7Hz TIMELESS: The Influential and Instrumental One
Planar magnetic drivers are part of the orthodynamic family of driver technology and this type of driver has a limited implementation as it was mostly used for headphones and hi-fi speakers. The first known planar magnetic headphone was developed by Yamaha in the 1970s. But as the audio technology keeps progressing and the miniaturisation of some audio parts and components leads to a development that an earphone-sized planar magnetic driver is possible to be implemented.
One of the early adopters of planar magnetic IEM earphones was Audeze with their iSine10 model and on the side of the Chinese audio brands, it would be TINHIFI P1. But the most crucial moments in the history of audio enthusiasm with the exploding popularity of planar magnetic IEMs in the audio market in early 2020 would be this set that will be featured in this product review due to its affordability on its pricing at that time and also, a likeable tuning that will be an ear pleasing to the majority of audio enthusiasts. This set is truly an influential audio piece as this one ignites the battle of the planar magnetic sets that still persists up to this day.
As of writing, the battle of planar magnetic IEMs are currently dominated by HIDIZS and LETSHUOER with their respective sets, the MP145 despite that it already has a successor model, it was still highly regarded and considered the current king of the planar IEMs and the new pretender to the throne, the S12 2024 EDITION which is third or fourth variant of the S12. And it appears that 7HZ will enter the fray once again in a near future along with its other rival, TANGZU Audio which was previously considered as the queen of planar sets with their previous successful models, the Zetian Wu and its collaboration variant, the Zetian Wu Heyday.
The product that will be featured here is from 7HZ, The TIMELESS. The TIMELESS is a single driver IEM with a 14.2mm planar magnetic inside. This planar magnetic driver has a ultra-thin flat diaphragm with small flatten wires embedded into it with a neodymium magnet of almost similar size suspended through it. Both diaphragm and the magnet will have reaction from electromagnetic signals running through its wires and in that motion, it produces a fast transient response, consistent impactful attacks and excellent dynamic range with less prone to harmonic distortion.
The driver was then encased in an CNC-milled aerospace-grade aluminium alloy shell chassis in a circular shape. The shells underwent an anodising process to improve its durability and wear-resistant. And then, the surface of its jet-black coloured faceplate panel has matte-like texture to feel its friction whenever we touch it. The sizes of the shells are surprisingly compact compared to some of its competitors, even the latest ones and this one also has a detachable cable and uses a MMCX-type connector as its interlocking mechanism.
The circular design choice of the TIMELESS might raise some questions regarding its fitting and comfort but I can assure that it fits well into my lugholes and gives me a reasonable isolation that is able to block some unwanted external noises from the outside.
Regarding its stock cable, it's on the leaner side in terms of texture and it is composed of monocrystalline copper and silver-plated copper with a sheathed silver foil wrap on them with PVC transparent insulator in a 2-core structure that were braided. This cable allows a seamless transmission of audio signal with such clarity and resolution of the sound quality and on its end, it has a gold-plated 3.5mm single-ended termination plug.
As for product packaging, the TIMELESS is full-packed with accessories inside of a medium-sized packaging box.
Here are the following contents inside of its packaging box:
- Pair of 7HZ TIMELESS IEM transducers.
- Stock cable
- A brushed aluminium alloy IEM container.
- 3 pairs of 7Hz H07 white variant ear tips in different standard sizes.
- 3 pairs of 7Hz H07 coloured stem white variant ear tips in different standard sizes.
- 3 pairs of 7Hz H08 blue-coloured ear tips in different standard sizes.
- 3 pairs of 7Hz's exclusive custom ear tips in different standard sizes.
- An extra pair of filter grills.
- Paperwork like user's card, warranty card and Q.C. certification card.
On power scaling, again, I will state my adage on every planar magnetic set that I reviewed, Planar magnetic driver is a complex driver and planar magnetics demands more power output for optimal performance. Amplifying it via a device with just a normal gain mode power will sound hollow, underpowered and less dynamic. That's why some specialised devices like DAPs, headphone amp dongles and desktop DAC/Amp are much better for this type of driver.
As for tonality, the 7Hz has a U-shaped sound profile with a coloured tuning as both low and high frequencies were elevated while the midrange frequency remains in an even and neutral state.
LOWS/BASS:
As I indicated a while ago that it has more emphasis on the low frequency, the bass response of the one is adequately punchy but it's more leaning to a tighter side, reverberating and clean that a planar magnetic could deliver although there are some caveats that I should address on this particular type of bass playback quality.
The sub bass presence is clearly felt on this one as some instruments like synthesisers, drum machines, low tuned bass guitars and double basses and a rare instrument, the octobasses with their usual reverberating and rumbling sound on them. While the mid bass section has an adequate texture but a bit hollowed and indistinctive that affects the quantifying density of its texture and at the same time, the quality of some instruments and low octave male vocal types. On some bass-clef instruments, bass guitars have a resonant but lacking of weight while the double basses have a broad and rasping sound but it has this dullness that I perceived upon. As for bass kick drums, it has a sonorous sound but on a tighter side akin to snare drums. On male vocal types with the like bass and bass-baritones, the former has a deep resonance on their vocals but they are quite lacking of volume and less darker timbre as they don't sound dense enough while latter which is a more milder but it has less full and rich sounding as if that it sounds closer to lyric baritones on this set.
MIDRANGE:
The midrange presentation of this one is undeniably recessed but it has clean, transparent and energetic sound that will be more beneficial to some female vocals and instruments like strings and woodwinds. Male vocals sound a bit lean and it needs some warmth that this set is quite inadequate in that matter, also to the same brasses and percussives that might sound unnatural.
On male vocals, baritones have a lack of warmth that leads to some deficiencies to sound lush and rich on their vocals but it has smoothness, light and sweet that makes it more suitable to light baritones and lyric baritones. Tenors will fare better but only in leggero and lyric types as they have metallic and spiciness on their vocals but on spinto (Luciano Pavarotti is a main example to have that kind of vocal type), dramatic and heldentenor, they sound insufficient as they don't have enough weight, heft and rich that less dark timbre is apparent. Countertenors somehow sounds natural enough as it has an emotive and tender sound of their vocals although there are some instances that they sound too intense and tinny (Try some Mercyful Fate or Rush tracks if you are metalhead or an avid fan of rock). As for female vocals, contraltos wouldn't fare well on this one as it has some inadequacies on weight, lushness and richness that were known characteristics of its vocal modulation. Mezzo-sopranos have a glaring goldensound on their voices with some intensity and fiery sound on them while the soprano would excel on this type of tuning that the TIMELESS have as they sound shimmering, crystalline and spacious that coloratura soprano will sound clear, light and magnificent although they sound a bit too energetic and a bit overbearing in long listening session, and lyric sopranos which have full, ringing and bright sound on them.
On the instruments, the string ones like guitars, cellos and violins, the guitars have crisp and bright sound while cellos have those brilliant and incisive sounds, and then violins have bright and metallic with a hint of shrill and thinness on them. Another instruments that will benefit on TIMELESS will be woodwinds as piccolos will sound brilliant but a tad piercing sound, concert flutes sound bright and airy, clarinets have shrill and incisive sounds, and saxophones have powerful, forceful and bright sounds. The brass instruments, which includes trumpets, trombones and horns, have these metallic brilliance, eruptive and intense bright sound respectively. On percussives, snares have incisive and bright sound, tom-toms while they have a resonant sound but lack warmth, field drums sound hard and precise, and kettledrums have resonant and rumbling sound but they sound a bit dry. Pianos have a bright sound as they have some brilliance, clean and clear albeit they have this tinniness on them.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
Certainly that the treble response on this one is on the brighter side due to that accentuated upper-mids and presence of the treble region. It will highlight the clarity and definition on attack of instruments and vocals but there are some compromises on this type of tuning that should be noted like shrillness, metallic and piercing sound, sibilance is also possible on this one especially on sibilant-laden tracks.
On its brilliance section, this one indeed has an excellent treble air extension with some intensity on its sparkle that with tons of harmonics that affects the tonal colour of instruments. Cymbals have a brilliant but a bit piercing sound, hi-hats have short buzzing sound, celestas have glistening sound and glockenspiels have a brilliant sound but also have some instances to also sound strident and piercing.
Overall, its treble response has a bright, energetic and airy sound that the treble heads will satisfy its quality and quantity but probably not on treble-sensitive folks.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
The overall technical capabilities of the TIMELESS is rather interesting as it has its strong points and imperfections. On the perceived sound/speaker stage size, since this set happens to be an ear-tip dependent on those aspects, it can project a moderate to widely spacious sound field with above-average to wide lateral span, good height reach and less to modest depth in which I find it a bit dissatisfied.
Stereo imaging is rather two-dimensional in that regard as it has a rather linear presentation in which some planar sets, especially the current ones, have either concave-like or holographic presentation. It also presents a rather two-layered soundscape but it has good separation after all and pinpointing certain positions of instruments and vocals is a bit challenging especially on multi-instrumental tracks like orchestra and jazz.
Driver coherency of this one is excellent given that this is a planar magnetic driver and as long as it was driven properly with appropriate power output, this one will execute it effortlessly. This one is pretty resolving in terms of resolution capabilities on both macro-dynamics and micro-detail retrieval as it has good rendering on its dynamics on the former while the latter has a sharp definition on extracting some details,nuances and other subtleties like vocal ends, spatial reverb tail and notational attacks.
PEER COMPARISONS:
AUDEZE iSINES10
- While this one is priced at the midrange level around US$400 at the time of its release, it sports a larger planar magnetic driver at 30mm and also a semi open-back design too.
- This one is harder to drive as you really need a headphone DAC/amp amplifier with powerful output.
- For iPhone users who use an older Iphone prior to iPhone 15, it has a Cypher lightning cable for them to enjoy its benefits.
- It has a very coloured tonality as it has a V-shaped sound profile.
- It has a tactile but hollowed bass response, a more recessed, lean and too energetic midrange that almost all female vocals sound nasally, piercing and shrilly, and then, a bright and aggressive treble response like the cymbals sounds too splashy and harsh.
- As a semi open-back design, for sure that it projects a wider sound/speaker stage and is a bit better on separation but the rest of its technical aspects, they are very similar with the TIMELESS.
TANGZU AUDIO WU ZETIAN
- The first ever planar magnetic IEM from TANGZU as it has almost similar size but its shell takes a modified UIEM-type form factor and it is made of composite materials, resin its cavity base and a metal alloy panel.
- It uses a bit larger planar magnetic driver, a 14.5mm one.
- Like the TIMELESS, ZETIAN WU is also well-accessorised with quality inclusions like carrying case and a thick good quality cable.
- It has a U-shaped sound profile with a balanced-warmish tonality.
- Compared to the TIMELESS, it has a more balanced bass response as its midbass has a more texture and density, a tad more warmer and more balanced midrange in which male vocals like baritones has some warm and lush sound, and a tad smoother treble response with some good amount air albeit the TIMELESS extends more.
- On technicalities, apparently it has an above-average sound/speaker stage size from lateral span up to its depth, but it has a bit better on layering.
HIDIZS MP145
- Currently, The set is still consider as the current King of Planar IEMsand its shell sizes are quite huge and it takes an irregular trapezoid shaped with a whale baleen-inspired design element on it
- It uses a larger size planar magnetic driver technology and also like most HIDIZS products, it has a detachable tuning filter nozzle for more tonal profile choices.
- This set is also fully-packed with accessories although its carrying case is a PU-leather pouch-type with magnetic clasp.
- Due to its detachable tuning filter nozzles, it offers 3 tonal profiles, from a warm V-shaped up to bright U-shaped sound signature.
- In MP145's balanced nozzle setting (Rose Gold), the bass response appears to be more balanced as it has a rumbly and punchy due to adequate mid bass texture, a tad yet rich and sufficiently warm midrange and a bright and airy treble response.
- As for technical capabilities, it has a wider sound/speaker stage, a wide lateral span, good height and immersive depth in well-layered concave-like stereo presentation, and also, this one is pretty resolving too.
LETSHUOER S12 2024 ANNIVERSARY EDITION
- The latest variant of LETSHUOER's S12 2024 series, it has a tad smaller shell size compared to TIMELESS and it takes a heavily-modified UIEM shape profile and also, it is made of unspecified grade of titanium alloy.
- It has a bit larger planar magnetic driver.
- This one is pretty loaded with high quality inclusions like more ear tip types to choose from, a high quality stock cable with modular features and some commemorative accessories.
- This set has a mild U-shaped sound profile that makes its overall tonality more balanced sounding.
- This one has a more balanced bass response as it has rumbling sub bass and a sufficiently mid bass texture, a well-balanced with ample warmth midrange for better timbre and more natural sounding vocals and instruments, and a smooth, inoffensive and a sufficient airy treble albeit the TIMELESS is still a bit more airy in this aspect.
- As for technical capabilities, compared to the TIMELESS, it has a bit more spacious sound/speaker stage dimension and an even better depth, a well-layered tonal and frequency sections composed of vocals and instruments in a concave-like stereo imaging presentation.
As I conclude this product assessment, I'm actually quite pleased that I was given an opportunity to make a full review of this old set with some past significance in the portable audio community. The TIMELESS still has its own charms as it has a likeable tuning that will be more relatable to all types of listeners whether they are casual or full blown audio enthusiasts as it has fun, engaging and coloured tuning profile in a high performance compact-sized planar magnetic driver.
It appears that its overall tuning is quite dated already given the continuous evolution of planar magnetic driver technology and the maturity of its tuning for the past three years. In spite of this matter, I don't consider the TIMELESS as obsolete as it still has some tonal factors that will be pleasing to some audio enthusiasts who want to experience the planar-y sheen timbre that they only experience on midrange and TOTL-level flagship cans.
The 7Hz TIMELESS is still available to be purchased, and I'll just put a non-affiliated link from LINSOUL below.
For more 7Hz product reviews, check out the following links that I've provided:
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: 7HZ TIMELESS
IMPEDANCE: 14.8Ω
SENSITIVITY: 104dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 5Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m
PIN TYPE: MMCX-TYPE CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) PLANAR MAGNETIC DRIVER
PROS:
● The shell structure is quite light yet solidly built.
● Despite its odd design choice on its shells, its compactness is able to give a fitting and comfort with decent passive noise isolation.
● Fully-packed with accessories.
● More choices of ear tip types to choose from.
● Good quality stock cable and a solid metal alloy storage case.
● It has that cost-to-performance ratio pricing that makes this set appealing on the time of its initial release.
● Tactual, rumbly and clean bass response.
● Clean, clear and transparent midrange presentation.
● Good for tracking on soprano vocals, string and woodwind instruments.
● Bright, shimmering and airy treble response.
● Fairly spacious sound/speaker stage. (depends on an ear tip type, mine is the exclusive 7Hz ear tips)
● Competent resolution quality.
CONS:
● Hollowed mid bass presence as it has an inadequate density and volume for bass-clef instruments and male vocals.
● Recessed and a bit lean midrange presentation that needs some warmth to deliver at least decently rich and full sound.
● Too energetic upper-mids might sound a bit piercing, shrilly and too intense on some listeners who are quite sensitive on those peaks.
● Instances of sibilance on sibilant-laden tracks.
● It has those distinctive planar-y sheen timbres; it has those energetic, tinny and zesty characteristics.
● Sound/speaker stage depth is rather meagre in my opinion.
● Mediocre layering and separation capabilities.
TRACKS TESTED: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *
P.S.
I am not affiliated to 7Hz nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to KAITLYN WU of LINSOUL for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.
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