Gamer APPROVED!!! Footsteps and gunshots are super easy to follow with these. Need a gaming iem on a budget? THESE. 100%. FPS sweetspot. Very good imaging. I can pin point people all over the map. Awesome stuff given the price.
Wanted to give an update on my experience with the Sonus, for those who might be interested in them. I posted a comment here before that I enjoyed them for the things Paul noted - love the squeaky clean mids (for an amateur listener like me), and the bass quality, again for me, is really sweet (enough quantity and really like the texture for progressive/math rock/metal type of music for example). My only caveat was that I occasionally found them too bright - for example, with distorted guitars playing higher note solos. But throughout this short time, what I've learned to do is actually listen at a lower volume than I thought I needed to. Paul made a note of this in the video and it really rings true for me. Initially, the lower volume makes you feel like you might be missing out on some detail and clarity, but you quickly learn that isn't the case. The resolution is still there while minimising the potentially too bright highs. So at the $60 price point, I really think it's superb value. I started out with the 7hz Zero, and still use it regularly as I genuinely love them for a lot of my music (rock - indie, math, progressive, shoegaze, alt, dream, pop). I actually don't really ever find them too bright. I can listen to them at volume with no fatigue. Only find it lacking bass and oomph when listening to rap/hiphop (Kanye, Kendrick, Drake, JCole). But again, for the right library, they are a worthwhile upgrade from the 7hz Zero (and even Wan'er, my other ultra budget set - more bass/midbass and more vocal forward). Again, just wanted to share my thoughts for anyone that might be interested in a similar upgrade path. 🙂
Glad you are putting in the time to get it dialed in. I don't mean to create work for people but parts of my review are literally meant for people who bought sets and find the review months later. Try this, pay attention to this, etc. That path you followed is exactly where you need to be.
@@PaulWasabii Thanks again for all you do for the community! Know you are genuinely appreciated by those of us who can't splurge on every IEM we want 😅
@@hammerfall6666 i wouldn't say sparkly. But the treble at $20 is more than acceptable. Not fatiguing but i also wouldn't say a ton of air. The highlight of the Wan'er to me is the vocals are slightly pushed forward. Which can be a good or bad thing depending on the person.
@@KmtS9I also start up from 7hz salnotes zero, want to upgrade to sonus, is the sonus treble really that sharp compared to the salnotes? Also is the sonus a great upgrade from the technicalities and separation compare to the salnotes?
Nice to see another budget hybrid. In addition to the EM6L and Fudu, this year has given up Hexa, Galileo, and now Sonus. The early and toned down pinna makes the Sonus a bit different than the others, and the lower price point is a win. The Galileo is my favorite of this batch, but I haven't heard the Fudu or Sonus.
Right, the toned down pinna is going to target people looking for it and it is well done in Sonus. Fudu did it as well in a bassier, warmer tone. If I had Galileo and that is another vocal specialist, I'd keep Sonus in the queue, but no need to jump on it right now.
I ordered one by accident but kept the order cause it seemed interesting enough. The sound you describe is more of my prefrence. Similar to a hexa. So im quite delighted that i kept the order now. Cant wait to get it in the mail
Hexa has a pinna area that rose later, 7hz rises earlier but lower. As I talked about, there is a subtle impedance effect that happens right at that point, so try Sonus on anything you have that plays music. I think both will go down as nice sets for the price.
@PaulWasabii honestly. Hot take possibly...I think the sonus sounds better than my hexa in terms of tonality on vocals. The hexa does better for like rock or jrock where you need a lot of energy. The sonus however has very comparable imaging, and slightly wider sound stage. It's more balanced sounding. Low end is relatively the same...maybe edge goes to hexa slightly. Just a bit more texture. The sonus to me, sounds extremely phenomenal on something like duets such as OH Wonder...oh my God do they sound so good on the sonus. Reminds me shocking of the m40x with hm5 pads. Just less sound stage. I'm really impressed. They sound like they should cost more tbh. I was expecting decent sound but this. This is surprisingly well done. Might not have as much detail as my hexa or kato, but it's not missing much at all in comparison and the tuning is just incredible. This is my first experience with 7hz and thoroughly impressed. I was not expecting to fall in love with them like I have. This...matches my personal preference perfectly. Idk how they did it but they did it. This is the tuning I've been looking for. So greatful I didn't cancel my accidental order 😂. I look forward to seeing what they release next
@@PaulWasabiialso, accessories are REALLY GOOD for the price and even nicer than whats included in sets more expensive than it. Even the stock tips were surprisingly good and came with others, tuning filters, and a better cable than others at the price range. I think it's an absolute banger for the price
@@PaulWasabiiplease, give "Shark" , "Lose it", and "I wish I never met you (accoustic)"by oh wonder a listen to on these. It just shines so beautifully on these. It gave me tingles 😢
Thank you for the great review! I got this set on sale for about $43. I really love the clean sound of it. And I got it mostly for its gaming prowess. I just do not like the cable and tips they provided with the iem. Tips are too hard in the nozzle and the cable was too noisey with a dongle. I changed to 7Hz Zero 2 cable and tips. Now I really love these and don't hear noise on the same dongle. I'm thinking about getting a better cable and portable dac / amp, but for now it's good enough.
Shes a beauty..holy she ite..ya snagged the red color 7hz sonus..I wasnt aware ,they had the red shells...cant really tell, its looks, like it might be a chunky munky , that would pretude outta my ears..also, luv the 2pin flat cable..you dont see many flat cables..maybe a trend soon , would luv to ,purchase theee, sonus, buttt...that nozzle length, has me questioning the fit..I bought the ikko oh 300s...without the eartips even attached, the nozzle.. They ,stuck way outta my ears, had ta send em back...Nice review PW..Thank you for your videos..there spot on..foe zhure!!!
Thanks. I wasn't aware the red was the rare one until I woke up and people are shocked I have the red. Just luck, I didn't request it and thankful they sent it in any color.
@PaulWasabii my bad!! Lol..I just saw on linsoul/ amazon, they had all 3 colors...lol...there nice looking iems..foe sure..thanx for ur reply..PW..peace
Gotta say the best sonus red review out there ! Thank you for the great review Paul. Very comprehensive ❤ Just one question - Would 7hz sonus would be a good choice for mixing/mastering songs over truthear red
Thanks. You can almost flip a coin over Red. Red is cleaner, no BA timbre if that annoys you. There is a general appeal to 2DD over 1+1ba. I would take the bit more bass on Sonus though. But the two are close and not sure there is really an advantage to either other than some people don't like BAs, would always choose DD over BA.
Man your reviews are really good. I say this everytime I watch one of your reviews 😄but its true theyre just different. Im learning alot from watching them. I ordered this set today so Im just watching a couple of reviews before they arrive. Based on the graphs I was able to find ima be bass bosting them with eq after I listen to them with stock tuning for a little bit. I use peace/apo eq. I already made some presets for the Waner set and it sounds better to me with some bass boosts 🔈🔉🔊. I can just use the Waner eq presets pretty much for Sonus and the bass boost should sound decent.
On Sonus, you need to pay attention to what your ear is saying at the 2-3k area, shouty or sharp. EQ that area if you need to. Maybe even before a bass boost. The idea is if you tick 2-3k down, you will hear a bit more bass. That is theory, but you are absolutely on the right track, EQ to your preferences and spend time with sets. Don't just keep buying the next one. Sonus is an odd one though, some people didn't like it. I think they hit the right price point with it and the tuning appeals to me.
@@PaulWasabii "The idea is if you tick 2-3k down, you will hear a bit more bass" Damn I didnt know/think about that. I had it the other way around. If I boost the bass then the treble will get drowned out a bit/less harsh. Ill try that technique too from now on thanks.
Duo is more for people who like it brighter, Sonus is balanced. That is a subtle difference but there is a market for that leaner, brighter sound of Duo. Sonus tried to hit cleaner without being too lean and keeping that subbass when it is needed.
No worries, you can say it. People do, part of the job. No one gets them all right or perfect but you stumbled into a set that I like more than most people. I still like Sonus. I don't know how they pulled it off and my ears are probably closer to the tuner than most. Instantly clicked with me.
@@PaulWasabii I am going to try them out see if they earn a spot in my daily driver collection.. Just love the graph.. BTW thanks for the suggestion about micropore tape, my PR2s are much better now, amazingly so, lower mids and mids up, and more layered/complex, treble peaks tamed, by 80% anyway, one layer of tape over the spout, another covering half, not perfect, but now I have the confidence to try unusual materials, I am sure I will get there.. Have lots of seperation, a bit of holographics, and sweeter tone now.. I am stupidly attached to the PR2s.. Thanks a lot!
Hey Paul, been daily-ing the 7hz Sonus and actually really enjoy it. Basically hear it as you have described it here. To me, it sounds really open and the instruments well-separated. I like the bass level that it has and genuinely appreciate the more open mid-range. If I have a caveat, it probably is that there are some times that I found it a bit too bright. Not painfully piercing, but it does straddle the line for my ears. I wasn't really expecting this due to the lower and earlier pina, so I'm not really sure what causes it. For reference, I find the 7hz Zero to be less piercing, which is surprising since a lot of people find that set to be too bright. Maybe it's because of that earlier pina? Side note, also been using the Z300 a lot and probably prefer them as my IEMs for when I'm working. Definitely warmer and bassier, which does impact some of the details and separation, but I'm quite happy with the treble. I was worried they would be too dark, but I think they did a great job of not making it sound dull despite the heavier and fuller low end. Definitely a nice contrast to the Sonus!
I swear there is a source pairing thing with Sonus. I said impedance raises the pinna area but not 100% if it is just impedance. I noticed that it sounded different on different sources and that pinna area is suspect. There is a point where it sounds very balanced so if you deviate just a bit, it was noticeable to me. Keep it around, some day you might pick up another dongle or dac/amp and try it.
@@PaulWasabii Yes, sorry, i realised you either mentioned that in the video or in another comment i read, and didn't really understand it. But thanks for clearing that up and you probably are right. I heard the spikes when using my Topping DX1. But not so much or at all with my cheap JCally JM6 dongle. I honestly thought i was going crazy, but seems like the source does impact quite a bit. I'll do more A/B-ing to be sure. PLUS, i have a Moondrop Dawn Pro coming for an added variable. Btw, got the Dawn Pro for about $32(!!), which is why i impulse bought it 😭. And literally, just today, i can also buy the Fiio KA13 DAC for about $60 😭😭 but holding on for dear life to not pull the trigger 😂
I am not sure if they built both here, but I know they spent a bunch of time getting the pairing and extension right. That is basically why most cheap 1+1 weren't that good, either metallic or no extension or both.
I am starting to like low pinna gain more these days I don't mind a bit of 2-4khzfor vocal clarity but when theres quite a bit of 2-4khz and quite a bit of 4-8khz the whole iem sounds kinda grainy, edgy, hissy all at the same time, add in a lot of extension up to 16khz or worse a spiky treble section beyond 10khz and I find the whole iem impossible to listen to. Which is what makes finding decent iems hard for me, as so many get recommended but then mess up the treble section or the upper mids make everything too sharp, too airy, so many harman tuned iems, some sounding okay, while others sound bright/sharp/grainy. not sure how they are all considered Harman.
You need to get into low pinna gain and also EQ and/or tuning filters. EQ is easiest as you can poke at the areas you mentioned. I would also think about how your ears respond to small amounts of more midbass and less pinna. EQ helps you learn what sounds right to you. Tuning filters typically affect the pinna area so you can get an idea again of what sounds better to you, the trade off in pinna or detail/resolution sometimes. You can try Simgot's kit www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806070697350.html
@Paulwasabii Hola, saludos desde México, estoy considerando entre 7hz sonus, simgot ew200, Hzsound Hart Mirror Zero, cual de estos tres me recomiendas para escuchar diferente tipo de música, la verdad solo me importa para escuchar mi música, ya que los tres están casi al mismo nivel de precio.? pero mi primera opción son los 7hz sonus y después los demás, me gusta lo neutral pero a la vez disfrutar la música .. saludos ✌️
Hola, EW200 is the most general purpose set. Sonus is next and handles many genres of music but the midbass level is a bit low. Heartmirror is more "technical" meaning sharper, and more focused on treble, least general purpose of the 3.
Which one is better KZ krila or sonus?? I used KZ krila it’s very detailed & has better imaging in gaming than 7hz zero, so I am thinking whether to buy 7hz sonus or stick with krila ??
For gaming, Krilla is probably pulling out what you need while Sonus is going to be better at music. Krila is a bargain if it is working for you. Don't chase more money sets unless you are looking for better music playback.
Coming from a TRN TA3, would you recommend getting the 7hz Sonus or Truthear Hexa for a good all rounder with a wide soundstage and good separation? Thank You Paul! Great review as always!
I never heard Hexa and oddly there aren't many who talked about Sonus vs Hexa. I have no idea really. I think Truthear is about to release a set under Hexa I think so might be worth watching how it plays out.
@@PaulWasabii thanks Paul. I'm looking into getting something round $100 still having difficulty though. I'll wait for some reviews before getting something new as an upgrade.
Most people gravitate to the 7hz Zero or if you like more bass, Zero 2. Sonus will work, just saying what most people buy for gaming is Zero, Chu, Zero2, Chu2.
@@PaulWasabii Sounds like Cadenza is what i should get, i just started trying iems and i want to find out the tonality i want before i spend more on them but there are SO MANY IEMS NOW hahaha
Really like your approach for these reviews, keep up the good work! Would you say it is worth getting this set if i have Olina SE? For sub.bass itch i have the fiio fh3. Thanks!
On Olina, try covering the vent hole closest to the nozzle, that will get you a couple db at least. Porous tape like micropore is best but throw clear on it if that is all you have to try for a few minutes. You kinda trade more subbass for less midbass with Sonus to Olina. Depending on your music, that could be what you want. If you just want an affordable bass banger, some chance KZ Castor bass edition will do it, that is nearly 15db of bass. Not quite out yet.
Fudu is the most relaxed so most generally likeable, plus it has a good amount of bass and warmth. Sonus and EM6L are sets for later, more refined sounds. Hard to say how you will take to them. If I gave Fudu to a random person they would get it, Sonus would sound a bit thin due to the midbass, and EM6L a bit bright.
I would say yes actually. It goes right to the point of the lowered 2k area vs the larger peak that you get on Titan that gives it a leaner sound. If you like your music a little brighter, then Titan is better but Sonus has better balance lower to upper. Both very nice sets, but as I said, the lowered 2k is my preference.
Hi, i have the Simgot ew200 and love it a lot but its just a bit too bright (sibilance), do you think this Sonus is on the same level concerning timbre and technicalities? And is it a bit more relaxed tuned?
Any time you introduce a BA and you say "timbre", there is always going to be a trade off and a 1BA is going to be noticeable vs a 1DD where you get the best timbre for the money. What you get is better technicalities with a BA and Sonus, especially if you use higher quality music a decent dongle or dac/amp. Even as you go up price beyond Sonus, that DD timbre is always hard to beat and most people chase it in hybrids. I don't know your level of pickiness on timbre, but Sonus is a great starting point to figure out if hybrids are something that offer you the best tradeoff between the two.
@@PaulWasabii wow Paul, thanks for this very detailled explanation (highly appreciated), i listen all my music with Tidal and i use a Shanling up4 2022 edition for my iem’s. I made a list of possible upgrades that i am highly interested in…. 7hz Sonus, Tangzu Fu Du and the Simgot EM6L. I also have the Tangzu wan’er and i like the warm sound that it has, but when i listen to my ew200 and go back to the wan’er then you definitely miss some clarity (maybe that can be eq’d). I really like a “smooth” experience when i listen to my library of songs, with a bot of authority in the lows, clear mids and clear treble without being to sparky/sibilant. I did do some comparison with the Squiglink eq tool, and just by looking at that info i think the Tangzu Fu Du or EM6L would be the bes5 contenders, or not?
@@davegorthuis679 You know where you are headed, down the EQ path. Sometimes it just makes more sense to make a small change than chasing a unicorn set. What might be missing from Sonus is the bass, so do that on your source if you have a bass button or EQ. It is tuned to be clear and achieved that by that little dip in the bass level. I think you can dial that in quicker than buying sets. Fudu is the opposite, probably would take a slight reduction in the midbass to promote clarity in the mids. Simgot is probably a two step, upper mid drop and maybe bass. That one is harder. On squig, you can AutoEq one bass shelf to the other so Sonus to Fudu and then tweak the values down. Sonus is affordable enough and you will learn so much about your preferences if you can learn how to EQ it.
I would take Sonus but ZAR is a big bass set, so if that is what you are looking for, then ZAR. Sonus is more refined, has lighter bass, perhaps less fun than ZAR.
If those are your priority, then get an analytical set. Sonus is more balanced but technically going to get compared to sets at its price down to Wan'er. There is really EA500 and everything else under its price at this point.
Simgot sets tend to have more upper mids, that is the biggest and significant difference. I have tried twice to explain it and until you have one of their sets in your ears, its very difficult to understand their house sound and why its different than Sonus, Fudu, Phoenicall, etc. I know, not really an answer, but with Simgot, the upper mids and into the treble is everything about their house sound which divides those who like it and those who think its too much. Sonus is balanced so doesn't have that brighter upper range.
Hi Paul... would you consider this over the aria or project red by crin? im eyeing on this coz this looks nice as the aria and project red. but not just the looks, but which iems you would love to listen your perspective i mean
I am a closet Aria fan, closet Harman fan. That is why I don't complain about so many sets in that style. Goes back to what I mentioned on the bass level, Aria is more than Sonus, just like the bulk of the other Harman sets. Sonus is a bit more like Snow Edition, where there was an intention for a cleaner bass shelf. Red is more in line with Sonus. On Red vs Sonus, I was serious on the lower pinna area, that is my preference and sets that execute it well end up sounding great to me. I'd say if you haven't tried that style, then Sonus should be on your shopping list. Aria if you like that thicker bottom, Sonus as a reference for lower pinna and that bass shelf.
Actually Sonus is and I like Sonus more. But generally, if a person off the street asked me which to get, I'd say EW200 as it has a bit more bass. That is going to come across as more generally like-able where Sonus is more neutral in bass and treble.
Yeah, there is no consensus on what makes a good gaming IEM other than stay away from lopsided signatures, too bassy or too bright. Sonus is a nice balanced set, should get your low end effects and upper as well. Plus it looks cool in red.
I am not sure and probably no way to look it up. Its just slightly different and most people have not noticed. If you plug it into your phone and then laptop, you might catch it but its small.
So not more mature, but I do think a big part of Sonus is response to feedback on Zero. The bass shelf is almost identical but as you hit the upper mids, they brought it down to make it more generall appealing while maintaining enough energy for female vocals. I prefer Sonus to Zero for that reason. I also think they nailed a more generally appealing balance in Sonus where Zero still lands a bit bright, can get fatiguing after a while.
Yeah or the first step on your journey to all BA or hybrids. Its hard to explain what you get with a 1+1 vs a 1DD, so these sets are great introductions for those who might end up at an SA6.
Comes down to warmth and midbass, if you like more, then Fudu. Both are good, but so much of Fudu is that Tangzu warm smooth sound which will make Sonus sound thin.
