In-Ear MonitorOverreview

Truthear Gate

The $22 set that measures almost exactly on target — and still splits its listeners over treble, bass and stage, mostly by how deep it sits in the ear.

52 sourcesUpdated
$22Typical US price

Score aggregates reviewer opinions across topics.

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Truthear Gate

The short version

What to know.

A ~$22 single-DD IEM whose frequency response tracks the Harman in-ear target unusually closely: forty measurement rigs put it within about 1 dB of the target from 20 Hz to 3 kHz, with a deep notch near 10 kHz and a peak near 14 kHz above that. Sources broadly agree on its strengths — very low distortion, a clear, forward midrange in which female vocals are a highlight, light and comfortable shells, and an outstanding cable and accessory set for the money — and on its weak points: a cheap-feeling, scratch-prone plastic shell and average passive isolation. They split on the rest. Treble divides three ways (bright or edgy for the largest group, dry or boxy for a smaller one, well judged for the rest); bass is a clean sub-bass shelf to some and light and thin to others; the stage is wide to most but closed-in to a few; and detail is impressive for the price or plainly budget. Much of that tracks fit: insertion depth fills or deepens the 10 kHz notch, tip bore moves the top octave, and a leaky seal or open rear vent drains the bass. Owners also report a run of single-channel failures and remote faults. Amazon owners average 4.3 of 5; ASR's poll is 87 % 'great'.

About this product

~$22 single 10 mm carbon-LCP dynamic-driver IEM with a clear faceplate, in black or white, with or without an inline-mic cable — Truthear's 2024 successor to the discontinued Hola. Not the dual-DD Zero / Zero:RED / Zero:Blue2, the 1DD+3BA Hexa or Pure, or the Nova.

The Truthear Gate is a roughly $22 in-ear monitor with a single 10 mm dynamic driver behind a see-through faceplate. It arrived in June 2024 to replace the Truthear Hola, a warm, much-loved budget set that was quietly discontinued; the Gate kept the Hola's shell shape, its accessory pouch and its widely praised cable, swapped the 3D-printed resin for lighter injection-moulded plastic, and moved the tuning brighter and closer to the Harman in-ear target.

Two years on it is one of the most measured and most recommended IEMs under $25 — forty measurement rigs, an Audio Science Review write-up that called it reference-grade, a 373-vote forum poll that is mostly 'great', and a steady stream of 'first IEM' recommendations. It is also a set that some critics rank low on their lists and that some owners find harsh, thin or quietly failing. The graphs agree closely; the ears do not.

A good fit for

  • A first IEM, or a spare for bag, gym or travel
  • Listeners who like a neutral, Harman-style balance and clear vocals — female vocals especially
  • EQ users: the low distortion and near-target curve take correction well
  • Tip-rollers willing to try deeper-insertion or double-flange tips to tame the top end
  • Anyone who values a great cable and a light, comfortable fit

Think twice if

  • You're treble-sensitive and won't experiment with tips or EQ
  • You want bass slam, warmth or body — or struggle to get a seal
  • You need precise positional cues for competitive gaming
  • You want a durable, premium-feeling shell, or a set you'll never have to replace
  • You'd rather spend a few dollars more on a warmer or more technical rival

The reviewer consensus

Agreement &
disagreement.

5 / 12topics divide opinion
midsimagingdynamicscomfortbuildisolationvaluetonalitybasstreblesoundstagedetail
7 Mostly agree5 Divided opinions

Common ground8

  • Measures unusually close to the Harman in-ear target below 3 kHz, consistently across forty rigs and eight samples.
  • Very low distortion — 'basically distortionless even up to 104 dBSPL' (ASR).
  • A clear, forward midrange where female vocals shine; male vocals and the lower mids read a little thin.

Points of contention5

  • Treble: bright, edgy or peaky (the largest group) vs dry and boxy vs well judged — one measured shape (a 4–8 kHz lift, a deep 10 kHz notch, a 14 kHz peak) that insertion depth and tips reshape.
  • Bass: a clean, extended sub-bass shelf vs light and thin — largely a matter of seal and whether the ear blocks the rear vent.
  • Tonality: mature and close to target vs lean, bright or uneven out of the box.

A closer listen.

12 topics · 5 divided
Left: criticalRight: positiveTighter lines: more agreement

Tonality

Leans positiveDivided opinions
Reviewer sentiment21 supporting sources
CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

Sources split. About two-thirds of the weight hears a mature, near-neutral Harman-style balance — the measurements back them closely. The rest find the stock tone lean, bright or uneven; that side includes the strictest rankers, several owners and headphones.com's own reviewer, who still recommends it.

Measured

Median of 40 squig rigs (0 dB at 500 Hz): within ~1 dB of Harman IE 2019 from 20 Hz to 3 kHz — sub-bass 0.8–1 dB under, 150–300 Hz about 1 dB over, the ear-gain peak at ~2.9 kHz about 1 dB under — then 1.6–3.5 dB under from 3.5 to 7 kHz. ASR: 'I was pleasantly surprised by both the compliance to our target and how smooth the response is!'

vs. listeners — The graph supports the close-to-target camp almost exactly below 3 kHz. The 'lean/bright' camp is describing the top end and the seal: the 10 kHz notch and 14 kHz peak are where rigs and ears diverge, and a poor seal thins the bass that makes the balance work.

Where it splits
Close to target — a mature, balanced, near-neutral tuning.66%

“Without EQ, the tonality is still excellent, albeit, a bit less exciting than with EQ.”

Audio Science Review (amirm)
Lean, bright or uneven out of the box.34%

“Stock tone is a little on the lean and shouty side”

Headphones.com (Griffin Silver)
Link to this topic

The hardware

Specifications.

Checked

Design

Type
In-ear monitor
Drivers
1 × 10 mm dynamic (N52 magnet double-cavity internal magnetic circuit; carbon LCP dome composite ultra-thin PU diaphragm)
Housing
PC+ABS composite injection cavity, transparent faceplate

Electrical

Impedance
28 Ω
Sensitivity
122 dB/V≈ 106.5 dB/mW
Frequency response
10 Hz – 45 kHz

Connection

Cable
Detachable, 1.2 mcommunity-sourced: cable length
Connector
0.78 mm 2-pin (recessed)
Plugs supplied
3.5 mmcommunity-sourced

Manufacturer-published figures, not measurements · from truthear.com, shenzhenaudio.com. Plugs supplied, cable length not published by the maker — community-sourced from hands-on reviews: iemsandmusic.com, head-fi.org.

Follow the evidence

Sources 52

1–6 of 52 sources

Read with context

Limitations & method.

As of

What to keep in mind 6

  1. This is a read of where opinion stands as of September 2026. The under-$25 field moves quickly, and rivals such as the Tangzu Wan'er SG 2, 7Hz Zero:2 and Moondrop Chu II are the usual comparisons.

  2. More than with most IEMs, how the Gate sounds depends on fit: how deep it sits, which of the two included tip styles you use and whether your ear blocks its rear vent all change the treble and bass noticeably. If it sounds thin or harsh, try other tips before deciding.

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