7Hz Salnotes Zero IEM Review

[SteveL]

The sad thing is, no person ever - not even most ASR fans - would believe that this 20 $ headphone is a record breaker.
We are spoiled with good audio tech nowadays, aren't we? Not having to spend a fortune for a perfect system.

The Zeros running straight out of my phone give me sound way beyond anything that would be attainable in my small and oddly configured living room no matter how much I spent on speakers. Plus my wife likes classical music but doesn't necessarily want to hear it played loudly for hours every evening.

 

[MacClintock]

This insight into subjectivity is not really new.
So if the distortion is extremely low, and the FR matches the target, it practically doesn't matter what we buy. So everything is said.

For IEMs this is true, great insight from your side.

 

[mc.god]

From here: https://www.hypethesonics.com/iemdbc/

Oh, you reminded me of that site, I played with it some times ago, if their measurements are accurate comes out that 7hz Zero and Moondrop Chu (1 and 2) have better THD than many acclaimed and pricier models like Hexa, Blessing 2 or even Thieaudio Monarch mk3 and Unique Melody Mest.
Impressive.

 

[MacClintock]

It's hard to overestimate how important the Harman research led by Dr. Olive has been. The kinds of ridiculously incompetent response curves that used to be all over the market are rapidly vanishing. When every manufacturer is shooting for a reasonable average response that pleases most people, you can easily finish fine tuning it to your preferences with a modest amount of EQ. And you can get good frequency response and low distortion with a simple, inexpensive single driver design.

This might be true, in fact I don't really know how difficult it is to tune a headphone to a target. The main point however is another one. As a company, you have also to be willing to do that. With people like Zach from ZMF I doubt we will be there soon.

 

[SteveL]

This might be true, in fact I don't really know how difficult it is to tune a headphone to a target. The main point however is another one. As a company, you have also to be willing to do that. With people like Zach from ZMF I doubt we will be there soon.

The pleasant thing is that the Chinese companies that produce well-priced IEMs have pretty much all bought in and have brought us a wealth of good choices.

 

[oleg87]

Oh, you reminded me of that site, I played with it some times ago, if their measurements are accurate comes out that 7hz Zero and Moondrop Chu (1 and 2) have better THD than many acclaimed and pricier models like Hexa, Blessing 2 or even Thieaudio Monarch mk3 and Unique Melody Mest.
Impressive.

I think that's pretty inherent to BA drivers.

 

[MacClintock]

The pleasant thing is that the Chinese companies that produce well-priced IEMs have pretty much all bought in and have brought us a wealth of good choices.

True for IEMs, for headphones this is only going to start, but probably will evolve steeply over the next years.

 

[otseiTiesto]

Only 52mV to get 94dBSPL? Why don't they match, is the online calculator wrong?

200mV to get 94dB (SPL I guess) vs 52mV!

 

[MacClintock]

Here is my take:

View attachment 332566

What afforable prices and target compliance are concerned, definitely, but headphones still offer a qualitatively different listening experience with spatial qualities that cannot be achieved with IEMs

 

[oleg87]

Only 52mV to get 94dBSPL? Why don't they match, is the online calculator wrong?

View attachment 332670

View attachment 332672

200mV to get 94dB (SPL I guess) vs 52mV!

Most likely the folks writing the spec sheet got dB/V and dB/mW confused. Would hardly be the first time.

 

[mc.god]

I think that's pretty inherent to BA drivers.

It surely can, but then I would expect major difference being in mid and highs range, instead than from bass to 2k.

I added KZ ZSN Pro since it's a hybrid design with low distortion on entire spectrum (ok, not the most effective example since it may be another proof of KZ not using all the drivers they put in their iems...)

 

[otseiTiesto]

Most likely the folks writing the spec sheet got dB/V and dB/mW confused. Would hardly be the first time.

Yes, I think you are right, because for 32Ohm and 108dB/mW@1kHz, around 36mV 40mV are required to get 94dBSPL.

Edited to correct my previous estimation.

 

[staticV3]

Only 52mV to get 94dBSPL? Why don't they match, is the online calculator wrong?

View attachment 332670

View attachment 332672

200mV to get 94dB (SPL I guess) vs 52mV!

At 425Hz, Amir measured 119.7dB/V or 104.3dB/mW.

At 1kHz (to match 7Hz's specs), it would be about 122.4dB/V or 107dB/mW.

So yeah, 7Hz probably got the units confused.

 

[ALaylowguy]

Just to give my voice to the comparison between this Zero and THAT Zero (Truthear). Sure, they measure the same in the rig but having a dual DD is absolutely making a difference in this case. The bass is much deeper (and can go down even more with EQ), mid and tred is clearer as well. Of course, this is just my opinion and how I perceive the two IEMs but if you own both and I you can spot the difference as well.

 

[amirm]

Anyone know why all of these are called "zero?"

 

[ALaylowguy]

Anyone know why all of these are called "zero?"

according to Crin, those company just "happened" to pick the name at the same time

 

[KikoKentaurus]

Anyone know why all of these are called "zero?"

Crin said that's probably just due to perceived "coolness" of that name (f.e. Zero from Borderlands 2). One can also imagine several factors which he would not want in his earphones, so it can mean "zero distortion", "zero discomfort" or even 'zero gravity (we'll make you fly)'

 

[KikoKentaurus]

Crin said that's probably just due to perceived "coolness" of that name (f.e. Zero from Borderlands 2). One can also imagine several factors which he would not want in his earphones, so it can mean "zero distortion", "zero discomfort" or even 'zero gravity (we'll make you fly')

Oh and also that's because that name still wasn't taken at the times. Pure luck, considering hungry iem-market, if you ask me..

 

[georgeT]

nozzle is too short, it keeps falling out of my ears no matter what tips I use. Got the zero reds... nozzle to long. If you're in the market for iems don't look at graphs, look at nozzle length and diameter.

 

[capslock]

I note the Salnotes zero is available also with mic (probably not so exciting) but also with USB-C. Would anyone know if the DAC / amp in that version is decent?

Also, is the Zero 2 available yet? Amazon.de, Aliexpress, Linsoul, Shenzenaudio do not yet carry it.