[Silver]

Thanks i enjoy reading yours.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Thanks i enjoy reading yours.

You are welcome!

 

[AmericanSpirit]

a repost of Softears RSV and Truthear ZERO

Follow up notes on this.

I’ve spent 10 hours A-B testing Truthear ZERO and Softears RSV on various source, and concluded Truthear ZERO is indeed high performing but not TOTL spec.

Here is why:

Unlike Softears RSV, image projection of Truthwar ZERO is colored, it has forward projection by default, to visually present it,

Zero has certain 3D expressions with forward projection which I can say it is 3D IMAX movie theater with THX system. Imaging will stick around screen area with 3D projections, you do have great surrounding speakers as well.

For Softears RSV, it is a precision VR simulator, original Tracks mix is directly rendered with 100% of accuracy.
Imaging appear anywhere as original mixing engineer intended, it can be nearfield, room ambience, concert hall, or open air. This is what TOTL’s capabilities in what other IEM is lack of.

Resolution wise they are not too far I’d say RSV has got A, ZERO got A-.

Also ZERO has intentionally lifted “atmospheric air” for 10kHz+ air/presence reagion. Of which many TOTL IEM also uses the same technic as a part of their overall “air “ presentation , say 64 Audio U12t, See Audio Bravery.

ZERO achieved to obtain “atmosphere” generated by its independent 7.8mm LCP driver, which is actually my fist experience hearing the well presented atmosphere by a proprietary LCP dynamic super tweeter.

It is phenomenal and Zero should not be evaluated simply as “one of sub$50”.

It is a technological advancement.

Anti-thesis for “BA super-tweeter” that is actually love/hate issue going on for centuries. This technological advancement is one of the offer to someone

▶︎wants a very good air and finesse, a clairvoyant views
▶︎doesn’t like BA / EST timbre, feeling BA/EST timbre is not natural & harsh/solid
▶︎feels single dynamic driver —unless you pay $1k — is incapable of rendering treble as hybrid/EST tribrids could do

The finesse presentation capabilities will deeply impact on high-res source, it won’t kick in for lossy source, I’d see this one of the reason why some people felt nothing special from Zero, letting aside the LCP driver’s heavy burn-in prerequisites.

 

[helloh3adfi]

Unfortunately there'll be no flagship level Truthear for the time being. Instead you may choose the Hola, ¿qué tal?/HALO https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf and then there's an interesting dongle https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/truthear-shio.26269/

Must... resist!

Shio-chan is pretty light clothed considering the weather.

Spoiler: Shio/HOLA

 

[helloh3adfi]

The ear tips of HOLA don't look like the usual Truthear tips. Maybe they ship black Moondrop Spring tips? The cable also doesn't look like the previous cables. Both new products are available at Shenzhenaudio now. According to the description the faceplate is made of aluminium alloy.

 

[TheFrator]

I've had a Hexa for a few weeks. Tonally it is great but there's something off about the decay of drums. It is too fast and makes drums sound unnatural. Which is a shame because 90% of my liberary uses drums (prog, prog metal, and jazz). Otherwise this is a phenomenal set for $80.

 

[jasonb]

I've had a Hexa for a few weeks. Tonally it is great but there's something off about the decay of drums. It is too fast and makes drums sound unnatural. Which is a shame because 90% of my liberary uses drums (prog, prog metal, and jazz). Otherwise this is a phenomenal set for $80.

Interesting. I understand what you’re saying but how can it be “faster” than the recording itself? Either that or all your other headphones are too slow.

I haven’t heard the Hexa myself, but was interested in them, but all I listen to is prog, metal and jazz, so from what you’re saying they may not be a good fit for me.

 

[TheFrator]

Interesting. I understand what you’re saying but how can it be “faster” than the recording itself? Either that or all your other headphones are too slow.

I haven’t heard the Hexa myself, but was interested in them, but all I listen to is prog, metal and jazz, so from what you’re saying they may not be a good fit for me.

When I say 'decay' - I am utilizing Crinacle's definition of what it is - https://crinacle.com/2021/06/04/the-tonal-technical-dichotomy-the-ief-evaluation-system/ . Can't link to the precise spot in the webpage but it's about 1/3 down from the top.

The abnormal decay is evident especially when comparing to my LCD-5 (which is completely unfair given the price differential), HD660s, and stereo. I mention the unnatural decay (to my ear!) because no other review mentioned it. Not any from the ones I read on Head-fi or watched on YouTube.

And I have tried EQing the Hexa but the issue persists.

 

[jasonb]

When I say 'decay' - I am utilizing Crinacle's definition of what it is - https://crinacle.com/2021/06/04/the-tonal-technical-dichotomy-the-ief-evaluation-system/ . Can't link to the precise spot in the webpage but it's about 1/3 down from the top.

The abnormal decay is evident especially when comparing to my LCD-5 (which is completely unfair given the price differential), HD660s, and stereo. I mention the unnatural decay (to my ear!) because no other review mentioned it. Not any from the ones I read on Head-fi or watched on YouTube.

And I have tried EQing the Hexa but the issue persists.

I’ve been in the headphone game for a while and I know what I like in terms of frequency response and all that but I really feel like I don’t notice technicalities like some people here.

I know that I expect a certain level of clarity, and hate headphones that sound congested and lack detail. I like what each of my headphones and IEM’s do, and they are each special in their own way.

I can’t imagine the Hexa sounding “faster” than the Etymotic ER4SR that I have, but I don’t remember anyone saying that the ER4SR is too quick for drums to sound right.

 

[TheFrator]

I’ve been in the headphone game for a while and I know what I like in terms of frequency response and all that but I really feel like I don’t notice technicalities like some people here.

I know that I expect a certain level of clarity, and hate headphones that sound congested and lack detail. I like what each of my headphones and IEM’s do, and they are each special in their own way.

I can’t imagine the Hexa sounding “faster” than the Etymotic ER4SR that I have, but I don’t remember anyone saying that the ER4SR is too quick for drums to sound right.

Later on in that Crinacle article he describes plastic timbre as - "Characterized by a hollow sound, sometimes also describe[ed] as a certain sense of weightlessness in the notes. This sometimes happens when the decay is unusually fast though is also exacerbated by a higher-frequency-biased tonality. Balanced armatures are its biggest offenders."

And that's exactly what I experience with the Hexa. I hadn't read what plastic timbre was until now.

I've never heard the ER4SR so can't compare for you. Buy the Hexa on Amazon and get a 30-day no questions asked trial period and see if drums sound right to you. I've become particularly discerning (read: snobbish haha) towards how drums sound after all the hours I've spent with my LCD-5s, a trait which it excels at.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

Later on in that Crinacle article he describes plastic timbre as - "Characterized by a hollow sound, sometimes also describe[ed] as a certain sense of weightlessness in the notes. This sometimes happens when the decay is unusually fast though is also exacerbated by a higher-frequency-biased tonality. Balanced armatures are its biggest offenders."

And that's exactly what I experience with the Hexa. I hadn't read what plastic timbre was until now.

I've never heard the ER4SR so can't compare for you. Buy the Hexa on Amazon and get a 30-day no questions asked trial period and see if drums sound right to you. I've become particularly discerning (read: snobbish haha) towards how drums sound after all the hours I've spent with my LCD-5s, a trait which it excels at.

Yea BA has certain unique timbre especially when paired with specific source it will sound grainy and unnatural, it seems you didn’t like BA’s timbre after all.

Before you returning HEXA, if your DAP has AKM chips it most likely has lowpath filter settings available. It will easy that fast-decay of balanced armature by “slow” settings. You may find timbre to sound more natural with that.


Have you tried Truthear ZERO instead? It’s latest generation of dynamic drivers (subwoofer + tweeter) composition. It has more natural timbre when compared to BA sets or Planar sets.

 

[DynamicEars]

When I say 'decay' - I am utilizing Crinacle's definition of what it is - https://crinacle.com/2021/06/04/the-tonal-technical-dichotomy-the-ief-evaluation-system/ . Can't link to the precise spot in the webpage but it's about 1/3 down from the top.

The abnormal decay is evident especially when comparing to my LCD-5 (which is completely unfair given the price differential), HD660s, and stereo. I mention the unnatural decay (to my ear!) because no other review mentioned it. Not any from the ones I read on Head-fi or watched on YouTube.

And I have tried EQing the Hexa but the issue persists.

I know what you mean. Either you aren't used to BAs, and the ones in Hexa is fast, accurate fast but almost no decay.
Like they are gone too fast, without tails, no echo.
If you are a drummer, maybe they sounded too dry, without decay, kick drum will be dry, hard, cold.
Can be problem with the dampers too.
The bass on Moondrop S8 that i own also have similar characteristics, precise but too fast to gone, without tails.

You can use soft eartips, dont use hard type eartips. The azla crystal is good for hard hitting like this, I use that for my mod Timeless too, and bass sounded more natural to me.
Xelastec also helps but they change shape by the time until you can't use them again.

Secondly, use full copper cable that will help to untighten edges, and perceived like not so cold thus lead to warmer sound

I dont have hexa so I cant check the damper system they are using.

 

[TheFrator]

Yea BA has certain unique timbre especially when paired with specific source it will sound grainy and unnatural, it seems you didn’t like BA’s timbre after all.

Thanks for the explanation as to why. This was my first entry into IEMs since I'm mostly an over-ear guy.

Have you tried Truthear ZERO instead? It’s latest generation of dynamic drivers (subwoofer + tweeter) composition. It has more natural timbre when compared to BA sets or Planar sets.

I haven't but I might just try that one and see what I think about it. Sennhesier is also releasing the IE200 soon for $150 and I might just splurge on that. I think the shape of their IEMs will work better for me.

 

[jasonb]

Deleted

 

[helloh3adfi]

I haven't but I might just try that one and see what I think about it. Sennhesier is also releasing the IE200 soon for $150 and I might just splurge on that. I think the shape of their IEMs will work better for me.

The comfort of Truthear ZERO is indeed not for everyone. Truthear HOLA on the other hand should be more comfortable and compared to IE200 is single DD, too. Though the IE200 DD is very small - only 7 mm. HOLA got a 11 mm LCP DD! Burn them in and they'll rock.