The IEM market has already been blessed with under $30 dollar bracket earbuds. And with moon drop chu’s recent release it seemed like the previous issues were already solved.
So what’s the need for a brand new IEM with almost similar functionalities? Is it merely a ploy to break into the entry-level market, or are audiophiles getting something new?
We’re here to provide you with all the answers through our Salnotes Zero review.
The major objective of 7hz was to deliver a premium sound on a budget set. We’re here to find out if Salnotes Zero is successful in doing this, so stay tuned.
Now let’s dive straight into the specifics now:
Salnotes Zero Review: The New Budget Beast?
The last couple of years have been crazy for the affordable chi-fi IEM business. It’s been an ideal time to be a budget IEM purchaser.
KZ x Crinacle CRN(ZEX Pro) was the first one with a price tag of only $37. It provided excellent tuning.
However, there were several difficulties with the details and soundstage imaging. But at only $37, consumers couldn’t ask for much more.
Then there was the Moondrop Chu, which cost a whopping $22. Reviewing the Moondrop Chu was a rollercoaster for me. It provided a refined, clear mid-range with lovely tuning.
But, the highs were a little bit piercing and the bass was anemic. The metallic timbre was also difficult to get rid of. But for $22, that was quite the ideal deal users had.
That was the best case up until July 2022, when the new 7hz Salnotes Zero was released. Salnotes Zero offers a lovely mid-range with a clean, sharp, and detailed sound.
This IEM does a great job of reproducing artists with relatively low voices and acoustic guitars with nylon strings. The mid-range provides a lusher sound of female singers. Overall it is a well-tuned IEM at only $19.99.
Salnotes Zero Specs: What’s in It?
Here’s an unboxing tweet of Salnotes Zero –
Now, let’s take a look at some of the primary Salnotes Zero technical specs–
- Impedance: > 32 Ω
- Sound pressure level: 108dB/v@1kHz
- Frequency response range: 10-20000 Hz
- THD: <1%/1khz
We are aware of your value for audio features. So, let’s have a look at them-
- Metal Composite Diaphragm with 10mm Dynamic Driver gives a great friction resistance
- High Purity OFC Cable comes with a 0.78mm 2 pin, which is detachable
- It comes in metal housing & ergonomic shape
- 2 pin plug receptacle has a little inclination, which bends the ear hooks to your ear.
- A full metal plate is attached to a two-piece clam-shell resin body.
- Nozzles have wonderful tip holders and inset screens.
- N52 magnet ensures fine-tuning without any distortion and a clean and precise tone.
Pros
- Low price
- Custom Tuning by 7Hz
- 2 Pin Cable Mount that helps in Super Comforting Fitting
- Balanced and Warm
Cons
- Peaks at High-Frequency Levels
Now that the overview is complete, let’s move on to further details to help in your decision.
Drivers
Featuring a 10mm dynamic driver, the 7Hz Salnotes Zero is a cutting-edge earphone. It includes a metal composite diaphragm made using technology that was specifically developed by 7Hz.
This product’s metallic composite diaphragm is produced from high-quality materials. This makes it simpler for it to vibrate or resonate in time with sound waves.
Each component was carefully thought out and designed with user convenience in mind. So it ensures no audio transmission will be hindered.
Tuning
The N52 MAGNET in Salnotes Zero guarantees excellent tuning quality. Audio signals are transmitted accurately and effectively by using a dynamic driver and a fine-tuning approach.
No distortion is present, so you can listen to a sound that is accurate and smooth. The company refers to the tuning of the 7HZ Salnotes Zeros as ZERO Tuning.
10mm Dynamic Driver of Salnotes Zero provides a high friction resistance. The N52 magnet in Salnotes ensures distortion-free fine-tuning and accurate tone.
7Hz Salnote Zero provides the finest music experience from the comfort of your smartphone, laptop, or desktop. Furthermore, ZERO is produced in a variety of colors.
To provide you with a lively atmosphere and revitalize your musical experience, it uses three technicolored colors.
Bass
The Salnotes Zero bass experience is more subdued. The mid-bass doesn’t always slam as hard as most listeners would prefer.
The bass feel is more restrained in this model. 7hz employs a muted bass to ensure that the linear base rises gracefully to the sub-bass.
But it still has a decent amount of punch and is pleasing without being overpowering. You can try to slightly equalize it by raising it by 3 dB. You’ll get a little more gain that way.
The reason for this is that 7hz chose to opt for a more subdued base boost. It’s a wise decision because the linear base rises beautifully to the sub-base.
Sub-base extension with actual detail in a $20 headphone is hard to believe. Even though it shares a nearly identical frequency with Salnotes Dioko, it hits the sub-base more deeply.
It also doesn’t sound as hollow in the mid-bass as Dioko. Additionally, the cost is five times less than Dioko.
Cable & Housing
A detachable cable with gold-plated 0.78mm 2Pin connectors is included with the Salnotes Zero. The cable is constructed of four cores of high purity, oxygen-free copper.
To minimize signal loss and guarantee transmission fidelity, each core has 19*0.08 wires and 250D.
A plastic chassis made from eco-friendly materials and a stainless faceplate house the 7Hz Salnotes Zero. To help build an earphone with exceptional acoustic performance, precise ergonomic measurements were made.
Price
When purchasing IEM, the issue of pricing cannot be ignored. This top-notch IEM is the most advanced and costs only about $19.99.
It gives a perfect performance with exceptional clarity. Users may enjoy a whole Hi-Res experience thanks to its broad frequency response.
Let’s compare it to other IEMs now that you are more familiar with its quality.
Salnotes Zero vs Moondrop Chu
In Salnotes Zero vs Moondrop Chu, Salnotes Zero has an overall win because of better tuning and better details. However, the Chu does have better bass.
Salnotes Zero’s biggest rival at the moment is Moondrop Chu. Both are available for an extremely reasonable price of around $19.99, making the competition tight. But I think Salnotes is a better option.
Mooddrop chu has improved upper mids and a high-resolving, lively treble. However, the metallic timbre and lack of layering flexibility make it a slight underdog.
On the other hand, Zero has a powerful punch and a balancing tuning. The bass, however, is subdued. The mid-bass, on the other hand, has greater micro details.
I was an avid promoter of moondrop chu even a few weeks back but the non-removable cable of chu made salnotes zero the winner for me.
Now, here’s the frequency response graph of Moondrop chu vs salnotes zero compared to the harman adjusted target –
With its overall bright treble and clarity, the zero is undoubtedly the better of these two IEMs.
However, if you still want to go for moondrop chu, it’s okay. You can check out the moondrop chu from Amazon. Or you can check its price from linsoul.
Salnotes Zero vs Tanchjim Tanya
Tanchjim Tanya has deeper sub-bass and mid-bass than Salnotes Zero. But the Salnotes Zero gains ground in the lower and upper midrange.
Numerous users today favor Tanchjim Tanya. As a result, competing with it may prove a bit difficult for Salnotes Zero.
Here’s the frequency response of tanchjim tanya vs salnotes zero –
However, the salnotes outperform Tanchjim Tanya with its V-shaped sound. Yet, the Tanchjim Tanya is far ahead of salnotes zero in terms of note weight.
But then again, the Salnotes’ detachable cord allows it more exploration options than Tanya.
But still, if you want to go for the tanchjim tanya you can look at it in amazon. Oh, and it’s also available on linsoul too.
Salnotes Zero vs Tanchjim Zero
Released immediately after Salnotes, Tanchjim Zero is expected to put up a close battle against Salnotes Zero. This IEM’s performance is almost identical to Moondrop Chu but at a shocking price of $16.
Tanchjim Zero has a 10mm dynamic driver as well, however it is neutrally tuned. The plastic cable that comes with Tanchjim Zero is lightweight.
With a detachable cord that lets you consider your cable options, Salnotes however triumphs in this scenario.
Tanchjim zero gives probable vocal heaven on a price limit. The IEM’s harsh edges, however, make it unsuitable for extended listening sessions.
Contrarily, Salnotes is generally a very good IEM within budget. It might not be quite as effective in the sub-bass region. The overall experience, though, makes up for it.
Long story short, I preferred the salnotes zero over the tanchjim zero. However, the tanchjim zero is kinda better in terms of staging, imaging, sub-bass and upper mids.
So, if you want then can check out the tanchjim zero from linsoul. And if you’re willing then it’s also available on Amazon too.
Salnotes Zero vs KZ ZSN Pro
In comparison to KZ ZSN pro, Salnotes Zero has lesser sub-bass and mid-bass. For Salnotes, the mid-bass sometimes lacks the impact that most listeners would want.
Nevertheless, it still packs a decent punch and is pleasant without being overwhelming. Because an excessively high sub-bass section might separate the sound from the rest of the music.
Aside from that, KZ ZSN Pro earphones cost a little more than Salnotes as well. Furthermore, KZ ZSN has been observed to advertise exaggerations.
According to them, the sound quality is affected by two active drivers. However only one of them, though, hardly made a difference to the sound quality. And this causes them to receive negative feedback.
So, you might be wondering if KZ IEMs are any good. Well through our analysis Salnotes is the best choice for superior and consistent quality among these two.
You can take a look at this one on linsoul right now. And if you didn’t know, it’s a official amazon’s choice tagholder in amazon.
Salnotes Zero vs Blon BL03
Priced at $39 the Blon BL03 has a certain edge over the Salnotes Zero. More importantly, the Bl03 has been a classic choice for audiophiles for years not.
Now, the performance of Blon BL03 in the sub-bass and mid-bass rangers is much better than zero.
Because of this, BL03 has a bigger soundstage and improved instrument separation. But occasionally, it is also too bright. Since an excessive amount of sub-bass causes the sound to be too detached.
The salnotes, on the other hand, gain territory from the upper midrange to the lower and mid-treble. From the above Salnotes zero and blon 03 frequency response comparison you can understand this more clearly.
Compared to BL03, it boasts vocals that are better and warmer. Moreover, it has a certain amount of brightness as well.
As a result, the vocals in salnotes zero are edgier than bl03. The higher mid-treble peak allows zero to avoid odd timbres or cymbal strikes. So, you might wanna take a quick look at this one on linsoul. And it’s also available in amazon too
Salnotes Zero vs Moondrop Spaceship
Moondrop Spaceship is Moondrop Chu’s predecessor. Salnotes, like Moondrop Chu, wins the battle against Spaceship. In every way, it is of a higher overall caliber.
You can see it in the frequency response comparison below.
The spaceship is significantly inferior to Salnotes Zero in terms of bass and midrange. For the same price, Zero is a far superior option.
Salnotes Zero vs Moondrop Aria
Salnotes Zero and Moondrop Aria have nearly identical upper midrange and treble performance. Salnotes does, however, improve gradually in the treble department.
Contrarily, Aria performs at a greater level in the lower midrange and bass. As a result, Aria or the upgraded version of Moondrop Aria seems like a superior choice.
But, you must also keep Moondrop Aria’s price in mind. Aria is available for $ 80. Although Moondrop Aria is a decent IEM, there are other, better IEMs available for around $80.
In terms of affordability, Salnotes is the better option, even with a slightly reduced sub-bass.
But if you wanna take a look at the winner of this race, you can check it out on linsoul. But if you’re a fan of aliexpress, you can check it in there too. And for obvious reasons, it’s on amazon too.
Salnotes Zero vs Tin Hifi T2
The Salnotes Zero outperforms the Tin HiFi T2 by a wide margin. In Salnotes zero, the bass, midrange, and treble are all considerably better as shown in the graph.
While both the Salnotes and Tin T2 have dynamic drivers, the Salnotes are overall better balanced. Salnotes is significantly less expensive than Tin T2. When compared to current IEMs, the $50 price tag nearly doesn’t do justice to its performance.
Salnotes Zero vs Tripowin Lea
Tripowin Lea gives Salnotes zero some serious competition, along with Moondrop Chu. Both are reasonably priced and offer excellent audio performance.
However, Salnotes has the advantage thanks to its fine mid-bass details. Additionally, the treble is marginally improved.
Furthermore, Salnotes Zero is in a better position in the resonance peak at 8 kHz. For those on a tighter budget, the $6 price difference could potentially make a difference.
So Is Salnotes Zero the Ultimate Choice?
Simply told, the Salnotes IEM is the top-of-the-line affordable beast. Salnotes is the better option among several under $100 IEMs. It is going to be one of the most affordable IEMs for both its sound quality and cost.
The sub-bass and mid-bass would have been better, but for a $20 headphone, that is easily overlooked. The model’s detachable cord also provides several exploration options.
The user can experiment with sound quality by using any 2-pin cable. Salnotes Zero will undoubtedly be challenging to surpass due to its ergonomic shape and superb tuning quality.
Now, if you ultimately do want to go with this IEM, make sure you’re trying these from authentic sources.
- You can check out this IEM from Amazon. Linsoul is selling it from their amazon store.
- Or you can try it from linsoul itself. I’ve heard that they’ve improved their service recently. And it’s better if you get it directly from the manufacturer.
That’s all.
FAQs
Planar or Dynamic: Which is Preferable?
Planar is preferable. Planar magnetic drivers move more rapidly and consistently than dynamic magnetic drivers. It generally produces faster transient stability and a distinct kind of physical impact. The design is also less susceptible to harmonic distortion.
Is Moondrop Chu Neutral?
It focuses on the lower treble and upper midrange and is generally neutral. The characteristic Moondrop house sound is finished off with a balanced bass and wrapped upper treble. Chu’s presentation is straightforward, precise, and neutral.
Does A Bigger Driver Imply Better Audio?
The quality of the sound will not necessarily improve with a bigger driver. Larger drivers can produce more volume because they circulate more air. Numerous intricate aspects, such as the design and tuning of the headphones, affect their sound quality.
Conclusion
That was all about Salnotes Zero Review. We trust our overall comparison has provided you with a clear picture of Salnotes zero.
And you’ll be able to make a more informed judgment. Remember to read other reviews and test the headphones out yourself before making any purchase.
Until Next Time!
