Closer Examination

Okay, so there's not just the cable which is found inside the carry/storage case. You see, the various revisions of the Truthear x Crinacle ZERO:RED resulted in ultimately differing opinion on two different versions. Some preferred the version with more bass whereas others preferred the cleaner, less bassy iteration. Truthear and Crinacle decided the best compromise was to have the latter be the default retail product but we get a 10 Ω impedance adapter thrown in for the stock cable to help add more bass—more of this later. Using this is as simple as plugging in the cable's right-angled 3.5 mm single-ended source connector into the adapter which in turn gives you one in return. The cable itself is the exact same as what we got with the ZERO (and HEXA) to where it does feel clear that the accessories have not changed. I am not complaining here since this is a pretty decent cable to begin with. It uses silver-plated oxygen-free copper in a quad-strand configuration as the conductor for low resistance and capacitance alike. The splitter has the Truthear logo on one side and the name spelled out on the other, with a functional cable cinch helping ensure the two individual channels are securely held in place however you wish to use them. The braiding past the splitter is slightly loose, but there were no microphonics perceived in use and the entire cable to this point was easy enough to re-shape as needed, albeit can get tangled up to where I almost wished the cable from the less-expensive Truthear HOLA was used here instead. Then we get to the pre-formed ear hooks which can be overly aggressive—possibly to help compensate for the lack of angled housings on the IEM-side connectors—and firm, so there may be some people who would benefit from using a heat gun or hair dryer to re-shape them. The opaque sheath also makes this section look cheap in my opinion, and then we get to two straight housings that host 0.78 mm two-pin connectors headed to the IEMs. There are L/R markings to help distinguish the left and right channels and all the metal contacts are gold-plated for oxidation resistance.


I had mentioned in my review of the Truthear x Crinacle ZERO how I thought the shells and face plates made quite a strong statement in looking and feeling more premium than the price point suggests. The new ZERO:RED follows up by re-using the same shell design, albeit they appear slightly darker in color now. These are made for Truthear by Heygears, a 3D printing design and manufacturing company that has worked with more established brands including FiiO and MOONDROP, using DLP (digital light processing) 3D printing. There were two face plate versions made during the development of the ZERO:RED with one being a direct palette swap of the ZERO, except in shades of red rather than blue. I am glad that we ended up with the other face plate which still has a three-dimensional feel to it except going more the route of feathers/leaves instead to further differentiate the aesthetics from the original ZERO. The face plates are glue-dropped onto the shells for capping before the IEMs are hand-polished and varnish sprayed to give a glossy finish that allows the decorative face plate to literally shine through. Branding comes in the form of Truthear printed on the upper side and this is not really visible in use.


A closer look at the face plates shows they are still somewhat receptive to incident light, going from darker to brighter notes red. I would say the ZERO:RED is still flashy enough to grab attention in public thus, so this is something to be aware of if you want to maintain a stealthier profile. Further examination of the shells reveals they are slightly see-through to allow for a teaser look at both dynamic drivers inside, with the smaller of the two placed closer to the nozzle. There is a single vent on the side shared by both drivers with L/R markings found alongside to help indicate the left and right channels, respectively. A protrusion in the shells here helps cover the recessed 0.78 mm female connectors that the cable fits into. The side profile also shows a longer nozzle than average with a thick bore at ~6.2 mm in diameter. There are retaining notches built-in to help secure the ear tips in place, and a pre-installed metal filter prevents contaminants from entering the acoustic chamber.


Fitting the different ear tips will require you to slightly stretch the inner bore to fit over the nozzle before pushing them in and going around to ensure they are not at an angle. The notches in the nozzle help with this process and provide a hard stop to indicate the ear tips are in all the way. Seen above are each of the included size M silicone and foam ear tips installed on the Truthear x Crinacle ZERO:RED. Try out the various tips and sizes, and keep in mind that both ear canals won't necessarily have the best seal with the same size or set, either.


Regardless of which tips you pick, the next step is to connect the cable by carefully identifying the matching channels and orienting the ear hooks around your ear when connecting the IEMs. Doing so is simple as you simply push the 2-pin connectors in place and they remain there via a friction fit. The recessed connectors in the shells helps further by avoiding any unnecessary extension on the cables too. The 3.5 mm connection then goes to a source with the equivalent single-ended output, either by itself or with the provided 10 Ω impedance adapter, and I found myself using this set on the go mostly paired with the excellent Questyle M15 or the Qudelix-5K.


Before we move on, here is a look at the ZERO:RED alongside the ZERO itself. You can see how the two are very similar in design despite the differing face plates, and the shells on the ZERO:RED are darker than on the ZERO. Interestingly, the added tint helps make the drivers look slightly red to better match the product name.