7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 IEM Review

[F1308]

Well, I am very sad to say that I have not been able to match the astounding performance of Zero and Zero Red. I enjoy them both on a daily basis.

7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 is too bright for me. It is not suitable for my work at the keyboard. I cannot spend more time testing them, sorry.

Zero Red is my choice for composing at the keyboard.

Please, see that I am just reporting performance in my system, my keyboard, nothing else.

 

[staticV3]

7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 is too bright for me. It is not suitable for my work at the keyboard. I cannot spend more time testing them, sorry.

Zero Red is my choice for composing at the keyboard.

With a complete seal, the Zero:2 should have more bass than the Zero Red:


Have you tried different eartips? Perhaps the ones from your Zero Red?

 

[F1308]

With a complete seal, the Zero:2 should have more bass than the Zero Red:
View attachment 341401

Have you tried different eartips? Perhaps the ones from your Zero Red?

All tips I have here were tried. Nearly a dozen.
None worked.
Might be they are too short for me....

 

[staticV3]

All tips I have here were tried. Nearly a dozen.
None worked.

As in: none were able to seal properly?
Or as in: none gave proper sound, despite sealing well?

 

[Sebby]

With a complete seal, the Zero:2 should have more bass than the Zero Red:
View attachment 341401

Have you tried different eartips? Perhaps the ones from your Zero Red?

It is also true that Zero2 has a peak in the treble compared to Zero Red.
Those curves demonstrate why I find Zero2 better and Zero Red boring.
However, I wonder why the step in the Mid-Low area...

 

[staticV3]

It is also true that Zero2 has a peak in the treble compared to Zero Red.
Those curves demonstrate why I find Zero2 better and Zero Red boring.
However, I wonder why the step in the Mid-Low area...

400Hz is a B&K 4620 artifact.

150-200Hz is a rocking mode in the IEM housing due to insufficient damping of the artificial pinna.

 

[F1308]

As in: none were able to seal properly?
Or as in: none gave proper sound, despite sealing well?

Even with good seal and my fingers pushing them in I couldn't get any good bass and remained too bright all the time.

 

[staticV3]

Even with good seal and my fingers pushing them in I couldn't get any good bass and remained too bright all the time.

Does your Zero:2 have a microphone?

 

[F1308]

Does your Zero:2 have a microphone?

A microphone? No. No as far as I know.

 

[staticV3]

A microphone? No. No as far as I know.

Understood.

A common cause of no bass despite proper seal is that people plug their TRRS headset IEM with an in-line remote+mic into regular stereo headphone outputs.
In that case, the MEMS mic inside the cable is connected in series with the drivers, which totally breaks the sound.

Doesn't seem to be the case here though.

 

[F1308]

Understood.

A common cause of no bass despite proper seal is that people plug their TRRS headset IEM with an in-line remote+mic into regular stereo headphone outputs.
In that case, the MEMS mic inside the cable is connected in series with the drivers, which totally breaks the sound.

Doesn't seem to be the case here though.

Thanks for the tip.

Tested on an old smartphone, meaning it has a 3.5 mm jack and the sound is gorgeous.

I don't understand....

They sound too bright and becomes unusable for my work when plugged to my Roland Fantom 8 synthesizer.

 

[olieb]

A microphone? No. No as far as I know.

up: with microphone
down: no microphone

 

[splitting_ears]

Thanks for the tip.

Tested on an old smartphone, meaning it has a 3.5 mm jack and the sound is gorgeous.

I don't understand....

They sound too bright and becomes unusable for my work when plugged to my Roland Fantom 8 synthesizer.

The difference you hear may be due to different output impedances. Synthesizers, AVRs, CD players, smartphones, audio interfaces... All of these can wildly differ.
This is a recurring problem with most newer multi-driver IEMs that are designed to be connected to sources with <1 ohm output impedance.

Personally, I solve this by using the iFi Audio IEMatch+ (which also helps to reduce the noise floor of vintage equipment).

 

[F1308]

up: with microphone
down: no microphone
View attachment 341411

Thank you. No microphone here. Standard stereo connector.

 

[F1308]

So we have...

TRUTHEARx Crinacle Zero
Nominal impedance =10 ohm (very-low
Rises to 35 ohm at 20 Hz

TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero Red
Nominal impedance =17 ohm
But rises to nearly 100 ohm at 20 Hz
High impedance sources reduce >|400 Hz response
Or conversely, increase bass

7Hz Salnotes Zero
Impedance = 29 ohm (low and flat)


7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2
Impedance = 29 ohm (low and flat)

Results: TRUTHEARx Crinacle Zero and TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero Red sound terrific when plugged to my keyboard. The other two are too bright.

As a curiosity, using the impedance adaptor Reds came with proved useless when at the keyboard.

 

[F1308]

Now, plugged to a Bluetooth receiver, 1Mii ML300, the sound not only matches Zero and Zero Red, but I get a bit more deep bass, tight and delicious, and instruments appear more separated and well defined...

I will stop here at the risk of becoming mad.

You, testers, are my heros.

Here is a link to one of my songs, should you
want to listen. Played in real time, no editing, just fingers and pedals. 45T means 45 tracks with VSTs, virtual instruments, are playing.

Enjoy. It is 24 bit 48000 Hz.

WeTransfer - Send Large Files & Share Photos Online - Up to 2GB Free

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Available till January 19th.

 

[mc.god]

Results: TRUTHEARx Crinacle Zero and TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero Red sound terrific when plugged to my keyboard. The other two are too bright.

As a curiosity, using the impedance adaptor Reds came with proved useless when at the keyboard.

Seems the keyboard having very high output impedance, this would explain why adding 10 ohms from the resistor doesn't have effect, since impedance is already at higher level.
This anyway doesn't explain the problem with the Zero:2 which should be somewhat immune to high impedance and, in case, should increase bass response, not cutting it.

 

[Sebby]

Seems the keyboard having very high output impedance, this would explain why adding 10 ohms from the resistor doesn't have effect, since impedance is already at higher level.
This anyway doesn't explain the problem with the Zero:2 which should be somewhat immune to high impedance and, in case, should increase bass response, not cutting it.

They can both lower and rise. It depends on how the impedance changes in the frequencies.
The Zero2 has a flat impedance so at most it changes the volume and not the FR. The problem must be the keyboard.
Maybe it has a lot of distortion in the mid and high frequencies...

 

[F1308]

Seems the keyboard having very high output impedance, this would explain why adding 10 ohms from the resistor doesn't have effect, since impedance is already at higher level.
This anyway doesn't explain the problem with the Zero:2 which should be somewhat immune to high impedance and, in case, should increase bass response, not cutting it.

I remember I once asked Roland about the recommended impedance for the headsets I was planning to buy and was told to remain around 64 , if my memory does not deceive me.

 

[mc.god]

Understood.

A common cause of no bass despite proper seal is that people plug their TRRS headset IEM with an in-line remote+mic into regular stereo headphone outputs.
In that case, the MEMS mic inside the cable is connected in series with the drivers, which totally breaks the sound.

Doesn't seem to be the case here though.

In this situation I find very useful having at hand a ctia-omtp adapter like this

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/32817850880.html