Truthear Nova VS SoftEars Studio 2

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

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Truthear Nova and SoftEars Studio 2 use 1DD+4BA and 2BA driver setups respectively. Truthear Nova costs $150 while SoftEars Studio 2 costs $170. SoftEars Studio 2 is $20 more expensive. Truthear Nova holds a decisive 2.4-point edge in reviewer scores (6.8 vs 4.4). Truthear Nova has significantly better bass with a 4-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better mids with a 4.3-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better treble with a 2.1-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better dynamics with a 3.8-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better soundstage with a 2-point edge, Truthear Nova has significantly better details with a 4.3-point edge and Truthear Nova has significantly better imaging with a 3-point edge.

Insights

Metric Truthear Nova SoftEars Studio 2
Bass 7 3
Mids 6.8 2.5
Treble 6.6 4.5
Details 7.3 3
Soundstage 7 5
Imaging 7 4
Dynamics 6.8 3
Tonality 6.7 4.8
Technicalities 6.8 4.9
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough SoftEars Studio 2 reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

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

SoftEars Studio 2 Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Precogvision
Jaytiss
Jays Audio

Average Reviewer Score:

4.4

Unfavorable

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-
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Price: $199

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SoftEars Studio 2 reviewed by Jaytiss

Jaytiss 4 Reviewer Score
C- Tuning
C+ Tech
Sound underwater.

Jaytiss original ranking

Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Mids: E+ Treble: C+ Dynamics: D Soundstage: C+
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Price: $169

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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

SoftEars Studio 2 reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 6 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
B+ Tech
HIGH VOLUME SET (at least 75dbs+). Warm, comfy, vintage-like sound with great immersion. Vocals are somehow still clear at higher volume and not overly dark. Not very good tech to $$ value wise, but very unique sounding. Would not recommend for mid to lower volume listening as it'll sound too dark, congested, and "low-res". Needs scaling.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Truthear Nova (more reviews)

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 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

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

SoftEars Studio 2 (more reviews)

SoftEars Studio 2 reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 3.2 Reviewer Score
D Tuning
D Tech
Plasticky and lo-res. Upper-midrange sounds scooped out which contributes to large imaging but nothing else commendable about this.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: D Mids: D Treble: C- Dynamics: D Details: D Imaging: C-

Truthear Nova User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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SoftEars Studio 2 User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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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+

SoftEars Studio 2 Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

4.9

Gaming Grade

C

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.

SoftEars Studio 2 Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

C
  • Tonality remains inconsistent, with uneven peaks and dips that disrupt musical flow. You'll constantly notice peaks or dips pulling focus.

Average Technical Grade

C
  • Textural information blurs together, making the stage feel pinched and gray. Instrument edges blur together frequently.
Bass D
The bass sits quietly in the background, providing only faint support. Live recordings lose their stage thump.
Mids D-
The mids come across papery and weak, draining warmth from the mix. Acoustic tracks sound brittle and distant.
Treble C
The top end sounds acceptable but lacks the smoothness of higher tiers. Air is hinted at more than delivered.
Dynamics D
Dynamics sound noticeably compressed, muting contrast between quiet and loud. Transients feel blunted and slow.
Soundstage C+
It pushes sound outward confidently while leaving height development as an unfinished idea. Height remains subtle but detectable.
Details D
The overall picture is serviceable yet stripped of the tiny flourishes that add realism. Layering lacks consistent clarity.
Imaging C-
Center information lands in the right area but not with laser focus. Separation is adequate for casual listening.
Gaming C
Minimal environmental definition provides only general audio cues. Suitable for games where positioning isn't critical.

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SoftEars Studio 2 User Reviews

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