Of the Tronsmart T6 somehow it was a decent speaker. Limited outdoor capability and a lot of power for the money you got here. After a few years, the Tronsmart T7 (an “element” is now missing on the packaging) is coming onto the market. We were able to try out the model a few days before the release and show you what the Tronsmart T7 can do in the test.
Tronsmart T7: Significantly revised, more modern design and IPX7 protection class
Tronsmart has not only technically revised its new T7 model on the inside, but also visually subjected it to a complete makeover. The new speaker is completely black and, at around 930 grams, weighs almost twice as much as its predecessor! In a direct comparison, this has also “grown” massively and has increased significantly in scope. If you’ve gotten used to the dimensions and weight of the predecessor, that’s quite a change, especially in the backpack you can feel it much more clearly now. So at this point we have to say no to the manufacturer’s “Ultra Portable”!
But what remains is the really high-quality workmanship. In the test, the Tronsmart T7 shows no weaknesses in terms of the quality of the materials. It is cleanly processed, no creaking or scoring can be heard or seen. Only the extremely large rotary wheel on the speaker’s head looks minimally cheap, but sits firmly in the housing and indicates the corresponding inputs with a slight “click”. However, you cannot press it.
The multicolored LED lighting is also new. This can either pulsate in several colors at the same time in the ring, adapt to the music or simulate the “breathing” also known from gaming circles. A nice gimmick that breathes a little life into the Tronsmart T7, but also literally sucks it out. However, we explain what this is all about in the battery life section. Strong: Thanks to IPX7, the speaker is protected against the ingress of water! You shouldn’t submerge it, but it should withstand a good downpour without any problems.
Images: PocketPC.ch / Laser
Tronsmart T7 Hardware: Lots of improvements inside
As already mentioned, not only the design has changed over the years. A lot has happened on the inside as well. The Tronsmart T7 relies on a completely new speaker system, which consists of two high valleys and a subwoofer. In addition, the manufacturer has upgraded to Bluetooth 5.3, which we think is really great in this case! Finally modern radio technology in the housing of a Chinese audio manufacturer! Incidentally, charging is via USB-C, which we also find very good, but should be a matter of course.
Technical data at a glance
- Design type: Round floorstanding speaker
- Driver: 2 tweeters, 1 subwoofer
- Output power: 30 Watt
- Frequency range: 20 to 20,000 Hertz
- Audio Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 oder per TF-Card
- Miscellaneous: LED lighting, SP mode, stereo coupling
- Dimensions: 116 x 261 x 85 mm
- Weight: almost 900 grams
Another interesting feature is the pairing with another Tronsmart T7 speaker and then running both in stereo mode. However, due to the lack of a second model, we were not able to try it out. In addition, the speaker also offers app control for the first time, but you cannot adjust too much in it. Among other things, updates can be installed if they are available. By the way, audio profiles can also be set. Once you can use a 5-band equalizer yourself or use one of the few presets. Unfortunately, the app doesn’t give much, so we’ll save an extra chapter for this.
The new Tronsmart T7 weighs almost a whole kilo! By Ultra Portable we mean something else. Image: PocketPC.ch / Laser
Tronsmart T7 in the test: This is what the new outdoor speaker sounds like
But now we come to the core business of the speaker: the sound. Because what good is the raw data if the loudspeaker cannot convert it into performance and here the successor of the Tronsmart T6 is really having a hard time. If you switch to the normal standard mode, the T7 sounds incredibly tinny. The sound seems to literally stick to the box and shake, while the very deep fundamental tone of the box literally overshadows everything else. In the normal standard mode, the sound is absolutely useless!
But if you then press the SP button on the side, which activates the “360-degree mode”, things look different again. The extremely deep sound image remains, but the sound now seems open and radiates from the speaker. There is a feeling of spaciousness that speakers should have from the ground up. Unfortunately, it’s a pity: Just like the Tronsmart T6, the Tronsmart T7 in our test – despite marketing on the packaging and the website – doesn’t have a 360-degree sound.
The operation works really well via the buttons, which also don’t let water in. Image: PocketPC.ch / Laser
What absolutely blows you away – although the sound is partially completely shredded – is the immense bass of the comparatively very small loudspeaker. This kills the dynamics out of the case so brutally that in many scenarios the tonal mids are literally vaporized from their existence. Even the highs can hardly keep up, but they still shimmer through to some extent.
However, something completely different fascinated us when testing the Tronsmart T7. There were a few songs that appeared perfectly clear on the box. Both mids and highs were completely there and the bass kicked properly, but not too much in between. Electronics and electronic cross-over are absolute parade disciplines of the Tronsmart T7. I personally noticed this when playing through the Rocket League soundtrack. If you want to listen to the radio, hip hop, rock or something else, the sound is unfortunately absolute overkill. By the way, this also applies in all genres if you set the volume too high. Then the new Tronsmart just rattles and you have a single deep dark bass porridge.
The bass kicks so enormously in the Tronsmart T7 that it outshines almost everything. It also destroys the entire sound image. Image: PocketPC.ch / Laser
The sound of the Tronsmart T7 is not abysmal bad, even if the sound is about as deep as the Mariana Trench. However, the sound cylinder can only be used very specifically and should only satisfy fans with an extremely brute bass image and deep sound structures. That’s actually one of the biggest problems of the small power pack with a fighting weight of around one kilogram.
Battery life for this size and weight unfortunately an absolute mistake
And now it is unfortunately becoming very critical, because there is hardly anything good to report about the battery life. The LED lights are very chic and breathe subtle life into the Tronsmart T7 on the table, but they suck it out of it too hard. Normally, the manufacturer states a runtime of “up to 12 hours”, but also warns that this can only be achieved when the LEDs are off. With lighting we didn’t even manage 4 hours! This is clearly too weak for a box of this size.
Without LED lighting we managed about 9 hours, depending on the song and genre it was sometimes less. The specified up to 12 hours were never feasible. Incidentally, we tried the connection with an iPhone 13 Pro Max and a Samsung Galaxy S22 in order to at least be able to rule out different operating systems for the battery drain.
The chic LED ring is really something. However, it can drain the battery within 4 hours and even less. Image: PocketPC.ch / Laser
Conclusion: massage stick with sound output has grown too big
The Tronsmart T7 has been significantly revised compared to its predecessor, but not improved in all areas. The T6 already had an extremely dark sound, but the bass of the Tronsmart T7 literally knocks the bottom out of the barrel by boxing the dark basic tone over the sound in such a way that mids and highs suffer. But it also has its highlights, which can vary greatly from song to song, even in the same genre! Personally, I wouldn’t describe the sound as terrible, it just has to suit your taste and your style of music. But it is far from well tuned, lacks dynamics due to the pumping of the overly aggressive bass and can almost only rattle at higher volumes. This is very weak compared to its predecessor. The battery life isn’t really good either.
Preis
However, the price is not too high either. You get a lot of speakers for just over 50 euros or Swiss francs. The fact that the Tronsmart T7 comes with Bluetooth 5.3 in the test is also really pleasant and not really the norm even for top manufacturers. Thanks to IPX7, it is also protected against the ingress of water and can easily withstand a little rain. Compared to the Tronsmart T6, I would refrain from recommending it at this point. There are now much better alternatives. It’s just not enough if the overall sound is rather frustrating and then only surprises in very few moments.