This is an absolute winner of an i.e.m. I was amazed 10 seconds into listening to these. The tuning on the Zero is perfect. Good tuning can be elusive even in earphones costing literally 100 times this price. But the Salnotes tuner has some serious chops. The signature is very natural, verging on neutral (I wouldn’t mix and master on these, but I could use them in general composition without messing anything up too badly) and they’ve really nailed the sweet spot where the bass has a very decent rumble and thump without obscuring the sense of clarity of the overall sound. I feel like every set I buy these days has an emphasis in the upper midrange frequencies, (which I hate) but the Zero avoids this pitfall, keeping the mids relatively calm. Theres still a little more energy there than neutral, which keeps it engaging without being fatiguing. They also keep the treble at the perfect level, giving you a sense of airiness without ever being sharp. But more than just great tuning, these have very good technicalities as well. Not the most detailed set, but better than anything else I have in the price range. And the staging and imaging accuracy are so good that the sound feels immersive even without crazy detail. The stage is not huge, but its very round and evenly distributed, which really allows the imaging accuracy to stand out; Among the best imaging I’ve heard on single- dynamic-driver set. I highly recommend the Zero.
The packaging is right on target for this price point – a small simple box with just the essentials included – a good-enough-cable, a bag of silicone tips (which are rainbow, and surprisingly comfortable – big fan) and the iems themselves. The build is also impressive. I got the blue ones, and I think they look really unique, but also feel very substantial – they kind of remind me of the new plastic shells on some of the Campfire Audio sets. The shape of the shell is very angular and blocky, but they some how fit really well without any discomfort. These are a perfect every-day-carry headphone, and new Queen/King of the $20 price point. Well done Salnotes/7hz!
