The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are the first pair of in-ear monitors (IEMs) designed collaboratively by TRUTHEAR, a newcomer among Chi-Fi (Chinese High-Fidelity) manufacturers, and high-profile audiophile and IEM tuning expert Crinacle. They're designed to provide audiophile-quality sound at a more wallet-friendly price than in-ears from more established manufacturers. Their sound profile is tuned with the Harman 2019 IEM target curve in mind, aided by a design that makes the most of two dynamic drivers.
Our Verdict
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are okay for sports and fitness, although they're not designed with this use case in mind. They're comfortable, lightweight, and stable enough to stay in place during moderately intense head movements. However, they lack an IP rating for protection against water and dust, and their wired design means it's easy to get the cable snagged on something while in motion.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- No controls.
The TRUTHEAR ZERO are middling headphones for commuting and travel use. The passive isolation provided by their in-ear design does very little to block out low-frequency sounds like engine rumble. They come with a carrying pouch to help keep your cables tangle-free, but it won't protect the buds from substantive damage. On the upside, they have a comfortable fit and leak almost no audio, so people around you won't hear what you're listening to.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Struggle to block out low frequency noise.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are bad for office use. They're comfortable enough for long listening sessions and can isolate you from noise like office chatter and the hum of computer fans. However, they lack a mic, so you'll need to find another solution like a standalone mic or a replacement cable with an integrated mic if you want to use the earbuds for calls or virtual meetings.
- Comfortable and stable design.
- Struggle to block out low frequency noise.
- No integrated mic.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are wired IEMs; you can't use them wirelessly. That said, you can always pick up an adapter that will allow you to use them wirelessly separately, though most wireless solutions introduce significant latency.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are mediocre gaming headphones. Their strong bass response adds realism to sounds like explosions, and their mids and highs make dialogue and environmental audio sound detailed. However, they don't have an integrated mic, so you'll need a standalone microphone to communicate with your teammates. As expected from in-ears, the earbuds don't stimulate your pinna for a more immersive listening experience. While you'll hear footsteps and other audio cues coming from the left or right, it can be tricky to locate them more precisely.
- Great peaks/dips performance.
- No integrated mic.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO have very good audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response doesn't deviate much from the earbuds' V-shaped Harman IEM tuning. Both drivers are amazingly well matched in amplitude, frequency, and phase response, reproducing transparent transients all with minimal distortion across the measured frequency spectrum. That said, notches in the group delay indicate a phase shift in the high-bass of both drivers, ultimately leading to notched dips in the headphones' frequency response in the same frequencies. Fortunately, the deviation isn't large, and most listeners likely won't perceive significant coloration of the earbuds' sound. Because of their design, these in-ears bypass the pinna, so your immersion won't be improved through outer ear interaction.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are passable for noise isolation. Although they don't have an ANC system, their foam ear tips provide solid high-mid and treble noise attenuation, cutting down on some office chatter and whirring mechanical noises aboard aircraft. On the other hand, the earbuds don't leak much sound, bleeding a full-bodied version of your audio that barely surpasses the noise floor of a calm room. It's also worth mentioning that we haven't tested the silicone ear tips, but you can expect their noise isolation to be less effective than the foam tips.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO don't have a microphone. That said, you can find third-party 2-pin cables with integrated microphones
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO's frequency response consistency is excellent. If you take the time to find the right ear tips from the many options included with the headphones, our frequency response measurements will be indicative of the headphones' behavior.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jul 29, 2025:
We've updated the Sound Profile box with a link to a downloadable folder of EQ settings that will help you match these headphones' frequency response to different target curves available in our Graph Tool.
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Updated May 20, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated May 14, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Oct 18, 2024:
We mentioned the MOONDROP x Crinacle DUSK in the App Support section of this review.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO IEM come in one colorway: blue and black. There's also another pair of IEMs called the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED, which come in a black and red colorway and have a slightly different sound profile. If you encounter another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The TRUTHEAR ZERO are the first pair of IEMs produced by this manufacturer in collaboration with Crinacle. Their budget-conscious price and dynamic sound make them popular within the audiophile community. They pack a lot of punch and thump in the low end, but if you're looking for a pair of affordable IEMs with more tapered bass, it's worth trying the MOONDROP Aria. Their sound profile follows our Harman-adapted curve well. They also sport a sleek metal design. The collaboration between TRUTHEAR and Crinacle has also yielded another IEM: the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED. This model has a similar wired, dual-driver design but with a more balanced sound and distinctive red finish. The RED also come with a 10-ohm impedance adapter that can boost the bass, a feature that the original ZERO lacks.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best headphones for music, and the best wired headphones.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are better than the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO, though it depends on your needs. The HEXA have a more balanced frequency response and do a better job blocking out sounds like A/C hum. That said, neither pair have ANC; they both do a poor job isolating you from bassier noise like engine rumble. On the other hand, the ZERO put out a lot more bass than the HEXA. It can get a little boomy, but if you like your EDM to have extra oomph, the ZERO are worth considering, especially as they're also cheaper than the HEXA.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO and the MOONDROP Aria are both wired audiophile IEMs. The MOONDROP feature a single-driver design and have less bass emphasis than the dual-driver TRUTHEAR, with their dedicated sub-bass driver. Unfortunately, the MOONDROP's treble performance is recessed and lacking in detail compared to the TRUTHEAR. Both feature sleek designs with a detachable audio cable, but depending on personal preference, you might opt for the metal construction on the MOONDROP over the TRUTHEAR's plastic resin design.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED and the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO are, by and large, the same pair of IEMs, albeit with different tunings and a slight difference in noise isolation performance. They're both comfortable, well-built, and stable-fitting, but the RED variant aligns more closely with our target curve, with a more controlled bass in particular. They're also better at isolating mid-range frequencies, like the chatter of your colleagues in an office setting. On the other hand, the RED have a recessed treble that will be less appealing to people who like a more excited sound with a bit more sizzle. It's worth noting that the RED variant comes with a 10-ohm impedance adjustor, so you can always purchase this variant and use the adjustor if you prefer a more bass-heavy sound.
The MOONDROP Blessing 3 are better in-ears for audiophile listening than the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO. These premium IEMs feature a hybrid driver design with two 10 mm dynamic and four balanced armature drivers. As a result, they have an extremely balanced sound across the board. They also have a better build quality and a high-quality case, so they're more suitable as an on-the-go option. That said, fans of a bass-heavy sound will likely prefer the TRUTHEAR's over-emphasized bass response.
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