Wicked fast pace and clarity across the whole frequency spectrum Amazingly well sculpted treble images and positioning inside of a grand stage Well sculpted midrange images created inside of a grand stage Superior fitment and nozzle length, weighing 8 grams each Easy to drive from just a phone Single full-range 10mm Ultra-Linear Gold-Plated Diaphragm The detail and resolution of treble and midrange BAs with the decays of a DD While reserved bass, still sub-bass over mid-bass and over lower midrange Extra amounts of timbre and cohesiveness added to the treble and upper midrange detail Comfortable all day long firment, without even asking for adjustment Probably the most detail per dollar ratio ever at Redcarmoose Labs
Cons:
Some may not like MMCX, but these are truly great ones in form and function May be too bright for some listeners Details are compounded by a focused upper midrange and treble The T7 case zipper can be troublesome to open and close in use
TinHiFi T7 Flagship Universal IEM Redcarmoose Labs January 27th, 2025
TIN has been making famous China built IEMs for some time. In fact……before I was super serious about reviewing TinHiFi started the T2 IEM phenomenon. Back in February of 2019 the T2 hysteria forever cemented TIN’s fame, and just like any good company TinHiFi has kept on releasing model after model. Sure prices have changed, and the box opening experience has evolved…………..you have to get a grand box opening experience for your extra money right? I have auditioned my share of TIN. My first TIN was 2021’s T5 Universal IEM, yet I gave it only 3 stars, and that was being generous.
They keep sending me stuff? This is my 15th TIN review…….yet I'm not always that nice about how I review their products. But anyone knows, throw enough stuff against the wall………..and something is liable to stick. Finally the Flagship TinHiFi T5S came out in February of 2024……………in my humble opinion the greatest thing ever from TinHiFi. In fact all kinds of people fell-in-love with the warm and lovely signature the T5S put-out!
The T5S: The T5S was a redo of the original T5, only it was way, way smoother and had a warm boosted bass and lower-midrange. The T5S went and parlayed a careful and smooth treble, and just went about its day bathing you in warm relaxing waters.
The T5S: And that was the thing, the T5S went with most genres, most sources and even gave you the freedom to use a few styles of ear-tips. In the reviewing world we call that well-rounded. But the final BOOST was that the T5S was all day listenable. You could go on a trip and bring just the T5S along as your only IEM. One of my greatest joys is finding new reviewers who are just getting started find-out what the T5S is! The T5S is answering a need, filling an open-space in the market providing a warm blanket, not to mention the incredible custom universal shell form factor! What?
Truly I still admire this form factor and personal feel of the T5S inside the ear.
So is the new TinHiFi T7 Flagship a variation of the T5S?
Nope, the T7 and T5S have nothing in common. While it’s safe to say TIN went and code-named the T5S “Mars” because it is warm. Probably the T5S with its Rock sensibilities was made for the younger crowd. Heck, we all know many China brands are waking-up to making bass laden charmers as of late. To get to the T7, now we are progressing into more upper detail waters, the bass while noticeable, is still kept a slighly at bay. This may be a tune for the older crowd who have lost their high treble and upper midrange sensitivity? Where the T5S came in at $129.99………now this T7 has an asking price of $199.00.
The T5 verses the T5S above: The T7 below:
TinHiFi T7 Flagship Dynamic Driver In-Ear Monitor
Precision Five-Axis CNC Machining
Ultra-High Vacuum Vapor Deposition
10mm Ultra-Linear Gold-Plated Diaphragm
Patented Dual Magnetic Circuit
Dual-Curve Acoustic Chamber
Interchangeable Plugs (3.5mm and 4.4mm)
Luxury Accessories
So before I start these reviews I do burn-in, and the T7 has had 7 days of continuous burn-in. Also I mess around with the IEM, as any reviewer should take joy in doing. Meaning trying different ear-tips and sources, simply trying to get a feel for the character extremes offered, or not offered. And most importantly once you find the ear-tips and source you like, you try the IEM in question with a wide range of music. And sure, during this time there are also fit issues that are either great or not so great, power consumption issues………….. then a single rating verdict. This is one single idea if you like the IEM, dislike the IEM….or like the IEM a lot. All this is before a single word of the review is written. This is the same as being at a show and trying multiple IEMs…….that you can come-up with an opinion.
The T7 (the review in a nut shell) I like the T7, I also realized that it may not be my exact favorite sound signature, but I understand what it is doing and respect the T7 for that. Also as far as technicalities go, that the stage huge! Big realizations of 3D imaging to the top, to the sides and up and down. As far as timbre, the timbre is remarkable, and yes, the upper details and upper midrange details are also remarkable filling that stage. The feel of quality and overall fit of the T7 is incredible for what it is. OH, and the cable? Amazing! So let’s get started on this review! Oh........and the Pace! Wonderful wicked fast pace!
Box opening experience: Normally I never talk about this opening experience at the start. But this is the T7 TinHiFi Flagship and not only are they making a statement about how TIN wants to be identified by sound signature, but the box opening experience should at least satisfy you if you’re spending $199.00.
Here this is by far the biggest box out of the 14 other TINs I have received. Coming inside of a cardboard sleeve, then a big number 7 on the final box. Opening the box you only see two IEMs resting a top. Underneath (the pull-out) a case with a carrying strap. 6 sets of silicone and 2 sets of foam ear-tips. I was missing 2 medium silicone tips inside my actual box, no big deal as they were not my size anyway.
There is some paper work and inside the carrying case is the beautiful modular cable. Such a cable features a blend of 0.06/54C single-crystal copper and oxygen-free copper. TIN used the cable make-up to make the T7 sound the way they wanted to be known in the community. The cable offers all metal hardware, and a really easy switchable plug. Joining the polarity marker on the plug to the receptacle…….then screw on the aluminum ring tight to add either 3.5mm or 4.4mm termination.
Cable:
Build and driver ideas: Patented Dual Ultra-Linear Telsa Drivers Gold-plated Vapor Deposition created in a vacuum Internal dual curved surfaces, to diminish sound wave reflection Finally all inside aluminum shell structure manufactured with CNC technology and ebony wood faceplates
Driver Unit 10mm Ultra-Linear Gold-Plated Diaphragm Sensitivity 112 ± 2dB @1kHz 0.126V Frequency Response 10Hz–20kHz Maximum Distortion ≤1% @1kHz 0.126V Impedance 22Ω ± 15% Color Black Rated Power 3mW
Fitment and construction: As seen in the side-by-sides to follow this section, the form is small, yet don’t let that size fool you, the T7 weighs all of 8 grams. While I have read the nozzles are gold plated copper the shell is aluminum and the most remarkable aspect is just how they made the ebony wood in-lay. Even the noise occlusion is great blocking out what I would say is a level 9 on a level scale of 1 to 10. I use a fan sound in my room to judge this ability!
In reality these are a miracle in fitment, so other manufactures take notice! You can sleep on your side with the T7. They never require re-adjusting. The nozzles are angled right and just the perfect balance of not too long, or not too short. The MMCX connections are not loose and can be placed so that the cable goes right over your ears, in fact the cable finds that on its own. The ear-hooks are relaxed and tame. That while there are two vents, one on the nozzle and one near the MMCX connectors, still somehow these block outside noise, and this may be from excessive inner material dampening done?
MMCX: Here is an additional MMCX tool you can buy. The one special feature is just how like clock-work these MMCX connectors come off, no fighting or multiple tries. I would highly recommend getting this tool if you are planning on changing cables with the T7.
Side-by-sides:
Top row: 7Hz Timeless II 14.5mm Planar IEM priced $229.00 TinHiFi T7 10mm Ultra-Linear Gold-Plated Diaphragm $199.00
Bottom row: NiceHCK Himalaya 10mm CNT DD $329.00
I chose these as I thought they would put-up a good fight, as well as just being themselves would help outline what the T7 is in the end. I am using the Sony WM1Z with the included MMCX cable with the T7 and the SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 cable with the NiceHCK Himalaya and Timeless II. The LC7 has a way which smooths out a little of the upper midrange and treble and adds lower midrange girth, without really coloring the sound. There is a little question about Hybrids. And I will take some time to try and address this challenge. First off many Hybrids are going to often offer (ever so) slightly bigger stages than the T7.
Yet the T7 stage offering enhanced imaging size and density which can be different from Hybrids.
This is the question I asked myself during the preliminary short timed test listening runs. So what happens often with Hybrids is they will combine a BA, or PZT driver or Micro-planar with a DD bass provider. Often you will find people who gravitate towards the Hybrid idea of playback. That even while often less realistic in playback due to BA timbre and loss of cohesiveness due to the DD working, there is a slightly bigger stage provided. In fact I’m the one who really likes Hybrids over single full-range DDs. Plus often with full-range DDs they have seemed to focus on giving you one ability frequency wise, at the expense of another. Meaning often full-range DDs will go forward with lesser upper midrange and treble details, or give you midrange and lower midrange/bass emphasis.
In one aspect the T7 kind a does this, as really there is a focus on the 2.8kHz to 5kHz shelf, taking emphasis away from the lows. And any lows that are there are wonderful, and almost more sub-bass provided, yet they are again put in their place by the shelf of 2.8kHz to 5kHz. Here really the question too is how will the stage be in contrast to the Timeless II and Himalaya.
The 7Hz Timeless II 14.5mm Planar: All tests done with the NicHCK C04 (super clear) ear-tips. The first thing you notice is the T7 is about 30% more efficient with power. While sure the Timeless II is offering more bass, it holds such exquisite bass finesse, that some of the points made by the T7 are formed by the bass holding pace and clarity, at the expense of an overboard bass blast. Really in many ways the Timeless II and T7 share a quality bass brotherhood, yet hats off to the Timeless II extra amount down under. I mean in my Timeless II review I called the bass perfect. And while I will get to how the T7 is grand and has its own stature due to a tightness and provocativeness inside the bass, this is probably a question of individual wants and bass needs in the end.
This is where it gets confusing. I talked about the T7 stage being simply big, yet in this test it seemed to grow to be equal in comparison to the Timeless II. Though it should be noted that there is an extra high-up icing that where the stage is big, it is really the leadership of the upper midrange and treble that take it there. Where the Timeless II is more mid-girth size and even mid-stage-dynamics and fireworks. To where (I’m serious) that somehow (maybe it’s the music) but the T7 is starting to outdo any preconceived ideas as to over-all stage-size playback? Simply big and authoritative playback……..wow!
While sure the T7 is not quite as note-weighty as the Timeless, it kinda is, though in its own way. The WM1Z does this too, just by its nature adds density and weight to any IEM you have laying around. It may be that I’m further acclimating to the T7 charms at hand? Though to get down to business here, the Timeless II is a hair more smooth, holding the upper Pinna Gain area inside a smoother idea, where the T7 is really going there. You know what place I’m describing here, that borderline area that you both get extra details from, but at the same time you pay for those details by gaining lesser listening times. The T7 is so very detailed that I can even hear subtle vocal compression artifacts to where they always use compressors on vocals, only I can hear the compressors making a close to distorted effect of some songs, an effect I didn’t ever notice before. Still none of that matters because both male and female vocals are more positioned into the light with the T7 over the Timeless II, once equal volume is guessed. Where sure the Timeless II offers great vocals, being they are very personable and vivid, the vocals though are not as positioned forward, nor as bright as the T7. I could totally think that this (while slightly less technical) would be preferred in Timeless replay. Simply less treble and upper midrange energy, while still pretty close to perfect. The truth is I don’t seem to notice the Timeless II Planar timbre, like I was expecting to? The added aspects of the T7 shelf open-up the area of a new and different stage in comparison to the Timeless II, and inside that area are bigger cymbal splashes and a whole world to see anew. The crazy part is I would definitely say the stage is now almost bigger with the T7, and that is saying something, though it is held into the upper regions of life. Though what the Timeless II does always is offer this bass and lower midrange communication, call it Planar low end, because while the T7 has more detail, there are aspects the Planar does in the lows which adds a layer upon layer results to your listening, which the T7 can not ever produce. Though as a whole the T7 probably fits slightly better too, as let's face it the Timeless II shape is wild, though it fits me well. Using the standard gold nozzles on the Timeless II.
NiceHCK Himalaya 10mm CNT DD: Standard gold nozzles on the NiceHCK Himalaya too. Here we are met with a wonderful stage. Though once more the T7 in comparison is the overachiever here going to the 9th decree of upper energy, making the Himalaya seems more middle of the road. Bass with the Himalaya is also more separated and pronounced as expected.
This bass rides to proclaim a foundation that the T7 calls thin, yet still there, only faster and dimmer.
The crazy part is how in contrast to the T7, I can almost hear the slowness of the Himalaya, and in no way is it slow? It is just the T7 is fast, and really more than fast, quick. Yep, it seems the Himalaya has the one-up on note weight, yet this T7 playback still has great note-weight. Though the big difference here is the same sonic concepts held against the Timeless II IEM, there is a whole extra world of detail up here. I’m in the attic, looking at stuff I didn’t even know existed here. Big cymbal creations and way, way outward into the stage, way out on their own. I can now hear the critical percussion attacks, that small sound as the stick hits, that neither of the two prior IEMs even came close to providing. And the best part is that it is all now starting to sound natural and correct, yet in the back of my mind.......and in the forward position of my mind I know this is bright, but there is a smoothness still. That is what we are paying for the Linear aspect of the gold deposition plating.
But seriously, who cares how we got here, we are here. The stage seems to be getting even bigger, for no reason that I can think of, other than more mental burn-in, that and comparisons.
Music:
Hans Zimmer Wonder Woman 1984 (sketches) No Hero Is Born from Lies 44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. Such a great opener to the music tests. Why? Because there is still this super fast sub-bass that’s a thrill. Now I don’t want to make the Timpani drums out more than they are. I don’t want to exaggerate this, because while it is all here, the bass is still kept at bay. It is just when you give a slightly bass reserved IEM a giant amount of bass to reproduce, it can’t help but play along……..and that is what we have. At 00:28 there is a grouping of all kinds of instrument replay all across the stage and all across the sonic spectrum. But to define it, let’s start with the Cello and Violin timbre. Yep, that is why we are here, we want correct timbre and stage positioning, and with the size of this stage we are rewarded with that.
OH Gawd: At 00:28 we are also given a huge Timpani drop……and that size was not expected? Yep this is good. And normally I don’t like to start off with a successful song, I like to add drama to the review, but here I have no choice but to reward the T7 with a great job done. I mean sure, we are supporting the T7 with the Sony WM1Z making all files ear-candy. Also this recording is world class. But this is what Head-Fi is about, otherwise we would all be simply listening to table-top radio. At around 00:45 you can now hear the chimes and the separated movement in the mix. At 00:59 the pitter-pat of sticks in percussion. I mean probably this is 100% of what the T7 is about, I didn’t plan this outcome today, but it is what it is.
Let me simply write words of description here…….fast, energetic, paced, thorough, complete while still relatively bright in nature, yet still smooth. And finally entertaining, I mean what else would you call this display?
KMFDM Paradise Oh My Goth 44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video. The very first clue that we are swimming in brighter detailed waters is the rain sound at the start of 00:00. That sure it is raining and I’m surprised as I don’t ever remember hearing it so clear before? A thunder blast hits at 00:05 into which we can hear every aspect, as for the first time this tone sounds somehow natural and faster-detailed than ever, while still providing the lower aspects in faster clarity. Off to the left at 00:11 I hear the tear of paper, or whatever it is in real-life. Then right before it is the wolf howl, yet I’m getting excited because I almost never hear the echo to the howl. And I just realized why. This T7 is offering both the treble of BAs, but adding the echoes of a DD. End of story! At 00:15 the synth bass kicks in, and yes it is not near as powerful and deeply textured as I have heard it replayed before, to where up to this point it is almost clear sounding and a little thin, but that is OK, because all I have described since the start of this song description has come packaged inside a huge fast and well imaged stage!
Even the guitars at 00:23 make a forward gesture, way out front and slightly more gritty due to detail. There is no-way to miss-out on anything here, and that is the value. Finally at 00:30 the song kicks into gear. This occurs with vibrant fast and added physicality drums and Lucia Cifarelli’s vocals. In fact her vocals would be a reason to use the T7 at this point.
Why? Because this is a vocal IEM silly. I mean not only do we hear the vocals, we hear every aspect of vocals, the inhale then exhale, the echo effects, the exact position in the stage etc, etc.
We even seem to hear the artist's most subtle nuances of lip and jaw expression, it is 100% here………and most of it I can’t put into words……but let’s just call it vocal realism. I mean that was TIN’s goals and as far as timbre and decay, tone and realism they reached that goal. And this ability for the asking price simply makes the T7 a no-brainer style of purchase, if you can deal with (and want) the lesser low-end faster personality. My word to describe this low-end………in one word? Crisp! Lol
Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL Batman v Superman OST New Rules 96kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.
Incredible really for the money here. We are finding the stage fully enlarged. Then aspects of the song found freely open to inspection and entertainment abound. Yes, big strings, big timpani drums, and while there are times when this song never climbs too far into the treble area due to personality, here there are aspects where it gets intense.
A quick switch over to the Sony WM1A. Now this is really important and maybe the most important music test, as we are not only offering the T7 challenges in source signal, but challenges in music files too. Though my absolute favorite part is the Kettle Drum (Timpani) at 01:38. This sound results I have had to add a multitude of more equipment to get............where we are today with just the included cable and $199.00 T7. Meaning this set-up with the WM1A is showcasing all the deep profound detail of this epic drop. The reverberations, the textures…….the excitement, all of it. While the strings are still relatively dark, they are great. Remember the mind starts to play tricks as the mind naturally thinks everything may be too bright, when in fact you get the T7 a correctly, no enormously correct recording and the T7 goes to town. At 02:11 I’m smitten with the way, way high up effects. Here is a realm we never get to experience with $199.00 IEM, but we do now! These little static sounds up-top, contrasted by the full throb of bass rumbles…..made my day!
Really the T7 is epic with both the WM1A and WM1Z, yet for slightly different reasons!
Delain Apocalypse & Chill Chemical Redemption 44.1kHz - 24bit
Timestamps only pertain to digital file, not video.
Here we are asking for it. Asking for what you may ask? Well going by previous thought, we are taking the more mid-forward 1A and adding a brightly recorded song. Here the producers are adding a tell-tale character of Symphonic Female Fronted Metal to push the electric guitars up into buzz-saw proportions. That somehow this subgenre of Metal is unique from all other forms of Heavy Metal in personality. Here those guitars hit at 00:08. The main thing is that, different from BAs, this is actually right on timbre, but noticeable in the upfront positioning. Sure this would be the utmost extreme of my threshold of upper midrange and treble personality…………….though something arrives which makes this all start to make a little more sense.......and her name is Charlotte!
OH, I almost forgot to mention the bass synthesized throbs opening at 00:00 are there and relatively correct (yet) on the reserved side. But it should be said this is one of the highest toned songs I own, and the perfect test vehicle to learn what the T7 is about. The excitement really starts at 00:24 as then Johanna Charlotte Wessels voice starts. Now to be honest, this is not a song I would choose to enjoy with the T7, and sure we in a way are not being fair to try and work the T7 into a frenzy.
A treble frenzy would still be what I would call this, therefore I have to judge the T7 as being not as well rounded as the prior flagship T5S.
With that said there is still a bold and finely detailed new world to explore with the T7. One would be that a special additive to almost any collection, as a new and unheard-of value. It is just the T7 doesn’t play so nice with every music file you may have on hand. It is that even with regular recorded music the T7 walks that line of bright and detailed, offering charms but you can energize it over the top with the wrong file!
Conclusion: In all my IEM tests I have never heard an IEM like the T7. Does that mean you should buy it? I’m not sure, I’m not sure the T7’s ideas are for everyone and for every style of recording? Still I hold value in what the T7 does and have rated it accordingly. What this means is there is nothing and any price, by any manufacturer that does what the T7 does. That stage displacement, the small individual creation of tiny and large images of sound, and the speed and correctness in which they are created. Whew, and while maybe at times this intensity asks for a slightly lower volume, there is still an inquisitiveness like looking at objects of beauty you have never seen before. This wonderful strange clearness, that I do understand where TIN was going. And sure this image of tuning needs to exist, because no one has ever gone there before.
Still I ended up using a whole bunch of equipment to see where we could go. And sure warmer sources were instantly observed. I mean with this resolution and detail, how could they not be? Lol
So as normal I thought that maybe only a few sources could be utilized. But I was wrong, that the T7 actually made the midrange displacement into Sony WM1A replay seem to create an even wider stage than the Sony WM1Z. That the WM1Z had the treble stage. And that is truly how these two DAPs are, only I have never in my years had it proven so clearly. And that is what the T7 is in the end, your personal audio-microscope. That maybe it is slightly unnatural to get a glimpse into this clarity of contrasts, this construction of items sculpted in details and speeding across the stage? But at the same time it is special and unique, and I can’t help but realize that there is a cohesiveness and a correctness of timbre that exists here, that challenges any and all IEMs regardless of price. That these details are just that, natural and real, while at times just slightly thinner than normal. Reminding me a little of the AKG k701, the headphone that got me started on Head-Fi.
Being so proud to state your own idea of coolness, and not caring about what anyone thinks except your believing peers. Kind of like wearing a Batman shirt to your Senior Photo Shoot. The T7 walks its very own path, and sets itself apart from what came before it, shining a light where others fear to go.
Disclaimer: The TinHiFi T7 Universal IEM has had a total of 7 days of burn-in.
Disclaimer: I want to thank Kaitlyn of Linsoul for the love and the TinHiFi T7 Universal IEM review sample.
Disclaimer: These are one person's ideas and concepts, your results may vary.
Equipment Used: Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 4.4mm balanced Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman’s Firmware 4.4mm balanced Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03 in 4.4mm balanced Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10 AudioQuest Carbon USB Samsung Phone 3.5mm HiBy R3 II DAP 4.4mm 7Hz Artemis39 Bluetooth Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm ifi Go blu Bluetooth Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm ifi hip dac 3 Amplifier and DAC 4.4mm
