How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a serious wired in-ear built for critical listening and gaming with a bass-rich, non-fatiguing tuning, choose TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero; if you need a lightweight, cheap-to-replace everyday earbud with an inline mic and call controls for phone use, choose Sony MDREX155AP.
• TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero — biggest strength: A genuine dual-dynamic-driver design (10mm + 7.8mm) with a DLP-3D-printed cavity, a copper-plated silver cable, and a tuning built around a bass-boosted response plus the Crinacle IEF Neutral target above 1000Hz. That's real acoustic engineering, not a generic bud.
• TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero — biggest trade-off: It's a 100 g item sold as a single unit with no inline microphone and no noise control, so it's a listening/gaming tool, not a headset for calls.
• Sony MDREX155AP — biggest strength: Featherweight (6.26 g per bud), an integrated mic with smartphone playback control, passive noise cancellation, and a 3.94 ft Y-shaped cord — a grab-and-go phone companion.
• Sony MDREX155AP — biggest trade-off: A single 9mm neodymium driver and a 5Hz–24,000Hz range mean far less headroom and detail than the TRUTHEAR's dual-driver setup.
• Who each is for: TRUTHEAR for listeners and gamers who care about sound quality and don't need a mic; Sony for commuters, call-takers and anyone who wants a light, replaceable daily pair.
The ZERO:RED is the enthusiast's pick. Inside each earpiece sit two dynamic drivers — one 10mm and one 7.8mm — running an N52 Rubidium magnet, double-cavity, internal-magnetic-circuit design. The diaphragms are a polyurethane suspension composite with a liquid-crystal polymer dome. If that sounds like a lot of engineering for a wired in-ear, that's the point: this is a deliberately over-built driver package for the category. The cavity itself is produced with DLP-3D printing, a process the brand notes is normally reserved for high-end multi-driver models and custom earphones, then finished by hand with glue-dropping and capping.
The tuning is the other half of the story. According to the design brief, the ZERO:RED targets a bass response shaped like a public preference curve, while everything above 1000Hz follows the Crinacle IEF Neutral target. The practical result, in plain terms, is punchy low end that doesn't smear the mids and treble — which is exactly what you want for long sessions. The brand describes the treble as bright without being irritating and the overall character as warm, natural and pleasing, and notes that the distortion is optimized at higher sound pressure levels (above 94dB). It's also described as having slightly less dynamic swing than the standard ZERO, which is a deliberate choice for a smoother, more relaxed listen.
Who should skip it? Anyone who takes calls. There's no microphone and no noise control here — the controls are touch-based and that's it. If you need to answer the phone mid-commute, this isn't the tool. And if you want something you can lose without a second thought, the Sony's lighter, simpler build fits that job better.
Sony MDREX155AP: Who It's For
The MDREX155AP is the opposite philosophy: simple, light, and focused on daily phone duty. Each earbud weighs just 6.26 g, and the whole thing is designed around portability. You get a single 9mm neodymium dynamic driver per side with a rated frequency range of 5Hz–24,000Hz and 16 ohm impedance — easy to drive from any phone or laptop jack.
The headline feature is the integrated microphone and smartphone playback control. That one addition changes the use case completely: this is a headset, not just a headphone. You can take calls and control playback without touching your phone. It also offers passive noise cancellation, which is the honest way of saying the silicone tips physically block some outside sound rather than actively cancelling it electronically. The hybrid silicone earbuds are described as comfortable and secure-fitting, and the flexible 3.94 ft Y-shaped cord keeps the cable out of your way.
Note that this listing is a pack of two, and the manufacturer's own guidance is worth repeating: if the tips don't match your ear canals or the buds aren't seated properly, you won't get the intended sound or call quality — so plan on experimenting with tip sizes. The design is minimalist, black, and the enclosure material is silicone.
Buy it if you want a cheap, featherweight pair for phone calls, podcasts, walking, and general on-the-go listening, and you like the idea of having a spare in the box. Skip it if sound quality is your priority — a single 9mm driver with a 24kHz ceiling simply can't compete with a tuned dual-driver design on detail, separation or bass texture. It's also worth noting the Sony's warranty field is not specified, whereas the TRUTHEAR carries a stated 1-year warranty.
• Best for sound quality and detail → TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero. Dual dynamic drivers (10mm + 7.8mm), an N52 magnet circuit, and a 20Hz–40.5kHz range versus a single 9mm driver topping out at 24kHz.
• Best for phone calls and voice chat → Sony MDREX155AP. It's the only one of the two with an integrated mic and playback control.
• Best for long, non-fatiguing listening → TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero. The tuning is explicitly designed around a bass-boosted curve with neutral mids and treble, and the brand states it's built for extended sessions.
• Best for portability → Sony MDREX155AP. 6.26 g per bud and a lightweight build versus a 100 g product with a carrying case.
• Best for gaming → TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero. It's themed for video games, and the bass-forward, distortion-optimized tuning at high SPL suits game audio and positional detail.
• Best for commuting and noisy environments → Sony MDREX155AP. Passive noise cancellation from the silicone seal is a real, if modest, advantage over the TRUTHEAR's "None" noise control.
• Best for build and finish → TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero. DLP-3D-printed cavity, hand glue-dropping and capping, sandwich-structure housing, a copper-plated silver cable, plus a stated 1-year warranty.
• Best for having a backup on hand → Sony MDREX155AP. It's sold as a pack of two, so you always have a spare.
In my opinion, I'd buy the TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero. The dual-driver architecture, the DLP-3D-printed cavity, the copper-plated silver cable and the deliberately tuned bass-plus-neutral response make it the more interesting and more capable product by a clear margin — and if you game or listen for hours, that engineering is exactly what you're paying for. I'd only steer you to the Sony MDREX155AP if the microphone and call controls are non-negotiable, or if you specifically want a super-light pair you can toss in a bag. For pure listening, the TRUTHEAR wins. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since both sit in very different tiers.
No. The data sheet lists no microphone and no noise control, so it's a listening-first wired in-ear. If you need to take calls, the Sony MDREX155AP has an integrated mic and playback control.
Does the Sony MDREX155AP have better bass than the TRUTHEAR Zero?
On paper, no. The Sony uses a single 9mm driver, while the TRUTHEAR runs a 10mm plus a 7.8mm dual-driver setup explicitly tuned for a bass-boosted response. More drivers and a dedicated bass target point to deeper, more textured low end on the TRUTHEAR.
The Sony is far lighter at 6.26 g per earbud, so it disappears in the ear. The TRUTHEAR is heavier overall (100 g including the package) but is designed around a smooth, non-fatiguing tuning for extended listening. Comfort here is really about weight versus tuning stamina.
Probably not. Its 17.5 ohm impedance is low and easy to drive from a phone, laptop or controller jack. The Sony is even lower at 16 ohm. Neither needs extra amplification to reach normal listening levels.
The Sony MDREX155AP — it's sold as a pack of two, so you get a backup in the box. The TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero ships as a single unit with a carrying case.
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