How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 — biggest strength: A 1DD+4BA hybrid setup with a 3-way crossover and a 10mm dynamic driver on bass duty, plus a 0.78 2-pin cable you can swap out. That's a lot of tuning flexibility for a monitor-style IEM.
• TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 — biggest trade-off: It's a 3.5mm analog design with no DAC, no mic and no inline controls — you supply the source and the dongle if your phone lacks a headphone jack.
• Hidizs ST2 — biggest strength: A USB-C IEM with an ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC built into the cable, decoding up to 32Bit/384kHz PCM and DSD128, with an HD mic and in-line control. No battery, no charging, no dongle.
• Hidizs ST2 — biggest trade-off: USB-C only, so older 3.5mm gear is out unless you use the included USB-C to USB-A adapter, and the DAC lives in the cable rather than the shell.
• Who each pick is for: NOVA for listeners who want to tune and re-cable a hybrid monitor; ST2 for anyone who wants studio-style sound straight out of a phone, tablet or laptop.
The NOVA is built around five drivers: one 10mm dynamic driver handling bass and four balanced armatures split across a 3-way crossover. TRUTHEAR's stated goal with this model was to push high-frequency performance further than its HEXA while keeping the configuration sensible, and the acoustic waveguide is produced with high-precision DLP 3D printing — the same approach used in high-end multi-driver and custom earphones. The shell is made from medical-grade high-transparency resin from HeyGears, which keeps the cavity light and skin-friendly while allowing those intricate internal waveguides.
On paper the tuning is deliberate rather than showy. TRUTHEAR says the bass gain sits slightly below the HARMAN IE 2019 curve, with high-frequency response close to HARMAN OE 2013 and high HRTF characteristics, and the whole system was designed around a lowered Q value. The practical takeaway is a warm, soft, clear and natural presentation — the kind of balance that suits long mixing or listening sessions rather than a bass-heavy thrill ride. With 14.8 ohm impedance, 123dB sensitivity and a range of 8Hz–40kHz, it's easy to drive from a phone or a modest dongle.
Who should buy it: listeners who want a hybrid monitor they can grow with. The 0.78 2-pin interface means you can change cables later, and the included single-crystal copper braided cable (4 strands, 112 cores each, 448 cores total) with ear hooks is a serious starting point. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a microphone, volume buttons or a USB-C plug straight out of the box. The NOVA is a 3.5mm wired analog earphone with touch media control on the cable, no noise control and no built-in DAC — if your phone dropped its headphone jack, budget for a dongle.
The ST2 Pro takes the opposite route: it puts the converter inside the cable. An ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC handles up to 32Bit/384kHz PCM plus DSD128 and 8X MQA unfolding, with 122dB dynamic range and 0.0012% THD quoted, and it can drive 70mW×2. That means a phone, laptop or tablet with a USB-C port becomes the whole system — no separate DAC, no Bluetooth compression, no charging. Hidizs frames the pitch around "unlimited playtime": because there's no battery, a long coding session or a gaming marathon never ends in a low-battery warning.
The driver side is a pair of 10mm dynamic drivers with a dual magnetic circuit and a PU+PEEK composite diaphragm, which Hidizs says improves uniformity, extends the highs and lowers distortion. Rated at 32 ohm, 118dB sensitivity and 20Hz–40kHz, it's an easy load for the built-in DAC. The shell is German-imported Byer resin for extended-wear comfort, the cable is oxygen-free copper in a braided textile wrap, and there's a sample-rate indicator that lights differently depending on the audio quality being fed in. A 24-bit/48kHz mic path and in-line volume control round out the everyday usability.
Who should buy it: gamers, commuters and remote workers who want one cable that does everything on a modern device, plus anyone who values a mic for calls. Who should skip it: purists who want to swap cables or use a dedicated desktop DAC/amp chain, and anyone with a lot of legacy 3.5mm gear — the ST2 is USB-C first, with a USB-C to USB-A adapter in the box for computers.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for plug-and-play on a phone or laptop → Hidizs ST2 (USB-C with built-in ESS ES9218AC Pro DAC).
• Best for calls and voice chat → Hidizs ST2 (HD mic converting to 24-bit/48kHz, plus in-line control).
• Best for a hybrid, multi-driver monitor experience → TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 (1DD+4BA, 3-way crossover).
• Best for long sessions with no charging breaks → Hidizs ST2 (no battery at all; power comes from the host device).
• Best for high-resolution file playback → Hidizs ST2 (32Bit/384kHz PCM, DSD128, 8X MQA).
• Best for a warm, natural, easy-to-drive tuning → TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 (14.8 ohm, 123dB, bass slightly under the HARMAN IE 2019 curve).
• Best for wide device support out of the box → Hidizs ST2 (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, HarmonyOS via USB-C).
• Best for listeners who already own a good DAC/amp → TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 (analog 3.5mm input, no redundant conversion).
In my opinion, the Hidizs ST2 is the easier recommendation for most people in 2026. The built-in DAC, USB-C simplicity, mic and in-line control mean it works the moment you unplug it, on almost any modern device, and it never asks you to think about charging. I'd pick the TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 instead if you already have a DAC you trust, want a hybrid 1DD+4BA monitor, or plan to experiment with cables — that 2-pin interface is genuine long-term flexibility. Decide based on whether you want the converter in the cable or in your pocket. Before buying either, check the current price on Amazon, since that's the one thing that can flip this call.
Neither of these has a battery to check. The TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 is a 3.5mm wired analog earphone, and the Hidizs ST2 draws power from whatever USB-C device it's plugged into, so there's no charge level to monitor on either one.
There's nothing to check here, because both models are wired rather than wireless. On an iPhone you'd need a USB-C connection for the Hidizs ST2, while the TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 uses a 3.5mm jack and would need an adapter.
Only the Hidizs ST2 has a microphone — an HD mic that converts voice audio to 24-bit/48kHz. You can verify it's working by selecting the ST2 as your input device in your phone, computer or chat app's audio settings; the TRUTHEAR NOVA Earphone 1 has no mic at all.
Start with the connection: the NOVA uses a 3.5mm jack with touch media control, while the ST2 uses USB-C with in-line volume control and a sample-rate indicator light. Then confirm the specs match your needs — the NOVA is a 1DD+4BA hybrid at 14.8 ohm, and the ST2 is a dual 10mm dynamic setup at 32 ohm with a built-in DAC.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: MOCANIO Open Ear Earbuds vs PAXA Open Ear Earbuds, Mcbazel 2M vs Tobysome A50: Gaming Headphones with Volume, SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1P vs Krysenix 2.4: Headphones for, NVXMANIYK Headse vs Ordtop Earbuds