UGH, I know this video well. I really respect this reviewer and I bought the ISN H40 on his sole recommendation because of this video. I already had the Mangird Tea when this video was released and I loved it (still do) so the way electro mod compared them made me incredibly interested in the H40. Especially because he ultimately preferred it to the Mangird.
I am about to write a book but don’t want to. lol
I’ll just say this. I disagree with electro mod in his assumption of how similar the H40 and Mangird Tea are. They are not as similar as he suggests.
I can’t really write about these two IEMs without discussing the FH3, because the FH3 changes everything for me and makes one of these IEMs obsolete for me.
I have written quite a lot about how the FH3 stacks up against both of these IEMs (mainly the H40) 🔶 FiiO FH3 2BA 1DD - #153 by PapaEmeritus but not how they compare to one another.
For me, the FH3 and H40 are the most similar of the 3. The Mangird is its own beast. You can read all about my opinions of the FH3 vs the H40 in the link above, but spoiler, I prefer the FH3 to the H40. The H40 bests the FH3 in timber. That’s about it. The FH3 does everything else technically better than the H40 rendering the H40 useless to me unless I’m listening to softer, slower music where that slight improvement to the timber makes a difference, and I might not miss the fast, detailed, and textured bass of the FH3.
The Mangird Tea has a very different tuning and a natural presentation that is addictive. The sub bass emphasis and reduced upper bass allows the mids to shine through. Because the sub bass is well emphasized, I’m still getting that rich deep bass I require, it’s just lower in the FR which is refreshing. This opens up space for the mids in the mix and they’re balanced beautifully. At first, I thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the treble of the Mangird, but the more I listened to it, I realized it was just about the perfect limit for what I would want from a brighter set. The Mangird has made me appreciate treble like no other IEM has, and that’s saying something since I’m treble sensitive and I actually really enjoy listening for treble detail with the Mangird.
So essentially, the H40 is more my preferred tonality vs the Mangird. If I had to choose between the H40 and the Mangird, I would probably choose the H40. But because the FH3 exists, the FH3 does my FR better in almost every aspect vs the H40. But the Mangird is a fantastic alternate tuning to the FH3 that I enjoy and really appreciate. It’s always a treat when I decide to listen to my music with the Mangird.
Long story short, I prefer the FH3 to all three, but because I own the FH3, the Mangird Tea is my second favorite IEM. The H40 is almost useless to me. I haven’t put it back in my ears since I did that critical listening comparison with the FH3.