7Hz Aero's Review - Good sound doesn't have to be expensive

 

General/Packaging/Build/Comfort

7Hz rose to fame with their release of Timeless, the legendary planar IEM that is still pretty much being discussed or brought up even to date. Aero, being their latest release in the budget segment, priced even lower than the Zero 2, of course, there’s always a catch, non detachable cable. Packaging wise, it is rather straightforward and minimal, nothing to shout out about, IEM and eartip, given the asking price, the exclusion of storage pouch can be overlooked. The cable although non detachable, is very soft and supple, but due to the PVC sheath, it is easy to get tangled, i do wish it has ear hook on the cable for once, build quality is alright and comfort is good as there are no weird protrusion on the shell that will affect comfort.

Gears used for this review

• 7Hz Aero with stock eartips

• Aune Yuki

• 7Hz Artemis39

Foreword

My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound

The Aero sports a mild U shaped sound signature to my ears. Timbre is very natural overall and good note weight as well. At 14$, i am mind blown, of course it can’t be compared to a high end set, but at 14$, it's safe to say the sound doesn’t sound cheap at all. 

Bass

• The bass rendition is nowhere near basshead level but it certainly provides enough "fun"

• Bass extension is good and the sub bass rumble can be felt, definitely no slouch when it comes to EDM

• A little lacking in terms of texture, but it is also tight and clean

• Mid bass has got thump to it and the transition between the sub and mid bass is quite balanced without sounding incoherent

• I personally find the tuning of bass is done right to my preference,somewhere between fun and audiophile but not venturing into the basshead category

• It has got the thump and rumble which is fun especially when I’m gaming with it or watching some TV shows

Mids

• Timbre sounds correct to me and the midrange is neither too forward nor recessed

• Vocal doesn’t sound recessed, both male and female vocal has good texture to them,doesn’t sound thin at all

• Female vocal however does lack a bit of energy due to the slightly subdued upper mids

• Bass does not bleed into the mids 

• In general,i find that the mids are smooth from the lower mids to upper mids

Treble

• The treble is smooth, it has enough energy but not to the point where it is harsh and sibilant

• Detail retrieval is quite good for the asking price, can’t really fault it

Soundstage/Imaging

• Aero’s soundstage sounds slightly out of head and quite open,but a little lacking in depth to give the perception of big soundstage,but overall it is quite good

• Imaging and separation is good

Driveability

• Aero is very easy to drive and it does sound decently loud even from weaker source like Apple’s Lightning Dongle

• Switching over to Aune Yuki,with decent driving power,bass seems to tighten up a little and better control is exhibited, in a way, it is quite scalable with power as well as source, the synergy is quite good with this combo

Comparison (7Hz’s Zero)

• Zero is also one of 7Hz’s budget series, the tuning is leaning towards neutral and slight bright

• In terms of sound profile, the Zero has slightly thinner note weight to my ears, slightly lacking in terms of bass

• Technicalities is the strong point of Zero, Aero is not a technical beast but doesn’t mean it is bad

• Soundstage is slightly smaller on the Zero, feels rather 2D-ish

• Imaging is better on Zero

• Detachable cable vs Not detachable on the Aero

Final Thoughts

Having used the Aero throughout the week, it's safe to say this is another hit released from 7Hz. Sure, non detachable cable might deter some, but for those who just want to plug and play, the Aero is currently my top choice, this goes to show that good sound doesn’t have to be expensive.

*The Aero is sent over by Linsoul for the purpose of this review. I thank them for the support and opportunity as always

Head over to the official store if you are interested in getting one, it is currently being priced at 13.19$ at the time of writing

7Hz Aero Linsoul - Non Affiliated