The Truthear GATE earphones are an impressive entry into the budget audio market, offering a great blend of sound quality and comfort. These earphones are designed to provide a balanced sound profile, with a slight emphasis on the upper mids. One of the standout features of the Truthear GATE is its lightweight design, which ensures comfort even during long listening sessions. The earphones are built from high-quality plastic, making them durable yet lightweight. The soft, well-braided cable adds to the overall durability and reduces microphonics, enhancing the listening experience. Although the included ear tips are basic, they do a decent job of providing a good fit and noise isolation. The Truthear GATE aims to deliver high-quality audio at an affordable price, making it an attractive option for both casual listeners and audiophiles on a budget.
Truthear Gate Review
In a market dominated by high-end earphones with premium price tags, the Truthear GATE stands out by offering quality audio performance at a more accessible price. These earphones are ideal for everyday use and ensure that all types of music sound good, from rock and pop to classical and jazz. As we all know it, ‘Hola-2’, I was really interested in testing it because I love my Hola very much. But the listening experience is bittersweet. I missed the warm & bold bass of Hola, but the Gate provides a very sweet midrange, which is a good point.
In my testing, my Planue R2 did a great job, as did the Hiby R3. When I paired the IEM with my Moondrop Dawn Pro, the mids opened up a bit. My ifi Hip DAC 2 made it slightly thicker in the bass region. I shuffled the cable and ear tips too to find the best synergy. I’ll go into more detail about this in a later part of this review.
DISCLAIMER
DISCLAIMER:
Shenzhenaudio was kind enough to send me the Gate to review. I am not affiliated with the company, and of course, I was not asked for any copy checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘Truthear Gate review‘ are my subjective thoughts.
One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape & depth of the ear canal.
For your personal purchase –
Geek Mart is the place if you are in Bangladesh.
Check out Shenzhenaudio if you live elsewhere.
GEAR USED
● DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Hiby R3
● DAC/AMP: iFi Hip Dac 2, Moondrop Dawn Pro
● Smartphone: POCO X3
● Music Sources: Local FLAC & DSD files
SPECIFICATION
● Driver Type: 10mm DD
● Frequency Response: 20Hz–20kHz
● Sensitivity: 122 dB
● Impedance: 28Ω
● Cable Length: 1.2m
● Connector Type: 3.5mm
● Weight: 15g
BOX CONTAINS
● Truthear GATE earphones
● Soft, well-braided cable (OFC)
● Wide bore ear tips (SS/S/M/L)
● Narrow bore ear tips (S/M/L)
● Carrying pouch
● User manual
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
It’s fun and easy to open the Truthear GATE. The IEMs are packaged nicely in a strong box, which protects them. Upon opening the box, you’re greeted with the IEMs themselves, which are securely placed in a foam insert. The good-quality oxygen-free copper cable is attached to the IEM. Additionally, the box includes seven pairs of ear tips in various sizes and types. Unboxing feels premium and well thought out, which speaks to the good quality within.
BUILD QUALITY
Build quality and design are really good on the Truthear GATE. The IEMs are made of strong plastic, hence light but robust. They have a clear faceplate, contributing to their modern looks. Soft and nicely braided, the cable is nice-looking and also feels strong; it won’t easily tangle. The shiny black cover of the cable is flexible and tough for longer use without problems, even with daily usage. The ear tips included are basic but functional. Overall, the GATE’s build quality and design exceed expectations, especially considering its budget-friendly price point.
FIT & COMFORT
It excels in fit and comfort. The light weight sits quite comfortably in your ears and will not cause fatigue even during extended listening. That soft, well-braided cable really is a nice touch; it doesn’t press over the ears and reduces microphonics to a really minimal level—those are the noises produced by the cable when rubbing against your cloth. The ear tips are basic but offer decent fit and noise isolation; the earphones can be used for just about any activity, from commuting to working out. The Truthear GATE is quite comfortable and pleasant to listen to; hence, they become reliable for daily uses.
SOUND IMPRESSION
The Truthear GATE sounds balanced but with an interesting upper mid boost. This creates a relaxing and warm sound and sounds great on a broad spectrum of music types. The bass is full and nicely in check and adds body and richness without overpowering other frequency ranges. Vocals sound clear and upfront; the airy & revealing top end adds a touch of sparkle without being harsh. The GATE delivers excellent instrument separation and a very airy soundstage for the cost with the ability to single out solo instruments from the mix.
Let’s dive deep …
SUB-BASS
The sub-bass of the Truthear GATE sounds excellent with a sense of body and authority. Playing Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” the bass lines on the track re delivered with a satisfying depth that adds to the overall richness of the track. There is a lack of bleed from the sub-bass into the other frequency groups and a clear and snappy presentation in the highs and mids. The result is a sound that is balanced with the bass providing the foundation to the music without overpowering. This makes the Truthear GATE particularly rewarding to listen to rock and metal tracks where a forceful bass presence is central.
MID-BASS
The mid-bass is rather well-balanced in that it complements the rest of the frequency range without overpowering it. The mid-bass in the Truthear GATE can be heard to great effect in presenting the song “Guilty of the Crime” by the Eagles. The mid-bass adds a satisfying thump to the song which gives the song energy and makes for an interesting listen. The most notable thing being how the mid-bass achieves this with impact without spilling into other parts of the frequency spectrum.
The vocals remain clear and the guitar riffs remain distinct and the entire complexity of the song can get through. This makes the Truthear GATE a great option for those who appreciate a dynamic but well-balanced sound where each aspect of the music can breathe properly.
VOCALS PERFORMANCE
MALE
The GATE provides male vocals with a natural tone and subtle upper mid brightness. The subtle emphasis adds texture and presence and male vocals sound energetic and alive. Mark Knopfler’s song “All That Matters” presents the potential of the GATE in reproducing male vocals with texture. Knopfler’s vocals come with a touch of brightness to help add power and presence in his singing. The IEM preserves the emotional tone and nuances of his vocals, and listening feels more engrossing. The subtle upper mid emphasis keeps vocals in the foreground and as clear as can be even in instrumentation-laden sections of songs. This makes the Truthear GATE a very suitable choice for vocal-centric genres like folk, country, and rock.
FEMALE
The female vocals treatment on the GATE is outstanding. The vocals’ smoothness without any hardness greatly adds to a pleasurable listening. The Truthear GATE’s ability to deal with female vocals can be attested to by Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love for You.” Houston’s voice is presented with a sweet and energetic quality that captures the essence of her performance. The IEMs offer the texture and clarity necessary in order to enjoy the entire vocals of her from the soft and subtle parts to the loud and powerful crescendos. Such clarity with a dose of sweetness makes the Truthear GATE a great option for listeners who enjoy female vocalists in a variety of genres like pop, R&B, and even jazz.
INSTRUMENT SEPARATION
The GATE really dominates when it comes to isolating instruments for a budget IEM. “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd sounds like a good gauging of the Truthear GATE’s ability to break down those sounds. And lo and behold? It really nails it, allowing each instrument to take center stage in the mix. The guitars, keyboards, and vocals each get their own place in the spotlight to create a lush and immersive listening experience. The separation really delivers an emotional wallop to the song because every little thing snaps out. And the best part? The Truthear GATE retains clarity even when things get somewhat busy, which is great for those who enjoy detailed and complex music.
TREBLE
Dude, the GATE’s treble really was extremely light and smooth and sounds really great. Just listen to Rainbow’s “Man on the Silver Mountain”—the hi-hats and cymbals really come alive with this clean, airy neutral sound and really add a great brightness to this song. But the kicker? They don’t get overly sibilant and shrieky, which is a major win if you’re going to be rocking out for hours. This relaxed treble config makes the GATE a great choice for anyone who can’t deal with IEMs that are too bright and clinical.
SOUNDSTAGE
Soundstage really refers to how wide and how deep the sound is, right? The GATE may not have the greatest soundstage out there, but by gosh, for the cost, it’s really fantastic. Just listen to “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin and you’ll completely know what I’m talking about. The GATE really gets this thing about sense of space down where you can very easily tell where the instruments sit in the mix, such as the swirling keyboards on the left and those pounding drums on the right.
CABLE & TIP ROLLING
Here comes my favorite part. I went straight to my custom made pure copper cable collection, and ah! the Gate shows a bit warmth in the bass & lower mids regions, as well as with the budget-friendly OCC cable ‘NiceHCK MixPP.’ And after using various ear tips, I settled with the Spinfit Omni for comfort and Dunu Candy for good-bodied bass. It’s not necessary to spend a lot on accessories like cables & ear tips for a 19 USD IEM, but if you have some in your collection, feel free to experiment.
RECOMMENDED FOR
● Budget-minded audiophiles seeking a balanced and engaging sound.
● Listeners who enjoy a variety of musical genres.
● Users who prioritize comfort and a secure fit for extended listening sessions.
● Those who appreciate a smooth and non-fatiguing treble presentation.
NOT FOR
● You’re a basshead and crave earth-shattering bass.
● You prefer a super wide and expansive soundstage.
● You desire a highly analytical and detail-oriented sound signature.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In the wild world of budget IEMs, the Truthear GATE is a real standout. It’s not attempting to be everybody’s darling, it’s all about providing you with a nice, well-balanced sound that is perfect for whatever music you listen to. Sure, it may not be the wildest-sounding, biggest-sounding IEM out there, but for what you’re paying, the GATE is really impressive. You really get a lot for your money here, with sound quality that can really hold it’s own against some IEMs that cost a lot, lot, lot more.
Others may prefer a more analytical or punchier sound, but the GATE is all about providing you with a casual, enjoyable listening experience. If you’re looking to save some money and wanna enjoy great sound at the same time, well, you need to take a look at the Truthear GATE. It may become your new go-to for listening to your music library.
You Can Read Other Reviews here.
