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Jdjung
147
Mar 7, 2018
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I've never heard these but in terms of features the Fiio FH1 on paper still looks like a better buy. The Fiio FH1 has a dual hybrid build with 1 Knowles BA and a 10mm titanium driver. It also comes with TWO cables, one of which is a balanced cable, brass tube, hard case and 6 plugs. They're $75 on Amazon. They also sound amazing to me. Maybe someone that has both of these can chime in and compare the sound on both. Generally I have heard that only having one Knowles BA sounds a bit harsh and has issues hitting all the frequencies precisely.
Mar 7, 2018
jaydunndiddit
3262
Mar 10, 2018
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JdjungThe Fiio is warm, with too much bass that isn't well defined, an anemic high end with little to no treble energy, and a small soundstage with no depth. It does the mid-range pretty well though so no complaints. Also, no regular 'audiophile' cable in 3.5mm since this one is mic'd. Not everyone needs a balanced cable.
The HEM1, is brighter with more air up top, has a faster delivery and decay of notes, fair imaging and an 'average' soundstage and depth. Smoothness, is the thing that comes most to mind with a good amount of clarity due to the reduced bass (which is light by comparison to the Fiio). The mid range is more forward than the Fiio which were pushed back a bit. The cable for the HEM is terminated at 3.5mm without a mic.
In all fairness, these two IEMs cover different needs and would honestly compliment one another than compete depending on preferences and music choice. The Fiio is warm and laid back while the HEM is brighter, faster, with more air up top. Ergonomically, both are equal and lightweight and accessories are standard fare. I like the tips on the HEM just because their softer and more forgiving during to the thinner stem. The Fiio has a larger stem so it just feels larger and pushes on my ear canal more even with the smallest tips.
Really can't go wrong with either at their price point, but I would base.my decision of my music taste (bass heavy music or more treble energy).
Mar 10, 2018
Jdjung
147
Mar 10, 2018
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jaydunndidditHmmm, that's interesting. It's possible your ear anatomy may be blocking the air vent holes? To me, the bass is emphasized but very pleasingly. I and my close friend, who is a professional music producer, strongly disagree with the highs on these being anemic. When he first tried these yesterday, while we were writing stems, (I'm a pianist, synth player and cellist on my free time when away from from my full time profession) he told me they actually are very good but bright for mixing. He made no mention of the bass being overly emphasized, but then again he was not listening to these critically to see if he would use them for mixes nor did I ask. His general equipment he uses for mixes, to determine equipment bias is as follows. He mixes on three sets of studio monitors the Neumann KH120, the KH310 and M-Audio BX5. He also generally uses his Beyerdyanim 250 ohm 770 pros, Apple earpods and his Denon AH-D7200. I have a modest setup of Yamaha HS-80's and the Event 20/20's For headphones I love my 250 ohm Beyerdyanamic 990s and the cheapo Tascam TH-02s. For fun I use these Fiios and the Audio Technica original ATH M50s. To me the highs are very energenic and sound great.
Mar 10, 2018
jaydunndiddit
3262
Mar 10, 2018
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JdjungThat's a possibility but unlikely. I also tried the Fiio F9 and had the same feelings; something was just off. The F9 was a worse offender due to its awful treble spike. But for me, the bass is just boomy and uncontrolled. It's missing the speed and 'snap' I get from my other sets. What the Fiio units provide in bass quantity, they lack in quality and refinement. It's not fair to compare but when I listen to my Senn IE800, Shure 846, Noble X, MD+, etc. (not really 1:1 due to price, I know) they have such well controlled bass that is pleasing to my ears. By comparison, the Fiio units bass felt just wooly, loose, and slow with poor extension. If I didn't have other products to compare it to then it wouldn't sound so bad. Even as I say this, they aren't 'the worst' I have ever heard. Far from it. Just by comparison, it's made me realize that the low-end for the Fiio units weren't well executed. The same goes for the highs. Something is just missing/off that I can't place. They just sound very disconnected and uncontrolled to my ears. Their frequencies don't mesh well as a whole and come off as artificial sounding (to my ears). They're just a bit harsh and lack smoothness. It could be that maybe you prefer a more V-shaped sound signature than I do. I personally go for neutral/balanced with a touch of warmth. It could also just be our genre of music choices. I still need to try the offerings by iBasso as everyone keeps hyping those to death as well. The last IEM I heard recently was the Campfire Andromeda and immediately thought that I must own these. They were truly astounding. Sadly, the Fiio units did not fill me with that same urge or enjoyment.
Mar 10, 2018
slugman
69
Apr 11, 2018
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jaydunndidditComparing a $1000 iem (Andromeda's) to a $100 iem (Fiio F9, non pro) isn't exactly fair... but I'm sure if heard it I'd love it too!
A fairer comparison would be the UM1 -- Westone's single BA iem.
Apr 11, 2018
jaydunndiddit
3262
Apr 11, 2018
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slugmanYeah, that's true. The Andro upon first listen sounded different and unique. Mind you I would like more time with them but I was pretty hooked at first listen. I owned the F9 v2 for a good while before I decided to get rid of them. The ergonomics, weight, larger bore of the stem, and that pesky treble peak were all deal breakers to me. That, and for the dollar, I still prefer my Shure 215s and Pinnacle PX to them. Tonally, I just prefer them. I'm sure for others that like the F9's signature, they're a great value. Sadly for me, that wasn't the case.
Apr 11, 2018
slugman
69
Apr 11, 2018
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jaydunndidditI've heard many people cite the F9's glare as an issue. High frequency BA's are already susceptible to this issue. This could have been easily resolved if Fiio opted for a more neutral tuning on the top end. Then again, it looks like they purposefully bumped up the top end, which is completely unnecessary for a high freq BA! This is definitely something that could be useful on say a dynamic driver.
I was honestly considering the Pinnacle PX's, but I ultimately decided to opt for iBasso IT01's. I do not regret the decision, for thy are absolutely awesome :) I think next I'll grab the Brainwavz b400, or if I can swing it the $500 for iBasso's IT04's when they are released.
Apr 11, 2018
Jdjung
147
Apr 12, 2018
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slugmanActually he's comparing $1000 iems to the FH1 which are only $75. The original comparison was with the FH1 to the Nuforce HEM1. The FH1 comes with a hard pelican type case, balanced cables, cable with microphone, and six pairs of ear tips with different bore sizes . Just got back from CanJam over the weekend which was a blast. I picked up an extra set of Fiio FH1s there and a set of the Brainwavz B400s. Sat with several people around the Fiio table about this conversation as well as spoke with the the guys at a booth that creates software to equalize headphones. The several people at the table listening to the headphones and of course Fiio agreed the FH1 were a bit bass heavy but disagreed with it being wobbly or distorting the sound. It may be just me but I just don't hear the distortion, wobbly bass or lack of extension but then again I don't have the IEMs that Jay has. As an aside the software demo was amazing. They (not Fiio) created a software where a minimum of three samples were taken for each headphone model. They have tested over 2000 headphones! When discussing IEMs they told me there tends to be a LOT of variation from ear to ear based on ear canal size, ear tips size, skills in insertion and closeness to the eardrum, which is why they prefer testing over ear headphones. He stated based on the anatomical structure of the ear canal there will be more emphasis in certain frequencies and also that the drivers themselves may distort due to pressure if you are the type that creates an air tight seal with certain IEMs. I asked him was there a lot of variation between headphones of the same make and model. He said for some manufacturers they found very large differences, especially from younger companies. In his opinion after testing over 2,000 headphones the most consistent headphones with the closest to a flat response were.....drum roll please.....the Senheiser HD650s. He said it was very difficult to get them to sound better. I guess the hype on the 650s is real. (Excuse the typos typing in bed, dealing with my gf cat whose tail keeps whacking me in the face, and typing on a smartphone.)
Apr 12, 2018
slugman
69
Apr 12, 2018
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JdjungSO JEALOUS! Very nice dude i'm glad you went and shared your experiences. I gotta go next year!
Apr 12, 2018
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