TRUTHEAR Hola

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank Shenzhen Audio for furnishing this unit.
The Truthear Hola can be gotten here (no affiliate links): https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...gh-performance-dynamic-driver-in-ear-monitors



“Hola” (ho·la), Spanish for “hello,” is an interjection used to attract attention or to shout encouragement or exultation. The term 赫, the Japanese name for these IEMs found on the packaging, has connotations of “brightening, illumination, or sparkling.”


SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x 11 mm polyurethane suspension + LCP (liquid crystal polymer) dome composite diaphragm dynamic driver
• Impedance: 28 Ohms
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 120 dB/Vrms
• Cable: 0.78 mm, 2-pin, 3.5 mm, oxygen-free copper cable
• Tested at $19.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- 4 pairs of wide-bore silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- Leatherette soft carry case
- Anime waifu card

Considering the HOLA retails below USD$20, the accessories are quite decent. There’s even an anime waifu mascot - her name is "Shiroi," which means "White" in Japanese. The waifu card has other in-depth and salacious details on it!




Two types of silicone tips are provided. Unfortunately, there are no foamies included, but I can close one eye considering the HOLA retails for such little coin. The narrow-bore silicone tips boost bass quantity but compress the soundstage, whereas the wide-bore ones increase the upper frequencies and open up the soundstage.



The tips come in a nice little tray, and personally, I prefer the wide-bore tips to add some spice and openness to the treble and help offset this IEM's unadventurous tuning.




A stock oxygen-free copper cable is included, which is quite serviceable. It has a moderate thickness and is tangle-free, though microphonics are present. There’s a chin cinch for added stability during usage. I am happy it is a 2-pin connector, as I faced longevity issues with MMCX cables especially with frequent cable swaps.




There are many budget challengers that do not include a case in the accessory line-up, so it is a nice touch from Truthear to have one included. The leatherette case has a nifty magnetic clasp instead of a traditional button. It is quite elegant but might not withstand a crushing force. It may focus more on looks over functionality, as the storage space isn’t too large either.

The following review was completed with the stock wide-bore silicone ear tips and stock cable. Aftermarket accessories were not used so as not to add confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The housings feature a half-moon shape, with a hexagonal/star-like motif gracing the face plate. CNC (computer numerical control) anodized sand-blasted aluminum alloy is used to manufacture the shells. The HOLA’s acoustic cavity is DLP (digital light processing) 3D printed from HeyGears. This is pressure-casted, hand-grinded, and then spray-painted externally. After that, it is glued onto the face plate.




The HOLA is very light, and ergonomics are top-notch. A small concha protrusion adds some grip during usage. The inner aspect of the shells are smooth without any awkward protrusions. I did not experience any discomfort during longer listening sessions.

Despite being vented, isolation is above average. I did not encounter any driver flex, but YMMV, this may be dependent on ear anatomy and the type of ear tips used.


INTERNALS

The HOLA utilizes an 11mm polyurethane suspension composite liquid crystal dome diaphragm dynamic driver, with dual-cavity magnetic circuit N52 magnets.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Hola with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

The HOLA is moderately easy to drive, though it will scale with amplification in terms of dynamics, soundstage, and bass tightness.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the Truthear Hola via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler peak.

Tonally, the HOLA has an L-shaped signature, with the bass having a boost compared to the higher frequencies.

Timbre is pretty natural, with vocals and acoustic instruments sounding unadulterated. Aerophones have a nice vibration at the tail-end, and percussion instruments incorporate membranous rumble. Note weight is on the thicker side.

When compared against other ultra-budget single DD rivals, the HOLA is mediocre in technicalities. Soundstage has good depth, though it does not have great height or width. Imaging is decent enough, but instrument separation, clarity, and micro-details are weak. Edge definition and transients are blunted. The HOLA embraces an analogue and pleasant signature over an outright analytical soundscape.



The HOLA is sub-bass focused, and the quantity is north of neutral but not at bonafide basshead levels. Sub-bass extends moderately, with some rumble. The mid-bass isn’t the most emphasized, so the HOLA does not fair that well with mid-bass focused genres such as EDM and hip-hop.

In terms of quality, bass texturing is below average, and can sound one-noted and undefined. Bass speed is moderate, with minimal mid-bass bleed.

The lower midrange is a tinge recessed. Thankfully, this region is relatively transparent due to no marked mid-bass bleed impinging on it. With a 6 dB pinna gain, the upper mids are not zealous, to say the least. In the mix, vocals lie in the background, so vocal lovers may want to consider an alternative set unless EQ is up your alley.

The HOLA is diametrically opposite from their Japanese name of 赫 (meaning bright or sparkling) and the upper treble borders on dark. The lower treble continues on from the small upper midrange mound, but the upper treble drops off after that. The HOLA is smooth as silk, and sibilance is absent. Our treble-sensitive brethren will like the tuning on offer, but treble-heads will likely grumble at the lack of pizazz and flair.


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made against other ultra-budget single DDs. Pure BAs, planars, multi-driver types, and hybrids are left out, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.




Kiwi Ears Cadenza

The Cadenza features a warm Harman tuning. The Cadenza has more upper mids and lower treble, and vocals sound more forward.

These two adversaries are well accessorized and comfortable, with natural timbre. Both are not technical tour de forces but the Cadenza takes the lead in imaging, micro-details, and instrument separation, albeit the HOLA has a more expansive soundstage.

I consider them sidegrades, as the Cadenza weighs in at almost double the retail price, and the HOLA has arguably a better price-to-performance ratio.



7Hz Salnotes Zero

The Salnotes Zero is tuned neutral bright. It is more sterile and analytical, with a thinner note weight. The Zero has a more extended treble and is brighter in tone.

The Zero is harsher, more sibilant, and not as smooth as the HOLA. The Zero has less bass quantity, but the bass is tighter and faster.

Edge definition, layering, imaging, micro-detailing, and transients are superior on the Zero, though the HOLA has a deeper soundstage.

Timbre is less organic on the Zero, and the Zero is less comfortable due to perpendicular edges in the shells. In contrast, the HOLA is a cut above in timbral accuracy and fit.



Tangzu Wan’er

The Wan’er is a warm neutral set. It has marginally less bass and slightly more upper mids and treble than the HOLA.

Both IEMs have natural timbre, in keeping with their single DD roots, though the Wan’er is a hair better in technicalities.

They are both well accessorized and have good comfort, and I consider them sidegrades.



CONCLUSIONS



The HOLA is relatively well-accessorized, with a quality build and above-average isolation. The conservative tuning, coupled with a snug fit, renders the HOLA suitable for long listening sessions, with nary an ounce of fatigue. Ironically, the HOLA’s namesake is a misnomer - it is not bright nor sparkly. In fact, this IEM veers towards the boring side of the spectrum, and treble-heads or micro-detail seekers best be seeking something else to ignite sparks of excitement.

Indeed, there may even be a cri de coeur for the HOLA lacking the technical panache to punch above its weight. Although the soundstage is quite expansive compared to other ultra-budget entrants, the HOLA has middling technicalities and fails to usurp higher-tier single DD contenders.

The HOLA is more suited for beginners new to the ChiFI circuit. It falls in the category of being a decent sub-USD$20 daily beater but is no market disruptor. In essence, it is a jack(rabbit) of all trades but master of none.

For recalcitrant ChiFI consumers who have been around the block and back, I would advise you to keep your powder dry and save the twenty bucks for a more substantial upgrade down the line.

The Truthear Hola is a budget model that competes at the entry level with a price tag of $19. (You have to pay $1 extra if you want to get a mic). For the price segment, they offer you sufficient accessories and it is a product that can be worthwhile if it is a signature you are looking for. First of all let's remember that this affordable price range is very tight with models such as 7hz Salnotes Zero, Tangzu Waner, Simgot EW100, Moondrop Chu and Chu 2 among many others. Every time I blink, the IEM market is already launching a new product. What does Truthear propose with Hola? Let's see!

To begin with, let's take a look at the package and what it includes:




Okay, the unboxing gives you a very good feeling. Superior to any popular earphone for this price in my country, at least. Plus the box art is gorgeous :3
As shown in the picture, the box includes:

• The Hola IEMs (obviously) lol
• 7 pairs of eartips.
• 2 pin cable.
• Faux leather bag (basic but welcome)
• Manual
• Warranty card
• Card with waifu

If we talk about the build, the shells are not surprising but I have seen similar products with a worse plastic. It feels like a regular plastic although not as good as the Salnotes Zero. Still, they won't give you the feeling that they will break. It is simply a black design, very discreet and with a print that looks like a star (or something like that). I like that serious design, but you have to consider that the material is a magnet for fingerprints and oil.
The pin connector is slightly recessed but I found no problems using other universal cables I have. The included cable is the best I've seen for this range of price. It's a step above the Salnotes in my opinion. It is not a cable that tangles easily.



Both the product and the presentation are in my opinion very attractive. Of course, always considering what you are paying for.

Fit and Comfort:
As for comfort, I have no complaints, it is excellent. The shell fits in my ear quite well and I can wear them for hours.
It's so convenient that I can even lie down with them.


Now let's talk about what really matters: sound. For this review, I used three dongles as a source: the BGVP T01s, the iBasso DC03 Pro and the Truthear Shio. I share the graph as a reference (only as a reference, the review will be according to what my ears tell me).



Technical side:
Personally I find that nothing in this price range is particularly outrageous.
The product delivers a correct image. On the other hand, separation is decent but that's about it. Timbre is natural. The resolution is good considering the tuning they have.
The product is easy to amplify, even without a dongle. Of course, it is always advisable to use one to make them shine a little bit, otherwise they remain as a fairly regular product.

Sound:
The Hola's have a very warm, smooth and easy-listening signature. It's a very relaxed sound that I personally like.

Bass: They have a rather nice enhancement although some might find them a bit exaggerated. This will depend quite a bit on your taste. These frequencies have a very good extension, smooth and with a clear emphasis. Perhaps it lacks just a bit of texture and is some may find that it is not the cleanest or fastest bass but personally, I like what the Truthear team has done with these frequencies. The bass gives a good rumble when needed and you don't get that thin feeling that some people prefer to avoid in some rhythmic music. Transitions from low to higher frequencies are very smooth.

Mids: Very good, they are not heard to be recessed despite having an increase in the previous frequencies. Female and male voices are pleasant to listen to. The instruments are well represented at these frequencies, I have nothing to mention at this point. The mids are crystal clear.

Highs: Well, I previously reviewed the Salnotes Zero. Their highs were bright. In this case, we have a fairly safe tuning. It is important if you are sensitive to treble. I consider that you are in a safe shelter here. The extension is enough.

For me, it is a good product to consider. It has good accessories, a very secure sound signature, decent technicalities. As of today, it is a few months since these IEMs were released but it is still a safe buy. There are those who buy this kind of products not to be an expert audiophile but they are looking to get into this niche of products to get a decent sound. (Or at least in my country it is really a niche and these products are getting more popular).
Currently, I still find Truthear Hola as a very easy product to recommend. It even works as a cool gift for our friends or loved ones we want to give a decent product they can enjoy uwu

TRUTHEAR HOLA
1DD
$20

Hi there, before I begin this review, please do forgive my weird English and grammatical mistakes.
The HOLA is bought with my own spending and this review is 100% my own opinion.

lets start with the UNBOXING


BUILD QUALITY



The HOLA body is made from 3D printing resin material with metal faceplate, to be honest the build quality is just meh.
It doesn't scream quality and the resin part is very oil magnet, if you have oily face / skin type, be prepare to see your HOLA shine (literally).
The weight of the IEM is very light but it does have detachable standard 0.78 pin connector, so if somehow you broke the cable / want to change to a balanced cable, its very easy to do so.

as for the stock cable, its decent, thats all.


FITTING
Fitting of the HOLA on my big ears is very good.
It has slim but wide body and because it's very light, I can wear the HOLA on a super long session without any discomfort.

lets talk about the SOUND

Sound is tested plugged directly to my Redmi Note 9 Pro potato phone and FiiO BTR7.
Stock cable and stock wide bore eartips is used.
Music is mostly from Apple Music Lossless (J-POP, J-Rock, Rap, Metal, Jazz, EDM)

Overall tonality of the HOLA is pretty much like Aria OG (Harman target with slight midbass boost and a hint of warm)

BASS : Subbass is quite deep, also has great rumble, but HOLA's bass is more focused on the punch rather than rumbly type.
If I have to compare it to the Aria, HOLA's subbass is deeper, the texture of the bass is very similar, its super close, decay of the bass is normal, not too long nor too short.
track such as Yonkers by Tyler the Creator is very enjoyable to listen on HOLA.
Bass speed is also nimble enough to be used for metal track the likes of Trivium.

MIDS : Midrange position is parallel with bass. The overall presentation of the mids is decently weighted, but sadly there also this slight edgy sound to it exactly like the Aria OG has from its treble presentation. It affects the overall edge of vocal and instruments, but if I had to compare it to Aria, Aria has more edgier mids compared to the HOLA, in other words, HOLA is more natural and smoother compared to Aria, also mids on Aria is a tad more forward.

Treble : Sparkly, a bit splashy, pretty much the same presentation like the Aria OG, there's that edginess on the treble but it somehow make things sounds more lively and exciting in cost of being sounding a bit metallic. If compared directly to Aria OG, the Aria OG has more metallic treble.

Timbre : HOLA Timbre sounds OK but again, it has that edginess to the overall sounds like the Aria OG.

Technicalities :

Pretty close to the OG Aria, same like Aria, it needs decent source to get the most of the technicalities. The scalability of the source on this set is very good, if connected to better source, of course the technicalities will get improved as well.

Detail Retrieval : for the price is mindblowingly good, some people said it has less detail compared to OG Aria, but IMO, its because the HOLA has more natural treble with less edginess to it, so it somehow sounds like its being smoothed out.

Stage : is wide but without exact wall placement, the shape is symmetrical in width and depth.

Imaging : for the price is class leading, it pretty much punch to the Aria price bracket.

Positioning and Separation : Decent, not great, just decent, its probably due to the tuning with that midbass punch masked a bit of the mids, though for the price its still class leading.

For Pairing to be honest its up to you, if you want warmer sound, then get warmer source, if you want analytical one, then get an analytical source, though I must mention once again, the scalability of HOLA is pretty good, you definitely will notice technical improvements if you use better source.

Comparation

Moondrop ARIA OG : A LOT of people compare the HOLA with the Aria OG (at least in Indonesia), and said HOLA is baby Aria / "Low-Res Aria".

Probably the Aria OG feels a bit more "Hi-Res" because of the edginess on the treble region that Aria has, it feels like the edge of overall sound has more definition to it but with the cost of creating more metallic sound compared to the HOLA, while HOLA have more smoother edge to it and sounds more natural, If I don't have both IEM in hand, I'd easily just pick HOLA because it literally is pretty close to the Aria OG with the bonus being more natural sounding compared to the Aria OG.

Conclusion
IMO, just get the Truthear HOLA and be happy, you can use it as your backup IEM / daily beater / whatever you want with it. It only cost $20 and pretty much on par with the Aria OG, it has that super blind buy safe tonality, also the technicalities is pretty much beating a lot of IEM of its price bracket.

If you're still contemplating to save your $20, here, let me help you further.

Truthear HOLA is recommended IF :

• You're on a tight budget
• You want IEM with good technicalities
• You want an Allrounder type Tonality
• You just start your audio journey and will purchase DAC / DAP / Dongle upgrades in future, because the scalability of HOLA is pretty good

Truthear HOLA is NOT recommended IF :

• You're allergic to HYPE items, just save your $20
• You need a flat / monitoring type tonality, because HOLA is definitely on the fun side

Just in case you're Indonesian / understand Bahasa Indonesia, here is my review video in Bahasa Indonesia


that's all from me for now,
I probably will edit this later to correct my weird English.



-littlenezt

Burn in, tip rolling, source rolling (iBasso DC03 Pro, e1da 9038d, xDuoo Link2 BAL) didn't help with eliminating sibilance.

Two cotton heads from cotton swabs, each cut in two, with thicker part being placed inside the nozzle worked.
That trick always works with peaks and overall bad treble.
Frequency response smoothes out, bringing recessed parts up and all the peaky parts down.
Which means less lower treble and more upper treble.
Also tilts the sound towards bass. Requires much more power afterwards, because we've pretty much dampened half of the FR.

I think that CCA CRA is a much better choice in all aspects.
If you like mids, Hola is not that great with them, to be honest, keep searching.

Can't say I feel like I've wasted my money.
Cotton trick worked perfectly, they go from 5/10 to 7.5-8/10 afterwards.
I've seen a lot worse cables alone costing up to $15.
But you'll need to open them up, tear out the filter, cut the cotton correctly and adjust it several times (or dozens, if you're not experienced), while trying to remove channel imbalance that comes from density and volume differences of the cottons inside the nozzles.

These are just the default option for a budget now, imo. I think I prefer the 7hz zero a tiny bit, but these are a more versatile with better tamber. These do a great job at just effortlessly doing whatever you want. Great soundstage for the money, great imaging for the money. Voices on Skype calls aren't grating, vocals feel natural.

If you just need one pair of cheap IEM's that will do it all, get these. If you really need a microphone, grab some moondrop quarks. If you want a little more soundstage and treble, get the 7hz zero's (though they can be a little more intense, for better and worse) And if you just want fun v shaped enjoyment, the CCA CRA.

But I'd say all the others are more specialty (apart from the quarks, they're just your only similar option with a mic under 20 but they have a little less of everything sound wise, though they're still awesome) and the hola just does it all with seemingly no drawbacks.

Truthear is on a roll. If their zero didn't have cannon barrel sized stems, id say they might have the best 20, 50, and 80 dollar options, period.

(4 - 6 min read)

Truthear HOLA is Truthear's latest budget 1DD IEM offering alongside their budget dongle DAC/Amp, the Truthear SHIO (read its review here). Coming in at $18.99usd, it features an 11mm polyurethane suspension + LCPdome composite diaphragm Dynamic Driver, removable cable, and smooth Harman-like tuning.

With the budget IEM market being saturated with so many offerings from so many different companies, can Truthear get a big piece of the pie with their HOLA? Read on to find out.

UNBOXING​

Truthear HOLA's box is pretty small and compact, which I like. At this price range, companies should focus on investing in the IEM itself for a better price-to-performance ratio, and not on the packaging. Upon opening the box, you are presented with 7 sets of eartips (3 narrow bore, 4 wide bore), a beautiful faux leather pouch, a black 2pin 3.5mm cable, and lastly, the IEM itself.

Overall, the unboxing experience is pretty good. No complaints for $18.99usd. If you are into anime characters, the cute anime character on the box is another plus. Another addition to your anime box collection I guess.

FIT & COMFORT​

Fit & Comfort is pretty good for me. I find them to fit a lot of Moondrop Aria, which is another great fitting IEM. The stock eartips provided are very comfy too. I went with the narrow bore for this review, but I personally recommend going for the Spinfits cp-145 if you plan to pick up the HOLA as your budget 1DD IEM.

Not only does the Spinfits cp-145 fits perfectly on the HOLA, it also provides improvements to comfort, fit, and sound. With the cp145, you get a bit more clarity up top whilst maintaining a full-bodied sound to the low end and midrange.

If you find the bass to be a bit too much for you, I recommend Moondrop Spring tips. These cut midbass and add clarity up top. Everything sounds more open and airy too.

Again, YMMV as everyone's ears is different.

BUILD QUALITY​

For the price, the build quality is great. It feels "premium", somewhat like the Moondrop Aria but with a plastic shell.

According to Truthear's product page, it "utilizes aluminium alloy CNC anodized faceplate and 3D printing hand-grinding cavity which are barely used in the same price tier." With this information, we know that the faceplate is made from aluminium alloy, and the shell is made from a "3D printed cavity" plastic.

SOUND SIGNATURE

In terms of sound signature, I would describe HOLA to be warm-Harman. It has good tonal balance, easy to listen to, and is very smooth sounding overall. Overall, the tuning here works well to be a great all-rounder IEM that works well with any genre you throw at it.

This can be a double-edged sword as this also means that it can sound dull.

SUBJECTIVE SOUND​

My opinion on the HOLA changes based on how I use the IEM:

1. Underpowered
2. Driven well
3. With Truthear SHIO.

1. Underpowered
When driving the HOLA with my Apple dongle and Samsung Galaxy S9+, I would give HOLA a 3.5/5. It has good tonal balance, but it sounds somewhat dull overall. Bass is a bit boomy and lacks texture, midrange and vocals sound a bit too laid back, and treble is just.... smooth.

Technicalities are below average too, most notably in terms of imaging and transients. Transients and imaging are a bit soft and blunted, soundstage is on the smaller side.

Overall, decent for the price as a good all-rounder, but it is slightly dull and doesn't sound special in any way.

2. Driven well
When driven well, everything opens up for the HOLA and sounds much better. I would rate HOLA amped a 4.5/5. For this, I tested using the iFi Zen DAC, Aune x1s GT, and iFi Zen CAN. As for portable use, I tested the HOLA using the Neotech 4.4 Balanced cable to properly drive the HOLA. DAPs used are the Shanling M3x Limited Edition and Sony Zx300.

For the price of $18.99usd, I was very surprised at how well the Truthear HOLA performed. Bass tightens up a lot with decent texture and punch, midrange sounds cleaner and clearer whilst still retaining its smooth character, vocals sound more airy and open, and its treble, whilst still maintaining its smooth sound signature, has a bit more sparkle to it.

Technicalities improved too. Soundstage sounds slightly wider and more open, imaging and transients are slightly sharper and tighter.

Overall, quite an improvement over an underpowered HOLA. When driven well, the Truthear HOLA seriously surprises me. I was quite shocked at how well it can perform as an $18.99usd IEM. In my mind, I was comparing it to IEMs at a higher price range like the Tinhifi T3 Plus, and Moondrop Aria 2021, which are both around the $60-80usd price range.

Sure, those IEMs are still a step up to the Truthear HOLA in terms of technicalities, plus they don’t really need to be driven well to "sound their best"… but don't forget that HOLA is only $18.99usd and those IEMs are at least 3 times the price of the HOLA.

If you have the HOLA, I recommend trying them with a more powerful source or trying them balanced. You would most likely appreciate the improvement in sound quality.

3. With Truthear SHIO
If you are curious about how the Truthear SHIO performs as a dongle, you can check out my review here.

Unfortunately, when driving the Truthear HOLA with SHIO, I think the HOLA sounds pretty bad. I would rate it 2/5. The overall warmth and smoothness of the SHIO just do not go well with the HOLA. Everything just sounds muddy, boomy, and a bit of a mess.

Bass and midrange are both boomy and muddy, vocals sound a bit compressed, and treble is borderline dark. Not to mention, imaging and transients are also a bit too soft which makes the HOLA even more dull sounding.

Overall, not a good experience.

I first tested the Truthear HOLA with the SHIO for several reasons. First, I received both of them together in the mail. Secondly, I would assume that these 2 will synergize the best as they have been released alongside each other, thus both were tuned for each other? Third, I wanted my first impression of the HOLA to be the "best case scenario" since both the HOLA and SHIO are from the same company and released at the same time.

However, this pairing actually gave me a bad first impression of the HOLA.

I was ready to write a negative review on the HOLA… until I gave it another chance and tried it with different sources, as mentioned above with points 1 and 2. Luckily I did, as the HOLA turned out to be a pretty capable IEM for the price with a lot to like.

All in all, on their own, I think both Truthear HOLA and SHIO are pretty decent choices and are quite capable for the price, but just not together as a pair.

If you are looking to get the Truthear HOLA, I personally advise against buying the Truthear SHIO alongside it as they do not sound good together. Truthear SHIO on its own, however, is still a pretty decent dongle. Click here to find out why I gave it a 4/5 star rating.

IN CONCLUSION​

the Truthear HOLA is a pretty good performer when driven well. Even when underpowered, it still performs decently as a great all-rounder IEM, albeit a bit dull.

If you do plan to pick up the Truthear HOLA, I do recommend trying it out with a few different sources. If you are just starting out and do not have any sources to play with, I recommend picking up the Jcally JM20 for $23.90usd as a budget option. Its neutral bright tuning pairs really well with the HOLA and in my opinion, sounds much better than pairing the HOLA with the SHIO. The Jcally JM20 has a 3.5mm unbalanced output only, so no balanced cable is needed.

Overall, I recommend the Truthear HOLA. I hope you guys have benefitted from this review and are able to follow through from top to bottom. Thank you all for reading.


Thank you Cloris Gee from ShenZhenAudio for sending over the Truthear HOLA and Truthear SHIO (review here) for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Interested in getting the Truthear HOLA & SHIO? Here are the purchase links (non-affiliated):
Truthear HOLA link - https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...gh-performance-dynamic-driver-in-ear-monitors
Truthear SHIO link - https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...-chips-lossless-portable-dac-amplifier-dongle

Introduction​

Truthear is hitting pretty hard with their releases, and the more they release new sets, the more they seem to become references in their price ranges. Plus, it’s progressively clearer that they are related to Moondrop somehow.
But as stated in my Truthear HEXA’s review, it’s better to focus on the product itself rather than the brand, so let’s get straight to the point with Truthear HOLA’s review.
Disclaimer: the sample was provided by Shenzen Audio for free in order to write an honest review. I do not represent them in any way and this is not promotional content.
At the time of the review, the Truthear HOLA were sold for $18,99 on Shenzen Audio Store’s website.

Technical Specifications​

• Configuration → 1 x 11mm DD (PU suspension +LCP dome composite diaphragm)
• Sensitivity → 120dB
• Impedance → 28 Ohm
• Frequency Response → 20 Hz – 20000 Hz
• Cable → 1,2m silver copper cable with 0,78mm PINs, no microphone on this review sample
• Connector type → L-type gold plated 3,5mm jack connector

Packaging​

A thing that really makes Truthear similar to Moondrop is the packaging, because both brands are committed in making unique packages and put a lot of effort in that. Not only that, both brands also use anime girls and “weeb” design choices as big selling points, which is a cool thing.

• The Truthear HOLA
• The cable
• A pleather carry pouch with magnetic closure
• A set of tips (3 pairs of shallow bore tips, 4 pairs of wide bore tips)
• User manual

Design and Build Quality​

The Truthear HOLA are well built and are enclosed in a matte-finished 3D printed shell. They are fairly lightweight and the faceplate is not overly showy, but at the same time the design is pretty attractive.
The 2-PIN connectors are slightly recessed and there are two pressure vents on the shell. In addition, there is a nozzle lip to make sure the tips won’t pop off.

Cable​

The 2-twist cable feels rather cheap but it’s not bad at all and if we think about other IEMs in this price range, it’s not hard to find stock cables that are worse than this one.
It’s pretty soft to the touch, it has a chin slider (very nice thing) and there is no “microphonic effect” when touching the cable or rubbing it on the clothes: it’s more than enough for the price.

Comfort and Isolation​

Comfort is very good, the shape has no sharp edges and the passive isolation is above average. Stock tips, though, might lead to a less secure fit due to their softness, so it would be better having stiffer tips for some tip rolling.

Sound​

How do these sound?
This should be the main reason for reading this reviews.

TEST GEAR

• DAC: Topping E30
• AMP: Topping L30
• Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
• Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Truthear SHIO
• Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
• Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE

Do they need an amp?
The Truthear HOLA can be used without an amplifier, but being honest they are just average at that point, with a pretty boomy bass and an overly warm sound. When adequately amplified, the bass has more impact and it’s less boomy, giving the HOLA more agility to move between instruments and vocals.
So, even though there aren't any volume issues without an amplifier, it’s really recommended to use one to extract the best potential from the HOLA.

Sound signature
The HOLA are warm and seem to follow, on average, the Harman target, but they do that with a slight bass boost.

Lows: the sub-bass has a quite good extension and bass is slightly emphasized, even though not to the point of being unbalanced. Bass textures are not excellent and this is not the fastest driver in this category, but the note weight is good and the overall performance is satisfactory, packing a nice rumble and dynamism.
This is not a basshead’s low-end approach, but the quantity is on-point for almost every genre.

Mids: the midrange is fairly neutral in terms of quantity, and has some added warmth in its lower frequencies. Acoustic instruments benefit from the added warmth and this is pretty evident with acoustic guitars and piano, and the overall layering and separations are average (these are indeed the limits of these cheap IEMs).
Male vocals turn out to be slightly warmer than they should, and while for certain singers this is a great thing, others may not benefit in the same way. Female vocals are fairly intimate but the limited extension in treble slightly tames their energy and they seem to sound somewhat “muted” at times, like if there was a sort of hole somewhere between the upper midrange and the lower treble.

Highs: highs are non-fatiguing, with average details and limited extension. This tuning choice avoids peaks and aims for providing a fatigue-free listening experience.
This does not mean that highs are muted, but they’re clearly less present than on other sets which instead are more focused on detail retrieval and treble extension.

Soundstage is decent with good depth for the category and average width and height. Imaging is ok as well, not razor sharp in very crowded moments but adequate for the price range.

How included tips affect sound
- Wide bore tips: slightly wider stage and a touch more air in female vocals
- Shallow bore tips: slightly more energy in the treble and a bit more details (almost negligible difference)

Some comparisons (using wide bore tips):
Truthear HOLA vs Moondrop Chu
Many people thought the HOLA would have been a sort of “Moondrop Chu” upgrade, but they are actually more of a sidegrade. In fact, the two IEMs have almost nothing in common as the Moondrop Chu are neutral-bright, whereas the HOLA are way warmer and Harman-tuned.
Sub-bass extension and bass are definitely more forward, punchy and extended on the HOLA, whereas Chu sacrifice some note weight to have a faster low-end overall.
Mids are slightly more “in-your-face” on the Chu, and they are also less warm and sweet than on the HOLA. In addition, Chu have slightly better instrument separation. Male vocals sound better on the HOLA, while female vocals are more energetic on the Chu.
Highs are more detailed and extended on the Chu, but they are also more fatiguing. The HOLA, instead, go for a smoother and softer approach, with limited upper end and a bit less detailed sound in order to become a completely fatigue-free set.
Soundstage is slightly wider, taller and deeper on the HOLA, whereas Chu is more intimate and less expansive. Imaging is very similar, with a slight advantage for the Chu thanks to their more open upper end.
Build quality is very similar, and so is comfort. The HOLA insulate slightly better from external noises.
The stock cable included with the HOLA is far better than Chu’s fixed cable, not only because it’s detachable but also because its quality is superior.
If we speak about sound, though, there is no real winner, as they are two differently tuned sets aimed to satisfy different listeners: the Moondrop Chu are for those who prefer a brighter and more analytical set, while the Truthear HOLA represent the perfect budget set for those who prioritize timbre and warmth and are searching for a non-fatiguing set.

Truthear HOLA vs Truthear HEXA
Again, in this case, there were many people thinking that the HOLA would have been a mini-HEXA, but in fact they are very different: the HOLA are warm and harman tuned, whereas the HEXA are neutral bright with a slight sub-bass boost.
Speaking about frequencies, the low-end is clearly more accentuated on the HOLA, with slightly more impact in the bass and sub-bass, while the HEXA are faster, more textured and controlled.
The midrange is warmer on the HOLA, which sightly colors male vocals, but the HEXA are much better in this part of spectrum with far superior separation and layering, better female vocals and tonally accurate male vocals.
Highs are more extended, brighter and more open on the HEXA, that also pack way more details than HOLA, even though this leads to a slightly more fatiguing listening experience. The HOLA here go all-in on their non-fatiguing approach, but the technical differences are very noticeable.
Soundstage, imaging and overall technical ability are a free win for HEXA here, even though the HOLA are actually very good in portraying width and height for their price.
The HEXA seem to be a bit more refined in terms of build quality, but overall the HOLA is well built too. HOLA’s shells are way more comfortable thanks to the fact that there are no sharp edges. Passive isolation is on par more or less.
The stock cables aren’t on very different levels, but HEXA’s stock cable is stiffer than HOLA’s stock cable and this makes the latter more comfortable to use.
Overall, these are tuned in different ways, as the HEXA are much more technical and analytical, whereas the HOLA are smoother, warmer and more relaxed. The biggest difference, though, is in the technical performance, but that was to be expected considering that the HOLA are four times cheaper than the HEXA.

Final Thoughts​

The Truthear HOLA are not giant killers, nor are they the groundshakers you would expect. One thing to note is that an amplifier becomes quite mandatory if you want to hear what the HOLA can truly offer, and this is a sort of nonsense considering that low-budget IEMs are made for people who don’t have a lot of money to spend on gear (as this also means that in most cases the average buyer does not own any amplifier).
They can be considered as the best sidegrade to Moondrop Chu due to their warmer and non-fatiguing sound signature, and this is not a bad thing at all.
We are living in a moment in which the market is full of sidegrades at every price bracket, and the HOLA is another well done entry-level product that makes this hobby even more accessible for newcomers.

Truthear Hola Review​

INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER:​

The Truthear Hola is an in-ear monitor (IEM) featuring detachable cables and one 11mm dynamic driver per housing. The Hola retails for $18.99 at ShenzhenAudio. ShenzhenAudio sent me a unit in exchange for my impressions.

SOURCES:​

I have used the Truthear Hola with the following sources:

• Qudelix 5K
• Hidizs S9
• Truthear Shio
• Apple Dongle

MUSIC:​

I tested these headphones with local FLAC and Spotify Premium. Visit my last.fm page to get an idea of what I listen to:

XenosBroodLord’s Library | Last.fm

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES:​

The Hola comes in a small grey cardboard package with a white slipcover. The slipcover features the anime mascot “Shiroi” on the front face and details the Hola’s technical specifications on the rear face. The rear face of the slipcover also features the Hola’s frequency response graph. The text on the packaging is inconsistent as to whether this set of headphones is named “Hola” or “Halo.” In addition to the IEMs, the Hola includes an Truthear-branded pleather carry pouch with a magnetic closure and a Truthear-branded plastic mounting tray for the included eartip selection. The Hola includes three pairs of generic black silicone eartips (XS, S, M) and four pairs of squat, wide-bore black silicone eartips (XS, S, M, L). In terms of documentation, the Shio comes with a warranty card and an owner’s manual written in Chinese, English, and Japanese. The Shio also includes an illustrated postcard providing key biographical details about Shiroi.

BUILD QUALITY AND DESIGN:​

The Truthear Hola features 3D-printed black resin shells with a pseudo-custom fit paired with CNC aluminum faceplates. The faceplates feature a geometric pattern printed in white. Directional indicators are engraved into the shell just below the slightly recessed 2-pin ports. The shells are unmarked otherwise. There is a small circular vent at the base of each nozzle and a larger bean-shaped vent towards the edge of the inner housing body. The nozzles have mesh covers and raised lips with which to secure eartips.


The Hola uses a different cable than the one included with the Truthear Zero and Truthear Hexa. This plain two-strand cable features a double-helix pattern below the Y-split. The wires are wrapped in a shiny black plastic sheath. The 3.5mm jack uses stout rubber hardware in an L-shaped form factor, whereas the Y-split and chin-adjustment choker hardware are made from black anodized aluminum. The Y-split hardware features the text “Truthear Co.” There is substantial strain relief above the 3.5mm jack but none at the Y-split. The cable has pre-formed heat-shrink earguides. The 2-pin connectors are embossed with “L” and “R” indicators. The cable is virtually silent in terms of microphonics, especially when the chin-adjustment choker is used.

COMFORT, FIT, AND ISOLATION:​

The Truthear Hola is intended to be worn cable-up. The earpieces have a shallow insertion depth. The Hola is comfortable but required the use of the largest size of included wide-bore eartips to maintain a secure fit. Isolation is above average. I did not experience driver flex with the Hola.

MEASUREMENTS:​

My measurements of the Truthear Hola can be found on my expanding squig.link database:

Truthear Hola — Squiglink by Bedrock Reviews

SOUND:​

The Truthear Hola has an overall warm tuning with a neutral midrange and a relaxed treble response. The Hola has a nearly identical tuning to the Moondrop Aria below 1 kHz, with the most noticeable differences between the two appearing in the upper midrange.

The Hola scores well in terms of both sub-bass rumble and mid-bass slam. The Hola’s bass response is also highly textured. Bass resolution and articulation are very good for the price but I do not agree with other reviewers who place the Hola in the same league as the Aria in terms of technical performance. There is still a gulf in technical performance between the Hola and the best IEMs in the $80–100 price bracket, especially with the arrival of the Truthear Hexa to the market.

There is a touch of bloom from the mid-bass into the lower midrange, but not enough that I would consider the Hola to suffer from mid-bass bleed. The effect is mostly positive, in that the Hola has a little extra warmth in the lower midrange. However, I can think of other IEMs around this price, such as the Moondrop Chu, which have greater midrange clarity. Switching back and forth between the two IEMs, I get a distinct feeling that the Hola is over-dampened.

The Hola centers its pinna gain region at 4 kHz, whereas the Aria centers its pinna gain region at roughly 2.5 kHz. I prefer the pinna gain region to be centered right at 3 kHz, so neither approach is ideal for me. With the Hola, male vocals are pressed too far forward for my tastes. On the other hand, I really enjoy the presentation of female vocals on the Hola. Vocal intelligibility is very good for both male and female vocals, though female vocals are slightly clearer. Timbre is very natural.

The Hola has a safe and relaxed treble response with limited sparkle and moderate air. While it may be unreasonable to expect more from a sub-$20 IEM, the subdued treble response hurts the overall listening experience for me. The Hola’s overall resolution is very good for the price point but is edged out in this respect by the Moondrop Chu. Instrument separation and soundstage are both better than what I would expect from an IEM at this price point, but again, I feel the Chu is slightly superior in both respects.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND SOURCE PAIRING:​

While it is possible to power the Truthear Hola with the Apple dongle, doing so required the volume level on Android devices to be nearly maxed out, at least with Spotify volume normalization set to “Normal.” Depending on your typical listening volume, I would recommend using a different source without the Apple dongle’s limitations if you regularly use an Android device. I did not notice hiss with any of my devices.

CLOSING WORDS:​

The Truthear Hola is a solid contender at the sub-$20 price point. I do think there are real gaps between the Hola, the Moondrop Chu, and the 7Hz Zero with respect to various aspects of technical performance. With that said, while these gaps are concrete, they are small enough that your primary decision point should be based on the subtle differences in tuning between the three. The Hola is the warmest of the three, the Zero the closest to textbook neutrality, and the Chu the brightest. In addition, each present what is ostensibly a Harman-ish midrange in slightly different ways. For those just entering the IEM space, my recommendation would be to purchase all three to better inform your more expensive purchases down the road.

The Truthear Hola can be purchased below:

Truthear HOLA Earphone 11mm High-Performance Dynamic Driver In-ear Mo (shenzhenaudio.com)

Disclaimer: ShenzhenAudio provided me with a review unit. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Unaffiliated product link.

Introduction​

Truthear Hola is Truthear's latest IEM entry at $18.99. It features a 11mm PU+LCP diaphragm with 28Ω impedance. As for its naming scheme, I'm also quite unsure of its significance (parts of the box actually say "HALO" instead of Hola). Regardless, it's a certainly aggressive "Hello" from Truthear into the recently super-competitive sub-$20 market.

Packaging and Build Quality​

Hola came in a very small, economical packaging. Inside the packaging, there are some documentations, the IEM itself inside a carrying pouch, and a large selection of eartips.





Hola's housing is made with 3D-printed matte resin by HeyGears, similar to the one featured in the Hexa (and also many Moondrop products like the Variations). But that's where the build similarity ends; Hola is lighter and therefore feels a bit cheaper with a flat backplate design, especially when compared to its older Truthear brothers, Zero and Hexa. I personally prefer a more raised or textured backplate. Within similar price range, I feel that Tangzu Wan'er looks and feel more polished. However, if minor design issues are the tradeoff to achieve this level of sonic performance, I'd take that tradeoff any day.

The cable is really nice and solid, very little microphonics, and there isn't any complaint about its impact on sound quality. It is currently my favourite stock cable among the other sub-$20 rivals.



The carrying pouch is a tad too small to contain the IEM, bulges noticeably when the eartips are installed. The leather material feels quite cheap, as well as its clunky metal clasp. Not a big issue to me, at least Hola does come with a case when others around this price point do not even include one.

Sound Impressions​

Sources: Fiio M11S, Questyle M15, VE Avani (all in single-ended)
Tips and Cables: KBear KB07 L size, stock cable
Music Sources: Apple Music, Tidal, local FLAC files

All measurements are courtesy of Ian Fann.



Truthear Hola is yet another entry into excellent single DD lineups, and with yet another familiar tuning. The overall sound signature can trace its DNA from its distant ancestor, the Moondrop Aria. Tastefully elevated bass that cuts smoothly into a very clean mids, transitioning into treble with appropriately-placed pinna gain before rolling off into the air region; somewhat of a mild-V tuning. That same description can also easily be said to other LCP-based driver IEMs like Tinhifi T3+, C2, and C3, with the C2 being the closest in price. So, yeah... We've seen this tuning many times before.

What separates these similar-sounding IEMs is usually technicalities, but alas, Hola's technicalities are still comparable to its competitors at its price range. Detail retrieval is decent, doesn't really scale with source either. Soundstage and imaging are also great for the price, although you can definitely overwhelm the driver if you try pushing complex tracks. While Hola isn't a miracle worker that does magical things, it is an extremely hard worker and would give the maximum worth for the money you spend on it.

Bass: Snappy and impactful, but not very textured
Mids: Very clean, great vocals
Treble: Non-sibilant, decent extension (for the price)

Comparisons​

vs Tangzu Wan'er ($20):
I feel that tuning-wise, these two are quite close, with Hola having a bit more bass and slightly more forward mids. I do hear more textured bass with Wan'er and a slightly airier treble. Technicalities-wise, they're trading blows very well, so it is quite difficult to pick one over the other. Soundstage is a tad better with Hola, but Wan'er edges Hola slightly on details retrieval. Your choice would be largely dependent on what you prioritize in sound. If you want a smoother experience, go with Hola. If you want something more shimmery with texture, go with Wan'er. Also, while personally I prefer the aesthetics of Wan'er, I like Hola better because of the standard 0.78mm jack and better cable.


vs 7Hz Salnotes Zero ($20):
The Zero is a very balanced set with a nearly-reference tuning and amazing technicalities for the price. While some people might find Zero's reference-style tuning not exciting enough, that's probably the way to extract every bit of technicalities from its driver. So, in terms of technicalities (soundstage, imaging, detail retrieval), Zero edges Hola quite handily. However, Hola's more fun and laid-back tuning is easier to personally enjoy and recommend to everyone. So, in the end, between Zero and Hola, it is largely the matter of preferences and personal sound direction. For technicalities, go with Zero. For fun tuning, go with Hola. Or just get both for variety.

Conclusion​

Truthear Hola is an example that technology does trickle down from the high end into entry level. Its driver technology, tuning direction, build construction can all trace its roots from a more expensive models, and it's not that far either from them. Truthear Hola and the other sub-$20 killers have moved the goalposts, and higher-end IEMs need to work harder to justify their higher prices. With the quality accessories and great sonic performance at this price point, it's really hard not to recommend this highly enough. Anyone looking into jumping into hifi for the first time or audiophiles looking for last-minute gift ideas for non-audiophiles friends should really consider Truthear Hola.

Overview:

Hola. Hello. Hello? Hi TRUTHEAR, it’s me, and I can’t believe you made a cheaper version of the TRUTHEAR HEXA (HEXA.) The HOLA (HALO? look at the box, it says HALO in some spots...) has composite liquid crystal dome diaphragms and dual-cavity internal magnetic circuit Dynamic Drivers. The shell is 3D printed and it comes with an oxygen-free copper cable. Oh, and it’s $19. That makes it the cheapest IEM in the under $30 shootout, along with the Moondrop Chu (Chu), the KZ x HBB DQ6S (DQ6S), and the 7Hz Salnotes Zero (Zero). The HOLA even beats the Moondrop Chu in price – that’s impressive considering how much better the included accessories are with the HOLA, not to mention the sound. If you don’t feel like reading the whole review, just know that the HOLA sounds great for this price and seriously calls into question more expensive IEMs.



Build Quality / Comfort:

Something’s gotta give. That’s what I keep telling myself with the HOLA. At $19, they had to cut some corners somewhere. And yet, the only place where I really feel like they cut corners is the material quality of the IEMs. The quality definitely comes in under the Zero and the DQ6S, which have really nice shells and metal faceplates. The Chu even has slightly nicer quality compared to the HOLA’s matte black shells and Sticker faceplate. The design on the faceplate is cool, if a bit random, but it feels like it is there to give it a bit more character than the all-black HEXAs. The HOLA does feel sturdy enough, so I’m not worried about them breaking easily, but yeah, they feel a little cheap – because they are! They are .65% the cost of the DQ6S, and 76% the cost of the Zero, oh, and 4x cheaper than their big brother the HEXA.

Got it, they’re cheap, move on. OK, then let’s talk accessories. Both the DQ6S and the Zero came with detachable cables, one silver-plated allegedly, and one not, but of higher quality, some OK ear tips, and no case. The Chu came with an attached cable of questionable quality and no case but OK ear tips. The HOLA, which is cheaper than all of the above, comes with a pretty nice detachable 2-pin cable, a nice selection of different types of ear tips, and a soft CASE – for less than the rest of the IEMs. The HEXA still comes with nicer accessories (more ear tips, nice cable, etc.), but that’s expected for the price increase. So, the cheapest IEM comes with the best accessories overall – and that explains the cheaper build quality. If TRUTHEAR hadn’t been trying to beat the Chu on price, I think a nice smooth shell with a decent faceplate like the Zero would have put the HOLA in the same league as the Zero for under $25.

The HOLA is comfortable and the ear tips cover a broad range of sizes and feels. They seal quite well and don’t need an amazing seal to sound good. The size I what I would call medium vs the Chu’s small, and is on par with the Zero and DQ6S size. The cable has good hooks, the IEM, and the cable are lightweight and there are no issues with comfort.



Sound / Source / Comparisons:

Looking at the squig.link frequency response graph, the HOLA is very similar to the HEXA and Zero (and the Thieaudio Monarch Mk2) tuning. The Hola has a bit more sub-bass and mid-bass than the HEXA and Zero, but the mids are almost identical with the Zero adding more focus to the high-mids and low-highs than the HOLA. Each of these IEMs has a dip from 4-6k Hz and a hump at 7k Hz. Unsurprisingly, they all sound pretty similar since they’re all shooting for essentially the same tuning (that made the MMk2 so famous.) I am powering these off my Shanling M3 Ultra (M3U) through Tidal Hi-Fi. I am using the stock 3.5mm cable for this test but will use a 4.4mm balanced Kinnera Leyding for the actual shootout to remove cable inconsistencies or advantages. The HOLA runs at a comfortable volume level at 40/100 unbalanced on the M3U.



As usual, I don’t like to break down headphones solely by frequency range since every song has bass, mids, and highs (and I can’t tell the difference between vocals at 1900 Hz and 2100 Hz.) So, I will start with bass-heavy songs, then move to mids-focused and lastly highs-focused songs, then break down each song by how all the pieces are presented. You can find my Tidal test tracks playlist in my signature if you want to compare them to your headphones. My First test track I’ll be using is David Guetta’s “I’m Good (Blue.)” The intro bass drums come in pretty good, with good impact, but they feel a bit flat. The hi-hats can be heard clearly and the mid-synth is clear if a little muddy and a little tinny. The sub-bass at 0:38 has some decent rumble to it. The high synth comes across as a bit sharp as well – if these were $1,000 IEMs, I would return them immediately. For $19 IEMs, they’re literally some of the best of their class under $50. The HEXA sounds better across the entire spectrum, but it still costs 4x as much. They’re better than the Chu and the DQ6S has better bass, but a similar quantity. The Zero is really what they’re competing with and the zero has less sub-bass, but a better overall presentation/quality across the board for vocals, synths, bass soundstage, separation, clarity, and overall sound quality on this song.

For mids, I am testing with Ravenscode’s “Be the Same.” The HOLA does well with this sound considering their price, but they do sound flat and 2d compared to the Zero’s 3d soundstage. The bass is pretty good if a little muted while the vocals and guitars are farther back and a bit distorted. It’s not great, but for the price, it’s still really good. The vocals on the Zero are really good in this song and so are the guitars. Distorted guitars introduce some issues and mess with the balance of the song and introduce some harshness with the Zero, but the HOLA has the same issue. The Zero is easily the better IEM here.

Panic! At The Disco’s “High Hopes” opens with some really strong horn performance from the HOLA. It’s one of the best sounds I’ve heard come from these. The vocals sound good, even though it still feels pretty flat. There is NO sibilant “S” sounds here just like the Zero and that’s fantastic. There are significantly more expensive IEMs that can’t pull that off. In fact, the HOLA does better than the Zero here with the Zero having consistent painful sharp “S” sounds. Ooof. The rest of the song does sound better on the Zero, but those highs are rough. Even Michelle McLaughlin's "Across the Burren" doesn't offend on the HOLA, it won't blow your mind like the Mezzo, but it's still a good mellow version of a song that does not appreciate harsh tuning.



Conclusion:

The HOLA is something of an enigma. It’s the cheapest IEM in the Under $30 Shootout, beats the Chu above it, with a much better accessory package, and has better highs and more bass than the Zero. It doesn’t have the bass of the DQ6S, but it has better highs and Mids than the much more expensive IEM. That makes the HOLA a real contender for cheap IEMs. Once again though, if you can afford the $80 HEXA, just get that – it’s better in every way. If not, the Zero and the HOLA are neck and neck in terms of performance – do you prefer more bass, and less sharp highs or do you prefer a better soundstage and better mids with less bass? The choice is yours.

You can buy it from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3HKF780

Hola is one of the first greetings that you will learn if you study the Spanish language. Hola means Hello and it was followed by ¿Como Estas? (How are you?). And it looks like TRUTHEAR is sending its greetings to the audio community on their introductory product in the ultra-budget segment.

Click to expand...

This is actually my first product review for TRUTHEAR, as we all know that TRUTHEAR was already quite popular among some audio enthusiasts with the introduction of their TRUTHEAR ZERO and TRUTHEAR HEXA with their impressive mature tuning.


Here are some information about this new audio company, TRUTHEAR is a Shenzhen-based company which specialiases on audio solution like earphones and other mobile hi-fi devices. It seems that they are also some sort of a sister company of the popular entry-level/midrange brand, MOONDROP and the more premium brand, SOFTEARS that both brands earned some good reputation on audio enthusiasts scene.



This is TRUTHEAR's first product in the ultra-budget segment, The HOLA. HOLA is a single driver IEM, just like its contemporaries in the same price segment but it has an uncommon implementation of its transducer among its peers; it has an LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer) diaphragm on its dual dynamic driver which gives a more responsive and faster transients with less distortion performance.



HOLAs were encapsulated in a matte-finished, 3-D printed black polycarbonate plastic shell chassis done by Heygears which is known for its 3D printing business either on hardware and software development and it has a simple geometric polygon design on its face plate. It has a detachable cable for ease of replacement and it uses a recessed 2-pin connector which is quite different compared to a more common "QDC-type" bi-pin connector.



The contour of HOLA's shells has a UIEM-style shape profile which gives a more snug fitting to my lug holes. It has decent passive noise isolation as it blocks some external noises from the outside. Another laudable aspect of HOLA was its stock cable, this is probably the best stock cable in under US$20 price segment. It has a rather thick insulation coating on its wirings then a twisted part on the half of the cable towards the termination plug.



As for production packaging, HOLA's packaging box is rather small just enough to contain the inclusions, it has a cute illustration of TRUTHEAR's product mascot (her name is Shiroi) with product logo and model print at the front and a frequency graph, basic product specification and company address at the back.




Here are the inclusions you can find inside of the box:

■ TRUTHEAR Hola IEMs
■ A faux leather IEM case with magnetic snaps.
■ An eartips mount with different bores and sizes of eartips.
■ A black-coloured OFC 4-core cable in an L-shaped termination plug.
■ Warranty card
■ Instruction manual



When it comes to driveability and scalability, TRUTHEAR Hola is quite easy to be amplified by devices with decent power output. But putting them in a device like LG smartphones and DAPs with better DAC/amps will give the HOLA better dynamics and amplitude rating.




TRUTHEAR Hola's tonality takes a more mild-U shaped sound signature profile that is quite a trend nowadays. It has an elevated bass, a neutral midrange and a noticeable peak on upper-mids to presence treble.


Here are some of my observations on its overall sound characteristic.


LOWS/BASS:

Certainly that Hola has this tightness and clean bass response. It rather focuses on the sub bass quality as it has a good reverb and rumble that gives a depth on low tone bass guitars, electric drums and synthesisers on every synth-pop, some classic rock and bass boost driven old school hip-hop tracks that I'm thrown into it.

Mid bass is somehow less emphasis on this one as it has leaner texture to give a bass guitar sounds less aggressive for its mellow and a tad less weighty, a hollow and soft on bass drum kicks and a light and mellow bass-baritone vocals that gives more melodious and "lyrical" rather than a strong and authority.


MIDRANGE:

As usual for a mild-U shaped, it has a tad notch in the overall presentation. Despite its slight recession, it has ample texture to give a decent texture and it is relatively transparent sounding. It takes on focusing on female vocals rather than male vocals. Female vocals have this captivating, pleasantly sweet sounding while male vocals have enough depth and modulation to give at least a substantial note weight.

Regarding the instruments, strings like acoustic guitars take a more of a buttery and warm sounding while violins sound somewhat calm and austere. Woodwinds like flute have this light, mellow and soft sounding while saxophone has this rounded and warm sound that is quite less intense and reedy in my liking. Brass like trombone sounds relatively tersive and concise while horns sound quite velvety and ponderous. Percussive like tom drums sounds sonorous and yet sombre sounding, while snare drums have a penetrating and hard-hitting resound. Pianos have a sufficient glistening yet smooth sound on it which is quite impressive for a single DD set.



HIGHS/TREBLE:

HOLA's treble takes a rather safer tuning as it is well-balanced and smooth response but there are some slight finickiness about it. It will not give you the airiest brilliance treble but rather its more of an enough given its price. It has a satisfying shimmer to give a decent definition on cymbals and other percussive instruments that focuses on treble response.

Another thing that HOLA's doesn't have any signs of harshness nor hissing which make this IEM really good and highly recommended to treble sensitives out there.



SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

Like most products in this particular price range, HOLA's technical capabilities are rather pretty average. First was its sound/speaker stage overall's dimensions are adequate enough. Just a median on wideness, decent height and average depth from front to back perception just to give at least a standard sense of space within my head room, not narrow nor expansive one.

Second aspect is the imaging which I can safely say is average again given that I can locate the placement of each instrument and positioning of vocals but in a more basic, two-dimensional stereo panning. Separation and layering performance seems nothing to be distinguishable the fact that it a decent gap and spacing and it has some semblance of frequency and dynamic layering part of element but don't expect an impressive performance if you play a very complex, multi-instrumental tracks to it as it sounds a bit congested and veiled.

The third facet was its coherency, it performs pretty well given that its an LCP driver that gives a better transient response, so it performs pretty well on this aspect. The last but not the least was resolution capability, it has a homogenous and cohesive macro-dynamics and decent delineation aptness into this one that it has enough sharpness for definition on nuances and details. Timbre is actually impressive on this one as it has presented a more organic presentation.



PEER COMPARISONS:


ND AUDIO NSK

■ Both IEMs are comparable in this comparison, they have both single dynamic drivers on their internals but the materials of its respective are different. NSK uses a composite one consisting of silicon and paper-like substance on its diaphragm. NSK previously used to have the best stock cable in under $20 segment and HOLA manage to displaced it with even better stock cable.

■ As for tonality, NSK takes more of a V-shaped sound signature. It has a punchy bass, a more recessed midrange presentation and similar treble response but NSK has a bit more airy on treble extension.

■ Technicalities on both IEMs are akin to each other, similar soundstage dimension, imaging, coherency and even resolution capabilities. But the tonal colour on NSK is a bit warmer.



TANGZU WAN'ER SG

■ We have the match of the year as both devices are aiming for the same price segment. They are definitely trading blows on one another. They both have the same implementation of a transducer which is a dynamic driver but TangZu uses their own designed PET diaphragm. It also has some good included accessories too but stock cable on HOLA is way better.

■ they also take almost the same direction on sound profile, a mild U-shaped tuning but Wan'er has more warmer and noticeable textured midbass, it has a tad bright due to an emphasis on upper mids to brilliance treble, but at least it has a tad airiness on presence treble but still not my ideal treble air. At least both are leaning towards a smooth and safe treble.

■ As for technicalities, Wan'er has an above average soundstage size but imaging, coherency and separation, they are parallel to each other given on their performance. Tonal colour on Wan'er has a tad of added shimmer to make a bit brighter sound.



MOONDROP QUARKS DSP

■ Definitely it is HOLA's distant cousin. It really depends on its DSP implementation to give its distinct tuning and a non-detachable cable which is sort of a bummer.

■ Quarks DSP has this weird tonality like uneven bass response, decently clean but recessed midrange and a very poor treble register.

■ It does have an inadequate technical performance that I will rather suggest that you should save up a little bit for HOLA. Apologies but I can't really recommend this set unless you want to do some experiment on it via EQing.



To conclude my assessment on TRUTHEAR HOLA, it seems that TRUTHEAR takes the right direction on how they will push on the Hola to the ultra-budget segment.


Given its inoffensive tuning and appealing pricing that audio enthusiast will give a worth on its undertaking value to be affordable and provides them a likeable sound quality. Remember there will always be some caveats that you consider like unexceptional, safe tuning but given that this type of tuning on which you can only find in the midrange segment some few years ago, you would rather give it a considerable try on it.


TRUTHEAR HOLA is currently available on SHENZHEN AUDIO. Try to visit HERE* if you want to purchase it.


(*Guaranteed Non-affiliate link)




SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: TRUTHEAR HOLA
IMPEDANCE: 28Ω
SENSITIVITY: 120dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 8Hz – 46KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78MM)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER



Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)


Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *



P.S.

I am not affiliated to TRUTHEAR nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to SHENZHENAUDIO and also to TRUTHEAR for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

The Hola comes in a tiny environmentally friendly box with great artwork.
Inside the box is a surprising compliment of tips and the new Truthear cable I like better than the older ones. The Hola is well made from 3D printed resin and comfortable as well as having good isolation.

Sound:

Starting with the Bass:
The lows on the Hola are balanced and have a nice amount of extension and clarity, it is by no means a Bass head IEM as they are more quality in presentation. Bass in general has good speed and weight.

Mids: Midrange is unique. It has both brightness and vocals are forward without any harshness. details are smooth and rich with good body.


Treble: Is tuned smoothly with good extension there is a quick drop off but still it manages to give a fair amount of sparkle and details. Treble heads look else ware, but treble sensitive will find this very pleasant and polite.

Soundstage: Is decently open and organic with good imaging and accurate details.

After thoughts: The HOLA is an exceptional value at under $20 while it may not be the best at everything it still manages to be very pleasant and smooth with good technicalities and a bright neutral signature I found refreshing.