Han Sound Zen 8 Review: Inner Peace, Outer Beauty

Han Sound is a high-end cable maker from Taiwan. They specialize in making… well, cables! They have a pretty impressive lineup, ranging from unique looking cables like the Muse II to the functional Zen 8 + bass controller. Today we’ll be looking at the Standard Zen 8.

You can find the Muse II for sale here, for roughly $270.

Packaging/Unboxing

The Zen 8 comes packaged in a simple, yet stylish cardboard box. It is neatly wrapped and then tucked into a circular foam cutout.

Build Quality

The Zen 8, like everything built by the guys at Han Sound, is very cleanly made. It is an 8-core cable that makes use of the double-chain braid. Its way more sturdy than any cable I have in my inventory, and yet it still isn’t the heaviest. The plastic coating over the gorgeous copper strands is “soft” and doesn’t have any bad behavior tangle-wise.

Han Sound Audio used a gunmetal-black Y-splitter and chin-slider on the Zen 8. It contrasts phenomenally well with the deep copper color the wires hold. The cable’s split is cleanly and neatly, a mark of a skilled craftsman.

My Zen 8 is terminated with a 2.5mm jack housed in a standard chrome jack. It’s got teardrop-shaped engravings regularly spaced across its surface, a nice touch that I haven’t seen on any other cable-maker’s products.

Comfort/Ergonomics

As I mentioned, due to the increased thickness of the Zen 8’s 8-core braid, it is heavier than average. That said, its increased width negates any potential discomfort that may occur from wearing the Zen 8 behind the ears.

There are very little microphonics. Walking produced no noticeable sound artifacts, though running did a bit.

Summary

The Zen 8 is another masterfully crafted cable from Han Sound Audio. The 8 Core braid they went with is not only stylish, but quite durable. Audiophiles looking to compliment their IEMs visually will be very pleased with the durable and aesthetically pleasing Zen 8.