Lypertek was established in 2017 and is part of Sound Innovation Co. Its sister brand Oriveti, founded in 2015 by Marco Lin, produces high end IEMs aimed at the audiophile market. The newer brand focuses on TWS earbuds, prioritising sound quality whilst creating stylish and modern products which are convenient and user-friendly.
The first model was the TEVI (now called the z3). The Z7 is the latest and most highly specified in the series. Originally priced at £199/$199, the Z7 can now be purchased for £89/$89.
The Packaging
The z7 is presented in a compact black rectangular box with a monochrome illustration of the earbuds on the front, the Lypertek logo in the centre and the product name below. Product details and features appear on each face of the box with the specifications printed on the back. Opening the box, the earbuds are mounted in a cut-out with the charging case below. The accessories are stored in a lower layer revealed by removing the foam cut-out.
The box contains:
- * Pureplay Z7 TWS Monitors
- * Charging Case
- * 4 pairs grey silicone tips (S, M, L)
- * 3 pairs black silicone tips (S & L)
- * 3 pairs spare filters
- * USB Type-C cable
- * Documentation
Build and Design
The earbuds are formed from a durable matt black plastic and are quite large. They feel solid and well made. The main body is cylindrical and there is a fairly long angled nozzle with a silver coloured metal tip.
The top of the earpiece features the function button bearing the Lypertek logo with the words “Lypertek PurePlay Z7” and “True Wireless Stereo” arranged in a circle surrounded by a silver metal ring. There is a small vent for the dynamic driver on the side. The three charging contact points can be found on the underside with channel indication provided by “L” and “R” markings within a circle.
Internally, the z7 employs a triple driver hybrid configuration. Bass duties are handled by a 6mm dynamic driver with a titanium coated diaphragm. Two balanced armature drivers, mounted in the nozzle, cover the mid and high frequencies.
The charging case is solidly built and shaped like a long rectangle with curved edges. It is covered in a grey textured fabric with the Lypertek logo in the centre of the lid and the USB-C charging point mounted on the rear.
Inside are the two charging apertures with Lypertek branding in between. A small LED indicating the charge status is mounted on the front edge. Fully charged, the earbuds have a playtime of 10 hours and the case provides seven further charges, totalling 80 hours.
PureControl App
The Lypertek PureControl app allows the listener to control all aspects of playback. On the home page there is an image of the left and right earbuds below which a volume bar is displayed. Sliding right increases the volume and sliding left decreases it. Below this a battery indicator displaying the charge percentage of each earbud. Finally six icons are provided giving access to the following functions:
LDX Audio
Enables “Lypertek Definition Expander” which is a proprietory sound profile enhancer. I found it to expand the soundstage significantly without adversely affecting the sound quality, although I did notice a slight softening of transients when it was engaged.
Equalizer
The equaliser, which has seven adjustable frequency bands, features seven presets and two customisable profiles. They are as follows:
Bass Boost
Enhances the low end for extra warmth and impact.
Loudness
Increases volume with an emphasis on bass and midrange.
Neutral
Reduced bass and enhanced midrange flattening the V-shaped native sound.
Podcast
Emphasises the midrange to allow voices to be more intelligible.
Gaming
Produces a W shape profile with emphasis on midrange and treble.
Movies
Similar to the Gaming setting but at a higher amplitude.
Default
Flat across all frequencies, i.e. no adjustment. Enables the user to experience the native sound of the z7.
Ambient
“Hear through mode” which emphasises higher frequencies to help exterior sounds to be heard whilst playing music.
Controls
The z7 is controlled by the buttons on the top of the earbuds. This page displays the various button functions.
Find my Earbuds
This page displays the last location where the buds were disconnected.
Settings
This page shows the current firmware version and the setting for auto power off. Firmware updates may be accessed from here.
Comfort and Isolation
I found the z7 to be very comfortable once I had found the best fit. I have large ear canals and this was obtained with the largest set of black silicone tips. Isolation was then very good, but this did impact on the efficacy of the Ambient mode which had very little effect.
Bluetooth Performance
The z7 employs the Qualcomm QC3040 chip which supports the SBC, AAC and aptX codecs. It connected successfully with all my devices and I did not experience any drop-outs or loss of connection. Via my smartphone the AAC codec was used whereas aptX was engaged when using a DAP. Transmission in both cases was stable and clear.
Sound Impressions
Tonality
During testing, the z7 was used with a Huawei Y6 smartphone via the PureControl app in tandem with Rocket Player. I found the Default setting produced a V-shaped overall profile with a dominant bass conveying a good sense of weight and depth. The midrange was somewhat recessed and though gentle in presentation it was clear, open and well detailed.
The treble was extended, a touch brighter than neutral and again, replete with detail. Soundstage was large and spacious with a good sense of “air” and there was an overall sense of lightness in the delivery. The timbre was fairly accurate and technicalities of a high standard.
Having explored all the presets I preferred the “Neutral” setting which brought the midrange in balance with the rest of the frequency range. I found the z7 to be very input sensitive with clear differences in the sources and a reduced output with DAPs compared to the smartphone. Here is what I discovered:
Xduoo X20 DAP
Almost perfectly neutral with a flat bass, clear midrange and slightly emphasised treble. Excellent soundstage and copious detail. Precise imaging and separation and fast transients.
Hidizs AP80 Pro X
Very similar to the above but with just an extra bit of warmth in the bass. Midrange slightly recessed and light, delicate and detailed high frequencies. See here for full review.
Sony NWZ-A15
Warm and lush with a softer midrange and treble. Bass more prominent and slightly recessed mids. Treble gently rolled off. Soundstage not as expansive with a little loss of detail. Impact of transients somewhat reduced.
Hifi Walker H2
A good balance in frequencies with some bass weight, an open midrange and gentle treble. Soundstage reasonably wide with a small softening of detail and transients.
Huawei Y6 smartphone (via app)
Big, bold presentation with powerful bass, recessed midrange and a bright well-detailed treble. Good spacious soundstage and engaging, entertaining presentation with lots of impact. More volume available.
Based on these observations I conclude that the z7 is adept at distinguishing between sources due to its intrinsic accuracy. As a result the Xduoo X20 DAP was used to evaluate the sound via aptX.
Bass
Using the PureControl app the bass was powerful with a sub-bass emphasis and good texture. Tonality was a little warmer than neutral and the mid bass transitioned into the midrange in a natural fashion. Timbre was largely very natural and extension very good.
Via aptX with the Xduoo X20, the orchestral bass drum in Holst’s “Uranus” from the Planets Suite was reproduced cleanly and with accurate timbre and weight. The transient attack was excellent giving an immediate and natural feel while remaining in balance with the rest of the orchestra. Andre Previn’s superb recording with the LSO came over well with the character of the tuba accurately portrayed.
Midrange
The dual BAs placed in the nozzle produced a clear and open midrange with plenty of detail. The tonality was largely pleasant but there was a slight thin quality, especially with brighter sources. The upper range was clean with a touch of extra brightness towards the boundary with the treble.
The ethereal atmosphere of Debussy’s “Reverie” was evoked convincingly in the recording by the Minnesota Orchestra under Eiji Oue. The delicate string figurations formed a perfect backdrop to the airy woodwind melody lines with the character of the different instruments nicely differentiated. The atmosphere of the recording venue was faithfully preserved with a real sense of space.
Treble
The z7 showed a very good extension in the upper frequency range with high resolution and good detail retrieval. Although this did occasionally result in a slight “hardness”, this touch of “BA timbre” did not impinge too much on my enjoyment and only occurred with certain genres.
“Natural Light” is an album by Steven Halpern and Dallas Smith. The title track features Halpern’s gentle keyboards contrasting with Smith’s intricate Lyricon solos. The Z7’s superb extension and detail ensured that even the highest notes remained audible whilst remaining clean and precise in nature.
The balance between the keyboards and Lyricon was well judged and the spiralling and reverberating solos set against the synthesised bass produced a magical hypnotic effect drawing the listener into the music.
Soundstage and Imaging
The Z7’s prowess in detail and resolution ensured that an impressive staging was presented, being oval in shape and extending well laterally. Height and depth were also well-rendered with good separation and layering.
“Accumulus” is an inventive electronic work by Matthew Clifford in the form of a theme and variations. Part 5, “Dawning”, begins with a theme announced by plucked strings. As the piece develops, a deep and powerful bass underpins the solo voice.
The excellent low frequency extension ensured there was plenty of space around the notes whilst providing an effective reproduction of recorded ambience and a clear sense of distance. The movement of the percussive elements was notable with the whole stage occupied by the string patches and accompanying electronic effects.
Comparison
The z7 was compared with the new Campfire Audio Orbit. There was a marked difference in tonality between the two with the z7 displaying a neutral/bright character whereas the Orbit wears its heart on its sleeve with a warm, engaging and dramatic delivery.
The z7 is arguably more accurate as evidenced by its ability to differentiate between sources but while definitely “north of neutral”, the Orbit possesses a natural timbre which is very appealing. Also technically the Z7 is superior with its twin BAs delivering excellent detail and resolution but the Orbit’s LCP driver majors in musicality and I found it preferable in that department.
The Orbit’s bass is certainly emphasised but its natural tonality and authentic decay contrast with the speed and transient attack of the z7 and here it is very much even. In the midrange both performances tell a similar story with the Orbit’s lush and intimate presentation countered by the open, detailed and precise nature of the z7.
In pure terms, the z7 is superior in the treble with better extension and resolution and fine reproduction of detail but the Orbit’s easy-going smooth upper frequencies transition from the midrange in a very natural way without the occasional sharpness exhibited by the z7.
Finally both models possess a spacious and expansive staging. With the z7 its detail and separation define the experience while the warm, enfolding quality of the Orbit’s portrayal shows a natural perspective redolent of a live performance.
Conclusion
The z7 certainly acquitted itself admirably. Apart from a slight issue with the treble and a reduced volume via DAPs, it performed well both in operation and sound quality.
Nicely presented and with solid build, it proved simple and convenient in use, pairing quickly and efficiently with all my devices. I found it to be something of a “chameleon” with a wide variation in character between sources and for this reason it should be tried with a range of devices to determine the preferred sound profile.
It is well built, produces a high quality sound and is simple to operate. At its current price it is extremely competitive and should be on your shortlist if looking for a quality TWS earbud in this price sector.
Specifications
- Driver: 2x Balanced Armature and 1x 6mm Dynamic driver with Titanium-coated diaphragm.
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Microphone: cVc 8.0 noise cancelling, echo cancellation, noise suppression
- Bluetooth: v5.2
- Codecs: aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC
- Play Time (Max): Max 10 hours* and max. 80 hours with charging case (*volume 50% on SBC)
- Waterproof Level: IPX5
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