This time I got a package from the young Chinese company TRUTHEAR off the post. It had two pairs of wired in-ear headphones, the GATE and the NOVA. For this review, I picked the budget-friendly GATE model, which comes with a single dynamic driver priced at $15.19, with a 24% discount. You can choose between headphones and a headset, but I got the headphones, not the headset, which was a bit of a letdown since a headset at this price point is quite intriguing for everyday use.
The box looks small and cute. Let’s dive in.
What TRUTHEAR offers in their wired headphones TRUTHEAR GATE
- A new 10 mm dynamic driver with a carbon and LCP diaphragm, CCAW coil, the strongest n52 magnet, and a reliable suspension system.
- The dynamic driver is tuned with HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function).
- High-quality eartips in two types and different sizes to suit your preferences.
- Detachable cable with 2pin (0.78 mm) and 3.5 mm Jack connectors.
From my side, it’s clear these follow the Harman target curve, but is that truly the case?
Sound in TRUTHEAR GATE in-ear headphones
The simple body houses a good single dynamic driver with quite a proper frequency response and acceptable quality. The GATE headphones don’t have fancy body modifications like bass reflex tubes or expensive crossovers with EQ adjustments; you get the honest sound of a dynamic driver.
- Overall sound: Feels linear with a cut on low frequencies and uneven high frequencies. The sound channel feels damped, “lacking air” in the driver, making the sound somewhat muffled.
- Bass: Not very pronounced. The sub-bass lacks volume, and the mid-bass is choked, losing out to the mids, which sometimes dominate.
- Mids: Sound commendable, especially considering the price. Male and female vocals are well-executed. Some pricier models can’t compete. Opera vocals and wind instruments sound natural, though the emotion is a bit lacking.
- Highs: Slightly fall short at the top end, but the main treble range sounds decent. Cymbals and artist’s whistles are there. When playing channel sweeps, the highs are uneven (sometimes louder, sometimes quieter).
- Detail: Surprisingly good, better than expected for this price segment.
- Soundstage: Understandable, not very clear, but distinguishable and coherent.
- Conclusion: These headphones pleasantly surprised me with their capabilities. They’re great for chamber and classical music, except organ due to weak bass. Also suitable for jazz. Vocals in opera and pop styles sound great in the mids. Chinese marketers overpromised: there’s no HRTF tuning.
- Sound for under $50: 7 out of 10.
- Sound up to $100: 6.5 out of 10.
Comparison with Competitors
- In this price range, HIFIMAN RE400 without the letter at the end comes to mind. Compared to TRUTHEAR GATE, they sound like poor relatives, performing weakly across the entire frequency range, with nothing to offer in terms of detail and soundstage. So, in this price range, they are clear favorites.
- In the more expensive segment above $50, it’s not as clear-cut.
Design, comfort and kit
- The headphones come in a small but quality box with a nicely drawn anime character on the front and technical data on the back.
- The headphone bodies have transparent plastic faceplates and glossy black bodies. There are two compensation holes on the back, one small in the sound tube chamber covered by damping cloth, the other open. Through the transparent faceplates, you can see the simple construction. The headphones are small and light, fitting comfortably without causing discomfort.
- The cable initially seemed non-detachable but turned out to have a 2Pin connector for replacement. For the price, it looks pretty good. A downside is that removing the cable leaves an open hole.
- Eartips: 7 pairs of good quality, split into two types: wide-bore and narrow-bore.
Ratings dropped due to open holes in the body and a strange design that leaves mixed feelings.
- Material quality: 7 out of 10
- Design: 7 out of 10
- Comfort: 9 out of 10
Conclusion
TRUTHEAR engineers probably thought, “Why reinvent the wheel? It’s already invented, just use the right materials”. And they made the TRUTHEAR GATE. The marketers and designers came up with an interesting design and modest but cute packaging. And they nailed it – this is the right product presentation and formula for success.
The headphones have a grown-up sound: sufficient bass, quality mids, well-accented highs, and surprisingly detailed soundstage.
Who are the TRUTHEAR GATE IEMs for? Primarily for music lovers who prioritize detailed mids, plus beginner audiophiles to understand well-done mids and enter the world of Hi-res audio.
I really liked the TRUTHEAR GATE and would love to listen to interesting-sounding headphones for a modest $15.19.
