TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

[FrantzM]

Do these run well with apple dongle?

Yes!

 

[Chromatischism]

For my money, I have tried @Chromatischism EQ for these IEM which takes away a lot of the treble Harman hump and found it too "flat" (as in lacking life). But I couldnt swear that wasnt because I normally listen to things more tuned towards Harman. Im sure if I listened to these tuned that way exclusively for the next few weeks I might well get used to it.

Do you find something like a Genelec speaker to sound too flat?

Also, when you remove coloration and harshness from sound, it can sound "dull" at first. You'll find it sounds quiet. But when you turn up the volume a bit, your ears and brain will adjust and you will find yourself able to hear much better detail and balance from music. That's the nature of moving from a V-shape sound to something more neutral. It's the same with speakers in a room.

 

[Jimbob54]

Do you find something like a Genelec speaker to sound too flat?

Not listened to any speakers for 5 plus years and never to any that would be described as "good". The only frame of reference I have is how any headphone /IEM I have sounds stock.

I'll have to take your word for it that your eq for these takes you closer to how that sounds. But I found the loss of a lot of that area too jarring and I don't feel the need to persevere. If that means I'm missing something, so be it.

 

[Robbo99999]

I'm not sure we share the same definition of "extreme". Or "chill out" for that matter.

Probably share the same definition of vaguery though!

 

[Jimbob54]

Probably share the same definition of vaguery though!

Nothing vague about it. Read my post properly rather than swearing and getting over agitated that someone said Harman wasn't that important.

 

[Robbo99999]

Nothing vague about it. Read my post properly rather than swearing and getting over agitated that someone said Harman wasn't that important.

Sorry, I'm not agitated (I was just being "colloquial" with my expressions), all is good. (I can read just fine)

If you're saying Harman is not that important, then we are not on the same page, it's the best we've got until you get into personalised DSP experiences like Smyth Realiser.

 

[xavx]

Just got both in. Using just my iPhone and the Apple dongle. The dongle is able to power both of them easily. A lot of times I was 4 clicks from max (16 clicks total I think).

7Hz
Cable is slightly microphonic. The default red tips fit me. Didn’t see any L/R indicators on the cable, so had to check wiring. Shell and nozzle are good size [EDIT: The hard corner of the shell pushes against my ear slightly, so some discomfort after a while]. No carrying pouch.

Truthear
Much nicer packaging (very Apple like). Cable has essentially no microphonics (due to heat shrink instead of plastic?). The 2-pin connector is a bit long so it sticks up (the 7Hz connector is curved), but it sticks out (away from head) so doesn’t interfere with my glasses. The cable is long (maybe 3in longer than 7Hz) but very flimsy and I feel where it meets the heat shrink may be a stress point. Uses a 90° jack, which I personally don’t like. I had to use the smallest tip (small bore for more bass) for a snug fit. Shell is a tad bigger and nozzle is decently longer than 7Hz.

Despite the larger shell and nozzle, the Truthear still fits comfortably. I also own the Moondrop Starfield, and I just can’t wear those comfortably for a long time due to the shell shape/size (wore them on a flight once, hurt after).

As for sound, as one would expect from measurements, they sound pretty damn close!
The 7Hz has a smidge more low-end and the Truthear has a smidge more treble, both visible from measurements. Both have a similar soundstage and imaging. I have a terrible ear for distortion, but I’d say the 7Hz has slightly more bass distortion.

Honestly, besides knowing the fit, I’d have a hard time telling which was which (but I am far from a golden-ear).
Gun to my head, I think the 7Hz has slightly more body to vocals and they are slightly less forward (again, visible from measurements).

@amirm, I’d seriously suggest grabbing this $20 7Hz model and reviewing it.

Thank you for mentioning the 7Hz Zero : cheaper, great tonality, sub bass, more airy but also thinner souding than the Truthear. They very roughly sound to me like open back Truthear - really impressive. They fit me while I couldn't bear the wide & long Truthear nozzle. Indeed the corners were not a great idea. Might use some sandpaper to round them. They respond well in my ears to EQ (not that they need it)

 

[Chromatischism]

So I eq'd these iems to the crinacle's target and I kinda chuckle a bit.
It is not difficult to understand what some people are going after with this kind of tuning.
It basically tries to recreate the spatial effect of a bigger and more reverberant room
plus a bit of U shape eq to retrieve some of the detail lost to that kind of set up.

It is fine but when I listened to Shadow Boxer from Fiona Apple, the piano sounds kinda like a cheap casio keyboard.
It also reminds a bit what you get when trying to eq with equal loudness

IDK I think that the Harman tuning is more mature with better tone and timbre

We could have different ears, but they shouldn't be that different...

Or, some are using non-standard tips which are giving a different sound...

Or, there is more sample variation than we thought.

Because, my copy do not sound close to neutral speakers in a room. They sound like someone had a heydey with the treble knob and made them sound like this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...lk-monitor-40-series-ii-review-speaker.24146/

What else could explain our drastically different perceptions of the same product? I am puzzled.

 

[SalutaryGraveness]

We could have different ears, but they shouldn't be that different...

Or, some are using non-standard tips which are giving a different sound...

Or, there is more sample variation than we thought.

Because, my copy do not sound close to neutral speakers in a room. They sound like someone had a heydey with the treble knob and made them sound like this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...lk-monitor-40-series-ii-review-speaker.24146/

What else could explain our drastically different perceptions of the same product? I am puzzled.

I don't think that's important as long you know what makes you happier. Nobody can really refute what you like.
But I guess there's only one way to find out, is that is to place measurement devices inside you rear canal
to measure the frequency response of good speakers in a nice room. That would be the best approximation of your "neutral/natural" target curve
And that curve could match your preference for iems... or maybe not.

 

[nothingman]

Thank you for mentioning the 7Hz Zero : cheaper, great tonality, sub bass, more airy but also thinner souding than the Truthear. They very roughly sound to me like open back Truthear - really impressive. They fit me while I couldn't bear the wide & long Truthear nozzle. Indeed the corners were not a great idea. Might use some sandpaper to round them. They respond well in my ears to EQ (not that they need it)

I gave the 7hz Zero a try too and the edges on bottom corner of the shell ruled out any chance I could keep them. Instant discomfort that I couldn’t resolve. The Truthear Zero are large but rounded and don’t create hotspots.

The other problem with the 7hz is that, for the first time across 20 years of using IEMs, I could not find a single stock tip that sealed in my ear. Only has so many other tips around the house to try, and none of those worked either. So the 7hz get an F grade for ergonomics from me.

 

[Booker]

I just received mine an hour ago and entered the IEM world. So far, so good. I didn't hear such a level of detail with any headphones I owned before.

 

[nothingman]

I just received mine an hour ago and entered the IEM world. So far, so good. I didn't hear such a level of detail with any headphones I owned before.

Welcome! Important to interpret that impression as being one-part inherent to IEMs, and one-part a product of this particular IEM’s tuning.

 

[Booker]

I don't know how to describe the whole effect on me, but it could be something like if I turned on bullet time in a movie or videogame and have time to listen to all that is included in the scene (a record).

 

[xavx]

We could have different ears, but they shouldn't be that different...

Or, some are using non-standard tips which are giving a different sound...

Or, there is more sample variation than we thought.

Because, my copy do not sound close to neutral speakers in a room. They sound like someone had a heydey with the treble knob and made them sound like this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...lk-monitor-40-series-ii-review-speaker.24146/

What else could explain our drastically different perceptions of the same product? I am puzzled.

Maybe I was hallucinating (who knows) Had to return the Truthear a week ago due to ear canal irritation and couldn't compare them side by side.
Objectively, the 7Hz were measured by Crinacle and are close to HK target. Measurements miss points like sound richness, tonality, airiness. First 2 points are better on Truthear, hence calling the 7Hz "thin" sounding. Likewise the Moondrop Chu are close to HK and cheap but sounded harsh and metallic in the trebles to me.

I'm wondering if the seal was right since you mention the treble was over the top as the curve doesn't reflect that. The largest tips (default red) gave me just enough seal. They might have provided wider ones.

 

[Matias]

Below a very busy graph showing some well reviewed IEMs, the Harman Adjusted Target (don't know what was adjusted in it) and the Zero in front.

We can see the majority follows a very similar curve through the bass and mids with increasing differences in treble, where resonances makes things more complicated.

And in front the Zero that, compared to the others, has an uneven bass curve, less mids and more pinna gain "shout".

The low price omits all sins though.

Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Super* Review

Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between IEMs and earphones from manufacturers like Moondrop, Sony, 64 Audio, Fiio, and more.

squig.link

 

[SalutaryGraveness]

Below a very busy graph showing some well reviewed IEMs, the Harman Adjusted Target (don't know what was adjusted in it) and the Zero in front.

We can see the majority follows a very similar curve through the bass and mids with increasing differences in treble, where resonances makes things more complicated.

And in front the Zero that, compared to the others, has an uneven bass curve, less mids and more pinna gain "shout".

I own both the Zero and the Blessing 2 and according to that website the Zero should be far more shouty than the B2,
but I don't believe it since that's not what I hear at all.

 

[_thelaughingman]

But I guess there's only one way to find out, is that is to place measurement devices inside you rear canal

sir only sound coming out of “rear canal” would be tubby bass.

 

[Jimbob54]

sir only sound coming out of “rear canal” would be tubby bass.

*parp*

 

[Matias]

I own both the Zero and the Blessing 2 and according to that website the Zero should be far more shouty than the B2,
but I don't believe it since that's not what I hear at all.
View attachment 239186

I would not say "far more shouty" but 3-4 dB is "noticeably more shouty".

My same graph above but now using the ThieAudio Monarch Mk.2 as reference, which Crinacle himself rated as "S+" tonality, looks like this below.

Again the yellow Zero is above the others in the pinna gain shout area, along with the Harman target.

Squiglink - IEM frequency response database by Super* Review

Compare hundreds of frequency response graphs between IEMs and earphones from manufacturers like Moondrop, Sony, 64 Audio, Fiio, and more.

squig.link

 

[Chromatischism]

I'm wondering if the seal was right since you mention the treble was over the top as the curve doesn't reflect that. The largest tips (default red) gave me just enough seal. They might have provided wider ones.

Yes, the seal is fine. You know when the background is mostly blocked out, like you're underwater or wearing earplugs. You'll know if you don't have that, or if you don't have bass. The bass with my EQ mostly matches my main 2.1/7.1.4 home theater system.

Measurements miss points like sound richness, tonality, airiness.

I'm not sure I agree with that.