or serious listeners.
I wish TANGZU would release a future pair of headphones with less boosted bass, upper midrange, and treble, with a design similar to the OX Demon King.
Overall, I like the TANGZU OX Demon King for occasional use when I want something fun, not serious, with a bold, energetic treble. However, OX Demon King cannot be my main pair of headphones because the tuning isn’t aligned with my taste.
TANGZU OX Demon King Technical Specifications
- Unit Configuration: 85mm Planar Magnetic Driver
- Sensitivity: 92dB/mW±3dB@1000Hz
- Impedance: 25Ω+15%@1000Hz
- Frequency Response Range: 10Hz – 40,000Hz
- THD (Total Harmonic Distortion): ≤3%@1000Hz
- Rated Input Power: 100mW
- Max Input Power: 300mW
- Cable Length: 2m
- Weight: 471 grams excluding cable
