TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

[Curupira]

It'd be very interesting to see an IEM measured with a bunch of different tips from stock, to the popular spinfit stuff, and knockoffs (I think) like I bought below

A lot of squigs do tip rolling. Search the database and then press the + icon on the iem's names. The results IMO are not that significant once the measurer had already got a good seal.

In general, foam tips and narrow bores tend to alleviate treble peaks, and wider bore tend to amplify them, but that all depends on the design of the iem and nozzle size/diameter.

 

[Chromatischism]

There was no change in sound for me between the stock tips and the Spinfit W1. Just a more reliable and comfortable fit.

 

[Art of sound]

View attachment 376367

Ear tips seem to make a big difference. Bass seems pumping even though they have quite a wide hole, it's like the good bits of the stock tips put together.

It'd be very interesting to see an IEM measured with a bunch of different tips from stock, to the popular spinfit stuff, and knockoffs (I think) like I bought below

https://a.aliexpress.com/_EGbx2gr

Not sure about the Zero but the Zero: Red does have some variations with tip rolling.

https://global.discourse-cdn.com/business6/uploads/headphones/original/3X/9/7/97c402f2dab396ee462adcb06010500fc3ededd0.jpeg

 

[xaviescacs]

OK, fine... fair enough... I've ordered one directly at shenzhenaudio without telling my wife... it's nice to have good products on this no-need-to-tell-your-wife-about-it price range.

Update: currently my wife uses them as her regular headphones and she is very happy. Why? Good isolation, no need to squeeze them into the ear and no need for EQ.

 

[Basic Channel]

A lot of squigs do tip rolling. Search the database and then press the + icon on the iem's names. The results IMO are not that significant once the measurer had already got a good seal.

In general, foam tips and narrow bores tend to alleviate treble peaks, and wider bore tend to amplify them, but that all depends on the design of the iem and nozzle size/diameter.

Thanks all for the responses. I have a feeling "good seal" hits the nail on the head. They are ever so slightly larger than the stock ones so I think they seal in my ear better. But after rolling the stock tips I wasn't expecting much bass based on the bore size.

The measurements posted of the red stock tips would suggest although the differences aren't night or day, they are making a difference between 4-8k. And assuming we can compare stuff above 8k (I know we ignore it in measurements of different headphones) then the difference is even bigger.

I'm dubious that the same measurements with bunch of different non stock tips would show such little differences. Sadly the squidlink database doesn't have much for truthear blues, but I'll maybe look around to see what I can find.

 

[Robbo99999]

The measurements posted of the red stock tips would suggest although the differences aren't night or day, they are making a difference between 4-8k. And assuming we can compare stuff above 8k (I know we ignore it in measurements of different headphones) then the difference is even bigger.

(You don't have to totally ignore measurements above 8kHz in headphones, because it will tell you the general energy up there, and you'd probably use shelf filters or very broad peak filters to EQ that area.)

 

[markanini]

(You don't have to totally ignore measurements above 8kHz in headphones, because it will tell you the general energy up there, and you'd probably use shelf filters or very broad peak filters to EQ that area.)

100% this.

 

[Basic Channel]

(You don't have to totally ignore measurements above 8kHz in headphones, because it will tell you the general energy up there, and you'd probably use shelf filters or very broad peak filters to EQ that area.)

Yes that makes sense, I suppose it's the fake resonance peaks we ignore.

 

[Robbo99999]

Yes that makes sense, I suppose it's the fake resonance peaks we ignore.

Yes, you can't guarantee that the peaks will be in the same place when you wear it, so detailed EQ above 8kHz could miss the peaks and make matters worse.

 

[Basic Channel]

Interesting that the same tips on the 7hz zero make little to no difference. I suppose due to nozzle/design or me falling for the placebo of a new thing.

 

[CedarX]

Interesting that the same tips on the 7hz zero make little to no difference. I suppose due to nozzle/design or me falling for the placebo of a new thing.

As hinted several times, the largest effect of tip rolling is about seal…. A different tip can be a night and day difference if it’s about sealed vs. no seal.
The same tip rolling on a different IEM can make little or no difference if seal is equally ok (or equally bad!) with either tip.

 

[Basic Channel]

As hinted several times, the largest effect of tip rolling is about seal…. A different tip can be a night and day difference if it’s about sealed vs. no seal.
The same tip rolling on a different IEM can make little or no difference if seal is equally ok (or equally bad!) with either tip.

Yes but the effect of higher frequencies seems negated by some. We would set our desired volume based on the treble region and perceive bass according to that. And the measurements show no difference in bass but do show differences in treble.

In any case I'm rolling the same tips on different IEMs that measure about the same. Unless seal makes a a greater or lesser difference depending on the IEM, I'm not sure it's just that.

 

[Jimbob54]

In any case I'm rolling the same tips on different IEMs that measure about the same. Unless seal makes a a greater or lesser difference depending on the IEM, I'm not sure it's just that.

It does. And tip A on iem X will very likely not give the same seal on iem Y

 

[Cote Dazur]

It as been over 2 years since I discovered how beautiful music can sound using those IEM, forever grateful to @amirm for the review and recommendation. Before those, my serious listening was limited to my dedicated listening room. Now, I can seat or lay down anywhere in the house or on the patio and appreciate my favorite music sounding as good as ever. I tried a few others, they do sound good, but, to me, not as magical as the (blue) Truthear Zero. As Amazon had a great deal on the red Truthear Zero, I am waiting to discover those as well.
To all my audiophile friends out there, who have not discovered the IEM bliss, don’t be fooled by how inexpensive those IEMs are, their performance is golden.
The other day, I was going to post their frequency response and low distortion graph with for only text the price of those, in a thread about a review of a 5,000.00 $ headset with not so good frequency response and high distortion graph but did not, wrong thread, but I am glad to mention it in this thread.

 

[DavidK442]

It as been over 2 years since I discovered how beautiful music can sound using those IEM, forever grateful to @amirm for the review and recommendation. Before those, my serious listening was limited to my dedicated listening room. Now, I can seat or lay down anywhere in the house or on the patio and appreciate my favorite music sounding as good as ever. I tried a few others, they do sound good, but, to me, not as magical as the (blue) Truthear Zero. As Amazon had a great deal on the red Truthear Zero, I am waiting to discover those as well.
To all my audiophile friends out there, who have not discovered the IEM bliss, don’t be fooled by how inexpensive those IEMs are, their performance is golden.
The other day, I was going to post their frequency response and low distortion graph with for only text the price of those, in a thread about a review of a 5,000.00 $ headset with not so good frequency response and high distortion graph but did not, wrong thread, but I am glad to mention it in this thread.

Well said. Multiple sub-$50 IEM options provide outstanding objective and subjective results. A great time for Hifi consumers, not so great for boutique hi-end brands.

 

[Kremmen]

It as been over 2 years since I discovered how beautiful music can sound using those IEM, forever grateful to @amirm for the review and recommendation. Before those, my serious listening was limited to my dedicated listening room. Now, I can seat or lay down anywhere in the house or on the patio and appreciate my favorite music sounding as good as ever. I tried a few others, they do sound good, but, to me, not as magical as the (blue) Truthear Zero. As Amazon had a great deal on the red Truthear Zero, I am waiting to discover those as well.
To all my audiophile friends out there, who have not discovered the IEM bliss, don’t be fooled by how inexpensive those IEMs are, their performance is golden.
The other day, I was going to post their frequency response and low distortion graph with for only text the price of those, in a thread about a review of a 5,000.00 $ headset with not so good frequency response and high distortion graph but did not, wrong thread, but I am glad to mention it in this thread.

I completely agree with you. I'm currently on holiday sat by a pool in beautiful Lixouri on the Greek island of Kefalonia enjoying my music on these little beauties. I also brought my Tanchjim One's as a backup, another great earphone. Both purchases were made as a result of this wonderful website and Amir's stellar reviews.

Thanks Amir!

 

[jameslo1991]

There is a similar iem to truthear zero red which called Kontinum Ulim and the frequency response looks similar too.

https://www.amazon.com/Ulim-IEM-Kontinum-Ear-Detachable/dp/B0CKYQNKR4

 

[Chromatischism]

Another banger from Starset confirms this IEM with my EQ is just the perfect sound for my ears.

 

[daftcombo]

Even with the tiniest plugs (orange ones), they have a tendency to leave my ears, which have very thin holes I guess :-(

 

[CedarX]

Even with the tiniest plugs (orange ones), they have a tendency to leave my ears, which have very thin holes I guess :-(

Did you try the other way around: large tips with shallow insertion? It gives me a strange feeling of “these things will never stay in place and I’m going to loose the IEMs right away”, but it actually works better for me…
I usually end up replacing my IEM tips with Spinfit XL (or L) silicon tips.