7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 IEM Review

[staticV3]

assuming this is possible with a multimeter.

Sure is, just make sure you use a constant ~60Hz sine wave as test signal, not music.

 

[Oldson]

Sure is, just make sure you use a constant ~60Hz sine wave as test signal, not music.

getting 1.65vac with this sine wave

 

[Oldson]

it must just be the lack of sensitivity of the zero2.
i have my mdr-z7m2 plugged in to the midgard balanced and the zero2 in the se, and the sony is playing louder.

 

[staticV3]

it must just be the lack of sensitivity of the zero2.
i have my mdr-z7m2 plugged in to the midgard balanced and the zero2 in the se, and the sony is playing louder.

Amir measured the Zero:2 at 120dB/Vrms.

That your Z7 plays louder at the same voltage, could indicate a bad cable, a clogged nozzle, or an insufficient seal to your ear canal.

 

[Oldson]

well i am confused.
nozzles not clogged as brand new.
seal feels good, as bass is very present. with other tips bass disappears.
cable is new, but i guess it could be faulty.

i thought i may have inverted the 2 pin connectors but they seem correct.

 

[Oldson]

think ive sussed it.
because the 3.5mm jack on zero cable wont take a "screw on" 6.35mm adapter i had to use one i found in a drawer which is actually a short "cable" version.
i thought this was just a 3.5 to 6.35 adapter cable, but i have a sneaky feeling it is also an impedance adapter.
not used it for years so i forget.
have ordered a standard non screw adapter, which will arrive tomorrow.

i really must label stuff up

just measured the adapter and sure enough its a 32ohm imp adapter.

 

[Oldson]

all sorted now.
9-10 oclock on Midgard vol pot, low gain!

downside for me potentially now is staring down the iem rabbit hole.
so impressed with these at 25 quid, i am already thinking of trying something (potentially) better.
i am never satisfied, it seems.

 

[Grobbelboy]

Just EQ some areas of the FR to taste if necessary. There isn’t anything better really, you’re pretty much done now.

 

[Bernard23]

Just for fun, buy some Truthear zero red and some tanchjim ones and then try to decide which is "best". It's a proper audiophile rabbit hole but without the ridiculous mega costs usually involved in such frivolity!
Fwiw, I slightly prefer my Dunu EST 112 over the three just mentioned, but a I've posted elsewhere they're not 10x better.

 

[Oldson]

one thing i can say i definitly need to change on the zero2 is the cable as its just not long enough for my desktop setup.
problem is , i'm gonna end up spending more on a cable than the price of the iems.

any good cheap cable recommendations at 2m length?

 

[Curupira]

so impressed with these at 25 quid, i am already thinking of trying something (potentially) better.

I started with iems back in 2022, but I got into headphone collecting much earlier, around 2012. Before the Eastern companies (Japanese aside) ruled the market, it was, well... bad. Then, I tried giving them another chance and bought a Dunu Titan S, which was all the rage back then. I was so impressed by them - by how they conveyed detail, naturalness and how balanced the presentation and tuning were when compared to speakers and headphones - that I started having thoughts just like yours: how much better can this get?

Fast forward four years and many of iems bought and sold and I can tell you that It doesn't get much better, really. With time and more expensive stuff you learn to pick some tendencies in tuning and the shortcomings of a few designs, mainly due to peaks, treble extension and ergonomics that affect sound (bore length, vent holes etc). But even considering them, you don't get a objectively BETTER experience per se, just difference flavors. You won't hear angels hidden in the mix when getting more expensive stuff when you disregard cognitive biases, and if you do hear them, it's more probably a FR quirk (your new gear artificially emphasizing an odd frequency band).

For instance, I consider the Zero:2 a bit shouty and too bassy for my liking, and I suspect some of the astringency in them is due to the shallow fit. Other well measuring iems with similar configurations and price, but with deeper fit and better eartips, perform more admirably in MY ears. Another audiophile "feature" that I value - and that I don't often find in the cheaper miracles like these, is high treble extension. They just decay too abruptly over 10k or just have very weird and big peaks. Seeking that extension, that is 100% embellishment and not the most "natural thing, I often prefer hybrid designs with EQ.

So, in conclusion, keep your zero's and enjoy your time with them until you get bored with their sound. Try different EQ profiles and different eartips. If the upgraditis bug bites you after this, keep in mind that price is not an indicative of objective gains, contrary to what the industry and hype reviewers indicate. The market now is full of very good value options whose objective quality every year puts to shame the former years "kilobuck" standard.

 

[Matias]

one thing i can say i definitly need to change on the zero2 is the cable as its just not long enough for my desktop setup.
problem is , i'm gonna end up spending more on a cable than the price of the iems.

any good cheap cable recommendations at 2m length?

Extension maybe?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Headphone-Extension-Earphone-Smartphone-Black/dp/B00LM4ON3I/?th=1

 

[Oldson]

Extension maybe?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Headphone-Extension-Earphone-Smartphone-Black/dp/B00LM4ON3I/?th=1

dont know why i didnt think of that, just ordered.
cheers

 

[renzoe]

Just follow the stock images.

Subject: Your stock cable might have Left Right L/R Channel inverted (mine did.. has :'( !).
HI All, sorry to revive an old post. But I suspect I may not be the only one. In my case , the stock cable had Left and Right channels inverted. Even if I have correctly connected it like this I realised (some hours later...) in a record that I actually know the Left/Right mapping that it was inverted. In my case I just swapped the L/R cables mantaining this ergonomy, only "issure" is that they cables axis is slightly outwards instead of inwards as it should be, and also that now the "L" is connected to the "R" and vice versa (that may trigger some OCD in a bit of people.. I think about it from time to time...). I decided not to sent them back just to have matching cables and earpieces..

TL;DR: Make a test to see if your Left Right channel are correct!

BTW, amazing headphones. I prefer open back at home (but at what price...), but this is great. thank you 7Hz Crinacle and etc for bringint this quality to the masses!

 

[kawauso]

Hane’s earphones were great, but this Zero 2 is also fantastic. I don’t feel the need for EQ at all. It’s also nice that you can choose a version with a mic or a Type-C connection. The 7Hz Salnotes Zero had somewhat hollow bass and required EQ, but the Zero 2 is excellent

 

[stefanovesa]

Hi all,
anyone has tested a Pentaconn balanced cable with these IEMs? Need to connect them to Fosi DS2.
Thanks

 

[Jimbob54]

Hi all,
anyone has tested a Pentaconn balanced cable with these IEMs? Need to connect them to Fosi DS2.
Thanks

This will work . Nice soft cable . I just found this on AliExpress:
￡18.59 | Yinyoo 16 Core High Purity Silver Plated Cable 2.5/3.5/4.4MM with MMCX/2PIN/QDC for BLON BL-01 BL-03 BL01 KZ ZSX ZSNPOR ASX ZAX

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EyNzuNa

Just make sure you choose 2pin and 4.4mm

 

[Heinrich]

Hi all,
anyone has tested a Pentaconn balanced cable with these IEMs? Need to connect them to Fosi DS2.
Thanks

I did, the sound isn't changed but it is way louder. The adjustment of volume is a bit harder.

 

[stefanovesa]

I did, the sound isn't changed but it is way louder. The adjustment of volume is a bit harder.

I confirm no difference at all, volume adjustment seems not an issue in my case, but the twisted fabric cable is better manageable than the original one, that for me is a plus.

 

[makruger]

I recently purchased a set of these inexpensive IEM's from Amazon along with a cheap JSAUX USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. The adapter description states "Not compatible with OMTP, TS and TRS microphone-only devices are not supported". OMTP looks to be a different connector type standard, but the IEM's I ordered don't have a microphone, so hopefully OK (TRS maybe?). I also ordered a set of earbuds (JBL Endurance Run 2). These do have a microphone (probably TRRS). Presumably the USB-C adapter itself is also TRRS, but will it work with both pairs of headphones?