Tanchjim Nora

Premium Sound Engineering at a Mid-Range Price

The Tanchjim Nora is the latest addition to Tanchjim’s growing lineup of dynamic driver IEMs, featuring their DMT5 driver architecture with a PU suspension and DLC composite diaphragm. This single dynamic driver IEM joins Tanchjim’s existing offerings like the Origin and the Fission in the line-up.

Priced at $109.99, the Nora comes with premium build materials, a distinctive transparent shell design, and a comprehensive set of accessories including a quality detachable cable with interchangeable plugs.

What is extremely impressive about the Nora is how well it sounds for a single DD design, and I really like the way the shell fits my ears, its shell specifically allows for a deeper fit which for me gives a more comfortable and stable listening experience.

But before I get into too many details, let’s look at the premium unboxing and build quality of the Nora:

Unboxing and Build Quality

The unboxing experience of the Tanchjim Nora begins with an attractive, well-designed package that hints at the quality within:

The back of the box provides detailed specifications and information about the product:

Opening the package reveals the earphones nestled securely inside:

Lifting the top layer reveals more accessories:

The IEMs themselves are located beneath:

The faceplate and the shells on the Nora are very well-made and have a nice classy look:

And the high-quality cable is housed in the bottom compartment:

The build quality of the Nora is exceptional, particularly at this price point. The shells are made from a transparent material that allows you to see the internal components, adding a touch of technical appeal to the aesthetic:

One of the standout features of the Nora package is the premium cable. Made from silver-plated OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) with LiTZ anti-oxidation technology, the cable feels substantial yet remains flexible and resistant to tangling. The 2-pin connectors are clearly marked with color indicators for easy identification:

What makes the cable even more special is the inclusion of both 3.5mm and 4.4mm adapters, allowing for versatile connectivity with different sources:

A closer look at the adapter mechanism reveals thoughtful engineering:

The Nora comes with two sets of ear tips featuring different bore sizes, which subtly adjust the treble response to match your preferences:

Fit and Comfort

The Tanchjim Nora features an ergonomically designed shell that fits comfortably in the ear. The lightweight construction contributes to its excellent comfort during extended listening sessions. I found the Nora to be extremely comfortable, with the shell is suitable for the majority of users ears.

The angled nozzles help direct sound properly into the ear canal, and the included variety of ear tips ensure that most users will find a secure and comfortable fit.

It’s worth noting that the nozzle length is somewhat longer than average, which helped me achieve a deeper and better seal. However, this longer nozzle might be too long for some users, so this is something potential buyers should consider before purchasing. The well-designed weight distribution prevents fatigue even after hours of use, making these ideal for both casual and critical listening sessions.

Driver Technology and Features

The Nora employs Tanchjim’s DMT5 dynamic driver architecture, featuring a PU (polyurethane) suspension with a DLC ( Diamond-Like Carbon) dome composite diaphragm. This sophisticated driver design delivers several benefits:

1. Excellent Dynamic Performance: The PU suspension combined with the DLC diaphragm provides resilient low frequencies while effectively suppressing harmonic distortion caused by segmented vibrations.

2. Inner and Outer Double-Magnetic Circuit: This design enhances driver control and responsiveness, resulting in a more refined, transparent, and natural sound with crisp, clean transient response.

3. Low-Distortion Waveguide Faceplate Technology: This technology contributes to the Nora’s impressive THD rating of just 0.049% at 1kHz (94dB), ensuring clean sound reproduction even at higher volumes.

4. Ultra-Smooth Inner Surface: The acoustic cavity features a smooth inner surface that enhances the reproduction of vocal nuances and high-frequency instrument details while delivering a smoother overall high-frequency response. Sound waves travel more seamlessly and fluidly, preventing distortion caused by multiple reflections and interference at specific frequencies.

5. Array Acoustic Disturbance Structure: By physically interfering with sound waves and limiting their lateral irregular diffusion, this structure enhances direct sound quality to deliver a purer listening experience.

Sound Impressions

The Tanchjim Nora delivers a refined, balanced sound signature that belies its modest price point. The tuning is reminiscent of the excellent Tanchjim Origin but with slightly less bass emphasis, resulting in a presentation that balances musicality with technical accuracy.

Bass

The bass response is clean, controlled, and well-extended, showcasing the capabilities of the DLC composite diaphragm. There’s more balanced / reference bass presentation with the Nora that provides a solid foundation without overwhelming the rest of the frequency spectrum. Bass notes are rendered with good texture and definition, offering impact when the recording demands it while maintaining admirable restraint when appropriate.

While slightly less emphasized than the Tanchjim Origin, the bass still provides satisfying weight to tracks that benefit from it. The speed and control of the bass response are particularly impressive, with minimal bleed into the midrange and excellent recovery between notes, resulting in articulate low-frequency reproduction even in complex passages.

Test Tracks:

• “James Blake - Limit to Your Love”: The sub-bass drops showcase the Nora’s impressive speed and control, with each bass note rendered with precision and natural decay.
• “Massive Attack - Angel”: The ominous bassline demonstrates the texture and definition the Nora can deliver, maintaining articulation without overwhelming the rest of the mix.
• “Daft Punk - Giorgio by Moroder”: The complex bassline reveals the Nora’s ability to handle quick bass transitions with excellent recovery between notes, keeping pace with the track’s dynamic shifts.

Midrange

The midrange is where the Nora truly shines. Vocals are presented with natural timbre and excellent clarity, positioned slightly forward in the mix but never becoming shouty or aggressive. Both male and female vocals sound authentic with appropriate weight and presence.

Instruments in the midrange exhibit accurate timbre and texture. Acoustic guitars ring out with proper resonance, pianos have the right combination of body and attack, and string instruments display the natural harmonics that contribute to a convincing reproduction.

The transition from the upper bass to the lower mids is handled with finesse, avoiding any sense of disconnection while maintaining clarity and definition throughout the range. The overall midrange presentation strikes an excellent balance between detail and musicality.

Test Tracks:

• “Norah Jones - Come Away With Me”: Her intimate vocals showcase the Nora’s ability to present female voices with natural timbre and appropriate weight, maintaining clarity without pushing too far forward.
• “Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker”: The deep male vocals demonstrate the IEM’s capability to render lower-register voices with proper resonance and texture, while preserving the subtle nuances in his delivery.
• “Fleetwood Mac - Landslide”: Stevie Nicks’ voice and the acoustic guitar work reveal the Nora’s excellent midrange balance, with each element occupying its own space while maintaining cohesion across the frequency spectrum.

Treble

The treble response of the Nora is extended and detailed without becoming harsh or fatiguing. High-frequency instruments like cymbals and hi-hats are reproduced with appropriate shimmer and decay, while maintaining a smooth overall character that allows for extended listening sessions without fatigue.

The Ultra-Smooth Inner Surface technology appears to deliver on its promise, providing clean treble reproduction free from the peaks that can lead to sibilance or harshness. While the treble isn’t overly emphasized, there’s sufficient air and sparkle to convey the ambience and space in well-recorded material.

The two sets of included ear tips with different bore sizes offer subtle adjustments to the treble presentation, allowing users to fine-tune the high-frequency response to their preferences or to match different genres of music.

Test Tracks:

• “Diana Krall - The Look of Love”: The delicate cymbal work and piano overtones reveal the Nora’s ability to present high frequencies with natural shimmer and decay without becoming harsh.
• “Getz/Gilberto - The Girl from Ipanema”: The intricate hi-hat patterns and brushed cymbals demonstrate the Nora’s treble refinement, maintaining detail while avoiding any hint of sibilance.
• “Yo-Yo Ma - Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major”: The harmonics and upper register of the cello showcase the Nora’s ability to render subtle treble details and textures while preserving the natural timbre of the instrument.

Soundstage & Imaging

The Nora creates an impressively spacious soundstage for an IEM in this price range. While not the widest in its class, it provides good width and depth that allows for an immersive listening experience. Instrument separation is excellent, with clear delineation between different elements in complex musical passages.

Imaging is precise, with accurate placement of sounds within the soundstage. The center image is well-defined, and there’s good layering that helps create a three-dimensional sonic picture. The Array Acoustic Disturbance Structure appears to contribute to this spatial precision by limiting lateral diffusion and enhancing direct sound quality.

Test Tracks:

• “Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles”: This track’s meticulous recording of bouncing balls demonstrates the Nora’s precise imaging capabilities, placing each sound accurately within a three-dimensional space.
• “Pink Floyd - Money”: The opening cash register sounds reveal the Nora’s ability to create width and depth, with each sound effect distinctly positioned across the soundstage.
• “Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (Berlin Philharmonic)”: The orchestral arrangement showcases the Nora’s ability to maintain instrument separation and layering even in complex, densely packed musical passages.

Specifications and Measurements

• Drive unit: Inner and outer double-magnetic circuit
• Dynamic driver technology: DMT5
• Waveguide Technology: Low-distortion waveguide faceplate technology
• Diaphragm: PU Suspension + DLC Dome Composite
• THD: 0.049%@1kHz 94dB
• Impedance: 16Ω±5%@1kHz
• Sensitivity: 125dB/VrmS
• Frequency Response: 2-48 kHz
• Cable: Detachable, includes 3.5mm & 4.4mm plugs
• Cable Structure: LiTZ anti-oxidation, silver-plated OFC

Frequency Response

The frequency response measurements confirm the excellent tuning of the Tanchjim Nora.

The measurements show a well-balanced response with a slight roll-off in the sub-bass region, with a slightly warm midbass, some clean mids, and smooth treble extension.

Comparisons

The Tanchjim Nora shares some sonic characteristics with both the Tanchjim Origin and the Tanchjim Fission, but with slightly less bass emphasis and less upper treble details than those excellent IEMs.

This makes the Nora a better option for those who prefer a more neutral presentation, while still maintaining the excellent tuning philosophy that has made Tanchjim’s IEMs popular among audiophiles.

Distortion Measurements

The THD remains impressively low across the frequency spectrum, particularly in the critical midrange where many IEMs in this price range struggle. The measurements confirm that the PU suspension and DLC composite diaphragm effectively control unwanted vibrations, resulting in clean sound reproduction even at higher volumes.

And also showing the distortion as a percentage shows very little distortion even when the volume is very high:

Rating Explanation

I’ve given the Tanchjim Nora a pragmatic rating of 5/5 stars, which reflects its exceptional performance and value in today’s IEM market.

The sound quality alone would justify a high rating, but when combined with the premium build quality, comfortable fit, and excellent accessories (particularly the quality cable with interchangeable plugs), the Nora represents outstanding value at its $109.99 price point.

The Nora is ideal for:

• Listeners who appreciate a balanced, slightly warm sound signature with excellent technical performance
• Those who value comfort during extended listening sessions
• Users who want a versatile IEM that works well with a wide range of music genres
• Audiophiles looking for premium features and accessories without breaking the bank

Conclusion

The Tanchjim Nora represents a compelling package in the increasingly competitive IEM market. It combines sophisticated driver technology, thoughtful design, and premium accessories at a price point that offers exceptional value.

Compared to other IEMs in the $100 / $150 price range, the Nora stands out for its refined tuning, premium build quality, and comprehensive accessory package. Many competitors offer either good sound or good accessories at this price point, but the Nora delivers excellently on both fronts.

The inclusion of a high-quality cable with interchangeable 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs adds significant value to the package, eliminating the need for separate purchases that would typically be necessary with many competitors at this price point.

For those seeking a refined, balanced IEM with excellent build quality and a complete accessory package, the Tanchjim Nora is an easy recommendation. It stands as a testament to Tanchjim’s commitment to delivering audiophile-quality experiences at increasingly accessible price points, and it deserves a place on the shortlist of anyone shopping for IEMs in the $100-150 range.