Tronsmart T7 mini
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Oi! Welcome to my another review article and this time it is very different from most items that I've always reviewed with. As you know that most of my content are usually revolves around IEMs on how I assess each product, it is unexpected that a respected company would contact me if I can do a review on their products and I take an opportunity to take it.
This company I'm taking about is Tronsmart. As we all know that Tronsmart is a reputable technology brand that offers high quality products at a very affordable price. I actually have a Tronsmart power bank which I can attest to its durability and longevity.
Tronsmart is a technology company from Shenzhen, the technology hub capital of Asia (probably in the world). It has a formidable R & D crew that creates and produces some innovative products especially on mobile accessories and wireless gadgets. I also saw some Tronsmart products wherever I go, from the commercial establishment to a mate's flat and the most prominent ones were wireless Bluetooth speakers.
What I have here is their latest product, Tronsmart T7 mini. Tronsmart T7 is a mini portable Bluetooth speaker, it has a stout cylindrical shape whose ergonomic design is to provide a better portability experience to bring it everywhere either for personal home use, business presentation, celebratory parties and camping outdoors. It has a build in LED lights that synchronise well to every beat and rhythm on a music track played.
Its structural design is a robust and compact one that I can wrap it with my whole hand to grasp it . It has a basic control panel at the top with the circular LED light at its edges. Tronsmart seems to be thinking about a more logical approach on designing this product to make it more easy to use.
Tronsmart T7 mini is also rated to have an IPX7 rating that it can take water splashes, raining submersion due to its water protection to its component with water-repellant to hydrophobic coating. With a good waterproofing rating, you can indeed take anywhere even to the outdoors like beaches and other bodies of water.
Regarding its battery life. Tronsmart T7 mini seems to have a decent power consumption up to 16-18 hours when the LED light is turned off and 8 hours with LED light activated. LED lights also serve as a power indicator if it needs to be charged when the battery power is almost depleted.
When it comes to wireless playback, Tronsmart T7 mini has Bluetooth 5.2 version but it can only support basic lossy bluetooth codec such as SBC and AAC. (Sorry for the audio blokes who wants a "hi-res" codec like APTX-HD and LDAC) Despite those limitations, T7 mini offers another option, an analog audio source as it has a 3.5mm jack which will please people who wants a better sound quality. I almost forgot to mention that this device supports a majority of popular voice assistance softwares in the market like Siri from Apple, Cortana from Microsoft, Alexa from Amazon and Google Assistant from Android and other Google related products.
As for its loudness and connection capability, T7 mini seems to deliver a loud output that's enough to filled a small room and due to a newer bluetooth version its has lower latency which gives a clearer connection and lesser interface unless you go to another room with the device source like your mobile phone which causes a spotty connection.
Another notable thing on Tronsmart T7 mini is it has a micro SD slot that it can play directly from micro SD card audio file format which is convenient to some people rather than to connect their phones.
The unboxing experience on Tronsmart T7 mini is decent and it includes pretty basic accessories.
Here the contents inside of packaging box of Tronsmart T7 mini:
- Tronsmart T7 MINI speaker
- 3.5mm to 3.5mm "male" cable
- USB type-C cable
- Some paperwork like an instruction manual and warranty card.
As for tonality-wise, Tronsmart T7 mini has a U-shaped sound signature as it has an elevated bass and treble and a fairly neutral and slightly notch midrange that will be more versatile to be played in most music genres.
LOWS/BASS:
It has an impact and punchy bass, I can even qualify it as authoritative as it really has a decent depth reach as I can feel that sub bass that has an ample rumble and grumble whenever a synthesizer and drum machines were present on most synth-pop tracks.
Mid bass has that texture that gives a well bodied sound on bass guitars, bass kicks and bass-baritones.
I also noticed on some bass bleed that is discernible in some tracks that I play, probably due to a single transducer set-up but it is still acceptable.
MIDRANGE:
Since I classify T7 MINI's overall tonality as a U-shaped. It has a slight recession on its mids that vocals and instruments are a bit behind on overall frequency spectrum but it still remains to have a very balanced and decent clarity with it.
Vocals seems to have an equal texture on both male and female. Males vocals has an ample guttural and power with its voice and female ones has a tad gruff and sometimes a more mellow on lower vocal type while a more bright and some instances of being a bit shrilly on upper vocal types like soprano.
On instruments, It retains sound more natural and accurate from a crisp and bright sound on guitars, a more warmer and rich sounding of a piano, a metallic and bright sound of a violin and lastly, a penetrating and hard sound on snare strikes.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
Treble on this one is a bit underwhelming in my liking. For sure that casual listener would certainly won't mind this fussy observation of mine when it comes to being fastidious on this matter.
Upper mids and lower treble or presence treble seems hoisted as it has that clarity and sheen but at expense of occasional sibilance and sometimes a tad strident.
As for brilliance, it has sufficient sparkle but lacking of airiness that gives a cymbals' sound lack of shimmering extension.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
Due to a mono transducer set-up. I don't expect too much of a technical aspect on the T7 mini. For sure that it has enough headroom to fill a small room to have a well-proportion sound field in a sense of spatiality but imaging, layering and separation is a bit sub par as it is a bit veiled and a disorder of positioning on instruments and singers on its respective location . Then, some jumbled on mixing and arrangement of each frequency profile in a perceived sonic canvass that will cause a congested and muffled mix.
Tonal colour seems to be accurate especially on strings and percussion instruments. Coherency is also excellent that it has a good cohesive sound.
As I concluded my review on the Tronsmart T7 mini, this is actually my first review on wireless Bluetooth speakers so pardon my assessment on this one due to my inexperience with this kind of product if you find it lacking and less informative.
For sure that T7 mini is marketed for casual listeners and not for a more audio enthusiast like me that really delves more into high fidelity audio stuff. But when its comes to basic functionality and portability, Tronsmart really delivers a high quality product that will give its customer a more enjoyable music experience at a very affordable price with flexible functionality in either wireless or a more traditional analogue sound that you can bring it everywhere you like.
Tronsmart T7 mini cost around $34/£28 and it is now available to all e-commerce sites.
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: TRONSMART T7 MINI
DIMENSIONS: 4.02 x 4.25 INCHES
WEIGHT: 500g
BATTERY LIFE: up to 18 HRS (LED OFF)/ 8 HRS (LED ON)
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) FULL-RANGE DYNAMIC DRIVER
IP RATING: IPX7
CONNECTIVITY: BLUETOOTH 5.3 , 3.5MM JACK, MICRO-SD SLOT.
BLUETOOTH RANGE: up to 18M
OUTPUT POWER: 15W
MICROPHONE: YES
FREQUENCY RANGE: 20Hz - 20KHz
AUDIO CODEC: SBC
Addendum:
Here are some instructions of Tronsmart T7 mini from button command to indicator:
P.S.
I am not affiliated to TRONSMART nor receive any 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 thank Ella Beck from TRONSMART for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate her generosity towards me and other reviewers.
If you are interested of Tronsmart T7 mini, Just click the links below:
Official site: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-mini-portable-bluetooth-speaker
Aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004388283454.html
DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Tronsmart for providing this review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-mini-portable-bluetooth-speaker or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004388283454.html
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 102 x 108mm/4.02 x 4.25 inch
Weight: 500g/1.1lbs
Playtime: Up to 18 Hours (LED Off), Up to 8 Hours (LED On)
Charging time: 3 Hours
Play modes: Bluetooth, Aux-in, Micro SD/TF Card
Tested at $29.99 USD
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the speakers, these are provided:
1) 1 x Type-C Cable
2) 1 x Aux Cable
BUILD/UTILITY
The Tronsmart T7 Mini has a barrel-like shape, and is quite compact. The central portion is covered in a mesh like material and there's a reinforced strap on top to hang it. Weighing in at 500g, is is portable enough to bring for office meetings, lectures and even for parties.
It can be used with the "barrel" standing upright, or lying on its side.
The top of the T7 Mini contains button controls, and the bottom hides a retractable cover where the Aux in and USB charging ports and SD card slots are.
The buttons work as advertised:
Pressing the '+’ & ‘-’ buttons on the top of the speakers for 2 seconds does a quick disconnection from whatever bluetooth device it is paired to. Pressing the ‘Play/Pause’ button for 8 seconds does a hard reset. The T7 Mini will automatically power off after 10 minutes if it is not paired with any device. It will also power off if the battery is low.
These are the indicators for the battery/charging:
The 3.5 mm Aux port makes the T7 Mini compatible with various sources such as DAPs, smartphones and PCs/laptops. The T7 Mini is charged via a Type-C cable, though it does not support wireless charging. The added SD card slot also allows one to play music from downloaded files.
Tronsmart advertises an IPX7 waterproofing for the T7 Mini, which in theory means it can survive submersion to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes! Well, I haven't put this to the test, but it did survive an accidental water splash from my kid haha.
FUNCTION/CONNECTIVITY
I tested the T7 Mini with multiple bluetooth devices (both android and apple based, laptops/PCs and DAPs); the T7 Mini was easily recognized and connected to them without much fuss.
The T7 Mini unfortunately only supports SBC codec - higher-end AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC are not supported, which could be a deal-breaker for some.
The T7 Mini come with flashing LED lights that can be turned off or on, depending on your preferences: head-banging fun for the former and something more restrained and calm for the latter. When turned on, the LED lights do try to flash in time with the bass kick rhythm, so the T7 Mini are quite nice for parties. However, battery life is shortened with the LED on, so bear this in mind.
Bluetooth connectivity is very good. The effective range is around 5 meters with thick walls, and around 20 meters with no obstructions. There was some stutter and loss of sound with thick walls, though no drop outs. I didn’t detect much latency with bluetooth or wired connection.
Battery life is quite respectable on the T7 Mini, with up to 18 hours when the LED is off, or up to 8 hours with the LED on. The LED does kill the battery quite a bit, as discussed above. These battery values are also at listening at moderate volumes, and of course the battery life is expected to drop subsequently with repeated charges. Charging time is about 3 hours.
This speaker supports various voice assistants such as Siri, Cortana and Google. Like other Tronsmart speakers, it has a True Wireless Stereo Pairing option to allow one to pair with another T7 Mini with it for a "surround sound" effect - the more the merrier as such.
Unlike some other Tronsmart speakers, the T7 Mini is unfortunately (as of the time of writing) not supported by the Tronsmart app, so there are no customizable or EQ options available.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
The T7 Mini features a mild V-shaped sound signature, which is quite consumer friendly, and pretty all-rounder for most music genres.
The bass is mid-bass focus, it is north of neutral in quantity, and this region is quite punchy. There is a sub-bass roll off, but it perhaps also depends what material/furniture the T7 Mini is vibrating on. The bass has minimal bleed, texturing is decent and it has respectable speed.
The lower midrange is a tinge depressed, but vocals are still forward. The upper mids are boosted but not that shouty/fatiguing. The lower treble continues on from the boosted upper mids, and there is slight sibilance, though the upper treble rolls off early, and this isn't a very airy or sparkly set.
Timbre is excellent for acoustic instruments, though technicalities are a bit middling - instrument separation, micro-details, imaging may be a bit muffled and lost in the mix - though this is a small nitpick considering the cheap price of the T7 Mini.
The T7 Mini can get to a deafeningly-loud volume inside an enclosed room, so no worries about the headroom when the T7 Mini is used indoors. Outdoors, it might not have as much volume as some larger speakers though, but if you are just a few meters away from the T7 Mini in say a beach or park, there are no issues.
CONCLUSIONS
The T7 Mini is a budget-friendly daily beater speaker that is quite compact and portable, featuring IPX7 waterproofing and good bluetooth connectivity. It is quite versatile in terms of tuning and function, as there are options to pair it via 3.5 mm aux in, bluetooth or SD card.
Some negative aspects are that this speaker only supports SBC codec and isn't the most "audiophile" in sound. There are also no customizable/EQ options as of the time of writing.
Considering that one doesn't really need to break the bank for it, the T7 Mini can be a consideration for those wanting an affordable speaker for meetings, lectures, parties and even for general music appreciation.
I would like to thank Tronsmart for providing this review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-mini-portable-bluetooth-speaker or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004388283454.html
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 102 x 108mm/4.02 x 4.25 inch
Weight: 500g/1.1lbs
Playtime: Up to 18 Hours (LED Off), Up to 8 Hours (LED On)
Charging time: 3 Hours
Play modes: Bluetooth, Aux-in, Micro SD/TF Card
Tested at $29.99 USD
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the speakers, these are provided:
1) 1 x Type-C Cable
2) 1 x Aux Cable
BUILD/UTILITY
The Tronsmart T7 Mini has a barrel-like shape, and is quite compact. The central portion is covered in a mesh like material and there's a reinforced strap on top to hang it. Weighing in at 500g, is is portable enough to bring for office meetings, lectures and even for parties.
It can be used with the "barrel" standing upright, or lying on its side.
The top of the T7 Mini contains button controls, and the bottom hides a retractable cover where the Aux in and USB charging ports and SD card slots are.
The buttons work as advertised:
Pressing the '+’ & ‘-’ buttons on the top of the speakers for 2 seconds does a quick disconnection from whatever bluetooth device it is paired to. Pressing the ‘Play/Pause’ button for 8 seconds does a hard reset. The T7 Mini will automatically power off after 10 minutes if it is not paired with any device. It will also power off if the battery is low.
These are the indicators for the battery/charging:
The 3.5 mm Aux port makes the T7 Mini compatible with various sources such as DAPs, smartphones and PCs/laptops. The T7 Mini is charged via a Type-C cable, though it does not support wireless charging. The added SD card slot also allows one to play music from downloaded files.
Tronsmart advertises an IPX7 waterproofing for the T7 Mini, which in theory means it can survive submersion to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes! Well, I haven't put this to the test, but it did survive an accidental water splash from my kid haha.
FUNCTION/CONNECTIVITY
I tested the T7 Mini with multiple bluetooth devices (both android and apple based, laptops/PCs and DAPs); the T7 Mini was easily recognized and connected to them without much fuss.
The T7 Mini unfortunately only supports SBC codec - higher-end AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC are not supported, which could be a deal-breaker for some.
The T7 Mini come with flashing LED lights that can be turned off or on, depending on your preferences: head-banging fun for the former and something more restrained and calm for the latter. When turned on, the LED lights do try to flash in time with the bass kick rhythm, so the T7 Mini are quite nice for parties. However, battery life is shortened with the LED on, so bear this in mind.
Bluetooth connectivity is very good. The effective range is around 5 meters with thick walls, and around 20 meters with no obstructions. There was some stutter and loss of sound with thick walls, though no drop outs. I didn’t detect much latency with bluetooth or wired connection.
Battery life is quite respectable on the T7 Mini, with up to 18 hours when the LED is off, or up to 8 hours with the LED on. The LED does kill the battery quite a bit, as discussed above. These battery values are also at listening at moderate volumes, and of course the battery life is expected to drop subsequently with repeated charges. Charging time is about 3 hours.
This speaker supports various voice assistants such as Siri, Cortana and Google. Like other Tronsmart speakers, it has a True Wireless Stereo Pairing option to allow one to pair with another T7 Mini with it for a "surround sound" effect - the more the merrier as such.
Unlike some other Tronsmart speakers, the T7 Mini is unfortunately (as of the time of writing) not supported by the Tronsmart app, so there are no customizable or EQ options available.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
The T7 Mini features a mild V-shaped sound signature, which is quite consumer friendly, and pretty all-rounder for most music genres.
The bass is mid-bass focus, it is north of neutral in quantity, and this region is quite punchy. There is a sub-bass roll off, but it perhaps also depends what material/furniture the T7 Mini is vibrating on. The bass has minimal bleed, texturing is decent and it has respectable speed.
The lower midrange is a tinge depressed, but vocals are still forward. The upper mids are boosted but not that shouty/fatiguing. The lower treble continues on from the boosted upper mids, and there is slight sibilance, though the upper treble rolls off early, and this isn't a very airy or sparkly set.
Timbre is excellent for acoustic instruments, though technicalities are a bit middling - instrument separation, micro-details, imaging may be a bit muffled and lost in the mix - though this is a small nitpick considering the cheap price of the T7 Mini.
The T7 Mini can get to a deafeningly-loud volume inside an enclosed room, so no worries about the headroom when the T7 Mini is used indoors. Outdoors, it might not have as much volume as some larger speakers though, but if you are just a few meters away from the T7 Mini in say a beach or park, there are no issues.
CONCLUSIONS
The T7 Mini is a budget-friendly daily beater speaker that is quite compact and portable, featuring IPX7 waterproofing and good bluetooth connectivity. It is quite versatile in terms of tuning and function, as there are options to pair it via 3.5 mm aux in, bluetooth or SD card.
Some negative aspects are that this speaker only supports SBC codec and isn't the most "audiophile" in sound. There are also no customizable/EQ options as of the time of writing.
Considering that one doesn't really need to break the bank for it, the T7 Mini can be a consideration for those wanting an affordable speaker for meetings, lectures, parties and even for general music appreciation.
