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The New Kid on the Flagship Block- 7Hz I99 Review

Project A³by Project A³0 comments
Sound Review by Kzw

Disclaimer: I99 has graciously provided us with this sample unit in exchange for an honest review. The views discussed below are a reflection of Project A3's thoughts surrounding the product. The sample has been run-in for at least 50 hours prior to review in order to achieve an accurate representation of the product.




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TL;DR
Not Recommended if you like:
  • Reference sound signature
  • Realistic timbre
  • Warmer midrange
Recommended if you like:
  • Explosive mid-bass punch
  • Wide soundstage
  • Lively sound-signature




Introduction:
Today, I'll be reviewing the highly ambitious release of the 7Hz I99; a flagship offering from a young chi-fi brand. Known for its previous affordable release, the 7hz i77, the I99 takes a huge leap in price, placing itself in the mid-range flagship market. Modeled after the widely acclaimed Beyerdynamic Xelento, I99 is looking to dethrone some big names in the industry. But has I99 bitten more than it could chew> Available at **



ProsCons
  • Luxurious package and finish
  • Durable build
  • Substantive mid-bass punch and energy
  • Good soundstage
  • Timbre is unnatural  
  • Sibilant treble
  • Shouty upper-mids
  • Imaging mired by rounded mid-bass



Specification:
  • 13.8mm beryllium dynamic driver
  • Frequency Response Range: 20- 20,000 Hz
  • Impedance: 25 Ohms
  • Sensitivity: 118dB
  • Distortion Rate:below 0.2%

Gear Used & Tracklist:
Sony Walkman NW-A105| Aune X1s | Xduoo X20 | Periodic Audio Nickel (Ni) | Detonray DTR-1 | LG G6 |
GenresArtistSongs
Live RecordingsDiana KrallDesperado (Live)

Natalia LafourcadeSoledad y El Mar

Case Lang VeirsAtomic Number

Depeche ModeQuestion of Lust (Live 1998)
InstrumentalsMax RichterOn the Nature of Daylight

Santa EsmeraldaPlease Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Nils FrahmToilet Brushes (Live)
JazzBill EvansA Waltz for Debbie

Chet BakerI'm a Fool to Want You

Sons of KemetYour Queen is Harriet Tubman

Ryo FukuiScenery
RockAvenged SevenfoldNightmare

The StoogesDown On The Street

Avenged SevenfoldUnbound (The Wild Ride)

Guns N’ RosesSweet Child O’ Mine

Ozzy OsbourneCrazy Train

Green Day21 Guns
ClassicalNiccolò PaganiniLa Campanella (From Violin Concerto No.2 In B Minor)

Pyotr Ilyich TchaikovskyThe Year 1812 Solemn Overture

David ArnoldIndependence Day
PopHu Yang-Lin (胡楊林)Perfume is poisonous (香水有毒)

Fish Leong (梁靜茹)Love Song (情歌)
Western PopAnamanaguchiMEOW

IamamiwhoamiChasing Kites

AlgiersDispossession

New OrderBizzare Love Triangle (Extended Mix)

Marian HillBreathe Into Me

Tyler, The CreatorEARFQUAKE

Tones and INever Seen the Rain

Red Hot Chili PeppersAround the World
ACGSaori Hayamiオレンジミント (Orange Mint)

RADWIMPS前前前世 (Zenzenzenzense)

RADWIMPSなんでもないや(Nandemonaiya)

DAOKOCinderella Step

Kana Hanazawa恋愛サーキュレーション (Renai Circulation)





Unboxing:
The 7Hz i99 comes encased in a beautiful wooden display case.Under its front lid, the earphones are stowed safely in the foam inserts, alongside a rounded leather case with brass detailing, multiple silicon eartips in varied sizes (S,M,L) and a silver-plated copper cable. Given its ambitious price point, the entire package far surpasses my expectations, rivaling its American and European competitors in the North. A stunning effort by 7Hz.

Scalability:
Given its high sensitivity, the 7Hz i99 is easily driven from most sources without many changes to its characteristic tonality. It retains its signature across all the devices I paired it with, and it doesn't deviate much when paired with my most powerful amplifier, the Aune X1s.



Fit:
The 7hz I99 shells boast a mirror-polish, kaleidoscopic finish. Unfortunately, it has already retained a few hairline scratches. Nevertheless, its metal shells inspire confidence in product longevity, while its long spout sits snugly in my ears when paired with adequately sized eartips. The cables are flexible and conform well to the outer earlobes, and its terminations are reinforced with ample strain relief to avoid unwanted tugs or pulls.

Unfortunately, the shells themselves are incredibly hefty, and its weight started to be a discomforting experience during lengthy listening sessions. Its ability to isolate is heavily contravened by the large number of vents behind each shell, resulting in wind noise constantly detracting from my "on-the-go" listening sessions.

Overlooking those small problems, the i99 ticks many of the right boxes. a positive one.



Sound Signature
A focused and articulate sound signature with a high level of resolving capability.

Thundering mid-bass with an aggressive mid-range

The i99 has a lively signature that focuses on the lower ends of the spectrum, with the mid-range and low-end taking precedence over the highs.



Lows
Pros
  • Cantankerous Mid- bass
  • Energetic, great pairing with EDM
  • -
Cons
  • Almost no sub-bass extension
  • Always bleeds into the mids
  • Also masks upper-frequencies
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Tyler, The Creator - EARFQUAKE

EARFQuake's distinct bass drop is a brain rattling experience, with an in-your-face bass punch with ample amounts of reverb. However, it clouds Tyler's vocal section and any semblance of backing synths are lost in the entire mix, mired by its low-end focus.



Mids
Pros
  • Upper-mid detail is good
  • Vocals are presented at the forefront of the signature
  • -
Cons
  • Weak lower-mids with almost no presence
  • Clouded by the over-zealous mid-bass
  • Unnaturally hot treble
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Alex Cameron- Divorce

Alex Cameron's raspy voice is represented decently well on the i99, but the "s" notes in the song are overly emphasized, resulting in early fatigue on longer listening sessions. The lower-mids lack body to keep the entire track weighted. The overblown bass region drowns alot of the smaller details in the upper-midrange.



Highs
Pros
  • Decent extension in the highs
  • Porous and diffuse sounding
Cons
  • Lacks detail, given its flagship status
  • -
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Iamamiwhoami- Chasing Kites

The i99 wasn't tuned to focus on the highs as its prominent feature, but it gives Jonna Lee's vocals a fair representation, punctuated by the airy sound of blaring synths. However, it simply lacks enough energy or verve to be considered detailed at its steeper price point.



Soundstage
Pros
  • Expresses good lateral width
  • Good stage depth
Cons
  • Low-end drowns out its ability to stage well
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Dry the River- Shaker Hymns (Acoustic)  

The I99's large dynamic driver displays vast potential in its ability to handle busier tracks, with a large mix of vocals and instruments being managed well. Unfortunately, the recurring bass-problem mitigates its ability to distinguish each instrument from the next, despite its extensive lateral width



Separation
Pros
  • Manages to separate vocals and instruments from one another
  • -
Cons
  • Bass clouds the entire spectrum, resulting in average imaging capabilities
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Santa Esmeralda- Please don't let me be misunderstood

Like the previous issue, the contentious bass-line strikes again, harming the i99's ability to readily identify audible cues and instruments from vocals. Staging is placed in the foreground, bass at the forefront.



Musicality
Pros
  • Aggressive sound pairs well with EDM and contrasting notes  
Cons
  • Too niche, doesn't adapt well organically to many genres
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Anamanaguchi- Prom Night

Unsurprisingly, tracks with stabby synth lines, punctuated by cascading kickdrums sound spectacular on the I99. But, the shoutiness of the upper-mids and its scathing treble quickly wears your ears down. The i99 lacks the flexibility to pair itself well with many genres.

Vocal Performance
Pros
  • Upper-mid forwardness complements higher-pitched vocal ranges
Cons
  • Vocals can be thin and overly-fatiguing.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Case Lang Veirs- Atomic Number

I99's upper-mids and its unabashed forwardness lends itself well to higher-pitched vocals. However, it tends to overstay its welcome with its enervating forwardness



Instrumental Performance
Pros
  • Instruments and vocals display good detail
Cons
  • Unnatural timbre fails to deliver.
Reference Tracks / Remarks:
Sons of Kemet- Play Mass  

The i99 has the technical capability to reproduce instruments with above-average clarity, but it doesn't quite meet flagship expectations. The baritone saxophone in the reference track while clear, has a brash quality to it that is poorly represented, where its sharpest peaks are exacerbated by the i99's wonky timbre.


Overall Sound Performance
Pros
  • Thunderous Bass.
  • Unashamedly forward and aggressive
Cons
  • Needs a more conservative tuning in the lower-end
  • Timbre needs to be improved upon
Remarks: 
Its over-zealous sound signature certainly carves a niche for itself in the market, but its strange timbre and gargantuan bass slam may put off consumers more inclined towards neutral to more conservative signatures.



Comparison Chart
How we compare: We chose other similarly priced earphones or similar offerings from the same brand that Project A3 has reviewed in the past, to ensure that we remain as impartial as possible in our comparisons.
7Hz I99Shozy Phantom
Suggested Retail Price$479.99$450.00 
Driver Configuration17.8mm Dynamic DriverDynamic Driver
ScalabilityMobile/Dongle Friendly Mobile/Dongle Friendly
FittingSnug, but slightly heavy.Snug and Lightweight
ComfortVery GoodVery Good
Sound SignatureAggressive midrange with thunderous bassDark, velvety mid-range 
LowsPulsating mid-bass bloatThick, full with balanced weight between the mid-lower bass regions
MidsSharp upper-mids, gentle lower-mids Full and engaging midrange.
HighsDecent detail retrieval, but rolls off Rolls off early to avoid sibilance
SoundstageOpen and wide staging.Open and wide staging




Separation
Average imaging due to excessive mid-bass
Great imaging, easily distinguishable between vocals and instruments.

RemarksVery attractive proposition for fans of an aggressive, forward sounding signature An attractive offer for people who favor a dark, "organic" listen. 



Conclusion:

The i99 has many technical capabilities, but its niche sound-signature doesn't quite hit the mark as a flagship iem. A few refinements are needed to really elevate the i99 as a true market contender. However, I still remain deeply impressed by 7Hz's courage in trying out something new. 

Be sure to follow Project A3 on Facebook for more reviews*.



*All ratings are accurate as of date of publication. Changes in price, newer models may affect Project A3's views on the performance and value of the reviewed product.






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Project A³ is a collection of individuals that are passionate and dedicated to consumer and enthusiast audiophile products. Originating from various countries and involved in different fields what they all have in common is an appreciation for listening to music in the best way possible.
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