Sonic Compass · Mojo Review · IEM (universal) · Session Review
CCZ Tiangong Pro (CZ12)
A six-driver, all-metal budget IEM with a clean, controlled low end, a vocal-forward lift in the upper mids, very clean treble and a stage that sounds much bigger than its price.
A controlled, clean and technical IEM with a vocal-forward lift and a big 3D stage for the money. Tip rolling is needed, and the bass is not for bass heads.
- Big, wide 3D stage
- Excellent instrument separation
- Clean, non-sibilant treble
- Vocal-forward upper mids
- Controlled, laid-back bass
Where it sits
Sonic Compass does not score gear out of ten. Gear and listeners are plotted on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits — and you can see how far that is from where you sit. A position is a description, not a grade.
- Tone ColourBalanced · 48%
- Texture DetailVery detailed · 82%
- Dynamics JumpPunchy · 60%
- Space & ImagingVery spacious · 92%
- Timing & FlowBalanced · 55%
- Comfort & FatigueEasy-going · 72%
- Emotional EngagementImmersive · 72%
Laid-back controlled bass, vocal-forward upper mids and very clean treble. Described as clean and fun rather than warm or bright, so placed near the middle (high = warm on this scale).
Treble very clean, detail and resolution punch well above the price, gritty texture on rock vocals, no crispy treble on EDM.
Bass deep and powerful when a track needs it, but laid-back and not for chest-rattling punch. Vocals and guitars are prominent and commanding.
Wide, 3D, instruments floating inside and outside the head, excellent separation and long-lingering effects on Metallica's One.
Placed near the middle with thin evidence. The only remark is that the dynamic driver and armatures sound cohesive, with no lack of cohesion.
Comfortable in the ear canals, weighted metal shells, long nozzle helps fit but may not suit smaller ears. No sibilance at loud levels. Stock tips are not good.
Described as engaging and a fun sound that refuses to be boring, with huge, commanding vocals.
Sonic Compass does not grade gear. We plot gear and listeners on the same seven axes, so a review tells you where a product sits and you can see how far that is from where you sit.
The CCZ Tiangong Pro (model CZ12) is a hybrid IEM with one 10mm dynamic driver and five balanced armatures per side, in a zinc alloy shell with an open faceplate. KeepHiFi sent the pair for review. I used my Nipro N2 DAP and my Aune A17 amp, which is overkill for IEMs this easy to drive.
Listening journey
Fit and build — The zinc shells are nicely weighted and sit in the concha. The nozzle is quite long, which helps the ease of fit for me. Smaller ears may struggle. They are comfortable in my ear canals, and there are vents. The supplied silver-plated cable is 3.5mm terminated and does the job without looking like a twisted shoelace. The included tips are not good enough, so tip rolling is close to mandatory.
Tips — On the stock tips the bass sounded a little plasticky and cheap. With Prism wide-bore tips it was not deeper or fuller, but it had a better sense of realism. They were my preference.
Bass — Laid-back but well controlled. It digs deep when a track calls for it and stays in the background on most. If you want chest-rattling mid-bass punch you may be disappointed. It emphasises cleanliness over quantity. A very deep male vocal cover came through beautifully, and on Valhalla Calling by Miracle of Sound the bass was deep and powerful. The mid-bass stays away from the mids, so the lower mids are clean.
Mids and treble — The upper mids have a vocal-forward lift that is not in your face. Rock vocals have a gritty texture, voices sound organic and full, and guitars are clean and prominent. Treble is very clean, and detail and resolution punch above the price. I got no sibilance on any track at loud levels, and no crispy or crackling treble on EDM and dance.
Stage and imaging — Wide, and wider than I expect at this price, with a real sense of 3D presentation. Instrument separation is excellent: I can pick out the drummer at the back, the bassist off to the right, and the vocalist in the middle. On Metallica's One the chopper starts wide, goes behind me and out to the left, and lingers.
Drivers and amping — The crossover does a good job separating the dynamic driver from the armatures. I did not hear a lack of cohesion between the two driver types. They sounded good on both the Nipro N2 and the Aune A17, with similar staging on each.
| Track | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| One | 90% | Chopper starts wide, goes behind the head and out to the left, and lingers |
Critical observations
Where the Tiangong Pro sits — A dynamic, clean, fun and technical sound. Bass is controlled rather than abundant, the upper mids are lifted for vocals, treble is clean and detailed, and the stage is the standout.
Cons — I found none beyond the stock tips, and the bass is not for bass heads. The long nozzle may not suit smaller ears.
Honest limits — The pair was supplied by a retailer. By ear only, with no measurements, from two sources. I made no comparison with other IEMs, only a claim that they could be my reference pair under US$100. I did not talk about timing, so Timing is placed near the middle with little evidence.
- OneMetallica
- Driver Configuration
- Hybrid: one 10mm dual-magnetic PET dynamic driver and five balanced armatures per side (CCZ via KeepHiFi)
- Driver Details
- Impedance 16 ohm +/-15%, sensitivity 101 dB +/-3 dB, frequency response 20Hz-20kHz (KeepHiFi listing)
- Weight
- Not stated on the retailer page
- Build Materials
- Zinc alloy shell with open faceplate and vents
- Cable Connectors
- Detachable 0.78mm 2-pin cable, silver-plated OFC, 3.5mm gold-plated plug; with-mic and no-mic versions
- Isolation Leakage
- Passive isolation; vented shells
- Power Requirements
- Easy to drive from a phone or laptop (KeepHiFi)
- Accessories
- Cable, ear tips, user guide
- Build Quality Notes
- Colour: black. Price: US$60 (KeepHiFi listing, with-mic version; no-mic US$59). Photos: KeepHiFi / CCZ.
A controlled, clean and technical IEM with a vocal-forward lift and a big 3D stage for the money. Tip rolling is needed, and the bass is not for bass heads.
<p><strong>Buy it if</strong>… you love vocals, rock vocals especially; you want clean treble without sibilance and plenty of detail; you want precise instrument separation and a wide, 3D stage, including for gaming footsteps; and you are happy to roll tips.</p><p><strong>Skip it if</strong>… you want chest-rattling mid-bass punch; you have small ears and want a short nozzle; or you want to stay on the stock tips.</p>