Truthear x Crinacle Zero:RED IEM Review

[crinacle]

@crinacle I know answering this question may not be in your best interest but is there any particular eartips you would recommend as a replacement for people who lose the ones that come with this headphone?

I'm not the kind of person who likes to throw otherwise perfectly functioning IEMs in the trash.

No specific eartips, but I would recommend those of a slightly narrower bore size.

 

[isostasy]

what?

'Skip a lunch or two out'. Eating out is expensive. If you avoid eating out once or twice you will save some money. The IEM is $55, the price of a few meals out. Therefore, if you avoid eating out a couple of times, you will be able to afford this IEM.

'Put this in your arsenal' is not to be taken literally, amir is referring to your collection of audio gear as your 'arsenal'. Do not worry, he is not suggesting you can use this IEM as an offensive weapon.

'even if you are not a regular IEM user'. His praise is high enough that he considers it worthwhile buying, for example by setting aside money that would otherwise be used to buy lunches out, even if you do not use IEMs regularly. In other words, for the times that you do use IEMs, he would recommend these be the ones.

Loving the quality discourse some bring to ASR as usual.

 

[amirm]

A test of different tips might be interesting.

I could try but it is hard to get good consistency. Unless the difference is large and repeatable, it won't be anything we can go by.

 

[abdo123]

No specific eartips, but I would recommend those of a slightly narrower bore size.

I’m not really very informed on how tips change tonality (if any) so felt like asking if there is anything you would personally use or recommend (or anyone else reading this for that matter).

 

[Phorize]

Oh for pity’s sake. Bought.

 

[amirm]

Now going to sleep.....

 

[Sharur]

Any out of phase reflection causes nulls that are non-minimum phase.

But how can you determine that the measured group delay shows non minimum phase behavior without comparing it to the minimum phase group delay?
For example, note the two circled kinks in the magnitude response of this measurement of the Moondrop Variations:

The minimum phase response mostly corresponds to the measured phase response in these areas.

If we look at measured group delay, we see "weirdness" at these same frequencies, but since the earphone is mostly minimum phase, that behavior is also reflected in the minimum phase group delay, resulting in an excess group delay that is +/- 1.2 ms at all frequencies. This example demonstrates that there is no virtually no behavior that is inexplicable by magnitude response, and the only way to know this for sure is by comparing the measured group delay to the minimum phase group delay to get the excess group delay (or by looking at the excess phase response).

 

[thewas]

Looks like superb value, love its very smooth response in the audio band and even that its bass a tad lower than the Harman headphone targets, if I would be using IEMs I would buy them instantly.

 

[DavidMcRoy]

I just ordered a set from Amazon. Delivery anticipated "as soon as" July 17 so they're not sitting in the local US warehouse. I've worked in pro audio for 40 years. It's unlikely I've ever heard a transducer with distortion that low before.

 

[Vict0r]

A sad poem:

I love IEMs
been buying them for more than 15 years
I wish I hadn't
I wish I started
in glorious 2022/2023
because I spent so much money
on crap
in the IEM dark ages
I hate head-fi
I love saving money
because I'm Dutch

The end

 

[markanini]

Impressive distortion performance.

 

[PeteL]

I’m not really very informed on how tips change tonality (if any) so felt like asking if there is anything you would personally use or recommend (or anyone else reading this for that matter).

The best tips will be the ones that fits you the best, for tonality, for comfort and for staying put. You have a different canal than mine so It is not so useful to recommend tips, but if you are not familiar, I guess you should order a pack of various size?

 

[Grobbelboy]

With the impedance adapter installed this seems to follow almost the exact same curve as that of the Moondrop Variations. Really good.

 

[heraldo_jones]

I have the blue ones, but thinking on buying these just for the extremely low distortion (although I don't feel any in the original ones)

 

[Matias]

Impressive distortion performance.

I was expecting it to be good, but not THAT good!

Ordered of course.

 

[Jimbob54]

@crinacle I know answering this question may not be in your best interest but is there any particular eartips you would recommend as a replacement for people who lose the ones that come with this headphone?

I'm not the kind of person who likes to throw otherwise perfectly functioning IEMs in the trash.

Obviously not Crin but I find the spinfit cp 155 (fits the large nozzle) Works a treat. Size obviously user dependant. Slimmer cone than most iem stock tips.

 

[Jimbob54]

I ordered a pair yesterday. I did swear after my Hexa had an issue with filters I wouldn't buy TE again but at that price I will take the gamble.

 

[Talisman]

Please Amir, could you stop testing things that I then feel like buying?

 

[MZKM]

I slightly prefer the 7Hz Zero‘s tonality to the Truthear Zero’s (Blue); but the 7Hz’s shell doesn't fit well in my ear (pointed corner of shell). The Truthear Zero Red with the impedance adaptor looks like it would be great, but then I’d have 2 “dongles” to use with my phone . I guess this is why more expensive IEMs have switches.

Even though the distortion on the Blue doesn’t bother me, the improvement is commendable.

 

[AndreaT]

I am tempted because of the lower distortion. Voluntary fasting is great for health and longevity. I will soothe the pangs of hunger by listening to these outstanding value IEM.