Hercules Audio is a brand that was established by people who had worked on the King Arthur project of Effect Audio which was met with a lot of criticism as the fruit of the initiative wasn’t sweet but the team didn’t stop- joined hands together, and laid themselves out in 2023 as a new entity, and they took the columns of Head-fi and Canjam by storm, with two offerings in completely different price brackets; the Noah and Moses. The Moses is an IEM that easily skirts into kilobuck territory, while the Noah happens to be their most affordable offering.

Hercules Audio hasn’t supplied me this unit nor have I been compensated by any means for this review. This is a personally owned unit of one of my three main donors, and I thank him for giving me this unit to base my impressions on. I don’t have the retail packaging nor the accessories, but only the IEM and its cable, called the Noah’s Ark which is very punny of them.

Comfort on the Noah has been top notch for me as the shells look only deceptively heavy- and there was zero pressure buildup despite its 1DD + 3BA configuration, as the vents were fairly big and neatly integrated into the shells. The only con of the Noah is its pentaconn connectors as it severely limits cable options, but the Noah’s Ark is an excellent cable in terms of feel, and not once did I feel any pressure buildup around the area where the earhooks go.

Now time to opine on how it sounds.

Lows

The Hercules Audio Noah carries healthy dollops of the lower frequencies within itself, and I will be drawing a lot of parallels with two of my favourite IEMs of similar tunings, the Softears Volume S and the Xenns Mangird Top Pro. The Noah feels very similar to both of these IEMs, yet maintains clear differences in execution where it begins to separate itself in meaningful ways.

In tracks like Get Lucky and Instant Crush by Daft Punk, the Noah, even when compared to the Volume S, does not hesitate in delivering the heavy yet nimble rumble that the bass lines demand on both of these tracks. Unlike the Top Pro, whose decay stays longer than it should, the Noah takes the Volume S route by keeping the attack at the same pace and level as its decay, where the notes from the bass swoop in and roll out without wasting energy or quantity. The Noah keeps the notes spaced out evenly, never muddying up even for a quick minute, and keeps the rumble distinct from the punch. That sense of discipline gives the bass a confidence that feels deliberate rather than accidental.

In tracks like Limelight by Rush, the Noah does one thing better than the Volume S here, pacing the detail needed to enjoy elements that rumble. This track starts off with a roll, and the Noah introduces a touch more detail through that section which the Volume S does not fully capture. As the track progresses, the Noah gradually widens the small gap in separation that the Volume S carries, and in doing so places quiet pressure on the Top Pro to justify its standing. The bass line in this track runs parallel with the toms and kick drums with the Noah as its vessel, exposing minor limitations in the Top Pro, even if the overall difference remains controlled rather than dramatic.

Mids

The Noah now starts getting even better, and it has most of the fundamentals working in its favour. Even when compared against the Volume S, the Noah holds its ground with assurance and steadily makes its case without forcing the issue.

In tracks like Marigold by Periphery and the 2019 Bloodstock Live Festival version of Juno by Tesseract, both the Noah and Volume S show a strong capacity for retrieving detail. These tracks carry a lot of ghost notes throughout, and both IEMs render them at clearly audible levels. However, I would have appreciated the Noah allowing them to stand out slightly more, as its control over timbre and tonality remains the more noticeable strength, especially through the snare rolls and guitars. The Noah edges mildly ahead of the Volume S by avoiding excessive warmth while still maintaining body and realism, and it does so in a manner that feels composed rather than showy.

In tracks like Schism by Tool and First It Giveth by Queens of the Stone Age, the Noah demonstrates reliable imaging that begins to assert itself more clearly as the tracks grow busier. Despite the density in both tracks, it keeps each element positioned correctly and maintains composure throughout demanding passages. Instrument separation remains clear, once again moving ahead of the Volume S, particularly in First It Giveth, where the Noah keeps pace with the bass notes and drums on a beat-by-beat basis. The Volume S shows minor hesitation here, while the Top Pro, despite its energy, feels slightly less precise than expected in comparison.

Highs

The Noah, through the higher frequencies, does something that both the Softears Volume S and the Top Pro struggle with to varying degrees, delivering brightness without tipping into fatigue. That balance becomes more noticeable the longer the listening session continues.

In tracks like Stateside featuring Zara Larsson by PinkPantheress, the Noah handles the vivid synth work cleanly while keeping both vocals from sounding strained, thin, or piercing. The Volume S can come across as mildly fatiguing over time, while the Top Pro carries enough intensity in the 6k to 8k region to become tiring during longer sessions. The Noah maintains brightness while staying composed, and that restraint allows the energy in the track to remain enjoyable rather than exhausting.

In tracks like Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler and I’ll Always Love You by Whitney Houston, the Noah manages sustained vocal peaks without losing tonal balance. It handles the raspiness in Bonnie’s voice with control and keeps the relationship between vocals and instrumentals stable throughout the climaxes. The piano in Total Eclipse of the Heart carries convincing timbre and tonality, sounding natural and grounded rather than overly polished.

In tracks like Alright by Kendrick Lamar, the Noah does not introduce sibilance through the cymbals, similar to the Volume S, and this makes the Top Pro appear comparatively sharper in presentation. Background hums remain easy to locate, and the coherence between the horns, cymbals, and bass stays intact. The Top Pro leans slightly toward punch, the Volume S leaves a lighter impression, while the Noah settles into a balanced middle ground and holds it with confidence.

Concluding Notes

The Hercules Audio Noah presents itself as a composed and carefully judged performer. It does not attempt to dominate through spectacle, nor does it rely on exaggerated character to stand out. Instead, it focuses on delivering a balanced and predictable listening experience, one that remains consistent across genres and listening sessions. That consistency becomes its defining strength.

For some time, the Softears Volume S has served as a dependable reference point for listeners who value balance and musicality. The Noah follows a similar philosophy, but with firmer control in areas where separation and pacing matter. It does not replace the Volume S outright, but it closes gaps that once felt comfortable, and in doing so, it strengthens the case for disciplined tuning over excess.

The Xenns Mangird Top Pro, however, finds itself in a more difficult position. Its strengths remain visible, but they are no longer enough to justify its standing once direct comparisons begin. The moment the Noah enters the equation, the Top Pro starts to look less like a premium step forward and more like a miscalculation in value. The performance gap is not theoretical, and the price difference becomes harder to defend with each listening session.

What ultimately defines the Noah is not just balance, but efficiency. It delivers performance where it matters, avoids unnecessary excess, and maintains composure without demanding a premium for it. In practical terms, it resets expectations within this segment.

The Volume S remains a trusted benchmark. The Top Pro now feels overpriced and outclassed.

The Noah steps in as the more sensible and better-judged choice. And for that, it earns my rightful grade of S.

Purchase link (GBP 315 for the top spec): https://eliseaudio.com/products/hercules-audio-noah (Again, disclaimer- I am neither affiliated with Hercules Audio, nor Elise Audio. This was merely a fun writing exercise for me)

Will I buy this at retail? Absolutely.
Will I buy this used? Blind Buy.

Sources used: SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, Shanling M9 Plus DAP, FiiO KA17 and Venture Electronics Abigail Pro dongle DAC amps.

Eartips used (ranked in order of performance): JVC Spiral Dots, Divinus Velvet Narrow Bore, Final E, Spinfit CP100+, Dunu Candy, Tangzu Sancai Balanced

Tracks:

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message In A Bottle
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I know, The Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• Tesseract: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil In A New Dress
• Altin Gun: Goga Dunya
• Timbaland: Give It To Me
• Adele: Easy On Me Live, When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• AR Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down In A Hole (live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue

I don’t have a lot to talk about for an introduction, except that one of my very good friends loaned me this set for a review, and I am grieving that I will have to send it back to him again. I was taken aback with how good the Sony MDR-MV1 sounds, and how well it balances comfort with sound.

Comfort has been one of the best I have found for myself in terms of headphones. The MV1 came to me with stock earpads which felt semi broken in, and there were still no complaints. I was on the second level in terms of extensions, and even with earrings and glasses on, clamp force was next to nothing in terms of pain or discomfort. I easily had the MV1 for hours over my ears without feeling the need to take it off. That kind of comfort makes long listening sessions feel less like endurance runs and more like relaxed cruising.

Anyway, let’s move towards the sound.

Lows

The Sony MV1 launches off the line with torque that feels unexpected for an open back. Not reckless torque. Controlled torque. The kind that pins you into the seat without spinning the tires. Many open backs deliver warmth. Few deliver traction. The MV1 finds grip early and holds it.

In tracks like Limelight by Rush, the MV1 drives the bass line with authority and composure. Notes engage cleanly and disengage just as decisively. There is no wobble in the decay and nothing feels muddy or lost in the mix. Kick drums land with conviction because the driver keeps everything steady under pressure. The result is impact that feels confident rather than exaggerated, like a well-tuned engine delivering power exactly when you ask for it. Toms carry a dense, satisfying grunt while still sounding well defined.

In tracks like Get Lucky and Instant Crush by Daft Punk, I noticed the MV1 showing its first limitation. Space becomes slightly restricted when the arrangement gets busy, especially in Instant Crush, where the bass line and drum work feel like they could use a bit more room to breathe. Once the stanzas hit and the bass gains more power, that limitation fades and the rumble comes through beautifully. The presentation regains its footing and moves forward with confidence. This is less of a problem in Get Lucky, where separation improves and stays consistent. Even better, when Pharrell’s vocals step in, they feel lush and present, and despite the drum work leaning toward boominess, there is next to no bleed.

This is a low end tuned for movement. It has weight, confidence, and enough discipline to stay in control when the road gets busy.

Mids

The midrange is where the MV1 shows its composure. It does not try to impress with sharpness. It focuses on balance, and that choice shapes how the entire presentation comes together.

In tracks like Juno by Tesseract, Marigold by Periphery, and First It Giveth by Queens of the Stone Age, the MV1 cuts through busy passages with ease while keeping its footing. Tonality remains strong throughout, though it can lean slightly warm in moments. Timbre stays natural, and instruments carry enough body to feel believable. Instrument separation could have been better, as cymbals occasionally feel a touch less precise than they should, but the presentation never loses stability. Imaging sits in a comfortable middle ground, neither overly tight nor overly loose, and that balance keeps the sound predictable even when the music pushes harder.

In tracks like Marigold by Periphery, one of the MV1’s more enjoyable traits becomes clear. The ghost notes in the drums come through distinctly enough that they no longer feel like background details. They feel intentional, like subtle throttle inputs shaping the rhythm rather than dominating it.

In tracks like Message in a Bottle by The Police, the MV1 maintains timbre down to a fault. Stewart Copeland’s drum work is instantly recognizable through the crispness of the toms and snares. Vocals are handled with ease. Sting’s voice carries a lively, nimble character while still sounding full and grounded.

This midrange does not chase attention. It keeps the system balanced and lets the music flow naturally.

Highs

The treble is where the MV1 occasionally runs into trouble. Not constantly, but enough to be noticed. When recordings push energy into the upper registers, the headphone responds strongly, and sometimes that response becomes a bit too aggressive.

In tracks like All By Myself by Celine Dion, this behavior becomes clear. When the song reaches its climax, the upper notes come through with a sharpness that can feel uncomfortable. Everything else in the track remains beautiful, but those peak moments stand out in a way that disrupts the listening experience. The MV1 does not lose control. It simply pushes harder than it should in that region, like brakes beginning to fade after repeated hard stops.

In tracks like Adele’s 2021 NRJ Awards live version of Easy On Me, the result is very different. Her vibratos are handled smoothly, the piano sounds natural, and the bass remains steady. Nothing feels forced, and the presentation stays composed from start to finish.

In tracks like Stateside by PinkPantheress featuring Zara Larsson, the MV1 settles back into form. The track contains plenty of bright synth elements that could easily turn harsh, yet the headphone keeps everything balanced. The lows remain punchy, the synths feel lively, and the vocals carry enough weight to stay engaging. There is no noticeable sibilance.

What this shows is simple. The MV1 does not hide the energy in a recording. If the track runs hot, the headphone will follow.

Concluding Notes

The Sony MV1 feels less like a showpiece and more like a dependable machine. It is built for long listening sessions, steady performance, and everyday reliability. That philosophy comes through clearly in how it sounds. And in my book is a headphone that deserves more attention, and worth adding into a competent roster, like, I would happily add this headphone to my personal collection and actually get this over the HD650/6xx, and is a stronger recommendation from my end over the Audio Tecnica ATH-r70x or the r70xa, due to having deeper, better structured earpads and being so light to run.

Its greatest strength is composure. The low end delivers weight without losing control. The midrange maintains structure and balance. Together, the presentation feels trustworthy across different genres and listening conditions. I can settle in for long sessions without worrying about fatigue, because the system stays stable mile after mile.

Its weakness lies in how the MV1 handles strong treble energy. When recordings push hard in that region, the MV1 does not soften the edges. It delivers exactly what is there. That honesty can be rewarding with well-balanced music and demanding with more aggressive recordings.

This is not a headphone that tries to impress with theatrics. It focuses on doing the job well, session after session.

And in that role, the Sony MV1 earns its keep, and gets an A from my end.

Will I buy this at retail? Absolutely.
Will I buy this used? Blind Buy.

Sources used: SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, Shanling M9 Plus DAP, FiiO KA17 and Venture Electronics Abigail Pro dongle DAC amps.

Tracks:

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• The Police: Message In A Bottle
• Tool: Pneuma
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I know, The Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• Tesseract: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil In A New Dress
• Altin Gun: Goga Dunya
• Timbaland: Give It To Me
• Adele: Easy On Me Live, When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• AR Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down In A Hole (live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue

I am not going to put up any fancy introduction here, except to let you know that I paid full retail price for this unit. I bought this primarily to harvest the eartips and to let the community know about my thoughts on the Tangzu Red Lion, and why I think the hype for this IEM ran a lot further than what it should have anyway. This review was primarily done for r/iemindia as it has been the most hyped set I have seen in a while.

Unboxing and Accessories

Tangzu does one thing phenomenally right, apart from delivering a very cultured waifu design on their packaging. It supplies you with good essentials, and the Red Lion doesn’t get skimped out. One gets the HE Sonic eartips, which are a first here, along with Sancai wide bores instead of the balanced or double flange. The regular Wan’er 2 and the Yu Xuanji get a full set of the balanced version. There’s also a nice magnetic rubber case instead of the floppy faux leather ones that its rivals come with, or a basic fabric pouch.

The IEMs themselves come in translucent shells, and thankfully they use a 0.78 mm 2-pin configuration. Unlike the non-desirable QDC 2-pin (0.78 mm) that the GK Kunten or the Wan’er SG came with, and not obnoxious like the long-style 2-pin that the Tanchjim Bunny and the One come with. Both Wan’er 2 and Red Lion are the normal ones of the lot, and one would think schooling both of them would be relatively easy.

Keep up with me, because the Red Lion is one rocky ride.

Cheap plastic, yes, but the faceplates themselves are beautiful. An Asian lion moulded rather neatly gives it a sophisticated look, something that a lot of IEMs in price segments above still fail to get right.

Enough strolling in the jungle, let’s get to the sound

Lows

The Tangzu Red Lion, right out of the gate and regardless of eartips, sounds obese, with a lot of fat hanging on to the sub-bass, and the occasional mid-bass rolls intruding into proper bloat territory. Even on something like the Sancai wide bores, the Red Lion keeps up with a prima facie groovy pace which soon traverses into being bloated.

In tracks like Instant Crush and Get Lucky by Daft Punk, the Red Lion conflates detail and precision with something unnecessary, and smudges over the entire whiteboard with a marker of bloat that just doesn’t sit right with me. Bass lines have horrendous rumble, drums have zero energy as the tracks progress, and the mid-bass punch keeps returning like an over-enthusiastic room service personnel knocking on the door long after you’ve put up the Do Not Disturb sign.

In tracks like Limelight by Rush, the Red Lion marginally improves with a semblance of detail and slightly better separation between drums and bass lines. The demarcation lines are still mostly smudged, but surprisingly it doesn’t affect the vocals while ruining everything else.

Mids

The Red Lion now does a circus flip and surprisingly impresses me here. While it is not a full redemption, it is indeed a promising start.

Through tracks like First It Giveth by Queens of the Stone Age, Message in a Bottle by The Police, and Pneuma by Tool, even if the perceived stage is narrow and claustrophobic, the Red Lion soldiers on with tonality that is not neutral or flat to say the least, and yet the timbre stays natural and planted. Zero wobble there. Vocal notes carry decent body and weight, and their positioning is neither too forward nor laid back.

This also brings me to imaging on this IEM, which is pretty good. Nothing commendable, but nothing to frown about either, and at least compared to the Wan’er 2, it is indeed a step-up.

What could have improved, however, was the way guitars and cymbals felt throughout the entirety of these tracks. Separation only has decency as an illusion, but it truly isn’t the brightest tool in the shed for that. In that regard, IEMs like the GK Kunten, or the Tanchjim Bunny DSP, do a significantly better job.

Especially with cymbals in busy tracks like Marigold by Periphery and The Woven Web by Animals as Leaders, the Red Lion loses grip and slips through the crevices of what should have otherwise been an easy job for an IEM of this signature, as the Tanchjim One does a better job here.

Highs

The Red Lion has a lackluster finish through the higher frequencies, where it should have come off skirting through smoothly, but instead comes off as sibilant.

In tracks like Stateside by PinkPantheress featuring Zara Larsson, the Red Lion manages to handle vocals well, but it’s all doom and gloom for anything else. Synths appear piercing and tinny, the mid-bass boom rears up again with its ugly head, and the rest of the elements collapse into a bloated, sibilant mush.

In tracks like Alright by Kendrick Lamar, the background hums are distinct and layered under the main vocals, demonstrating decent imaging. The horns and pianos maintain balanced timbre and don’t sound particularly wonky. But the cymbals have a very underwhelming sound. I chose this track because the production had the cymbals prematurely clipped, but on the Red Lion it gets worse, because they are simply sibilant to a fault.

Concluding Notes

The Tangzu Red Lion is not a bad IEM. It is an uneven one. It shows flashes of competence through the mids, but repeatedly trips over its own tuning decisions in the lows and highs. The mid-bass bloat and treble sibilance form a pincer movement that squeezes technical performance from both ends, leaving the mids to do damage control for the rest of the tuning.

There is a listenable core here. The timbre is respectable, vocals are handled with maturity, and imaging is competent enough to prevent the Red Lion from collapsing entirely. But the surrounding execution lacks discipline, and that lack of control becomes impossible to ignore over longer listening sessions.

What ultimately hurts the Red Lion most is not its flaws, but the expectations built around it. The hype positioned it as a category disruptor. In practice, it behaves like a mid-tier budget set with an identity crisis. Too warm to be technical, too sharp to be relaxed, and too inconsistent to be confidently recommended over its peers.

The Red Lion roars loudly, but runs out of breath sooner than it should. And for that unathletic performance, it gets a B-. My advice? Pay more attention to the Tanchjim One.

Sources used: Shanling M9 Plus in high gain and Tempotec V1 DAP, SMSL Raw MDA-1 in high gain, and FiiO KA17 and TRN BlackPearl in low gain, Snowsky Tiny

Eartips (based on order of performance): Final E, KBear Coffee, JVC Spiral Dots, Sancai Wide Bore, HE Sonic

Tracks

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• The Police: Message In A Bottle
• Tool: Pneuma
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time 
• Tame Impala: The Less I know, The Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Avicii: Levels 
• Periphery: Marigold
• Tesseract: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil In A New Dress 
• Altin Gun: Goga Dunya
• Timbaland: Give It To Me 
• Adele: Easy On Me Live, When We Were Young 
• Celine Dion: All By Myself 
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed 
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry 
• Meshuggah: Bleed 
• AR Rahman: Tere Bina 
• Alice in Chains: Down In A Hole (live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Bonnie Tyler: Total Eclipse of the Heart
• Whitney Houston: I'll Always Love You
• PinkPantheress ft. Zara Larsson: Stateside