Dan Reviews | Hola, Hexa. Trend setters, followers, or something in between? 

Additional commentary upon re-listening to these, October 2023... Truthear Hola: I think I enjoy these more than the Hexa (even though these are from the same brand and cheaper). When I put these in my ears, I just perked up immediately while listening to Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. Her vocals came out beautifully. The treble isn't too taxing, but its present just enough to give a great sense of openness and listenable detail. It almost sparkles in a nice way. Almost. It's ever so slightly holding back - perhaps for good measure, so as not to fatigue. Still, I wonder how much it could stand NOT holding back in some spots. Bass hits nicely, without being warm ever. This may be less than what people want who like a cozier, warmer style bass. Still, the bass hits with that upper mid impact, the drums (both snare and kick) are quite pleasing. Perhaps my critique is that the vocals have a tad bit of unclean noise behind them. It seems like there's some bit of upper end noise - probably a spot or two in the treble - that makes it ever so slightly off from feeling the most polished possible. Still, it's a very nice and cohesive picture of a flavor profile this is going for. I really dig its attempt at a punchy, prominent, yet somewhat open sound. For $20, this is a great starter. Putting this in the "Loved" category seems to make sense to me right now (as of writing, October, 2023). I'm not sure what I was hearing before in my review that had me place these somewhat lower in prestigiousness, but I more than enjoy what it's offering, especially at this price. Downsides: Metal and rock are a tad rough. That bit of upper end noise and lack of total polish and clear air can hur the Hola on busy or intense instrumentations on the upper end. I could see this as merely "enjoyable" for those cases. Actually yea, it goes back to enjoyable. But it stands out pretty dang well. Truthear Hexa: ....additional commentary coming soon.

Dan, wow! Now you're the ONLY headphone review guy I go to. Love listening to the samples vs everyone else who only "talk" about everything and has led me in the wrong direction many many times.

Woah, where did I get $30 from?? Quarks DSP price correction: $15 Moondrop Quarks DSP Microphone USB-C Enclosed Front Cavity Magnetic Specialized High-Performance 6mm Miniature Dynamic Driver in-Ear Headphone a.co/d/2po4tTL And sorry again everyone, matching loudness of my commentary with the demo playback is very difficult. Please, depending on your sound system, be ready to adjust volumes as needed for comfortable transitions.

Owning both the Hola and the Zero, it's interesting to see how different our preference here is. I agree with pretty much all of your conclusions when comparing the two, I just have a preference for the Hola (albeit to a lesser extent than your preference for the zero). IMO the Hola kind of completes the market in the $20 range by offering a good product that appeals to a slightly different type of audience than the zero.

These sound demos are so useful and really highlight the differences. But honestly the best are the demo tracks. They're so good. Who needs algorithms, I can do my music discovery right here (Haer, where have you been all my life?!). Keep the content coming, Dan.

You are doing these things better and better Dan! Thanks for your effort

Just my two cents: From today's selection I own the hexa and s12 and I have to say I slightly prefer the hexa overall but not for all things. I wouldn't say they're as far off in terms of details as the recording here would have you believe, they are almost on par, close to the point where I don't feel like I'm missing anything even listening side by side. I need to EQ the s12 to keep the rumble in check which makes it a great fun iem with lots of heft and great technicalities. The hexa is great, it resolves busier tracks better than something like the olina se though the stage is noticably narrower which is not necessarily bad. It does have less note weight but in its own way it's great because the tuning combined with great technicalities gives you a sense of clarity which works really well with natural instruments. The bass is not abundant but it's really well textured, mids are great for vocals and treble is really well done, never overdone, never shouty or fatiguing to my ear. Timbre is really pleasant not just for a ba but any type of driver. It doesn't wow you like you'd expect to be wowed by an iem but it does so in more subtle ways. There are times I find myself wanting more body when I take it outside and the sound gets masked by external noises but this is the trade-off i guess. Also the hexa wipes the floor with the aria snow in every way. That set sounds low res and veiled by comparison. The only thing the aria has going for it here is the more universal tuning that will probably please more people in a wider range of scenarios. The hexa just sounds so "correct" and I fell in love with it immediately. It really is special.

Happy early 10k subs, Dan. The Dioko was a clarity jump scare when inserted between the Hexa and the T3+, then the MEST was another jump scare when thrown in with everything in that last track. I should really be expecting you to surprise us with that sort of curveball at least once per video by now, but I keep letting my guard down, lol. Not really gonna leave impressions like I usually do this time around. Everything in the video except maybe the Quarks sounded at least decent, and I don't think anyone would be going wrong in purchasing any of these.

I enjoyed the review. Thank you for your time and effort. I felt Tangzu wan'er SG should have been included with 20$ competitors in this review. I own the wan'er and I am in love with it's well controlled playback of any music, perfect for daily driver audio gear. I would love to hear your opinion on the wan'er if you have already tried it (at least in Shorts). Thanks in advance. 👍

Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan!!! Dan!!! Absolute belting video, again! Keep em coming you’ve got a lot of very dedicated fans, myself included, we really appreciate all the effort you put in 😊

The first time I’ve ever heard airhead used is to describe an idiot, then as a candy and finally now as an audio tuning preference😁

Both zero and hola good tuning . For the voices the zero sound great. The drums and bass the hola is more real. I have them all.

T3+ has that nice sub bass "glow" I call it. I'd take it over the Hexa, without a doubt.

Just got Hola, it's insanely good. I own Sennheiser HD 25, HD 26, HD 280, HD 300, HD 600, HD 660s, Neumann NDH 20, Westone W4, different Moondrops 20-700$, Tachjim Oxygen. Truthear Hola is the only IEM you need. It's neural and has great resolution, almost perfect balance.

Dan, the quality of your videos just keep on getting better and better. Keep up the good work man!

The T3+ seems to have a more cohesive sound, where the Hexa mids are leaner and and quicker compared with its bass. Single DD for the win

At least by this video, Hola is definitely the king in that price range. IMO much better than the Zero. I’m not a fan of too much mids/high mids.

The new layout looks great

I got the Hexas when they launched and I've been enjoying them immensely. So much that I prefer them over my S12s, my WUs, my Titan S and, most impressevely, my DT600s. My only complain about them is their shell shape. They made them totally flat and threw any ergonomics out of the window.

Thanks for doing these back to back comparisons, Dan. I enjoy these two sets. Always great work.

Another great review and the production values are getting better and better!. I love the new format with slick scrolling lyrics with nice fonts and excellent transitions between earphones. I keep saying this but for me it's great to be able to hear the difference between these various IEM's. I don't own any of these but its great to hear them all the same. As always your comments are fair and valid. I think this format is going to generate a lot of sales for linsoul. I just hope that those who use this channel use your product links so you get some benefit from all your hard work. Keep up the good work. I still think you're the best IEM review channel. The reviews are more than your opinion, they are backed up with comparisons! Who can argue with that.

just recently find this channel, legit the best video for me finding iem i always dream wanted to know how it sounds like. truly sound speak louder than words

Dan, gotta say, I’ve been expecting this video for quite a while now. I get to revel in it, after all this time. Thank you, my friend. Your channel is absolutely epic! Cheers!

this review is a definition of Quality Content

Dioko to me wiped the floor with the rest of what was just played wow.

Hola vs the quarks @8:00 : I'm hearing a bunch of little quick guitar passages in the Hola playback that's completely gone in the Quarks playback 😯 Hola vs Salnotez : I'm listening on the Salnotez zero now and they both sound similar to me with the Hola having just a bit more punch in the kick or (mid bass) area. I own the Hexa but the T3+ sounded better to me. At least in this demo. Shit! 😒 Agree with you completely on this battle. Dioko makes the T3+ sound veiled, so much clarity but at the expense of some low end excitement. For me, in this demo: I would sell my Salnotez zero and Hexa as a package and pick up the T3+ or just avoid this price range altogether and move up to the timeless / p5 price range for a daily driver.

Hexa needs just a bit EQ to be great: +1db for 60, 125, 2000 Hz and +1,5-2db for air region. Set preamp to -1db

So is the message in the end save your money and buy a mest mk2, coz that just gave everything a spanking....

The dioko took me by surprise in sound and quality that I would've bought it right away if it didn't look like something taken out of my grandmother's box of herilooms. Great review though, the comparisons were extremely helpful!

Thank you for comparing between T3 + and Hexa, I bought T3 + and am really happy with it. Thank you so much

Hi Dan, Maybe it's the recordings but I'm not on the same page at all. Based on my own units - I think the Cadenza is a banger for $35 (albeit a bit V) has loads of energy and a big base emphasis, mids squeezed a little though.. To me the Hola is a bit dark and light on treble and I even prefer the Tangzu Wainer over it.. The Hexa has a beautiful tuning, neutral but very well balanced although a bit lighter on base. To me it is fair better than the Hola and even better than the T3+. T3+ is.a good all rounder though. Love the Dioko, great detail but missing mid base. Tinhifi Panda or the S12 pull ahead of it overall and have a better tuning. That's just my two cents worth. Thanks for the review... 👍👍

Been watching this channel since the aria days, and today I finally bought MEST. Thanks Dan it's been a hell of a ride.

Your videos are always worth the wait. Loving the new studio.

hexa has a better sounding mid - upper mid range than the T3+. but it lacks that same umph in other area's. so the T3+ ends up sounding a little more even across the range...

HEXA vs T3+: The HEXA has more clarity, sounds wider a bit, I give it that. But it's also very analytical. The T3+ has more sub bass thump (as said in the video) and more fun, exciting upper end. The mids are a bit more recessed than the HEXA's mids. Conclusion: if you like bass, love edm, metal and stuff, go for the T3+, but if you like vocals and instruments more, like classical and pop music, go for the HEXA

Man Dan found your channel and I’ve been watching everything so far! Amazing job! I just started doing my research on IEMs and cannot decide where or what to get but so far I have an idea thanks to your videos

Happy you got a way to release a great video. Thank you!

the moment the quarks dropped in, no lie, I felt I needed to pop my ears like I was changing elevations. I can't say for sure they are perceivably "duller" so much as the moment they came on I was not as comfortable as with the Hola. I have the Salzero. It is a fun set, particularly with my synthwave playlists. That said, it's also far more uncomfortable over time than the Hola to me. I don't know if in the 2 weeks I've been using the Hola, that I ever got fatigued by them at all.

Personally in my collection I rate the Hexa over T3+. T3+ kills me in the ear gain or pinna area. Hexa is a little more relaxed.

in the 20 range the zeros 70/80 t3 I would pick but it's not that far from the Hexa dioko at 100 is amazing compared to t3 and Hexa. way clearer sounding which I highly appreciate beyond that LETSHUOER S12 is my pic or the oh10 and beyond that the MEST mk2 💖 my first IEM I got last week KZ ZSN PRO X . I know they ain't good but that's what was available in turkey and my budget is very limited. after getting help with equalizer settings they sound good now but nowhere near the LETSHUOER S12 which is the one I really want to get and hopefully mest mk2 someday. Anyway loved the video man keep it up 👍👍

OMG, you included the MEST once again at the very end 😂

For loud volumes the hola is better. The dark side comes up. The cadenca is better for medium volume because the treble can be to much in high volumes

I would say that the treble of the T3 plus is just fuller compare to the Hexa. Hexa has that typical BA treble, its drier. Maybe that are those words u tried to find 😀💁‍♂. Dioko handles complex music the best hands down (planar driver power 💪).

Awesome Dan! Thank you for these moments of entertainment and healthy discussion. Looking forward to the next couple of weeks before your next release. Cheers!

On the last track starting at 36:26, what you guys wanna look out for are the snare hits. When you hear it, you'll know what I mean.

Loving my s12. It's exactly as you described. I bought it after watching first S12 video from you. I'm settled..

We're getting to a point here where we're in a race to the bottom, which is good for the consumer. What I mean is, these IEM are getting so good, for so cheap, its almost not making sense anymore to go into the higher end brackets for anything other than being curious and addicted to the hobby. So good that this should start forcing more expensive IEM to become cheaper(hypothetically).

I believe the Quarks DSP are 15 USD and not 30. Got mine for 14.

Everyone's ear is different, the s12 may be very suitable for you. For example, the biggest factor in selling my t3 plus was that it hurt my ear, but I have no problems with the s12.

Great new format dans. It seems way more refined now.Also about the hexa, predicted that you wont be liking it so much because its a similar flavor to the dusk. Keep up the good work!

Finally a youtuber who agrees on me that the cadenza is overhyped. I got it because i hoped to find something like T3+, but more comfortable to my ears. Indeed the Cadenza is sooo comfortable and light, but after 2 weeks im still not impressed at all. The sub bass is nice but i dont get that sense of airiness and detail i got with the T3+. Also female voices sound unnatural with the Cadenza. Its so weird because in FR graphs they both look almost identical. My search continues... Maybe i should invest a bit more and go for the OH10. Dioko is also tempting because i guess it would be great for violin and orchestral music in general, which im into.

Geez airiness is a must-have feature on my list too! This particular review proves that we have very similar sound choices. Indeed I got the Timeless AE because of your comparison review! Looking forward to more tests from you!

The planar has a heck amount of detail And it has better separations? Idk But it all end when mest II comes Whoaa 9.99k subs Congrats for the 10k

Great video, as always Dan. I bought the Hola because the graph seemed to cater to my preferences, as well as not having a super cheap set I could just throw on. Doubt I will find or need another 20 dollar set after the Hola. You show here again how hyped up newcomers don't necessarily outright beat the old and golds. The T3+ still sounds just as good (albeit maybe personal preference) as the Hexa. Always fun to listen to your thoughts inbetween the demos. Spot on with my own interpretation. That MEST MK2 at the end... Still heavily wobbling on the fence on whether I should get it, and I feel like leaning forward and going for it Here's hoping you get a % off the linsoul buys via the affiliate link - you definitely deserve it 🤞

Judging from this recording, I like Hola. It is quite good for only $20. I don't have it and maybe I'm wrong, but Waner is better for those who appreciate the "weight" rather than the "air". I have both Waner and Zero and can't really decide between them because I like them for different reasons just as much. I would say Waner is the better all-rounder for most. I don't like Hexa! ;( It is quite grainy and a lot more than what I perceive from Dusk. If this annoys me through a recording, I don't even want to imagine how bad it would be in person. Every time I see your comparisons makes me dream at that MEST! P.S. Have you ever tried Ikko OH10 with Oratory1990 Usound EQ? I would love to see a comparison with the MEST because it dethrones Dusk for me by a lot and competes head-to-head with Timeless and KATO.

Man, we have exactly the same tastes! At 19:20 you said something that is the most important to me. I really have to thank you once again, because if was not you, I could have blind buy the wrong end of the game IEM, because I live in a place that does not have any shop to test IEM's in a range of about 2.000 KM. But then I found your channel, and from the beggining of your channel, video by video I discovered my tastes without the need to buy many IEM's. Discovered to have the same tastes as you too, Dan, and then I blind buy the MEST MKII. (Almost bought Monarch MKII, but choose the MEST MKII and could not be more happy!) Always the best for you and your channel, my friend! Keep going PS: Another thing that I noticed that do a LOT of difference in performance is a good dongle or DAC! In the future you could make some comparisons with them toom huh?

Not that this is the end-all-be-all, but in the last song, when I focused on the ride cymbal sound, the T3+, Dioko, and S12 made it pop more than any of the others (warmer on the T3+, airier on Dioko & S12). The others either drowned it out or made it just noticeable because I was listening for it. Just sayin'.

actually the 7hz 0 can be modded nicely, better low end/rafined treble a little bit thicker sound (final Etype tips, yinhoo 16core cable, olina SE nozzle filter, vent tuning filter). Everything what is good about them will stay though.

I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVE THE LYRICS! Makes it so much easier for my ADHD brain to focus on the video!

Great video, great comparisons, even better with the song lyrics on it now, great timing in switching back and forth, and most importantly Thank you SO MUCH for keeping me grounded on my T3+! In fact it was your initial feature of the T3+ that convinced me to buy it in the first place. So happy to know that it withstands the test of time amongst all the recent noise. Keep up the good work Dan

Now you're looking like a mad scientist 😅

Hi Dan, happy early 10k subs!!! Any chance for a Aful Performer 5 video like this one? Comparing with others iem?! Love your stuff

Vocals way better on the hexa, but t3+ has better low end

Oh my lover... ✨🎶 Epic.

T3 better image . Hexa better mids for voice. Impossible to get a perfect tone when we record with instruments in view then the final mastering we lower the frequency to address all speakers. So in a eat all depends in taste and hear canal chamber

T3+ still great overall a great all rounder iem

I have noticed that where the zeros really shine is in mid range tone and texture, the tracks used are so full of auto tuning and synthesized instruments that there is no tone and texture to hear.

s12>t3 plus>dioko>hexa>salnotes zero>hola>quarks=cadenza. agree about feeling like im missing something if theres not enough treble even though im more interested in bass and generally a warmer sound signature. currently using ej07m kinda lava (would like a little more bass but is very capable and more intimate vocals but overall its very accurate) and dt880's w/ oratory 1990 worn pads eq (deep satisfying bass, extremely natural timbre while having the best separation of vocals and instruments with the sharpness tuned down slightly). listening to the demos on micca rb42's. i had s12's for a short time and with a +2db around 250 and -2db around 2k it was a more balanced sound for me

I was like 'Yeah, those Dioko's!' then you had to throw in the pair that I could never afford lol

Loved this review, amazing comparison ❤

First couple of minutes impression: I feel like the Hola has more body but also is a bit harsher than the Hexa. The Hexa sounds clean and to my ears better than the Hola.

this video actually made me realise I really enjoy the vibe of the Dioko lol

By the way great studio set you got there. Love the white and gold aesthetics!

Hey Dan, when you said the S12 "physically hurt", are you referring to the physical fitment? I had recently gotten the Timeless and returned it for the S12.. while I didn't have them side-by-side, I think I may have slightly preferred the sound of the Timeless.. there was something special there. But, the S12 is MUCH more comfortable in my ear, and it was 2/3 the price, so.. can't complain. Also, wonderful content :)

That was my favorite iem video ever. Nicely done.

The T3+ sounds darker, yet clearer than the Hexa, if that makes any sense.

Having bought among the first few batches of the Dioko (which may''ve shipped with filter issues), I couldn't stand the ear-splitting sibilance, even when I tamed it a bit with narrow-bore tips and paired it with a KZ AZ09 Pro Bluetooth adapter (to compress the highs). It was simply too unpleasant for my brain's burn-in effect to adjust to, so I got rid of them. My current fave IEMs are HBB Kinda Lava, S12 Pro, OH10, and Timeless (the last three of these, I own in large part thanks to your reviews). Thanks for the effort you put into your work.

Grats on the 10k subs Dan! Damn hola honestly sounds pretty awesome, I like it more than hexa xD Are you going to review qkz hbb khan dan?

I'm very surprised about the price to performance for the Quarks. I usually just pass through it when I'm looking through inventory.

incredible review Dan :)

I have the hexa for 2 months and are really happy with them. Now after this review, i want the tin t3 plus for that slight thump. I listen to all of this on my HD560s with an apple dongle.

10K, Congratulations 👏 🙌 💖 ✨

Great video, continue to do put out good content. From watching your channel, I discovered that I am what you recently quoted, "Air Head . Some say, "Treble Head." From watching your channel, it helped me decide to get the Dioko, T3+, Hexa, and Kato. All very good recommendations, by the way.

Hola sounds wholesome

The end of this video shocked me, because Dioko's highs rivalled of even surpassed MEST MKII highs. Is like this in real life? Because I really appreciate cymbals sounding like IRL. Interesting!

Just because your ears hurt, doesn't mean others will.

Is the T4+ supposed to replace the T3+ or are they completely different?

May I ask what are the diffrences between LETSHOUER S12 vs 12 PRO? Thank you :):):):):)

I went through the same mourning as you Dan with my S12, loved the sound really loved it on my tube amp and it was so lively... however they hurt me like hell I can barely have them in my ear for more than 15 min lately it's been horrible! My Etymotic ER2SE are more comfortable what the hell!! I've been trying to cope but really can't but there's also not many iem sounding this good at this price range and I'm almost ready to jump the gun and pay more to get a "value endgame" iem that's recognized to be more comfortable even if the sound difference might be marginal. I just have no idea what to pick but your videos are starting to give me a better picture of the landscape.

T3 plus actually got my attention. definitely more captivating. i did the stupid and got an hd800s & its fun listening to the differences. sometimes its just sort of meh. every iem before the T3 was kinda meh to me but the T3 definitely is pulling it's weight.

What song was that when conpared to the candenzas?????

Hey dan! What would you say is as warm and bassy as the mele?

T3+ has some nasty dip in the mids vocals - lack body, Quarks sound tiny, both Hola and Hexa are great

Congratulations 10k sub 👍🏼

Olá, galera! Eu possuo o Tripowin Mele (que gosto bastante, som calmo, ótimo grave, pouco agudos, até gostaria que fossem um pouco mais brilhante, porém meu cabo rompeu). Pensei em comprar outro ou pegar um Truthear Hola ou Kiwi cadenza ou Tin Hifi c2. Como eles se comparam ao Tripowin Mele?

Dan, i bought the t3+ on your comments. Its good really good. but are you not imposing it in this review. Hexa is just simply better, our audiophilic jargon notwithstanding.

The Tin Hifi T3+ sound amazing, the sub-bass is really something I dig a lot. What iem would you recommend sub-$25 that sounds similar?

thx for work

Both, the Cadenza and the Hola, have virtually the same FR up to 2kHz, between 2kHz and 4kHz the Hola is a bit more recessed, until they become again almost identical, despite some huge treble peak of the Hola at about 12.5kHz. So there is simply no basis for your judgement.

With so much addition to the chi-fi world, does the t3+ still a good buy?