7Hz - 7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2

closer to 20$ 7hz zero 2. very widely appealing sound signature that covers many music libraries. commonly a default blind buy rec for new comers for 30$ (atleast on black friday) i'd take advantage of the sale and go for kefine kleans. they'll be a stepup from the cheapie 20$ sets, cadenza is generally considered a sidegrade to the 20$ cheapie sets with diff tuning (though still a very nice set as well)

ok, im just going to write everything I know down, take what you want from it. there are really 3 levels of iems at this point 20~$ 7hz zero 2's 80~$ TRUTHEAR Pure and 170$ crinear daybreak sound wise, 20$ is if you have an extreme budget, replaceable cable and damn good tuning makes the zero2 the best low budget the pure is the replacement for the hexa, it was effectively a baby blessing 2, and the fact its comparable at all to a 320$ iem that was considered an iem that destroyed the high end speaks volumes on how good they are and the daybreak is coming off the back of moondrop dusks, which are ok if you plug them into anything with a 3.5 and no eq, but the moment you eq them you need to look above the 1500$ mark to have anything that's better, the only black mark on the dusk was the need for the dps cable if you couldn't eq it through other means (I use a quilidex that regulates volume and eq across everything I attach it to) this saw the hype 4 and other iems in this price range more or less having a leg up at non eq quality, daybreak more or less takes the best of the dusk, gets the tuning to work without a dsp/eq and drops the price in half. each one of these is a step up in quality that makes the lower end one seem like crap. each one of these... are relatively flat maybe slight v shaped, so you may loose something in the bass, if you can eq the base a nudge higher with however you hook them up, you get 'fun' levels of bass, not bass cannons, I personally for my preference boost the 0-70hz range by about 4db and roll it off so that boost is only slightly there into the in the 100-150 range, any base that low demands to be loud and imposing, but I also love bass, I just don't like the over done turn everything else to mud that bass focused iems/headphones tend to do. these days what you get for very little is shocking I just looked up what you are most likely looking at/have, I assume you are going from se215 to an se425 or an aonic 3-5 so lets start out with the 425 its a dd and ba combo, not horrible but at 200-300$ (with shipping) price, you can do far better aonic 3 is a single ba, no body does this for audio anymore for a reason, single ba sucks and requires deep insertion into the ear to get the best sound, as in the deeper they go the better they sound, etymotic's are called ear dildos for a reason. aonic 4 has a dynamic driver and single ba, this is touching modern good but at a 320$ price point you are touching top class sound area of price, and these are not top class aonic 5 uses 3 balanced armatures, 2 for working as subwoofers, 1 for tweeters, this is not exactly a good design, ba's kinda suck for bass, its why almost everything uses a dynamic driver and a ba combination. GRANTED the shures are small, and if size is the only thing you care about it is what it is. seemingly their claim to iems is just from a durability standpoint, and that they were likely among the first ones to do it and have a professional music business. personally I would buy truthear pures, 1 dynamic drivers 3 ba, and see if they are good, along with whatever shure you want if you need to get it on a black friday or cyber monday sale, and return the one that you like less, just looking at what shure offers in terms of iems... they are not the iem to get at almost any price point, every single iem they sell is a step up in quality from the one that came before, yes, but we are in a world of rapid innovation and a race to the bottom in terms of prices, shure is demanding a name brand price hike while others do not. hell its entirely possible that the zero:2's will be a direct replacement for what you have if you want to save money

It's nice to hear your impression of them, given you have experience with other sets. I have been using them since Jan 4, swapping between the ZERO:2, Truthear Gate, Zero RED and Hexa and the Moondrop MOCA. At first I was reluctant about placing them above the Zero RED, and got blasted in the comments for saying they sound better than budget wired IEMs. But honestly yes I agree with you. The ROBIN have excellent sound presentation.

check the community recs for under 50...that's where I started (kiwi ears cadenza, Moondrop Chu 2, and the 7Hz Salnotes x Crinacle Zero 2) There should be enough of a difference between 2 of those sets to start getting a frame of reference. You'll likely hear the differences between those and your Astral

I also own the Zero2, Ew300, and Eml6. I agree with your comments completely. Not just for FPS but general gaming they are great. I am going to test the MP145 because the soundstage is amazing on other media like YouTube. I will also throw in to the mix for you the Kiwi Quintet. You can get it used for a great price. It has great detail, separation, and directional audio. Worth a try for sure.

Tangzu wainer >moondrop,7hz salnotes

giving Zero 2s a bump... they're better with EQ

I vote Castor Pro Bass Edition out of that list. I own both the Castor Pro and the Zero 2. To me...the Castor Pro in UpUpDownDown setting...is a budget bass monster. The mids and treble aren't bad. I find the Zero 2 muddier in the mids...and treble is a bit dark. I needed to use some Divinius Wide Bores on the zero 2 to brighten things up. The Castor Pros (on narrow bores) still have some detail...while providing good sub-bass rumble mid bass hits

7hz, Truthear, Mangird, Dunu. Lots of different options at different price points, and every year the tech gets cheaper/better implemented so an $80 IEM at this point is pretty close to a $300 IEM from 5 years ago. Truthear Hexa is my go-to recommendation, has a really natural presentation and good bass.

https://preview.redd.it/i93k3cl1e0le1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c1a8592c5f91eaf65b71fe3c35ddc26c5d0fa2a Hey dude! So I spent a little while going back and forth between them. The Zero2 is a very competitive IEM for being only $20. What the EW300 does great is taking that same awesome W sound signature and stretching it to a nice wide soundstage. I chose a track like this one which has lots of different instruments (layers) playing at the same time during certain parts. With busier Metal songs, the Zero2 struggles to separate instruments for sure. Something more laid back like this helps to compare with other sets. The EW300 has more clarity in the vocals and instruments. It's like taking a filter off of the Zero2 that makes everything clearer and wider. It's a great upgrade. Especially if you can get it used for a good price. Or on sale 👍🏻

if you can afford 2 sets...get the Salnotes zero 2 and either the Chu2 or the Wan'er. They should have different enough sound signatures that you can start making a decision which you might like. Watch the reviews for the two sets you buy. Learn the lingo...and what it is you're hearing. That knowledge will help you when you're looking for an upgrade later on

Out of the sets you've listed. I own(ed) The Cadenza and the 7Hz Zero 2. For a first IEM...I can say either one is a good choice. IEM shape and size between those two...the Cadenza is slightly more compact and contoured. The Zero 2 "looks" uncomfortable...but it was actually isn't. If you have concerned with it's angular look and you can't reliably return the product...perhaps stick with the Cadenza. I have had a Castor Pro Bass Edition (the one with switches) I was not a fan...as my unit had driver flex (hearing the driver flex when the IEM is being adjusted in ear due to lack of proper venting) Have since read about various QC issues mentioned...but most seem to be in the past. I choose not to purchase their IEMs...because there are many others to choose from😉 Last thing to mention...ear tips. Aside from the sound and IEM fitment...ear tips is a consideration as well. Most IEMs will come with an assortment of tips. Take your time going through ALL the tips the set comes with. Even to the point of mismatching sizes between left and right. Human anatomy is funny like that as we are NOT symmetrical😂😂 You will want to get a good (eartip) fit and seal into the ear canal. You will know if you're not properly fitted if the IEM sounds "tinny" or "there's no bass" Super*review has many helpful videos if you get deeper into IEMs. This one will be useful when your first set arrives: [https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU](https://youtu.be/ZcEzrA2SzbU) He also has another regarding ear tips. I'll let you find that one...it's on the same channel.

I forgot that zero 2 has bad included accessories so if u want better included stuff ill go for waner and gates or bunny for dsp(usb c).but like i said just roll a dice ,all of them are good enough

I'd say the difference between the Truthear Zero RED (55usd) and the 7hz ZERO 2 (25usd), my first IEM, is very noticeable.

So I am also in the same boat as you op. I saved enough money for a good gaming iem and got the zero 2 after lots of research. Found them perfect. Except for one small thing. The fit is a hit or miss. Unfortunately for my tiny ears it's a miss. Then I returned them and just 2 days later I found out about the 7hz G1. They are especially made for fps gaming. And then this youtuber named crincle also gave them a really good review. Look into those once as well.

If you like the sound from the Zero2, then you'll love the EW300. I have the HBB version. Imagine the Zero2 but with much better detail separation. I've compared the Zero2 with other sets before, and it's always amazing for the price until tracks get very busy. The Ew300 is one of my favorite sets even though I own a few totl IEMs. The ew300 is incredible for the price. It performs way above expectations. Edit: forgot to mention the improved soundstage as well.

OP... don't get rid of your Astral. Someone else mentioned it already...but it's a lack.of reference that has you second guessing. EQ (parametric EQ) is a good tool. It can help you fine tune the sound of the IEM to your liking. But...the IEM should sound good to you out of the box. HD550...hmmm... just go for the legend. Save for the HD600. I wrote down my experiences and things I learned as a beginner [Posted here](https://www.reddit.com/r/iems/s/u2D7CWFQw9) Go and find all the reviews you can on the Astral. Listen to the terminologies and try to associate what you hear from the Astral. Then pick up a budget set or two (if you want to learn) watch those reviews from the same reviewer. See if you can hear what they are hearing...and establish a frame of reference. Hope that makes sense. Outside of that...you picked a really good IEM. Stick with it. HD

Iem user for over 10 years now. Never had any issues with iems. Wanted to tey hps anf got Lcd2c. Sold it off and went back to my iems. Speakers are still king followed by iems to me. Budget ones that you can look into are: Waner Zero/Zero 2 Chu ii Gate Blon 03 i/ii

I bought Zero 2 for two weeks now, and its def a good iem for its price. The sounds is balance and clear, meaning you can hear all the instrument played, there is a clear bass sound albeit not as much as i prefer. Its a good entry lvl iem, but i am also quite new to all of this.

yeah...I use Clarion Wide Bores...opens thing up some. Not as muddy. Makes the set a bit more balanced for me

Same here lol I started off with the 7hz ZERO 2 last January then months later made the jump and ordered the Truthear Zero RED and a week later ordered the Truthear Hexa which ended up arriving before the REDs 😂

These are v shaped and the zero 2 are warm and neutral tuned. So where does the difference come here? What sets them apart in terms of sound?

sub bass and punchy...out of those 3. Perhaps go with the x Crin Zero 2s. I have them and I EQ to get my desired sound There's enough rumble way down there as well as good clean hits. Chu2 is slightly V shaped...has bass, not dull or flat. But it doesn't have the rumble when I want that (EQ couldn't get it there😅) No opinions on the Wan'ers because I don't own those

Up until now I've been listening to 7HZ x Crinacle Zero:2, they have a lot of bass and might be tiring for long sessions. So I ordered Kiwi Ears Cadenza for myself. They are quite similar to Tangzu Wan'er. In any case, Tangzu Wan'er or Moondrop Chu II will be a very great option for any ears.

The bass feels very thin. That sounds like you need a better ear tip fit. If I remember correctly, the red tips are the largest tips that come with those IEMs. These IEMs ARE bassier than the FT1 (I own both) From what I've experienced, a deeper fit benefits bass response. Perhaps try a smaller ear tip that came with the IEMs...and get the ear tip seated in the ear canal. Alternatively, you might also want to explore different ear tips. Ear tip shape, material and dimensions all can affect how the IEM will sound. I didn't like the tips that came with my Zero 2...so I made some purchases on ear tips. FiiO HS19 is a good start for tips. It's a big set that comes with several different types and sizes of tips. From there you can search for more specific ones you MIGHT prefer better. [This](https://www.audioreviews.org/guide-to-iem-silicone-eartips/) may help your ear tips search also. Do be aware, ear tips can get expensive. Some are more expensive that the Zero 2 themselves😅

I have zero 2. Thinking of returning them to get 7hz g1. I am a bit treble sensitive though. Would you suggest I do that or stick to zero 2 for now. Also in terms of mids which one do you feel is good. ?? Wonderful review by the way.

It has more bass. It's my favorite at this price range now.