TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

[DavidShe]

I agree. It's 100% awful for you.

Your graciousness is noted!

 

[direwolf08]

Just got a pair of these and I can't believe how good they sound for the price. I think I will enjoy them very much!

 

[khensu]

Just got a pair of these and I can't believe how good they sound for the price. I think I will enjoy them very much!

You definitely will! I use mine practically every day.

 

[Plumbus the Wise]

I would love to hear more abotu those that have the Kahn and the Zero. I really love the Zero, in fact it might be my favorite set even over the Ikko oh10s...I have enjoyed the tuning of Hbb collabs before and the Kahn seems to be really similar if not identical to the zero.

 

[Blorg]

I would love to hear more abotu those that have the Kahn and the Zero. I really love the Zero, in fact it might be my favorite set even over the Ikko oh10s...I have enjoyed the tuning of Hbb collabs before and the Kahn seems to be really similar if not identical to the zero.

It's the Zero with slightly more bass and the upper mid rise pushed back slightly, which makes it a bit less shouty/forward. Slightly- it's very similar. I prefer it over the Zero, although my Zero has channel imbalance with reduced bass on one side, so the Khan is more for me maybe than most. I think Hi-Fri did a teardown and they looked identical inside, both the drivers and the crossover.

 

[tawsi]

Hi everyone, just to let you know, I couldn't return my zeros so I just bought another pair, they're not so expensive so it's no a problem for me, but I suspect that it might have been my topping L30 who destroyed the driver on the right channel of my first pair of zero, I think next month I might be buying a new amp for my zeros, my dac is the gustard X16, any recommendations for a solid state amp who could match with my gustard dac which is very analytical and also match with the zero's in terms of impedance output ? I thought about the topping L50 or L30 II ?

 

[Blorg]

Hi everyone, just to let you know, I couldn't return my zeros so I just bought another pair, they're not so expensive so it's no a problem for me, but I suspect that it might have been my topping L30 who destroyed the driver on the right channel of my first pair of zero, I think next month I might be buying a new amp for my zeros, my dac is the gustard X16, any recommendations for a solid state amp who could match with my gustard dac which is very analytical and also match with the zero's in terms of impedance output ? I thought about the topping L50 or L30 II ?

I have a Topping A90 but use dongles for IEMs. Truthear Shio, Moondrop Dawn are good options. It's an IEM, it doesn't need a high power headphone amp.

 

[sharock]

What's an analytical DAC?

 

[tawsi]

What's an analytical DAC?

When I said that the gustard DAC x16 was very analytical, I really meant very detailled because of the dual dac chip especially with the L fast filter mode

 

[GaryH]

 

[Blorg]

Gustard X16 was the second best measuring DAC of all time when Amir reviewed it, so descriptors like "analytical" or "detailed" seem reasonable. L fast filter is also the most linear, with no audible attenuation of the treble, and Amir recommended the L-Fast filter over the default M slow filter in his review of the thing.

 

[khensu]

Curiosity got the best of me, so even though I have the Truthear zero, I just ordered the Khan as well.

 

[FrantzM]

Curiosity got the best of me, so even though I have the Truthear zero, I just ordered the Khan as well.

I won’t intone my mantra …

I won’t

 

[khensu]

I won’t intone my mantra …

I won’t

Not sure what that is, but I can imagine. Either way, if the Khans are as good as the zero, at least I'll have a good backup set.

 

[FrantzM]

Not sure what that is, but I can imagine. Either way, if the Khans are as good as the zero, at least I'll have a good backup set.

Sorry about the inside joke.. I have no need for IEM, don't use these much, except when travelling. I have 2 (pairs of) TCZ and love it/them, enough to have bought close to a dozen to gift to business associates, customers and audiophile (or not) friends ... I have tended to buy on impulse some inexpensive items, when recommended by ASR (below $100.oo) even If I don't need them; ordered recently a Vu-meter with absolutely no need for it.. ... I am not far from pulling the trigger on that one IEM too.. The mantra: "I am not buying this time, I am NOT buying this time, I don't need it " ... etc... but usually succumb and end up purchasing ... I will wait for review, I am strong-willed that way .. but at $30.oo, and if I can validate the FR curves ... why not? .. See?

We're living very interesting times: Audibly Transparent DAC at <$10.oo, Powerful (>200 wpc), transparent stereo amplifier with inaudible THD for less than $500.oo. Raspberry Pi-based system capable of running sophisticated EQ program while streaming music at <$100.oo (Yes , Pi + Volumio with Camilla DSP), Very good, powered speakers at less than $500.oo pair (List is long I'll name my JBL LSR308 and LSR 305, and Adam T5V, etc...) Good measurements microphone, at circa $100.oo (UMik-1 and similar , e.g Parts Express UMM-6)... Free powerful software ( I suggest donation nevertheless, so much works are in these software) e,g, REW, Camilla DSP, Multi Subwoofer Optimizer (MSO), etc...
It is perfectly possible now to assemble a full range room filling stereo system for less than $2500,oo, and to me the most spectacular bargain in Audio: Less than $60.oo, for a SOTA IEM system: Apple Dongle at $7.95 + TCZ at $50.oo ..
Wow!

Peace.

 

[6sigma]

Audibly Transparent DAC at <$10.oo, Powerful (>200 wpc), transparent stereo amplifier with inaudible THD for less than $500.oo.

I like your suggestions for speakers, streamer, etc. For the DAC and the amp, did you have specific makes/models in mind?

Thanks

 

[stevenswall]

Brilliant!
I bought iems for almost $1k a few years ago and even with eq wont match this.

@amirm one of the criticisms of this iem is that although tonally correct, it misses out on "detail retrieval/resolution" compared to more expensive iems. Is there any truth to this?

Chiming in on this: I had a $1600 JH Audio Lola that I preferred to the Layla, Roxanne, and flagships by Westone, Campfire, 64, and Shure.

The JH Audio Lola was my favorite, and now I have sold it and own the Truthear Zero. There is zero sense of lack of detail. Sure and Etymotic I have could be called clearer or more detailed, but I hear all the details on the Zero, it just has correct bass and mid-range instead of not quite enough bass and mid-range coloration.

I think lalc of detail often means lack of extra treble energy.

I do miss the bass tuning on the Lola though, and wish the isolation was better on the Zero.

 

[markanini]

I do miss the bass tuning on the Lola though, and wish the isolation was better on the Zero.

This suggest you prefer more upper bass, TE0 has a characteristic dip in that range. If you like how TE0 does details you could look at other Truthear and Moondrop(same engineers) products, they will be pretty consistent in this area.

 

[Plumbus the Wise]

It's the Zero with slightly more bass and the upper mid rise pushed back slightly, which makes it a bit less shouty/forward. Slightly- it's very similar. I prefer it over the Zero, although my Zero has channel imbalance with reduced bass on one side, so the Khan is more for me maybe than most. I think Hi-Fri did a teardown and they looked identical inside, both the drivers and the crossover.

View attachment 281123

Thanks for the reply. Not sure thats worth buying them then...the main thing about the Zeros I like is I seem to be able to boost the subbass significantly without introducing mud or distortion (totally anecdotal claim here). So with EQ my Zeros are basically what you just posted for the Kahn lol

Although I would be curious about better fitment. If they are anything like the Qkz Hbb single DD set then NOPE lol those are so uncomfortable.

 

[khensu]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure thats worth buying them then...the main thing about the Zeros I like is I seem to be able to boost the subbass significantly without introducing mud or distortion (totally anecdotal claim here). So with EQ my Zeros are basically what you just posted for the Kahn lol

Although I would be curious about better fitment. If they are anything like the Qkz Hbb single DD set then NOPE lol those are so uncomfortable.

I recently picked up the Khans. Also have the TCZ. The sound is similar, but the Khans have noticeably more bass. Sometimes it’s a bit too much, but when it is, a drop of a couple dB will take care of it. As for fitment, I find both to be very comfortable. Compared to the Moondrop Chu, for example, which also sound good, but are very uncomfortable.