Notes timer design is a disadvantage (7)
I believe the answer is:
demerit
'a disadvantage' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both human attributes as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'notes timer design' is the wordplay.
'notes' becomes 'de' (two musical notes).
'design' indicates an anagram.
'timer' with letters rearranged gives 'merit'.
'de'+'merit'='DEMERIT'
'is' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for demerit that I've seen before include "Mark given for a fault" , "Black mark" , "Feature deserving censure" , "Conduct that deserves censure" , "Something deserving censure" .)