TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero IEM Review

[Alexium]

They are not astonishing for the price, they are astonishing. Full stop!

Just received my pair, and I totally agree. The bass is something else. Some tracks that I thought have no bass to speak of actually do have it. One of those tracks also features instruments I haven't noticed before, and I've listened to it a dozen times in my car where I upgraded the entire audio system with decent components, including a good sub (not the kind whose only task is to make the windows rattle).
I'm sure that if I plug in Hifiman HE-400 now I would also notice those "new" instruments, but I've heard the track dozens of times on different systems (not just headphones) and never noticed these extra details before.

These certainly need no EQ. I might be noticing a bit of "shouty" voices, a peak somewhere in the midrange. But I'm not sure where (not around 7-8 kHz), and it's very mild. To the point that I'm not sure whether it's a peak, or if it's the right sound and my other phones have a dip here.

The most fascinating thing is that these IEMs don't sound "boxed in", like closed headphones do, and like my Dunu DN-1000 IEMs do (4-5 times more expensive than TCZ back when I bought them). I used to think open headphone have "open" sound - wide soundstage, and they do, but I can't say TCZ are much worse than Hifiman HE-400, if at all.
It's also perhaps worth mentioning that I used to have HD800 (not HD800S), and got rid of them in a hurry because HE-400 are better in all regards. So I'm pretty confident in saying TCZ are better than HD800. And now I'm seriously considering selling HE-400 as well.

P. S. These are currently discounted to $37 on Aliexpress. Just bought another pair for my girlfriend - she's not an audiophile, but with these IEMs she may well become one.

 

[Cote Dazur]

she's not an audiophile, but with these IEMs she may well become one.

Interesting idea, I have sent the info to a good friend, who likes music, not just pop music, he has not made the purchase yet. I am thinking on offering them to my daughter, Christmas is coming, who also likes music and like listening on headphones.
My concern is: can someone who is not critical about what he or she listen with, really appreciate what those bring to the party? Or does it takes years of trying to understand what is not right, is it the gear or is it the recording, to really appreciate what the Zero is revealing.
If one as not struggled to get where he is on his quest to great music, can the clarity and frequency balance be appreciated? I fear, many will be disappointed when the casual listener does not get how special those are.
If one ask for a recommendation, then it is a different story and I would gladly point that person to the Zero as the IEM to purchase.

 

[Alexium]

can someone who is not critical about what he or she listen with, really appreciate what those bring to the party?

Absolutely, yes. These IEMs simply sound right, from the bottom to the top (frequency wise). You don't need 5 years of music school to enjoy that. Besides, at this price, what are we even talking about? Purchasing these just to have a listen is not a hard choice to make

 

[Chromatischism]

I am thinking on offering them to my daughter, Christmas is coming, who also likes music and like listening on headphones.
My concern is: can someone who is not critical about what he or she listen with, really appreciate what those bring to the party?

My take: these are bright enough, I would not give them to a young person who has even more sensitive hearing than we do. I would rather get them on something with a more neutral sound. I have suggested these to an older friend who I know has some age-related hearing loss.

 

[amirm]

If one as not struggled to get where he is on his quest to great music, can the clarity and frequency balance be appreciated?

Harman research includes people of all walks of life and everyone appreciates a correct frequency response/tonality. So no, you don't need training or even be an audiophile to like these.

 

[Haruko]

Thank you for this info!
Does it mean DX1 should also be quite sufficient for the Zero?

i use DX1 low gain @ ~40 and it's pretty LOUD and that is after the EQ!

 

[Matias]

Was about to order these with all the discounts around, but ended up ordering the 7Hz Salnotes Zero instead for less than half the price. @amirm should definitely review these too whenever possible again.

Anyone compared them?

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 didn't simply due to the design...

 

[Matias]

I didn't simply due to the design...

Yes, I agree, definitely the low point...

Edit: they look less ugly all in black though imo. The colored tips are just too cheesey.

 

[FrantzM]

Just received the second one. The Spare.


Peace.

 

[thin bLue]

Got mine!

Sounds good, little EQ will make it perfect.
But my ear hurts. I need Phonak PFE small tip and peace. Do not try if your ears are relatively small.

 

[Fregly]

Got mine!

View attachment 241126

Sounds good, little EQ will make it perfect.
But my ear hurts. I need Phonak PFE small tip and peace. Do not try if your ears are relatively small.

More art for that guy with the ice cream truck.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Update after a few days.
I don't like IEM. Yet I found myself using the TCZ a lot. No irritation, but I went back to my headphones,, a bit of hypochondriasis, if you will...
Listening to the headphones (HiFiMan HE6Se Harman-EQ'd), there are areas where EQ would improve the reproduction. namely the brightness, else... which brings me to the Bass: Looking at the graphs, it would seem that the TCZ do not faithfully track the Harman IEM curve in the low bass... Well.. I don't find these lacking in bass, low , sub , any type of bass... The bass from this IEM is a singular experience.. what comes from these smallish things is real, deep, authoritative. They don't "hint" at low bass, they reproduce it. I wonder how would a perfect fit to the Harman curve sound in the bass. More bass ? I am not sure the TCZ needs it. At least for me. The Bass from the HE6SE EQ'd to Harman, is different perhaps better.. It is mostly different and through the TCZ, is not left lacking. No, the TCZ won't do the "subwoofer-in-your-ears" feat the HE6SE performs so routinely and perhaps uniquely, when EQ'd .

To quote Amir:

I don't care if you don't listen to IEMs normally. You want this IEM so you know what correct tonality is, when you listen with other transducers such as headphones and speakers. Think of it as the tuning fork that a musician uses! This IEM needs to be in your arsenal.

Peace.

 

[Robbo99999]

Hi

Update after a few days.
I don't like IEM. Yet I found myself using the TCZ a lot. No irritation, but I came back to my headphones,, a bit of hypochondriasis, if you will...
Listening to the headphones (HiFiMan HE6Se Harman-EQ'd), there are areas where EQ would improve the reproduction. namely the brightness, else... which brings me to the Bass: Looking at the graphs, it would seem that the TCZ do not faithfully track the Harman IEM curve in the low bass... Well.. I don't find these lacking in bass, low , sub , any type of bass... The bass from this IEM is a singular experience.. what comes from these smallish things is real, deep, authoritative. They don't "hint" at low bass, they reproduce it. I wonder how would a perfect fit to the Harman curve sound in the bass. More bass ? I am not sure the TCZ needs it. At least for me. The Bass from the HE6SE EQ'd to Harman, is different perhaps better.. It is mostly different and through the TCZ, is not left lacking. No, the TCZ won't do the "subwoofer-in-your-ears" feat the HE6SE performs so routinely and perhaps uniquely, when EQ'd .

To quote Amir:



Peace.

You can of course try the Maiky76 EQ if you're curious what accurately EQ'd Harman IEM bass would be like.

 

[AudioJester]

@Chromatischism - where do I find the latest version of your EQ?

 

[Chromatischism]

I wonder how would a perfect fit to the Harman curve sound in the bass. More bass ?

Tracking the contour of the Harman bass curve gets you much closer to reality than the stock tuning of the Zero. It will sound much cleaner and be more impactful than the rounded curve you see stock. But, if you do that, the level will be too high, so you end up with a very boom-tiss sounding, V-shaped IEM. So follow the curve, but bring the level down a bit so you still get your mids.

 

[Chromatischism]

@Chromatischism - where do I find the latest version of your EQ?

Funny you ask - I am going to update it tonight.

In the last one, I tried to assuade the naysayers by adding more highs. I also wanted to hear it for myself. After a while I noticed my listening enjoyment went down. I also discovered some vocal sibilance in other songs I didn't use last time. Using the manual EQ on top of the graphic EQ, I found the problem area: the 5 kHz + range. More to come.

 

[FrantzM]

Was about to order these with all the discounts around, but ended up ordering the 7Hz Salnotes Zero instead for less than half the price. @amirm should definitely review these too whenever possible again.

Anyone compared them?

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

View attachment 241015

NO. I will not purchase that one too...
NO, I will not ...
NOOOOO.

Amir to the rescue! Please!

Seriously, if this sound as good as the TCZ ...
The revolution may not be televised but it will be heard: SOTA sound is now a commodity. That will not please the "mo'h-expensive = mo'h better" audiophile crowd aka High End Audio Industry.

Peace.

 

[Somafunk]

Linsoul has a pretty decent sale on at the moment, tempted to try a Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, or Moondrop Variations

 

[Vacceo]

Interesting idea, I have sent the info to a good friend, who likes music, not just pop music, he has not made the purchase yet. I am thinking on offering them to my daughter, Christmas is coming, who also likes music and like listening on headphones.
My concern is: can someone who is not critical about what he or she listen with, really appreciate what those bring to the party? Or does it takes years of trying to understand what is not right, is it the gear or is it the recording, to really appreciate what the Zero is revealing.
If one as not struggled to get where he is on his quest to great music, can the clarity and frequency balance be appreciated? I fear, many will be disappointed when the casual listener does not get how special those are.
If one ask for a recommendation, then it is a different story and I would gladly point that person to the Zero as the IEM to purchase.

In my anechdotal experience, yes. A couple people around me were quite pleased with the bass of these IEM's and enjoyed the clarity of the sound.