TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

[amirm]

I wonder why amirm call that "tonally correct"

Because they match overall to the response I hear with perfectly executed studio monitors such as Genelec and Neumann. It is a familiarity that kicks in the moment I hear the sound of a new transducer. Now this is an approximate assessment so deviations is to be expected.

 

[amirm]

I do assume there must be something about how sound from speakers interact with our ear shapes and other factors like distance, room, for the mids and highs but the difference with my studio monitors and HPs in the low end region is too different to my hears

Unless you have a perfectly executed room+speaker, you likely are hearing colorations from that setup that doesn't exist in the IEM. This is what I sense with headphones. Their bass is so clean whereas speakers are not. Bass is also much more extended than most speakers, bringing out sub-bass response that you have not heard before. And finally, it is much easier to hear distortion that is bothersome with headphones/IEMs that you did not hear with speakers. I know some of my reference tracks on speakers sound distorted to me with headphones/IEMs.

 

[respice finem]

Their bass is so clean whereas speakers are not...

At least speakers in any given room... This might explain why linear speakers are more "pleasant" than linear headphones / IEMs.
The room is the real "culprit".

 

[Timcognito]

Unless you have a perfectly executed room+speaker, you likely are hearing colorations from that setup that doesn't exist in the IEM. This is what I sense with headphones. Their bass is so clean whereas speakers are not. Bass is also much more extended than most speakers, bringing out sub-bass response that you have not heard before. And finally, it is much easier to hear distortion that is bothersome with headphones/IEMs that you did not hear with speakers. I know some of my reference tracks on speakers sound distorted to me with headphones/IEMs.

Its interesting that what you say is true and I find it so, but I find the open air experience with speakers much more satisfying and less fatiguing. I have purchased these and feel that they are really clean and accurate but don't like wire behind my ear it messes with my glasses. Thanks for reviewing and recommending these and just as in the past you have just created a donation of some second hand audio gear to my son.

Edit: He's getting 1More Triple drivers not these. I'm keeping them

 

[respice finem]

"Pro tip": Take the glasses off. OK, sometimes not feasible (movies etc.)

 

[Timcognito]

"Pro tip": Take the glasses off. OK, sometimes not feasible (movies etc.)

Yeah but I like to read and listen in the morning while the wife sleeps.

 

[Vive la dissonance!]

I'm really enjoying the fact that we can discuss the pros and cons of both the IEM and the curve to a broader range due to the price and Amir's review. This is the first time that I've ever actually heard it, and it looks like there are a lot of others. Without a $50 "tuning fork" as a common thread, this wouldn't get the sample size that's we're reading here. This should ripple through the future markets and a broader understanding for "the rest of us"... lol.

Yep. It's pretty great that something this well made is so affordable, that way a whole bunch of us can purchase the same gear and report back.

I think Amir nailed the review. It really comes down to just how well the Harmon Curve suits one's preferences! Well of course also fit and so on, but the range of ear pieces provided should fit almost anyone, one would think.

 

[Jhify]

Unless you have a perfectly executed room+speaker, you likely are hearing colorations from that setup that doesn't exist in the IEM. This is what I sense with headphones. Their bass is so clean whereas speakers are not. Bass is also much more extended than most speakers, bringing out sub-bass response that you have not heard before. And finally, it is much easier to hear distortion that is bothersome with headphones/IEMs that you did not hear with speakers. I know some of my reference tracks on speakers sound distorted to me with headphones/IEMs.

Nha I don't. I was comparing to a pair of focal shapes which only go down to 40hz in a semi treated room right now with few peaks and dips and open headphones so it's like comparing apples to oranges but I still find the IEM quite bass heavy but if I am the only one I might just be used to bass shy headphones and speakers.
Thanks for the answer.

 

[GaryH]

But I soon began to wonder whether the Harmon Curve is actually a good fit for classical music: the sonic character has a bit of glare to my ears, I suppose corresponding to the curve peak at around 3khz. It's not always pleasant, with acoustic instruments. Or maybe I myself not a good fit for the curve? I think I prefer a flatter midrange. I'm tempted to pull down that 3khz peak a smidge and bring the midrange back slightly nearer to flat. The glare bothered me a bit less with vocal soloists in Handel's Messiah than with just the orchestra and choir, but it was something I noticed and didn't always find pleasing; this was the case with all three classical selections.

As I've said previously, that's likely because the Truthear Zero's frequency response deviates up to 2 dB above the Harman target over a broadband (more audible) range between ~1 and 6 kHz:

Try Maiky's EQ which pulls down that region and so will likely get you closer to the Harman target.

I'm really enjoying the fact that we can discuss the pros and cons of both the IEM and the curve to a broader range due to the price and Amir's review. This is the first time that I've ever actually heard it, and it looks like there are a lot of others. Without a $50 "tuning fork" as a common thread, this wouldn't get the sample size that's we're reading here. This should ripple through the future markets and a broader understanding for "the rest of us"... lol.

Except this 'fork' is likely not actually incredibly well tuned to the Harman target, as seen from the graph, meaning mistaken conflations like the poster's above are being made.

 

[Astoneroad]

As I've said previously, that's likely because the Truthear Zero's frequency response deviates up to 2 dB above the Harman target over a broadband (more audible) range between ~1 and 6 kHz:

Try Maiky's EQ which pulls down that region and so will likely get you closer to the Harman target.


Except this 'fork' is likely not actually incredibly well tuned to the Harman target, resulting in mistaken conflations like the poster's above.

Yes... as you've restated in this thread repeatedly. I got it the first dozen or so times you've rehashed this in one form or another. Stating an individual experience seems to launch you into "playing your hits".

 

[Vive la dissonance!]

2dB is pretty small. I'm thinking my own preference curve for orchestral and choral music at the 3khz peak would need to be adjusted rather more than that.

ETA: we all very well understand that this is an example of "very near adherence" and not "precise adherence" for these IEMs to the Harmon Curve. But I doubt very much a closer adherence to the curve would substantially alter my impression.

 

[Vive la dissonance!]

Nha I don't. I was comparing to a pair of focal shapes which only go down to 40hz in a semi treated room right now with few peaks and dips and open headphones so it's like comparing apples to oranges but I still find the IEM quite bass heavy but if I am the only one I might just be used to bass shy headphones and speakers.
Thanks for the answer.

For the selections I chose for my subjective pseudo-review, the bass response & EQ were satisfying.

 

[respice finem]

2dB is pretty small. I'm thinking my own preference curve for orchestral and choral music at the 3khz peak would need to be adjusted rather more than that.

A perhaps a little crazy thought: Maybe the reason for the still considerable individuality in a system as small as a IEM in an outer ear canal lies on the biomechanical side of things? The "mechanics" of the driver(s) is tightly coupled (in a little closed chamber) to the "biomechanics" of the ear. The latter might respond with resonances of its own, and is in itself quite variable. Those resonances will be different in this closed chamber than with other types of headphones, esp. open ones, or with speakers.

 

[Vive la dissonance!]

A perhaps a little crazy thought: Maybe the reason for the still considerable individuality in a system as small as a IEM in an outer ear canal lies on the biomechanical side of things? The "mechanics" of the driver(s) is tightly coupled (in a little closed chamber) to the "biomechanics" of the ear. The latter might respond with resonances of its own, and is in itself quite variable.

This is certainly passing beyond my ken. Preferences are also learned and developed, but I can see how a biological element would also make a significant difference!

 

[Robbo99999]

The Truthear Crinacle Zero IEMs have arrived! What follows is my 100% subjective, pseudo-review.

Disclaimer: I'm a professional classical musician, with many years of playing in professional orchestras, and as a result I have light hearing damage (incuding faint tinnitus) and my own idiosyncrstic audio preferences.

Further disclaimer: I like Amir's reviews and feel inclined to wish to agree with him.

Listening set up

Optical disc player: Yamaha Aventage BA-A1060 (CD, SACD, and Blu-ray)
Headphone amp: Schiit Magni Heresy

Audio selections

Béla Bartók: Dance Suite. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Georg Solti. London/Decca (1981, CD).
Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40. Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan. Deutsche Grammophon (1959, remastered 2014, Blu-ray Pure Audio Disc).
George Frideric Handel: Messiah. Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Concentus Musicus Wien, Nikolaus Harnoncourt. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (2005, SACD).
The Beatles: Abbey Road. EMI (1969, remastered 2009, CD).
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks. Columbia (1974, remastered 2004, CD).
Maurice Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit. Martha Argerich. Deutsche Grammophon (1975, remastered 1995, CD).

Immediately ditching the waifu packaging nonsense, I was pleased with the build quality of the IEMs, and appreciated the inclusion of a nice faux leather case. I selected medium-sized ear pads, and carefully attached the delicate, polarized cable to the IEMs. Fit and comfort seemed fine.

My initial listening impression was, Wow! These are impressively detailed and clear, and certainly feature a substantial and impressive bass. Distortion levels and noise are definitely far below anything I could hear. The impression of soundstage width and depth was much better than I had expected.

But I soon began to wonder whether the Harmon Curve is actually a good fit for classical music: the sonic character has a bit of glare to my ears, I suppose corresponding to the curve peak at around 3khz. It's not always pleasant, with acoustic instruments. Or maybe I myself not a good fit for the curve? I think I prefer a flatter midrange. I'm tempted to pull down that 3khz peak a smidge and bring the midrange back slightly nearer to flat. The glare bothered me a bit less with vocal soloists in Handel's Messiah than with just the orchestra and choir, but it was something I noticed and didn't always find pleasing; this was the case with all three classical selections.

On to some rock and/or roll.

The sonic character of the Truthear Crinacle Zero IEMs as they snuggled the Harmon Curve like a blanket definitely pleased me more with popular music. I guess I shouldn't surprised by this, since classical music remains sadly a niche market, nearly drowned to oblivion by the so-called free market and pop music, and so the target of these products is overwhelmingly the vastly larger market. Are there classical music targeted IEMs? I doubt it.

But I will say I haven't enjoyed Abbey Road nearly this much in a good while, and these IEMs are responsible. With Blood on the Tracks, still Dylan's greatest work in my opinion, my thinking is definitely, yep, these are really, really good for popular music, and will surely please most people. They are clear, punchy, and exciting.

With classical, though? Hmm. I think I might want to at least pull down that 3khz peak some.

I concluded with Maurice Ravel's greatest work for solo piano, performed by the incomparable Martha Argerich, and the Harmon Curve suited the solo piano just fine to my ears. I'll have to do much further listening to see whether the "glare" is something I can truly live with happily for orchestral and choral.

Final comment: for the price, I'd say these are exceptional value. There is the question of how much the close adherence to the Harmon Curve is what you'd prefer. For me, it's definitely: these sound awesome for popular music! ...but perhaps the curve goes too far for classical?

Still, these are a pretty easy recommendation, especially for the price.

Yep, I'll echo GaryH's reply to you too (as well as my own to others), try the Maiky76 EQ, it does make the difference to remove any slight harshness aspects you may perceive, and in my own experience of this IEM too. I'd suggest you remove/ignore his 13000Hz Peak Filter though for the reasons I've already mentioned in prior posts.

 

[oleg87]

As I've said previously, that's likely because the Truthear Zero's frequency response deviates up to 2 dB above the Harman target over a broadband (more audible) range between ~1 and 6 kHz:

Try Maiky's EQ which pulls down that region and so will likely get you closer to the Harman target.


Except this 'fork' is likely not actually incredibly well tuned to the Harman target as seen from the graph, meaning mistaken conflations like the poster's above are being made.

Yeah, I suppose I need to learn how to read FR graphs better. I didn't really think ~2db would make for an audibly objectionable difference but I'm still looking for an IEM I find pleasant to listen to without EQ.

Anyone know of something broadly similar but with maybe about 3-4db less energy centered roughly around 5Khz for less than $100? Some of the Moondrop options look promising.

 

[Robbo99999]

As I've said previously, that's likely because the Truthear Zero's frequency response deviates up to 2 dB above the Harman target over a broadband (more audible) range between ~1 and 6 kHz:

Try Maiky's EQ which pulls down that region and so will likely get you closer to the Harman target.


Except this 'fork' is likely not actually incredibly well tuned to the Harman target as seen from the graph, meaning mistaken conflations like the poster's above are being made.

As forks go though it's pretty darn good given it's accessible price, it's not totally bang on perfect, but it's so so close! It's the best fork that a lot of us can all have so far, and to eek out the last percentiles we've got Maiky's EQ to really shape that into a perfect fork re IEM frequency Harman response.

 

[amirm]

Its interesting that what you say is true and I find it so, but I find the open air experience with speakers much more satisfying and less fatiguing. I have purchased these and feel that they are really clean and accurate but don't like wire behind my ear it messes with my glasses. Thanks for reviewing and recommending these and just as in the past you have just created a donation of some second hand audio gear to my son.

Edit: He's getting 1More Triple drivers not these. I'm keeping them

Of course speakers are better in many areas. That is not in doubt.

 

[xavx]

Anyone having KZ ZSX bought these ? Curious to have them as point of comparison. For what's worth, tried several cheap KZ which were not great : too much V shaped, and the 1more triple (recommended on many sites) which was bass muddy and lacking airiness. Settled for the ZSX which ticked everything even the low bass. However, the bass are a bit strong but always punchy.

 

[Timcognito]

Anyone having KZ ZSX bought these ?

I have them (4yr old) as a backup and have had to glue the back together twice. Sound is okay with weaker mids but not like these Thruthear which is much better clarity. Just tried them again FWIW.