Truthear Nova

Sources split on the verdict, not the fact: every rig and every reviewer reads a textbook Harman IE 2019 tuning, measurably identical to the Variations. One camp calls it Harman done right — clean, balanced, a reference that stands out in a crowd of clones. The other calls it safe, thin and unengaging: one more Harman set, and a leaner one than the Hexa it replaced.

Sources split. A majority hears a big, deep, punchy low end — the best dynamic-driver bass in Truthear's lineup, a night club in your head, a heavier hitter than the Blessing 3. A large minority hears a clean but light, sub-only, 'vanilla' bass that stays in the background because the Harman mid-bass tuck saps kick and snare weight. Both are describing the same +11 dB shelf that ends by 200 Hz.

Sources split, with the critics in the majority. Female vocals are forward and clearly rendered by consensus; the fault line is what the Harman ear gain over a scooped lower midrange does to everything else. One camp hears clean, sweet, transparent vocals that never get harsh. The larger camp hears thin, hollow lower mids and an upper midrange that turns shouty, nasal or shrill — worst on acoustic tracks with little sub-bass to balance it. Male vocals run light for almost everyone.

Most hear the treble as the highlight — extended, smooth, free of peaks, the best Truthear has shipped and among the smoothest at the price. A dissenting camp, led by the B&K 5128-equipped reviewers and the newest re-reviews, hears a rough, sandy 4–8 kHz lift, fatiguing lower treble and sibilance that forces the volume down. The stock foam tips and an 8 kHz peak on silicone tips sit at the centre of the argument.

Praised by a clear majority — resolving, well-separated, punching above its price; several put it between the Aria and the Blessing 3 or call it the most technical set under $200. A minority tempers that to good-not-great: a small technical bump over the Hexa, clarity that comes from the forward treble rather than the drivers, and a lack of clean delineation between sounds.

Sources split, with the majority calling the stage small: intimate, in-head, limited lateral width, decent height and depth — 'average for the price'. A minority, including the reviewer with the most listening time in 2026, finds it decently wide and deep. Nobody calls it holographic.

The most consistent praise in the set — precise placement, strong separation, easy to track in busy mixes and a repeated pick for gaming. Only a handful call it merely average; none call it poor.

“Imaging is spot-on”

TechPowerUp (VSG)

“Imaging accuracy is noteworthy, allowing precise tracking and pinpointing of the sound sources”

Mobile Audiophile

Sources split almost evenly. One camp hears real punch and slam — the heaviest-hitting set at the price, kick drums 'preternaturally large'. The other hears a polite, unengaging, lifeless presentation with soft microdynamics — the same mid-bass tuck heard as restraint rather than clarity.

Sources split, and the split is anatomical. Light (~6 g), well-vented, semi-custom shaped with a narrower nozzle than the Zero/Hexa, and a secure seal — comfortable for hours for one camp. But it is Truthear's biggest shell by a margin: the larger camp reports pressure on the pinna, pain after 15 minutes to two hours, a cable ear hook that digs in, and warns small ears off outright. Owner tallies lean the same way.

Sources split. The shell, faceplate and six-tip kit draw praise, and the fabric cable has real fans. The larger camp lists a microphonic, tangle-prone cable with short, hard ear hooks, a glossy shell that feels no more premium than the $50 Zero — and, from owners, a durability tail the reviews never saw: 2-pin sockets that loosen within months, snapped pins, crackling or one-side-quiet units at nine days to two years.

Mostly reported as good to very good — a filled-in shell and a secure seal, better with the foam tips. A minority calls it average or unsuitable for real noise. Seal- and tip-dependent, as always.

Sources split. The majority calls it a benchmark at $150 — a Variations or Blessing 3 tuning for a third to half the price, the easy recommendation for Harman fans. A substantial minority, including the highest-weight video reviewers, says the $80–90 Hexa is the better buy, that Simgot's EM6L does the same for less, and that the Nova only makes sense on sale — a view sharpened by the maker's move to $169.99.