>>I am brazilian and I speak portuguese, so forgive my english, I’ll use translator tools to help.<<
INTRO:
Placing another Truthear product review on the website, today we have the Truthear HOLA, the company’s most affordable single DD IEM.
The Truthear HOLA was sent by SHENZHENAUDIO, one of the main distributors of Truthear products, as well as several other brands and audio products. So, I’m going to put the product links and those who are interested in know about Truthear HOLA, just check the links below (they are not affiliates).
Price: $18.99 USD
Colors: Black
Cabe: No Mic/With Mic
SHENZHENAUDIO STORE:
https://shenzhenaudio.aliexpress.com/store/601461
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005121610512.html
SPECIFICATIONS:
Driver: 11mm dynamic driver
Diaphragm: PU suspension +LCP dome composite
Impedance: 28Ω土15% @1kHz
Sensitivity: 120dB/Vrms @1kHz
THD: THD≤0.1% @1kHz (94dB)
Frequency response: 8-46kHz (IEC61094.free Field)
Effective frequency response: 20-20kHz (IEC60318-4,-3dB)
Termination Plug: 3.5mm (in L design)
Cable size: 120cm
Cable material: Four strands silver-plated
Connectors: 2Pin 0.78mm (detachable)
Shell: 3D Resin
Faceplate: Aluminum alloy
PHYSICAL ASPECTS:
Eartips. Two types of silicone eartips came, both in black color. The difference between them will be mainly in the diameter of the hole (aperture), while one that I consider as the “normal” comes with a narrower hole, the other already has a more open hole (wide bore). Both types – despite being simple – are good eartips, the silicone already has a level of softness better than the first earphones I had reviewed, e.g. the kz zs10pro. I always give preference to using eartips with a more closed hole, because eartips of this type end up enhancing the bass more and lowering the upper mids/treble a little (but it’s not a rule, and that’s also in my opinion).
-The evaluation was made with the “normal” (more closed) in size M.
I had the great luck to find the ideal eartip at the first to carry out the evaluation. I know this is something very subjective but I understand that there’s no need to buy extra eartips to hear the HOLA correctly, it’s possible to find something good already with what comes in the kit.
Cable. For you to see how subjective our taste is, I know people who loved the HOLA’s cable, but I personally wasn’t satisfied. Okay, it’s a more affordable IEM, so I can’t demand too much. From a usability perspective it’s ok, but from the aesthetic side it’s weak (at least it matched with the earphone colors). Objectively, the good thing about it is that it’s very lightweight and easy to roll up for storage… now the points that I thought were not so positive, is that I thought it tangles a little, and generates a little microphonics too, but nothing too bad. Another thing is that it also takes a little memory (waves) in its extension, but it’s something very subtle. In summary, I’m on the fence, I don’t even think it’s the best of the ones I’ve evaluated, nor the worst than the ones I’ve tested. I think this cable could have come in place of the HEXA’s cable, which would have been welcome too. It comes with a chin slider, and the piece really works very well, I give 100% of effectiveness.
Earhooks. Here we have a great point. HOLA’s earhooks are very good. I always say, this flat and without rippling type was the most comfortable type I’ve ever been able to test. Not that the others aren’t, but when it’s in this tubular format, it’s almost certain to have maximum comfort. The material used, in fact, is not the most sophisticated, but you can’t feel much difference in that regard. The earhooks have a very good curvature for my ears, it generates stability without being tight.
Connectors. HOLA’s connectors are 2 pin 0.78mm style, the same type used on HEXA and by Moondrop as well… in case you didn’t know, Moondrop and Truthear seem to have a connection between them, I can’t say for sure because I’ve never seen an official statement about this, although it is known that there are employees who work or have worked for both companies. Returning to the connectors, on the side of the connectors there’s an indication by the letters L & R (left and right) to make the correct fit in the body of the earphones, as well as the body of the earphones also have the respective letters. Detail for the level of 3D printing that was done so that the letters were engraved, it was kind of “sculpted” in the body of the IEM, something very interesting.
The fit. Here I have to take my hat off to how the HOLA’s fit turned out. In my ears it was excellent, really well designed IEM, of course this is always something very subjective, but as I am reporting my experience with the earphone, what I can say is that it was something that caught my attention on this product. The earphone is very discreet, there are no protruding parts out of the ears, a small earphone that can work well with various types of ears. The stability was also very good, I didn’t have any problems, it’s an earphone that I just need to insert and it’s done, I don’t need to keep adjusting it. The insertion into my ear canal I found average, and the isolation I found average too.
Comfort. The fit and the comfort always seems to be the same thing, however, an IEM can be well fitted and become uncomfortable, like, generating a lot of internal pressure, or with some pressure point… In the case of HOLA these things didn’t happen, the IEM is a masterpiece in comfort, starting with the fact that it’s very lightweight, well polished, with no pressure points (in my ears). It reminded me a lot of the Moondrop Aria’s shell, although the HOLA’s shell is even smaller. The HOLA manages to be more comfortable than the Tin C3, as it’s a little smaller than the aforementioned IEM, so it generates a feeling of more ventilation in the ears. The resin used is of excellent quality, it generates a friendly sensation when in contact with the skin. The HOLA is an IEM that you forget you’re wearing anything in your ears, and in my opinion, it’s a good earphone to use for long listening. Between the Wan’er, C2, MT3, Zero (7Hz), and the HOLA, I believe that the Wan’er is the lightest, however, the HOLA in terms of quality and comfort is the best among these (in my opinion and without considering the sound).
The HOLA has a purse-style case like to store coins, the material is a synthetic leather… it’s nice, but it doesn’t work for me. I think it’s kind not the best to keep earphones in this type of case. I always value rigid or at least semi-rigid cases. The IEM is more cheap so you can’t be too critical. Life goes on.
SOUND ASPECTS:
When I listened the HOLA for the first time, the word that came to mind to describe the IEM was: “introspective”. So what would an “introspective” IEM be? Well, for me it would be the earphone that is more peaceful, inoffensive, that moves away from energy, from fun. Not that these characteristics of HOLA are a bad thing, it’s because I tend to prefer IEMs that are a little more energetic, so, for example, if a person feels fatigue with more vibrant earphones, I think that HOLA appears as an option.
The sound of Truthear HOLA I consider to be a variation of the Harman target with a touch on the warm side, on the dark side. If this explanation was generic, it’s more like this: bass with an increase, midrange more retracted and upper mids slightly enhanced, and treble moderated. The IEM is excellent in construction and has this more “relaxed” side in the sound, but in technical terms I found it below expectations.
Let’s go to the amount of bass. In my opinion the level here was medium, if you listen to a song that has a higher amount of bass in the recording, then the level is between moderate to high, but if you listen to something more acoustic, then the bass doesn’t stand out, is a bass that accompanies but doesn’t call attention. In terms of sub-bass and mid-bass, I understand that there’s no audible difference between the regions, both are present, albeit to a lesser amount in the presentation as a whole. I don’t think this IEM would be the best for bassheads or for those – like me – who like more present bass. It’s that kind of IEM that for those people mentioned, will be always that taste of wanting more.
Moving on to the qualitative question, the bass of the HOLA – in my opinion – is discreet, controlled, clean, but at the same time I thought it lacked a little more impact, texture, more resolution, even a little more “strength”… but, who doesn’t look for an earphone in which the bass is a more prominent element, this IEM goes in that direction. That said, it’s not muffled bass, it’s not boomy, it’s not bloated bass, and it doesn’t bleed into the mids. I really thought that these earphones didn’t have the “groove”, that thing that when a bassist plays you feel the magic, for example, in “Otherside” – Red Hot Chili Peppers, music that everyone knows, on HOLA you hear the bass in the introduction in a audible way, but there’s not that one: “jeez, Flea is a monster!”, so it’s something like this.
Coming to the midrange, and perhaps the most articulate region of the earphone (for me it is, but this is a little subjective). In fact, the biggest highlight is in the upper midrange. But please calm down that this highlight doesn’t create any problem, the amount here I understand as something that neither let the region to be distant, nor generates fatigue or aggressiveness. It’s a region of good clarity and transparency. There’s also a feeling of a lot of air here, it’s like wind instruments or a whisper gain more definition, something more palpable. It partially resembles the Moondrop Aria in these frequencies.
The voices. For me it was certain that the HOLA would be better with female/high voices, and in fact when I tested both types of voices, the IEM was more vibrant with higher voices. Generally for me, male/low voices can go better with earphones with more bass, with more texture. Here at HOLA, the types of voices in whisper or falsetto were really cool, as I said in the previous paragraph, you can feel a breath in your ear.
The treble of HOLA in quantitative terms. The amount here I understand as moderate to low. I mentioned in the second paragraph about the sound aspects that the IEM tend towards to the dark side, that is, they are not dark, but they move towards in that direction. Basically that’s it, the treble are the region of lesser prominence on the IEM. So it’s already easier to see that HOLA may be a more suitable earphone for those who are very sensitive to treble. The interesting thing is that I didn’t feel roll off here in this region, because I thought the extension was good, what happens is that the amount is smaller.
Qualitatively speaking, the HOLA’s treble are polished, smooth, well-controlled, with no signs of peaks or unwanted coloration. The details I found at an Ok/medium level (it’s really not the strong point of this region). The sparkle is OK, and on some occasions it may lack a little more (subjective). I didn’t feel the presence of sibilance at any time, as well as the treble of HOLA aren’t strident, aren’t sharp, aren’t harsh. Perhaps the weakest point of the HOLA is the lack of more airy, I felt more “air” in the upper mids than here in the treble. Hi-hats and drum cymbals play very calmly, without excess of energy. Higher guitar solos come through without piercing.
Soundstage. The soundstage feel I found average. The sound is a mid term in spatiality, not too glued to the ear, not too “out of the box”. For me, HOLA has medium depth and width, as for height, it can be from medium to good.
Imaging. The instrumental separation I found average. Here the difference between HOLA and HEXA is very noticeable, HEXA is a very good IEM in this regard, the cutouts are more accurate. Here at HOLA I think that the instrumental separation is limited, ok it’s not a bad thing, but the impression I have of the instruments is that they are playing closer to each other (also remembering that this aspect can vary according to the recording and others processes during music production).
Driver Flex test. HOLA is a single DD earphone, and when it has a dynamic driver, it’s necessary to check for the presence of driver flex noise. So, I can say that HOLA didn’t show any signs of driver flex noise, the IEM passed the tests when inserted into my ear.
Amplification. In this review I used the DAC/AMP dongle TRUTHEAR SHIO connected to my notebook. If you had already seen the SHIO’s review before this one, you saw that I tested the HOLA and I said that the IEM are very easy to play, in my opinion the HOLA doesn’t need sources with a lot of power to play correctly. I see that the IEM can be played directly from normal sources (notebooks, smartphones, etc). But as always, I also recommend that you at least try to have a dongle with you, because even the earphones that don’t need much amplification, a dedicated device can generate more quality sound reproduction. I used the 3.5mm output from SHIO, and as already mentioned in the dongle review, I couldn’t use the device’s gain mode, so the evaluation was with the dongle in “low gain”. I didn’t need to go above 50% for the sound to be satisfactory for me.
Music is subjective, so below is the list of some musical genres that I personally think that was better with this IEM. Remember that were only few genres and few artists tested. If I describe that one genre was better and the other don’t, it doesn’t mean that you can’t listen to your favorite music genre with this IEM and love it. So, here goes:
Better:
POP
Rock
Blues
Metal
Bossa Nova*
Samba*
MPB*
*Brazilian musical genres.
Not so much:
EDM
Hip Hop
Classical
Reggae
Jazz
PLAYLIST LINK:
Graphs by IAN FANN:
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