The original 7Hz is still a rare name in audio forums and IEM user communities; launched its earphone models in peace and not many people were interested in like i88, i99… But in 2021, the company’s reputation spread suddenly and surprisingly quickly thanks to the launch of a product that shook the earphone market leading the IEM trend using planar magnetic drivers. actual size; created a stir in the Audiophile community and at the same time redefined the sound quality of IEMs using planar magnetic drivers – Timeless. With this successful, 7Hz stepped forward and launched Eternal – a headphone model that supports dynamic drivers, marking the 10th anniversary of the company’s establishment; Dioko – a combination of 7Hz and famous audio critic Crinacle from In Ear Fidelity to drive the price of flat magnetic earbuds even lower, and Zero – a product of the Salnotes sub-brand that is well received by users. Because it has a very impressive sound quality in its price range, and is also a competitor, Moondrop Chu has fierce competition.
Table of Contents
Technical specifications:
Driver type: DD
Impedance: >32 Ω
Sensitivity: 108 dB@1 kHz
Frequency response range: 10 Hz – 20kHz
THD: <1%@1 kHz
Plug type: 2-pin 0.78mm.
Accessories included in the box include:
Different types of earplugs in different colors and sizes (red earplugs are pre-installed on the headset)
2-pin 0.78mm wire to 3.5mm pin
Headphone technical specifications sheet
Instruction sheet for use
1 velcro tie tape
Design and level of soundproofing
Basically, the appearance of Salnotes Zero does not have too many outstanding points. Maybe the company chose this design to differentiate itself from other ergonomically designed headphones on the market. The shape of the Zero will depend on individual opinion, but in terms of wearing style, the product’s square edges may cause earache for some users with small ears. The ear canal has a relatively large radius, which may not be suitable for people without large ear cavities and makes it difficult to keep the headphones in certain states such as not slipping out of the ears over time, or located in a balanced position.
The entire headphone body is made from glossy plastic, with a piece of metal printed on the headphone’s name and product name. This may disappoint some customers because plastic is often not as famous for its durability as aluminum, magnesium alloys, etc. in particular or metal materials in general, or simply because of competitors. Other products in the same price range use more durable materials, but the Zero can still survive light drops and withstand a fair amount of pressure. Therefore, users can rest assured about the longevity of this product.
Like most IEM models that support dynamic drivers, Salnotes Zero has an air vent located in front of the headphone body to limit pressure on the speaker membrane when inserted into the ear and at the same time control the amount of bass. This means that Zero’s soundproofing level is only average, and the earplugs in the included accessory kit do not firmly adhere to the human ear cavity. Silicone earplugs such as Sony EP-EX11 or foam earplugs from brands KZ, TRN, Comply… somewhat increase the sound insulation level of Zero, but do not increase to a large extent to use the product in bustling environments such as on buses, in public areas… These recommended earplugs also improve wearing style, allowing users to insert the headset deeper.
Sound quality
This product’s sound quality assessment article is based on:
Earplug type: earplugs (red) included with the product (regular use); Moondrop Spring Tips size M, Sony EP-EX11 (regular use), Spinfit CP100 size M.
Cord: cord included in the box (regular use); TRN T2.
Separate DAC/AMP: JCally JM06, cable from type-C port to Apple’s 3.5mm port, xDuoo XD-05 Plus (opamp MUSES02; lowest gain mode; no bass boost switch).
Source: Hiby R3 Pro Saber (regular use), Samsung Note 10+; audio file types MP3, FLAC (frequently used), WAV, DSF (DSD64, DSD128)…
With a sensitivity of 108dB@1kHz and an impedance of about 32Ω@1kHz, Salnotes Zero can be combined with most devices with audio output sources.
Bass range:
One of the first impressive points about the sound quality of this headphone model is the way it reproduces bass.
The company’s way of fine-tuning the sound quality for Zero aims to introduce users to neutral sound quality but can still listen for hours without getting bored. To accomplish part of this, the bass range has a slight increase, especially concentrated in the lowest part of the frequency range, creating an overall quiet and deep sound without creating a masking phenomenon. The frequency of the mid-bass range is controlled quite well. This amount of sub-bass is increased by a sufficient amount, without causing shock or ear fatigue when listening for a long period of time. With a dynamic driver in the price range of less than $40, Zero does not have the depth of the frequency range naturally, but the tension of the bass range is still reproduced relatively well, with solid force and speed of response. Makes the sound quality of the main drum in music more lively and somewhat resembles the beating force of the main drum when played on busking speakers, for example about 2 The first second of the song “Bury The Light” by artists Casey Edwards and Victor Borba.
Because the Salnotes Zero’s bass range focuses more on the sub-bass range than the mid-bass range, bass-heavy tracks such as those in the EDM genre are expressed deep and vivid, but the drum is still reproduced clearly and the volume is not overwhelmed by lower frequencies. However, for some users who love rich sound or deep bass like large speakers, Zero is not the best choice. The level of detail in the bass range is also not an outstanding advantage of the product, partly due to the driver used inside the headset, but the volume of the most basic sound information in this range such as guitar accompaniment, bass level of the tom-tom drum is not lacking and is clearly expressed. Overall, this headphone model is fine-tuned in both volume and bass quality in a balanced way within the price range, without having to trade off many advantages to focus on a separate advantage.
Mid range:
Continuing with the goal of bringing neutral sound quality at a low price to users is the way to reproduce the midrange range of Salnotes Zero. This can be considered the product’s biggest advantage compared to a series of other competitors in the same price range.
Starting with the vocals: male vocalists are fully expressed, without lacking energy in the lower frequency range of the voice; The long, high-mid range is emphasized to help the female vocalist stand out above the music and focus more on the center of the soundstage. Types of audio information in the mid-range such as piano, the “sharp” nature of electric guitar (e.g. the intro to “Live & Learn” by the band Crush 40), the rest of the drum set such as snare drums, tom tom drums, cow bells… have a standard volume, without over-emphasis or obvious loss of detail. However, with the emphasis on the high-mid range, some subjects who are sensitive to this frequency region (the frequency range that concentrates many frequencies of the voice) will have a harsh feeling, but for the majority of users is not a concern.
Looking at this range in general, Zero will be a headphone model for those who love the midrange, chase the neutral sound of popular instruments such as pianos, acoustic guitars, or want to listen to voices. The singing is clear and stands out above the music; Suitable for listening to rock, jazz, classical, ballad…
Treble range:
As a headphone model in the low-cost segment, having an expansion in the frequency range is difficult to do. The sound detail in this range is reproduced by Zero in an average, not unique way, but with just enough volume to express the basic sound information in this range such as the brighter frequency range of an acoustic guitar – Iron strings, snare drums, electronic musical instruments… To compensate for the loss of detail in the sound, the Salnotes Zero slightly emphasizes the low treble range but still reproduces it smoothly and neutrally for the most part, without creating resonant peak frequencies outstanding; has enough power for high-pitched musical instruments such as gongs, cymbals, tambourines… without making them too hot and painful to the ears. Some users who are sensitive to this frequency range may still feel that the overall sound quality of the product is too bright and “sharp”. This slight increase in the low treble range creates the feeling that the frequency range is being expanded for the user, but in fact the frequency range from 10kHz and above does not have much volume, and the emphasis on treble on Zero is to limit the disadvantages of Dynamic driver is used in this headphone model. Vocal fricatives are not usually prominent in most music, but especially in poorly recorded music there is a slight intensity that can be distracting listener.
In short, although this headphone model does not have much advantage in a particular point, it can still give users the most complete experience for the money spent on the product.
Soundstage and timbre:
Like most IEM models on the market, achieving a wide soundstage is difficult to achieve, largely due to their design and operating structure, and Salnotes Zero is no exception. However, thanks to the increased amount of treble and the bass not being emphasized too much, this headphone model can create the feeling of listening in a large space for the user. The positions of the instruments are placed relatively, spanning the soundstage that this product has. For tracks that don’t have a lot of audio information, the product is able to separate the instrument layers faithfully and clearly, but with some tracks like Sheena Ringo’s “長く短い祭,” the Zero has trouble trying to Try to separate the layers of accompaniment instruments in the bass range and much of the main information in the midrange.
As a headphone model that supports dynamic drivers, Salnotes Zero does not have the problem of lacking seamlessness like other headphone models that use many different types of drivers. And thanks to this way of fine-tuning sound quality, the product has quite high fidelity when reproducing the naturalness of popular musical instruments such as pinao, acoustic guitar – plastic strings… Although there is a slight “sharpness” in the low treble, it does not change the total timbre of the frequency range too much.
Compare
With Moondrop Chu:
TL;DR: users who do not like the sound quality of Moondrop Chu, especially in the treble range, should experience the 7Hz Salnotes Zero.
Looking at the total frequency spectrum of these two headphone models, there are quite a few similarities in the amount of bass and midrange and there is a slight difference in the treble range. But in terms of practicality, from design, level of completion to overall sound quality of the two products, there are some points to keep in mind when choosing:
In terms of design, Moondrop Chu has a more minimalist and rounded appearance compared to the square edges on the appearance of Salnotes Zero. At the same time, Chu’s body is relatively small, suitable for more users. However, some users have the opinion that the Spring Tips set – the exclusive Moondrop brand earplug set – does not help Chu to firmly adhere to the ear cavity.
If comparing the level of perfection between the two products after a few days of use, Moondrop Chu will definitely gain a great advantage in user confidence thanks to its equipped with a metal shell, matte black paint, creating a feeling of confidence. It feels more luxurious and durable than the glossy plastic material found on Salnotes Zero. But depending on the environment the headphones are exposed to, the rough black paint on the outside of the Chu case will gradually peel off. This problem appears quite a lot on models SSR, SSP, Aria (2021), Aria Snow, Starfield… and up to now, the company still has no way to completely fix it. But for Salnotes Zero, the glossy black plastic material can bring a more lasting experience to the user and not have to worry about the longevity of the product.
In terms of sound quality alone, the tension of the bass range on Zero is reproduced more completely than on Chu. The response speed of the bass range of both products is fast, but with Zero, users can feel the fullness of the bass range more, helping basic information such as drum and guitar accompaniment to be expressed is now round and solid, taking advantage of this sound quality tuning and the response speed of the driver type supported inside the Zero, compared to the weak bass force shown on the Chu.
The difference between Chu and Zero is more clearly shown in the treble range. While Zero only lightly emphasizes the low treble to help users feel like the frequency range is expanding and sound details are reproduced more prominently, Chu still takes a similar direction but not really natural: the detailed information in the sound is reproduced more clearly than with the Zero, but at the same time pushes the fricative consonants in the vocals quite high. With some tracks recorded brightly or not recorded well; Songs with many sounds of cymbals, tambourines, triangle drums…, Chu will not “relent” and change the timbre to “sharp”, not honest and accurate.
Summary
Advantage
Glossy plastic appearance; The wall height is quite high, especially in the price range.
The amount of bass is well controlled, has a fast response speed but still ensures the tension of the sound information in the bass range.
Neutral sound range, fully expressing basic audio information; The female vocals are lightly emphasized to help appear close to the center of the stage.
Sound details in the treble range are relatively expressed, with emphasis to help users feel the expansion in the frequency range.
Tracks that don’t have too much audio information will be separated into instrument layers quite well.
Defect
Square design and relatively large size; may not fit some users with small ears.
Not a choice for users who love rich sound quality or deep bass.
Subjects who are sensitive to this frequency range (the frequency range where many voice frequencies are concentrated) can feel the roughness and heat of this range.
The frequency range is not naturally extended; Common disadvantages on headphone models that support cheap dynamic drivers.
Narrow soundstage: no width or depth.
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