7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM Review

[10PSPMemSticksForMiku2007]

I've been using these for a long time now. Although the quality looked amazing from the measurements, it was horrible when I tried it. Incredibly shrill tremble that was literally painful, and so little bass I could hardly understand speech. They were like this from new. I compensated with an insane-looking EQ and got it to sound decent.

Last week the metal grate in the nozzle and the plastic film behind it just fell off. One fell off while I took off the ear tips to clean them. The other fell off IN my ear and I had to flush it out in the shower. No harm done thankfully.
With these parts gone, I went back to listening and they sounded normal. I had to turn off the crazy EQ. With those parts removed, the quality is probably as good as advertised.

I don't know what the deal was with that metal grate but it was blocking all the bass by about 20db! Now there is nothing but black foam inside the earpiece. I hope missing parts don't result in extra wear or more stuff getting into my ears.

The sound now is shouty now to me, too, but I wasn't sure if that was because of the missing filters or because of my ear canal resonance. It's at least usable without EQ. I again have to tune for my own ears, which I would've done anyway.

Not sure I can recommend these or the Zero 2 which is similarly built. The sound may be potentially good and they're cheap, but I would have to have that junk stuck in my ear canal just so save a few bucks. Then again, are other IEMs actually built differently? I haven't used many models.

 

[lordhumungous]

I've been using these for a long time now. Although the quality looked amazing from the measurements, it was horrible when I tried it. Incredibly shrill tremble that was literally painful, and so little bass I could hardly understand speech. They were like this from new. I compensated with an insane-looking EQ and got it to sound decent.

Last week the metal grate in the nozzle and the plastic film behind it just fell off. One fell off while I took off the ear tips to clean them. The other fell off IN my ear and I had to flush it out in the shower. No harm done thankfully.
With these parts gone, I went back to listening and they sounded normal. I had to turn off the crazy EQ. With those parts removed, the quality is probably as good as advertised.

I don't know what the deal was with that metal grate but it was blocking all the bass by about 20db! Now there is nothing but black foam inside the earpiece. I hope missing parts don't result in extra wear or more stuff getting into my ears.

The sound now is shouty now to me, too, but I wasn't sure if that was because of the missing filters or because of my ear canal resonance. It's at least usable without EQ. I again have to tune for my own ears, which I would've done anyway.

Not sure I can recommend these or the Zero 2 which is similarly built. The sound may be potentially good and they're cheap, but I would have to have that junk stuck in my ear canal just so save a few bucks. Then again, are other IEMs actually built differently? I haven't used many models.

Repeat after me, they are 20 bucks.

 

[multiformous]

The sound now is shouty now to me, too, but I wasn't sure if that was because of the missing filters or because of my ear canal resonance. It's at least usable without EQ. I again have to tune for my own ears, which I would've done anyway.

This is how the Salnotes Zero measures without the filter mesh on the nozzle:

 

[10PSPMemSticksForMiku2007]

Repeat after me, they are 20 bucks.

Of course. That's why I tolerated them being unusable without EQ for months. What's a lot more expensive and less tolerable is getting filter parts stuck in your ear canal. That is a serious concern and almost happened to me.

This is how the Salnotes Zero measures without the filter mesh on the nozzle:

Thank you, that's very useful information. It corresponds well to the EQ I've come up with just from listening to sine sweeps, but this should help me dial the Q in better. Much appreciated.

 

[Robin L]

I already have the Zero 2 IEMs but wanted to try these out—wanted something with more going on in the treble registers. They certainly sound like that. I guess the increased treble also means slightly more of a sense of harshness up there. Haven't had all that much time to listen to Zeros so far. Right now, listening to one of the best engineered Orchestra recordings I know; Manfred Honeck, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Bruckner's 7th symphony on Reference Recordings.

 

[LevityProject]

The only way to listen to these is with some sort of tuning from hangout audio/squig. The 12khz spike is pretty nasty. The crinacle x zero is a lot more balanced without tuning.

 

[staticV3]

The crinacle x zero is a lot more balanced without tuning

Which one? (there are five)

 

[GoneWithTheDess]

I've been using these for a long time now. Although the quality looked amazing from the measurements, it was horrible when I tried it. Incredibly shrill tremble that was literally painful, and so little bass I could hardly understand speech. They were like this from new. I compensated with an insane-looking EQ and got it to sound decent.

I've been listening to these a lot (the Zero:2 version) recently, and I have seen your same issue with a spike in the treble... but I haven't found anything wrong with the bass. It's tight, musical, and I understand vocals easily. Nothing like a shrill tremble you're talking about...

 

[LevityProject]

Which one? (there are five)

whoops! TRUTHEAR is what I meant. When I bought them, they were the next step up for the price. Things have changed now. the Truthhear x Crinacle Zero are almost the same price (at least in Canada where our money is basically monopoly money now) as the Zero: Red, which has less distortion.

I do find the Truthear crincale zero og versions a bit sharp in the upper midrange, but they are stunningly amazing as in ears for playing live music. They have let me create excellent in-ear mixes - once you introduce the noise of a stange, you don't notice the imperfections the way you do listening at home.

 

[LevityProject]

I've been listening to these a lot (the Zero:2 version) recently, and I have seen your same issue with a spike in the treble... but I haven't found anything wrong with the bass. It's tight, musical, and I understand vocals easily. Nothing like a shrill tremble you're talking about...

the 7hz Zero:2 doesn't have the spike in treble at all. If you mean that one, you might have an upper midrange sensitivity.

But the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero:BLUE2 defintely has a wide bump in at around 14khz. it's not as grainy as the 7hz zero 12khz bump - probably sounds more crispy, but it's not nice either.

I'd tame it using a tuning profile from squig and wavelet (if you have a android) or soundsource (on a mac). The general need on the Zero 2 is similar ot the 7hz Zero for a nice, neutral sounding tone across the full spectrum of audible frequencies.