For those wondering about the measurements, check the thread in the description to see how the Zero Red changes with different tips. The wide opening silicone and foam tips seem to give a bit more mid treble, but less upper treble.
Also, props to Crinacle for asking actually good questions, too many people these days would have just talked shit on the internet, and expected things to change. Crinacle went straight up to Sean Olive and said "Your research was a bit shit", and Sean saying "YEEEEEEE, it kinda was". I respect that.
Lol dig into it and you'll find even more shit methods when they were researching the harman target. Like for eg, having tests done on women between 20-30 (iirc), the control group were women over 50 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
I'm one of those old guys who has been listening to quality sound for 50 years. My hearing was tested in an anechoic chamber by a PhD audiologist from Tufts University, who says it is still excellent. The test only goes to 8 kHz, however, with informal online testing indicating I'm still good up to 12.8 kHz, just over the top FM radio frequency, with my right ear being not quite as good as my left ear. My interest in IEMs is, I admit, recent and casual. The first thing I realized is that finding the right tip is everything. With that said, my preference is for the Truthear Zero BLUE, perhaps because it's more "exciting" to my old ears than the Zero RED. Crinacle's tuning of the RED sounds like any number of good headphones I've owned, or have heard, over the years. There's nothing new about his preferred sound signature, but having it at this price point is amazing. The RED's resistor bass boost comes across like the old "loudness" button on amps and receivers that just muddied the sound. The sub-bass on the BLUE is very impressive. Update: After a break-in period -- meaning me, not the hardware -- the RED is excellent. Without the bass booster the overall balance really works. There's plenty of bass and only a small loss of sparkle in the cymbals compared to the BLUE. Both "flavors" are keepers.
I took your advice and bought the reds. OMG I’m loving them. These are sooooooooooo awesome. Well worth the $55, would recommend them to anyone and everyone
If I understand correctly, the adapter will change the sound of each IEM differently, and only if the IEM has multiple drivers with different impedances So it isn't just a universal "more bass" adapter
@@calopteryx76 Yes, I heard it is not like a regular impedance adaptor but there in lies the fun. With Crinacle, you usually get something unexpected, whether it be a concept or a physical thing like a repair kit or some extra-chewy ear tips. This one will be fun. 🙂
I agree with you on how important this is both for the audiophile purview of statistics and its general population meaning, but also due to the fact that so many can now also decide for themselves what direction, or signature they enjoy more and how it compares to one of the main reviewers out there. It's a good shift out of the subjective and abstract world of audio words and a more direct and objective opportunity to hear what you've heard about, while simultaneously having graphs and comparisons with the mainstream Harmon target. If I've learned anything on this journey, is what to look for to satisfy my preference. A more educated preference nowadays, which I had to pay for through trial and error :D Great video as usual Andrew! One day, it'll be 20 years that we've all been on this train wagon of audio back and forth, and I know I'll remember how you were one of the major people who steered so many of us (even though bla bla I said train before and they're usually on tracks and one doesn't steer a train waffle waffle sad analogy but I'm too committed now anyway). Oh, and a lot of money will have changed hands too in those couple of decades, money we could have eaten off :D
I think in 20 years people will look back at this as an absolutely ridiculous period where people will be laughing at now daft it was that people were buying so many pairs of IEMs & getting very little use out of most of them. Although it's fantastic that decent sound can be had for relative peanuts, there are far too many being released by each company - very typical to how the Chinese did with the whole vape thing 1-2 years ago which has thankfully died down immensely.
I quite liked the original Zero, though the nozzle turned out to be too large for my ear to the point where it was actually painful, even with the smallest tips. Until I tried the Hexa I hadn't realized how I actually didn't need that much bass to really enjoy music.
Love your reviews. Thank you for all your time. Krin himself says he collaborated on the Salnotes zero ....also I'd be interested in a review of all three especially since I own two of the Salnotes and the original. Truth.
Very interesting if you set up a blind test and see which one people prefer. I would also divide it up between self-proclaimed audiophiles and the rest of the world. Go for it Andrew!
I really like how the hifi industry is evolving. We're fighting for 2 or more very good tuning style in our little bubble Do you know what this means? These bickerings create a huge amount of attention and information. This is going to push the audio gear industry forward. Just 2 years ago we were praising a bloated and somewhat ok sounding IEM and now we can get the TOTL tunings at the bare minimum price point. I look forward for this industry to swell and increase in scale; this way the higher end components like Sonion EST drivers would get cheaper. Who knows? Maybe we can get product that costs 400 bucks but competitive even against the Monarch mk2 in 2 years down the road?
I find the whole tuning thing really interesting at the moment personally. For a long time I've held the view that it's (obviously) subjective but more recently, I'm coming to the conclusion that it's also highly contextual. Obviously, we all have different tastes so different tunings will suit different people for that reason but I'm finding that it also depends on what you're using an audio product for too. I'm someone who has used IEMs for drumming for quite a few years no and up until recently have tended to go for relatively neutral sounding sets, if anything with a mild V-shape or bass boost. It's only been the past year that I've started venturing outside of that and while it's made a massive difference in terms of listening to music with more 'fun' tunings or being able to have rumbling bass for films/TV, I've also found that some tunings are also comically bad when I'm trying to hear my electronic drum kit in particular. I know that there are targets that are followed based on individual preferences but I wonder if different use cases are considered or not. I think it's worth noting as some people might not use an IEM for listening to music most of the time.
@@thefrator5275 I'm currently experimenting currently to see if I can find a set which work well for me. I'd been using some RHA t20s for quite a few years until they finally kicked the can. I picked up a pair of KZ ZS10s but they're way too V-shaped for anything serious. I'm waiting on a pair of Letshuer S12s currently so I'm hoping they'll do the job. I'm mostly intersted in having nice sounding IEMs for music listening at this point, I rarely use my e-kit these days but I still want to be able to hear everything well enough
@Bruno Martorella . Right, but it would still depends on the taste of people doing the blind test. The really interesting blind test that would be great is blind testing both and a perfect mastering room and find which one is closer to a perfect room with speakers. The closer would be the best, and it would be less based on taste than comparing both IEMs between themselves only. I bet it would be the Red because I already have the Blue and found that EQuing to Neutral with a boost on low frequencies to bring them between Neutral and Harman gives something closer to a good room with speakers than the full Harman tuning. Having several people confirming this would be great (I'm only talking about music listening, not video games)
I would be great if you could cover the outside and replace the cable on both and send them around to all of the headphone show review crew for a small blind test and have them report back the tips and unit 1 or 2 that they preferred
The problem I had with the original TruthEar zero was the "disconnected" bass; the sound just didn't seem to transition seamlessly from the bass driver. I liked the sound further up the frequency spectrum, but to me Zeros sounded like someone had added a sub-woofer to a good pair of good stand-mount speakers but then turned up the gain of the sub too much.
The issue with IEMs in general, it's completely different vs over ears because they bypass the ear pinna. It's impossible to predict the anatomy of each individual ear pinna and canal shape out there. If I recall, Axel Grell stated in one of his presentations that perceived frequency response for different individuals can differ by as much as 20 dB in certain areas, mostly the upper midrange and treble. For my ears and preferences, even Crinacle's target sounds way too forward around 4-6 kHz, so I need to EQ most "neutral" IEMs like the Kato down like 6 dB in that area. So I for sure would prefer the Red vs the original Zero.
This would explain a lot. As someone who has tried the Truthear Zero: Red, I couldn't understand how something with a colossal spike at 4 kHz could be getting this much hype. To me, they sound cheap and screechy out of the box. I have to apply -12 dB of EQ specifically on that band to get them within the ballpark of any of my over ears, and even then, I question whether that is enough. They (and a lot of "Chi-Fi" IEMs) also have an abnormally large nozzle length and diameter, which also make these a non-starter for someone like me whose ear canals seem to be all sizes at once and has to rely on something with shallow insertion depth for anything with a semblance of comfort and fit.
A year late but I finally got the reds and yea I much prefer them over the og zero, they sound less muddy but also less shouty and it makes a perfect daily iem which is what I've been doing for the past week or so of owning this amazing iem
When I first bought the TE Zeros I didn’t even know the harman curve was different for them at the time and I did notice that they were too bright for me to comfortably listen to at a volume I preferred. Meanwhile I was enjoying my AKG k371 just fine
make sure to drop us a reply review here.... I will be waiting.... also suggest me if I should go for these or spread my cheeks a lil more and go for the hexa
@@meta4four But the internals are different? How can they achieve significantly lower distortion if they're using the same component as the old Zero? You can go to ASR and check the measurement yourself.
@@moviemogul83 Guilty myself buying things I don't really need and pretty much already have. Damn, why do people love and get obsessed about these shiny things and nice boxes. When you think about more all that money could have been spend on one very premium product, like a way nicer car or home.
You earned a subscriber what a great review Also about the Harman IE vs ief Harman literally hurts my ears and every one I gave my iems to maybe because we where Younger but i think Harman ie is absolutely shouty and it's a fact
I would be interested in seeing a test group trying the two IEM as you mentioned. I enjoy getting people take and do make purchase based on their take. I seem to like Crin’s opinion with gear and haven’t found anything yet I disagree with.
I think the nozzles on these are way too big (wide) I feel slightly violated each time I use these. But they more than make up for it with the way they sound. I have the original Zero aswell and I do like them for what they are. Bass-heavy and a bit shouty. But the Red sounds so good. It's not similar to the original Zero in any way I think. I like bass and this has just enough bass for me to not loose interest =)
I used the Reds EQ on the Zeros and I felt liked the Zero more but I didn't try it for more than a few minutes. I also use a Loki so if something sounds bad per song, video or whatever I can change on the fly and leave my basic Zero EQ on Peace alone. Looking to get the IE 200's next to have something more neutral to compare them both to. Maybe then I'll hear a bigger difference. Just felt like the Red had less bass
I got mine last week, and I didn’t like the original…..but this….YES! I got it shortly after my performer 8 and figured I’d be underwhelmed by this, oh boy was I wrong! This is probably the best iem under $100 if you want something neutral with a bass boost. Do I like it more than my Olina se? Idk yet, the vocals are really good on that set and it’s really good for metal.
I love the IEF neutral. I have now used both the Moondrop Chu and Crinacle's 7Hz Salnotes Zero, and the biggest different maker for me is the relaxed treble. And also it feels like it's a better performer but that might just be because my Chu was falling apart when I switched to the Zero and so that might have coloured my opinion a little.
I just got mine today. The right earbud sounds very good. The left earbud is really quiet and muffled, almost like it is underwater. I guess I got a faulty unit.
Would dig a video doing blind testing and thanks for the coverage. The red has my curiosity. Not an iem centric guy but still use them in some workhorse & air travel applications and this price point is quite nice.
Finally someone is bold enough to say the harman target is shouty. It really is shouty and sometimes sibilance depending on the sound tracks. I keep going back to my HD600 and ask why can’t iem be tuned like it. HD600 is perfect for any kinds of song & track, without any sibilance. It’s tuned so well, except for, maybe the bass can be tuned up a little bit more for those who like more bass.
It doesn't make other IEMs irrelevant but rather opens a bigger discussion into the IEM target conversation that is at the moment in deep controversy. Like the Harman Target is generally accepted for headphones but argued against for IEMs (like Crin follows his IEF target, Timmy has his, HBB has his, etc), this TE x Crin Zero twin set brings the proper samples to validate the conversation for or against.
I totally agree with you. When I heard Golden Sound's remark, I was expecting a $500-$600 iem that blew the kilobuck items out of the water, not just in terms of tuning but detail, etc. That's the iem everyone really wants. I agree with the others though, this iem will be important for future research and testing. So not a WOW! but a Cool.
I don’t get what GoldenSound said either. I’ve got a Monarch MKII and would never even dream of buying a $60 IEM like this. Seems like a waste of money even at $60 for someone who has anything in a higher price bracket.
As the Salnotes Zero was always my prefered IEM I will likely not get the Red myself. There doesn't seem to be any big differences that would justify a purchase.
I don't know why it didn't occur to me before - I was listening to my IEMs and was thinking the seal wasn't too good. So I folded my ears flat, forward...and the sound quality just improved. Bass was so much better. I then put on my headphones to keep my ears pressed and now I'm happy. Cost was $0. If you want to improve the sound of your IEMs and a spare set of headphones, give it a shot.
I would love to see a review of the product and not just the RUclipsr responsible and his entire life. I only found him yesterday when someone said he was focusing on his online store. I bought these, but I don't know if people truly enjoy them or are they just rabid fans of crinacle, so they will say everything he touches turns to gold. 😟
I wonder if you could take the zero and red variants and swap the blue and red backplates around so you(hopefully) don't know which one is which just by looking... I mean, "zero" is blue backed, while "zero: red" is red backed, and I wonder if swapping the colors would be some way to check for bias based on "expectations". I mean, if you expect the one to be "zero: red" because it has a red back plate, but it's REALLY the original zero, and they think it's the "zero: red" model in a supposedly "blind" test, wouldn't it suggest a bit of bias? Take my postulation with a grain of salt because I'm still looking into getting my first set of IEMs, and it's a tossup between the "zero" and "red" variant right now for me... One thing I've noticed on Amazon reviews of the original "zero" model, is that most people find it requires an amp/DAC addon or specifically built "hi-fi" media players with all that built-in. Whether that's SUPPOSED to be what happens or not IDK, but I'm betting that the reds probably won't have so many complaints along those lines if what my guess on what the 10ohm adapter is for, is somewhat close to correct. Basically since it pumps the bass up, I'm guessing that the higher bass will require a little more power to drive, if I'm not mistaken, although, I'll point you back to the fact that I'm an IEM n00b, nay, a n00b in audio in general, so the previous"grain of salt" comment still applies...
For those interested I own both the red and the hexa. The red is more natural than the hexa. The hexa has more treble 'sparkle'. Overall I believe the red is better for less money.
I'm new with IEM's so my question is that is this good for a first pair of IEM's 😊 Really looking In ear, because I live in the Philippines and with overear headset my ears gets hot if using longer preioid of time, thank you 😊
to be honest. idk what to choose since lots ppl said that both is good (preference) i just came here because my gaming headset died and want to try iem. just want to see which ver has more vote/higher ratings.. also good video sir!
Thanks for the review, Resolve. I have the ZERO: REDs and really like the default tuning (without the adapter), but have two issues with them: the nozzle is too wide for my ears, and I am looking for more detail and spaciousness (as noted in the review). Any suggestions on other IEMs that are similar in sound but with more detail? Cost is not a factor.
I just got one, and a 7Hz, and as an audio professional i can say I'm about to return the Reds. The bass is sort of flabby, a little bloated, and the vocals are pushed back because of that presence area roll-off. I'll try it a couple days longer, but it's not making as happy as i imagined. The 7Hz Zero 2 is OTOH stunning and really helps me make better decisions.
Nice! I really don’t like the harman target and I think the Red curve matches almost 100% to my tunning preference. I'd like to try the Red, but I heard some people saiyng that the nozzle is too big.
Hello andrew, i am a sound engineer and i bought the zero red because of you, from curiosity, and i realize that has the PERFECT frequency response for mixing and mastering! I wonder if you can suggest any openback headphones with the same or similar frequency response. I have the Akg k371 (again because of you😊) but the zero red sounds way much better. Thank you very much.
Is there any IEM that comes close to the Fostex T50RP mk3? That's probably my favorite sounding headphone, I'm not what I'd call an audiophile, but the actual sound separation in those things was so ridiculous, I haven't found an IEM that really gives me that feeling -- where I can pull out an instrument from the noise and almost "grab" it, most everything else feels like the sounds kinda just blend together... Currently running 7hz Timeless and they're good, but not quite there, and I kinda hate the MMCX connector.
How would this compare to say Sennheiser ie 300s? They have great clairty but lack that excoting bass. I often switch over to Sennheiser TW3s to get the exvoting bass.
just discovered your channel after just purchasing a set of these online , random question the 10 ohm adapter would that work on other iems also ? i have a set of ultimate ears ue7 was wondering if i can add this adapter to those for a bit more low end punch while playing my bass on stage .
I complained to crin on his channel about IEMs being way too bright. Like, its not a flashlight OEMs. its a tiny speaker. I have been stuck on the e215 for a decade almost. Might buy this.
As someone who has no long-standing reverence towards the Harman people, what I (shockingly) heard in that part of the interview was pretty much "yeah, we half-a##ed IE but slapped our name on it and shoved it into the world". Good that there are still people out there who're willing to challenge the larger forces even when they're so adjacent that it can directly hurt them.
@@n0xt I'm saying that any institution - or individual - big enough to earn a name shouldn't be trusted blindly, nor treated religiously (as I've seen plenty around). With more reputation and age you get less critique, fewer people care (or dare) to double-check you, and you get into a positive feedback loop; meanwhile your words start defining opinions, and it's easy to become negligent, or be tempted to use this to your advantage. You can become the next Moondrop with poor QC and above-market prices, but people can still chose you blindly without looking into other options just because they recognize the name. And to avoid problematic situations like these, you need to hold large institutions to higher standards; you need vocal critique and parallel research - not reverence and blind trust.
@@Lishtenbird It's not like they were hiding anything or presenting their research as a solution to all headphone problems. People make opinions about Harman research based on their idea of what it is instead of actually looking it up.
And for concole games should I upgrade with zero red? I have original ones. I feel this headphones harsh a little on highs when I put a lot volume on Apex legends games.but overall for music it's 💣💣💣 :)
Harman is too bright for me, sounds like it is for you, what would you recommend for someone who is somewhat treble sensitive, wants good, but not crazy base for around $100?
Can anyone with experience in true wireless tell me if you know of any in-ears bluetooh that sound very similar to these Zero Red? I'd settle for this sound quality in wireless with good battery life, if I could find them.
I don’t like IEMs, they’re either uncomfortable for me… or just don’t sound good. I’ve never been terribly impressed by sub-200$ options and anything higher and I’ll buy headphones. These sound phenomenal on both my dongle and my schitt stack. I’m traveling to Europe for 2 months for work soon and I think these will be my daily drivers.
6:31 Unfortunately, the bass is _still_ disjointed; i.e., it's slow compared to the rest of the frequency spectrum. The Red's bass is much better than the Blue's, but it's still ponderous; I think the tuning's ok, but its the transient response of the bass driver/enclosure that, imo, leaves a lot to be desired.
Hi, thx for the review, just wondering, can i drive those on my smartphone ? I mean are they easy to drive ? I have a old Samsung galaxy s8 and i'm wondering if i'll be abble to enjoy those iems completely just plugged into my phone.
I hope Hexa: Red is released 😀Just adding a bit more impact in the bass and a bit of warmth, not messing with detail, resolution and instrument separation and refining treble a bit, adding a bit more air and soundstage. That would be killer!
I received the Reds a few days ago, I had the Original Zero's before that. The Reds are so much better in my opinion. They just sound great, much more balanced. I don't think I'll need another pair of IEMs for a long time.
Sorry I hope it is not too late for an answer. I am a bass player and pay close attention to how the bass sounds. It is definitely good and well defined.@@heyking8583
@@BiOHZRD97 I can't answer your questions sorry, since I do not play Valorant, do not own the hyperx cloud alpha or air pods for comparisons. I mostly listen to music and only "gamed" with them a bit on Jedi Survivor, and I can't say the experience was bad at all, but I wasn't exactly impressed in that regard.
Yes, that's the problem i have with the Aria, i find it too bright and can't comfortably listen to it without EQ. This IEM might be the thing for me, but idk how it compares with the Aria
I can see why a neutral tune is important because we are looking to reproduce sound as natural as possible. On the flip side some music is intentionally accentuated on the highs and lows, therefore it would seem appropriate to have several IEM's for various music types, studio vs. live, etc.
When having a neutral tune, the accentuation of the song should be represented perfectly actually. But yeah, you could even further push it in that direction or use your tactics to counter the accentuation if you don't like it.
I was thinking about trying these for CS2, and for occasional music (jazz and classical enthusiast here, so I'd like a clean sound, but not too "pointy" in the highs..! I'm a musician, but won't pay insane prices for anything that will never be as good as the instruments' raw voices anyway..) You say they're worth it? I was thinking about these + the 7Hz Salnotes Zero for the wife, so we can try them out both :D
For those wondering about the measurements, check the thread in the description to see how the Zero Red changes with different tips. The wide opening silicone and foam tips seem to give a bit more mid treble, but less upper treble.
@@MrJabinhoI don't like anemic bass
@@Rorensuwl8wym?
Which ones are wide and which ones are narrow? It seems the same to me D:
"Have you no respect for the man?" Honesty is true respect. I'm glad Crin was respectful enough to say it straight to Dr. Sean Olive.
Scientists like feedback and discussion, it encourages new grounds to be broken. We can always improve.
Also, props to Crinacle for asking actually good questions, too many people these days would have just talked shit on the internet, and expected things to change. Crinacle went straight up to Sean Olive and said "Your research was a bit shit", and Sean saying "YEEEEEEE, it kinda was". I respect that.
Lol dig into it and you'll find even more shit methods when they were researching the harman target.
Like for eg, having tests done on women between 20-30 (iirc), the control group were women over 50 🤣🤣🤣🤣.
Lmao 😂😂😂😂
For an iem! For house towers, cars, or headsets it's very enjoyable!
Hey Resolve, I would definitely like to see a test session to see which of these sound signatures the test group would prefer most.
I'm one of those old guys who has been listening to quality sound for 50 years. My hearing was tested in an anechoic chamber by a PhD audiologist from Tufts University, who says it is still excellent. The test only goes to 8 kHz, however, with informal online testing indicating I'm still good up to 12.8 kHz, just over the top FM radio frequency, with my right ear being not quite as good as my left ear. My interest in IEMs is, I admit, recent and casual. The first thing I realized is that finding the right tip is everything.
With that said, my preference is for the Truthear Zero BLUE, perhaps because it's more "exciting" to my old ears than the Zero RED. Crinacle's tuning of the RED sounds like any number of good headphones I've owned, or have heard, over the years. There's nothing new about his preferred sound signature, but having it at this price point is amazing. The RED's resistor bass boost comes across like the old "loudness" button on amps and receivers that just muddied the sound. The sub-bass on the BLUE is very impressive.
Update: After a break-in period -- meaning me, not the hardware -- the RED is excellent. Without the bass booster the overall balance really works. There's plenty of bass and only a small loss of sparkle in the cymbals compared to the BLUE. Both "flavors" are keepers.
Just ordered the red thank you sir
i love your break-in period disclaimer
I am getting the red to do exxactly an A/B test for myself. Great review.
then ?
I took your advice and bought the reds. OMG I’m loving them. These are sooooooooooo awesome. Well worth the $55, would recommend them to anyone and everyone
Thanks Resolve, great review! The IEM is a bonus but I bought it for bass-boost adaptor. Can’t wait to try it on the rest of my IEM collection.
If I understand correctly, the adapter will change the sound of each IEM differently, and only if the IEM has multiple drivers with different impedances
So it isn't just a universal "more bass" adapter
@@calopteryx76 Yes, I heard it is not like a regular impedance adaptor but there in lies the fun. With Crinacle, you usually get something unexpected, whether it be a concept or a physical thing like a repair kit or some extra-chewy ear tips. This one will be fun. 🙂
I agree with you on how important this is both for the audiophile purview of statistics and its general population meaning, but also due to the fact that so many can now also decide for themselves what direction, or signature they enjoy more and how it compares to one of the main reviewers out there. It's a good shift out of the subjective and abstract world of audio words and a more direct and objective opportunity to hear what you've heard about, while simultaneously having graphs and comparisons with the mainstream Harmon target.
If I've learned anything on this journey, is what to look for to satisfy my preference. A more educated preference nowadays, which I had to pay for through trial and error :D
Great video as usual Andrew!
One day, it'll be 20 years that we've all been on this train wagon of audio back and forth, and I know I'll remember how you were one of the major people who steered so many of us (even though bla bla I said train before and they're usually on tracks and one doesn't steer a train waffle waffle sad analogy but I'm too committed now anyway). Oh, and a lot of money will have changed hands too in those couple of decades, money we could have eaten off :D
I think in 20 years people will look back at this as an absolutely ridiculous period where people will be laughing at now daft it was that people were buying so many pairs of IEMs & getting very little use out of most of them.
Although it's fantastic that decent sound can be had for relative peanuts, there are far too many being released by each company - very typical to how the Chinese did with the whole vape thing 1-2 years ago which has thankfully died down immensely.
I did like this video. I did. But the experiment you suggest with people trying both of the Zeros would be DOPE! I'm here for it! :D
Very interesting idea to run a blind test with both, as long as it’s a significant sample
I quite liked the original Zero, though the nozzle turned out to be too large for my ear to the point where it was actually painful, even with the smallest tips. Until I tried the Hexa I hadn't realized how I actually didn't need that much bass to really enjoy music.
I'm a little late but as a fellow Hexa owner I can tell you that they respond to EQ very well so adding a bass boost is very easy
But I heard Hexa's nozzles are quite large too.
Lucky you, I understood that after I lost my hexas and returned to my Z3 2.0
Love your reviews. Thank you for all your time. Krin himself says he collaborated on the Salnotes zero ....also
I'd be interested in a review of all three especially since I own two of the Salnotes and the original. Truth.
Very interesting if you set up a blind test and see which one people prefer. I would also divide it up between self-proclaimed audiophiles and the rest of the world. Go for it Andrew!
I really like how the hifi industry is evolving.
We're fighting for 2 or more very good tuning style in our little bubble
Do you know what this means? These bickerings create a huge amount of attention and information.
This is going to push the audio gear industry forward.
Just 2 years ago we were praising a bloated and somewhat ok sounding IEM and now we can get the TOTL tunings at the bare minimum price point.
I look forward for this industry to swell and increase in scale; this way the higher end components like Sonion EST drivers would get cheaper.
Who knows? Maybe we can get product that costs 400 bucks but competitive even against the Monarch mk2 in 2 years down the road?
I find the whole tuning thing really interesting at the moment personally. For a long time I've held the view that it's (obviously) subjective but more recently, I'm coming to the conclusion that it's also highly contextual. Obviously, we all have different tastes so different tunings will suit different people for that reason but I'm finding that it also depends on what you're using an audio product for too. I'm someone who has used IEMs for drumming for quite a few years no and up until recently have tended to go for relatively neutral sounding sets, if anything with a mild V-shape or bass boost. It's only been the past year that I've started venturing outside of that and while it's made a massive difference in terms of listening to music with more 'fun' tunings or being able to have rumbling bass for films/TV, I've also found that some tunings are also comically bad when I'm trying to hear my electronic drum kit in particular. I know that there are targets that are followed based on individual preferences but I wonder if different use cases are considered or not. I think it's worth noting as some people might not use an IEM for listening to music most of the time.
What sets do you like to use with your e-kit? I've been using the IE200 because it's so comfortable
@@thefrator5275 I'm currently experimenting currently to see if I can find a set which work well for me. I'd been using some RHA t20s for quite a few years until they finally kicked the can. I picked up a pair of KZ ZS10s but they're way too V-shaped for anything serious. I'm waiting on a pair of Letshuer S12s currently so I'm hoping they'll do the job. I'm mostly intersted in having nice sounding IEMs for music listening at this point, I rarely use my e-kit these days but I still want to be able to hear everything well enough
@Bruno Martorella . Right, but it would still depends on the taste of people doing the blind test. The really interesting blind test that would be great is blind testing both and a perfect mastering room and find which one is closer to a perfect room with speakers. The closer would be the best, and it would be less based on taste than comparing both IEMs between themselves only.
I bet it would be the Red because I already have the Blue and found that EQuing to Neutral with a boost on low frequencies to bring them between Neutral and Harman gives something closer to a good room with speakers than the full Harman tuning. Having several people confirming this would be great (I'm only talking about music listening, not video games)
Ordered the zero’s and liked them so much I bought a backup pair. Now I have to buy these, lol. I like Crinn
Fantastic job considering several conflicting ideas at once and giving a measured (hehe) comprehensive response
I would be great if you could cover the outside and replace the cable on both and send them around to all of the headphone show review crew for a small blind test and have them report back the tips and unit 1 or 2 that they preferred
The problem I had with the original TruthEar zero was the "disconnected" bass; the sound just didn't seem to transition seamlessly from the bass driver. I liked the sound further up the frequency spectrum, but to me Zeros sounded like someone had added a sub-woofer to a good pair of good stand-mount speakers but then turned up the gain of the sub too much.
I can’t wait to get my pair of Red as I ordered a pair earlier today
So how are they?
The issue with IEMs in general, it's completely different vs over ears because they bypass the ear pinna. It's impossible to predict the anatomy of each individual ear pinna and canal shape out there. If I recall, Axel Grell stated in one of his presentations that perceived frequency response for different individuals can differ by as much as 20 dB in certain areas, mostly the upper midrange and treble. For my ears and preferences, even Crinacle's target sounds way too forward around 4-6 kHz, so I need to EQ most "neutral" IEMs like the Kato down like 6 dB in that area. So I for sure would prefer the Red vs the original Zero.
This would explain a lot. As someone who has tried the Truthear Zero: Red, I couldn't understand how something with a colossal spike at 4 kHz could be getting this much hype. To me, they sound cheap and screechy out of the box. I have to apply -12 dB of EQ specifically on that band to get them within the ballpark of any of my over ears, and even then, I question whether that is enough.
They (and a lot of "Chi-Fi" IEMs) also have an abnormally large nozzle length and diameter, which also make these a non-starter for someone like me whose ear canals seem to be all sizes at once and has to rely on something with shallow insertion depth for anything with a semblance of comfort and fit.
A year late but I finally got the reds and yea I much prefer them over the og zero, they sound less muddy but also less shouty and it makes a perfect daily iem which is what I've been doing for the past week or so of owning this amazing iem
I bought the truthear red and can attest to its natural, detailed response that compares to several iem's at many times its price.
When I first bought the TE Zeros I didn’t even know the harman curve was different for them at the time and I did notice that they were too bright for me to comfortably listen to at a volume I preferred. Meanwhile I was enjoying my AKG k371 just fine
Very good breakdown, thanks.
I have the OG Zero, but I also just got this. I’m looking forward to it.
make sure to drop us a reply review here.... I will be waiting.... also suggest me if I should go for these or spread my cheeks a lil more and go for the hexa
@@meta4four But the internals are different? How can they achieve significantly lower distortion if they're using the same component as the old Zero? You can go to ASR and check the measurement yourself.
@@meta4four Don’t even care. This makes number 37 in my collection
Looking forward for your comparison
@@moviemogul83 Guilty myself buying things I don't really need and pretty much already have. Damn, why do people love and get obsessed about these shiny things and nice boxes. When you think about more all that money could have been spend on one very premium product, like a way nicer car or home.
You earned a subscriber what a great review
Also about the Harman IE vs ief
Harman literally hurts my ears and every one I gave my iems to maybe because we where Younger but i think Harman ie is absolutely shouty and it's a fact
I would be interested in seeing a test group trying the two IEM as you mentioned. I enjoy getting people take and do make purchase based on their take. I seem to like Crin’s opinion with gear and haven’t found anything yet I disagree with.
I think the nozzles on these are way too big (wide) I feel slightly violated each time I use these. But they more than make up for it with the way they sound. I have the original Zero aswell and I do like them for what they are. Bass-heavy and a bit shouty. But the Red sounds so good. It's not similar to the original Zero in any way I think. I like bass and this has just enough bass for me to not loose interest =)
I used the Reds EQ on the Zeros and I felt liked the Zero more but I didn't try it for more than a few minutes. I also use a Loki so if something sounds bad per song, video or whatever I can change on the fly and leave my basic Zero EQ on Peace alone. Looking to get the IE 200's next to have something more neutral to compare them both to. Maybe then I'll hear a bigger difference. Just felt like the Red had less bass
For sure I will get a red one! Thx for very interesting comparison
"Cartoon child"
Atleast you didn't disrespect it this time 🤣
I did throw it, just off camera :P
@@ResolveReviews 😭Nooooo!
Damn,... Now I wanna buy both sets of IEM's just to test the difference.... Touche Crincale 💸💸
That you can get IEMs that sound this good for
I got mine last week, and I didn’t like the original…..but this….YES! I got it shortly after my performer 8 and figured I’d be underwhelmed by this, oh boy was I wrong! This is probably the best iem under $100 if you want something neutral with a bass boost. Do I like it more than my Olina se? Idk yet, the vocals are really good on that set and it’s really good for metal.
I love the IEF neutral. I have now used both the Moondrop Chu and Crinacle's 7Hz Salnotes Zero, and the biggest different maker for me is the relaxed treble. And also it feels like it's a better performer but that might just be because my Chu was falling apart when I switched to the Zero and so that might have coloured my opinion a little.
I just got mine today. The right earbud sounds very good. The left earbud is really quiet and muffled, almost like it is underwater. I guess I got a faulty unit.
Would dig a video doing blind testing and thanks for the coverage. The red has my curiosity. Not an iem centric guy but still use them in some workhorse & air travel applications and this price point is quite nice.
Finally someone is bold enough to say the harman target is shouty. It really is shouty and sometimes sibilance depending on the sound tracks. I keep going back to my HD600 and ask why can’t iem be tuned like it. HD600 is perfect for any kinds of song & track, without any sibilance. It’s tuned so well, except for, maybe the bass can be tuned up a little bit more for those who like more bass.
Praise crinacle the messiah to my ears
I still don’t get how this “makes every other IEM irrelevant” like Golden Sound said
Same is usually said about every other iem that has a generally good sound about them, audiophiles really gotta accept the subjectivity of this hobby.
It doesn't make other IEMs irrelevant but rather opens a bigger discussion into the IEM target conversation that is at the moment in deep controversy. Like the Harman Target is generally accepted for headphones but argued against for IEMs (like Crin follows his IEF target, Timmy has his, HBB has his, etc), this TE x Crin Zero twin set brings the proper samples to validate the conversation for or against.
Every other 50 dollar IEM I guess
Not that I know what good IEMs are
I totally agree with you. When I heard Golden Sound's remark, I was expecting a $500-$600 iem that blew the kilobuck items out of the water, not just in terms of tuning but detail, etc. That's the iem everyone really wants.
I agree with the others though, this iem will be important for future research and testing. So not a WOW! but a Cool.
I don’t get what GoldenSound said either. I’ve got a Monarch MKII and would never even dream of buying a $60 IEM like this. Seems like a waste of money even at $60 for someone who has anything in a higher price bracket.
My theory is that changing the faceplate color changed its tonality. Very smart move from Crin 👍
Well it's a theory
Of course not. The red color simply brings out the quickness in the transient response.
As the Salnotes Zero was always my prefered IEM I will likely not get the Red myself. There doesn't seem to be any big differences that would justify a purchase.
Also, the bass will sound different even if they kept it the same-just on account of bringing the treble down. Great review.
3:08 I also suspect that people are more used to vshaped in ears vs overears from what is available in the market.
I don't know why it didn't occur to me before - I was listening to my IEMs and was thinking the seal wasn't too good. So I folded my ears flat, forward...and the sound quality just improved. Bass was so much better. I then put on my headphones to keep my ears pressed and now I'm happy. Cost was $0. If you want to improve the sound of your IEMs and a spare set of headphones, give it a shot.
how did you fold your ears flat with earbuds in them?
I would love to see a review of the product and not just the RUclipsr responsible and his entire life. I only found him yesterday when someone said he was focusing on his online store. I bought these, but I don't know if people truly enjoy them or are they just rabid fans of crinacle, so they will say everything he touches turns to gold. 😟
I wonder if you could take the zero and red variants and swap the blue and red backplates around so you(hopefully) don't know which one is which just by looking... I mean, "zero" is blue backed, while "zero: red" is red backed, and I wonder if swapping the colors would be some way to check for bias based on "expectations". I mean, if you expect the one to be "zero: red" because it has a red back plate, but it's REALLY the original zero, and they think it's the "zero: red" model in a supposedly "blind" test, wouldn't it suggest a bit of bias? Take my postulation with a grain of salt because I'm still looking into getting my first set of IEMs, and it's a tossup between the "zero" and "red" variant right now for me... One thing I've noticed on Amazon reviews of the original "zero" model, is that most people find it requires an amp/DAC addon or specifically built "hi-fi" media players with all that built-in. Whether that's SUPPOSED to be what happens or not IDK, but I'm betting that the reds probably won't have so many complaints along those lines if what my guess on what the 10ohm adapter is for, is somewhat close to correct. Basically since it pumps the bass up, I'm guessing that the higher bass will require a little more power to drive, if I'm not mistaken, although, I'll point you back to the fact that I'm an IEM n00b, nay, a n00b in audio in general, so the previous"grain of salt" comment still applies...
Do the eartips in the box affect sound quality? thank you.Different silicone tips sizes and onememory foam tip
absolutely do a blind video on zero red vs zero ! :)
For those interested I own both the red and the hexa. The red is more natural than the hexa. The hexa has more treble 'sparkle'. Overall I believe the red is better for less money.
I'm new with IEM's so my question is that is this good for a first pair of IEM's 😊 Really looking In ear, because I live in the Philippines and with overear headset my ears gets hot if using longer preioid of time, thank you 😊
to be honest. idk what to choose since lots ppl said that both is good (preference) i just came here because my gaming headset died and want to try iem.
just want to see which ver has more vote/higher ratings.. also good video sir!
Thanks for the review, Resolve. I have the ZERO: REDs and really like the default tuning (without the adapter), but have two issues with them: the nozzle is too wide for my ears, and I am looking for more detail and spaciousness (as noted in the review). Any suggestions on other IEMs that are similar in sound but with more detail? Cost is not a factor.
Which is better for Modern POP, EDM and Deep House - 7Hz Legato or TruthHear Zero Red?
I just got one, and a 7Hz, and as an audio professional i can say I'm about to return the Reds. The bass is sort of flabby, a little bloated, and the vocals are pushed back because of that presence area roll-off. I'll try it a couple days longer, but it's not making as happy as i imagined. The 7Hz Zero 2 is OTOH stunning and really helps me make better decisions.
they did not go ahead and do any of the further videos suggested in this one, even though they could be pretty important
I have feeling huge boom boxes are gonna make a come back. Headphones are yesterdays news.
Nice! I really don’t like the harman target and I think the Red curve matches almost 100% to my tunning preference. I'd like to try the Red, but I heard some people saiyng that the nozzle is too big.
Hello andrew, i am a sound engineer and i bought the zero red because of you, from curiosity, and i realize that has the PERFECT frequency response for mixing and mastering!
I wonder if you can suggest any openback headphones with the same or similar frequency response.
I have the Akg k371 (again because of you😊) but the zero red sounds way much better.
Thank you very much.
How much better are the zero reds over the k371? I really like the k371 and am thinking of getting something that's similar to it.
@@rapidstormz they are better but in ear are not so comfortable.
I have also the HD560s and HD600 and they are much better than the K371
Which is better for gaming/music blue or red?
Anyone who as the red zero, how does it compare to a galaxy buds pro2?
Is there any IEM that comes close to the Fostex T50RP mk3? That's probably my favorite sounding headphone, I'm not what I'd call an audiophile, but the actual sound separation in those things was so ridiculous, I haven't found an IEM that really gives me that feeling -- where I can pull out an instrument from the noise and almost "grab" it, most everything else feels like the sounds kinda just blend together... Currently running 7hz Timeless and they're good, but not quite there, and I kinda hate the MMCX connector.
How would this compare to say Sennheiser ie 300s? They have great clairty but lack that excoting bass. I often switch over to Sennheiser TW3s to get the exvoting bass.
just discovered your channel after just purchasing a set of these online , random question the 10 ohm adapter would that work on other iems also ? i have a set of ultimate ears ue7 was wondering if i can add this adapter to those for a bit more low end punch while playing my bass on stage .
cca cra+ vs truthear zero red
which one has better sound qulity 🤔
I complained to crin on his channel about IEMs being way too bright. Like, its not a flashlight OEMs. its a tiny speaker. I have been stuck on the e215 for a decade almost. Might buy this.
As someone who has no long-standing reverence towards the Harman people, what I (shockingly) heard in that part of the interview was pretty much "yeah, we half-a##ed IE but slapped our name on it and shoved it into the world". Good that there are still people out there who're willing to challenge the larger forces even when they're so adjacent that it can directly hurt them.
kind of funny how little went into to it to create a reference
"Larger forces"? "No long-standing reverence towards the Harman people"? Are you trying to present Harman as a villain of the audiophile world?
@@n0xt I'm saying that any institution - or individual - big enough to earn a name shouldn't be trusted blindly, nor treated religiously (as I've seen plenty around). With more reputation and age you get less critique, fewer people care (or dare) to double-check you, and you get into a positive feedback loop; meanwhile your words start defining opinions, and it's easy to become negligent, or be tempted to use this to your advantage. You can become the next Moondrop with poor QC and above-market prices, but people can still chose you blindly without looking into other options just because they recognize the name. And to avoid problematic situations like these, you need to hold large institutions to higher standards; you need vocal critique and parallel research - not reverence and blind trust.
@@Lishtenbird It's not like they were hiding anything or presenting their research as a solution to all headphone problems.
People make opinions about Harman research based on their idea of what it is instead of actually looking it up.
@@n0xt Problem is when influential people do it. And use "Science" in their site name.
And for concole games should I upgrade with zero red? I have original ones. I feel this headphones harsh a little on highs when I put a lot volume on Apex legends games.but overall for music it's 💣💣💣 :)
Harman is too bright for me, sounds like it is for you, what would you recommend for someone who is somewhat treble sensitive, wants good, but not crazy base for around $100?
Literally listening to this on the zero red's
Can anyone with experience in true wireless tell me if you know of any in-ears bluetooh that sound very similar to these Zero Red?
I'd settle for this sound quality in wireless with good battery life, if I could find them.
Are those the Hifiman HE6SE V2 on the new testing rig?
has the blind test been done yet? :o
Yes. I. Interested! 😊
I don’t like IEMs, they’re either uncomfortable for me… or just don’t sound good. I’ve never been terribly impressed by sub-200$ options and anything higher and I’ll buy headphones. These sound phenomenal on both my dongle and my schitt stack. I’m traveling to Europe for 2 months for work soon and I think these will be my daily drivers.
Yes a comparison video please
5:27 nah, Hobby Talk Preference Target the only way… 🙃
Make it the new standard
6:31 Unfortunately, the bass is _still_ disjointed; i.e., it's slow compared to the rest of the frequency spectrum. The Red's bass is much better than the Blue's, but it's still ponderous; I think the tuning's ok, but its the transient response of the bass driver/enclosure that, imo, leaves a lot to be desired.
the standard zero red without the impedance adapter looks like the auto eq response target
Yes, i would definitly like to see a blind reaction video
We need the blind test
@2:27
Crin: it's too much, too bright, too shouty
Dr. Olive: *eye shift speeds up*
lol
Do you need an DAC/AMP for these? I'm going to use these on my PC for watching movies and TV but also to listen podcasts when I'm on the go.
Absolutely not. You don’t need a dac/amp for most iems.
Hi, thx for the review, just wondering, can i drive those on my smartphone ? I mean are they easy to drive ? I have a old Samsung galaxy s8 and i'm wondering if i'll be abble to enjoy those iems completely just plugged into my phone.
Hey, how would you say these compare in the vocals department with something like the Simgot EW200s?
I hope Hexa: Red is released 😀Just adding a bit more impact in the bass and a bit of warmth, not messing with detail, resolution and instrument separation and refining treble a bit, adding a bit more air and soundstage. That would be killer!
Stop, stop, my wallet can only get so empty
Hexa: Puke Green would be a buy - lowkey hate the default look
@@DamianSzajnowskiI really love the Hexa all black look
Now we have an embargo in iems.
I received the Reds a few days ago, I had the Original Zero's before that.
The Reds are so much better in my opinion. They just sound great, much more balanced.
I don't think I'll need another pair of IEMs for a long time.
How the bass
will it be good for valorant vs hyperx cloud alpha? and does it sound better than apple airpods pro?
Sorry I hope it is not too late for an answer. I am a bass player and pay close attention to how the bass sounds. It is definitely good and well defined.@@heyking8583
@@BiOHZRD97 I can't answer your questions sorry, since I do not play Valorant, do not own the hyperx cloud alpha or air pods for comparisons. I mostly listen to music and only "gamed" with them a bit on Jedi Survivor, and I can't say the experience was bad at all, but I wasn't exactly impressed in that regard.
@@chtbomusic7605 ohhh.. hmm thank you very much..
Yes, that's the problem i have with the Aria, i find it too bright and can't comfortably listen to it without EQ. This IEM might be the thing for me, but idk how it compares with the Aria
This is actually a bit closer to the Aria since that's more like Harman OE, not IE, although with the bass adapter the Red would be warmer still.
I regret getting the blue ones ... the angle of the nozel is not for my ears, they dont fit well :/
I would like to see the video of the comparison!!!
Buy 2 IEMs? What about just using EQ for Harman IE 2019 vs. IEF + bass?
But it's not red...
Is it good for metal and blues?
Anyone know where I can get foam tip replacements for them? Thanks!
Guys, who played Warzone in the Reds? The sounds of gunfire are incredibly loud, and the sounds of footsteps are very quiet, is this how it should be?
I can see why a neutral tune is important because we are looking to reproduce sound as natural as possible. On the flip side some music is intentionally accentuated on the highs and lows, therefore it would seem appropriate to have several IEM's for various music types, studio vs. live, etc.
When having a neutral tune, the accentuation of the song should be represented perfectly actually. But yeah, you could even further push it in that direction or use your tactics to counter the accentuation if you don't like it.
the question is if this is worth it over the 7hz Zero
I was thinking about trying these for CS2, and for occasional music (jazz and classical enthusiast here, so I'd like a clean sound, but not too "pointy" in the highs..! I'm a musician, but won't pay insane prices for anything that will never be as good as the instruments' raw voices anyway..) You say they're worth it? I was thinking about these + the 7Hz Salnotes Zero for the wife, so we can try them out both :D
Nice review but I already have an IEM so it doesn't look like I'll be getting another one anytime soon.