7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM Review

[nerdemoji]

once again proof that the Zero:RED gets too much hype here. This is less than half the price and literally measures better

 

[ALaylowguy]

Kudo to Crinacle, in case you don't know, he is the one behind the tuning of this IEM too

 

[dzerig]

I have the original with the usb c as a spare for out and about and they are good enough at $20 that you shouldn't stress about spending more ever again. If you want to spend more for wooden earcups, go ahead. I do, and will.

 

[sweetchaos]

once again proof that the Zero:RED gets too much hype here.

You mean these?

I see no hype, just excellent performing IEMs, according to Amir... (and buyers!)

This is less than half the price

Sure it's a bit cheaper, but $20 vs $40 is in the same realm of affordable IEMs.
We're not talking about $20 vs $100 price points.

literally measures better

Not really. It's about the same as Truthear IEM's...with a few points towards either IEM.

 

[sweetchaos]

My favorite comparison tool...

7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM vs TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM:

7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM vs Truthear x Crinacle Zero:RED IEM

Enjoy!
That took less than 5min..since I had to scale images manually.

 

[wwenze]

I knew someone was going to ask that. Answer is that I don't know. I don't have them handy to do AB and even if I did, it takes so much work to swap one for the other that it makes it very hard to compare. At high level I would say they are very similar.

Comfort? Isolation? How irritating the cable is?

 

[Maiky76]

Here are some thoughts about the EQ.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!

Notes about the EQ design - not needed unless you taste deviates from the default curve:

• The average L/R is used to calculate the score.
• The resolution is 12 points per octave interpolated from the raw data (provided by @amirm)
• A Genetic Algorithm is used to optimize the EQ.
• The EQ Score is designed to MAXIMIZE the Score WHILE fitting the Harman target curve (and other constrains) with a fixed complexity.
  This will avoid weird results if one only optimizes for the Score.
  It will probably flatten the Error regression doing so, the tonal balance should be therefore more neutral.
• The EQs are starting point and may require tuning (certainly at LF and maybe at HF).
• The range around and above 10kHz is usually not EQed unless smooth enough to do so.
• I am using PEQ (PK) as from my experience the definition is more consistent across different DSP/platform implementations than shelves.
• With some HP/amp combo, the boosts and preamp gain (loss of Dynamic range) need to be carefully considered to avoid issues with, amongst other things, too low a Max SPL or damaging your device. You have beed warned.
• Not all units of the same product are made equal. The EQ is based on the measurements of a single unit. YMMV with regards to the very unit you are trying this EQ on.
• I sometimes use variations of the Harman curve for some reasons. See rational here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pro-review-headphone.28244/page-5#post-989169
• https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...pro-review-headphone.28244/page-6#post-992119
• NOTE: the score then calculated is not comparable to the scores derived from the default Harman target curve if not otherwise noted.
• Occluding IE devices generally must have very good fitting/seal in the user's ear canal for best performance.
  please spend a few minutes to pick up the best ear tip... Be sure to perform this step otherwise the FR/Score/EQ presented here are just worthless.
• 1. more bass = better seal
  2. More isolation from the outside world = better fit
  3. Comfort

Great L/R match.
The EQ could be more efficiently applied but I stuck with the default recommendation for normalization.

I have generated one EQ, the APO config file is attached.

Score no EQ: 84.8
Score with EQ: 96.1

With Knowles target curves, the cores are NOT comparable

 

[nerdemoji]

Extremely messy squig (SuperReview Measurements):

Yeah we are really splitting hairs here. They are all Harman compliant (that is to say, they are all good IEMS) Truthear Zero does have a slight (likely inaudible) distortion problem, and the Salnotes Zero has a resonance (I have no idea how audible this is).

 

[Bow_Wazoo]

To what exactly are you referring to when you say "better". Better target compliance? Or something else (whatever that might be) ?

I will try to answer this question as briefly as possible. For me, better means: more authentic, more realistic, more exciting, more emotionally captivating

 

[respice finem]

Fine, but perhaps a bit too flimsy for my taste.

 

[poopy]

Those became my by-default IEM for the gym and when I commute to work. I did need to change the tips though for some spinfit ones as the ones provided got deformed very quickly and became loose. They feel comfortable to my ears.

 

[gvl]

And they also come in pink!

 

[poopy]

And they also come in pink!

Ordered black a while ago. Received light blue. Grateful I didn’t end up with flashy pink….

 

[respice finem]

View attachment 332454View attachment 332455
View attachment 332456
Extremely messy squig (SuperReview Measurements):
View attachment 332466
Yeah we are really splitting hairs here. They are all Harman compliant (that is to say, they are all good IEMS) Truthear Zero does have a slight (likely inaudible) distortion problem, and the Salnotes Zero has a resonance (I have no idea how audible this is).

Yes we are IMHO. Perhaps the graphs might look like this, with only one sample (of whichever of these models) just taken off the fixture and re-fixed between repeated measurements. Or even more different, with different tips.

 

[gvl]

I successfully resisted the impulse to buy these after reading the review, it felt good

 

[alekksander]

nice to see them reviewed finally!
for me it's another pass – too much harman, not enough balance. just another shouty iem trying to impress listener.

 

[F1308]

How would you rate this compared to the Truthear Crinacle Zero Red (or Blue)?

7Hz Salnotes Zero was my first IEM.
Then came Zero Blue and later the Zero Red.

7Hz simply turned my keyboard playing to a new
level, unattainable before via headphones as soon as pipe organs appeared.

Never before had I considered the possibility to
use IEMs when composing. What a thorough mistake !!!!

To my liking I went prefering Red, Blue then 7Hz,
but discovered the slightest change in seal is
dramatic and once properly attained I wouldn't be able to say which is the one I am using....

All of them are great and I know I will need to go north of some good US $10000 in loudspeaker monitors to match their performance.

Ordered recently the new Creative Aurvana Ace 2 from Creative Labs to compare new and old technology....

 

[respice finem]

7Hz Salnotes Zero was my first IEM.
Then came Zero Blue and later the Zero Red.

7Hz simply turned my keyboard playing to a new
level, unattainable before via headphones as soon as pipe organs appeared.

Never before had I considered the possibility to
use IEMs when composing. What a thorough mistake !!!!

To my liking I went prefering Red, Blue then 7Hz,
but discovered the slightest change in seal is
dramatic and once properly attained I wouldn't be able to say which is the one I am using....

All of them are great and I know I will need to go north of some good US $10000 in loudspeaker monitors to match their performance.

Ordered recently the new Creative Aurvana Ace 2 from Creative Labs to compare new and old technology....

Thanks for the insight.
A remaining question, regarding such deep bass, is, how many listeners will be able to hear your work in its full range, especially with "common" loudspeakers.

 

[F1308]

Hey, I see no one is talking to each other anymore. Everybody is just listening to music via their 7Hz while browsing their smartphones. Apocalypse...

 

[F1308]

Added to my Amazon cart, that's a no brainer. Maybe they should rework the materials a little bit, even doubling the price would be a great deal.

7Hz-Salnotes x crinacle Zero:2 about to be released...

7HZ x Crinacle Zero: 2

The 7HZ Legacy 7HZ made global waves with several of its most popular models. IEMs such as the Salnotes Zero, Dioko, and Timeless gathered massive popularity due to their amazing price-to-performance value. 7HZ has proven itself to the worldwide audience as a trusted manufacturer of...

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