7hz Salnotes Zero - the "other" Zero

[isostasy]

They all use some clone couplers and seemlingly arbitrary calibration. Only exceptionsis Kurins uses RA0045 measurements from Oraory1990 and GRAS RA0402 from Resolve

Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Kurin

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Does Crinacle not use a legit GRAS now too? He doesn't have the Wan'er measured anyway. Thanks for the Kurin link, never seen this one before! Has such a good selection of targets, too. I can't find any information about this 'kurin', is it some discord thing?

Omg no resonance peak too, so much more readable!

 

[markanini]

Does Crinacle not use a legit GRAS now too?

Only for over-ears: https://crinacle.com/2020/09/03/in-ear-fidelity-acquires-gras-setup-for-headphone-measurements/

I can't find any information about this 'kurin', is it some discord thing?

He's only active on the discord server AFAIK: https://discord.gg/cubUsUbyZp

Omg no resonance peak too, so much more readable!

It's due to the RA0402 high-resolution coupler, which is, in a way, a more damped RA0045. Technically this makes measurements not compatible with the Harman IE target.

 

[Honken]

I just received my pair, first impression out of the box was that they fit the ear very well and seem to sit securely. They seem sturdily built, more solid than the pictures had me thinking. I quite like the very soft tips they give you and I am using the blue ones, I'd assume that these softer tips have a lesser chance to hurt the ear than the very stiff ones Truthear give you.

Out of the box I found the treble to be rather... tinny? The treble felt overpowering to the point it hurt to listen to, and they didn't have enough bass which probably helped make the tonality even brighter. While the treble was piercing, I was happy to note that I didn't hear any sibilance.

Gosh, I don't really like trying to describe IEMs and headphones as it just sounds like typical audiofile junk-lingo.

So, I loaded up Oratorys Harman EQ and while that sounded better they were still much too bright. I am still toying with the high shelf treble filters Oratory provides in his EQ, but currently I am ~5db below the Harman pinna gain and that sounds rather neutral to me. But I am not too happy with the bass still, because while it's full but it seems to lack the impact of my other IEMs, the other-other Zero and the Hexa. Using a sine sweep they sound the same in the sub-bass region, but with music I simply notice the impact of lower notes less with this set. Who knows, it might be that I am hearing differences that aren't really there - it does take a while to change both the IEMs and the EQ and my memory might already be wrong by the time I am ready to listen again.

Overall, these things are 20 bucks. If you have EQ available and you are fine with putting things in your ear, they are a no brainer IMO. I definitely prefer them to the ASR darling, the TCZ, as those are simply huge in comparison to the 7Hz Zero. The smaller size would probably mean they have a higher chance of fitting in the ear of more people.

 

[markanini]

Out of the box I found the treble to be rather... tinny?

I've seen this reaction come up often when 5-6kHz is hugging the target.

they didn't have enough bass

The measurements definitely indicate that.

I'm contemplating getting these, they seem ideal for experimenting with EQ.

 

[SiW]

I found them well balanced, but did need to try a few tips first. Maybe experiment some more.

Truthear is ‘better’ overall and more comfy with the foam tip for me.

As you say for £20/$20 not much to complain about

 

[Honken]

I did try the different tips included with this IEM, only a few give me a reliable seal, the blue and red sets, and the latter are uncomfortable after a while. Can't really hear any difference between the two, maybe the two with the narrower nozzles have a different sound but I don't like how they feel in my ears. Personally I have had no luck with the foam tips included in Truthears offerings eirther, can't really get a good seal with them on the Hexa or the TCZ. I had some old spinfits lying around as well, but didn't feel like they felt better in the ear than the softer ones included with this set.

@markanini Indeed, I've EQd my IEMs to all follow a similiar curve now, it seems to suit me the best with all three (Harman 2019, but with slightly exaggerated bass and much lower pinna gain). Whilst eyeballing it the 7Hz seems the closest out of the box, but the Hexa require less, but steeper, filters to get there.

 

[markanini]

Heads up this set is fairly easy to tune to Tangzu Wan'er. If you want to hear an impersonation of a very popular set.

 

[isostasy]

Heads up this set is fairly easy to tune to Tangzu Wan'er. If you want to hear an impersonation of a very popular set.

I wouldn't use Super* Review's measurement based on what I've said before that I don't believe his measurements of the Wan'er to be accurate. I've used Side Salad as an example, but almost all the measurements of the Wan'er out there are different to Super*'s and show it to be more similar to the Salnotes Zero than his would suggest.

So I would take your EQ and add -2.3dB Q=1.5 at 2300Hz.

 

[markanini]

View attachment 268790
I wouldn't use Super* Review's measurement based on what I've said before that I don't believe his measurements of the Wan'er to be accurate. I've used Side Salad as an example, but almost all the measurements of the Wan'er out there are different to Super*'s and show it to be more similar to the Salnotes Zero than his would suggest.

So I would take your EQ and add -2.3dB Q=1.5 at 2300Hz.

Nice catch!

 

[JJFUSA]

Very interesting thread, now as I'm enjoying listening to my endgame DAC/AMP Moonriver 2 (phenomenally great sounding little monster) I'm looking for my endgame IEM with close to the neutral tuning.

Comparing different sets, I found Tangzu Zetian Wu Heyday, looks like it's tuned on par with 7Hz Zero and ThieAudio Monarch MKII:

I wonder if someone here on ASR Forum owns Heyday and would be so kind to share a bit how they actually sound.

 

[Matias]

@JJFUSA maybe you can stretch your budget and get a Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk? I love mine and feel like it is end game for me.

 

[Dazerdoreal]

It seems like the upcoming "Project Red" by Crinacle is going to become a more refined 7hz Zero. He recently updated the frequency reponse to a "3.0b" version which is, according to him, probably going to be the final version.
I guess it will become a Truthear release since the 200-1000hz range looks very similar to the "Truthear Zero" (similar bump @350hz).

In-Ear Fidelity – IEM Graph Comparison Tool

Easily compare industry-standard frequency response measurements of hundreds and hundreds of IEMs.

crinacle.com

 

[Matias]

@Dazerdoreal we don't know the price yet. What if it is a kilobuck IEM, who knows? Let's see. But since I like the 7Hz Salnotes Zero very much (I own 2), I am definitely watching how this IEM develops.

 

[JJFUSA]

@JJFUSA maybe you can stretch your budget and get a Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk? I love mine and feel like it is end game for me.

Thank you very much for the suggestion, Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk indeed is on my list as one of the best IEMs available, "I am not rich enough to buy cheap things" so the price is doable for me.

But as you can see below, Dusk is a bit off comparing to SeeAudio Yume II, new Yume is more in correlation with the neutrality, and it's mine primary candidate right now, yet I'm still shopping around for the best possible deal.

 

[JJFUSA]

Also, please take a look at TRUTHEAR HEXA, I mean wow, it's just incredible for a very competitive price to have an identical tuning with ThieAudio Monarch MKII:

 

[markanini]

At that budget I would buy multiple low price IEMs to find out what signature suits my preference and playlist best. Because sub 50$ IEM overtook the previous mid segment, and it's not certain a what you will get, going by measurements or reputation, is a good fit in person. Once you got a high end IEM you're stuck with it it for better and worse until you can sell it at a loss.

 

[Matias]

It seems like the upcoming "Project Red" by Crinacle is going to become a more refined 7hz Zero. He recently updated the frequency reponse to a "3.0b" version which is, according to him, probably going to be the final version.
I guess it will become a Truthear release since the 200-1000hz range looks very similar to the "Truthear Zero" (similar bump @350hz).

In-Ear Fidelity – IEM Graph Comparison Tool

Easily compare industry-standard frequency response measurements of hundreds and hundreds of IEMs.

crinacle.com

Most likely is the newly announced Blessing 3. This gave away the clue.

 

[Dazerdoreal]

Most likely is the newly announced Blessing 3. This gave away the clue

It doesnt seem so. And I must say, it would have surprised me if it had. This might sound weird but this didnt look like a "Blessing" kind of signature to me.

 

[Matias]

It doesnt seem so. And I must say, it would have surprised me if it had. This might sound weird but this didnt look like a "Blessing" kind of signature to me.

View attachment 271977

To me looks pretty much a smoother Dusk in the highs, with a Variations / Harman bass profile that is somewhat in line with the Dusk.

 

[isostasy]

As an Ety fan I quite like the look of the new Tangzu and Seeaudio collab, the Shimin Li Encounter:

I roughly EQed my Wan'er to it using peaking filters to match the mid-range and a small HSQ to broadly bring the frequencies above 10kHz to around the same level. I liked it, it adds some bite to guitars and possibly balances out the warm sound of the Wan'er a little bit. The difference is quite subtle however and I found it hard to tell between having the EQ on or off. It might be good for people who like the upper-mids of the Truthear Zero but not the treble?

At 49USD (currently 44 on sale) I'm not sure whether it is a good competitor to the other IEMs discussed here, most of which are under 25USD. My main issue with the Wan'er after a few weeks of ownership is they're so small the housing in no way really conforms to my ear to stay in very securely. It was my first IEM of this style so took me a while to notice it. The Shimin Li Encounter looks from pictures like it might be a bit bigger and have a more sculpted body which could fit better.