The TRUTHEAR HEXA are wired-only headphones that offer audiophile-quality sound at a wallet-friendly price. Unlike the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED, which use a dual-diaphragm design to deliver audio, the HEXA combine a dynamic woofer with three balanced armature drivers in a hybrid structure. The woofer takes care of the bass, and the armature drivers the mid-range and treble. TRUTHEAR claim that this allows the headphones to produce a 'smooth' and 'clear' treble response. Does this new design lead to improved sonic results, or are there one too many drivers at the wheel of these IEMs?
Our Verdict
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are okay for sports and fitness use. Their wired design means they're not ideal for moving around, as you can snag their cable on something. They also lack an IP rating for protection against water and dust. That said, they're comfortable and stable enough to stay in place during intense head movements, and they weigh very little. Plus, you won't have to contend with batteries or Bluetooth connections as they're wired.
- Comfortable, stable fit.
- No IP rating against water or dust ingress.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are a good choice for travel. They are stable for long plane rides and boost their portability with a convenient pouch for storage. While they don't have ANC and do a poor job blocking out bass-range sounds like engine rumble, their passive isolation attenuates mid-range sounds like passenger chatter. Additionally, they have a comfortable in-ear fit and leak very little audio, so your fellow commuters won't hear what you're listening to.
- Comfortable, stable fit.
Portable and lightweight.
- Weak isolation against low frequency sounds.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are sub-par for office use. They don't come with a microphone, so if you want to take calls, you'll have to use your connected devices' built-in mic or purchase a dedicated mic. On the other hand, they have a comfortable fit that you'll be content to wear all day at work, and they do a good job blocking out mid- and treble-range sounds like office chatter and the hum of A/C units.
- Comfortable, stable fit.
- Weak isolation against low frequency sounds.
- No integrated mic.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are wired-only headphones; you can't use them wirelessly.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are mediocre gaming headphones. They don't have an integrated microphone, so you'll need a standalone microphone or aftermarket cable (with a mic) to communicate on voice chat. Their well-balanced mid-range means dialogue is easy to pick out, even in a loud combat scene, but if you want to tweak their sound, you'll need to EQ them with a third-party app. They're also comfortable, stable, and light, so you'll have little difficulty keeping them on for extended gaming sessions.
- Comfortable, stable fit.
- No integrated mic.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have very good audio reproduction accuracy. Their frequency response deviates minimally from their balanced sound, with peaks and dips in the treble region coloring cymbals just a little muffled or sharp, depending on their pitch. In particular, sections of the bass range may lack full-bodiedness, and mild underemphasis in the treble lends a smooth quality to the earbuds' signature, depending on your taste. Both the L/R drivers' group delay and stereo-matching are solid, leading to transparent treble, defined transients, and tight bass, all positioned accurately in a seamless stereo image. At typical listening volumes, vocals and instruments are free of audible coloration from harmonic distortion. As in-ears, these earbuds bypass the pinna and won't contribute to immersive sound through interactions with your outer ear.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have impressive noise isolation. While they lack ANC, the earbuds have foam tips that passively isolate you from mid- and treble-range noise like squeaky chairs or the ambient din of a cafe. In the other direction, they leak virtually no audio, so you don't need to worry about distracting others.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA don't have an integrated microphone.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have excellent frequency response consistency. If you can get a good seal with the included ear tips, you'll experience consistent audio delivery between reseats. Our frequency response measurements will also represent most people's listening experience.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Jul 29, 2025:
We've updated the Sound Profile box with a link to a downloadable folder of EQ settings that will help you match these headphones' frequency response to different target curves available in our Graph Tool.
- Updated Jul 15, 2025:
We've added a reference to the Meze ALBA in Wired Connection.
- Updated Apr 25, 2025:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Apr 25, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0, which updates our sound tests and adds performance usages. You can read more about this in our changelog.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The TRUTHEAR HEXA come in one color: 'Black.' If you encounter another variant of these headphones, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are affordable wired IEMs that perform very similarly in most respects to the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO and the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED. The most notable improvement the HEXA bring to the party is their improved noise isolation: these are the pair to pick if you plan to wear your IEMs in places like busy offices. They output a slightly more conservative bass curve than the other two pairs, though some people might prefer that. Of the three, the RED yields a bit more oomph in the bass region without getting heavy-handed, which makes them great for fans of both bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and acoustic music like folk. If you're a bass fiend who simply can't get enough boom, the original ZERO are the set for you. Finally, if you're an IEM fan looking for top-of-the-range sound, the MOONDROP Blessing 3 are another great choice for IEMs, with a nice quality build and design, but they're considerably more expensive than the TRUTHEAR pairs we've listed here.
If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best audiophile headphones, the best headphones for music, and the best wired headphones.
The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED are a better choice for fans of bass-heavy genres than the TRUTHEAR HEXA, which lacks a little body in their low end. On the other hand, Jazz fans may appreciate the slightly more detailed treble of the HEXA. The RED are a bit cheaper than the HEXA, but the HEXA are slightly better at blocking out noise, though neither pair have ANC.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are a better choice for most people than the MOONDROP KATO, though these IEMs share many similarities and are both well-made. The MOONDROP are made of metal with a removable, chunky cable. You can even swap their nozzles out to extend their life. So why choose the TRUTHEAR? They block out much more sound and are significantly cheaper than the MOONDROP. Still, if you prefer one tuning over the other, then that's the dealmaker.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA are better than the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO, though it depends on your needs. The HEXA have a more balanced frequency response and do a better job blocking out sounds like A/C hum. That said, neither pair have ANC; they both do a poor job isolating you from bassier noise like engine rumble. On the other hand, the ZERO put out a lot more bass than the HEXA. It can get a little boomy, but if you like your EDM to have extra oomph, the ZERO are worth considering, especially as they're also cheaper than the HEXA.
The MOONDROP Blessing 3 and the TRUTHEAR HEXA have remarkably similar frequency responses. The more expensive MOONDROP's frequency response deviates slightly less from their sound profile, which means fewer unpredictable colorations jump out from the mix. That said, the cheaper TRUTHEAR have much better passive noise isolation than the MOONDROP, so they're the pair to pick if blocking out sound is important to you.
Test Results
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have a balanced sound profile that closely matches our target curve. Depending on your preference for fit and treble, you can also switch between their narrow, wide, and foam tips.
If you'd like to tweak their sound with your phone's onboard EQ or a more comprehensive EQ app, we've uploaded a folder of EQ settings that you can download so you can match the headphones' frequency response to target curves found on our Graph Tool.
These headphones have remarkable frequency response consistency. When using the correct foam tip size, from their many options, you'll experience consistent delivery of treble and bass, even if you have to reseat an earbud.
The target compliance of the bass is outstanding. The range is generally well-balanced, so bass notes of different pitches won't jump out of the mix. The high-bass is a touch elevated, highlighting the fullness of the bass in songs like Tame Impala's Neverender. However, a gentle scoop in the mid-bass robs the range of some weight compared to the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED, which has a heavier low-end.
The mid-range target compliance is remarkable. Other than a minuscule dip in the low-mid and a tiny peak in the upper-mid, these headphones are virtually flat. Vocals sound well-balanced and present without ever getting too honky or boxy.
These headphones have fantastic treble target compliance. The overall tonality skews a bit warm, but in tunes like Four Tet's Love Cry, the cymbals sound present and rather detailed, and the vocal samples have enough articulation to cut through the busy drum part. There's a dip stretching from the low- to mid-treble range and another in the mid-treble that softens details and sharp sibilants.
The peaks and dips performance is very good, meaning the headphones' frequency response minimally deviates from their balanced sound profile. There's a narrow notch between the low- and mid-bass that de-emphasizes the thump of kick drums, followed by a tiny peak that adds a little boom. Both of these peaks and dips are so minor it's unlikely you'll notice them in your regular listening. The mid-range is mostly flat, producing even-sounding melodic instruments. A narrow peak and dip in the low treble can make vocals sound a touch harsh or veiled, depending on the singer, but, again, these differences aren't too obvious most of the time. However, the peak in the mid-treble can makes cymbals and S and T sounds come across as relatively piercing. The large dip that follows robs select frequencies of airy sheen.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA's L/R drivers are amazingly well-matched in amplitude, frequency, and phase. Vocals and instruments are clearly positioned without bias to one side in a stereo space with no gaps. That said, driver matching is an indicator of quality control, so performance can vary from unit to unit.
The group delay performance is excellent. Both the L/R drivers reproduce tight bass, defined transients, and transparent treble.
These earbuds bypass your outer ear by design, which limits their capacity to contribute to an immersive listening experience through pinna interaction.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have fair harmonic distortion performance. At typical listening volumes, vocals and instruments are accurately and clearly reproduced. In the bass range at high levels, the perceivable harmonic distortion is minimal due to our lack of sensitivity at lower frequencies. Meanwhile, the harmonic distortion presented in the graph are measured at levels considered unsafe for the mids and treble—so you likely won't be listening to anything this loud.
These headphones don't require an amp to drive them and can playback audio at high listening levels on mobile devices and laptops.
These are the settings used to test the TRUTHEAR HEXA. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA look a bit like a cubist version of the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED. They have a similar teardrop-shaped design, but instead of curves, this shape is built up from six straight lines, hence the HEXA(gon) name. The HEXA's outer shell is made of black plastic, and they ship with a braided, detachable cable. Internally, each IEM sports a 10mm woofer to reproduce low-end and three balanced armature drivers to reproduce mid-range and treble frequencies. The buds ship with waifu packaging, which you might find charming or cringe depending on your tastes.
These headphones have a comfortable in-ear fit. They ship with six different-sized silicone ear tips and one foam ear tip to help you find a good fit. It's unfortunate there's only one foam tip, as it provides the best seal. The foam and silicone tips are only loosely attached to the plastic nozzles on each bud, so sometimes the tips slip off when you pull the buds out of your ears, which can cause a little irritation to your ear canal. The HEXA are designed so that their wire wraps over your ears, which helps prevent the cable from twisting and the buds from becoming dislodged. One notable improvement on the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED is that the wire doesn't become unplugged from the buds through regular, day-to-day use.
These in-ear headphones are incredibly portable. They're very light and occupy little space in a bag or pocket. Their cable is detachable, so you can store it separately, and they include a carrying pouch.
These IEMs come with TRUTHEAR's standard carrying pouch, which is made of a pliable faux leather material with a soft velour interior. This basic pouch doesn't have any extra compartments, and the supple material means the case is designed more for storage than protection.
These IEMs have a good build quality. Their enclosure is made from a mix of hard black plastic and resin that feels durable. Unlike the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED, the TRUTHEAR HEXA have one exposed assembly screw. The braided cable feels stronger than similar IEMs from TRUTHEAR, but the small pair of pins that connect the cable to the pair of sockets on each bud feel a bit fragile. It's worth taking care when plugging or unplugging the cable from the buds. The silicone tips feel thick and strong but can make finding the perfect fit a little tricky. While the foam tip provides the best frequency response, it's also the most fragile of all the tips and might tear if not treated gently.
Once you find the set of tips that fit you best, these IEMS have a stable fit, just like the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO. We tested the TRUTHEAR HEXA using the foam tips, as those provide the best noise isolation and frequency response. We found that these buds will stay in place during moderate to intense workouts, so feel free to do a little weightlifting with them. But be careful because the cable might snag on something, pulling the buds out of your ears.
- TRUTHEAR HEXA headphones
- Detachable cable
- 3x sets of wide diameter silicone ear tips
- 3x sets of narrow diameter silicone ear tips
- 1x set of foam ear tips
- Documentation
- Carrying pouch
The TRUTHEAR HEXA have very good noise isolation that easily surpasses that of the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED. The HEXA don't have ANC, so unsurprisingly do a poor job of blocking out bass frequencies. But the passive isolation provided by their snug in-ear fit means they do a good job isolating you from mid-range sounds like office chatter, and they're great at keeping out higher-pitched sounds like AC hum. It's worth noting we tested the HEXA using their foam tips, which provide noticeably better noise isolation performance than the silicone tips, especially in the mid-and treble-ranges.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA do a slightly less good but still decent job of blocking out more realistic sounds, like street noise and office chatter. However, they do a poor job of keeping out lower-pitched sounds like the rumble of plane engines, but that's to be expected since they don't have ANC. Again, the HEXA do a much better job blocking out daily noises than the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle ZERO: RED.
These IEMs have outstanding leakage performance. The level of escaping audio is so low that you can crank your tunes without disturbing anyone around you. Since leakage is concentrated in the mid-bass region, any audio that does leak out will sound muffled and dark.
The TRUTHEAR HEXA come with a detachable 1.25m long braided audio cable. It has a 1/8" TRS connector, so you'll need an adapter if your audio device only has 1/4" AUX ports. These IEMs don't support a wireless connection.
If you're looking for earbuds with similar balanced tuning that have compatibility with USB devices, check out the Meze ALBA.
These headphones provide audio output only when their 1/8" TRS cable is connected to your PC. You'll need to have an external microphone to transmit and receive audio.
These in-ear headphones are compatible with your PlayStation when using your controller's 3.5mm AUX port, but you'll need to buy a separate microphone for audio input.
