7Hz Timeless Linsoul (Amazon) amzn.to/32Xu9dG On Sale! --7Hz Timeless Linsoul Home Page bit.ly/32yL2eU ----CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K ------Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS -------Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH --------apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P ---------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 -----------Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 ------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
I like how the IEMs come with a premium Sith Audio RFID-blocking brushed platinum carry case. That way nobody can steal your headphones' identity. An $1800 value.
I get worried because I keep accidentally closing the case on the cable. Feels like it can add a lot of strain on the cable and the connectors. But it's also incredibly satisfying to open and close. The magnetic contact feels really really good.
Great review, Randy. I don't do well with iem's but I appreciate how they make you feel listening when something hits the right sounds for your enjoyment. Happy New Year, looking forward to more.
Thanks for the review, Randy. I borrowed the Sennheiser 600’s for a few days from a friend and now want some IEM’s. I don’t feel like dropping over $500 for some buds just yet so I thought I’d dip my toes w/ these 7hz. I used your link. Again, thanks for the review. You sold me. 🤘 Oh, thanks for the Lena Hall intro. She’s got some pipes!
Really great commentary. Personal preference needs to be kept in mind, always, when sitting through or creating reviews. Love the format and style of your channel too. Always chill.
Today must've been a reasonably carefree day today? You sounded quite chipper, enjoying yourself, & your good humor brought out your good humour..! Cheers & thanks for the review.
These iem's are VERY revealing...if what you're listening to is not of great quality, it'll expose the limitations in production. THAT'S the difference. You may very well hear sounds that you've not heard in a long time. Mainly, they never cease to amaze me 👍
Hear, hear! Love mine. Also upgraded the cable. You nailed this review. I travel and the case is solid! I use mine with a Hidisz 80 pro DAC. The extra power, while not needed, gives great extension to the sound signature. Happy New Year, Randy!
@@TBMartin greater imaging, better soundstage and clarity. I play mine through a Hidisz 80 Pro DAC which makes a huge difference. Even 'stock' without a DAC or cable upgrade they still sound fantastic.
You beat me to it on this one, Randy. I'm loving these too! Currently comparing to the P2 and P1+ trying to work out which is my favourite planar, but in isolation these things are great fun!
The new audeze planar in ear has a very similar tuning to the 7hz but has some slight tweaks to dB levels and emphasis peaks. The isine 10 and 20 are hilariously bad without DSP. The i3 is as bad as the 20 but twice the price. The i4 has proper tuning aspects but still needs dsp. But the Euclid? Looks like they finally got a planar in ear right that doesn't need EQ/DSP
I love that you're a metalhead! Good choice of music especially anything off of And Justice For All but most especially the title track. Exposes a lot flaws especially sub bass and mid bass, given that the bassist is barely audible but the drums are so well recorded. The guitars are well recorded as well and they expose resonance flaws in any speaker or headphone. Thanks for the review and keep up with Metal references. It's hard to find Headphones and speakers that can produce good sound within the metal genres. The speed needed for bass frequencies and the accuracy for guitar resonance is the most telling of a speakers quality in my opinion. Peace and Love!
Great review! I love that when you are so lost in the music that the fact that you are listening to cheap audio just disappears. Using AIC as a sound reference validates you as my kind of listener! Jerry Cantrell is a master of tone. Cheers!
Used them with my phone biking trails for 2 years & more, just need to get my bike fixed lol. Amazing durability no wear whatsoever overjoyed to have these. Glad I spent the extra money for earbuds of exceptional build quality. The sound is great of course lol.
awww! using Helmet's Meantime album as a reference gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. One of my first "serious" concerts and till today Meantime and Betty are in my alltime favs. Good man there..allthough I didnt like the IEMs, but i can see how so many people do.
I would love to see you cover some of the $500+ iem kings. ThieAudio Oracle, Moondrop Variations, Dunu SA6. They’re the best value at that price so it’s not contradicting your name!
I got these yesterday and so far just love them. Not entirely without flaws ofcourse, I've heard dynamic drivers that have a more physical bass slam which these kindof lack, and similar to your findings I could point out a few specific songs/parts where the timbre is not totally natural, but overall they just sound great. Getting the perfect seal can be a bit challenging so I may look to try some 3rd party tips (advice welcome!), I have that with most IEMs though, finnicky earholes, the IEM fit itself is better than I expected. I havent heard any recent IEMs in its pricerange so if its overhyped or not I can't say, but they surely amazed me, coming off Sennheiser IE8 (which were more expensive, but are about 10 years old now).
Any brand / model of headphone or IEM that can give any emotional 😭🥳😂🤤response is definitely worth the money 💰! I have my Senheisser x58 Jubilees on my Schiit Magnius Modius setup and my Creative Labs external pc sound card give me that hearing sensation as well as using my P1’s and KZ-AS12’s 🥰🥰🎉🥳! As everyone’s hearing of frequency ranges is different, this will make other headphone/ IEM setups a preference. Either way I’m elated with my audio setup 🎉🥰🥳🎇🎆 as I’m sure many of us are. We truely are spoilt for choice!
This thing is great for music no doubt. But do you know what is its greatest weapon? Movies, especially bluray copies with 24bit 16ch dolby atmos tracks. I've watched fury, overlord, all of john wick & especially in a quiet place & part 2 there is this heart beat which is very quiet and you can only feel that bass in extremely good speaker systems with at least 2 subs but in timeless its perfectly portrayed.
Thanks for the very reasonal/rational discussion of this earphone. It's difficult to find these lol. I'm still on the edge between this one, the aful performer 5, and the blessing 3. But I think this one will be it.
Finally ordered a pair, super excited! Edit: Really liking these for industrial music! So many little things I've missed in tracks like Skinny Puppy's, blood on the wall.
Just listened to Creep by Lena Hall. I'm now obsessed with her. Her voice is amazing. Thank you for this review and the recommendation. Great stuff all around.
Listened to Creep with the KZ x CRN without any EQ… it was beautiful but remarkably painful. Looking forward to trying that song with some other headphones, speakers and IEMs.
No comment on the 7hz'z... but holy crap that Lena Hall cover of Creep is amazing. Sent chills up my spine and throughout my body. Gonna dig into her other "Obsessed" covers. I hope they're equally as good.
nice review man i remember some reviewer said its is the most worst iem that he have and i dont disagree on that its a matter of preference what he's like anyway man thanks for the good review keep it up i subscribe also on your channel
Agree with your review; however, it is important to highlight the reported QC issues. While I really enjoyed the 7Hz Timeless for some songs, a mismatched driver issue became apparent within the first hour of listening. Song with prominent female vocalists were notably imbalanced. After some basic trouble shooting - cleaning my ears, A/Bing with different IEMs/Headphones, and trying different sources - I loaded up a driver matching test. Low frequencies were fine; however, as the frequency increased the sound ping ponged around my head, going from only in the right ear before finishing only in the left. Really unfortunate as I loved the sound signature, which you describe brilliantly, but the channel imbalance ranged from distracting to maddening. I think with many "Chi-Fi" IEMs, it is important to note that reviewers typically end up with handpicked units. There are now quite a few QC concerns with the Timeless, which is really unfortunate. If it were possible to try before I buy, I would definitely spend the time hunting down a golden sample.
To be fair. I think the QC issues with much of the hifi market is the exception not the rule. And not just Chi fi either. Focal and Hifiman too although i know Hifiman is technically Chinese. I have ordered MANY headphones and amps from around the world and can count on one hand the number of defective products. And the worst was Fostex t60s lol. Love them Argon t60s though (of which I tried 3 stock t60s and all had rattle problems). I had a bad cable from Linsoul but for the most part its completely kosher. I think that some manufacturers get a bad wrap when they are relatively new to the headphone market or just simply a one off defective unit and that stays with them. And their products are great for most people but, guys like yourself no offense intended, make it a point to bring it up at every possible opportunity and in every review and that overpowers the perception of some good products and skews opinions of would be consumers unnecessarily. Did the company make it right? Linsoul has always been responsive and very helpful when I have ever dealt with them. The return shipping was a bitch but when I personally broke a pair of Thieaudio L3s they replaced them for free! No problem. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
@@mylifeisart This is the first time in 15 years of purchasing audio equipment I have had to RMA an item. This is also the first time I have brought the topic up. This review stuck out to me because, as you mentioned, having to RMA an item is not cheap, especially if you live in more remote locations. Every RMA adds $10-15 to the cost of the IEM. I was not aware of the QC / Driver imbalance issues with with this particular IEM until after I received, listened too, and debugged my issue. After determining the imbalance, I found numerous reports of 'average' consumers requiring multiple RMA's on the 7Hz Timeless. Had I been aware of the QC concerns, I would have spent elsewhere. I did really enjoy the Timeless but I have no desire to go back and forth for months waiting to receive a listenable unit. Add in the sunk cost of return shipping plus potential customs issues and it makes more sense to jump up to the next bracket of IEM. My comment exists to make others aware of my experience. While some reviewers do mention that measurements will vary from unit to unit (and, in the case of the Timeless, driver to driver), I think the topic of hand picked samples is important, especially in the audio world. Remember: the majority of the reviewers receive income via affiliate links (see pinned comment), so it is in their best interest to hype products.
@@bigfatdynamo I can totally see where you are coming from. It is a real issue in all facets of audio. I was just relaying my experience of my particular 7hz timeless which is fantastic. The feedback from the brunt of the audiophile world (consumers as well as reviewers) myself included has been positive and they work as advertised. I am sorry that you got a bunk unit. I hope it isn't as widespread of a problem with everyone and I just got lucky. They are my daily drivers and are in my opinion one of the best at their price.
I’ve done a driver matching test on all of my headphones/IEMs. Every single one has a slight ping-ponging effect in the really high frequencies. Is it possibly my ears? I can hear almost to 18 K in both ears so I’m not sure what’s going on.
Not sure if you've tried them or not but my favorite tips are Spinfit CP145, CP100 Plus, CP360 (new version), and my absolute favorite atm the Final Audio Type-E tips. Spinfits increase Treble and Type-E increase Bass to my ears
I think it's good to be wary of excessive hype on TH-cam. I think the vast majority of reviewers try to be honest but let's face it the whole gig revolves around increasing consumption. So even reviews that are sort of negativeare still try to get you to buy something, just maybe not the thing that's being reviewed. Nobody will succeed if people aren't buying IEMs after watching these videos. That's why advertisers are willing to pay these creators. Anyway I like to wait a year after I train and see if the product is still so revered. If it really stands the test of time it will still be mentioned as among the best a year from now when newer earbuds have become the hype monsters. The moon drop Aria is another one that everybody loves. I mean literally everybody. I haven't tried it but I'm curious to see if a year from now they'll still be mentioned all the time is one of the greats or if everyone will be obsessed with some 2022 model
You nailed it with the review. Really the only flaw with the Timeless is the sibilance. The graph shows a sharp, narrow peak around 8k and it’s unnatural when it asserts itself. Yeah, the intense dynamics can also be fatiguing. Maybe increasing the vents to allow for less air pressure would help. I noticed it when I had the LCD2c that the pressure from all that amazing bass slam could wear out the eardrums. One of the things I appreciate about my current favorite IEM, now after having heard a bunch of very dynamic earphones, is how it slightly blunts the leading attack edge in order to make them less tiring.
@@erichieger7386 FiiO FD7. It's a bit like having a Meze Empyrean or Elite in IEM form. Arguably overpriced to some, but it checks a lot of boxes for me. Timbre and tone king for every genre that uses some acoustic instruments. Also, can be forgiving of bad recordings. Beryllium driver requires a comical amount of burn-in to finally settle in.
@@popzeus3000 Thanks, funny you should say that. I reviewed the FD5 (@Headphonesty) and they are among my favorite ever. I have not compared them to the FD7 - maybe one day!
Hmmmm...my Monster: Deisel Vektr dont have much in the way of sibillance.....not unless its in the source. But other than that these sound like a possible replacement.
I'm happy I held off from getting the P1 then also these, but I probably would've been happy. I have the Shouer S12's and I either want to compare them to the Blessing 2's, or just wait to see what Planar comes down the pipeline next with better imaging, soundstage and tonality. Maybe this won't ever happen, much like the over-ear planars they are stuck sounding a certain way and I should just cough up and grab some expensive tribrids already. Granted we got really lucky with the price of these things, nothing comes close in over ears of any driver type. I have the LCD 2's as well and I absolutely love them, haven't upgraded for a year now and probably won't ever - they are definitely better then the S12's but it's crazy by how little.
You really have to try a pair of custom in-ears. Any model from Ultimate Ears will make you put your other cans in a drawer. It happened to me. I’ve never heard better headphones than my UE Live’s. Worth every penny.
Having multiple iem’s and over-the-ear cans plus 4 different headphone amps… I bought a very non-audiophile pair of Skull Candy Evo Crushers as my Christmas self gift. Changed my world. The bass is insanity. So ridiculous that I nearly returned them. However they have made my 70’s music from Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Doobie Bros, to Eagles… suddenly they sound fuller and the bass guitars finally are resolved.
I mean the purpose of the Evo crushers is to have more bass than 90% of people could ever want. I like the product because it does what it says. It's a specialized thing for bass heads. But if you want to critique consumer facing products, it's sort of an outlier and I'm not sure the best example to use.
When you said you need to take a break from these phones sometimes, I notice that too when the transient response (rise and fall time) aka slam is really good. At least when I'm exposed to equipment that has this characteristic anyway.
Any misgivings you have about Timeless's frequency response will be addressed if you use your MT-604 to drive it...Tightens the bass response and smooths the treble peaks if you're having a problem with them 👍
Agree with everything this guy said. Real and honest truth. Unique and at their price timeless is completely must have item. Not ideal but on their own league, really afordable planar iem.
i've really enjoyed these, especially after they broke in. I'm partial to the planar sound, these are a great travel companion if you love the Hifiman type sounds
@@vpconcepts9838 yup, i just left them rolling at my pc for a couple days when they came in. just used them for gaming the first time last night, and was surprised by how well they performed there as well.
I was really lucky to have a gig with a computer manufacturer who later discovered that phones made even more margin. But, because of the market segment I dealt with, there were always long term loan products handed out to test and demonstrate. So I was really lucky to enjoy IEMs for quite some time, until I killed a pair by wrapping the cord around my bicycle wheel at 40 mph which kind of took the shine off them for a while. I started buying the Amazon specials and I’m totally back in love with them again. I find they loose a little brilliance off the top with time and play, but they never lose the accuracy and immediacy. And, I don’t end up with sauna ears that ever on or over ear headphone gives me.
As it should. I guarantee you within a year's time there will be a few new IEMs out and everyone will say those are indispensable and the best things ever and these will become distant memories. Doesn't mean they suck. But TH-cam videos won't be made if everyone is content with the products they already own
1. Did you break in the Timeless for at least 200 hours before reviewing it? A lot of that sibilance goes away after break-in. 2. What DAC and amp did you review it on? 3. Did you audition it with anything other than the stock cable?
the sibilance doesn't just go away it's just that your brain gets used to it. anything above a K 5 pro has very little effect on the sound and if you have to have this specific equipment then it's not a very good product, especially because of how sensitive these IEMs are.
@@memeswillneverdie I don’t think I could ever get used to sibilance. My own integrated amp upgrades took 300 hours to break in, sounding etchy, lean, and bright. The technician (also president of Chapman Audio Systems) said that 300 hours is normal break-in time for the components he installed. Regarding the 7Hz Timeless, I ordered it based on the recommendation of an audiophile friend I trust. He’s also an audiophile reviewer. He said the 7Hz Timeless sounded good right out of the box with a DragonFly Cobalt, especially for just over $200. But the brightness, sibilance, and forwardness didn’t calm down until after 200 hours of break-in. And recently, he replaced the stock cable with the LINSOUL Tripowin Altea Upgraded 6N OCC Litz 4 Cores HiFi Earphone Cable, 26 AWG High-Purity Monocrystalline Copper Wires. Only $39 and the sound is in an entirely different league now - more musical, no more sibilance, and a more relaxed presentation without any loss of nuance or detail.
Kato pronunciation... "ka" like in "karate" or "cars", "to" like in "tornado" or "tortilla" (last one I know is not English, but u usually nail the 1st syllable). I like your videos btw. Thanks.
In my own opinion, Chi-Fi is actually an amazing audio product when comparing with other audiophile gears at the same value. However, due to their experience and current technique, I don't think that they can reach the premium audio level and reliable as Acoustune; Campfire and Sennheiser etc. Besides, they don't have any resale value at all, therefore I'll never spend more than $500 for any Chi-Fi IEMs. If anyone don't agree with me, please just simply ignore my comments and don't get upset, thanks😄
Interesting. I kinda have the opposite experience from you with my 7hz. I get practically no bass unless I turn up the volume fairly significantly compared to where I normally listen (I tend to listen at very low volumes), but I haven't had any sibilance with them. For me, they're basically a Sundara in IEM factor with less bass. Edit: nevermind. I had an old EQ profile enabled and didn't realize it.
that is interesting. I know Crinacle loves the tuning and he's a nut for a thicker low end. and I heard similar frequency response from his Zex pro tuned KZ's. what do other reviewer say? I didn't watch any before I posted
@@cheapaudioman Most of what I've heard is that they feel these are fairly neutral. I listen at very quiet volumes most of the time, so I'm wondering what the FR graph looks like at lower volumes on these...
@@eruilluvitar I may have gotten this one wrong but I listened to them for a while. There was another comment on here that agreed with what i heard. This was far from neutral on the bass from my ear. But I could have a pair that is a bit different.
@@cheapaudioman I absolutely don't think you got it wrong :) What I'm finding, at least with my pair, is that at the quiet volumes that I listen at, the bass doesn't really exist. However, as soon as I turn the volume up, I do get the kind of bass that you describe.
„the bass sounds boomy and almost hollow like you are inside…“ ouch, why did you do that to me, „… the drumhead“ oh, forget what I just said 😐 Edit: Love it that you give song examples, more people need to do this 👍
Big fan of cheap audio man. Sean at ZF gave him a rep on a few live streams perhaps 14 months ago and have been watching ever since. I do miss between two speakers but makes sense that those take a ton of work and likely don’t get the views that gear review do.
Nice review. I think what you are describing is not just good resolution, but amazing resolution. I feel that way because the realism you are describe are a result of the psychoacoustic information that is being transmitted. That means the IEM transmits extremely accurate waveforms along with accurate extinction. And the small echoes and overtones that establishes space. I bought it and I agree, it is amazing!
Jeez -- you weren't kidding about Lena Hall -- Creep --- combination of vocal fry and marginally overdriving the mic but the sustained note is sublime Just bought the 7Hz Timeless since theyr'e now even more a bargain than they were before
I find myself adicted in listening music sice I bought the timeless. I wake up in the middle at the night and listen 2 hours of music and go to sleep after kkk 😂😂
I own these, and in electronic music like experimentals, ambients, braindance they are fckin great. Listen Lorn-Transmute 2:00 i cried everytime when i heard this moment on this headphones(even now). They are addicting, if u want own these, buy a large clock, and stick it on your forehead, or u will like me, always realizing that u have go to work at 5am, and it's already 3am. Trust me. EDIT: And of course i forgot about Tool, 7empest, mate, explosion.
7Hz Timeless Linsoul (Amazon) amzn.to/32Xu9dG On Sale!
--7Hz Timeless Linsoul Home Page bit.ly/32yL2eU
----CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
------Crutchfield Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yFEPeMyS
-------Best Buy Holiday Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH
--------apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
---------massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
-----------Amazon Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
------------www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman
do they still sound good with apple's lightning to 3.5mm adapter? only reason I ask is cuz i'm really interested in these but Don't have a dac yet..
Hey man how is it going?
What are your takes on the Lotoo Paw 6000?
I recently bought these. In my opinion, for the $202 I paid yes, they are worth the hype. I’m pretty happy.
I like how the IEMs come with a premium Sith Audio RFID-blocking brushed platinum carry case. That way nobody can steal your headphones' identity. An $1800 value.
I get worried because I keep accidentally closing the case on the cable. Feels like it can add a lot of strain on the cable and the connectors.
But it's also incredibly satisfying to open and close. The magnetic contact feels really really good.
These are better than my $3000 64 audio u18s. I'm pissed!
Great review, Randy. I don't do well with iem's but I appreciate how they make you feel listening when something hits the right sounds for your enjoyment. Happy New Year, looking forward to more.
I got these and I agree with everything you said especially about the intensity.
These are going to be in my collection for years to come.
Thanks for the review, Randy. I borrowed the Sennheiser 600’s for a few days from a friend and now want some IEM’s. I don’t feel like dropping over $500 for some buds just yet so I thought I’d dip my toes w/ these 7hz. I used your link. Again, thanks for the review. You sold me. 🤘 Oh, thanks for the Lena Hall intro. She’s got some pipes!
Really great commentary. Personal preference needs to be kept in mind, always, when sitting through or creating reviews.
Love the format and style of your channel too. Always chill.
You also😍
The best audio channels on TH-cam. Thank to both of you.
Today must've been a reasonably carefree day today? You sounded quite chipper, enjoying yourself, & your good humor brought out your good humour..! Cheers & thanks for the review.
These iem's are VERY revealing...if what you're listening to is not of great quality, it'll expose the limitations in production. THAT'S the difference. You may very well hear sounds that you've not heard in a long time. Mainly, they never cease to amaze me 👍
Hear, hear! Love mine. Also upgraded the cable. You nailed this review. I travel and the case is solid! I use mine with a Hidisz 80 pro DAC. The extra power, while not needed, gives great extension to the sound signature. Happy New Year, Randy!
What's your upgrade cable...✌️ 😁
@@jaroslavfricek7772 THIEAUDIO EST Cable EST CABLE Mark II / 2.5mm with 2 Adapters / MMCX from Linsoul
What sound improvement do you get from changing the cable?
@@TBMartin greater imaging, better soundstage and clarity. I play mine through a Hidisz 80 Pro DAC which makes a huge difference. Even 'stock' without a DAC or cable upgrade they still sound fantastic.
@@jamesminotto8036 Thank you for the reply. I know the Timeline are picky with tips and cables so good to hear you have a good cable
You beat me to it on this one, Randy. I'm loving these too! Currently comparing to the P2 and P1+ trying to work out which is my favourite planar, but in isolation these things are great fun!
The new audeze planar in ear has a very similar tuning to the 7hz but has some slight tweaks to dB levels and emphasis peaks.
The isine 10 and 20 are hilariously bad without DSP. The i3 is as bad as the 20 but twice the price. The i4 has proper tuning aspects but still needs dsp.
But the Euclid? Looks like they finally got a planar in ear right that doesn't need EQ/DSP
can't wait to hear your take Lachlan!
Nice review, thanks. I found a used pair for $130 and am very happy with them
Happy New Year’s Day 🥳
I’ve got the KATO and the OH10’s…can’t decide if I real want this one 🤔…but the hype train is strong!
I love that you're a metalhead! Good choice of music especially anything off of And Justice For All but most especially the title track. Exposes a lot flaws especially sub bass and mid bass, given that the bassist is barely audible but the drums are so well recorded. The guitars are well recorded as well and they expose resonance flaws in any speaker or headphone. Thanks for the review and keep up with Metal references. It's hard to find Headphones and speakers that can produce good sound within the metal genres. The speed needed for bass frequencies and the accuracy for guitar resonance is the most telling of a speakers quality in my opinion. Peace and Love!
Great review! I love that when you are so lost in the music that the fact that you are listening to cheap audio just disappears.
Using AIC as a sound reference validates you as my kind of listener!
Jerry Cantrell is a master of tone.
Cheers!
Used them with my phone biking trails for 2 years & more, just need to get my bike fixed lol. Amazing durability no wear whatsoever overjoyed to have these. Glad I spent the extra money for earbuds of exceptional build quality. The sound is great of course lol.
awww! using Helmet's Meantime album as a reference gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. One of my first "serious" concerts and till today Meantime and Betty are in my alltime favs. Good man there..allthough I didnt like the IEMs, but i can see how so many people do.
That took me back, too. Great album!
Honestly, you are fantastic to listen to. Great character and sense of humour. Should have more subscribers...
I would love to see you cover some of the $500+ iem kings. ThieAudio Oracle, Moondrop Variations, Dunu SA6. They’re the best value at that price so it’s not contradicting your name!
Ordered these and can’t wait for them to come to use with my truck build with topping ds10s and magni heresy when on my breaks
I got these yesterday and so far just love them. Not entirely without flaws ofcourse, I've heard dynamic drivers that have a more physical bass slam which these kindof lack, and similar to your findings I could point out a few specific songs/parts where the timbre is not totally natural, but overall they just sound great. Getting the perfect seal can be a bit challenging so I may look to try some 3rd party tips (advice welcome!), I have that with most IEMs though, finnicky earholes, the IEM fit itself is better than I expected.
I havent heard any recent IEMs in its pricerange so if its overhyped or not I can't say, but they surely amazed me, coming off Sennheiser IE8 (which were more expensive, but are about 10 years old now).
Try Final Audio E type ear tips, it is very good at boosting the bass level, I just simply love it.
Any brand / model of headphone or IEM that can give any emotional 😭🥳😂🤤response is definitely worth the money 💰! I have my Senheisser x58 Jubilees on my Schiit Magnius Modius setup and my Creative Labs external pc sound card give me that hearing sensation as well as using my P1’s and KZ-AS12’s 🥰🥰🎉🥳! As everyone’s hearing of frequency ranges is different, this will make other headphone/ IEM setups a preference. Either way I’m elated with my audio setup 🎉🥰🥳🎇🎆 as I’m sure many of us are. We truely are spoilt for choice!
This thing is great for music no doubt. But do you know what is its greatest weapon?
Movies, especially bluray copies with 24bit 16ch dolby atmos tracks. I've watched fury, overlord, all of john wick & especially in a quiet place & part 2 there is this heart beat which is very quiet and you can only feel that bass in extremely good speaker systems with at least 2 subs but in timeless its perfectly portrayed.
Thanks for the very reasonal/rational discussion of this earphone. It's difficult to find these lol. I'm still on the edge between this one, the aful performer 5, and the blessing 3. But I think this one will be it.
Dude! love the new metal pre intro bit!
I see what you mean about Creep starting around 2:10. There are some crazy harmonics going on that absolutely freak out the drivers.
Finally ordered a pair, super excited!
Edit: Really liking these for industrial music! So many little things I've missed in tracks like Skinny Puppy's, blood on the wall.
Just listened to Creep by Lena Hall. I'm now obsessed with her. Her voice is amazing. Thank you for this review and the recommendation. Great stuff all around.
Just recently came across your channel and think it is superb. Happy New year !
Lena Hall sounded pretty good in my Sivga SV021’s being fed by my iFi.
Listened to Creep with the KZ x CRN without any EQ… it was beautiful but remarkably painful. Looking forward to trying that song with some other headphones, speakers and IEMs.
I listened to it through the etymotic er2xr and it sounded just beautiful. Then i put my fiio fd1 and it was really shouty and painful.
Painful?
Painful?
Hey Randy thanks for another vid. Don’t really care about IEM’s but I enjoy your content even if you were a seaman.
Ha! Technically, I was a Fireman
@@cheapaudioman well you’re still spraying. But then I guess its better then being a bullet catcher in the Army, well maybe not.
@@DjVendetta I was a radiation sponge. Appreciate your service, brother!
Awesome review waiting on these to try in my truck with toppings ds10s and magni heresy
Best review for the Timeless so far. Thank you.
Just picked these up a year later for $180 and they were on sale. Do they ever go down on value? iems in general not just these.
No comment on the 7hz'z... but holy crap that Lena Hall cover of Creep is amazing. Sent chills up my spine and throughout my body. Gonna dig into her other "Obsessed" covers. I hope they're equally as good.
*they're
I get a physical reaction listening to that part where she just RIPS. It's phenomenal.
Randy, you can try the Qudelix 5K BT dongle to filter out the peak with its powerful Parametric EQ tool.
Thank You for the great review. Can you please advise what camera and lens you are using to film your videos. They look fantastic
These are all the rage recently. Thanks for the review! 👍👍👍
This accurately describes my overall experience with 7hz timeless. Great review!
Big fan of the CheapAudioMan
Oh I also like the 7HZ Timeless
Thanks, Forrest! Not everyone is a fan
A big fan asks him on a man date.
nice review man i remember some reviewer said its is the most worst iem that he have and i dont disagree on that its a matter of preference what he's like anyway man thanks for the good review keep it up i subscribe also on your channel
Agree with your review; however, it is important to highlight the reported QC issues.
While I really enjoyed the 7Hz Timeless for some songs, a mismatched driver issue became apparent within the first hour of listening. Song with prominent female vocalists were notably imbalanced. After some basic trouble shooting - cleaning my ears, A/Bing with different IEMs/Headphones, and trying different sources - I loaded up a driver matching test. Low frequencies were fine; however, as the frequency increased the sound ping ponged around my head, going from only in the right ear before finishing only in the left.
Really unfortunate as I loved the sound signature, which you describe brilliantly, but the channel imbalance ranged from distracting to maddening.
I think with many "Chi-Fi" IEMs, it is important to note that reviewers typically end up with handpicked units. There are now quite a few QC concerns with the Timeless, which is really unfortunate. If it were possible to try before I buy, I would definitely spend the time hunting down a golden sample.
To be fair. I think the QC issues with much of the hifi market is the exception not the rule. And not just Chi fi either. Focal and Hifiman too although i know Hifiman is technically Chinese. I have ordered MANY headphones and amps from around the world and can count on one hand the number of defective products. And the worst was Fostex t60s lol. Love them Argon t60s though (of which I tried 3 stock t60s and all had rattle problems). I had a bad cable from Linsoul but for the most part its completely kosher.
I think that some manufacturers get a bad wrap when they are relatively new to the headphone market or just simply a one off defective unit and that stays with them. And their products are great for most people but, guys like yourself no offense intended, make it a point to bring it up at every possible opportunity and in every review and that overpowers the perception of some good products and skews opinions of would be consumers unnecessarily. Did the company make it right? Linsoul has always been responsive and very helpful when I have ever dealt with them. The return shipping was a bitch but when I personally broke a pair of Thieaudio L3s they replaced them for free! No problem. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
@@mylifeisart
This is the first time in 15 years of purchasing audio equipment I have had to RMA an item. This is also the first time I have brought the topic up. This review stuck out to me because, as you mentioned, having to RMA an item is not cheap, especially if you live in more remote locations.
Every RMA adds $10-15 to the cost of the IEM.
I was not aware of the QC / Driver imbalance issues with with this particular IEM until after I received, listened too, and debugged my issue. After determining the imbalance, I found numerous reports of 'average' consumers requiring multiple RMA's on the 7Hz Timeless.
Had I been aware of the QC concerns, I would have spent elsewhere. I did really enjoy the Timeless but I have no desire to go back and forth for months waiting to receive a listenable unit. Add in the sunk cost of return shipping plus potential customs issues and it makes more sense to jump up to the next bracket of IEM.
My comment exists to make others aware of my experience.
While some reviewers do mention that measurements will vary from unit to unit (and, in the case of the Timeless, driver to driver), I think the topic of hand picked samples is important, especially in the audio world. Remember: the majority of the reviewers receive income via affiliate links (see pinned comment), so it is in their best interest to hype products.
@@bigfatdynamo I can totally see where you are coming from. It is a real issue in all facets of audio. I was just relaying my experience of my particular 7hz timeless which is fantastic. The feedback from the brunt of the audiophile world (consumers as well as reviewers) myself included has been positive and they work as advertised. I am sorry that you got a bunk unit. I hope it isn't as widespread of a problem with everyone and I just got lucky.
They are my daily drivers and are in my opinion one of the best at their price.
I’ve done a driver matching test on all of my headphones/IEMs. Every single one has a slight ping-ponging effect in the really high frequencies. Is it possibly my ears? I can hear almost to 18 K in both ears so I’m not sure what’s going on.
These seem like they would have the sound to keep me getting down town.
Not sure if you've tried them or not but my favorite tips are Spinfit CP145, CP100 Plus, CP360 (new version), and my absolute favorite atm the Final Audio Type-E tips.
Spinfits increase Treble and Type-E increase Bass to my ears
I think it's good to be wary of excessive hype on TH-cam. I think the vast majority of reviewers try to be honest but let's face it the whole gig revolves around increasing consumption. So even reviews that are sort of negativeare still try to get you to buy something, just maybe not the thing that's being reviewed. Nobody will succeed if people aren't buying IEMs after watching these videos. That's why advertisers are willing to pay these creators.
Anyway I like to wait a year after I train and see if the product is still so revered. If it really stands the test of time it will still be mentioned as among the best a year from now when newer earbuds have become the hype monsters.
The moon drop Aria is another one that everybody loves. I mean literally everybody. I haven't tried it but I'm curious to see if a year from now they'll still be mentioned all the time is one of the greats or if everyone will be obsessed with some 2022 model
You nailed it with the review. Really the only flaw with the Timeless is the sibilance. The graph shows a sharp, narrow peak around 8k and it’s unnatural when it asserts itself. Yeah, the intense dynamics can also be fatiguing. Maybe increasing the vents to allow for less air pressure would help. I noticed it when I had the LCD2c that the pressure from all that amazing bass slam could wear out the eardrums. One of the things I appreciate about my current favorite IEM, now after having heard a bunch of very dynamic earphones, is how it slightly blunts the leading attack edge in order to make them less tiring.
Great note - which is your current favorite IEM?
@@erichieger7386 FiiO FD7. It's a bit like having a Meze Empyrean or Elite in IEM form. Arguably overpriced to some, but it checks a lot of boxes for me. Timbre and tone king for every genre that uses some acoustic instruments. Also, can be forgiving of bad recordings. Beryllium driver requires a comical amount of burn-in to finally settle in.
@@popzeus3000 Thanks, funny you should say that. I reviewed the FD5 (@Headphonesty) and they are among my favorite ever. I have not compared them to the FD7 - maybe one day!
Hmmmm...my Monster: Deisel Vektr dont have much in the way of sibillance.....not unless its in the source. But other than that these sound like a possible replacement.
@@popzeus3000 FD7 is one of my two favorite single DD iems. Not perfectly neutral, but euphoric and colorful.
I'm happy I held off from getting the P1 then also these, but I probably would've been happy. I have the Shouer S12's and I either want to compare them to the Blessing 2's, or just wait to see what Planar comes down the pipeline next with better imaging, soundstage and tonality. Maybe this won't ever happen, much like the over-ear planars they are stuck sounding a certain way and I should just cough up and grab some expensive tribrids already. Granted we got really lucky with the price of these things, nothing comes close in over ears of any driver type. I have the LCD 2's as well and I absolutely love them, haven't upgraded for a year now and probably won't ever - they are definitely better then the S12's but it's crazy by how little.
The mic bump story is awesome.
This IEM requires a hell of a lot of power. I also noted a hair of sibilance but its really high in the treble. Also a bit intense! Nice review.
Always enjoy your vids..
Glad you like them!
I Love my timeless. You nailed it with the review.
The million dollar question, between these and the Moondrop Kato, which one you prefer?
These
@@cheapaudioman thanks 👍
Awesome review!
Randy. If you can have only one IEM, which one would you choose, the Kato or the Timeless?
Also interested in the answer to this question
I just received my Shuoer S12 iem and they sound way better than my P1's .......They are amazing .......
That was a great unboxing video. 😇
Hey which iem is a good upgrade to timeless under $600 for laid back relaxed sound?
Do I need another headphone? Timeless 7z, Moondrop Dusk or Variations, Sennheisers IE600 or IE900, which one?
Are AE versions better or should I go with the OG version???
You really have to try a pair of custom in-ears. Any model from Ultimate Ears will make you put your other cans in a drawer. It happened to me. I’ve never heard better headphones than my UE Live’s. Worth every penny.
Having multiple iem’s and over-the-ear cans plus 4 different headphone amps… I bought a very non-audiophile pair of Skull Candy Evo Crushers as my Christmas self gift. Changed my world. The bass is insanity. So ridiculous that I nearly returned them.
However they have made my 70’s music from Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Doobie Bros, to Eagles… suddenly they sound fuller and the bass guitars finally are resolved.
I mean the purpose of the Evo crushers is to have more bass than 90% of people could ever want. I like the product because it does what it says. It's a specialized thing for bass heads. But if you want to critique consumer facing products, it's sort of an outlier and I'm not sure the best example to use.
Bought a Rocktopus mug. Happy New Year!
When you said you need to take a break from these phones sometimes, I notice that too when the transient response (rise and fall time) aka slam is really good. At least when I'm exposed to equipment that has this characteristic anyway.
How about the sound compared to the M50X audio technica? I have those overears and I would like to see if there is an improvement in the sound
Hi, Which camera, you have used to record this video?
Any misgivings you have about Timeless's frequency response will be addressed if you use your MT-604 to drive it...Tightens the bass response and smooths the treble peaks if you're having a problem with them 👍
These beats even my Sennheiser IE800s, still cant believe i said it but its true...
Agree with everything this guy said. Real and honest truth. Unique and at their price timeless is completely must have item. Not ideal but on their own league, really afordable planar iem.
The Hype Train is pulling a tank car full of Snake Oil.
Hey Randy,
Did you pay customs tax for the timeless?
when yes how was it ? cause germany makes everything complicated with non-EU goods.... -.-
Use hifigo, they have the vat prepaid for western Europe.
Kato vs 7hz timeless, which one beter??
7HZ
What's in the box? I wanna know what's in the bowl?!
They are MMCX just like the Shure IEMs right? Could I connect these to the Shure True Wireless Adapter Gen 2 or Fiio utws5 true wireless adapter?
How's the punch & slam & dynamics on these? I listen to a lot of percussions so these definitely piqued my interest.
Very dynamic.
i've really enjoyed these, especially after they broke in. I'm partial to the planar sound, these are a great travel companion if you love the Hifiman type sounds
Took me 150 hrs before I could put them on for my channel review! Yes, lots of burn in. Video coming out next month 👌🎼✨
@@vpconcepts9838 yup, i just left them rolling at my pc for a couple days when they came in. just used them for gaming the first time last night, and was surprised by how well they performed there as well.
I love these, great set
I was really lucky to have a gig with a computer manufacturer who later discovered that phones made even more margin. But, because of the market segment I dealt with, there were always long term loan products handed out to test and demonstrate. So I was really lucky to enjoy IEMs for quite some time, until I killed a pair by wrapping the cord around my bicycle wheel at 40 mph which kind of took the shine off them for a while. I started buying the Amazon specials and I’m totally back in love with them again. I find they loose a little brilliance off the top with time and play, but they never lose the accuracy and immediacy. And, I don’t end up with sauna ears that ever on or over ear headphone gives me.
I agree about hype train that pushes me to have more scrutiny of an idea or product
As it should. I guarantee you within a year's time there will be a few new IEMs out and everyone will say those are indispensable and the best things ever and these will become distant memories. Doesn't mean they suck. But TH-cam videos won't be made if everyone is content with the products they already own
1. Did you break in the Timeless for at least 200 hours before reviewing it? A lot of that sibilance goes away after break-in.
2. What DAC and amp did you review it on?
3. Did you audition it with anything other than the stock cable?
the sibilance doesn't just go away it's just that your brain gets used to it. anything above a K 5 pro has very little effect on the sound and if you have to have this specific equipment then it's not a very good product, especially because of how sensitive these IEMs are.
@@memeswillneverdie I don’t think I could ever get used to sibilance. My own integrated amp upgrades took 300 hours to break in, sounding etchy, lean, and bright. The technician (also president of Chapman Audio Systems) said that 300 hours is normal break-in time for the components he installed.
Regarding the 7Hz Timeless, I ordered it based on the recommendation of an audiophile friend I trust. He’s also an audiophile reviewer. He said the 7Hz Timeless sounded good right out of the box with a DragonFly Cobalt, especially for just over $200. But the brightness, sibilance, and forwardness didn’t calm down until after 200 hours of break-in. And recently, he replaced the stock cable with the LINSOUL Tripowin Altea Upgraded 6N OCC Litz 4 Cores HiFi Earphone Cable, 26 AWG High-Purity Monocrystalline Copper Wires. Only $39 and the sound is in an entirely different league now - more musical, no more sibilance, and a more relaxed presentation without any loss of nuance or detail.
Kato pronunciation... "ka" like in "karate" or "cars", "to" like in "tornado" or "tortilla" (last one I know is not English, but u usually nail the 1st syllable).
I like your videos btw. Thanks.
In my own opinion, Chi-Fi is actually an amazing audio product when comparing with other audiophile gears at the same value. However, due to their experience and current technique, I don't think that they can reach the premium audio level and reliable as Acoustune; Campfire and Sennheiser etc. Besides, they don't have any resale value at all, therefore I'll never spend more than $500 for any Chi-Fi IEMs. If anyone don't agree with me, please just simply ignore my comments and don't get upset, thanks😄
Sir... have you tried Fiio FD5?
7hz timeless or Fiio fd5??
Do you like them more than the ie300?
Interesting. I kinda have the opposite experience from you with my 7hz. I get practically no bass unless I turn up the volume fairly significantly compared to where I normally listen (I tend to listen at very low volumes), but I haven't had any sibilance with them. For me, they're basically a Sundara in IEM factor with less bass.
Edit: nevermind. I had an old EQ profile enabled and didn't realize it.
that is interesting. I know Crinacle loves the tuning and he's a nut for a thicker low end. and I heard similar frequency response from his Zex pro tuned KZ's. what do other reviewer say? I didn't watch any before I posted
@@cheapaudioman Most of what I've heard is that they feel these are fairly neutral. I listen at very quiet volumes most of the time, so I'm wondering what the FR graph looks like at lower volumes on these...
@@eruilluvitar I may have gotten this one wrong but I listened to them for a while. There was another comment on here that agreed with what i heard. This was far from neutral on the bass from my ear. But I could have a pair that is a bit different.
@@cheapaudioman I absolutely don't think you got it wrong :) What I'm finding, at least with my pair, is that at the quiet volumes that I listen at, the bass doesn't really exist. However, as soon as I turn the volume up, I do get the kind of bass that you describe.
I consider these to be a Sundara but with more added sub bass.
But how do they fit? The shape always stopped me from picking these up.
Lush
Off topic, but some pretty good deals at BestBuy today, Just an FYI for anyone interested in checking it out.
„the bass sounds boomy and almost hollow like you are inside…“ ouch, why did you do that to me, „… the drumhead“ oh, forget what I just said 😐
Edit: Love it that you give song examples, more people need to do this 👍
Does the coffee ring come pre-installed?
Big fan of cheap audio man. Sean at ZF gave him a rep on a few live streams perhaps 14 months ago and have been watching ever since. I do miss between two speakers but makes sense that those take a ton of work and likely don’t get the views that gear review do.
Will you please review the MartinLogan 15i and/or 35xti? Thank you
Nice review. I think what you are describing is not just good resolution, but amazing resolution. I feel that way because the realism you are describe are a result of the psychoacoustic information that is being transmitted. That means the IEM transmits extremely accurate waveforms along with accurate extinction. And the small echoes and overtones that establishes space. I bought it and I agree, it is amazing!
Jeez -- you weren't kidding about Lena Hall -- Creep --- combination of vocal fry and marginally overdriving the mic but the sustained note is sublime
Just bought the 7Hz Timeless since theyr'e now even more a bargain than they were before
I find myself adicted in listening music sice I bought the timeless.
I wake up in the middle at the night and listen 2 hours of music and go to sleep after kkk 😂😂
Would you suggest Using Hidizs S9 Pro with The Timeless ?
It also has 2.5 balanced connection
I have and it was a good combo. Very revealing.
I just read about this and good thing you made a video xD
Probably over hyped, though most that have the Timeless enjoy it very much. I don’t have these as there are hot new IEMs pretty much every week.
The boosted bass can be fixed with better tips and the sibilance comes from the poor quality cable that they come with.
I own these, and in electronic music like experimentals, ambients, braindance they are fckin great. Listen Lorn-Transmute 2:00 i cried everytime when i heard this moment on this headphones(even now). They are addicting, if u want own these, buy a large clock, and stick it on your forehead, or u will like me, always realizing that u have go to work at 5am, and it's already 3am. Trust me.
EDIT: And of course i forgot about Tool, 7empest, mate, explosion.
I think you mean the musical experience is so surprising, it is actually some kind of a shock to you.