Truthear x Crinacle Zero: RED REVIEW!

Summary

In this Super Review, Mark Ryan explores the Truth Ear Cross Critical Zero: Red IEMs, a budget-friendly option with a sophisticated tuning by Critical. He discusses the physical form factor, sound signature, and compares it with other IEMs in its price range, including the original Truth Ear Zero, Moondrop Lan, Aria, and the Truth Ear Hexa. Mark highlights the Zero: Red's balanced sound with a sub-bass boost and its modest technical performance, concluding with a four-star rating and a recommendation for those seeking a refined frequency response under $100.

Takeaways

• 🎧 The 'Zero Red' is a budget in-ear monitor (IEM) by TRUTH and Critical, offering a sophisticated tuning at an affordable price of $55.
• 🎵 The IEM is tuned by Critical for a neutral sound with a sub-bass boost, aiming for a frequency response that is both sophisticated and balanced.
• 🔍 The Zero Red has a modest bass boost that is warmer and fuller compared to similar IEMs in its price range, such as the Moondrop Blessing 3.
• 👂 It comes with a variety of ear tips for a customizable fit, including foam tips and different sizes of silicone tips, and an impedance adapter for two different sound signatures.
• 📦 The packaging includes a simple carry case, spare filters, and an impedance adapter, providing good value for the price.
• 🔌 The cable is the same as in previous TRUTH IEMs, with a Y-split chin slider and 2-pin connectors, but might be a bit clunky with dongles and adapters.
• 👎 The Zero Red has some technical limitations, like soft transients and average imaging width, which might make it sound a bit dull compared to more technical performers.
• 🆚 When compared to other IEMs, including the original Zero, Moondrop Lan, Aria, and Hexa, the Zero Red stands out for its tuning but falls a bit short in technical performance.
• 🏆 The Hexa is highlighted as a more technically proficient IEM, offering a neutral sound signature with good micro-contrast and extended treble.
• 🔧 The Zero Red's build quality is lightweight with a plastic shell, and while it fits well for the reviewer, the wide nozzle might not suit all ear shapes.
• 🌟 The reviewer gives the Zero Red a four-star rating out of five, praising its sound tuning but noting its technical limitations.

Q & A

Who is the presenter of the video review?

The presenter of the video review is Mark Ryan from Super Review.

What is the product being reviewed in the video?

The product being reviewed is the TRUTH Ear Cross Critical Zero: Red, an in-ear monitor (IEM).

What is unique about the Zero: Red's pricing in the IEM market?

The Zero: Red is unique because it offers a sophisticated tuning and sound quality at a budget-friendly price of $55.

What does the Zero: Red come with in the box?

The Zero: Red comes with a carry case, three sets of ear tips (including foam tips and silicone tips in different sizes), spare filters, and an impedance adapter.

What is the purpose of the impedance adapter included with the Zero: Red?

The impedance adapter allows the user to change the sound signature of the Zero: Red by providing a significant bass bump when attached.

How does the Zero: Red's tuning differ from the original Zero?

The Zero: Red is tuned to have a neutral sound with a sub bass boost, which is a favorite tuning of TRUTH, whereas the original Zero was tuned to hit the Harman Target curve, which is not TRUTH's favorite response.

What is the issue with the Zero: Red's cable according to the review?

The issue with the Zero: Red's cable is that it might be better suited for a straight Jack rather than an angled one, as adding dongles and adapters can make the connection to devices a bit clunky.

How does the Zero: Red compare to other IEMs in terms of sound signature?

The Zero: Red has a neutral sound signature with a sub bass boost, which is different from the more contrasty sound of the original Zero and the mild v-shaped sound of the Moondrop Aria.

What are the technical performance shortcomings of the Zero: Red mentioned in the review?

The Zero: Red has relatively soft transients, which leads to a somewhat dull listening experience despite its well-tuned sound signature. It also has average imaging width and separation.

How does the Zero: Red fit compared to other IEMs?

The Zero: Red fits quite well, with a lightweight plastic shell and a unique shell shape that provides good fit security, although the nozzle design might not fit everyone comfortably due to its size.

What is the overall rating given by Mark Ryan for the Zero: Red in the review?

Mark Ryan gives the Zero: Red an overall rating of four stars out of five.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Introduction to the Truth Ear Cross Critical Zero Colon Red Review

Mark Ryan introduces the video, highlighting the Truth Ear Cross Critical Zero Colon Red as the latest budget IEM (In-Ear Monitor) in collaboration with Critical. He discusses the evolution of budget IEMs and how they have improved in tuning over time. The Zero Red is positioned as a budget marvel, offering a sophisticated tuning achievement for just $55. Ryan outlines the review structure, including physical form factor, sound signature, and comparisons with other IEMs in the market. He also mentions a live stream for audience interaction and a shout out to Shenzhen Audio for providing the IEM for review.

05:00

🛍️ Unboxing and Accessory Overview

The paragraph delves into the unboxing experience of the Zero Red, detailing the simple yet effective accessories provided. These include a carry case, three sets of ear tips (one foam and two silicone in different sizes), spare filters for maintenance, and an impedance adapter that allows for two different sound signatures. Ryan also discusses the cable, which is the same as the one provided with the Truth Ear Hexa and the original Zero, appreciating its flat lay and functionality, but noting a minor issue with the angled jack that could have been better suited for a straight jack.

10:00

🎚️ Sound Signature and Tuning Philosophy

Ryan describes the sound signature of the Zero Red as neutral with a sub bass boost, which is Critical's preferred tuning. He contrasts this with the Harman target tuning of the original Zero, which is more v-shaped and contrasty. The Zero Red is praised for its sophisticated tuning at an affordable price, offering a warmer and fuller lower mid-range compared to similar IEMs. The paragraph also discusses the use of the impedance adapter to adjust bass levels to taste, emphasizing the versatility in sound that the Zero Red can offer.

15:02

🔍 Technical Performance and Sound Comparison

This section critiques the technical performance of the Zero Red, noting its soft transient attack and average imaging width. Ryan acknowledges that while the tuning is excellent, the technical aspects are not the IEM's strong suit, resulting in a somewhat dull listening experience despite its refined tuning. He then compares the Zero Red with other IEMs in its price range, including the original Truth Ear Zero, Moondrop Aria, and Moondrop LAN, discussing their respective sound signatures and technical merits.

20:03

🏆 Ranking and Form Factor Comparison

Ryan ranks the IEMs based on technical performance, with the Hexa at the top, followed by the LAN, and then the Zero Red. He discusses the form factor of each IEM, noting the lightweight plastic shell of the Zero Red and its good fit despite a potentially problematic nozzle. He also comments on the build quality and fit of the other IEMs, highlighting the metal shell and cable quality of the LAN, the handsome minimal look of the Aria, and the simple yet effective design of the Hexa.

25:04

🌟 Conclusion and Review Summary

In conclusion, Ryan reiterates the Zero Red's strengths in achieving a sophisticated frequency response target under $100 and its solid overall performance, despite not being the most technical performer. He gives the Zero Red a four-star rating out of five and provides a link in the description for those interested in purchasing the IEM. He also encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and join the Discord community for further discussions and live chats.

🎵 Closing with Music

The final paragraph of the script simply indicates the presence of closing music, denoted by multiple music note emojis, suggesting an end to the video content.

Keywords

💡In-Ear Monitors (IEMs)

In-Ear Monitors, or IEMs, are a type of personal audio device that fits directly into the ear canal, providing a more immersive and isolated listening experience compared to traditional earphones. They are often used by musicians and audiophiles for their sound quality and noise isolation. In the video, the host discusses the evolution of IEMs, noting how even budget options now offer sophisticated tuning and performance.

💡Budget Market

The budget market refers to the segment of consumers who are looking for products that offer good value for money, typically at lower price points. In the context of the video, the host mentions the budget market to highlight how even IEMs in this price range have improved in terms of sound quality and design, making them more accessible to a wider audience.

💡Frequency Response

Frequency response is the measure of a device's ability to reproduce each frequency within a given range. It is a critical aspect of audio equipment, affecting the overall sound quality. The video discusses how certain IEMs, like the Zero Red, have been tuned to achieve specific frequency responses, aiming for a balanced or enhanced listening experience.

💡Target Sound Signature

A target sound signature refers to the desired audio profile that an IEM is designed to achieve. This can range from a neutral sound to one that emphasizes certain frequencies, like bass or treble. The host Mark Ryan explains that the Zero Red has a target sound signature that is neutral with a sub-bass boost, which is a sophisticated tuning for its price range.

💡Harman Target

The Harman Target is a specific frequency response curve that has been established by Harman International as an ideal listening target for headphones and IEMs. It is designed to provide a balance between accuracy and pleasing sound. In the script, the host mentions that the Zero Red does not strictly adhere to the Harman Target but is tuned to a similar neutral sound with a sub-bass boost.

💡Technical Performance

Technical performance in the context of audio equipment refers to the ability of the device to accurately reproduce sound, including aspects like imaging, separation, and transient response. The host critiques the Zero Red's technical performance, noting that while its tuning is excellent, its transient response is a bit soft, which can affect the perceived clarity and detail in the music.

💡Impedance Adapter

An impedance adapter is a device used to change the electrical impedance of an audio device, which can alter its sound characteristics, often to enhance bass response. The Zero Red comes with a 10-ohm impedance adapter that provides a significant bass boost when attached, offering users a way to customize the sound to their preference.

💡Sound Signature

Sound signature refers to the overall tonal balance and characteristics of an audio device's sound. It can be described as v-shaped, neutral, or bass-heavy, among other descriptions. The video script discusses the sound signatures of various IEMs, including the Zero Red, and how they compare in terms of bass, mid-range, and treble emphasis.

💡Fit and Comfort

Fit and comfort are important considerations for IEMs, as they need to be worn comfortably in the ear for extended periods. The host discusses the fit of the Zero Red, noting that while it fits well for him, the design of the nozzle could potentially cause fit issues for some users due to its size and shape.

💡Build Quality

Build quality refers to the materials and construction of a product, which can affect its durability and aesthetic appeal. The Zero Red is described as having a lightweight plastic shell, which, while not luxurious, is functional and fits well. The host also compares it to other IEMs with metal shells and different build qualities.

💡Cable Quality

The quality of the cable is an important aspect of IEMs, as it can affect both the audio performance and the durability of the device. The host comments on the cable of the Zero Red, noting that it is the same as the one used in other models and that it is functional, though not plush or high-end. He also mentions the cable's tendency to tangle and its compatibility with an impedance adapter.

Highlights

Introduction of the Zero Red, the latest entry in the collaboration between Critical and TRUTH.

The Zero Red is a budget IEM that achieves a sophisticated tuning at an affordable price point.

The review discusses the evolution of budget IEMs and their improved tuning over time.

Unboxing the Zero Red and detailing its simple yet effective accessories package.

The inclusion of a carry case and multiple sets of ear tips for a customizable fit.

Discussion on the importance of choosing the right ear tips for optimal sound and comfort.

Inclusion of spare filters and an impedance adapter for customizable sound signatures.

Commentary on the cable quality and its compatibility with various devices.

The Zero Red's physical design, including its lightweight plastic shell and unique shell shape.

Aesthetic critique of the Zero Red's red panel and its comparison to the original Zero.

Fit and comfort discussion, including the unique nozzle design and its impact on fit security.

Technical analysis of the Zero Red's sound signature, focusing on its neutral tuning with a sub-bass boost.

Comparison of the Zero Red's sound signature with other IEMs in its price range.

Discussion on the Zero Red's technical performance and its place among competitors.

The use of an impedance adapter to modify the bass response of the Zero Red.

Final thoughts and rating of the Zero Red, emphasizing its value and sound quality.

Invitation for viewers to join the live chat for further discussion and questions.

Link to the Zero Red for interested viewers and a call to action for likes and subscriptions.

Transcripts

hey folks I'm Mark Ryan this is super

review and this is the truth ear cross

critical

zero colon red and as the name implies

this is the latest entry in the story to

Kingdom Hearts franchise I'm sorry this

is the latest I am collaboration from

critical and well it is kind of a Marvel

of a tuning achievement in the budget

Market okay when I first got into the

hobby you kind of had to spend a lot of

money to get an I am that was designed

to hit a very intentional Target sound

signature but nowadays regardless of how

you feel about it it kind of can't deny

that the average budget I am is just

it's tuned better than than I am's used

to be okay but even now there are

certain aspects of frequency response

certain tuning targets a little

sophisticated with like a flat mid-range

and a boosted sub bass that you still

got to spend a little bit to get except

well spoiler

the zero red here it does it and just

for 55 bucks but is it enough to have a

an I am that Nails a very tasteful

Target frequency response or is there

more to an I am than a graph can tell us

well for the past few weeks I've been

listening to the zero red and comparing

it with some other IMS in its price

range I'm ready to let you know what I

think

and uh I guess no spoilers for that

right now but like all my other reviews

this is a live stream if you have

questions about the zero red that I

don't answer in this review please leave

them in the live chat and at the end of

the review we'll spend some time having

a back and forth conversation and

hopefully answer all of your deep dark

well maybe not the dark questions we'll

stick to the good questions

um but with that said I guess a quick

shout out to Shenzhen audio for sending

in the zero red for review if you want

to check out this I am I do have it

linked in the description

but with that out of the way let's go to

the table let's start talking about the

physical form factor this I am what

comes inside the box then we'll get into

talking about the sound it's down

signature what I like what I don't like

about it and then we'll bring in a

handful of direct compare competitors

for comparisons so you just kind of know

exactly where I feel the zero red fits

into the market so what do you get

inside the Box this is what you get here

is the Box itself it is a cute little

box and um the accessories package is

actually not too bad it's a little bit

on the the simple side but that's

actually pretty good little accessories

package for the price

um you do get a little carry case here

and this is what truthier has been

including with the original zero as well

as I believe the hexa

um pretty simple Bare Bones it's not

like a hard shell so it's not going to

be super protective but it is enough to

hold your IMS in place and uh keep them

tidy and it'll actually fit in a pocket

which is something I appreciate on top

of that you also get

actually three different sets of ear

tips which is more than you really need

but it's nice to have the options you do

have one set of foam tips and you've got

three different sizes of two different

styles of silicone tips and if it's not

obvious how these things are different

these tips over here have a slightly

narrower bore than those ones I would

say just experiment around with it find

that your tips that fit you the best

that's generally what I do but it's nice

to have that option then generally I

would say these also kind of fit the

same but again still nice to have the

option but we're not done there's even

more here in the Box I didn't even

realize this until I was pulling

everything out for this video but they

included spare filters which is a nice

touch

the filters on any IM can get gunked up

with ear stuff I know not nice to think

about but it is true and so it's nice

that they include some of those so you

can do a little bit of self-servicing

and then they also include this which is

an impedance adapter we'll talk a little

bit more about what this does later but

basically what this does is it lets you

get two different sound signatures out

of the zero red just by throwing this

thing onto the end of your cable the one

thing I will say right now as we're

going to get into talking about the

cable

is that it's a maybe a slightly uh I

don't know bummer is it feels like a

strong word but it feels like this would

definitely have been a better fit on a

straight Jack rather than an angled a

right angle Jack right whether or not a

cable ends in a right angle or a

straight termination I've kind of gotten

an opinion that I don't know I'm fine

with either one but once you start

adding dongles on it and impedance

adapters plugging this into the bottom

of a phone into the bottom of a dab or

in the side of a laptop is a little bit

clunky whereas plugging a straight Jack

is a little bit less clunky so that

would have been nice but I don't know

I'll we'll call that a relatively small

complaint because the rest of the stuff

about this cable well it's the exact

same cable that we had with the uh the

truth ear hexa as well as the original

zero and I like it as you can see it

lies nice and flat and now it is not a

plush cable it is very you know it's

thin it's just simple

but it gets the job done

um and I really don't have any

complaints about it okay well I could

probably come up with some complaints

but what I like about this thing is

you've got nice small Hardware as you

can see here at the Y split you've got a

very functional chin slider that stays

in place which I dig of course you've

got your pre-formed ear hooks up here

and then you've got your two pin

connectors which are standard and make

this so that you could replace the cable

if you need to swap it out with

something else but generally again I

think this is a pretty good cable

um in general but also for the I am

maybe if I'm being picky with these

particular earpieces it does tend to

tangle up a little bit more so than it

does on the hexa and why exactly I

couldn't tell you but the mild point

that I would mention

um all right anything else worth talking

about the cable no we'll talk about the

ear pieces now instead and as you can

see these earpieces are well if you're

familiar with the last zero these are

almost exactly the the same earpieces

they've just changed out the the panel

on the outside so rather than having a

blue panel with a slightly different

pattern they've got this red panel with

well this pattern and

I think it's

you know it's a slight aesthetic twist

but it is kind of just a big slab of

color that I feel like could use a

little bit of something else it's not a

bad looking I am by any stretch of the

imagination but it is also just maybe a

little bit on the plain side it needs

something but without going too

overboard I don't know I'm being picky

um as far as the build quality again

same build quality as before which is a

fairly lightweight actually relative

very lightweight plastic shell and as

you can see this the shell shape is a

little bit unique here it kind of is

reminiscent of something that you would

expect from 64 audio

and we'll get into talking about how it

fits in a bit but for me it actually

fits I would say quite well the one

thing that's worth talking about here in

terms of fit and this is you know gotten

a little bit notorious at this point is

the nozzle on this IM

um the length on it is one thing all

right it does stick out fairly long here

and then the other thing is going to be

the diameter of the nozzle which I don't

know here on camera might not seem like

much but it is pretty wide as far as

nozzles go now it does have notches on

it so it will hold the ear tips in place

and that's the thing I appreciate but it

does come with the risk that it might

not fit your ear incredibly well

depending on how large your ear canals

are for me this is a very good fitting I

am and I'll demonstrate it real quickly

as I talk about it in a little bit more

detail as you can see yeah it fits in my

ear really easily like the Ingress

egress is really easy it is smooth edges

all the way around so I have no issues

with long-term comfort and yeah the

nozzle is a little bit on the the girthy

side but I don't know I don't really

have any issues with it in terms of

comfort

maybe the only thing that it does

contribute is that it fits a little bit

more shallow than I would love like I

would love it for this entire earpiece

to get in past the uh the little

anti-tragus nub in here we call that the

nubbin uh that's the scientific term but

some people just call it the antitragus

um but yeah I would love it if it would

fit in a little bit past that but I

think partly because of the somewhat

long nozzle and partly because of the

fact that the nozzle is a little bit

wide it doesn't usually fit that that

deeply for me but still again fit

Security on this thing is actually

pretty pretty solid in fact I would say

this fit security is stronger on this

than it is on a lot of just like single

Dynamic driver Iams which is interesting

I didn't even really talk about the

driver config on this this is a double

Dynamic driver configuration the same as

the original zero

um but the the shell shape and design is

kind of almost more like hybrid in in in

in its attempts but uh yeah generally I

dig it I dig the the physical form

factor here on the Zero red again if I'm

being picky about it uh it doesn't look

like it could use a little bit something

extra to make it a little more

interesting looking and um I don't know

maybe it feels a little bit heavier it

would feel a little bit less cheap I

suppose but I don't know those are

pretty pretty high complaints for a

product that costs just 55 bucks let me

wrap this thing up

and uh start talking about the sound

let's see that's handsome enough

yes real quick check my notes make sure

I'm not missing anything else and I

think

yeah we nailed it all all right let's

talk about the sound and like I

typically do we will start by describing

the sound signature on this I am and

shocker

this is critical neutral with a sub bass

boost I mentioned this is tuned by

critical and that's also true of the

truth here zero

the original I am but with that iron he

was very specifically going after the

harman Target which he admits is not his

favorite frequency response this one

however is going for his favorite

frequency response which is basically

neutral with a sub bass boost the bass

boost on this I would say is modest it

doesn't have the same like bass presence

um as the bass boost on something like

the critical dusk if you're familiar

with that that said I did expect this to

sound a little bit leaner than it does

kind of like the dusk does and kind of

like the moon drop blessing three does

right they are kind of similar in in the

tuning and that they have that kind of

flat lower mid-range with the sub bass

boost but I feel like this has just

subtly and meaningfully warmer and

Fuller lower mid-range than those iems

the mid-range is otherwise it's very

clean it's got a slight forwardness to

the vocals the treble tuning I would say

is fairly safe but extends pretty well

and in a way it's exactly what you would

expect coming from critical but in

another way this is exactly what you

would not expect in an IM that's costing

this price again

the the sophistication in this tuning is

not something that you we used to get in

I am this price okay and that is pretty

cool so what do I like about the sound

here on the Zero colon red well

that tuning honestly is pretty excellent

I recently reviewed and

had a lot of praise for the 320 Moon

drop blessing three I love that it's

tuning and if I'm honest I think the red

is actually kind of better in some ways

right so the issues I had with the

blessing three was it was a little bit

too lean in that mid base and the zero

just has a slightly Fuller low end that

I think improves on that thinness that I

didn't love about the blessing three and

as I mentioned it's just a very

sophisticated tune at this price range

which is

stand out in its own overall I think it

is a very well balanced sound signature

compared to a lot of v-shaped sound

signatures that you typically get at

around this price range the mid-range is

very very well focused on this set but

it still has a pleasant base presence

that you can dial up with the impedance

adapter if you choose and I mentioned

that it comes with this impedance

adapter basically what this does is you

plug this thing onto the bottom of your

truth you're red and you get a very

significant base bump I would say yeah

speaking of it I think it's this I am

actually honestly sounds good both with

and without the impedance adapter

without I would describe it again it's

kind of a nice clean mid-range with a

satisfying low end punch with the

impedance adapter I don't know that bass

necessarily bass head level but I do

think the base height are going to have

more bass to Bob to without much shift

in the mid-range tonality which is

what's important to me right people that

like me they're a little bit shy of

having too much Bass the risk is that it

impedes the rest of the mid-range and I

don't think you get that at all and then

if you've got your own impedance

adapters right this is a 10 ohm adapter

if you've got your own at home and I

actually do you can throw even more

impedance on this thing to increase the

bass to silly levels if that's your your

jam and I did if you want to see the

frequency responses I've got that on

squig.link Linked In the description but

that is what I like about the sound here

on the Zero red

what are the things that I don't love

about the sound on this I am to be

honest there really is not much to

critique about the tuning of this I am

but it gets into the question that how

much of sound quality really is

determined by frequency response and the

zero red I think is kind of a strong

indicator that it's it's not everything

because I think the technicalities on

this are pretty mediocre okay overall I

think that the zero red has some bit of

a soft character to its transient attack

so just like the Leading Edge of

instruments like the thwack of a kick

drum or like the bite the initial bite

of an acoustic guitar string pull it's

just a little bit soft on the truth ear

zero red

um it's because of that I think it's got

kind of weak separation between sounds

the Imaging is fine but it's just not as

cleanly delineated as you will get on

some other sets that favor technical

performance over necessarily a amazing

Target adherence as this and just

because of that I do think that the zero

red does come across a little bit dull

to listen to despite the fact that it is

tuned exquisitely and I do think that is

not exaggeration there so those are my

general thoughts here on the truth ear

cross critical zero colon red but how

does it compare directly with some other

items in its price range because

ultimately that's what matters right so

let's pull in some other Iams in fact

we've got here the original truth ear

zero which we'll talk about how it

Compares here we've also got the truth

ear hexa which I know is a more

expensive I am but I think people are

interested in this comparison

speaking of more expensive items for

comparison I've got the moon drop Aria

which I know a lot of people are

familiar with and I think this would be

kind of a good reference point but then

just to keep things more fair we've also

got the moon drop Lan

um for comparison so these are the items

that we will be talking about here and

um yeah so the the zero red is 55 bucks

here on this table it is a five dollar

up charge over the original zero but

still both of these I think are pretty

competitively priced let me Rudy wrap

this thing and put it here for your

viewing pleasure apologize for the delay

um but yeah the original zero um also a

double Dynamic driver I am 50 bucks a

little bit cheaper uh the moon drop Lan

it's actually just 40 bucks and it's a

single Dynamic driver uh the moon drop

Aria also a single Dynamic driver I am

at 80 bucks and then finally over here

we've got the truth ear hexa um also 80

bucks but for this one it's actually a

hybrid configuration you've got three

balanced armatures and one Dynamic

driver so how do they compare in terms

of sound signature all right

zero red like we just got done talking

about that is it's raison Detra this

thing is a tuning Beast this is neutral

with sub bass boost it sounds a little

bit warmer Fuller and less contrasty

than I might expect given its frequency

response and I think that maybe comes

from just a little bit Fuller of lower

mid-range versus something like the

blessing three again I think this thing

is pretty spot on uh in comparison with

the original zero this is effectively

Harmon neutral sound signature which you

could also just kind of describe as a

tasteful v-shaped sound signature it's

got noticeably bigger bass more forward

vocals especially in like the the

edginess of the vocals and just overall

gives it a more contrasty sound versus

this which is a little bit more on the

mid-range e side

the moon drop LAN

I think versus the red actually comes

across as somewhat of a bright neutral

or maybe even you describe it as a

mildly shaped sound signature that's

favoring more of the vocals and a little

bit in the treble

now this is just more of a more vocal

forwardness I think adds a little bit

more contrasty sound to the Lan versus

the zero red whereas the ARA the Arya I

think it's also kind of a mild v-shaped

sound signature but it's got more of a

warm low end right so if the Lan is

slightly V with a little bit of a bright

tilt the Aria is kind of the obvious

opposite it's like a mild v-shaped sound

signature with a warm tilt so it's got a

thicker base Fuller lower lower end and

more pulled back and more relaxed upper

mid range the switch where you would

expect the vocals to lie and then

finally hear the truth ear hexa

I would just describe this as neutral I

mean this basically hits my neutral

Target which just means that to me it

sounds plainly neutral

um it has got somewhat of a warmer low

end versus the red or the land it's a

little bit low on macro contrast so

where I described like this one

especially both of these are fairly

contrasty this one's a little bit low on

that kind of big macro contrast but it

does a pretty good job with the micro

contrast because the treble is very well

extended here on the hexa

um so that's kind of the general lay of

the land like which one of those is

better is really going to depend on your

personal preferences now my personal

preference the hexa is again it Nails my

target so I'm biased there this is my my

preference for sound signature but

you want something with a little bit

more distinct of a bass boost you're

gonna the the zero red is a nice little

little change there whereas the original

zero is just a lot more bass and a lot

more vocals to give you a more contrasty

sound and then these are just kind of

they are what I described yeah

um so now how do they compare in terms

of technical performance which is where

again I said the zero red is not its

strength

I think the zero red has relatively soft

transients which just kind of gives you

a smoothed over textures

um I think that's also gives you average

Imaging width which average is not

necessarily bad but it is you know

somewhat lackluster in comparison to the

quality of its tune the bass has a

decent punch but it's not super super

incisive and again just the technical

qualities of this IM are really not

where its strengths are which is

interesting because comparing it with

the original zero I would say also not

like a technical standout

um but I think because you have that

more contrasty sound it gives the sense

of just more separation between the

sounds a wider stereo image and even

sharper transients it can sound maybe a

little bit loose at times but I think

it's also it's pretty fun and a little

bit more engaging in the technical

department than the new zero Red is

because of that the LAN

is actually I don't know

I haven't listened to this honestly in a

while until I started doing this

comparison and it is surprisingly tight

and controlled it's got just enough

treble bite to add some nice definition

to transients and the base is well the

bass is super polite but it has a nice

decent a little cute punch to it that I

find actually pretty surprisingly

satisfying

um in comparison the aura I think the

base attack on this one again this one's

like tuned more toward the base but I

think that the base attack on this one

is just a little bit soft and pillowy

and the elevation of that also just kind

of affects the rest of the sound makes

it a little bit stuffy

um somewhat below average in terms of

image separation but honestly I think

that these two the the Aria and the and

the zero red while they're very very

different in terms of their tuning and

technicalities and Technical

performances they're actually kind of

similar um so if you're familiar with

that you're probably going to be pretty

familiar with the technicals here on the

Zero red and that'll bring us to the

hexa which again maybe this isn't a fair

comparison because of the price but I

think that the Imaging on this is pretty

decent

um it's good with the finer details and

music again I mentioned that extended

treble contributing to the map the micro

contrast so it's good with like detailed

texture and stuff like that

um it's not gonna wow you with you know

stage width or incisiveness or anything

like that but it is subtly very very

good if I were to rank these in terms of

technical performance this is a little

bit easier I would say that the hexa

would be my my preference for sure I'd

actually say that the Lan would probably

be

next best

um and then following it behind that

would be the zero and then these two are

kind of kind of pulling up the rear in

terms of the technical performance just

in terms of that engagement Factor uh

and then finally let's talk about how

these things compare in terms of form

factor well the zero red we just got

done talking about a lightweight plastic

shell that you know it doesn't feel or

look particularly outstanding but it

actually does fit surprisingly well

um just be warned about that that nozzle

which could be an issue from you for me

it's actually perfectly fine uh and that

is ditto exactly the same here for the

original zero again the the main

difference in terms of form factor well

the only difference really is data

static

so there you go the Lan in contrast

you've got these nice small shells which

are actually all metal I think this

thing is actually pretty surprisingly

handsome it's kind of a mature look and

a really excellent cable I haven't

Unwound these cables but look this is

the moon drop SSR cable

um just with a little bit of extra class

on it and I dig it a lot

um so yeah I generally quite like the

the form factor here on the Lan the Aria

I think has also got kind of a handsome

minimal look to it it's also got a metal

shell on it but I have seen more issues

with this thing in terms of longevity

maybe it's just paint and certain humid

environments here as you can see as I

don't use mine a ton it has held up

quite well the fit though on this thing

is not super stable um I mentioned you

know the the zero fitting better than

your average Dynamic driver I am and

this is your average Dynamic driver I am

or fit and it's perfectly comfortable

it's fine

um in terms of that but in terms of fit

stability I think it's a little bit weak

here on the Aria and the other thing

that is worth pointing out is a little

bit weak is the cable which I actually

don't mind the aesthetic on it but if

you can't tell this is a cloth covered

cable it's a little bit memory prone and

I have seen it I don't know fall apart

in kind of spectacular fashion for some

people depending on how they wrap it so

if you've got an aria and you haven't

already ruined it please do be Roadie

wrapping your cable to make sure that it

does not fall apart in spectacular

fashion as mentioned and that will

finally bring us into

the truth here hexa which is actually

using the exact same cable as we see

here on the less expensive zero red

as far as the earpieces I think the

these are actually I don't know it's a

very simple I mentioned that the zero

red looks a little bit plain and and you

would think that an all black shell is

maybe even plainer but just having that

you know these subtle edges to it these

angles and then that that slight

difference in

angle there I think it just it's it's

handsome right I mentioned you don't

need a lot to make to to break up the

monotony of a design like this just a

little subtle touch like adding a screw

in the X the outside and a little a

little angle I think really does help

the hexa look pretty next level

um in terms of build quality you have a

metal shell on the outside here and

you've got these solid resin shells here

in terms of fit and comfort you know

this thing actually fits a little bit

small

um if you can see here versus the zero

red I would describe this as kind of a

medium maybe a slightly medium large but

we'll call that medium-ish this I would

call kind of a medium small and it might

not seem I don't know maybe you can tell

a little bit there the difference but

really the difference is felt a lot when

you put them in your ears and I really

do find the Comfort on this I am

quite good I love the build quality here

on the hexa so

that is going to do it for my thoughts

here on the truth here cross Chronicle

zero colon red and um look if you're

after an IM that is nailing

a very sophisticated frequency response

Target

under 100 bucks look you've got like the

the hexa I think is very very good but

in a lot of ways this is kind of more

sophisticated and

yeah if you're looking for the most

technical performer I think there are

other options out there but overall I

think this is a very very solid I am if

you want to check it out well I've got a

link in the description and oh yeah it's

a four star out of five

um yeah check it out I've got a link in

the description and uh while you're down

there if you found this review helpful

if uh you're having a good time please

hit the like button subscribe to the

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um but if you have any questions that I

don't get to or you just want to

continue the conversation in between

streams join me on Discord Linked In the

description and otherwise I'll catch you

on the next Super review

a week

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huh