7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM Review

[Basic Channel]

Well I only got them this morning, but these are really nice. Even more so for 10 eur. They are a lot less bulky than the truthear zero so sit better in my wee lassie ears.

Let the ear tip journey commence!!

 

[Basic Channel]

Super good with wide bore cheapo eartips, also look cooler. Bass is more old man style, but I like it.

 

[Matias]

9.96usd they are giving it away almost for free!

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOAYUn6

 

[markanini]

9.96usd they are giving it away almost for free!

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOAYUn6

I ordered earlier today for $15.

 

[mc.god]

9.96usd they are giving it away almost for free!

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOAYUn6

I ordered earlier today for $15.

I'll be tough and will fight compulsion.

 

[markanini]

Arrived today, my repurchase of 7Hz Zero 1. It's still competitive I think, even better with mods. Truthear Gate has better bass, but this has better details.

 

[Basic Channel]

Arrived today, my repurchase of 7Hz Zero 1. It's still competitive I think, even better with mods. Truthear Gate has better bass, but this has better details.
View attachment 378384

What are your mods? I don't find much difference changing the eartips, so EQ is the best mod for me!

 

[SteveL]

Arrived today, my repurchase of 7Hz Zero 1. It's still competitive I think, even better with mods. Truthear Gate has better bass, but this has better details.
View attachment 378384

The tuning out of the box is nearly perfect- that is, realistic- for classical and other acoustic music. To me that should be the gold standard. People are then free to apply EQ as needed to make for more comfortable listening with other, heavily processed, genres.

 

[Matias]

I also think the Zero 1 is still very relevant today, with a non-hyped tuning that is very natural.
And when factoring in the current price of 11.44 usd, it is a no brainer really.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006357262568.html

 

[markanini]

I'm not telling anyone what to think about the stock response, or how to enjoy this IEM. Let me make that clear. @Basic Channel Check PM

 

[mc.god]

Arrived today, my repurchase of 7Hz Zero 1. It's still competitive I think, even better with mods. Truthear Gate has better bass, but this has better details.
View attachment 378384

first love is never forgotten

 

[staticV3]

I find getting a smooth and enjoyable treble response pretty difficult on the original 7Hz Zero:


Out of the box, the Zero:2 does a much better job there (EQed Zero:2 overlaid for reference).

 

[markanini]

I find getting a smooth and enjoyable treble response much more difficult on the original 7Hz Zero:
View attachment 378391

Out of the box, the Zero:2 does a much better job there (EQed Zero:2 overlaid for reference).

Versus my subjective impression the graph is exaggerated, the stock treble is only mildly spicy. Nothing crazy like I've heard in some IEMs using QDC connectors...But I'm just one data point. If BK5128 is truly more accurate than 711 it will reflect the high variability of treble frequencies, independent of the IEM, but caused by anatomic variability. Thus, the BK5128 graph you shared says less about 7Hz Zero than we can assume by casually interpreting the data.

 

[SteveL]

I find getting a smooth and enjoyable treble response pretty difficult on the original 7Hz Zero:
View attachment 378391

Out of the box, the Zero:2 does a much better job there (EQed Zero:2 overlaid for reference).

Violins heard live are quite a bit brighter than the "smooth" sound many people seem to like.

 

[staticV3]

Violins heard live are quite a bit brighter than the "smooth" sound many people seem to like.

That's besides the point.

Violins heard live have a smooth and predictable response - the Zero:1 doesn't.

 

[SteveL]

That's besides the point.

Violins heard live have a smooth and predictable response - the Zero:1 doesn't.

Your opinion. My concertgoing ears tell me otherwise.

 

[cbracer]

I find getting a smooth and enjoyable treble response pretty difficult on the original 7Hz Zero:
View attachment 378391

Out of the box, the Zero:2 does a much better job there (EQed Zero:2 overlaid for reference).

The lower 3-4k area represents a loss of detail when the bass over powers it. For me the ideal response would be in-between the two.... can I get a 1.5 ? lol

 

[LevityProject]

I always use the same tracks in my listening tests to allow good familiarity with their tonality. It took all of 2 seconds to realize this is the same accurate, neutral response I like to hear.

A neutral response would be a flat line across the frequency spectrum. The curve we have to work with is not neutral at all. It's a common scooped listening curve (aka the smiley face).

(This is the curve I aim for when mixing live, more or less, so I'm not knocking it at all)

Here's a test to try. Listen to Bob Katz's mastering job of Future of Forestry's "Life Begins Today" on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT990 Pros, and see if it sounds as terrible as the review suggests it might. My hypothesis is that it will sound pretty darn good. Even if you don't have corrective EQ and a pair of these, try it out. Does it sound horrendous?

 

[Roland68]

Violins heard live are quite a bit brighter than the "smooth" sound many people seem to like.

I can't confirm that.
I once had the opportunity to hear a well-known violinist with his famous violin, which was over 250 years old, in a dealer's showroom. There was no difference to his recording, which was played on a good system.
He had also played another, current concert violin in the mid-five-figure range, different, but also good. But a normal violin, around €1500, sounded broken and squeaky in direct comparison. But the violinist confirmed that it wasn't a bad instrument for this price range.

 

[Matias]

A neutral response would be a flat line across the frequency spectrum. The curve we have to work with is not neutral at all. It's a common scooped listening curve (aka the smiley face).

(This is the curve I aim for when mixing live, more or less, so I'm not knocking it at all)

Here's a test to try. Listen to Bob Katz's mastering job of Future of Forestry's "Life Begins Today" on a pair of Beyerdynamic DT990 Pros, and see if it sounds as terrible as the review suggests it might. My hypothesis is that it will sound pretty darn good. Even if you don't have corrective EQ and a pair of these, try it out. Does it sound horrendous?

Level 1: a speaker response has to be flat.

Level 2: speaker's off axis response also count on the perceived response, so that a good speaker has a tilted down linear slope.

Level 3: with headphones and earphones the sound is shaped by the ear shape, a linear response has an ear gain to be considered flat sounding.

Level 4: a translation of a sloped linear speaker into earphones would be a sloped ear gained response.

Now you are up to speed.