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TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

Rate this IEM

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 13 2.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 21 3.5%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 73 12.2%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 493 82.2%

  • Total voters
    600

Fregly

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I have had these for a month now and they are definitely worth 50USD. I would also love to see a review on the Moondrop Variations and the ThieAudio Monarch Mk2. I have the Variations and I think they are the next step in tonality, however they cost much more than the Zero.
I am very interested on specifics between the somewhat backhanded compliment "definitely worth 50USD" and your liking the Moondrop better. There have been reviewers rather ho hum about the Zero.
 

GoMrPickles

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jae

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Impressive. I'm tempted even though I don't really need them. Searching for this took me to this ranking list of many, many IEMs. I can't believe the price of some of them! <https://crinacle.com/rankings/iems/>
If you're interested in more of an objective ranking of headphones as they relate to Harman, I would suggest going here: https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/blob/master/results/RANKING.md (scroll half-way down to see the IEM-specific rankings). I think compliance score is a good metric, but it's also important to consider the overall FR in conjunction so you can see where the deviations, if any, are present. If one is going to EQ, there is lots of merit in picking a headphone with a lesser compliance score if other key hard-to-fix areas are highly compliant and the lesser compliant ones are easier to fix, have smoother response with less resonances, etc. Crinacle's own subjective neutral/preferences varies appreciably from Harman, and professional research has shown time and time again that price has virtually ZERO correlation with perceived sound quality and performance in headphones. Ironically, Crinacle confirms and proves this notion with his own $50 product here, while simultaneously implying the contrary with his own recommendations and suggestions for years now.
 
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Madlop26

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Great review , thanks Amir. Ordered, I do not really needed it, but it will be interesting to compare against my Monarch MKII, and 7Hz Timeless; my 2 best sounding IEMs ( I have also the Dusk , several high end Shures collecting dust these days after long period of AB testing)
So these 3 follow the Harman curve, but at different prices, 50-200-1000, AB testing will be quite interesting.
 

SuicideSquid

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Ordered myself a set today. Very curious to hear what they sound like. I've got a pair of Ultimate Ears IEMs and a pair of Altec Lansings, but both are getting pretty long in the tooth.
 

kopczas

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If it was as simple as recording a piano with a microphone and pressing play, a lot of sound engineers would be out of a job right now. What microphones are recording said Steinway piano? How many mics and what are their responses, and how is the instrument or ensemble mic'd? What is the phase relationship of the mics? How is the signal processed after it's recorded and what if any magic are these engineers doing to bring it to life or add dimension to the composition? Would you be able to tell it's a Steinway if the entire passage was played pianississimo?
Here`s why sound engineering studies lasts 5 years to figure it out and to avoid common mistakes during recording process. Whole idea of recording natural instruments in natural environments (acoustics of recording hall for example) is wrapped around catching highest possible imitation of sound made by instrument in recording hall. Of course during mixing and mastering some changes will be done but whole art of recording starts at choosing proper mic for chosen instrument, proper placement. I`m talking about this Steinway Grand...or even being more precise, the pianist playing on Steinway Grand. That is why I feel safe by saying that V curve makes piano sound not like piano, cause I thrust that engineer choose to record Lang Lang on Steinway in Berlin Philharmonic is a master in his job, so postproduction interference would be minimal, if even necessary.

But your 100% right : if one does not prefer V curve tuning, one should look for different product ;)
 

SuicideSquid

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Here`s why sound engineering studies lasts 5 years to figure it out and to avoid common mistakes during recording process. Whole idea of recording natural instruments in natural environments (acoustics of recording hall for example) is wrapped around catching highest possible imitation of sound made by instrument in recording hall. Of course during mixing and mastering some changes will be done but whole art of recording starts at choosing proper mic for chosen instrument, proper placement. I`m talking about this Steinway Grand...or even being more precise, the pianist playing on Steinway Grand. That is why I feel safe by saying that V curve makes piano sound not like piano, cause I thrust that engineer choose to record Lang Lang on Steinway in Berlin Philharmonic is a master in his job, so postproduction interference would be minimal, if even necessary.

But your 100% right : if one does not prefer V curve tuning, one should look for different product ;)

If you were talking about speakers in a room, you'd be absolutely right. But the Harmon target was developed because headphones and IEMs are not speakers in a room, and when you jam something inside your ears, you need to alter the frequency response to sound natural, because all the ways that sound naturally reverberates around a room, and interacts with your head are gone. The Harmon curve was developed by carefully measuring and observing what sort of EQ target would give headphones a neutral, natural sound.
 

hampestampe

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I don't like IEMS, but could not resist putting a order, took me close to two minutes to make the decision and press the "buy now" button. Now I just need a great usb-c dongle.
 

_thelaughingman

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I jumped on the instant order bandwagon too... but it is my birthday next week.
Hey mine too, Mine is on the 21st. Happy birthday fellow Virgo.
 

DanielT

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Okay, different opinions have been expressed about sound regarding headphones and the challenge, problem for headphones, especially as they become more and more closed dito is this:

"Ear canal volume
Fowler & Shanks [1] define ear canal volume as “an estimate of the volume of air medial to the probe, which includes the volume between the probe tip and the tympanic membrane if the tympanic membrane is intact, or the volume of the ear canal and the middle ear space if the tympanic membrane is perforated.”

On average, children from 3-5 years of age have an ear canal volume of 0.4-1.0 cc, while the range is 0.6-1.5 cc for adults."


Okay why? Think of the ear canal as the volume, cavity in a speaker box. Differing between 0.6-1.5. That ratio in terms of speaker box volume can make a big difference to the sound. In the same way as ear canal volume and headphones. Therein lies a major challenge when it comes to the construction of loudspeakers, I think. How do the manufacturers do it? They probably start from an average value. But there is a big difference in volumes between different ear canals.

A speaker with the same bass drivers. 60 liters vs 150 liter box. Big difference.

Edit:
Addendum, I'm not sure if you can make such a direct comparison, BUT the volume of the ear canal should, (intuitively I now think) have a big Impact on the sound, FR. :)
 
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poeb

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I am very interested on specifics between the somewhat backhanded compliment "definitely worth 50USD" and your liking the Moondrop better. There have been reviewers rather ho hum about the Zero.

It means that I enjoy the sound and how they are tuned very much and that I can't think of many other options around the same price range with the same tuning and tonality.
I very much enjoy the Harman target and find it to be in the neutral range for me where music sounds correct and enjoyable. The reason I like the Moondrop better is that it has a bass shelf that extends lower and goes slightly above the Harman target. So yes, I do like the Moondrop better, but it's also a fair bit more expensive. I think the Zero is definitely worth the 50USD and I very much enjoy listening to them. I use them over the Variations when I feel like less sub-bass or when I am taking them places I don't want to risk damaging any of my more expensive options.
 

Jimbob54

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Hey mine too, Mine is on the 21st. Happy birthday fellow Virgo.
Interestingly, shenzhenaudio sell a version with a cut out waifu named Virgo. Coincidence? I think not!

Edit- @AdamG247 you splashed out the extra $5 , didnt you? ;-)

Screenshot 2022-09-14 22.20.11.png
 
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DanielT

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A rather simple question from a non-headphone guy like me,.. though I couldn't resist ordering these (maybe there will be more headphone listening now). :)

How has Amir measured FR on these?
I know, very basic question. But still I'm curious:)
 

Garrincha

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For all the impulsive buyers who still want to save some money, there is the 7Hz Salnotes Zero (incidentially), costs about $25 and is almost as close to Harman as the Truthear. It has more subbass, but a bit more "smear" in the upper bass/ lower mids. I can recommend it.
 

Here2Learn

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You want this IEM so you know what correct tonality is, when you listen with other transducers such as headphones and speakers.
@amirm The target listener curve between headphones and loudspeakers are different - how does one objectively equate the two in regards to tonality/correctness?
 

Garrincha

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A rather simple question from a non-headphone guy like me,.. though I couldn't resist ordering these (maybe there will be more headphone listening now). :)

How has Amir measured FR on these?
I know, very basic question. But still I'm curious:)
e1JJvvS-768x510.jpg

That is what crinacle is using.
 

testp

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it's so good, it became the new harman target, truth target.. :p
 
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