7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 IEM Review

[Emlin]

These are my first "proper" iems (ie that cost more than about £8, which have detachable wires, measure well etc). I had no idea how hard to push the pins in, how far, if there was a polarity and whether they weren't going in all the way because I was getting that wrong. I can't see l/r indicators on the units themselves or the wires. And both wires curl around and touch my face which is annoying. I tried a few tips (I had to google for how to put them on as that was a struggle too) but ended up using the original ones. Anyone else get three orange tips? So 10/10 for sound quality but some instructions/clearer labelling for noobs might be an idea and I want either replacement cables (although they seem to cost almost as much as the iems themselves plus the hassle of locating compatible ones because of course there's no standard here) or to somehow uncurl the wires so they hang down properly.

The wires go behind your ears.

 

[threni]

The wires go behind your ears.

Thanks. Trying that now. At least I had arrived at the correct left/right configuration although I'm not convinced it's any worse a fit or less comfortable the wrong way around!

 

[Emlin]

Thanks. Trying that now. At least I had arrived at the correct left/right configuration although I'm not convinced it's any worse a fit or less comfortable the wrong way around!

You have got the wires hooked over your ears now?

 

[nawfal07]

These are my first "proper" iems (ie that cost more than about £8, which have detachable wires, measure well etc). I had no idea how hard to push the pins in, how far, if there was a polarity and whether they weren't going in all the way because I was getting that wrong. I can't see l/r indicators on the units themselves or the wires. And both wires curl around and touch my face which is annoying. I tried a few tips (I had to google for how to put them on as that was a struggle too) but ended up using the original ones. Anyone else get three orange tips? So 10/10 for sound quality but some instructions/clearer labelling for noobs might be an idea and I want either replacement cables (although they seem to cost almost as much as the iems themselves plus the hassle of locating compatible ones because of course there's no standard here) or to somehow uncurl the wires so they hang down properly.

There is an L and R label on both the wires and the IEMs, but they’re really tiny and even harder to see on the IEMs due to it being on the translucent side. I had to take a picture and zoom to confirm, even then the light angle must be right.

I thought about the polarity and I have no idea, I saw a red dot near one of the holes on the IEM but nothing on the wires, so I just imagine the angle of the wire on my ear to determinie which pin should be on the front. I couldn’t hear anything wrong when I listened to songs so I guess I got it right.

Kinda proud that I got it fit comfortably after only 3 tries lol. I’m sure people are laughing at us amateurs!

 

[mc.god]

I thought about the polarity and I have no idea, I saw a red dot near one of the holes on the IEM but nothing on the wires, so I just imagine the angle of the wire on my ear to determinie which pin should be on the front. I couldn’t hear anything wrong when I listened to songs so I guess I got it right.

While you can certainly miss with L-R since their obscure liking for unreadable markings, you can't mess with polarity unless you plug the cable with the hooks pointing to your temples instead the back of your ears, but I believe that if you do something like this you have more serious problems than wearing iems

I’m sure people are laughing at us amateurs!

Just a tiny bit

 

[nawfal07]

While you can certainly miss with L-R since their obscure liking for unreadable markings, you can't mess with polarity unless you plug the cable with the hooks pointing to your temples instead the back of your ears, but I believe that if you do something like this you have more serious problems than wearing iems


Just a tiny bit

Makes sense, I would never able to fit it into my ear correctly if I got the pins wrong.

Glad you enjoyed the entertainment!

 

[AudioKC]

1) I don't need IEMs
2) I don't like IEMs
3) I ordered these IEMs

Just have done exactly the same.

 

[Brubaker]

the cable is so tiny look the difference from hd800s cable.... but it rocks..... this little things are so good.... cleanest bass i've ever eard.... fuck you

 

[Laserjock]

the cable is so tiny look the difference from hd800s cable.... but it rocks..... this little things are so good.... cleanest bass i've ever eard.... fuck you

View attachment 338269

“What is your name!?!”

“What?!”

“What is your name?!?”


“Tony!”

I bought a pair and my kids gave me a pair for Christmas.

 

[threni]

While you can certainly miss with L-R since their obscure liking for unreadable markings, you can't mess with polarity unless you plug the cable with the hooks pointing to your temples instead the back of your ears, but I believe that if you do something like this you have more serious problems than wearing iems


Just a tiny bit

I'd rather the wires just hung down like on every other pair of earphones I've worn for the last 30 years - it would make better use of the very short cable provided and would be less annoying as I'd not feel the cable against my face or ears.

 

[Brubaker]

the cable is so tiny look the difference from hd800s cable.... but it rocks..... this little things are so good.... cleanest bass i've ever eard.... fuck you

View attachment 338269

“What is your name!?!”

“What?!”

“What is your name?!?”


“Tony!”

I bought a pair and my kids gave me a pair for Christmas.

haahhaha this iem fucks everything.... buuuuut i can't use iem more than 20 minutes..it's my problem i know.. so i'll give this my son.......

 

[Somafunk]

I'd rather the wires just hung down like on every other pair of earphones I've worn for the last 30 years - it would make better use of the very short cable provided and would be less annoying as I'd not feel the cable against my face or ears.

If the wires hang down then microphonics are more likely to pass into your ear canal, the reason they hang over the ears is to prevent the microphonics passing into the rigid housing of the iem and transferring the sound into your ear canal.

 

[mc.god]

I'd rather the wires just hung down like on every other pair of earphones I've worn for the last 30 years - it would make better use of the very short cable provided and would be less annoying as I'd not feel the cable against my face or ears.

It get some time to get accustomed to it at the beginning, but if you'll end up not tolerating it you can try alternative good budget iems like the Tanchjim One reviewed here, it can be worn both cable-up or cable-down.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tanchjim-one-iem-review.50793/

 

[otseiTiesto]

The following graph shows the comparison of 7Hz-Salnotes Zero (average of 18 samples from squig.link sites) & Zero:2 (average of 11 samples from squig.link sites).

Harman Predicted Preference Report:

7Hz-Salnotes Zero:
* STDEV OF ERROR: 1,18 SLOPE OF ERROR: -0,05 AVERAGE ERROR: 1,05 Predicted Preference: 86,06

7Hz-Salnotes x Crinacle Zero:2:
* STDEV OF ERROR: 2,01 SLOPE OF ERROR: -0,82 AVERAGE ERROR: 1,54 Predicted Preference: 72,12

-------------------------------------------​

Note that I am not suggesting that one is better than the other. ;-)

I have the Zero:2 and it's great (very low THD), but I prefer it with EQ.
I don't have the Zero, but I think it should sound good without EQ, but the peak at 13KHz (9dB over Harman), I don't know, maybe it's annoying, maybe it's not.

-------------------------------------------​

THD%, from Amir's measurements (100m = 0.1):

 

[Chromatischism]

The following graph shows the comparison of 7Hz-Salnotes Zero (average of 18 samples from squig.link sites) & Zero:2 (average of 11 samples from squig.link sites).

Looks like both of them would sound better than Harman IE 2019 (listen for a long period, not just immediate impressions), with some listening to each to develop a preference.

I have the Zero:2 and it's great (very low THD), but I prefer it with EQ.
I don't have the Zero, but I think it should sound good without EQ, but the peak at 13KHz (9dB over Harman), I don't know, maybe it's annoying, maybe it's not.

I have the original Zero and the measurements are similar; it sounds better and more listenable with a cut to the 6-9 kHz region. Also the exact position of those resonances shifts per person.

 

[SteveL]

The following graph shows the comparison of 7Hz-Salnotes Zero (average of 18 samples from squig.link sites) & Zero:2 (average of 11 samples from squig.link sites).

View attachment 338296

Harman Predicted Preference Report:

7Hz-Salnotes Zero:
* STDEV OF ERROR: 1,18 SLOPE OF ERROR: -0,05 AVERAGE ERROR: 1,05 Predicted Preference: 86,06

7Hz-Salnotes x Crinacle Zero:2:
* STDEV OF ERROR: 2,01 SLOPE OF ERROR: -0,82 AVERAGE ERROR: 1,54 Predicted Preference: 72,12

-------------------------------------------​

Note that I am not suggesting that one is better than the other. ;-)

I have the Zero:2 and it's great (very low THD), but I prefer it with EQ.
I don't have the Zero, but I think it should sound good without EQ, but the peak at 13KHz (9dB over Harman), I don't know, maybe it's annoying, maybe it's not.

-------------------------------------------​

THD%, from Amir's measurements (100m = 0.1):

View attachment 338309

Zero 1 sounds damn near perfect to me without EQ. I do a couple of very minor touch-ups whose effect is probably mostly imaginary, only because I need to use RE Equalizer anyway for its volume boosting function to overcome Google's idiotic software voltage limitation (I still have a phone- Pixel 5a- and tablet with headphone jacks.)

 

[otseiTiesto]

Looks like both of them would sound better than Harman IE 2019 (listen for a long period, not just immediate impressions), with some listening to each to develop a preference.


I have the original Zero and the measurements are similar; it sounds better and more listenable with a cut to the 6-9 kHz region. Also the exact position of those resonances shifts per person.

I don't know, I don't have both, and it would just be my personal impression anyway.

 

[Chromatischism]

Zero 1 sounds damn near perfect to me without EQ. I do a couple of very minor touch-ups whose effect is probably mostly imaginary, only because I need to use RE Equalizer anyway for its volume boosting function to overcome Google's idiotic software voltage limitation (I still have a phone- Pixel 5a- and tablet with headphone jacks.)

What. I use a Pixel 4a 5G and it gets loud enough to be annoying at only 50% with the Zero. How can you not be getting enough volume?

 

[SteveL]

What. I use a Pixel 4a 5G and it gets loud enough to be annoying at only 50% with the Zero. How can you not be getting enough volume?

It would be enough, but in some cases (the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert has audio at particularly low levels) only *just* enough with the volume almost maxed out. Since it's easy to defeat the stupid limit, I do.

 

[Jimbob54]

Got my pair today. Spent 10 minutes with them. As expected , they sound fine out of the box, reasonably comfy, nice and light so dont yank tips out.

I'm not sure the fit is quite for me though. I will update if I have any revelations.