I ONLY USE IEMS, and have been since 2019
KZs, Arias, Truthear Zero Blue/Red/Hexa/Nova, Simgots, Chu/Chu2, 7Hzv:Zero, Singolo and Crinacle: Dusk
Currently daily driving Dusks, but the Nova comes very close. Basically nova gets slightly more congested in some very specific places(Anubis/Ancient Caves and Nuke B) with the footsteps. But other than that it is pretty similar to my ears in mid/top end.
Would not recommend Hexa/Pure or any reference tuned IEM
zero red is a decent choice but to the average listener may sound flat, if this is ur first go kz, i used iems to play guitar and the kz have a higher end sound with a little extra umf. it rly just depends on ur use case. meanwhile the zero reds were better for me getting a guitar tone from my pedals
Something that dramatically augments the sound isn't a big deal? Ok Chief.
I own all three of the Zeros. The OG Blue I gave to a friend. My Zero Red delaminated, and was trashed (still use the impedance adapter for testing), and the Zero2 I returned, because that 12k peak was absolute garbage. If they ever release a Zero:RED2 that corrects the Zero2 treble spike, and is closer to JM1 in a properly budget set, I will get it too.
Just because YOU don't have a problem on a laptop (which typically has a weaker headphone putout, or if it is a Mac, they are low impedance by design), almost every PC motherboard is high impedance.
It basic electronics and electrical engineering science. Can't change physics. And it's something that everyone should be aware of, so if they encounter it, they know.
There are hundreds of measurements of the Zero out there with impedance adapters. And plenty of other multi driver IEM's that show that increased impedance in the output dramatically effects the tonality of the IEM. Its literal electrical engineering, and your arguing with it.
Do you think the earth is flat too?
https://audioamigo.squig.link/?share=Truthear_Zero,Truthear_Zero_15_Ohm,Truthear_Zero_Blue_2,Truthear_Zero_Blue_2_15_Ohm,Truthear_Zero_Red,Truthear_Zero_Red_Ruyi_Rod
Normalize that at 1k to make it make more sense.
And thats from a paltry 15ohm increase. Its not uncomon to see double that on some PC sound outputs.
And quantifying anecdotally that you used a shitty PC soundcard, doesnt mean anything. The majority of moden PC motherboards, especially nicer ones, have Headphone amps specifically designed for higher impedance headphones. Like 300ohm Bereydynamics and Sennheisers. It is a very well known, very well documented, and very understand electrical crossover issue.
Why you are sitting here denying science is unbelievable. When there are measurements, and countless questions about it, and multiple threads telling people on PC to buy dongles to prevent it from happening.
The Zero Blue is is no way "neitral", it is a very U shaped IEM. Meaning the upper mids and sub bass are boosted. The idea was to have a more "speaker like" experience with the way the upper mids were tuned, and how the sub bass is more tuned like a subwoofer with a lot of lower gain before 200hrz.
Its using a neutral sound curve known as JM1 for the mid-range presentation, but the treble and sub bass are crabked up to add wow factor.
The Zero: RED is closer to neutral, and the Zero Blue 2 has more of an OG Zero Blue feel to the bass and treble tuning, but matching the timbre and tone of the RED with more bass.
aliasdred
