Truthear Nova VS Padsmith IEM

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

Home Ranking Compare IEMs

Truthear Nova and Padsmith IEM use 1DD+4BA and 1DD+1Planar driver setups respectively. Truthear Nova costs $150 while Padsmith IEM costs $120. Truthear Nova is $30 more expensive. Padsmith IEM holds a slight 0.2-point edge in reviewer scores (6.8 vs 7). Truthear Nova has significantly better mids with a 1.8-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better treble with a 2.6-point edge and Truthear Nova has better dynamics with a 0.8-point edge.

Insights

Metric Truthear Nova Padsmith IEM
Bass 7 7
Mids 6.8 5
Treble 6.6 4
Details 7.3 7
Soundstage 7 7
Imaging 7 7
Dynamics 6.8 6
Tonality 6.7 6.7
Technicalities 6.8 6

Truthear Nova Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Fresh Reviews
Smirk Audio Shuwa-T Yifang Tim Tuned Gizaudio Axel Super* Review
Jaytiss Jays Audio Head-Fi.org

Average Reviewer Score:

6.8

Cautiously Favorable

Padsmith IEM Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Fresh Reviews
Z-Reviews Jaytiss
Kois Archive
Audio Amigo

Average Reviewer Score:

7

Generally Favorable

Reviews Comparison

Truthear Nova reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 7.3 Reviewer Score
B Tuning
C+ Tech
Nice set, great bass. Too much upper mids.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: B Treble: C+ Dynamics: A- Soundstage: A-
YouTube video thumbnail

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Padsmith IEM reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 6.3 Reviewer Score
C+ Tuning
C- Tech
Packaged like theiaudio iem... lol this hobby.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: C+ Treble: C- Dynamics: B Soundstage: A-
YouTube video thumbnail

Truthear Nova reviewed by Fresh Reviews

Fresh Reviews 5.5* * The score of this reviewer influences only the Gaming Score
Borders C+

Fresh Reviews original ranking

Fresh Reviews Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Fresh Reviews

Fresh Reviews 5* * The score of this reviewer influences only the Gaming Score
Better in COD

Fresh Reviews original ranking

Fresh Reviews Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Truthear Nova (more reviews)

Truthear Nova reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 7 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A Tech
NEED FOAM TIPS makes the treble smooth and clear. Very clean harman sound with smooth but well extended treble/one of the best treble under $200, no roll-off. The pinnacle of trying not to offend anyone, but light bass/low-end; another harman.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Truthear Nova reviewed by Smirk Audio

Smirk Audio 6.9 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
B+ Tech
check links for more info:

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

Bass: A- Mids: A- Treble: A- Dynamics: B+ Details: A- Imaging: A-

Truthear Nova reviewed by Shuwa-T

Shuwa-T 6.8 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
A- Tech
Overall clean sounding, works well with quicker pop genres (Jpop/Kpop) Male vocals recessed, does not work well with the other half of Jpop/Kpop. Lower midrange suffers from thinner note weight (tuning)

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

Bass: A- Mids: B Treble: B+ Soundstage: A- Details: A Imaging: A-

Truthear Nova reviewed by Yifang

Yifang 6.5 Reviewer Score
B Tuning
B+ Tech
check links for more info:

Yifang original ranking

Yifang Youtube Channel

Truthear Nova reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 6.5 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
A+ Tech
check links for more info:

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Bass: A- Mids: A+ Treble: A+

Truthear Nova reviewed by Gizaudio Axel

Gizaudio Axel 6.5 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
B+ Tech
A solid reference. Harman-style sound signature with solid sub-bass, clean forward vocals, smooth treble extension, and great detail. Could use more bass, vocals can feel lean and a bit intense at times.

Gizaudio Axel original ranking

Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel

Truthear Nova reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 6* * score rescaled + normalized
A little bit thin and shrill sounding. Hexa costs half as much and it's the better IEM.

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Truthear Nova reviewed by Head-Fi.org

Head-Fi.org 7.5 * score rescaled + normalized
12 community members have rated the TruthEar Nova at an average of 4.0/5 on Head-Fi. Overall sentiment: Very Positive.

URL to full Review

Head-Fi.org original ranking

Padsmith IEM (more reviews)

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Audio Amigo

Audio Amigo 8 * score rescaled + normalized
An EM6L, but with toned down top end. Gorgeous shells. Microplanar instead of Balanced Armature. Great Details and Imaging. Acessories are a little barebones

Audio Amigo original ranking

Audio Amigo Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Kois Archive

Kois Archive 7 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A+ Tech
Rating: A- | Value: ⭐ | Gaming: 🎮 | Comfort: 9 nice planar micro details midbass a little much

Kois Archive original ranking

Kois Archive Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Padsmith IEM reviewed by Z-Reviews

Z-Reviews 6.8 * score rescaled + normalized
check links for more info:

Z-Reviews original ranking

Z-Reviews Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Truthear Nova User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Padsmith IEM User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!

Truthear Nova Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6.8

Gaming Grade

B+

Padsmith IEM Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

5.7

Gaming Grade

B-

Truthear Nova Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B+
  • It sounds pleasant overall, with some uneven spots that hint at room for refinement. Vocals remain pleasant despite the imperfections.

Average Technical Grade

B+
  • Technical ability is serviceable, keeping basic detail intact across simpler tracks. It keeps up with acoustic tracks without much fuss.
Bass A-
Expect a commanding bass response that reaches deep without clouding the mix. There's both slam and nuance in equal measure.
Mids B+
Expect a confident midrange that keeps details audible without harshness. Acoustic arrangements sound engaging.
Treble B+
The top end is engaging and airy, yet never overbearing. Brass and strings feel energetic.
Dynamics B+
Dynamic expression is good, delivering solid impact and convincing contrast. Percussion lands with convincing weight.
Soundstage A-
Immersion steps up dramatically as width, depth, and height integrate into a cohesive hologram. Everything sounds naturally spaced.
Details A-
Textural subtleties glow, giving each recording a beautifully illuminated character. It exposes mix decisions with precision.
Imaging A-
Depth mapping feels natural and accurate, supporting convincing immersion. Depth mapping feels precise and natural.
Gaming B+
Respectable environmental presentation favors atmosphere over precision. Detects obvious directional cues while conveying game world ambiance.

Padsmith IEM Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

B+
  • The tuning leans easygoing, yet occasional unevenness nudges it away from greatness. A bit of EQ polish can smooth things nicely.

Average Technical Grade

B
  • An honest, middle-of-the-road performance preserves structure without chasing micro-detail. It's respectable for everyday listening sessions.
Mids C+
The mids are solid and dependable, though not especially remarkable. Vocals stay reasonably grounded in the mix.
Treble C-
Treble performance is average, audible but short on refinement. There's acceptable presence but limited finesse.
Dynamics B
Expect energetic dynamics that bring music to life without harshness. It injects enthusiasm into fast music.
Soundstage A-
Immersion steps up dramatically as width, depth, and height integrate into a cohesive hologram. Everything sounds naturally spaced.
Gaming B-
Moderate spatial presentation conveys general directionality. Suitable for casual play where precision isn't critical.

Truthear Nova User Reviews

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