Tronsmart T7
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Tronsmart T7
I have a few Tronsmart speakers now, and the closest I have would be the Trip. That is a step up in convenience and size, but a step down on everything else. T7 is a bit bigger but definitely an upgrade over Trip.
Specs:
Wireless Version: 5.3
Wireless Range: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Input Power: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Output: 30W
Microphone: Built-in
IP Rating: IPX7
Play Time (Varied by Volume Level & Audio Content): Up to 12 Hours(Varied by Light Display)
Charging Time: 3 Hours
Frequency Range: 60Hz – 20kHz
Playing Modes: Wireless,TF Card
Voice Assistant: Supports Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana
Other Features: Stereo Pairing, App Control, Vibrant LED Modes, 360° Surround Sound
Product Dimension: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Product Weight: 870g/1.91bs
Package Dimension: 255 x 125 x 93mm/9.84 x 4.92 x 3.66inch
Package Weight:1.23kg/2.71lbs
Sound and Design
Where Trip and T7 diverge, Trip had 2 full rage speakers, T7 has a beefier config, 2 side firing tweeters and 1 woofer on the bottom. Trip is fine for a room, T7 has much better projection of sound and sense of low end bass at closer range. Where you can really notice it on T7, play with EQ modes and the Soundpulse is very vivid and will carry a bigger distance than you assume without maxing the volume.
Volume Wheel
Tronsmart likes their LED lighting modes and T7 is not different. Nice ring at the base of the volume wheel which is a cool feature compared to just putting +/- on the keypad as they did with Trip. Indoors, it takes on a more Alexa vibe.
Controls:
Standard controls, Power, Back, Play, Next and another Tronsmart feature found on their other products, Stereo Pairing. Under the rubberized cover, USB-C for power and TF slot for local music. Tronsmart calls T7 and outdoor speaker, but it works well indoors and is the right size for room-filling sound, so I would have liked to see an Aux In as well.
App Support
T7 does have Tronsmart App Support for firmware, EQ modes, and what I found super useful, powering off the T7. Do try the Default which I thought was more balanced for quieter, indoors perhaps. Soundpulse amps up the treble a bit for a more vivid sound, more of a party sound.
Wireless Range
Another small area that makes a difference if you have tried to use a Bluetooth speaker outdoors, the range can make a difference between fun and frustration. I am not a leave my phone by the speaker type, so I am typically walking around with the phone in my pocket. T7 passes the test for walking around and not dropping signal. The specs say 60ft in an open area which is great and was happy to not hear any dropouts.
Conclusion:
Tronsmart T7 came out a bit ago, but still holds up as a Bluetooth speaker for yardwork or on the counter in your kitchen for get-togethers. The side-firing tweeters will fill your outdoor spaces and the bottom-firing woofer will work great for some thump in your kitchen.
Thank you to Tronsmart for sending the T7, find it here:
https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-portable-outdoor-speaker
I have a few Tronsmart speakers now, and the closest I have would be the Trip. That is a step up in convenience and size, but a step down on everything else. T7 is a bit bigger but definitely an upgrade over Trip.
Specs:
Wireless Version: 5.3
Wireless Range: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Input Power: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Output: 30W
Microphone: Built-in
IP Rating: IPX7
Play Time (Varied by Volume Level & Audio Content): Up to 12 Hours(Varied by Light Display)
Charging Time: 3 Hours
Frequency Range: 60Hz – 20kHz
Playing Modes: Wireless,TF Card
Voice Assistant: Supports Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana
Other Features: Stereo Pairing, App Control, Vibrant LED Modes, 360° Surround Sound
Product Dimension: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Product Weight: 870g/1.91bs
Package Dimension: 255 x 125 x 93mm/9.84 x 4.92 x 3.66inch
Package Weight:1.23kg/2.71lbs
Sound and Design
Where Trip and T7 diverge, Trip had 2 full rage speakers, T7 has a beefier config, 2 side firing tweeters and 1 woofer on the bottom. Trip is fine for a room, T7 has much better projection of sound and sense of low end bass at closer range. Where you can really notice it on T7, play with EQ modes and the Soundpulse is very vivid and will carry a bigger distance than you assume without maxing the volume.
Volume Wheel
Tronsmart likes their LED lighting modes and T7 is not different. Nice ring at the base of the volume wheel which is a cool feature compared to just putting +/- on the keypad as they did with Trip. Indoors, it takes on a more Alexa vibe.
Controls:
Standard controls, Power, Back, Play, Next and another Tronsmart feature found on their other products, Stereo Pairing. Under the rubberized cover, USB-C for power and TF slot for local music. Tronsmart calls T7 and outdoor speaker, but it works well indoors and is the right size for room-filling sound, so I would have liked to see an Aux In as well.
App Support
T7 does have Tronsmart App Support for firmware, EQ modes, and what I found super useful, powering off the T7. Do try the Default which I thought was more balanced for quieter, indoors perhaps. Soundpulse amps up the treble a bit for a more vivid sound, more of a party sound.
Wireless Range
Another small area that makes a difference if you have tried to use a Bluetooth speaker outdoors, the range can make a difference between fun and frustration. I am not a leave my phone by the speaker type, so I am typically walking around with the phone in my pocket. T7 passes the test for walking around and not dropping signal. The specs say 60ft in an open area which is great and was happy to not hear any dropouts.
Conclusion:
Tronsmart T7 came out a bit ago, but still holds up as a Bluetooth speaker for yardwork or on the counter in your kitchen for get-togethers. The side-firing tweeters will fill your outdoor spaces and the bottom-firing woofer will work great for some thump in your kitchen.
Thank you to Tronsmart for sending the T7, find it here:
https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-portable-outdoor-speaker
General Info/Build
Tronsmart is no stranger when it comes to releasing products with high price performance ratio. Their products are generally priced competitively offering good functionality at the price point where it won’t break the bank. I have reviewed several Tronsmart’s product and generally they are very good for the asking price. Let’s take a look at the T7 portable speaker that I have with me today.
The build quality is generally very solid, fabric mesh and the rubbery volume control and the rubber bottom base to absorb the vibration from the woofer, buttons on the T7 itself has very good tactile feeling to it, “clicky” i’d say and doesn’t feel hard to press
Specification
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.7
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Battery capacity: 10800mAh
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Weight: 930g/2.05lbs
Playtime: Up to 12 Hours (LED Off), Up to 4 Hours (LED On)
Power: 30 W
Battery: 7.4V/2000mAh
Charging time: 3 Hours
Input: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Test Setup
General Features (App functionality/ Bluetooth Range/Stability/ Battery Life)
Sound Impression based on the EQ Modes
The T7 comes with several EQ modes that allow you to switch on the fly via Tronsmart’s App. The default sound tuning is quite balanced to my ears, i have tried several portable speakers and they’re either very bassy or thin sounding or just muddy. T7 managed to sound balanced, although not quite audiophile standard i’d say, but you can EQ it on the app to tailor it according to your preference.
Final Thoughts
The T7 is a pretty solid product overall. The sound definitely packs a punch coming in at 30W. The price is also within reach and definitely won’t break a bank. The only gripe that I have with T7 is that I wish it has support for more bluetooth codecs instead of just SBC, even AAC is good, but of course it’ll be better if they put in aptx as well. I will recommend T7 without any doubt for its high price performance ratio.
*T7 is sent over by Tronsmart in exchange for this review. I am not under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review.
Purchase Link
Tronsmart T7 - Non Affiliated
Tronsmart is no stranger when it comes to releasing products with high price performance ratio. Their products are generally priced competitively offering good functionality at the price point where it won’t break the bank. I have reviewed several Tronsmart’s product and generally they are very good for the asking price. Let’s take a look at the T7 portable speaker that I have with me today.
The build quality is generally very solid, fabric mesh and the rubbery volume control and the rubber bottom base to absorb the vibration from the woofer, buttons on the T7 itself has very good tactile feeling to it, “clicky” i’d say and doesn’t feel hard to press
Specification
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.7
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Battery capacity: 10800mAh
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Weight: 930g/2.05lbs
Playtime: Up to 12 Hours (LED Off), Up to 4 Hours (LED On)
Power: 30 W
Battery: 7.4V/2000mAh
Charging time: 3 Hours
Input: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Test Setup
- iPhone 12 Mini
- Tronsmart T7 with LED Off at 40% Volume level
General Features (App functionality/ Bluetooth Range/Stability/ Battery Life)
- The T7 is compatible with Tronsmart’s App, you can customise the EQ via the apps itself and also change or switch the LED on and off from there
- The firmware of T7 is also upgradeable via Tronsmart’s app, i have updated the firmware to the latest firmware, the only gripe that i had with it is, the release log doesn’t mention what is the update for (no mention off any fix or feature enhance)
- Bluetooth connection on the T7 is quite stable, with my phone in my pocket, the T7 in the living room with some walls in between, the songs are still playing well without getting cut off, i’d estimate the range is approximately 8-9m away
- I did not test the T7 with the LED on as i find them to be a little distracting to my taste (that’s just me), the battery life is quite close to what Tronsmart claimed at 12 hours, i managed to get roughly 10+ close to 11 hours just letting the songs loop
- There are 4 LED effect modes that you can choose via the app, namely Circling, Beat Driven, Breathing, and also RGB
- You may find the instructions to operate via this online manual
Sound Impression based on the EQ Modes
The T7 comes with several EQ modes that allow you to switch on the fly via Tronsmart’s App. The default sound tuning is quite balanced to my ears, i have tried several portable speakers and they’re either very bassy or thin sounding or just muddy. T7 managed to sound balanced, although not quite audiophile standard i’d say, but you can EQ it on the app to tailor it according to your preference.
- Default Mode: In this default mode setting, the bass is deep and punchy, of course there are still some limitations due to the size of the driver where of course it will not rumble like the usual subwoofer but it does go quite deep. Treble response is smooth and non offensive
- Sound Pulse Mode: In this mode i find that the vocals are more forward, bass is slightly tame, treble is also slightly lifted to be a little more revealing (in terms of detail retrievals)
- Deep Bass: Well, in this mode, as the name suggest itself, It gives a v shaped signature with boosted bass and treble, the mids does sounded a little more recessed
- Classical Mode: In this mode, i find that the treble is being tamed a little, and the bass is being slightly lifted, not the mode for critical listening but very suitable for chill and relaxing session
- Rock Mode: In this mode, i find that the bass sounds thin, but speed slightly better (faster decay), the upper mids are energetic as the vocals are forward,treble remains inoffensive for me
- Customised Mode: As the mode suggest, you are able to customise it according to your preference
Final Thoughts
The T7 is a pretty solid product overall. The sound definitely packs a punch coming in at 30W. The price is also within reach and definitely won’t break a bank. The only gripe that I have with T7 is that I wish it has support for more bluetooth codecs instead of just SBC, even AAC is good, but of course it’ll be better if they put in aptx as well. I will recommend T7 without any doubt for its high price performance ratio.
*T7 is sent over by Tronsmart in exchange for this review. I am not under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review.
Purchase Link
Tronsmart T7 - Non Affiliated
Oi! And welcome to my another review article. I previously done a product review for Tronsmart and it is their wireless bluetooth speaker which is my first time to do such a review on a particular item. And now what I have here is the bigger brother of Tronsmart T7 mini, The Tronsmart T7.
Like the T7 mini, it has a cylindrical, barrel-shaped device but it is more elongated with a very tactile volume control knob at the side topped in a LED light ring. The reason for the longer design is due to the fact that it has more transducers that were placed in an opposite manner to provide a more 360° degree spatiality surround experience. It also has a subwoofer transducer in the opposite side of the column. It can be placed in either horizontal or in a vertical position on which you are more comfortable with.
The build of Tronsmart T7 is very durable and it was clearly designed to be used on outdoor activities like parties or camping. It's casing is made of high quality plastic, aluminium alloy on its speaker grills and some rubber on its basic key control buttons, a rubber flap to protect the USB-C slot for recharging its built-in battery power pack and a micro-SD slot for alternative playing mode besides bluetooth connection, and other rubber ring used for support if you want a vertical stand mode. It is also rated to have an IPX7 water protection against water splashes, rain showers and limited underwater submersion.
As I mentioned that it has more drivers than the T7 mini, the T7 has two compound transducer tweeters and a subwoofer driver. The two compound transducer tweeters handles the mids and treble frequency range while the subwoofer driver use for lows that if you position the T7 in vertical manner, it's down firing speaker added a more acoustic rumble of its sub bass and has even more reverberating effect if you placed it in floor or in a wooden table. And the output power of T7 is up to 30 Watts which is very loud enough to fill up a small to medium-sized room for listening experience.
Like the T7 mini, T7 has Bluetooth version 5.3 which has lesser latency to provide a better wireless connectivity between T7 and its sources like smartphones and other devices with bluetooth connectivity. It only supported SBC codec which is good enough for casual listening but I wish that it has more bluetooth codec support such as APTX-HD and LDAC. Another feature of this set is that it can support popular voice assistance such Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana and Apple's Siri.
Another missing feature of T7 was the absence of the 3.5mm audio jack which is found on T7 mini. I like this particular feature for I want a more analogue set-up that wireless Bluetooth connectivity is lacking of to offer but the good thing that it offers more EQ modes either in physical button or via software app (Tronsmart app is available to download in iOS and Android and it is free).
As for its power consumption, its battery rating is rated up to 12 hours if you switch off the LED lights and 6-8 hours if you added a LED lighting effect for more added visuals on your listening experience.
Just check out the commands of button keys here to know more:
The packaging box of Tronsmart T7 is of rectangular shape and besides the T7 speaker device, it also includes a short USB-C cable for charging and some paperwork like warranty card and a basic instruction manual of different languages.
Due to some EQ modes, I decided to change some format in this review on how I explained its sound characteristic.
In regards of EQ modes, here are the preset settings:
- Default Mode - it is more balanced-"neutral" sounding. It has an ample bass, it is punchy and has a sufficient slam, a more neutral and linear mids and a smooth treble.
- Sound Pulse Mode - it is a treble focus due to boost on the upper-mid to presence treble. Bass is more tighter and yet it has sufficient thump on it. Low midrange seems to have decent texture on male vocals just to have a power and guttural sound. Pianos seems to have a more lively and rich sounding, a crisper sound of an acoustic guitar, a bright and metallic sound of snare drums and vibrant and lively sound of a violin.
- Deep Bass Mode - a typical V-shaped sound signature but it has more deeper and thick bass register. It seems that bass guitar, bass kicks and bass-baritone vocals benefited from its thick note density. It gives a more mighty and thunderous sound on bass kicks, an added growl on bass guitar to a more somber and heavier sound and more deeper and resonant bass-baritone vocals. Mids are recessed in this EQ mode, upper mid to presence treble are elevated on this one but remains to be in a smoother side
- Classical Mode -a more warmish approach as it has more textured on low and mids and a bit smoother and linear treble response. I can safely say it is the most laid back sounding to all EQ presets. This is more a musical towards an analogue-ish feel rather than critical listening. Pianos seems to have a richer, eloquent and lusher tone, a more lustrous and fuller sound on a violin and sharper and hard sound on snares, and intense, rounded and brassy sound of horns and trumpets. And a more sonorous and warmer sound of a guitar either acoustic or rhythm ones.
- Rock Mode - it's more of U-shape sound that has an impactful and authoritative bass, a slight notch on the midrange and some elevation on the upper mids which has some instances of being sound strident and prone to sibilance. Its a more "balanced" version of deep bass. Guitars seem to have that crisp but a tad dry sounding, Snare drums has that metallic and shrill sound, Bass Guitars sound very "earthy" and broad, Bass kicks seems to have an ample pounding and dark sound to add more resonating tonal colour. Male vocals to has more rigidity and power to add more gravely and gruff and female vocals are more energetic and more open sounding but it gives a bit unpleasant on being too high-pitched and possibly piercing to some treble sensitives.
- Customized Mode - set your own preferred tonality on a frequency range spectrum on this EQ setting.
(Note: it has Vocal and Hi-Fi mode presets before but Tronsmart decided to remove them in newer firmware for unknown reasons.)
I will not add some technical aspects as it is quite irrelevant given that this is a Bluetooth speaker with even more transducers. Given that it has 30 watts which is quite very loud for casual listening and musical enjoyment in a small to medium-size room.
To sum up my review in this item, this Bluetooth speaker delivers a very good sound quality with sufficient clarity and a very portable set. To be fair, I'm a bit disappointed on the removal of the 3.5mm jack but it was supplanted with better EQ modes and more drivers for a better and fuller sounding listening experience.
Tronsmart T7 is currently price at $50/£42.
Checkout their official site here for more infos.
And also, if you are interested for Amazon purchases, you can visit the links below:
Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
P.S.
I am not affiliated to TRONSMART nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to thank Ella Beck for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on her generosity towards me and other reviewers.
DISCLAIMER
I would like to thank Tronsmart for providing this review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-portable-outdoor-speaker or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004486026279.html
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.7
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Battery capacity: 10800mAh
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Weight: 930g/2.05lbs
Playtime: Up to 12 Hours (LED Off), Up to 4 Hours (LED On)
Power: 30 W
Battery: 7.4V/2000mAh
Charging time: 3 Hours
Input: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Tested at $59.99 USD
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the speakers, these are provided:
1) 1 x Type-C Cable
BUILD/UTILITY
The T7 comes in a cylindrical design. Build is very good, it is made of ABS plastic with a mesh like material encircling the circumference of the speaker.
There are rubber feet at the bottom to give added grip while standing upright.
There's a lanyard at the top to allow it to be slung around. Weighing in just short of 1 kg, the T7 is very light, compact and portable. It can be held in one hand easily.
Tronsmart rates this speaker to have IPX7 waterproofing - ie it can be submerged up to 1 meter underwater for 30 minutes; this makes the T7 a suitable beach or pool speaker as such.
A vertical strip of buttons for various controls lies along the fuselage of the T7. The buttons work as advertised.
There's a small hidden compartment at the bottom, covered by a rubberized plug; it contains a SD card slot and charging port. This area also has a battery indicator to show the charge status of the T7.
Sadly, the T7 does not support an aux in function, so one cannot use a 3.5 mm connector to play music from a DAP/phone/laptop.
Pressing the "Previous" and "Next Track" button simultaneously for 2 seconds does a fast disconnect with the T7. Pressing the "Power" button for 2 seconds turns the speaker on/off. Pressing the "Play/Pause" button for 8 seconds forces a hard reset.
The T7 will power off automatically after 10 minutes if it does not pair with any device through bluetooth. When the battery levels are low, the T7 will also power off automatically as well.
Volume is controlled by a rotatory volume wheel at the top of the T7, it is quite intuitive to control volume levels with it.
FUNCTION/CONNECTIVITY
I had no issues pairing the T7 with multiple bluetooth devices (both android and apple based, and even some DAPs like the Sony A55), they mated with the T7 without any issues.
Bluetooth connectivity is very stable; it can reach about 10 meters or so with thick walls, and around 18 meters without obstructions. I didn't have any drop outs even through a few layers of walls, though there were stutters with these.
I didn’t detect much lag with music via bluetooth. Unfortunately, the T7 only supports SBC codec. AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC are not supported codecs, which may be a potential deal-breaker for some. I hope Tronsmart can potentially unlock more bluetooth codec in their app for future updates?
The T7 supports Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana, for those that require voice assistants.
The Tronsmart app, which is free and downloadable on apple and android smartphones, adds a nice icing on top of the cake. In fact there was a nifty firmware update (1.2.0) available for the T7 the moment I logged onto the app and I quickly downloaded it.
Not all Tronsmart gear has support on the app, thank the audio stars that the T7 is supported!
The controller tab on the app allows one to select bluetooth or SD card function, in addition to a stereo pairing mode to pair other T7 speakers in the vicinity. One can turn off the T7 from the app too, instead of manually turning it off.
You can also check out whether the T7 has been updated to the latest firmware with the app.
Other than the above interfaces, one very important area the app unlocks, is the ability to EQ the T7 from the stock tuning. It also features some pre-set EQ settings, which we will talk about in further detail below. The customizable EQ is a very nice addition, as one can EQ the T7's sound on the fly even when music is playing live!
Another nice touch, is the LED light function. There are 4 LED modes available as per the photo below, bringing head banging fun to the table.
However, the LED feature comes at a cost to battery life: the T7 is advertised to go up to 12 hours with LED off, but this drops by a third to 4 hours when the LED is turned on. Battery-life is thereabouts during my month of testing with the T7, but the battery life will be expected to progressively worsen with repeated charges, so using the LED may be a double-edged sword. The T7 by default uses the LED lights when turned on; pressing the power button quickly cycles thru the LED modes (and to turn it off also), for those who want to conserve battery.
The time for a full charge is around 3 hours.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
The T7 has 360 degrees audio and its engine features dual tweeters and a woofer. There's lots of power and headroom on tap, especially for an indoor setting. For outdoor settings like on the beach or party, the T7 also does a respectable job in hitting high volume levels without distorting. The T7 supports stereo pairing with other T7 speakers, in case one needs to use multiple speakers for big outdoor events.
The T7's stock tuning features a pretty balanced signature that is quite all-rounded for most music genres. It is dare I say, audiophile in tuning; many consumer speakers have an overcooked bass that bleeds massively and encroaches into the midrange.
This is not the case with the T7's stock tuning, bass is just slightly north of neutral with excellent texturing and moderate speed. There's just a tinge of mid-bass bleed, although sub-bass extension isn't the deepest (the bass perception may depend on what material/furniture you place the speakers on though).
The midrange is a tinge forward without being shouty. Vocals are very well portrayed and are forward without fatigue. The treble is not that extended in the stock tuning, but there's still decent clarity and acceptable details. Sibilance is very minimal. Even at 10 meters away from the T7, there is still very good clarity heard, with not much dilution of sound quality.
Speaking about the various pre-set EQ settings, the app unlocks these settings and exponentially increases the T7's versatility.
These are what differences they bring to the sound signature:
1) Soundpulse - there's a boost in the upper mids and lower treble, providing greater micro-details and clarity. Vocals are much more forward and this may be a suitable setting for meetings, podcasts, and perhaps for analysis of music.
2) Deep bass - this gives a V-shaped sound. The midrange is quite markedly recessed, but the bass rumbles deeper and is of greater quantity. Might be a useful setting for bass forward genres eg EDM, hip hop, or for bassheads.
3) 3D - this provides boosted lower mids and improves male vocals. Also soundstage is widened, and this may be a good option for movies, videos and perhaps male vocal tracks.
4) HIFI - this gives a W-shape sound - with boosted bass/treble/upper mids. This tuning drops the note weight in the lower mids and improves clarity. This is good for perhaps critical listening and analysis, or even podcasts, meetings and lectures, though it is a bit sterile and less "musical" than the stock tuning.
5) Classical - tames the treble, boosts the bass and adds a veil to the music. This gives a more analogue feel and may be an option for someone wanting to chill and relax to the music. Not one for critical listening.
6) Vocal - a midcentric signature is provided here - ie bass and treble roll off. This mode is good for vocals and acoustic tracks, but is very niche and may not suit all music genres.
7) Rock - this mode provides boosted upper midrange signature with depressed lower mids. I found this mode to be a tinge harsh and sibilant at times, but this also depends on one's treble sensitivities. Probably my least used of the various pre-set EQ settings.
CONCLUSIONS
The Tronsmart T7 is an extremely versatile little speaker. It has great power without distorting, and has excellent sound with the stock tuning. The addition of customizable EQ on the fly (via the app) and various pre-set EQ settings unlocks amazing potential, and increases versatility exponentially.
Bluetooth connectivity is stable with good range, and the IPX7 waterproofing and small profile make it an easy recommendation as an everyday-carry portable speaker. Oh ya, and the LED lights also add an element of fun for parties!
Some small nitpicks would be no aptX, aptX HD, AAC, LDAC support and the inability to use aux in function on the T7. Battery life is also admittedly not the best when the LED lightings are utilized.
Having said that, I'm quite impressed with this nifty speaker, it really packs a punch in terms of sound, function and versatility, and at sub $70 USD (and frequently on sale), it doesn't really burn a hole in the pocket. The T7 is quite suited for music appreciation, podcasts, lectures, meetings, movies, all the way to parties; the T7 is definitely a speaker to be considered if one is looking for something small that can almost do it all!
I would like to thank Tronsmart for providing this review unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-t7-portable-outdoor-speaker or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004486026279.html
SPECIFICATIONS
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.7
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Battery capacity: 10800mAh
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Weight: 930g/2.05lbs
Playtime: Up to 12 Hours (LED Off), Up to 4 Hours (LED On)
Power: 30 W
Battery: 7.4V/2000mAh
Charging time: 3 Hours
Input: 5V/2A, via Type-C port
Tested at $59.99 USD
ACCESSORIES
In addition to the speakers, these are provided:
1) 1 x Type-C Cable
BUILD/UTILITY
The T7 comes in a cylindrical design. Build is very good, it is made of ABS plastic with a mesh like material encircling the circumference of the speaker.
There are rubber feet at the bottom to give added grip while standing upright.
There's a lanyard at the top to allow it to be slung around. Weighing in just short of 1 kg, the T7 is very light, compact and portable. It can be held in one hand easily.
Tronsmart rates this speaker to have IPX7 waterproofing - ie it can be submerged up to 1 meter underwater for 30 minutes; this makes the T7 a suitable beach or pool speaker as such.
A vertical strip of buttons for various controls lies along the fuselage of the T7. The buttons work as advertised.
There's a small hidden compartment at the bottom, covered by a rubberized plug; it contains a SD card slot and charging port. This area also has a battery indicator to show the charge status of the T7.
Sadly, the T7 does not support an aux in function, so one cannot use a 3.5 mm connector to play music from a DAP/phone/laptop.
Pressing the "Previous" and "Next Track" button simultaneously for 2 seconds does a fast disconnect with the T7. Pressing the "Power" button for 2 seconds turns the speaker on/off. Pressing the "Play/Pause" button for 8 seconds forces a hard reset.
The T7 will power off automatically after 10 minutes if it does not pair with any device through bluetooth. When the battery levels are low, the T7 will also power off automatically as well.
Volume is controlled by a rotatory volume wheel at the top of the T7, it is quite intuitive to control volume levels with it.
FUNCTION/CONNECTIVITY
I had no issues pairing the T7 with multiple bluetooth devices (both android and apple based, and even some DAPs like the Sony A55), they mated with the T7 without any issues.
Bluetooth connectivity is very stable; it can reach about 10 meters or so with thick walls, and around 18 meters without obstructions. I didn't have any drop outs even through a few layers of walls, though there were stutters with these.
I didn’t detect much lag with music via bluetooth. Unfortunately, the T7 only supports SBC codec. AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC are not supported codecs, which may be a potential deal-breaker for some. I hope Tronsmart can potentially unlock more bluetooth codec in their app for future updates?
The T7 supports Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana, for those that require voice assistants.
The Tronsmart app, which is free and downloadable on apple and android smartphones, adds a nice icing on top of the cake. In fact there was a nifty firmware update (1.2.0) available for the T7 the moment I logged onto the app and I quickly downloaded it.
Not all Tronsmart gear has support on the app, thank the audio stars that the T7 is supported!
The controller tab on the app allows one to select bluetooth or SD card function, in addition to a stereo pairing mode to pair other T7 speakers in the vicinity. One can turn off the T7 from the app too, instead of manually turning it off.
You can also check out whether the T7 has been updated to the latest firmware with the app.
Other than the above interfaces, one very important area the app unlocks, is the ability to EQ the T7 from the stock tuning. It also features some pre-set EQ settings, which we will talk about in further detail below. The customizable EQ is a very nice addition, as one can EQ the T7's sound on the fly even when music is playing live!
Another nice touch, is the LED light function. There are 4 LED modes available as per the photo below, bringing head banging fun to the table.
However, the LED feature comes at a cost to battery life: the T7 is advertised to go up to 12 hours with LED off, but this drops by a third to 4 hours when the LED is turned on. Battery-life is thereabouts during my month of testing with the T7, but the battery life will be expected to progressively worsen with repeated charges, so using the LED may be a double-edged sword. The T7 by default uses the LED lights when turned on; pressing the power button quickly cycles thru the LED modes (and to turn it off also), for those who want to conserve battery.
The time for a full charge is around 3 hours.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
The T7 has 360 degrees audio and its engine features dual tweeters and a woofer. There's lots of power and headroom on tap, especially for an indoor setting. For outdoor settings like on the beach or party, the T7 also does a respectable job in hitting high volume levels without distorting. The T7 supports stereo pairing with other T7 speakers, in case one needs to use multiple speakers for big outdoor events.
The T7's stock tuning features a pretty balanced signature that is quite all-rounded for most music genres. It is dare I say, audiophile in tuning; many consumer speakers have an overcooked bass that bleeds massively and encroaches into the midrange.
This is not the case with the T7's stock tuning, bass is just slightly north of neutral with excellent texturing and moderate speed. There's just a tinge of mid-bass bleed, although sub-bass extension isn't the deepest (the bass perception may depend on what material/furniture you place the speakers on though).
The midrange is a tinge forward without being shouty. Vocals are very well portrayed and are forward without fatigue. The treble is not that extended in the stock tuning, but there's still decent clarity and acceptable details. Sibilance is very minimal. Even at 10 meters away from the T7, there is still very good clarity heard, with not much dilution of sound quality.
Speaking about the various pre-set EQ settings, the app unlocks these settings and exponentially increases the T7's versatility.
These are what differences they bring to the sound signature:
1) Soundpulse - there's a boost in the upper mids and lower treble, providing greater micro-details and clarity. Vocals are much more forward and this may be a suitable setting for meetings, podcasts, and perhaps for analysis of music.
2) Deep bass - this gives a V-shaped sound. The midrange is quite markedly recessed, but the bass rumbles deeper and is of greater quantity. Might be a useful setting for bass forward genres eg EDM, hip hop, or for bassheads.
3) 3D - this provides boosted lower mids and improves male vocals. Also soundstage is widened, and this may be a good option for movies, videos and perhaps male vocal tracks.
4) HIFI - this gives a W-shape sound - with boosted bass/treble/upper mids. This tuning drops the note weight in the lower mids and improves clarity. This is good for perhaps critical listening and analysis, or even podcasts, meetings and lectures, though it is a bit sterile and less "musical" than the stock tuning.
5) Classical - tames the treble, boosts the bass and adds a veil to the music. This gives a more analogue feel and may be an option for someone wanting to chill and relax to the music. Not one for critical listening.
6) Vocal - a midcentric signature is provided here - ie bass and treble roll off. This mode is good for vocals and acoustic tracks, but is very niche and may not suit all music genres.
7) Rock - this mode provides boosted upper midrange signature with depressed lower mids. I found this mode to be a tinge harsh and sibilant at times, but this also depends on one's treble sensitivities. Probably my least used of the various pre-set EQ settings.
CONCLUSIONS
The Tronsmart T7 is an extremely versatile little speaker. It has great power without distorting, and has excellent sound with the stock tuning. The addition of customizable EQ on the fly (via the app) and various pre-set EQ settings unlocks amazing potential, and increases versatility exponentially.
Bluetooth connectivity is stable with good range, and the IPX7 waterproofing and small profile make it an easy recommendation as an everyday-carry portable speaker. Oh ya, and the LED lights also add an element of fun for parties!
Some small nitpicks would be no aptX, aptX HD, AAC, LDAC support and the inability to use aux in function on the T7. Battery life is also admittedly not the best when the LED lightings are utilized.
Having said that, I'm quite impressed with this nifty speaker, it really packs a punch in terms of sound, function and versatility, and at sub $70 USD (and frequently on sale), it doesn't really burn a hole in the pocket. The T7 is quite suited for music appreciation, podcasts, lectures, meetings, movies, all the way to parties; the T7 is definitely a speaker to be considered if one is looking for something small that can almost do it all!
