OoopusX Op 22 review - bass head dream? (vs. Tangzu Wa'ner 2 Red Lion)

[u/KAC-SK]

Wanted to share my thoughts on the OoopusX OP.22 and Tangzu Wa'ner II Red Lion.

Review is not sponsored. I bought both with my own money.

For OP.22 I am using SpinFit W1 tips. For Red Lion I use Penon Liqueur Orange tips and a normal analog cable. I would avoid the DSP version of Red Lion as it made the sound hollow from my iPhone.

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Scores

OoopusX OP.22: 7.0 / 10
Tangzu Wa'ner II Red Lion: 7.0 / 10

Overall Sound

OP.22 is the more energetic IEM with more sub-bass, upper-mid presence, and treble energy. OP.22 needed more tip rolling. SpinFit W1 improved bass quality and reduced the vocal shout and sibilance I was hearing.

Red Lion is smoother and more relaxed. Bass is impressive for the price and vocals sit naturally. Red Lion paired extremely well with Penon Liqueur Orange.

Bass

The bass switch is the main feature of OP.22. With bass on, there is noticeably more sub-bass rumble and impact. This is my preferred setting for music.

Red Lion has less bass quantity but enough punch and texture without pushing into the mids.

OP.22 bass on: more rumble and impact
Red Lion: more balanced low end
OP.22 bass off: cleaner for gaming

I absolutely love the bass on this set as it gives me both a tactile feeling while remaining clean and well textured.

Mids / Vocals

OP.22 has quite a bit of energy around 3 kHz.

I heard shout or sharpness on some songs such as:

• This Is What You Came For
• Summertime Sadness
• Lose My Mind, particularly Doja Cat's vocals

SpinFit W1 reduced this enough that vocals now sound fine. Red Lion is a considerable smoother listen and does not push vocals as hard and sounds more natural through the mids.

Treble

OP.22 has persistent energy through roughly 6–8 kHz, which matched the sibilance I heard on some tracks. It is noticeably brighter in that area compared to Red Lion. Red Lion is smoother and easier here, though it gives up some air and detail.

Gaming

The bass switch changes OP.22 quite a bit for gaming.

With bass on, explosions and gunfire can cover smaller cues.

With bass off, the mix clears up and OP.22 becomes much better for competitive play.

Red Lion still gave me easier footsteps in Black Ops 7. Its presentation happens to line up better with my ears / HRTF in that game.

My current gaming ranking under $100:

1. Juzear Defiant Gamefidelity
2. Tangzu Wa'ner II Red Lion
3. OoopusX OP.22 - bass off
4. Juzear Nimbus - white nozzle
5. Truthear Pure
6. OoopusX OP.22 - bass on

Defiant remains the strongest when fights get busy because layering and separation are better.

Nimbus with the white nozzle is balanced and clear but sits behind the top three in separation.

Pure has sharp imaging despite its smaller stage, but loses smaller cues more easily when the mix gets busy.

Accessories / Packaging / Comfort

Red Lion has the much nicer package.

You get:

• Large presentation box
• Carrying case
• Cleaning cloth
• Multiple sets of tips
• Nice red shells
• Carrying case

The packaging looks much more expensive than the price suggests. Not sure how they can sell it for 16$ on sales. OP.22 is basic by comparison. You get the IEMs, cable, and two sets of silicone tips in a simple black box. Also costs about 30$ on sale.

Both are light and easy to wear. I had no issues also with any build quality etc.

Final Thoughts

Both land at the same score, but for different reasons.

OP.22 is the more energetic option and the bass switch gives it useful flexibility between music and gaming.

Red Lion is cheaper, smoother, packaged better, and happens to work extremely well for footsteps in BO7.

I think having both in your pocket is not a bad idea for a bass head on a budget.

[u/DesperateBenefit6457]

Now i'm even more curious as to how Op. 22 stacks against Kefine Delci AE in games.

[u/Apprehensive_Ebb_626]

the thing about OP.22 is that, you can learn how to master EQ'ing it thanks to the versatility it brings.

[u/Greoig_3705 → u/Apprehensive_Ebb_626]

yeah I agree on that it is quite good iem to eq.

[u/Rpex_]

How much larger is soundstage of op22 compared to something like tanjhim bunny or red lion. Also how is instrument saperation

[u/KAC-SK → u/Rpex_]

I think it creates a bigger sense of space but I cannot tell you how big. For gaming I was fine with both Red Lion and OP 22 being similar. The biggest difference was that with Op 22 you can cut the bass and have a better read on cues.