[BobSmith8901]

I know th 7hz timeless are highly regarded for they're price class but they seam really uncofturble and big. These share the disk shape. Is the shape due to the dimension of the driver, the time of driver or just an estetical choice?

I was sweating the disk thing too as I have relatively small ears but it fits in there nicely and the only thing I can feel, at times, on the top edge of my ears, is the curved wire and the MMCX connector, more on my right ear for some reason. Really minor nitpick though and with a smaller gauge cable (2.5mm cable swapped over from my FiiO F9 Pro) I didn't notice anything in that regard.

 

[jwbrent]

I know th 7hz timeless are highly regarded for they're price class but they seam really uncofturble and big. These share the disk shape. Is the shape due to the dimension of the driver, the time of driver or just an estetical choice?

I would imagine the size of the casing is due to the use of a planar driver which typically are larger in diameter than DD drivers, and certainly larger than BA drivers.

 

[51days]

Recent Timeless owner here. Late in the party, but happy to be in the crowd for sure. For the time being, loving these things with a 4.4mm Rhyme cable, Symbio tips and the SR25 MK2.

Bass pounds exactly how I like it, mids are a bit recessed but a slight V-shaped sound is what I like. No issue on the treble side, it's smooth to my ears with the right amount of details. Beyond the usual technical blabla, the Timeless is giving me chills big time. Good stuff.

 

[samandhi]

I would imagine the size of the casing is due to the use of a planar driver which typically are larger in diameter than DD drivers, and certainly larger than BA drivers.

Could be, but I don't think that is it. The Tinhifi P1 are also Planars and if you look at the picture below, they actually aren't much bigger than the tips themselves. With the advent of the "nano membrane" they can be as dinky as BAs can be nowadays.

Spoiler

 

[samandhi]

Recent Timeless owner here. Late in the party, but happy to be in the crowd for sure. For the time being, loving these things with a 4.4mm Rhyme cable, Symbio tips and the SR25 MK2.

Bass pounds exactly how I like it, mids are a bit recessed but a slight V-shaped sound is what I like. No issue on the treble side, it's smooth to my ears with the right amount of details. Beyond the usual technical blabla, the Timeless is giving me chills big time. Good stuff.

Welcome! Glad you find them to your liking.

Nice DAP! Is that the A&K25?

 

[51days]

Could be, but I don't think that is it. The Tinhifi P1 are also Planars and if you look at the picture below, they actually aren't much bigger than the tips themselves. With the advent of the "nano membrane" they can be as dinky as BAs can be nowadays.

Spoiler

Maybe size matters for once. About the shells and membranes, I mean. Not having listened to the P1 myself, I better stop here.

 

[51days]

Welcome! Glad you find them to your liking.

Nice DAP! Is that the A&K25?

Thanks. This is the second iteration, the SR25 MK2, which sports a 4.4mm output

 

[mobbaddict]

Could be, but I don't think that is it. The Tinhifi P1 are also Planars and if you look at the picture below, they actually aren't much bigger than the tips themselves. With the advent of the "nano membrane" they can be as dinky as BAs can be nowadays.

Spoiler

Well you can have a closer look here

The diaphragm itself does take most of the space.

 

[DrewVz]

A bit of a cross-post, but since it pertains to the Timeless as well, I thought I'd offer my thoughts here.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/let...r-impressions-discussion.961404/post-16763940

 

[samandhi]

Maybe size matters for once. About the shells and membranes, I mean. Not having listened to the P1 myself, I better stop here.

I wish it did but...

Depending on your preference for sound signature of course, I would argue that the P1 are better in every way except the quantity of bass (but like most planar can take EQ well). I am not sure that there are many out there that will be able to match the brilliance that Tinhifi did with those. Heck they can't even out-do their selves. The P2 was mostly a failure, and the new P1+ is very polarizing because all they did was soften the treble and boost the bass (made them dark).

It looks like the reason the driver is indeed bigger is because they didn't use the newest technology of Orthodynmics on these (which ARE indeed bigger). I don't really care either way because they do sound really good. (they complement the P1 fantastically BTW)

 

[samandhi]

A bit of a cross-post, but since it pertains to the Timeless as well, I thought I'd offer my thoughts here.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/let...r-impressions-discussion.961404/post-16763940

Thanks for sharing!

 

[51days]

I wish it did but...

Depending on your preference for sound signature of course, I would argue that the P1 are better in every way except the quantity of bass (but like most planar can take EQ well). I am not sure that there are many out there that will be able to match the brilliance that Tinhifi did with those. Heck they can't even out-do their selves. The P2 was mostly a failure, and the new P1+ is very polarizing because all they did was soften the treble and boost the bass (made them dark).

It looks like the reason the driver is indeed bigger is because they didn't use the newest technology of Orthodynmics on these (which ARE indeed bigger). I don't really care either way because they do sound really good. (they complement the P1 fantastically BTW)

Not very familiar with the Tin Hifi offering tbh. And I don’t care much about how « evolved » a technology is or not. My own perception of sound reproduction serves as a scale. Hey, you seem to be a happy guy if you have found two planars IEMs that complement each others. Enjoy!

 

[mobbaddict]

One thing to note on the design and the size of the Timeless is that they went for a double-sided array magnet as shown on the chart I posted earlier, despite the small iem form factor. This adds weight and takes more space. I don't know about other planar iems but if we look at Audeze for instance the Euclid seems to use a lighter single-sided design, while the more desktop-oriented LCDi4 sports a double sided design. I'm not sure about the impact of such design on sound, I've only read speculation about it so far. Several high-end full-size planars actually use single-sided designs (maybe for weight propose). But my conclusion is that they didn't make compromise on weight with the Timeless.

 

[samandhi]

Not very familiar with the Tin Hifi offering tbh. And I don’t care much about how « evolved » a technology is or not. My own perception of sound reproduction serves as a scale. Hey, you seem to be a happy guy if you have found two planars IEMs that complement each others. Enjoy!

Absolutely giddy (since I am a planar fiend hehe). Thank you. I was originally just looking (at that time) for something with a similar sound signature to my beloved Hifiman HE400S and all I found at first was the iSine10 (IIRC), but heard they weren't a very good tuning. Then ran across the P1 at the time when Tinhifi was making a huge splash with their cheap but good offerings in DDs.

I totally agree with you on "evolution" of tech. I still have a pair of IEMs that I got a long time ago (they were like the very first chi-fi offerings, before it was called chi-fi and the first beryllium DD). They were famous on here but were only $12-$20.... They Still sound fantastic to me even though the tech is old by now. They are still happily in my rotation.

The Timeless remind me a bit of those IEMs (Xioami Piston II) with their V signature, over exaggerated bass, recessed mids, and slightly sibilant, but detailed treble (overall definitely not neutral). But, boy are they a very fun listen (and a stark contrast to the P1 with their smooth but detailed treble, buttery mids, and overall neutral signature that some that are used to a lot of bass would call bass-light).

 

[samandhi]

One thing to note on the design and the size of the Timeless is that they went for a double-sided array magnet as shown on the chart I posted earlier, despite the small iem form factor. This adds weight and takes more space. I don't know about other planar iems but if we look at Audeze for instance the Euclid seems to use a lighter single-sided design, while the more desktop-oriented LCDi4 sports a double sided design. I'm not sure about the impact of such design on sound, I've only read speculation about it so far. Several high-end full-size planars actually use single-sided designs (maybe for weight propose). But my conclusion is that they didn't make compromise on weight with the Timeless.

You are right. The older Planar technology uses the single sided design. The theory behind having the double sided design is that this topology inherently does a better job of balancing the electromagnetic forces acting on the driver diaphragm. Hifiman has also taken it a step further by rounding the magnets (making it actually take up a bit more space but calling it stealth magnets LOL) because they say that takes the refinement a step further. This could be possible, or could be a gimmick, but I don't really care because it has been trickled down into their cheaper designs, so we (the customer) no longer have to mortgage their house to buy a pair that sounds really good.

Either way we benefit, and I'm OK with that.