Reviews by Ichos
Preface
The headphone was kindly provided by Hifiman after our request and is a long term loaner for future reference.
Hifiman never asked for any kind of a favourable review.
Hifiman Sundara isn't exactly a new model and we are a little bit delayed to post our impressions but it's never too late to review a good headphone so here we are!
Technology and physical
The Sundara is an open back planar magnetic headphone with a specially designed driver.
The driver is featuring the brand new NEO supernano diaphragm which is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in a faster and more detailed response.
The new driver design is of higher sensitivity resulting in an impedance of 37Ω with 94dB sensitivity making the Sundara able to be powered from medium output portable devices.
The ear cups feature the new 3.5mm cable plug that is very easily swappable and offers plenty of aftermarket choices.
The headphone was originally released circa 2017 and since then some early production issues have been successfully addressed.
Sound and drivers are exactly the same but quality control and pad structure has greatly improved plus adding some minor cosmetic updates.
The original price was 499$ but now it sells heavily discounted at 349$.
Sundara in Sanskrit means beautiful and it really is with a modern and unique design in a cool mat black look.
The Sundara is one of the sturdier built headphones in the market with a full metal body.
Not only the headband with its yokes and joints but even the ear cups are made from lightweight aluminum.
The headband design is a hybrid one with the shelf adjusting leather belt attached in an aluminum frame.
That kind of headband is more to our liking than the new padded one but unfortunately it doesn't allow for ear cup swivel.
The user replaceable angled cut ear pads are made from a combination of microfiber and leatherette with memory foam inside.
The weight of the headphone is 373gr pretty light for a planar and comfort is truly great thanks to the medium clamping force and the roomy , large and well ventilated ear pads.
Build quality is typical Hifiman that is quite good but still slightly lagging behind the competition.
Our sample was in perfect shape without any kind of deficiencies but ear cup adjusting was a little stiff.
After opening the containing box the lack of provided accessories becomes apparent as the only thing we get is a 1.5m quite microphonic cable of typical quality.
Nothing to write about but still better than the older transparent one.
Now on to the most important thing
Sound quality
A few thoughts about amping
We have tested the Sundara with various desktop and portable devices in order to assess sound quality and driving efficiency.
After extensive listening tests we have come to the conclusion that the need of an external amplifier or a powerful portable device is very desirable although not absolutely necessary.
The Sundara can reach adequate volume levels through portable devices but they still sound underpowered.
They feel lean and anemic with a loss in bass extension body and impact plus the higher frequencies sound thin , more pronounced and rather irritating.
Feed the Sundara with enough current and they instantly transform to a better headphone as weight and dynamics are added to the bass plus they become more tonally balanced.
Higher frequencies are portrayed more full and the driver responds better with the result of an increased naturalness of the decay.
On a side note believe it or not the Sundara require a long burn in period to sound at their best.
We have mainly used iFi ZEN CAN plus Erzetich Perfidus and FiiO M11PRO.
So sound impressions are given assuming that the Sundara are properly amped and burned in.
Listening
We are dealing with one of the most neutral and evenly balanced planar (and not only) headphones out there.
Bass extends very well down to almost 40Hz but it can handle even lower material without any hassle.
Of course this is not a bass-head lover bass as it is perfectly linear and with audiophile qualities.
It is very tight and well controlled with enough layering to portray even the most complex passages.
It is fast with a clear priority in detail rendering it with great clarity and the only downside being the lack of body.
It is more of a lean presentation without added weight but it nevertheless sounds very dynamic and impactful.
Transition to the mid bass and lower mids is exemplary at a straight line up to the mids.
As a result we don't get any extra warmness unless it is there in the recording.
The Sundara is not a warm sounding headphone but it surely doesn't sound cold either.
It is a kind of a distanced view of the raw material letting the music flow without much interference from the headphone itself.
Dynamics and micro detail retrieval are excellent and the driver can rise from silence to forte and back forth with lighting speed.
Mids too are the definition of neutrality getting only a very slight emphasis in order to sound just a little forward.
They are crystal clear and full bodied with excellent timbre and pitch without lacking in definition and detail.
Voices and various instruments are lively portrayed with a lifelike quality to them without being over excited.
It's a reference presentation one of the best out there with the ability to remain true to the source and sound very engaging at the same time.
Solo voices or Opera arias and choruses sound magnificent and addictive through the Sundara.
Upper mids and presence area get an extra emphasis but they are not overly cooked and after that the headphone gradually rolls off.
As a result we hear a desirable extra clarity of great quality and excellent detail retrieval without being overly irritating or harsh.
It's smooth enough but still users particularly sensitive in that area may be a little fatigued depending on the listening material.
Timbre is mostly done right but higher pitched instruments can sound lean and off tone with a metallic timbre to them.
Decay is on the right timing for the whole audio band but again higher percussion instruments may fade away too quickly.
As a whole a mostly well done presentation without sounding harsh or sibilant with a few issues here and there.
Soundstage of the Sundara is excellent for the category better than most rivals.
It is wide enough with plenty of air for the instruments to breathe and accurate positioning of individuals and groups.
It can communicate for us the recording venue with great success aided by the good depth layering.
The Sundara is a beautifully transparent headphone that responds very well to gear upgrades.
It will highlight the best parts of gear used and at the same time will ruthlessly reveal all the downsides.
A very satisfying experience not far behind from the more expensive offerings.
Hifiman mid price comparison
Now let's have a look how they compare against the other in house rivals offered by Hifiman.
If you don't care for this lengthy section then jump straight ahead to the conclusion.
Versus the HE400i 2020 version
The brand new HE400i 2020 retails at 169$ so it is half the price of the Sundara.
Weight and comfort are more or less the same as the overall appearance but we think the Sundara is the better looking headphone although this is purely subjective.
The HE400i 2020 headband is the new padded one which allows for cup swivel and offers a slightly different fit at the head.
Build quality is way better for the Sundara with a bombproof full metal construction which makes for a more bulky headphone compared to the HE400i 2020 which is more discreet.
Impedance and sensitivity are almost identical and they both require an external amp to sound at their best although they can be successfully used with portable devices.
Frequency response and overall presentation are almost identical.
Presence area is a little bit more emphasized at the Sundara adding more clarity and detail retrieval at the cost of being a little more sharp or harsh compared to the HE400i 2020.
Difference is not that huge but the new version of the HE400i is smoother in this area although more coarse but some users may prefer it for being less fatiguing.
Frequency response of course doesn't tell the whole story and in the case of the Sundara we get a way more refined and technically potent and full bodied headphone.
It is better articulated with added layering to the bass plus far greater dynamics and speed.
Clarity is of higher quality so micro detail retrieval is better as for the headstage is more holographic and engaging compared to the two dimensional and cramped scene of the 400i 2020.
The Sundara is definitely the HE400i 2020 evolved to a technically advanced and more sophisticated headphone.
Truth to be told you pay two times more but you don't get two times more performance.
So if your budget is limited then the HE400i 2020 is an absolute bargain and for 169$ you buy an excellent sounding neutral planar headphone not that far behind from the Sundara.
(Original HE400i 2020 version is here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-he400i-ver-2020.24702/review/24488/)
Versus the Deva
The Deva is 299$ and you get as a bonus the BlueMini or you can have it for 209$ without the BlueMini but we are not certain if the latter option is still available by Hifiman.
The ear cups are made of plastic and it is 13gr lighter.
The headband is the new style with overall build quality still in favor of the Sundara by a fair margin.
Design and looks are subjective but comfort and fit aren't with the Deva being more comfortable due to the larger and more roomy ear pads that add extra bulk to the headphone.
Impedance is 18Ω with a 93.5dB sensitivity and while we still recommend an external amplifier it is not as necessarily as in the other two models and the Deva can sound sufficiently good from portable devices.
Overall sound signature is quite the same and despite differences being marginal we can talk about two different presentations.
The Deva gets as a starting point the great neutrality of the Sundara and then adds a little spice to the sound with a more hifi tuning.
Bass extension and quality is about the same and both headphones sound clear and well layered.
But the Deva is willing to sacrifice a bit of detail and information in order to sound more visceral with greater impact and slam at the cost of ultimate control where the Sundara reigns.
Transition is in the same linear manner and then the Deva becomes a little rounder and more forward at the mids adding a touch more excitement and fuller performance in that region.
This combined with a rather more conservative approach higher above makes for a warmer and more easy going sound without any hint of hardness.
Timber and decay are more natural but there is a loss of micro detail retrieval and sparkle.
So the Sundara is the synonym of neutrality with a luminous and detailed presentation and the Deva is more natural and warmly tuned slightly lacking in ultimate technical performance.
Regarding soundstage both are exceptionally good and way better than most of their rivals but the Deva is the winner with slightly more wide and layered presentation.
You can't go wrong with either as both are great and a bargain for their price and only personal sound preference will tell which one to choose.
(Original Deva review is here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-deva.24334/review/23957/)
Comparison verdict
Hifiman have nailed the budget and mid price categories with three remarkable headphones at very competitive prices.
According to your budget choose either HE400i 2020 or Sundara if you fancy a neutral headphone that still sounds engaging and not boring at all or stay with the Deva if you are after a more natural easy going presentation.
At the end
Hifiman Sundara is one of the best headphones for critical listening no matter the price and the king of neutrality while still sounding engaging and enveloping.
We think of it as the sweet spot in the Hifiman catalogue and a classic planar magnetic headphone that truly deserves to be in everyone's collection.
At the new 349$ price is an absolute bargain and if you can afford it then go immediately and grab one to discover what you have been missing till now.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
The headphone was kindly provided by Hifiman after our request and is a long term loaner for future reference.
Hifiman never asked for any kind of a favourable review.
Hifiman Sundara isn't exactly a new model and we are a little bit delayed to post our impressions but it's never too late to review a good headphone so here we are!
Technology and physical
The Sundara is an open back planar magnetic headphone with a specially designed driver.
The driver is featuring the brand new NEO supernano diaphragm which is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in a faster and more detailed response.
The new driver design is of higher sensitivity resulting in an impedance of 37Ω with 94dB sensitivity making the Sundara able to be powered from medium output portable devices.
The ear cups feature the new 3.5mm cable plug that is very easily swappable and offers plenty of aftermarket choices.
The headphone was originally released circa 2017 and since then some early production issues have been successfully addressed.
Sound and drivers are exactly the same but quality control and pad structure has greatly improved plus adding some minor cosmetic updates.
The original price was 499$ but now it sells heavily discounted at 349$.
Sundara in Sanskrit means beautiful and it really is with a modern and unique design in a cool mat black look.
The Sundara is one of the sturdier built headphones in the market with a full metal body.
Not only the headband with its yokes and joints but even the ear cups are made from lightweight aluminum.
The headband design is a hybrid one with the shelf adjusting leather belt attached in an aluminum frame.
That kind of headband is more to our liking than the new padded one but unfortunately it doesn't allow for ear cup swivel.
The user replaceable angled cut ear pads are made from a combination of microfiber and leatherette with memory foam inside.
The weight of the headphone is 373gr pretty light for a planar and comfort is truly great thanks to the medium clamping force and the roomy , large and well ventilated ear pads.
Build quality is typical Hifiman that is quite good but still slightly lagging behind the competition.
Our sample was in perfect shape without any kind of deficiencies but ear cup adjusting was a little stiff.
After opening the containing box the lack of provided accessories becomes apparent as the only thing we get is a 1.5m quite microphonic cable of typical quality.
Nothing to write about but still better than the older transparent one.
Now on to the most important thing
Sound quality
A few thoughts about amping
We have tested the Sundara with various desktop and portable devices in order to assess sound quality and driving efficiency.
After extensive listening tests we have come to the conclusion that the need of an external amplifier or a powerful portable device is very desirable although not absolutely necessary.
The Sundara can reach adequate volume levels through portable devices but they still sound underpowered.
They feel lean and anemic with a loss in bass extension body and impact plus the higher frequencies sound thin , more pronounced and rather irritating.
Feed the Sundara with enough current and they instantly transform to a better headphone as weight and dynamics are added to the bass plus they become more tonally balanced.
Higher frequencies are portrayed more full and the driver responds better with the result of an increased naturalness of the decay.
On a side note believe it or not the Sundara require a long burn in period to sound at their best.
We have mainly used iFi ZEN CAN plus Erzetich Perfidus and FiiO M11PRO.
So sound impressions are given assuming that the Sundara are properly amped and burned in.
Listening
We are dealing with one of the most neutral and evenly balanced planar (and not only) headphones out there.
Bass extends very well down to almost 40Hz but it can handle even lower material without any hassle.
Of course this is not a bass-head lover bass as it is perfectly linear and with audiophile qualities.
It is very tight and well controlled with enough layering to portray even the most complex passages.
It is fast with a clear priority in detail rendering it with great clarity and the only downside being the lack of body.
It is more of a lean presentation without added weight but it nevertheless sounds very dynamic and impactful.
Transition to the mid bass and lower mids is exemplary at a straight line up to the mids.
As a result we don't get any extra warmness unless it is there in the recording.
The Sundara is not a warm sounding headphone but it surely doesn't sound cold either.
It is a kind of a distanced view of the raw material letting the music flow without much interference from the headphone itself.
Dynamics and micro detail retrieval are excellent and the driver can rise from silence to forte and back forth with lighting speed.
Mids too are the definition of neutrality getting only a very slight emphasis in order to sound just a little forward.
They are crystal clear and full bodied with excellent timbre and pitch without lacking in definition and detail.
Voices and various instruments are lively portrayed with a lifelike quality to them without being over excited.
It's a reference presentation one of the best out there with the ability to remain true to the source and sound very engaging at the same time.
Solo voices or Opera arias and choruses sound magnificent and addictive through the Sundara.
Upper mids and presence area get an extra emphasis but they are not overly cooked and after that the headphone gradually rolls off.
As a result we hear a desirable extra clarity of great quality and excellent detail retrieval without being overly irritating or harsh.
It's smooth enough but still users particularly sensitive in that area may be a little fatigued depending on the listening material.
Timbre is mostly done right but higher pitched instruments can sound lean and off tone with a metallic timbre to them.
Decay is on the right timing for the whole audio band but again higher percussion instruments may fade away too quickly.
As a whole a mostly well done presentation without sounding harsh or sibilant with a few issues here and there.
Soundstage of the Sundara is excellent for the category better than most rivals.
It is wide enough with plenty of air for the instruments to breathe and accurate positioning of individuals and groups.
It can communicate for us the recording venue with great success aided by the good depth layering.
The Sundara is a beautifully transparent headphone that responds very well to gear upgrades.
It will highlight the best parts of gear used and at the same time will ruthlessly reveal all the downsides.
A very satisfying experience not far behind from the more expensive offerings.
Hifiman mid price comparison
Now let's have a look how they compare against the other in house rivals offered by Hifiman.
If you don't care for this lengthy section then jump straight ahead to the conclusion.
Versus the HE400i 2020 version
The brand new HE400i 2020 retails at 169$ so it is half the price of the Sundara.
Weight and comfort are more or less the same as the overall appearance but we think the Sundara is the better looking headphone although this is purely subjective.
The HE400i 2020 headband is the new padded one which allows for cup swivel and offers a slightly different fit at the head.
Build quality is way better for the Sundara with a bombproof full metal construction which makes for a more bulky headphone compared to the HE400i 2020 which is more discreet.
Impedance and sensitivity are almost identical and they both require an external amp to sound at their best although they can be successfully used with portable devices.
Frequency response and overall presentation are almost identical.
Presence area is a little bit more emphasized at the Sundara adding more clarity and detail retrieval at the cost of being a little more sharp or harsh compared to the HE400i 2020.
Difference is not that huge but the new version of the HE400i is smoother in this area although more coarse but some users may prefer it for being less fatiguing.
Frequency response of course doesn't tell the whole story and in the case of the Sundara we get a way more refined and technically potent and full bodied headphone.
It is better articulated with added layering to the bass plus far greater dynamics and speed.
Clarity is of higher quality so micro detail retrieval is better as for the headstage is more holographic and engaging compared to the two dimensional and cramped scene of the 400i 2020.
The Sundara is definitely the HE400i 2020 evolved to a technically advanced and more sophisticated headphone.
Truth to be told you pay two times more but you don't get two times more performance.
So if your budget is limited then the HE400i 2020 is an absolute bargain and for 169$ you buy an excellent sounding neutral planar headphone not that far behind from the Sundara.
(Original HE400i 2020 version is here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-he400i-ver-2020.24702/review/24488/)
Versus the Deva
The Deva is 299$ and you get as a bonus the BlueMini or you can have it for 209$ without the BlueMini but we are not certain if the latter option is still available by Hifiman.
The ear cups are made of plastic and it is 13gr lighter.
The headband is the new style with overall build quality still in favor of the Sundara by a fair margin.
Design and looks are subjective but comfort and fit aren't with the Deva being more comfortable due to the larger and more roomy ear pads that add extra bulk to the headphone.
Impedance is 18Ω with a 93.5dB sensitivity and while we still recommend an external amplifier it is not as necessarily as in the other two models and the Deva can sound sufficiently good from portable devices.
Overall sound signature is quite the same and despite differences being marginal we can talk about two different presentations.
The Deva gets as a starting point the great neutrality of the Sundara and then adds a little spice to the sound with a more hifi tuning.
Bass extension and quality is about the same and both headphones sound clear and well layered.
But the Deva is willing to sacrifice a bit of detail and information in order to sound more visceral with greater impact and slam at the cost of ultimate control where the Sundara reigns.
Transition is in the same linear manner and then the Deva becomes a little rounder and more forward at the mids adding a touch more excitement and fuller performance in that region.
This combined with a rather more conservative approach higher above makes for a warmer and more easy going sound without any hint of hardness.
Timber and decay are more natural but there is a loss of micro detail retrieval and sparkle.
So the Sundara is the synonym of neutrality with a luminous and detailed presentation and the Deva is more natural and warmly tuned slightly lacking in ultimate technical performance.
Regarding soundstage both are exceptionally good and way better than most of their rivals but the Deva is the winner with slightly more wide and layered presentation.
You can't go wrong with either as both are great and a bargain for their price and only personal sound preference will tell which one to choose.
(Original Deva review is here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-deva.24334/review/23957/)
Comparison verdict
Hifiman have nailed the budget and mid price categories with three remarkable headphones at very competitive prices.
According to your budget choose either HE400i 2020 or Sundara if you fancy a neutral headphone that still sounds engaging and not boring at all or stay with the Deva if you are after a more natural easy going presentation.
At the end
Hifiman Sundara is one of the best headphones for critical listening no matter the price and the king of neutrality while still sounding engaging and enveloping.
We think of it as the sweet spot in the Hifiman catalogue and a classic planar magnetic headphone that truly deserves to be in everyone's collection.
At the new 349$ price is an absolute bargain and if you can afford it then go immediately and grab one to discover what you have been missing till now.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
Balamani
A great HP in Hifiman line up and it hits the sweetspot, nice review!
MisterMudd
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! Your review has solified my intention of keeping my Deva, and passing on the Sundara. Money well saved.
Ichos
A subjective review is always the best!
Preface
The Q3 was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
Q3 is the latest battery powered portable dac/amp offering from FiiO.
It seats just above the entry level Q1 mkii and before the flagship Q5S retailing at about 150$/160€.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Physical and layout
The resemblance to the Q1 mkii is obvious as are the dimensions with the Q3 measuring 105x59x12.5mm with a weight of 110g.
Sandblasted aluminum is used throughout with built quality and finish being top notch as is the design with the rounded curves and minimal lines making for a beautiful little device that fits securely inside our palm.
FiiO has cleverly added inside the Q3 an extra nickel - copper shield plus highly efficient radio frequency absorbers to completely shield the unit from electromagnetic interference.
The Q3 is equipped with 4.4mm/2.5mm balanced outputs plus a single ended 3.5mm one for easy connection with all kinds of portable headphones and iems without the need of extra adapters.
One of the best features of FiiO's Q line is the use of an analogue potentiometer volume knob that is very much to our liking.
It acts also as the on/off switch and it is combined with ADC curve reconstruction to help improve with low volume channel imbalance.
An RGB indicator next to the volume knob informs us about the sampling rate with three different colours plus whether the battery is charging or it is low and needs to be recharged.
Unfortunately battery level indication is not supported.
At the other end of the device there is the data/charging usb type C port plus three extra buttons.
The one is the bass boost switch that is hardware based and offers a +6dB level increase.
The next one is a multifunction button that when it is short pressed switches between low and high gain and when it is double taped cycles between sharp and slow roll off filters.
A green light goes on for high gain but there is no visible indication to distinguish between the two filters.
Last but not least there is the long awaited and missing from the Q1 mkii charge on/off switch that is very helpful when we do not want the Q3 to drain the battery of the connected device it's being connected to.
A 1800mAh battery supporting quick charge is used to sufficiently power the Q3.
Technical characteristics
Internally the Q3 is completely renovated with all components and circuit arrangement being brand new.
The dac chip used is AKM's new efficient AK4462 with decoding support up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD512.
The dac is used in balanced mode providing symmetrical signal to the low pass filter and then it is amplified by two THX AAA 28 op amps for low distortion and high power balanced output.
The usb receiver is XMOS XUF208 the same used at the flagship Q5S supported by dual crystal oscillators.
The rated power output of the Q3 is higher than the Q1 mkii with 160mW/32Ω and 300mW/32Ω from the balanced out.
The Q3 can act as a line in amplifier with a short gimmick because it's line in port is shared with the 3.5mm headphone out so in that mode we can only use the balanced outputs to listen to music.
The Q3 in contrast to the Q1 mkii does not feature a dedicated line out that bypasses the amplification stage.
The Q3 is fully compatible with iOS and Android devices plus windows PC and it can also be used with Sony walkman players with an adapter cable that is sold separately.
Accessories
As we are now accustomed with FiiO we get an extra large accessory pack.
Included in the box are a dual usb type C head cable , long usb type C data cable , short lighting to usb type C cable , 3.5mm line cable , long and short binding straps*2 , non slip protective mat and a storage bag.
Testing
We have connected the Q3 with various Android devices and a laptop without any apparent issues and we didn't experience any serious electromagnetic interference except one - two times.
In order to test sound quality and driving power plus noise floor we have used various headphones and iems like Sennheiser HD660S , Hifiman Sundara and FiiO FH3 among others.
Noise floor is low enough to be used with normal sensitivity iems and power while it is not lacking isn't sufficient enough for power hungry headphones.
The Q3 from the balanced only output can drive low Z / normal sensitivity headphones plus some higher Z that are efficient enough.
As a real life example we have listened to low level recorded classical music with our Sennheiser HD660S loud enough and without clipping with the volume knob set at about 80% of it's available rotation.
Battery duration is about eight hours with high resolution material running headphones from the balanced out at louder volume levels.
Sound impressions
Overall sound profile is natural and pleasant with an even tonal balance and good extension just rolling off at the extremities of both ends.
Truth to be told one must pay extra attention to notice and let's not forget that the Q3 isn't targeted for critical listening.
So in most cases while on the go or at the office even relaxing at home we have listened to a lot of music of various genres without missing a lot.
The Q3 is full bodied reaching low enough with good impact and layering while offering adequate levels of resolution and detail without compromising a lot.
Midrange is very engaging and higher frequencies are portrayed with a softer tone without rough edges.
The new THX AAA is a marvel helping a lot with great dynamics and fast transient response.
It is very clear and can portray a naturally structured and spacious stage that can do justice to most headphones and iems used.
The single ended output of the Q3 is good enough but rather underpowered and in order to unlock the full potential of it we must use the balanced output.
Not only it offers greater headroom but it also takes advantage of the fully balanced circuit that sounds better with greater technical performance.
Bass boost and filters
The hardware based bass boost is well implemented offering about +6dB of amplification without clouding very much the mid bass or overlapping the other frequencies.
Nice to have for bass lovers or to help lower quality mp3 or YouTube material sound better.
Regarding the two filter settings they mostly affect higher frequencies with the one sounding more firm and well defined and the other more rounded and soft.
Differences are very minimal and due to the lack of a visible indication we can't tell which filter is being used.
Anyway even as such it is good to have in order to tweak the sound a little bit.
Versus the Q1 mark ii
The overall sound signature of the two devices regarding tonality and feeling is quite similar.
Where they mostly differ is in the way the sound is presented from an amping point of view due to the totally different amplifier circuits.
In that regard the Q3 can sound more dynamic , slamming harder and with increased clarity.
Headstage is presented with more air and width plus added separation.
All in all a much improved presentation plus the extra driving power.
Other than that the Q3 supports fast charging through a modern usb C interface and we get the charge on/off button plus the two filters and extended battery duration.
So at the end in our opinion the only case to choose the Q1mkii over the Q3 is for it's lower price or if we need a dedicated line out.
The Q3 is an evolved version of the original Q1 mark ii well worth the slightly higher asking price.
Final thoughts
FiiO's new Q3 has to face strong competition in an already crowded market.
But it really stands out offering great sound combined with a plethora of outputs plus some very useful functions and great build quality at a very competitive price.
So if you are searching for a budget portable battery powered dac/amp in order to improve your mobile sound experience and you crave for an analogue potentiometer then the Q3 is an obvious excellent choice very highly recommended.
Pair it with a great budget iem like FiiO FH3 and be lost in a remarkable musical journey without breaking the bank.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
The Q3 was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
Q3 is the latest battery powered portable dac/amp offering from FiiO.
It seats just above the entry level Q1 mkii and before the flagship Q5S retailing at about 150$/160€.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Physical and layout
The resemblance to the Q1 mkii is obvious as are the dimensions with the Q3 measuring 105x59x12.5mm with a weight of 110g.
Sandblasted aluminum is used throughout with built quality and finish being top notch as is the design with the rounded curves and minimal lines making for a beautiful little device that fits securely inside our palm.
FiiO has cleverly added inside the Q3 an extra nickel - copper shield plus highly efficient radio frequency absorbers to completely shield the unit from electromagnetic interference.
The Q3 is equipped with 4.4mm/2.5mm balanced outputs plus a single ended 3.5mm one for easy connection with all kinds of portable headphones and iems without the need of extra adapters.
One of the best features of FiiO's Q line is the use of an analogue potentiometer volume knob that is very much to our liking.
It acts also as the on/off switch and it is combined with ADC curve reconstruction to help improve with low volume channel imbalance.
An RGB indicator next to the volume knob informs us about the sampling rate with three different colours plus whether the battery is charging or it is low and needs to be recharged.
Unfortunately battery level indication is not supported.
At the other end of the device there is the data/charging usb type C port plus three extra buttons.
The one is the bass boost switch that is hardware based and offers a +6dB level increase.
The next one is a multifunction button that when it is short pressed switches between low and high gain and when it is double taped cycles between sharp and slow roll off filters.
A green light goes on for high gain but there is no visible indication to distinguish between the two filters.
Last but not least there is the long awaited and missing from the Q1 mkii charge on/off switch that is very helpful when we do not want the Q3 to drain the battery of the connected device it's being connected to.
A 1800mAh battery supporting quick charge is used to sufficiently power the Q3.
Technical characteristics
Internally the Q3 is completely renovated with all components and circuit arrangement being brand new.
The dac chip used is AKM's new efficient AK4462 with decoding support up to 768kHz/32bit PCM and DSD512.
The dac is used in balanced mode providing symmetrical signal to the low pass filter and then it is amplified by two THX AAA 28 op amps for low distortion and high power balanced output.
The usb receiver is XMOS XUF208 the same used at the flagship Q5S supported by dual crystal oscillators.
The rated power output of the Q3 is higher than the Q1 mkii with 160mW/32Ω and 300mW/32Ω from the balanced out.
The Q3 can act as a line in amplifier with a short gimmick because it's line in port is shared with the 3.5mm headphone out so in that mode we can only use the balanced outputs to listen to music.
The Q3 in contrast to the Q1 mkii does not feature a dedicated line out that bypasses the amplification stage.
The Q3 is fully compatible with iOS and Android devices plus windows PC and it can also be used with Sony walkman players with an adapter cable that is sold separately.
Accessories
As we are now accustomed with FiiO we get an extra large accessory pack.
Included in the box are a dual usb type C head cable , long usb type C data cable , short lighting to usb type C cable , 3.5mm line cable , long and short binding straps*2 , non slip protective mat and a storage bag.
Testing
We have connected the Q3 with various Android devices and a laptop without any apparent issues and we didn't experience any serious electromagnetic interference except one - two times.
In order to test sound quality and driving power plus noise floor we have used various headphones and iems like Sennheiser HD660S , Hifiman Sundara and FiiO FH3 among others.
Noise floor is low enough to be used with normal sensitivity iems and power while it is not lacking isn't sufficient enough for power hungry headphones.
The Q3 from the balanced only output can drive low Z / normal sensitivity headphones plus some higher Z that are efficient enough.
As a real life example we have listened to low level recorded classical music with our Sennheiser HD660S loud enough and without clipping with the volume knob set at about 80% of it's available rotation.
Battery duration is about eight hours with high resolution material running headphones from the balanced out at louder volume levels.
Sound impressions
Overall sound profile is natural and pleasant with an even tonal balance and good extension just rolling off at the extremities of both ends.
Truth to be told one must pay extra attention to notice and let's not forget that the Q3 isn't targeted for critical listening.
So in most cases while on the go or at the office even relaxing at home we have listened to a lot of music of various genres without missing a lot.
The Q3 is full bodied reaching low enough with good impact and layering while offering adequate levels of resolution and detail without compromising a lot.
Midrange is very engaging and higher frequencies are portrayed with a softer tone without rough edges.
The new THX AAA is a marvel helping a lot with great dynamics and fast transient response.
It is very clear and can portray a naturally structured and spacious stage that can do justice to most headphones and iems used.
The single ended output of the Q3 is good enough but rather underpowered and in order to unlock the full potential of it we must use the balanced output.
Not only it offers greater headroom but it also takes advantage of the fully balanced circuit that sounds better with greater technical performance.
Bass boost and filters
The hardware based bass boost is well implemented offering about +6dB of amplification without clouding very much the mid bass or overlapping the other frequencies.
Nice to have for bass lovers or to help lower quality mp3 or YouTube material sound better.
Regarding the two filter settings they mostly affect higher frequencies with the one sounding more firm and well defined and the other more rounded and soft.
Differences are very minimal and due to the lack of a visible indication we can't tell which filter is being used.
Anyway even as such it is good to have in order to tweak the sound a little bit.
Versus the Q1 mark ii
The overall sound signature of the two devices regarding tonality and feeling is quite similar.
Where they mostly differ is in the way the sound is presented from an amping point of view due to the totally different amplifier circuits.
In that regard the Q3 can sound more dynamic , slamming harder and with increased clarity.
Headstage is presented with more air and width plus added separation.
All in all a much improved presentation plus the extra driving power.
Other than that the Q3 supports fast charging through a modern usb C interface and we get the charge on/off button plus the two filters and extended battery duration.
So at the end in our opinion the only case to choose the Q1mkii over the Q3 is for it's lower price or if we need a dedicated line out.
The Q3 is an evolved version of the original Q1 mark ii well worth the slightly higher asking price.
Final thoughts
FiiO's new Q3 has to face strong competition in an already crowded market.
But it really stands out offering great sound combined with a plethora of outputs plus some very useful functions and great build quality at a very competitive price.
So if you are searching for a budget portable battery powered dac/amp in order to improve your mobile sound experience and you crave for an analogue potentiometer then the Q3 is an obvious excellent choice very highly recommended.
Pair it with a great budget iem like FiiO FH3 and be lost in a remarkable musical journey without breaking the bank.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
Preface
Dekoni Audio asked here on Headfi for users willing to test ear pads for various headphones and provide their unbiased impressions.
We have applied and luckily we were selected to test the replacement ear pads for the Sennheiser HD660S so Dekoni Audio kindly provided a pair of our choice free of charge.
The USA based Dekoni Audio is the largest and most well known maker of aftermarket ear pads for various models of headphones.
They also make aftermarket ear tips plus hearing protection ear plugs and some other very useful accessories.
More info can be found at their website https://dekoniaudio.com/
Now what sets Dekoni apart from other similar manufactures is that their ear pads are not just copies of the originals but they are designed with three parameters in mind.
First to offer way better comfort , secondly to be made more durable and thirdly and most important to offer minor corrections and improvements to the sound signature of the applied headphones.
Most ear pads are offered in various versions made from different materials each one providing it's own tuning plus varying in comfort results.
And the best part is that usually all this sound tweaking is supported by frequency measurements so the potential buyer will have an idea what's all about.
For the Sennheiser HD6-- series (plus 58x) we are offered six different replacement ear pads to choose from.
Two are the Choice more budget oriented variant and the other four are from the top tier Elite Series.
Measurements are provided for all the six pads although only for the Sennheiser HD650 but since all the other compatible headphones have well known frequency measurements and comparisons available online it is easy to choose.
Build quality - comfort
We have opted for the Hybrid variant since it is our beloved and we have been using it for years with great success with our Sennheiser HD800 and HD800S.
It is luxuriously made with great care and workmanship featuring velour at the face contact side , sheepskin for the outer part and fenestrated sheepskin for the inner circle.
All this materials engulf a pad of slow rebound memory foam of better quality than the original.
As we have been using the hybrid pads for a few years with our above mentioned headphones we can confirm that they outlast the original ear pads about two times so as you can understand there are way better value since they will not need to be replaced so frequently.
Regarding the specific HD660S hybrid ear pad we thought of it as being more comfortable than the original due to the better touch feeling to the face and the much more roomy inner circle.
It can fit without depressing or touching the ear , something that
happens with the stock pads.
Sound variations
Sound wise we heard some minor but really welcomed differences.
As you can see from the photo the Dekoni pads are a little more deep so they push the driver a bit far away from the ear resulting in a better stage width.
Don't think this as a wow difference but it is there and happily noticed adding more air between the instruments and even better positioning accuracy.
Bass extension is slightly increased and we can hear better layering with improved clarity and detail retrieval with the last being true for all the frequency range.
Finally there is a slight decrease at the upper mids - presence area making for a more natural tonality reducing some echo or glare that it was otherwise present especially with some voices.
At the end
The Dekoni Hybrid ear pads for the Sennheiser HD660S are highly recommended for their increased durability and extra comfort and above all the ability to tweak and fine tune the sound with a welcomed improvement at least for our particular taste.
Don't forget that you can choose from six different offerings to slightly modify your beloved headphones tuning but if you are hardcore fan of the stock sound then go for the original pads.
Postlude
Several members after reading this review have complained being more about comfort than sound.
Well yes and no!
This are replacement ear pads so yes comfort and quality is the first thing to be discussed here.
Then we come to sound and we must understand that ear pads won't buy you a new sounding headphone.
We are talking here about fine tuning , minor tweaks that for someone will be considered as improvements and for some others not.
So people don't expect night and day differences and as it is noted above if you like stock sound then stay with stock pads.
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
Dekoni Audio asked here on Headfi for users willing to test ear pads for various headphones and provide their unbiased impressions.
We have applied and luckily we were selected to test the replacement ear pads for the Sennheiser HD660S so Dekoni Audio kindly provided a pair of our choice free of charge.
The USA based Dekoni Audio is the largest and most well known maker of aftermarket ear pads for various models of headphones.
They also make aftermarket ear tips plus hearing protection ear plugs and some other very useful accessories.
More info can be found at their website https://dekoniaudio.com/
Now what sets Dekoni apart from other similar manufactures is that their ear pads are not just copies of the originals but they are designed with three parameters in mind.
First to offer way better comfort , secondly to be made more durable and thirdly and most important to offer minor corrections and improvements to the sound signature of the applied headphones.
Most ear pads are offered in various versions made from different materials each one providing it's own tuning plus varying in comfort results.
And the best part is that usually all this sound tweaking is supported by frequency measurements so the potential buyer will have an idea what's all about.
For the Sennheiser HD6-- series (plus 58x) we are offered six different replacement ear pads to choose from.
Two are the Choice more budget oriented variant and the other four are from the top tier Elite Series.
Measurements are provided for all the six pads although only for the Sennheiser HD650 but since all the other compatible headphones have well known frequency measurements and comparisons available online it is easy to choose.
Build quality - comfort
We have opted for the Hybrid variant since it is our beloved and we have been using it for years with great success with our Sennheiser HD800 and HD800S.
It is luxuriously made with great care and workmanship featuring velour at the face contact side , sheepskin for the outer part and fenestrated sheepskin for the inner circle.
All this materials engulf a pad of slow rebound memory foam of better quality than the original.
As we have been using the hybrid pads for a few years with our above mentioned headphones we can confirm that they outlast the original ear pads about two times so as you can understand there are way better value since they will not need to be replaced so frequently.
Regarding the specific HD660S hybrid ear pad we thought of it as being more comfortable than the original due to the better touch feeling to the face and the much more roomy inner circle.
It can fit without depressing or touching the ear , something that
happens with the stock pads.
Sound variations
Sound wise we heard some minor but really welcomed differences.
As you can see from the photo the Dekoni pads are a little more deep so they push the driver a bit far away from the ear resulting in a better stage width.
Don't think this as a wow difference but it is there and happily noticed adding more air between the instruments and even better positioning accuracy.
Bass extension is slightly increased and we can hear better layering with improved clarity and detail retrieval with the last being true for all the frequency range.
Finally there is a slight decrease at the upper mids - presence area making for a more natural tonality reducing some echo or glare that it was otherwise present especially with some voices.
At the end
The Dekoni Hybrid ear pads for the Sennheiser HD660S are highly recommended for their increased durability and extra comfort and above all the ability to tweak and fine tune the sound with a welcomed improvement at least for our particular taste.
Don't forget that you can choose from six different offerings to slightly modify your beloved headphones tuning but if you are hardcore fan of the stock sound then go for the original pads.
Postlude
Several members after reading this review have complained being more about comfort than sound.
Well yes and no!
This are replacement ear pads so yes comfort and quality is the first thing to be discussed here.
Then we come to sound and we must understand that ear pads won't buy you a new sounding headphone.
We are talking here about fine tuning , minor tweaks that for someone will be considered as improvements and for some others not.
So people don't expect night and day differences and as it is noted above if you like stock sound then stay with stock pads.
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
John Massaria
I have em for my HD600 and I would not take em off- I love em!
Tripokaridos
Ηχος Sorry do these kind of pads from dekoni are available for Hifimans also ?
Ichos
I don't know , kindly check at their website there is a selection tool.
Tronsmart Apollo Bold TWS
A TWS for the bass lovers
Introduction
To be honest we didn't know anything about Tronsmart and their products until they called out for reviewers here at Headfi for their latest product a budget friendly TWS iem with the name Apollo Bold.
Specs and photos were promising so we applied for the review and luckily we were selected so Tronsmart provided a free sample of Apollo Bold to be reviewed.
Tronsmart Audio never asked for a favorable review or any other kind words.
As always our subjective but honest review is provided below after an extensive testing period.
Apollo Bold TWS
The Apollo Bold is a true wireless stereo plus ear bud with active noise cancellation and a very affordable price of 100€ for the EU market but with the almost always active promo coupon they can be bought as low as 80€.
You can find them at Amazon.de
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Apollo-Bold-Headphones-Cancellation-Microphones/dp/B08C3383B7/
Specifications
Specs are really impressive as the Apollo Bold features a 10mm customized graphene driver driven by the latest Qualcomm flagship QCC5124 chip with aptX , bluetooth 5.0 and 6 microphones together with True wireless Stereo Plus technology and low latency.
True wireless stereo plus means that each unit gets its own signal from the supported device so that there is no master / slave relationship and each one can be used independently to answer calls.
The obvious benefit except for the better sound quality is that when the one ear bud runs out of battery we can use the other one.
Touch control is supported plus an auto pause feature when they are taken out and resume when you put them back in.
Dustproof and waterproof IP45 rating allows for use under all conditions without the risk of damaging the units.
Battery rating is up to 10 hours for the ear buds plus another 30 hours from the charging case which supports quick charging from the usb C port.
Inside the package we find three pairs of ear tips , a carrying pouch and a usb charging cable.
Build quality and fit
The round shaped ear buds are discreet enough and offer a good fit that could be better and more stable if the nozzle was a bit longer.
The supplied ear tips are not enough to tailor the fit and double flanges would be a nice addition.
Weight is about 7g for each unit and 54g with the charging case as for build quality it is very good but not premium made from hard plastic with nice finish and touch really nothing to complain about for the asking price.
Usability and features
The Apollo Bold is supported by a specific application for Android and iOS which allows for OTA firmware upgrades , features a five preset fixed equalizer and offers us the ability to fully customize the touch controls.
The touch control system is pressure free and very responsive so we didn't experience any problems controlling the Apollo Bold.
Connection is very stable but there are some minor problems here and there like for example the ear buds will not automatically reconnect after they are pulled out and then back in to the ears or sometimes manual connection was required after a charging cycle.
Voice assistance is supported and call quality is good and crystal clear both for the caller and the answerer.
The noise cancelling system is a simple on / off one plus an ambient feature and both perform surprisingly well as the first option will effectively block the outside noise by a fair amount of dB and the second will mostly block low frequency noise while allowing for voices and other sounds to be heard.
The music reproduction is not affected with the main effect being some kind of raise to the overall volume we even preferred to listen with the ANC on as in contrast to some other reviewers opinion we thought that it even tightens the bass.
Real life battery is surely lower than the advertised one but still very good as we were able to have about a full 6 hours of mixed usage and with the charging case we didn't need to charge for about 4 days.
Listening to music
The default tuning of the Apollo Bold is with a bass emphasis above the neutral point so we can call them bass heavy.
There is a very full sounding low end with great extension down to the sub bass with great dynamics and rumble.
Now don't expect audiophile quality sound as this isn't the tightest nor the most clear and layered bass performance.
But the good news is that despite the bass amplification there is only a little bleed to the mid-bass and the rest of the frequencies sound surprisingly clear without getting fogged by the bass.
So this is a bassy headphone done well because we can equally experience mid and higher frequencies clarity with ample detail resolution and an airy and spacious presentation.
There is the usually expected loss of high register fidelity due to the bluetooth connection but other than that the Apollo Bold is a well executed basshead ear bud.
But audiophiles don't step away as we managed to fine tune the sound to our liking with the use of the Jazz equalizer preset and the ANC on , managing to have satisfying results at least for on the go listening sessions.
Fine tuning is going to be even better if Tronsmart will offer us a user defined equalizer with a future firmware update.
Compared to the Sennheiser CX 400BT
Compared to the three times more expensive Sennheiser CX 400BT the Apollo Bold manages to stand strong.
For a much lower price we get active noise cancellation with ambient feature , true wireless stereo plus performance , better battery life especially from the charging case and almost the same kind of fit and build quality plus the IP rating.
The Sennheiser on the other hand offers an even balanced and natural tonality with a touch of brightness that is , more stable connection and performance and last but not least a far superior fully customizable equalizer.
So as always judge your needs and budget before the final decision.
Compared to the RHA Trueconnect 2
The RHA is two times more expensive than the Apollo Bold and it's main advantage is that it sounds great despite the lack of aptX codec.
It is the most balanced of the three with a very cohesive presentation and pleasing tonality suitable for all kinds of music.
The other notable features are better IP55 protection and greater battery life especially from the charger but this comes at a cost as it is heavier and bulkier.
The Apollo Bold takes a leap in all the other features as the RHA don't offer active noise cancellation , you can't configure the touch controls or apply equalizer due to the lack of a dedicated application and are a little bulkier because of the extra antenna.
So again judge carefully before you buy.
At the end
The Apollo Bold is not by any means a bad performing TWS ear bud but on the contrary it packs all the features a modern TWS should have for a bargain price.
Surely there is room for performance improvements through future firmware upgrades but the only thing that holds it from being truly outstanding is it's coloured sound signature.
But let's not forget that one person's craziness is another person's reality so if you are a fan of heavy bass presentation this is the TWS to have without breaking the bank and not missing a single feature.
As always rating is according to the asking price.
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
A TWS for the bass lovers
Introduction
To be honest we didn't know anything about Tronsmart and their products until they called out for reviewers here at Headfi for their latest product a budget friendly TWS iem with the name Apollo Bold.
Specs and photos were promising so we applied for the review and luckily we were selected so Tronsmart provided a free sample of Apollo Bold to be reviewed.
Tronsmart Audio never asked for a favorable review or any other kind words.
As always our subjective but honest review is provided below after an extensive testing period.
Apollo Bold TWS
The Apollo Bold is a true wireless stereo plus ear bud with active noise cancellation and a very affordable price of 100€ for the EU market but with the almost always active promo coupon they can be bought as low as 80€.
You can find them at Amazon.de
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Apollo-Bold-Headphones-Cancellation-Microphones/dp/B08C3383B7/
Specifications
Specs are really impressive as the Apollo Bold features a 10mm customized graphene driver driven by the latest Qualcomm flagship QCC5124 chip with aptX , bluetooth 5.0 and 6 microphones together with True wireless Stereo Plus technology and low latency.
True wireless stereo plus means that each unit gets its own signal from the supported device so that there is no master / slave relationship and each one can be used independently to answer calls.
The obvious benefit except for the better sound quality is that when the one ear bud runs out of battery we can use the other one.
Touch control is supported plus an auto pause feature when they are taken out and resume when you put them back in.
Dustproof and waterproof IP45 rating allows for use under all conditions without the risk of damaging the units.
Battery rating is up to 10 hours for the ear buds plus another 30 hours from the charging case which supports quick charging from the usb C port.
Inside the package we find three pairs of ear tips , a carrying pouch and a usb charging cable.
Build quality and fit
The round shaped ear buds are discreet enough and offer a good fit that could be better and more stable if the nozzle was a bit longer.
The supplied ear tips are not enough to tailor the fit and double flanges would be a nice addition.
Weight is about 7g for each unit and 54g with the charging case as for build quality it is very good but not premium made from hard plastic with nice finish and touch really nothing to complain about for the asking price.
Usability and features
The Apollo Bold is supported by a specific application for Android and iOS which allows for OTA firmware upgrades , features a five preset fixed equalizer and offers us the ability to fully customize the touch controls.
The touch control system is pressure free and very responsive so we didn't experience any problems controlling the Apollo Bold.
Connection is very stable but there are some minor problems here and there like for example the ear buds will not automatically reconnect after they are pulled out and then back in to the ears or sometimes manual connection was required after a charging cycle.
Voice assistance is supported and call quality is good and crystal clear both for the caller and the answerer.
The noise cancelling system is a simple on / off one plus an ambient feature and both perform surprisingly well as the first option will effectively block the outside noise by a fair amount of dB and the second will mostly block low frequency noise while allowing for voices and other sounds to be heard.
The music reproduction is not affected with the main effect being some kind of raise to the overall volume we even preferred to listen with the ANC on as in contrast to some other reviewers opinion we thought that it even tightens the bass.
Real life battery is surely lower than the advertised one but still very good as we were able to have about a full 6 hours of mixed usage and with the charging case we didn't need to charge for about 4 days.
Listening to music
The default tuning of the Apollo Bold is with a bass emphasis above the neutral point so we can call them bass heavy.
There is a very full sounding low end with great extension down to the sub bass with great dynamics and rumble.
Now don't expect audiophile quality sound as this isn't the tightest nor the most clear and layered bass performance.
But the good news is that despite the bass amplification there is only a little bleed to the mid-bass and the rest of the frequencies sound surprisingly clear without getting fogged by the bass.
So this is a bassy headphone done well because we can equally experience mid and higher frequencies clarity with ample detail resolution and an airy and spacious presentation.
There is the usually expected loss of high register fidelity due to the bluetooth connection but other than that the Apollo Bold is a well executed basshead ear bud.
But audiophiles don't step away as we managed to fine tune the sound to our liking with the use of the Jazz equalizer preset and the ANC on , managing to have satisfying results at least for on the go listening sessions.
Fine tuning is going to be even better if Tronsmart will offer us a user defined equalizer with a future firmware update.
Compared to the Sennheiser CX 400BT
Compared to the three times more expensive Sennheiser CX 400BT the Apollo Bold manages to stand strong.
For a much lower price we get active noise cancellation with ambient feature , true wireless stereo plus performance , better battery life especially from the charging case and almost the same kind of fit and build quality plus the IP rating.
The Sennheiser on the other hand offers an even balanced and natural tonality with a touch of brightness that is , more stable connection and performance and last but not least a far superior fully customizable equalizer.
So as always judge your needs and budget before the final decision.
Compared to the RHA Trueconnect 2
The RHA is two times more expensive than the Apollo Bold and it's main advantage is that it sounds great despite the lack of aptX codec.
It is the most balanced of the three with a very cohesive presentation and pleasing tonality suitable for all kinds of music.
The other notable features are better IP55 protection and greater battery life especially from the charger but this comes at a cost as it is heavier and bulkier.
The Apollo Bold takes a leap in all the other features as the RHA don't offer active noise cancellation , you can't configure the touch controls or apply equalizer due to the lack of a dedicated application and are a little bulkier because of the extra antenna.
So again judge carefully before you buy.
At the end
The Apollo Bold is not by any means a bad performing TWS ear bud but on the contrary it packs all the features a modern TWS should have for a bargain price.
Surely there is room for performance improvements through future firmware upgrades but the only thing that holds it from being truly outstanding is it's coloured sound signature.
But let's not forget that one person's craziness is another person's reality so if you are a fan of heavy bass presentation this is the TWS to have without breaking the bank and not missing a single feature.
As always rating is according to the asking price.
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
regancipher
The connection problems you are talking about were exactly the same as what I experienced until I upgraded the firmware through the app. That seems to have solved the problem.
Good review - can't argue with any of that. Great comparison with the Sennys
Good review - can't argue with any of that. Great comparison with the Sennys
Ichos
Thank you.
The firmware was updated before the review.
The firmware was updated before the review.
The review sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Do you hate iems penetrating into your ears?
No problem we have the solution for you!
Introduction
Do you remember open fit ear buds?
They were once the only available in - ear headphones that they ruled supreme till the introduction and evolution of the iem's which eventually almost whipped them out.
Well almost because there has always been a small limited audience that continued to prefer them because of their unique ability not to penetrate deep into the ear canal.
Some companies continued to produce ear buds , among them FiiO which has always had an usually entry level model in its catalog.
And suddenly they decided that ear buds users have equal rights to audiophile sound and so they presented us with the EM5.
Behold FiiO EM5
The modern looking and luxurious finished FiiO EM5 is a single dynamic driver ear bud featuring a large 14.2mm beryllium coated diaphragm which is very light and at the same time very rigid.
The beryllium special properties in combination with the long stroke structure of the driver allow for a better bass performance with lower distortion.
The usual disadvantage of ear buds is the early low end roll off and FiiO in order to address this problem they have opted for a unique solution.
Thanks to the special 3D printing manufacturing process the EM5 contains inside a flute inspired acoustic bass tube that acts something like the bass reflex of the speakers and effectively boosts lower frequencies.
The EM5 features a fixed non detachable cable , a choice thoughtfully made by FiiO in order not to compromise the excellent anatomical fit of the ear bud.
The cable itself is a marvel made of high purity sterling silver in litz braiding featuring a twist lock swappable plug that allows us to switch in seconds between 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm heads to cover all possible use scenarios.
A truly unique cable that we would definitely like to see from now on in all the future mid tier and up FiiO iem's.
FiiO suggests that for better sound quality we should use the EM5 with the provided foam ear tips which fine tune the sound and help with the fit.
There are three sets (bass boot , treble enhancing and balanced) with six pairs of tips for each set stored in their own plastic case.
Sadly no ear hooks are included and that's a pity because they help a lot with fitting
Finally an extra leather carrying case (HB3) is included to safely store everything in it.
Listening
Thanks to the new swappable heads cable changing from single ended to balanced was easy as a breeze and we used various dacs and daps like the award winning FiiO M11PRO lately awarded with the EISA prize.
Of course there is no need to use something exotic to drive the EM5 as it will play with everything you have at your disposal thanks to the 32Ω impedance with a high 109dB sensitivity.
Fit and comfort is just excellent as it is to be expected from an open fit ear bud but we should definitely keep in mind that proper fitting is of utmost importance for the sound quality.
So assuming that the EM5 are properly fitted then they sound exceptionally balanced with a pleasant and natural tone full of harmonic richness.
The big surprise was that we actually heard bass yes real bass (not bloated mid bass pretending to be bass) not ever heard in an ear bud so far and we have heard a lot.
Low end extension is good without much roll off with excellent quality characteristics making for a tight and well layered bass with adequate body and fullness.
Of course do not expect subwoofer performance or super intense dynamic behavior , let's not forget that we are talking about an ear bud here , but in real life you are going to enjoy most types of music and most listeners will be satisfied well except the hardcore bass heads.
The mids - that are more or less fit agnostic - stand out as the star of the show with a tastefully done emphasis resulting in a lively and full bodied presentation with a very natural timbre.
Higher above there is enough energy to resolve details clearly and the EM5 sounds airy and transparent with good note extension and decay but never being sharp or sibilant.
With open fit ear buds that we lose in passive noise isolation - that is practically non existent - we gain it in space allocation due to their open nature
And here is where the EM5 really shines with a sound presentation reminiscent of large good open back headphone.
The EM5 has the unique ability to project a spacious and holographic scene with excellent imaging and the correct proportional placement of instrument individuals and groups even during the most complex passages.
A superb performer that will surprise you by the openness and the unique out of the head experience.
The supplied foam ear tips provide some very welcomed fine tuning while they help a lot with the fit of the ear buds.
Let us close the sound impressions by emphasizing once again the importance of the proper fitting since in any other case we will surely experience loss of low end and/or unwanted exaggeration of the higher frequencies.
At the end
Well it just can't get more simple and straight by expressing our honest opinion that to our ears the EM5 is the best audiophile ear bud on the market right now.
At last after so many years of lying into the shadows an almost forgotten headphone species is reborn from its ashes.
We have in our hands an excellent sounding top tier open fit ear bud with a performance that is not that far behind from the same priced iems while in some areas it even surpasses them by a fair margin.
Ear bud devoted friends should rejoice because thanks to FiiO's EM5 you can still enjoy your beloved comfortable fit but this time without any loss of sound quality.
Excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Do you hate iems penetrating into your ears?
No problem we have the solution for you!
Introduction
Do you remember open fit ear buds?
They were once the only available in - ear headphones that they ruled supreme till the introduction and evolution of the iem's which eventually almost whipped them out.
Well almost because there has always been a small limited audience that continued to prefer them because of their unique ability not to penetrate deep into the ear canal.
Some companies continued to produce ear buds , among them FiiO which has always had an usually entry level model in its catalog.
And suddenly they decided that ear buds users have equal rights to audiophile sound and so they presented us with the EM5.
Behold FiiO EM5
The modern looking and luxurious finished FiiO EM5 is a single dynamic driver ear bud featuring a large 14.2mm beryllium coated diaphragm which is very light and at the same time very rigid.
The beryllium special properties in combination with the long stroke structure of the driver allow for a better bass performance with lower distortion.
The usual disadvantage of ear buds is the early low end roll off and FiiO in order to address this problem they have opted for a unique solution.
Thanks to the special 3D printing manufacturing process the EM5 contains inside a flute inspired acoustic bass tube that acts something like the bass reflex of the speakers and effectively boosts lower frequencies.
The EM5 features a fixed non detachable cable , a choice thoughtfully made by FiiO in order not to compromise the excellent anatomical fit of the ear bud.
The cable itself is a marvel made of high purity sterling silver in litz braiding featuring a twist lock swappable plug that allows us to switch in seconds between 2.5mm/3.5mm/4.4mm heads to cover all possible use scenarios.
A truly unique cable that we would definitely like to see from now on in all the future mid tier and up FiiO iem's.
FiiO suggests that for better sound quality we should use the EM5 with the provided foam ear tips which fine tune the sound and help with the fit.
There are three sets (bass boot , treble enhancing and balanced) with six pairs of tips for each set stored in their own plastic case.
Sadly no ear hooks are included and that's a pity because they help a lot with fitting
Finally an extra leather carrying case (HB3) is included to safely store everything in it.
Listening
Thanks to the new swappable heads cable changing from single ended to balanced was easy as a breeze and we used various dacs and daps like the award winning FiiO M11PRO lately awarded with the EISA prize.
Of course there is no need to use something exotic to drive the EM5 as it will play with everything you have at your disposal thanks to the 32Ω impedance with a high 109dB sensitivity.
Fit and comfort is just excellent as it is to be expected from an open fit ear bud but we should definitely keep in mind that proper fitting is of utmost importance for the sound quality.
So assuming that the EM5 are properly fitted then they sound exceptionally balanced with a pleasant and natural tone full of harmonic richness.
The big surprise was that we actually heard bass yes real bass (not bloated mid bass pretending to be bass) not ever heard in an ear bud so far and we have heard a lot.
Low end extension is good without much roll off with excellent quality characteristics making for a tight and well layered bass with adequate body and fullness.
Of course do not expect subwoofer performance or super intense dynamic behavior , let's not forget that we are talking about an ear bud here , but in real life you are going to enjoy most types of music and most listeners will be satisfied well except the hardcore bass heads.
The mids - that are more or less fit agnostic - stand out as the star of the show with a tastefully done emphasis resulting in a lively and full bodied presentation with a very natural timbre.
Higher above there is enough energy to resolve details clearly and the EM5 sounds airy and transparent with good note extension and decay but never being sharp or sibilant.
With open fit ear buds that we lose in passive noise isolation - that is practically non existent - we gain it in space allocation due to their open nature
And here is where the EM5 really shines with a sound presentation reminiscent of large good open back headphone.
The EM5 has the unique ability to project a spacious and holographic scene with excellent imaging and the correct proportional placement of instrument individuals and groups even during the most complex passages.
A superb performer that will surprise you by the openness and the unique out of the head experience.
The supplied foam ear tips provide some very welcomed fine tuning while they help a lot with the fit of the ear buds.
Let us close the sound impressions by emphasizing once again the importance of the proper fitting since in any other case we will surely experience loss of low end and/or unwanted exaggeration of the higher frequencies.
At the end
Well it just can't get more simple and straight by expressing our honest opinion that to our ears the EM5 is the best audiophile ear bud on the market right now.
At last after so many years of lying into the shadows an almost forgotten headphone species is reborn from its ashes.
We have in our hands an excellent sounding top tier open fit ear bud with a performance that is not that far behind from the same priced iems while in some areas it even surpasses them by a fair margin.
Ear bud devoted friends should rejoice because thanks to FiiO's EM5 you can still enjoy your beloved comfortable fit but this time without any loss of sound quality.
Excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020.
Ichos
Thank you very much.
I am glad to because I like the way they fit without deep insertion in the ear.
I am glad to because I like the way they fit without deep insertion in the ear.
ruffandruff
Thanks for this detailed review.
Can you compare the fh9 vs em5? I know they are different form factors, but fh9 being semi open got me curious of its soundstage when compared to em5.
Can you compare the fh9 vs em5? I know they are different form factors, but fh9 being semi open got me curious of its soundstage when compared to em5.
Ichos
@ruffandruff
Thank you very much.
Since this two are different form factors I don't see how I can fit a comparison in the review.
But since I am going to provide detailed description about the soundstage a conclusion would be made easy.
Thank you very much.
Since this two are different form factors I don't see how I can fit a comparison in the review.
But since I am going to provide detailed description about the soundstage a conclusion would be made easy.
A Classic reborn
The review sample was kindly provided by HiFiMan and is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
One of the most beloved headphones of Hifiman with a now legendary status is the original HE400.
As we all may know the headphone have undergone many updates and revisions in order to become more comfortable and portable devices friendly plus some fine tuning adjustments.
The various iterations were the HE400s , the HE400i with the 2.5mm connectors , then the HE400i with the 3.5mm ones and now the latest HE400i 2020 version which is being reviewed here.
HE 400i 2020 version
The very nice looking full black 2020 version is essentially the 3.5mm HE 400i with the new type headband that it was first introduced with the Deva.
The real surprise however is that together with the revision we get a very generous price cut as the cost is now lowered down to 170$ making it the most affordable planar magnetic headphone from Hifiman and maybe the whole market.
The newly designed lightweight headband is a classic type one with added comfort and easily adjustable.
It is made of memory foam with pleather at the outside and allows for the ear cups to swivel freely.
The ear cups are made of polymer ABS material while the asymmetrical removable ear pads are made of pleater and velour.
The weight is very low for a planar headphone at only 370 gr while the build quality is the typical Hifiman good but not the best.
The newly designed detachable cable is terminated with 3.5mm plugs at both ends and it is the only accessory we get plus an 6.35mm adapter.
While it is of better quality than the older design it is still quite bulky and prone to tangling.
The HE400i 2020 version features the same very thin single ended planar magnetic drivers with an impedance of 35 Ω and an 93 dB sensitivity.
Fit and comfort are excellent thanks to the low weight and the roomy ear pads that are very breathable.
We used it for several hours without anything particularly bothering us except perhaps the contact points of the headband which could be a little more anatomical.
Listening tests
We have auditioned the HE 400i 2020 version with various devices among them the FiiO Q1 mark ii and EarMen TR Amp.
Excessive listening tests dictated that despite the high nominal sensitivity of the headphone in real life usage extra current was needed for the HE400i 2020 version to sound at it's best so in our opinion the use of a medium power amp / dac is mandatory.
The general tonal balance of the HE400i is classic Hifiman with a neutral slightly warm sound , good extension to both ends and a little excessive energy at the treble.
A great advantage of the planar magnetic headphones is their low range quantity and quality and the HE400i 2020 is no slouch in this area.
The bass reaches well down almost touching sub bass and it is very tight , well defined with satisfying layering but lags a little bit in body and physical presence as it is more ethereal than visceral.
There is no bleeding at all to the mid bass with the response being ruler flat to the mids. Mids that are crystal clear and very naturally portrayed without emphasis so to be heard as faithful as possible to the recording.
But don't be mistaken as this isn't a clinical presentation but it is rather lively with a great amount of enjoyment.
Those of you who have heard the original HE400 will probably remember that at high frequencies was a little too hot with an added sharpness which could become very annoying.
This is not the case with the current model, which despite some accentuations at the upper mid range area it sounds much more restrained and controlled without being sharp.
There is enough presence and energy with great clarity and satisfying detail retrieval.
Still there is an ethereal touch to the sound and sometimes the headphone can become slightly thin or maybe out of tune due to the faster than needed decay time.
Headstage is one of the best we have heard in this price category and it leaves most of the competition just lagging behind.
Wide and roomy with pinpoint accuracy and ample air for the instruments to breathe it uniquely renders the recording venue while it only lacks in depth and layering when compared to the more expensive models.
The HE400i proved to be a very capable performer for all kinds of music with great precision and transparency although with a rather ethereal and delicate sound to it.
Compared to the Deva
The 40$ more expensive Deva (without the BlueMini) features the same headband , it is 10gr lighter and more sensitive and easier to drive.
Comfort is a little better with the Deva thanks to the larger more breathable ear pads but it is also bulkier with the HE400i offering more snug and discreet fit.
Overall sound signature is quite the same with only marginal differences but that are easily audible.
Bass extension and quantity is the same as is the quality with both headphones sounding clear and layered but the Deva is offering a more visceral presentation with better overall dynamics.
Performance up to the mids is identical with a slight boost for the Deva making for a fuller and warmer sound.
Upper mids are more restrained at the Deva resulting in an easier going presentation but there is a slight emphasis at about 5KHz that some people might find annoying.
The HE400i is slightly more detailed and airy but we thought that the Deva presented micro details better with a more natural and unforced way and the timbre was more to our liking.
Headstage is equally good and enjoyable at both headphones that they really reach well above the competition.
So when it comes down to choosing as always it is a matter of budget and preferences with the cheaper HE400i 2020 version offering a more monitoring and neutral character against the most warm and full bodied Deva.
Last but not least let's not forget that the Deva can be easily transformed to a high quality bluetooth headphone with the addition of the extra BlueMini.
Compared to the Sundara
Sundara is the upper mid range headphone of Hifiman just a step behind the Ananda but it is double the price of HE400i 2020 asking for 170$ more.
Weight is the same as it is comfort , overall appearance and fit but the Sundara still uses the old type self adjustable headband without the extra padding and the freely swiveling ear cups.
Impedance and sensitivity are almost identical and they both require an external amp to sound their best.
Frequency response for both headphones is almost identical up to the mid range but then the Sundara rises up a little with a more emphasis at the higher registers.
As a result we hear more detail and the overall sound is more clear and luminous but although this is not a bright or overly sharp headphone some users may find it fatiguing at the end.
Frequency response of course doesn't tell the whole story and in the case of the Sundara we get a way more refined sound with a better articulated and layered bass , greater dynamics and a more holographic scene with a more physical presentation of the venue.
The Sundara is definitely the HE400i 2020 evolved to a better and more sophisticated headphone.
Comparison synopsis
Hifiman is offering us three great planar headphones with a very good proportional rise to the value to performance ratio.
We spent more and we surely get equally sound benefits to justify the extra expense.
The HE400i 2020 version is an entry level neutral planar magnetic headphone that will satisfy everybody without missing a lot , then by adding 40$ more we buy the Deva with a little better technicalities and a slightly different more warm tuning or by doubling the price we buy the Sundara which is just a step before TOTL with the same neutral tuning but with much increased technical performance and refinement.
So judge carefully your needs and budget and make your pick.
At the end
The Hifiman HE400i (2020 version) thanks to it's improved sound performance and the updated more comfortable headband is in our opinion the best version of the iconic HE400.
At the same time with the new much lowered price this is one of best bargains in the market right now not only as a first step to the planar magnetic world of Hifiman but also as a very competitive mid tier headphone regardless of type.
An excellent budget planar magnetic headphone from Hifiman that definitely deserves to be a part of your collection.
As always rating is a price to performance ratio.
Edit(06/12/20) - After a lot more listening we think that they deserve a half star more so we raised the rating at 4.5/5.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
The review sample was kindly provided by HiFiMan and is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
One of the most beloved headphones of Hifiman with a now legendary status is the original HE400.
As we all may know the headphone have undergone many updates and revisions in order to become more comfortable and portable devices friendly plus some fine tuning adjustments.
The various iterations were the HE400s , the HE400i with the 2.5mm connectors , then the HE400i with the 3.5mm ones and now the latest HE400i 2020 version which is being reviewed here.
HE 400i 2020 version
The very nice looking full black 2020 version is essentially the 3.5mm HE 400i with the new type headband that it was first introduced with the Deva.
The real surprise however is that together with the revision we get a very generous price cut as the cost is now lowered down to 170$ making it the most affordable planar magnetic headphone from Hifiman and maybe the whole market.
The newly designed lightweight headband is a classic type one with added comfort and easily adjustable.
It is made of memory foam with pleather at the outside and allows for the ear cups to swivel freely.
The ear cups are made of polymer ABS material while the asymmetrical removable ear pads are made of pleater and velour.
The weight is very low for a planar headphone at only 370 gr while the build quality is the typical Hifiman good but not the best.
The newly designed detachable cable is terminated with 3.5mm plugs at both ends and it is the only accessory we get plus an 6.35mm adapter.
While it is of better quality than the older design it is still quite bulky and prone to tangling.
The HE400i 2020 version features the same very thin single ended planar magnetic drivers with an impedance of 35 Ω and an 93 dB sensitivity.
Fit and comfort are excellent thanks to the low weight and the roomy ear pads that are very breathable.
We used it for several hours without anything particularly bothering us except perhaps the contact points of the headband which could be a little more anatomical.
Listening tests
We have auditioned the HE 400i 2020 version with various devices among them the FiiO Q1 mark ii and EarMen TR Amp.
Excessive listening tests dictated that despite the high nominal sensitivity of the headphone in real life usage extra current was needed for the HE400i 2020 version to sound at it's best so in our opinion the use of a medium power amp / dac is mandatory.
The general tonal balance of the HE400i is classic Hifiman with a neutral slightly warm sound , good extension to both ends and a little excessive energy at the treble.
A great advantage of the planar magnetic headphones is their low range quantity and quality and the HE400i 2020 is no slouch in this area.
The bass reaches well down almost touching sub bass and it is very tight , well defined with satisfying layering but lags a little bit in body and physical presence as it is more ethereal than visceral.
There is no bleeding at all to the mid bass with the response being ruler flat to the mids. Mids that are crystal clear and very naturally portrayed without emphasis so to be heard as faithful as possible to the recording.
But don't be mistaken as this isn't a clinical presentation but it is rather lively with a great amount of enjoyment.
Those of you who have heard the original HE400 will probably remember that at high frequencies was a little too hot with an added sharpness which could become very annoying.
This is not the case with the current model, which despite some accentuations at the upper mid range area it sounds much more restrained and controlled without being sharp.
There is enough presence and energy with great clarity and satisfying detail retrieval.
Still there is an ethereal touch to the sound and sometimes the headphone can become slightly thin or maybe out of tune due to the faster than needed decay time.
Headstage is one of the best we have heard in this price category and it leaves most of the competition just lagging behind.
Wide and roomy with pinpoint accuracy and ample air for the instruments to breathe it uniquely renders the recording venue while it only lacks in depth and layering when compared to the more expensive models.
The HE400i proved to be a very capable performer for all kinds of music with great precision and transparency although with a rather ethereal and delicate sound to it.
Compared to the Deva
The 40$ more expensive Deva (without the BlueMini) features the same headband , it is 10gr lighter and more sensitive and easier to drive.
Comfort is a little better with the Deva thanks to the larger more breathable ear pads but it is also bulkier with the HE400i offering more snug and discreet fit.
Overall sound signature is quite the same with only marginal differences but that are easily audible.
Bass extension and quantity is the same as is the quality with both headphones sounding clear and layered but the Deva is offering a more visceral presentation with better overall dynamics.
Performance up to the mids is identical with a slight boost for the Deva making for a fuller and warmer sound.
Upper mids are more restrained at the Deva resulting in an easier going presentation but there is a slight emphasis at about 5KHz that some people might find annoying.
The HE400i is slightly more detailed and airy but we thought that the Deva presented micro details better with a more natural and unforced way and the timbre was more to our liking.
Headstage is equally good and enjoyable at both headphones that they really reach well above the competition.
So when it comes down to choosing as always it is a matter of budget and preferences with the cheaper HE400i 2020 version offering a more monitoring and neutral character against the most warm and full bodied Deva.
Last but not least let's not forget that the Deva can be easily transformed to a high quality bluetooth headphone with the addition of the extra BlueMini.
Compared to the Sundara
Sundara is the upper mid range headphone of Hifiman just a step behind the Ananda but it is double the price of HE400i 2020 asking for 170$ more.
Weight is the same as it is comfort , overall appearance and fit but the Sundara still uses the old type self adjustable headband without the extra padding and the freely swiveling ear cups.
Impedance and sensitivity are almost identical and they both require an external amp to sound their best.
Frequency response for both headphones is almost identical up to the mid range but then the Sundara rises up a little with a more emphasis at the higher registers.
As a result we hear more detail and the overall sound is more clear and luminous but although this is not a bright or overly sharp headphone some users may find it fatiguing at the end.
Frequency response of course doesn't tell the whole story and in the case of the Sundara we get a way more refined sound with a better articulated and layered bass , greater dynamics and a more holographic scene with a more physical presentation of the venue.
The Sundara is definitely the HE400i 2020 evolved to a better and more sophisticated headphone.
Comparison synopsis
Hifiman is offering us three great planar headphones with a very good proportional rise to the value to performance ratio.
We spent more and we surely get equally sound benefits to justify the extra expense.
The HE400i 2020 version is an entry level neutral planar magnetic headphone that will satisfy everybody without missing a lot , then by adding 40$ more we buy the Deva with a little better technicalities and a slightly different more warm tuning or by doubling the price we buy the Sundara which is just a step before TOTL with the same neutral tuning but with much increased technical performance and refinement.
So judge carefully your needs and budget and make your pick.
At the end
The Hifiman HE400i (2020 version) thanks to it's improved sound performance and the updated more comfortable headband is in our opinion the best version of the iconic HE400.
At the same time with the new much lowered price this is one of best bargains in the market right now not only as a first step to the planar magnetic world of Hifiman but also as a very competitive mid tier headphone regardless of type.
An excellent budget planar magnetic headphone from Hifiman that definitely deserves to be a part of your collection.
As always rating is a price to performance ratio.
Edit(06/12/20) - After a lot more listening we think that they deserve a half star more so we raised the rating at 4.5/5.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020.
HoJ76
I'm pretty new to the headphone world. I already have a sony mdr 1000x, BeoPlay H6 and Marshall Major v1. Have used a laptop or mobile phone as a source. At the end of this week I also get the Topping dx3 pro which I will use on the headphones.
I have ordered both he400i and akg k701 this week so it can be quite an exciting time ahead.
I have ordered both he400i and akg k701 this week so it can be quite an exciting time ahead.
Tripokaridos
I have MDR 1000x and i had for a whyle the Marshall Major they wasnt comfortable and i return them. Other than that all these headphones that u have are boomy mudded slow on sound in my opinion. With He400i and K700i ( i dont have them but from what i have read) u gone get clarity tighteness and sepperetion but forget about that bass u was used to ... just give them time and u never go back .
Ichos
A that's good the topping will do them justice as the mobile and laptop aren't sufficient.
Edit - After the release of FD3 the rating was lowered to 4.5 stars.
Introduction
The FH3 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
This review reflects my honest and subjective opinion.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
A little while ago, we have tested comparatively the two new entry level iem's of FiiO the FD1 and FH1s, of which we thought that they reach well above their price point with great sound and accessory pack.
The reviews are available here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fh1s.24341/review/24246/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd1.24453/review/24245/
In the meantime FiiO presented us with their new model called FH3 which with it's double the asking price of about 150€ is seated at the top of the entry level category or if you prefer it is the entry model of the FHx category.
Technology inside
The FH3 is a hybrid three drivers iem with a dynamic unit for low frequencies and two balanced armature drivers for the mids and the highs.
It is essentially an upgrade of the all time classic F9 pro combining the best parts of FD1 and FH1s plus a few more improvements.
The low frequencies are handled by a 10mm dynamic driver with a beryllium coated diaphragm which is essentially the same driver found inside the FD1.
This diaphragm is extremely thin and light but at the same time very rigid since beryllium is ¾ lighter than aluminum and four times harder than steel allowing for a thunderous yet lighting quick and dynamic bass.
Two Knowles balanced armature drivers have been used for the medium and high frequencies namely the ED 30262 and the RAD 33518.
FiiO has combined the usual active crossover with a passive one allowing for a better implementation of the three drivers resulting in a more homogeneous sound while the high frequency driver has been placed closer to the ear canal to minimize unwanted reflections.
FiiO's patented S.Turbo technology helps further to improve low frequency performance thanks to it's 41.5mm spiral tube which filters unwanted high frequencies delivering clearer bass.
Another innovation of FiiO is the balanced pressure relief technology.
The FH3 is designed as to ensure that the air pressure between the front and rear chambers is balanced making for a stress free listening.
Build quality and accessories
FH3 shell following the FH series tradition is constructed from aerospace grade aluminum - magnesium alloy rather than celluloid.
CNC precision machining is used to give to the FH3 it's anatomical and aesthetically pleasing design.
Build quality , finish and design are top notch as we are accustomed with FiiO.
The FH3 features a detachable cable with MMCX connectors and a 3.5mm plug.
The material used is high purity monocrystalline silver plated copper and the cable is essentially the LC 3.5B model of FiiO.
The weight of FH3 is 7.3gr per unit and the impedance is 24Ω with a sensitivity of 114dB, a good combination allowing for an easy load while not picking internal noise.
Accessory pack is extra full and we get a hard plastic case plus a neoprene carrying case.
Regarding ear tips there are three categories one for balanced sound , one for enhanced vocals and one for boosted bass with three sizes for each plus two pairs of memory foam tips making for a total of eleven pairs.
Fit and comfort
The FH3 is a bit heavier than the FD1 / FH1s and a little lighter than the FH5.
Fit and comfort for us was excellent thanks to it's light weight and the anatomical non bulky shape.
The FH3 fit snug but without causing discomfort or pain allowing for continuous use and very good passive noise attenuation.
The cable could be better as we found it bulky , quite heavy and difficult to handle but fortunately it doesn't cause any microphonic noise.
Sound impressions
We have listened to the FH3 among others with two of our benchmark portable dacs the FiiO BTR5 and the EarMen Eagle.
The FH3 is quite easy to drive, but responds very well to extra quality and more power so the more you give it the better it will sound.
The FH3 as is the case with all the latest iems from FiiO is very naturally tuned favoring a musical and balanced frequency response without exaggerating at any given part of the spectrum.
Harmonic richness with the correct timbre rendering all the instruments very close to reality.
It is a full bodied fast and dynamic sound with the right amount of note decay sometimes more mature sounding than the FH5 / FH7 approaching in tonality the perfect FA9.
Bass extends down low to the first octave and it is very neutrally tuned without being accentuated and free of mid bass bloat.
It is fast and tight with enough layering to portray multiple bass instruments and notes with ease even during the most complex passages.
The combination of the beryllium coated driver with the S.Turbo technology makes for an explosive and hard hitting bass without any kind of exaggeration.
Thanks to the properly implemented crossover the cohesion of the drivers is very smooth without hearing any artifacts at the transition frequencies.
The crystal clear mids sound very organic well bodied and rounded with a slight emphasis bringing them a small step upfront.
Higher above while there is full energy and enough detail to satisfy , everything is rendered smoothly and without sharpness in an effortless way suitable for long listening sessions without the hint of fatigue.
The FH3 is able to project a wide and airy headstage with good space cues and accurate instrument poisoning but don't expect to hear level depth or holographic sound.
All in all is a very satisfying performance not reaching of course the extra insight levels of the higher priced contenders but it is surely not that far behind.
At the end
Honestly we do not know how FiiO succeeds to do so every time but they have surely managed again to present us with an iem that offers a far greater performance than the asking price would suggest.
The FH3 not only justifies it's double asking price from the entry level iem's but we are now at the point were spending more does not necessarily buy us equally added performance.
We have reached the sweet spot of price to performance ratio were most buyers will be greatly satisfied without the need to spend any more money.
There is a new King in the value oriented mid tier category to reign supreme over all and it is called FiiO FH3.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
Introduction
The FH3 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
This review reflects my honest and subjective opinion.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
A little while ago, we have tested comparatively the two new entry level iem's of FiiO the FD1 and FH1s, of which we thought that they reach well above their price point with great sound and accessory pack.
The reviews are available here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fh1s.24341/review/24246/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd1.24453/review/24245/
In the meantime FiiO presented us with their new model called FH3 which with it's double the asking price of about 150€ is seated at the top of the entry level category or if you prefer it is the entry model of the FHx category.
Technology inside
The FH3 is a hybrid three drivers iem with a dynamic unit for low frequencies and two balanced armature drivers for the mids and the highs.
It is essentially an upgrade of the all time classic F9 pro combining the best parts of FD1 and FH1s plus a few more improvements.
The low frequencies are handled by a 10mm dynamic driver with a beryllium coated diaphragm which is essentially the same driver found inside the FD1.
This diaphragm is extremely thin and light but at the same time very rigid since beryllium is ¾ lighter than aluminum and four times harder than steel allowing for a thunderous yet lighting quick and dynamic bass.
Two Knowles balanced armature drivers have been used for the medium and high frequencies namely the ED 30262 and the RAD 33518.
FiiO has combined the usual active crossover with a passive one allowing for a better implementation of the three drivers resulting in a more homogeneous sound while the high frequency driver has been placed closer to the ear canal to minimize unwanted reflections.
FiiO's patented S.Turbo technology helps further to improve low frequency performance thanks to it's 41.5mm spiral tube which filters unwanted high frequencies delivering clearer bass.
Another innovation of FiiO is the balanced pressure relief technology.
The FH3 is designed as to ensure that the air pressure between the front and rear chambers is balanced making for a stress free listening.
Build quality and accessories
FH3 shell following the FH series tradition is constructed from aerospace grade aluminum - magnesium alloy rather than celluloid.
CNC precision machining is used to give to the FH3 it's anatomical and aesthetically pleasing design.
Build quality , finish and design are top notch as we are accustomed with FiiO.
The FH3 features a detachable cable with MMCX connectors and a 3.5mm plug.
The material used is high purity monocrystalline silver plated copper and the cable is essentially the LC 3.5B model of FiiO.
The weight of FH3 is 7.3gr per unit and the impedance is 24Ω with a sensitivity of 114dB, a good combination allowing for an easy load while not picking internal noise.
Accessory pack is extra full and we get a hard plastic case plus a neoprene carrying case.
Regarding ear tips there are three categories one for balanced sound , one for enhanced vocals and one for boosted bass with three sizes for each plus two pairs of memory foam tips making for a total of eleven pairs.
Fit and comfort
The FH3 is a bit heavier than the FD1 / FH1s and a little lighter than the FH5.
Fit and comfort for us was excellent thanks to it's light weight and the anatomical non bulky shape.
The FH3 fit snug but without causing discomfort or pain allowing for continuous use and very good passive noise attenuation.
The cable could be better as we found it bulky , quite heavy and difficult to handle but fortunately it doesn't cause any microphonic noise.
Sound impressions
We have listened to the FH3 among others with two of our benchmark portable dacs the FiiO BTR5 and the EarMen Eagle.
The FH3 is quite easy to drive, but responds very well to extra quality and more power so the more you give it the better it will sound.
The FH3 as is the case with all the latest iems from FiiO is very naturally tuned favoring a musical and balanced frequency response without exaggerating at any given part of the spectrum.
Harmonic richness with the correct timbre rendering all the instruments very close to reality.
It is a full bodied fast and dynamic sound with the right amount of note decay sometimes more mature sounding than the FH5 / FH7 approaching in tonality the perfect FA9.
Bass extends down low to the first octave and it is very neutrally tuned without being accentuated and free of mid bass bloat.
It is fast and tight with enough layering to portray multiple bass instruments and notes with ease even during the most complex passages.
The combination of the beryllium coated driver with the S.Turbo technology makes for an explosive and hard hitting bass without any kind of exaggeration.
Thanks to the properly implemented crossover the cohesion of the drivers is very smooth without hearing any artifacts at the transition frequencies.
The crystal clear mids sound very organic well bodied and rounded with a slight emphasis bringing them a small step upfront.
Higher above while there is full energy and enough detail to satisfy , everything is rendered smoothly and without sharpness in an effortless way suitable for long listening sessions without the hint of fatigue.
The FH3 is able to project a wide and airy headstage with good space cues and accurate instrument poisoning but don't expect to hear level depth or holographic sound.
All in all is a very satisfying performance not reaching of course the extra insight levels of the higher priced contenders but it is surely not that far behind.
At the end
Honestly we do not know how FiiO succeeds to do so every time but they have surely managed again to present us with an iem that offers a far greater performance than the asking price would suggest.
The FH3 not only justifies it's double asking price from the entry level iem's but we are now at the point were spending more does not necessarily buy us equally added performance.
We have reached the sweet spot of price to performance ratio were most buyers will be greatly satisfied without the need to spend any more money.
There is a new King in the value oriented mid tier category to reign supreme over all and it is called FiiO FH3.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
iBasso IT00 - A little gem
Introduction
The IT00 sample was kindly provided by iBasso and does not need to be returned.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
You can get from here
iBasso needs no introduction as it is now a well establish brand from China , very popular among Headfier's especially for it's excellent and much acclaimed digital audio players like the DX120 or the DX160.
Lately they have ventured into the iem and headphones territory with products like the SR1 , the AM05 or their latest entry level iem the IT00 which is being reviewed here.
Technology
IT00 is a single dynamic driver iem with a diaphragm made of graphene.
Graphene is a form of carbon which has a breaking strength 100 times greater than steel and when used as an earphone diaphragm it is naturally damped by the force of the air.
Graphene's ultra thinness , extreme speed and low distortion of sound waves makes for a material which is extremely suitable to work for audio.
Other than the graphene , iBasso has added a high flux customized magnet to drive the 5μm diaphragm and dual Helmhotz resonators that prohibits standing waves and ensures a full natural sound.
All the above are housed inside a white colored shell made of a special plastic with enhanced acoustical absorption.
It is molded into an anatomical shape with a low weight of 8gr for both the ear pieces.
The IT00 feature a woven detachable cable with MMCX connectors made of high purity OFC cooper and an over the ear wearing style.
The cord length is 1.2m and it is terminated with a 3.5mm plug.
The IT00 is very easy to drive due to its low 16Ω impedance and high sensitivity of 106dB but this characteristics make it susceptible to amp internal noise.
Accessories
The IT00 comes with a beautifully rounded , semi hard portable case of faux leather and inside we find three different types of ear tips with three sizes for each one.
Of special note is that the IT00 is featuring a screw on filter in it's nozzle and we are provided with an extra spare pair in case we need a replacement.
Comfort and build quality
IT00 is very much to out liking with it's white glossy appearance and the shell is very well made with a good finish and female MMCX connectors that they are sturdy fitted.
The cable itself is of a rather average quality seeming that it will not be able to withstand the test of time as it is thin and very prone to tangling.
The cable insertion inside the plugs is a bit loose and fragile as for the ear hook reinforcements they are made poorly with some kind of a plastic heat shrink.
Now we understand that this is an entry level iem but we are a little bit spoiled as other brands offer a tad better cables at the same price point.
Regarding the fit of IT00 we think that it is just great , at least for our ears , with excellent comfort , good insertion and secure positioning making it for very adequate passive noise attenuation.
We were able to use it for hours without a hint of discomfort or sweating.
Listening
We have tested the IT00 with our phone and various entry level to mid priced devices like the FiiO BTR3K , the EarMen Sparrow , the Cyrus soundkey and others.
Our tests dictated that although it is good out of the box running from a phone , it benefits greatly and really shines from a dedicated sound source as it is scales very well.
From the first listening tests it became apparent that we were dealing with a very naturally tuned iem focused on musical pleasure rather a sterile technical approach or a fancy self imposing display.
Overall tonality is natural and not neutral without any annoying peaks or deeps and excellent extension to both ends.
Bass reaches very low down to the first octave with just a bit of emphasis more than being neutral but very tastefully done without bleeding at all into the mid bass.
This is an impactful and dynamic presentation with good overall scale and technicality.
The IT00 can portray with success multi layered low register instruments without loosing it's pace but sometimes we felt that we would like some extra layering , definition and speed.
Care should be taken with ear tip selection because the narrow bore tips can make the bass sound hollow and boomy.
After testing all the supplied tips we ended up using the white ones.
Mid range is for a treat with a nice overall balance , just a hint of needed warmth and crystal clear clarity.
Voice and mid register instruments are presentd very persuasivelly with a lifelike feeling and great proportions to the rest of the mix without being too upfront.
Up higher the performance is exemplary with one of the best tuned treble we have ever heard.
It is the perfect balance between being smooth and detailed , lively without being bright , fast without being offensive.
iBasso have managed to tune the IT00 for long listening sessions even for treble sensitive people without loosing much in technical performance.
Overall decay is just perfect especially at high pitched percussion instruments and as for the headstage it is quite wide , with enough air to breath and good instrument placement.
Don't expect though holographic sound , 3d layering or ultimate detail retrieval and space allocation but then this shouldn't be expected at this price point and the IT00 already manages to reach a lot higher than it's entry level status.
All in all an excellent performing iem with a natural sound , correct and lifelike timbre suitable for long listening sessions and all kinds of music that it is very easy to fall in love with it.
Compared to FiiO FD1 and FH1s
FD1 and FH1s are FiiO's entry level offerings at almost the same asking price.
Build quality and comfort are on the same ballpark with FiiO using a semi transparent celluloid shell which is a little more bulky than the iBasso.
For our ear shape and personal tastes the IT00 is a little more comfortable and better looking with it's compact body but your mileage may vary.
The FiiO's cable is of much better quality regarding the overall construction and the material used but it is the 2 pin plugs rather than the MMCX ones.
Accessories are great for both companies and should be congratulated for their generosity at this price point.
As it is to be expected the three iems have a slight different sound signature and personal tastes will determine the final choice.
All three are naturally tuned without exaggerating their frequency response and with great overall performance reaching higher above their price tag.
Differences are small with the IT00 offering better bass extension and more natural and easy going overall tonality with the better behaved treble of the three.
FD1's bass is more neutrally tuned and it is of better clarity and definition with more in depth layering but whith a little upfront mids and brighter treble.
The FH1s lags behind in the bass department and it is more strident up higher but it posseses better overall clarity and detail retrieval with more airy and accurate headstage.
All three are great but at the end we thought of the IT00 tuned more like good speakers in a room and that kind of signature is more to our personal preference.
You can't go wrong with anyone of them and it is a great achievement for the budget oriented buyer that there are three great iems of different flavor to choose from.
At the end
The iBasso IT00 is an excellent entry level iem naturally tuned with an easy going timbre without lacking much in technical performance.
It reaches well above it's price tag with a great price to sound performance ratio and it is offered in a fully featured package.
We had a great time with it and we must admit that it is our mostly preferred tuning of the entry level category.
An excellent choice very highly recommend with a 5/5 price to performance rating.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros - 2020.
Introduction
The IT00 sample was kindly provided by iBasso and does not need to be returned.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
You can get from here
iBasso needs no introduction as it is now a well establish brand from China , very popular among Headfier's especially for it's excellent and much acclaimed digital audio players like the DX120 or the DX160.
Lately they have ventured into the iem and headphones territory with products like the SR1 , the AM05 or their latest entry level iem the IT00 which is being reviewed here.
Technology
IT00 is a single dynamic driver iem with a diaphragm made of graphene.
Graphene is a form of carbon which has a breaking strength 100 times greater than steel and when used as an earphone diaphragm it is naturally damped by the force of the air.
Graphene's ultra thinness , extreme speed and low distortion of sound waves makes for a material which is extremely suitable to work for audio.
Other than the graphene , iBasso has added a high flux customized magnet to drive the 5μm diaphragm and dual Helmhotz resonators that prohibits standing waves and ensures a full natural sound.
All the above are housed inside a white colored shell made of a special plastic with enhanced acoustical absorption.
It is molded into an anatomical shape with a low weight of 8gr for both the ear pieces.
The IT00 feature a woven detachable cable with MMCX connectors made of high purity OFC cooper and an over the ear wearing style.
The cord length is 1.2m and it is terminated with a 3.5mm plug.
The IT00 is very easy to drive due to its low 16Ω impedance and high sensitivity of 106dB but this characteristics make it susceptible to amp internal noise.
Accessories
The IT00 comes with a beautifully rounded , semi hard portable case of faux leather and inside we find three different types of ear tips with three sizes for each one.
Of special note is that the IT00 is featuring a screw on filter in it's nozzle and we are provided with an extra spare pair in case we need a replacement.
Comfort and build quality
IT00 is very much to out liking with it's white glossy appearance and the shell is very well made with a good finish and female MMCX connectors that they are sturdy fitted.
The cable itself is of a rather average quality seeming that it will not be able to withstand the test of time as it is thin and very prone to tangling.
The cable insertion inside the plugs is a bit loose and fragile as for the ear hook reinforcements they are made poorly with some kind of a plastic heat shrink.
Now we understand that this is an entry level iem but we are a little bit spoiled as other brands offer a tad better cables at the same price point.
Regarding the fit of IT00 we think that it is just great , at least for our ears , with excellent comfort , good insertion and secure positioning making it for very adequate passive noise attenuation.
We were able to use it for hours without a hint of discomfort or sweating.
Listening
We have tested the IT00 with our phone and various entry level to mid priced devices like the FiiO BTR3K , the EarMen Sparrow , the Cyrus soundkey and others.
Our tests dictated that although it is good out of the box running from a phone , it benefits greatly and really shines from a dedicated sound source as it is scales very well.
From the first listening tests it became apparent that we were dealing with a very naturally tuned iem focused on musical pleasure rather a sterile technical approach or a fancy self imposing display.
Overall tonality is natural and not neutral without any annoying peaks or deeps and excellent extension to both ends.
Bass reaches very low down to the first octave with just a bit of emphasis more than being neutral but very tastefully done without bleeding at all into the mid bass.
This is an impactful and dynamic presentation with good overall scale and technicality.
The IT00 can portray with success multi layered low register instruments without loosing it's pace but sometimes we felt that we would like some extra layering , definition and speed.
Care should be taken with ear tip selection because the narrow bore tips can make the bass sound hollow and boomy.
After testing all the supplied tips we ended up using the white ones.
Mid range is for a treat with a nice overall balance , just a hint of needed warmth and crystal clear clarity.
Voice and mid register instruments are presentd very persuasivelly with a lifelike feeling and great proportions to the rest of the mix without being too upfront.
Up higher the performance is exemplary with one of the best tuned treble we have ever heard.
It is the perfect balance between being smooth and detailed , lively without being bright , fast without being offensive.
iBasso have managed to tune the IT00 for long listening sessions even for treble sensitive people without loosing much in technical performance.
Overall decay is just perfect especially at high pitched percussion instruments and as for the headstage it is quite wide , with enough air to breath and good instrument placement.
Don't expect though holographic sound , 3d layering or ultimate detail retrieval and space allocation but then this shouldn't be expected at this price point and the IT00 already manages to reach a lot higher than it's entry level status.
All in all an excellent performing iem with a natural sound , correct and lifelike timbre suitable for long listening sessions and all kinds of music that it is very easy to fall in love with it.
Compared to FiiO FD1 and FH1s
FD1 and FH1s are FiiO's entry level offerings at almost the same asking price.
Build quality and comfort are on the same ballpark with FiiO using a semi transparent celluloid shell which is a little more bulky than the iBasso.
For our ear shape and personal tastes the IT00 is a little more comfortable and better looking with it's compact body but your mileage may vary.
The FiiO's cable is of much better quality regarding the overall construction and the material used but it is the 2 pin plugs rather than the MMCX ones.
Accessories are great for both companies and should be congratulated for their generosity at this price point.
As it is to be expected the three iems have a slight different sound signature and personal tastes will determine the final choice.
All three are naturally tuned without exaggerating their frequency response and with great overall performance reaching higher above their price tag.
Differences are small with the IT00 offering better bass extension and more natural and easy going overall tonality with the better behaved treble of the three.
FD1's bass is more neutrally tuned and it is of better clarity and definition with more in depth layering but whith a little upfront mids and brighter treble.
The FH1s lags behind in the bass department and it is more strident up higher but it posseses better overall clarity and detail retrieval with more airy and accurate headstage.
All three are great but at the end we thought of the IT00 tuned more like good speakers in a room and that kind of signature is more to our personal preference.
You can't go wrong with anyone of them and it is a great achievement for the budget oriented buyer that there are three great iems of different flavor to choose from.
At the end
The iBasso IT00 is an excellent entry level iem naturally tuned with an easy going timbre without lacking much in technical performance.
It reaches well above it's price tag with a great price to sound performance ratio and it is offered in a fully featured package.
We had a great time with it and we must admit that it is our mostly preferred tuning of the entry level category.
An excellent choice very highly recommend with a 5/5 price to performance rating.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros - 2020.
FiiO FD1 & FH1s - A twin's tale
Introduction
This is a comparative review of both FD1 and FH1s as it originally appeared at www.hxosplus.gr and now translated for Headfi.
The FD1 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is under their ownership.
The FH1s was a loaner unit from their Greek distributor.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
FiiO after releasing their top tier FA9 iem (review here https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa9.24424/review/24076/ ) have returned at last to the category that they know perhaps the best of all, that of the entry level value for money iems.
And it does so by presenting us at the same time not with one but with two brand new iems the FD1 and the FH1s with the exact same low selling price of about 75€.
FD1
The FD1 is a single dynamic driver iem featuring a 10mm beryllium plated unit with a N50 dual magnetic circuit that delivers 55% stronger magnetic field than traditional designs resulting in an energetic bass performance and an even full transient performance.
Beryllium is four times harder than steel and ¾ lighter than titanium resulting in a better sense of movement and power.
The FD1 is designed with a gold plated aluminum alloy retaining ring and sound tube providing stable cavity for the audible unit.
The FD1 has an impedance of 32 Ohm with a sensitivity of 109dB and a weight of 4.5g per unit.
FH1s
The FH1s is the evolution of the older FH1, a new dual driver hybrid iem with a larger dynamic 13.6mm unit for the low frequencies and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature unit for the middle and high frequencies.
The diaphragm of the dynamic unit is made of bio polymer material while the high frequency unit is placed closer to the ear canal which reduces high frequency loss and improves treble extension.
The BA driver play it's higher frequencies through a brass sound tube which reduces unwanted resonances.
The impedance of the FH1s is 26 Ohm with a sensitivity of 106db while the weight is 4.3gr per unit.
Sharing the same DNA
And the differences between the two models practically stop here since they share the rest of their features.
Firstly the patented precisely tuned pressure balancing system that equalizes the air pressure between the front and the back of the body greatly enhancing the soundstage and reducing ear fatigue while listening.
Secondly they share exactly the same body and appearance and the only way to distinguish them is the FiiO logo which in FD1 is gold while in FH1s it is silver.
The construction material is layered celluloid, which allows for a precision finish with a custom like fit and low weight.
Thanks to the randomness of the layering procedure every faceplate made has it's on unique appearance.
Both earphones feature the same detachable 2 pin cable made of 120 strands of high purity monocrystalline copper in litz braiding.
The quality is really impressive and we wonder how FiiO has managed to put such a cable at this asking price.
Equally impressive are the accessories included with a hard carrying case and seven pairs of ear tips including a memory foam one.
Sound
The similarities continue in the sound as well as the two earphones have the same overall tuning.
The sound is slightly warm and tonally balanced with a very pleasant signature suitable for continuous listening.
As with FA9 FiiO gladly have opted for a more musical approach favoring natural sound and timbre instead of an analytical and sterile presentation.
Bass extends quite well and can reach low notes without exaggerating or overlapping the rest of the frequency spectrum.
Quality is very satisfying with fast performance and adequate layering even during bussy passages.
Transition to the mids is great without midbass bloat
The middle area is slightly forward helping voices and related instruments sound lifelike with presence but without unwanted coloring.
The highs are crispy rendering details with a very physical manner never sounding analytical or harsh.
Decay is good and instrument timbre is quite natural for the price point.
Clarity is excellent and distortion is kept low even at higher volumes.
The headstage is very enjoyable with enough width and instrument separation but don't expect 3D layering or pinpoint accuracy although it is more than enough for the category.
Dynamic performance is very acceptable and both iems can cope with ease with large symphonic works
Fit and comfort are excellent almost custom like and aided by the low weight both iems are suitable for extended listening sessions.
Cable is tangle free , easy to use and without microphonic noise.
Different temperament
So far the performance is extremely good in both models but let's dig now at the small differences that will make for the final choice.
The FD1 stands out with ease at the low frequencies with more energy higher quality and quantity while being clearly more dynamic better layered and full bodied.
In the middle range the performance is generally the same but the FH1s is sounding a bit fuller and more forward.
The FH1s is the better performer regarding detail retrieval and is offering a more airy presentation with finer nuances.
Transient response is a little bit faster as is the decay of higher pitched instruments with the side effect of a little artificial sounding.
Headstage is just a bit more accurate with better instrument placement and a sense of extra breath but some users may find it a little bit dry for their tastes.
The differences we are talking here are small but enough to define two separate personalities with the same tonal identity.
At the end
FiiO's FD1 and FH1s are the same blooded twin brothers who share DNA but with two different temperaments.
Both are excellent performers in every way reaching well above their price point and are offered in a fully loaded package without anything missing.
They are one of the best values on the market right now, a top offer from FiiO in the introductory category and unreservedly recommended for a blind folded purchase.
FiiO has redefined the category raising the bar too high writing the rules from the beginning and clearly stating that low on budget doesn't mean in any way low on performance.
Just excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
Introduction
This is a comparative review of both FD1 and FH1s as it originally appeared at www.hxosplus.gr and now translated for Headfi.
The FD1 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is under their ownership.
The FH1s was a loaner unit from their Greek distributor.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
FiiO after releasing their top tier FA9 iem (review here https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa9.24424/review/24076/ ) have returned at last to the category that they know perhaps the best of all, that of the entry level value for money iems.
And it does so by presenting us at the same time not with one but with two brand new iems the FD1 and the FH1s with the exact same low selling price of about 75€.
FD1
The FD1 is a single dynamic driver iem featuring a 10mm beryllium plated unit with a N50 dual magnetic circuit that delivers 55% stronger magnetic field than traditional designs resulting in an energetic bass performance and an even full transient performance.
Beryllium is four times harder than steel and ¾ lighter than titanium resulting in a better sense of movement and power.
The FD1 is designed with a gold plated aluminum alloy retaining ring and sound tube providing stable cavity for the audible unit.
The FD1 has an impedance of 32 Ohm with a sensitivity of 109dB and a weight of 4.5g per unit.
FH1s
The FH1s is the evolution of the older FH1, a new dual driver hybrid iem with a larger dynamic 13.6mm unit for the low frequencies and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature unit for the middle and high frequencies.
The diaphragm of the dynamic unit is made of bio polymer material while the high frequency unit is placed closer to the ear canal which reduces high frequency loss and improves treble extension.
The BA driver play it's higher frequencies through a brass sound tube which reduces unwanted resonances.
The impedance of the FH1s is 26 Ohm with a sensitivity of 106db while the weight is 4.3gr per unit.
Sharing the same DNA
And the differences between the two models practically stop here since they share the rest of their features.
Firstly the patented precisely tuned pressure balancing system that equalizes the air pressure between the front and the back of the body greatly enhancing the soundstage and reducing ear fatigue while listening.
Secondly they share exactly the same body and appearance and the only way to distinguish them is the FiiO logo which in FD1 is gold while in FH1s it is silver.
The construction material is layered celluloid, which allows for a precision finish with a custom like fit and low weight.
Thanks to the randomness of the layering procedure every faceplate made has it's on unique appearance.
Both earphones feature the same detachable 2 pin cable made of 120 strands of high purity monocrystalline copper in litz braiding.
The quality is really impressive and we wonder how FiiO has managed to put such a cable at this asking price.
Equally impressive are the accessories included with a hard carrying case and seven pairs of ear tips including a memory foam one.
Sound
The similarities continue in the sound as well as the two earphones have the same overall tuning.
The sound is slightly warm and tonally balanced with a very pleasant signature suitable for continuous listening.
As with FA9 FiiO gladly have opted for a more musical approach favoring natural sound and timbre instead of an analytical and sterile presentation.
Bass extends quite well and can reach low notes without exaggerating or overlapping the rest of the frequency spectrum.
Quality is very satisfying with fast performance and adequate layering even during bussy passages.
Transition to the mids is great without midbass bloat
The middle area is slightly forward helping voices and related instruments sound lifelike with presence but without unwanted coloring.
The highs are crispy rendering details with a very physical manner never sounding analytical or harsh.
Decay is good and instrument timbre is quite natural for the price point.
Clarity is excellent and distortion is kept low even at higher volumes.
The headstage is very enjoyable with enough width and instrument separation but don't expect 3D layering or pinpoint accuracy although it is more than enough for the category.
Dynamic performance is very acceptable and both iems can cope with ease with large symphonic works
Fit and comfort are excellent almost custom like and aided by the low weight both iems are suitable for extended listening sessions.
Cable is tangle free , easy to use and without microphonic noise.
Different temperament
So far the performance is extremely good in both models but let's dig now at the small differences that will make for the final choice.
The FD1 stands out with ease at the low frequencies with more energy higher quality and quantity while being clearly more dynamic better layered and full bodied.
In the middle range the performance is generally the same but the FH1s is sounding a bit fuller and more forward.
The FH1s is the better performer regarding detail retrieval and is offering a more airy presentation with finer nuances.
Transient response is a little bit faster as is the decay of higher pitched instruments with the side effect of a little artificial sounding.
Headstage is just a bit more accurate with better instrument placement and a sense of extra breath but some users may find it a little bit dry for their tastes.
The differences we are talking here are small but enough to define two separate personalities with the same tonal identity.
At the end
FiiO's FD1 and FH1s are the same blooded twin brothers who share DNA but with two different temperaments.
Both are excellent performers in every way reaching well above their price point and are offered in a fully loaded package without anything missing.
They are one of the best values on the market right now, a top offer from FiiO in the introductory category and unreservedly recommended for a blind folded purchase.
FiiO has redefined the category raising the bar too high writing the rules from the beginning and clearly stating that low on budget doesn't mean in any way low on performance.
Just excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
Vamp898
1/2 First of all, the XBA-Z5 is also an old style design from 2014 and still is a flagship that sells for ~570€ and beats pretty much everything in its price range.
Age is not an measurements for sound quality, not a lot has changed since 2014. The XBA-Z5 uses technologies like an aluminium coated LCP or an magnesium diaphragm BA even more expensive 2021 flagships don't have.
Of course it is my personal opinion and there are people who don't like the EX650, as there are people who don't like the FH1s. It still is a matter of taste in the end.
I personally don't care about detachable cables, I care about sound quality. An 50€ In-Ear doesn't need an detachable Cable, what for?
Good cables, even from FiiO, cost 50-100€.
Who buys a 50€ cables for an 50€ In-Ear?
50€ In-Ear are cheap and simple replacements for free buds that will just do their job.
Age is not an measurements for sound quality, not a lot has changed since 2014. The XBA-Z5 uses technologies like an aluminium coated LCP or an magnesium diaphragm BA even more expensive 2021 flagships don't have.
Of course it is my personal opinion and there are people who don't like the EX650, as there are people who don't like the FH1s. It still is a matter of taste in the end.
I personally don't care about detachable cables, I care about sound quality. An 50€ In-Ear doesn't need an detachable Cable, what for?
Good cables, even from FiiO, cost 50-100€.
Who buys a 50€ cables for an 50€ In-Ear?
50€ In-Ear are cheap and simple replacements for free buds that will just do their job.
Vamp898
2/2
> Back in 2014 these would sell easily €200+.
Absolutely not. The XBA-A2 is from 2014 and is better than the FH1s in every single aspect, including the used technology and sold for around 200€. It even had an LCP diaphragm and 2 BA
Even the ~100€ XBA-A1 from 2014 is better in most aspects. Not in all, but most.
It is nice that Chi-Fi is bringing more people into the audiophile game, but excellent all-BA and hybrid IEM like the XBA-4 and XBA-H3 already exists back in 2013 and the XBA-Z5, that is still relevant to this day and sells as a flagship, is from 2014.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Earphones-Compatible-Detachable-Balance-Connection-XBA-Z5/dp/B00NW3591W/
> Back in 2014 these would sell easily €200+.
Absolutely not. The XBA-A2 is from 2014 and is better than the FH1s in every single aspect, including the used technology and sold for around 200€. It even had an LCP diaphragm and 2 BA
Even the ~100€ XBA-A1 from 2014 is better in most aspects. Not in all, but most.
It is nice that Chi-Fi is bringing more people into the audiophile game, but excellent all-BA and hybrid IEM like the XBA-4 and XBA-H3 already exists back in 2013 and the XBA-Z5, that is still relevant to this day and sells as a flagship, is from 2014.
https://www.amazon.co.jp/Earphones-Compatible-Detachable-Balance-Connection-XBA-Z5/dp/B00NW3591W/
Ichos
BTW, do you own the FH1s?
I don't have experience with the earphones you mention and I don't think that I need to compare with everyone's iem of choice that he currently owns or used to own.
You are talking about discontinued products.
Sorry that I can't help anymore.
BTW, I used to own the Sony MDR-EX650AP and I don't remember something special about it.
Got sold really fast.
I don't have experience with the earphones you mention and I don't think that I need to compare with everyone's iem of choice that he currently owns or used to own.
You are talking about discontinued products.
Sorry that I can't help anymore.
BTW, I used to own the Sony MDR-EX650AP and I don't remember something special about it.
Got sold really fast.
FiiO FD1 & FH1s - A twin's tale
Edit - After the release of the FD3 rating was lowered to 4 stars.
Introduction
This is a comparative review of both FD1 and FH1s as it originally appeared at www.hxosplus.gr and now translated for Headfi.
The FD1 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
The FH1s was a loaner from their Greek distributor.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
FiiO after releasing their top tier FA9 iem (review here https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa9.24424/review/24076/ ) have returned at last to the category that they know perhaps the best of all, that of the entry level value for money iems.
And it does so by presenting us at the same time not with one but with two brand new iems the FD1 and the FH1s with the exact same low selling price of about 75€.
FD1
The FD1 is a single dynamic driver iem featuring a 10mm beryllium plated unit with a N50 dual magnetic circuit that delivers 55% stronger magnetic field than traditional designs resulting in an energetic bass performance and an even full transient performance.
Beryllium is four times harder than steel and ¾ lighter than titanium resulting in a better sense of movement and power.
The FD1 is designed with a gold plated aluminum alloy retaining ring and sound tube providing stable cavity for the audible unit.
The FD1 has an impedance of 32 Ohm with a sensitivity of 109dB and a weight of 4.5g per unit.
FH1s
The FH1s is the evolution of the older FH1, a new dual driver hybrid iem with a larger dynamic 13.6mm unit for the low frequencies and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature unit for the middle and high frequencies.
The diaphragm of the dynamic unit is made of bio polymer material while the high frequency unit is placed closer to the ear canal which reduces high frequency loss and improves treble extension.
The BA driver play it's higher frequencies through a brass sound tube which reduces unwanted resonances.
The impedance of the FH1s is 26 Ohm with a sensitivity of 106db while the weight is 4.3gr per unit.
Sharing the same DNA
And the differences between the two models practically stop here since they share the rest of their features.
Firstly the patented precisely tuned pressure balancing system that equalizes the air pressure between the front and the back of the body greatly enhancing the soundstage and reducing ear fatigue while listening.
Secondly they share exactly the same body and appearance and the only way to distinguish them is the FiiO logo which in FD1 is gold while in FH1s it is silver.
The construction material is layered celluloid, which allows for a precision finish with a custom like fit and low weight.
Thanks to the randomness of the layering procedure every faceplate made has it's on unique appearance.
Both earphones feature the same detachable 2 pin cable made of 120 strands of high purity monocrystalline copper in litz braiding.
The quality is really impressive and we wonder how FiiO has managed to put such a cable at this asking price.
Equally impressive are the accessories included with a hard carrying case and seven pairs of ear tips including a memory foam one.
Sound
The similarities continue in the sound as well as the two earphones have the same overall tuning.
The sound is slightly warm and tonally balanced with a very pleasant signature suitable for continuous listening.
As with FA9 FiiO gladly have opted for a more musical approach favoring natural sound and timbre instead of an analytical and sterile presentation.
Bass extends quite well and can reach low notes without exaggerating or overlapping the rest of the frequency spectrum.
Quality is very satisfying with fast performance and adequate layering even during bussy passages.
Transition to the mids is great without midbass bloat
The middle area is slightly forward helping voices and related instruments sound lifelike with presence but without unwanted coloring.
The highs are crispy rendering details with a very physical manner never sounding analytical or harsh.
Decay is good and instrument timbre is quite natural for the price point.
Clarity is excellent and distortion is kept low even at higher volumes.
The headstage is very enjoyable with enough width and instrument separation but don't expect 3D layering or pinpoint accuracy although it is more than enough for the category.
Dynamic performance is very acceptable and both iems can cope with ease with large symphonic works
Fit and comfort are excellent almost custom like and aided by the low weight both iems are suitable for extended listening sessions.
Cable is tangle free , easy to use and without microphonic noise.
Different temperament
So far the performance is extremely good in both models but let's dig now at the small differences that will make for the final choice.
The FD1 stands out with ease at the low frequencies with more energy higher quality and quantity while being clearly more dynamic better layered and full bodied.
In the middle range the performance is generally the same but the FH1s is sounding a bit fuller and more forward.
The FH1s is the better performer regarding detail retrieval and is offering a more airy presentation with finer nuances.
Transient response is a little bit faster as is the decay of higher pitched instruments with the side effect of a little artificial sound.
Headstage is just a bit more accurate with better instrument placement and a sense of extra breath but some users may find it a little bit dry for their tastes.
The differences we are talking here are small but enough to define two separate personalities with the same tonal identity.
At the end
FiiO's FD1 and FH1s are the same blooded twin brothers who share DNA but with two different temperaments.
Both are excellent performers in every way reaching well above their price point and are offered in a fully loaded package without anything missing.
They are one of the best values on the market right now, a top offer from FiiO in the introductory category and unreservedly recommended for a blind folded purchase.
FiiO has redefined the category raising the bar too high writing the rules from the beginning and clearly stating that low on budget doesn't mean in any way low on performance.
Just excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
Edit - After the release of the FD3 rating was lowered to 4 stars.
Introduction
This is a comparative review of both FD1 and FH1s as it originally appeared at www.hxosplus.gr and now translated for Headfi.
The FD1 sample was kindly provided by FiiO and is still under their ownership.
The FH1s was a loaner from their Greek distributor.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
FiiO after releasing their top tier FA9 iem (review here https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fa9.24424/review/24076/ ) have returned at last to the category that they know perhaps the best of all, that of the entry level value for money iems.
And it does so by presenting us at the same time not with one but with two brand new iems the FD1 and the FH1s with the exact same low selling price of about 75€.
FD1
The FD1 is a single dynamic driver iem featuring a 10mm beryllium plated unit with a N50 dual magnetic circuit that delivers 55% stronger magnetic field than traditional designs resulting in an energetic bass performance and an even full transient performance.
Beryllium is four times harder than steel and ¾ lighter than titanium resulting in a better sense of movement and power.
The FD1 is designed with a gold plated aluminum alloy retaining ring and sound tube providing stable cavity for the audible unit.
The FD1 has an impedance of 32 Ohm with a sensitivity of 109dB and a weight of 4.5g per unit.
FH1s
The FH1s is the evolution of the older FH1, a new dual driver hybrid iem with a larger dynamic 13.6mm unit for the low frequencies and a Knowles 33518 balanced armature unit for the middle and high frequencies.
The diaphragm of the dynamic unit is made of bio polymer material while the high frequency unit is placed closer to the ear canal which reduces high frequency loss and improves treble extension.
The BA driver play it's higher frequencies through a brass sound tube which reduces unwanted resonances.
The impedance of the FH1s is 26 Ohm with a sensitivity of 106db while the weight is 4.3gr per unit.
Sharing the same DNA
And the differences between the two models practically stop here since they share the rest of their features.
Firstly the patented precisely tuned pressure balancing system that equalizes the air pressure between the front and the back of the body greatly enhancing the soundstage and reducing ear fatigue while listening.
Secondly they share exactly the same body and appearance and the only way to distinguish them is the FiiO logo which in FD1 is gold while in FH1s it is silver.
The construction material is layered celluloid, which allows for a precision finish with a custom like fit and low weight.
Thanks to the randomness of the layering procedure every faceplate made has it's on unique appearance.
Both earphones feature the same detachable 2 pin cable made of 120 strands of high purity monocrystalline copper in litz braiding.
The quality is really impressive and we wonder how FiiO has managed to put such a cable at this asking price.
Equally impressive are the accessories included with a hard carrying case and seven pairs of ear tips including a memory foam one.
Sound
The similarities continue in the sound as well as the two earphones have the same overall tuning.
The sound is slightly warm and tonally balanced with a very pleasant signature suitable for continuous listening.
As with FA9 FiiO gladly have opted for a more musical approach favoring natural sound and timbre instead of an analytical and sterile presentation.
Bass extends quite well and can reach low notes without exaggerating or overlapping the rest of the frequency spectrum.
Quality is very satisfying with fast performance and adequate layering even during bussy passages.
Transition to the mids is great without midbass bloat
The middle area is slightly forward helping voices and related instruments sound lifelike with presence but without unwanted coloring.
The highs are crispy rendering details with a very physical manner never sounding analytical or harsh.
Decay is good and instrument timbre is quite natural for the price point.
Clarity is excellent and distortion is kept low even at higher volumes.
The headstage is very enjoyable with enough width and instrument separation but don't expect 3D layering or pinpoint accuracy although it is more than enough for the category.
Dynamic performance is very acceptable and both iems can cope with ease with large symphonic works
Fit and comfort are excellent almost custom like and aided by the low weight both iems are suitable for extended listening sessions.
Cable is tangle free , easy to use and without microphonic noise.
Different temperament
So far the performance is extremely good in both models but let's dig now at the small differences that will make for the final choice.
The FD1 stands out with ease at the low frequencies with more energy higher quality and quantity while being clearly more dynamic better layered and full bodied.
In the middle range the performance is generally the same but the FH1s is sounding a bit fuller and more forward.
The FH1s is the better performer regarding detail retrieval and is offering a more airy presentation with finer nuances.
Transient response is a little bit faster as is the decay of higher pitched instruments with the side effect of a little artificial sound.
Headstage is just a bit more accurate with better instrument placement and a sense of extra breath but some users may find it a little bit dry for their tastes.
The differences we are talking here are small but enough to define two separate personalities with the same tonal identity.
At the end
FiiO's FD1 and FH1s are the same blooded twin brothers who share DNA but with two different temperaments.
Both are excellent performers in every way reaching well above their price point and are offered in a fully loaded package without anything missing.
They are one of the best values on the market right now, a top offer from FiiO in the introductory category and unreservedly recommended for a blind folded purchase.
FiiO has redefined the category raising the bar too high writing the rules from the beginning and clearly stating that low on budget doesn't mean in any way low on performance.
Just excellent.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
Ichos
Yeah , I am the sole owner of my written review.
You are not allowed to repost , copy etc without my permission.
Journalist rights you know?
There are a lot of people out there that copy paste other people's hard efforts.
This is a reviewer with a name and not somebody hidden behind a nickname.
You are not allowed to repost , copy etc without my permission.
Journalist rights you know?
There are a lot of people out there that copy paste other people's hard efforts.
This is a reviewer with a name and not somebody hidden behind a nickname.
Fahmi Misbah Bangsar
Hi There , how this FD1 compared to Tin T4
Ichos
Hi there, unfortunately I have never tested the Tin T4.
FiiO FA9 - Chameleon
This review was published at the printed edition of hxosplus magazine and now I have translated it for Headfi.
The sample was kindly provided by FiiO and remains under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of the earphone.
You can buy it from FiiO.eu
Introduction
FiiO currently has two series of premium in ear monitors the FH where "H" indicates that it is a hybrid headset and the FA where "A" indicates that all units of the headset are of the balanced armature type.
The top model - so far - of the first series is the FH7 while the brand new FA9 is the flagship of the FA series.
The FA9 is an iem with six units of balanced armature drivers two more than the previous model the FA7.
Two pieces (SWFK 31376) for the very high and high frequencies, two (EJ 33877) for the medium and two (HODVTEC 31618) woofers for the low all made by the famous Knowles and specially configured for the specific needs of FiiO.
In addition to the necessary four-way electronic crossover, FiiO has added to the FA9 an extra long 80.6mm sound tube which acts as a passive low-pass filter and ensures the proper homogenization of the sound of the individual units as well as the better behavior of the low frequencies.
Tuning system
We all know that the FH7 sports the ability to micro adjust the audio profile through a passive filter that screws into the nozzle of the iem.
This feature also exists in FA9, only here FiiO has taken a completely different approach.
The passive filter has been replaced by three micro-switches located on the body of the iem that directly interfere with the operation of the electronic crossover by changing its frequency response.
The first switch adjusts the impedance and sensitivity of the FA9 with two available values - 16Ω / 110dB for ease of driving with the disadvantage of noise sensitivity or 32Ω / 113dB for more stable and clear sound.
The second and third switches are the ones that regulate the cut off frequencies of the crossover.
There are two working options for each one while all combinations are possible so we are talking about four separate sound profiles.
Switch two on is treble boost while off is treble normal.
Switch three on is reduced bass and increased mids while off is increased bass and reduced mids.
Add to this the two positions of the first switch and we have at all eight possible configurations to fine tune the FA9 to our taste.
Build quality
The outer shell is made with the method of 4th generation DLP 3D printing with the advantages of being very light at 6.2g per unit plus the ultra compact anatomical shape for a perfect fit like a custom monitor.
Particular attention has been paid to the choice of the construction material that is a special plastic made in Germany with a medical certification for its anti-allergic properties and discoloration resistance.
Accessories and cable
The cable that comes with the FA9 is of high quality with reinforced MMCX connectors and eight - hand woven - strands of high purity monocrystalline silver plated copper.
As we are accustomed with FiiO the accessories provided are more than enough.
We get 15 pairs of sound adjusting ear tips including Comply and Spinfits plus two carrying cases.
One luxury storage hard case with self closing cover padded with faux leather and one soft carrying case from neoprene.
A special tool for cleaning and adjusting the micro switches is also provided.
Now we are nitpicking here but at this price point a second balanced cable would be greatly welcomed.
Into the sound
The fit and comfort are extremely good - much better than the FH5/7 or the FA7 - with negligible weight and no inconvenience in long term use and excellent passive noise attenuation.
It is a custom like experience one of the best we have ever tested.
The FA9 is very easy to drive at any given position of the first switch and we have opted for the 32Ω variant when we used two of our benchmark devices the FiiO M11PRO and EarMen Sparrow.
After trying all the possible sound profiles we ended up listening mainly with the switch two set to off and three to on since it seemed to be the most tonally correct combination.
In this setup the FA9 sounded very balanced with an even frequency response quite close to the ideal.
A very natural (not neutral) tone presentation throughout the whole spectrum and with an excellent instrument timbre , areas in which it is better than both the FA7 and the FH7.
The right amount on the bass without never feeling that something is missing in balance with the rest of the spectrum.
All acoustic bass instruments are rendered perfectly and bass heads can use the bass boost option to emphasize it a little.
Quality is good with very satisfying layering and excellent definition but it lacks a bit in slam compared to a good dynamic driver but then it compensates with the total lack of distortion even at very loud volume settings.
The middle area sounds crystal clear and with the right articulation and voicing.
There is a smooth emphasis as needed so that there is liveliness without ever sounding tedious or out of tune.
High frequencies are masterfully tuned the best we have ever heard from a FiiO iem till now.
The FA9 has the liveliness and speed that characterize the balanced armature drivers and it sounds very tonally accurate without being sibilant or bright.
We can hear all the fine nuances and micro details in perfect harmony with the whole presentation without being sterile or analytical.
Driver speed is excellent and the decay over time is very good resulting in a very natural sounding percussion and high pitched instruments.
If we would like to complain about something that would be the lack of ultimate dynamic behavior and the slight absence of body and 3d layering.
The stage is quite open and airy able to present dense music tracks with success but we thought that it lacked in spatial accuracy and pinpoint positioning.
Despite that few shortcomings mentioned above we found the whole presentation very satisfying with high levels of enjoyment without severely lacking in technical ability and above all with a great natural tonal accuracy.
The active crossover equalization system works very well and enables the user to fine tune the FA9 without exaggeration and above all without loss of total quality.
A very smart and well implemented idea from FiiO allows the FA9 to adjust to our personal tastes like a Chameleon.
At the end
The FiiO FA9 is a step up in the right direction as it is a much improved version of the FA7 and in some ways even better than the FH7.
In our opinion it is the best tuned iem of FiiO till now with excellent sound qualities able to rendered perfectly all kinds of music.
Add to this the perfect custom like fit with great noise attenuation and above all the unique and very successful fine tuning system and we got in our hands a clear winner.
FiiO once more again have surpassed their selves and we wonder what is coming next.
Very highly recommend especially if you value natural tonal accuracy.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020.
This review was published at the printed edition of hxosplus magazine and now I have translated it for Headfi.
The sample was kindly provided by FiiO and remains under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of the earphone.
You can buy it from FiiO.eu
Introduction
FiiO currently has two series of premium in ear monitors the FH where "H" indicates that it is a hybrid headset and the FA where "A" indicates that all units of the headset are of the balanced armature type.
The top model - so far - of the first series is the FH7 while the brand new FA9 is the flagship of the FA series.
The FA9 is an iem with six units of balanced armature drivers two more than the previous model the FA7.
Two pieces (SWFK 31376) for the very high and high frequencies, two (EJ 33877) for the medium and two (HODVTEC 31618) woofers for the low all made by the famous Knowles and specially configured for the specific needs of FiiO.
In addition to the necessary four-way electronic crossover, FiiO has added to the FA9 an extra long 80.6mm sound tube which acts as a passive low-pass filter and ensures the proper homogenization of the sound of the individual units as well as the better behavior of the low frequencies.
Tuning system
We all know that the FH7 sports the ability to micro adjust the audio profile through a passive filter that screws into the nozzle of the iem.
This feature also exists in FA9, only here FiiO has taken a completely different approach.
The passive filter has been replaced by three micro-switches located on the body of the iem that directly interfere with the operation of the electronic crossover by changing its frequency response.
The first switch adjusts the impedance and sensitivity of the FA9 with two available values - 16Ω / 110dB for ease of driving with the disadvantage of noise sensitivity or 32Ω / 113dB for more stable and clear sound.
The second and third switches are the ones that regulate the cut off frequencies of the crossover.
There are two working options for each one while all combinations are possible so we are talking about four separate sound profiles.
Switch two on is treble boost while off is treble normal.
Switch three on is reduced bass and increased mids while off is increased bass and reduced mids.
Add to this the two positions of the first switch and we have at all eight possible configurations to fine tune the FA9 to our taste.
Build quality
The outer shell is made with the method of 4th generation DLP 3D printing with the advantages of being very light at 6.2g per unit plus the ultra compact anatomical shape for a perfect fit like a custom monitor.
Particular attention has been paid to the choice of the construction material that is a special plastic made in Germany with a medical certification for its anti-allergic properties and discoloration resistance.
Accessories and cable
The cable that comes with the FA9 is of high quality with reinforced MMCX connectors and eight - hand woven - strands of high purity monocrystalline silver plated copper.
As we are accustomed with FiiO the accessories provided are more than enough.
We get 15 pairs of sound adjusting ear tips including Comply and Spinfits plus two carrying cases.
One luxury storage hard case with self closing cover padded with faux leather and one soft carrying case from neoprene.
A special tool for cleaning and adjusting the micro switches is also provided.
Now we are nitpicking here but at this price point a second balanced cable would be greatly welcomed.
Into the sound
The fit and comfort are extremely good - much better than the FH5/7 or the FA7 - with negligible weight and no inconvenience in long term use and excellent passive noise attenuation.
It is a custom like experience one of the best we have ever tested.
The FA9 is very easy to drive at any given position of the first switch and we have opted for the 32Ω variant when we used two of our benchmark devices the FiiO M11PRO and EarMen Sparrow.
After trying all the possible sound profiles we ended up listening mainly with the switch two set to off and three to on since it seemed to be the most tonally correct combination.
In this setup the FA9 sounded very balanced with an even frequency response quite close to the ideal.
A very natural (not neutral) tone presentation throughout the whole spectrum and with an excellent instrument timbre , areas in which it is better than both the FA7 and the FH7.
The right amount on the bass without never feeling that something is missing in balance with the rest of the spectrum.
All acoustic bass instruments are rendered perfectly and bass heads can use the bass boost option to emphasize it a little.
Quality is good with very satisfying layering and excellent definition but it lacks a bit in slam compared to a good dynamic driver but then it compensates with the total lack of distortion even at very loud volume settings.
The middle area sounds crystal clear and with the right articulation and voicing.
There is a smooth emphasis as needed so that there is liveliness without ever sounding tedious or out of tune.
High frequencies are masterfully tuned the best we have ever heard from a FiiO iem till now.
The FA9 has the liveliness and speed that characterize the balanced armature drivers and it sounds very tonally accurate without being sibilant or bright.
We can hear all the fine nuances and micro details in perfect harmony with the whole presentation without being sterile or analytical.
Driver speed is excellent and the decay over time is very good resulting in a very natural sounding percussion and high pitched instruments.
If we would like to complain about something that would be the lack of ultimate dynamic behavior and the slight absence of body and 3d layering.
The stage is quite open and airy able to present dense music tracks with success but we thought that it lacked in spatial accuracy and pinpoint positioning.
Despite that few shortcomings mentioned above we found the whole presentation very satisfying with high levels of enjoyment without severely lacking in technical ability and above all with a great natural tonal accuracy.
The active crossover equalization system works very well and enables the user to fine tune the FA9 without exaggeration and above all without loss of total quality.
A very smart and well implemented idea from FiiO allows the FA9 to adjust to our personal tastes like a Chameleon.
At the end
The FiiO FA9 is a step up in the right direction as it is a much improved version of the FA7 and in some ways even better than the FH7.
In our opinion it is the best tuned iem of FiiO till now with excellent sound qualities able to rendered perfectly all kinds of music.
Add to this the perfect custom like fit with great noise attenuation and above all the unique and very successful fine tuning system and we got in our hands a clear winner.
FiiO once more again have surpassed their selves and we wonder what is coming next.
Very highly recommend especially if you value natural tonal accuracy.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020.
Ichos
The FA7S has a unique natural tuning that is one of my favorites and it is also very technical.
Sadly this is a heavily underated IEM that doesn't get the attention it deserves.
I like it a lot and I would strongly suggest that you stay with it, given that you already like it.
I would choose it over the FA9...
Sadly this is a heavily underated IEM that doesn't get the attention it deserves.
I like it a lot and I would strongly suggest that you stay with it, given that you already like it.
I would choose it over the FA9...
ObsessiveProgressive
I will accept your recommendation and go for the FA7s. Thanks for your time. Cheers!!
Ichos
You are not going to regret it.
Hifiman Deva BT
A lot more than a bluetooth headphone.
Introduction
The Deva sample was kindly provided by HiFiMan for a honest review and is still under their ownership.
This is my personal and subjective evaluation of the headphone.
It was a few months ago since we have reviewed the Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth of which we thought that it is an excellent sounding bluetooth headphone with only a few shortcomings and namely the lack of analogue connection.
The full review can be found here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-ananda-bt.24092/review/23246/
In the meantime and after the release of the Ananda BT , Hifiman kept very busy and they have developed a new open back bluetooth headphone this time designing it from the scratch instead of adding bluetooth capability to an already existing model.
Let's not forget that owner and lead designer Dr. Fang Bian believes that wireless headphones are the future so a great part of the company's R&D is dedicated to their development.
The Deva are now offered even without the BlueMini for 219$ and we can add it for an extra 80$.
Technology
The Deva is an open back planar magnetic headphone with the added ability to go wireless on demand.
The Deva is featuring Hifiman's Neo supernano diaphragm which is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in fast response and detailed image with lush , full range sonics as Hifiman claims.
The impedance is 18Ω with a sensitivity of 93.5db so the need for an external dac/amp or a dap is mandatory in order to get the full potential of the headphone.
Build quality
Hifiman's Achilles heel is build quality but it is a fact that they are trying very hard to improve on it.
The Deva build quality is a step up to the right direction and very acceptable for the price.
The cups and headband joints are made from good quality plastic with a mat silver finish that looks very nice but only time will tell if it will fade away or not.
The grills and the swiveling yokes are made from solid aluminum and the adjusting system is better than the Ananda working easily and without cracking noises.
The headband is internally reinforced with two metal layers and it is heavily padded with foam and faux leather at the exterior.
The perforated ear pads are removable and user replaceable featuring memory foam and faux leather.
The color is not very much to our liking but we think that there is a black edition at the works.
Comfort
The Deva are very comfortable due to the low weight at 360gr and the roomy ear pads that breath very well.
Clamping force is medium without annoying pressure but the headband positioning to the head is a little awkward and might irritate some users.
Anyway we have successfully enjoyed a full opera session without removing them from our head.
There is no need to say that the Deva due to their full open back nature are suited only for indoor use.
Wired or wireless?
This time Hifiman - known for listening to user feedback and addressing the negative user comments regarding the lack of analogue connection in the Ananda BT and not having to compromise sales of an already existing model , they have opted for a different design solution.
The Deva is a regular headphone with an analogue 3.5mm trrs connection found at the bottom of the left ear cup and in order for us to add bluetooth connection we have to plug the bluetooth dongle called BlueMini.
Accessories
The supplied 3.5mm cable is of good quality but a little stiff in the handling.
As stated above the connection at the headphone side is 3.5mm trrs so we have the ability to go fully balanced by building or buying a 3.5mm trrs to 2.5mm / 4.4mm balanced cable and that's great but the extra cable should have been provided for the asking price.
Except from the analogue cable we are offered an extra USB type A to type C cable and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
Sadly no carrying case is included not even a pouch.
Other manufactures at this price point offer good quality travel cases so Hifiman might reconsider their policy and offer at least a carrying pouch.
BlueMini
The BlueMini is a newly developed wireless adapter specifically designed to plug directly into the left ear cup of the Deva and stay there secure.
It is very compact and it doesn't affect comfort or cause any annoyance.
It is a bluetooth receiver supporting all the known codecs even the high resolution ones so we get LDAC , aptX HD , aptX , AAC , SBC but no aptX LL.
It also supports USB dac connection up to 24/192 with phones , tablets and PC's through the USB type C connection which is also used for charging.
We tested it successfully with Android and Windows OS without the need of drivers.
Playing time is on the low side with about 5 - 6 hours of real usage but the good news is that it fully charges in about 30 minutes.
Expect from the power / multifunction button there is also an extra one which disables the charging feature so we can use the BlueMini without draining the phone battery.
Pairing is very easy as it enters pairing mode upon power on and it supports auto power off after a few minutes of inactivity.
There is also a small build in microphone but calling quality is mediocre at the best.
Internally we find separate amp and buffer circuits adding greater power output and better dynamics with low THD.
The BlueMini is rated at 200mW for the Devas specific load with 95dB SNR and 0.1%THD pretty spectacular for this tiny device.
The use of the BlueMini is not limited to the Deva and can be easily used with other headphones too very simply by adding a 3.5mm female to 3.5mm male cable.
Sound impressions with the cable
The major portion of the cabled listening tests was conducted with FiiO M11pro and EarMen TR amp known for their linear sound profile.
The TR amp was more than capable of driving the Deva at ear deafening levels but the M11pro from its single ended out was stretched enough.
Unfortunately we didn't have a balanced cable to our disposal.
The Deva are among the best tuned headphones we have ever tested at any price point with a great natural (not neutral) tonality with a very lifelike presentation and exceptional timbre very close to the real thing.
Bass extends well with an audiophile tuning without bleeding into the midbass.
It is more than enough for all the genres of music rendering extremely well all the lower register acoustic instruments.
Heavy bass friends and EDM / electronic music lovers may find it lacking a few db but the Deva responded very well to EQ.
From a technical point of view it is more than acceptable with good layering , resolution , impact and weight.
Sure it could be more tight and precise or even a little bit faster and layered but still it is very satisfying.
The mids sounded just a tad little forward enough to make them very evolving and give voices a tiny prominence at the mix.
Voices that are crystal clear , round , full bodied and very engaging with life like presentation.
Rising higher we hear clarity , good energy and fine articulation with very natural decay of all percussion instruments.
This are high frequencies at their best , Hifiman have done an exemplary job tuning them by retaining a great balance between vividness and lack of brightness
so we can listen for hours long without any fatigue.
Detail retrieval is more than adequate but it cannot reach the performance found at higher priced rivals or brighter tuned headphones that favor analysis over musical enjoyment.
The Deva can project an incredibly open and spacious soundstage with pinpoint accuracy and precision not usually found in this category.
We get excellent width and depth with 3D layering truly remarkable for a mid tier headphone and one of the most airy presentations on the market.
Dynamics are good but they could be a lot better as we missed some slamming and hard hitting.
The headphone is very transparent and responds very well to amplification and gear upgrades so it will never be a bottleneck.
Sound impressions with the BlueMini
Judging from its size we wouldn't expect much but we were proven wrong as the BlueMini is a truly remarkable performer.
The sound presentation is quite linear highlighting the Devas virtues without adding or subtracting nothing.
We hear the same great sound signature with a few shortcomings compared to a good analogue connection.
Think this as an entry level dac/amp lacking in dynamics , bass slam and extension as also in detail retrieval and separation compared to the better upstream gear.
Other than that it is pretty good and it gets very loud so it can be easily suggested as an all in one solution without the fuss of hanging cables.
Bluetooth signal is strong and stable.
Of course as it is to be expected the USB dac connection yields much better results compared to the wireless one.
There is a let down regarding the microphone call quality which is passable and - as with the Ananda BT - the volume adjustment when listening to music is not linear as it should be but it is done with certain irregular jumps.
Vs the Ananda BT (Bluetooth only)
From the technical point of view the three times more expensive Ananda BT is a lot better sounding headphone from the Deva.
We get better bass extension and quality with better layering , speed and precision.
The Ananda BT are a lot more dynamic and hard hitting and of course very detailed but surprisingly they cannot match the Devas excellent soundstage which is more open and spacious but loosing in separation and accuracy.
Tonality wise they are more or less in the same ballpark with an excellent natural presentation and we might even consider the Ananda a little bit more fatiguing.
Other than that the Deva are more lighter and a bit more comfortable and of course they offer the analogue cable connection not found in the Ananda BT.
So our take between Ananda BT and Deva BT is that if budget is not of a problem and we want the best open wireless headphone available at the market right now then the Ananda BT is the obvious choice.
But if we are of limited budget or we want to make use of the analogue connection from time to time then the Deva offer a lot more sound than the asking price.
Vs the Sennheiser HD660s (cable only)
The Sennheiser HD660s is one of the best mid tier headphones of the market with great virtues retailing at about 500$ so it is double the price of the Deva.
At the European market the gap is more narrow as the HD660s is better priced while the Devs is a little more expensive than the US market.
First of all and regarding tonality they are both of same overall tuning with great natural tonality without any annoying peaks and excellent timbre with a lush midrange.
Both headphones extend more or less the same at the lower register but the HD660s is more precise and layered with better texture and above all greater dynamics.
The HD660s is a little more clear sounding throughout all the registers and can resolve better being able to portray all the fine nuances without sounding bright or sharp.
Soundstage is were the Deva takes the leading edge with it's huge presentation vs the intimate nature of the HD660s.
The HD660s can boast a laser like precision but so can the Deva adding to this more width and depth with double the air around the instruments and great layering.
Regarding comfort the Deva is the more comfortable around the ears and more cool but the HD660s headband is of a better fit and positioning.
So there is no clear winner here and despite the HD660s being double the price it isn't double the better.
Both headphones have their unique virtues and only taste or budget will be the decision factor.
Vs the Hifiman HE400i ver.2020
The 40$ more expensive Deva (without the BlueMini) features the same headband , it is 10gr lighter and more sensitive and easier to drive.
Comfort is a little better with the Deva thanks to the larger more breathable ear pads but it is also bulkier with the HE400i offering more snug and discreet fit.
Overall sound signature is quite the same with only marginal differences but that are easily audible.
Bass extension and quantity is the same as is the quality with both headphones sounding clear and layered but the Deva is offering a more visceral presentation with better overall dynamics.
Performance up to the mids is identical with a slight boost for the Deva making for a fuller and warmer sound.
Upper mids are more restrained at the Deva resulting in an easier going presentation but there is a slight emphasis at about 5KHz that some people might find annoying.
The HE400i is slightly more detailed and airy but we thought that the Deva presented micro details better with a more natural and unforced way and the timbre was more to our liking.
Headstage is equally good and enjoyable at both headphones that they really reach well above the competition.
So when it comes down to choosing as always it is a matter of budget and preferences with the cheaper HE400i 2020 version offering a more monitoring and neutral character against the most warm and full bodied Deva.
Last but not least let's not forget that the Deva can be easily transformed to a high quality bluetooth headphone with the addition of the extra BlueMini.
At the end
The Deva is an exceptional headphone, the outsider that can - under certain circumstances - win the mid price race.
With an astounding sound quality and more than enough technical ability it is a steal for the asking price and we need to spend a lot more to get something substantially better.
Regarding the soundstage it has literally no rivals in it's category and that is a truly remarkable achievement.
Add to this the great comfort and the extra ability to go wireless on a snap by adding the optional BlueMini dongle and we have in our hands a clear winner.
This is one of best headphones Hifiman ever made and the only thing we miss is a black edition.
A truly achievement and a bargain for it's asking price with or without the BlueMini.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
A lot more than a bluetooth headphone.
Introduction
The Deva sample was kindly provided by HiFiMan for a honest review and is still under their ownership.
This is my personal and subjective evaluation of the headphone.
It was a few months ago since we have reviewed the Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth of which we thought that it is an excellent sounding bluetooth headphone with only a few shortcomings and namely the lack of analogue connection.
The full review can be found here
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hifiman-ananda-bt.24092/review/23246/
In the meantime and after the release of the Ananda BT , Hifiman kept very busy and they have developed a new open back bluetooth headphone this time designing it from the scratch instead of adding bluetooth capability to an already existing model.
Let's not forget that owner and lead designer Dr. Fang Bian believes that wireless headphones are the future so a great part of the company's R&D is dedicated to their development.
The Deva are now offered even without the BlueMini for 219$ and we can add it for an extra 80$.
Technology
The Deva is an open back planar magnetic headphone with the added ability to go wireless on demand.
The Deva is featuring Hifiman's Neo supernano diaphragm which is 80% thinner than previous designs resulting in fast response and detailed image with lush , full range sonics as Hifiman claims.
The impedance is 18Ω with a sensitivity of 93.5db so the need for an external dac/amp or a dap is mandatory in order to get the full potential of the headphone.
Build quality
Hifiman's Achilles heel is build quality but it is a fact that they are trying very hard to improve on it.
The Deva build quality is a step up to the right direction and very acceptable for the price.
The cups and headband joints are made from good quality plastic with a mat silver finish that looks very nice but only time will tell if it will fade away or not.
The grills and the swiveling yokes are made from solid aluminum and the adjusting system is better than the Ananda working easily and without cracking noises.
The headband is internally reinforced with two metal layers and it is heavily padded with foam and faux leather at the exterior.
The perforated ear pads are removable and user replaceable featuring memory foam and faux leather.
The color is not very much to our liking but we think that there is a black edition at the works.
Comfort
The Deva are very comfortable due to the low weight at 360gr and the roomy ear pads that breath very well.
Clamping force is medium without annoying pressure but the headband positioning to the head is a little awkward and might irritate some users.
Anyway we have successfully enjoyed a full opera session without removing them from our head.
There is no need to say that the Deva due to their full open back nature are suited only for indoor use.
Wired or wireless?
This time Hifiman - known for listening to user feedback and addressing the negative user comments regarding the lack of analogue connection in the Ananda BT and not having to compromise sales of an already existing model , they have opted for a different design solution.
The Deva is a regular headphone with an analogue 3.5mm trrs connection found at the bottom of the left ear cup and in order for us to add bluetooth connection we have to plug the bluetooth dongle called BlueMini.
Accessories
The supplied 3.5mm cable is of good quality but a little stiff in the handling.
As stated above the connection at the headphone side is 3.5mm trrs so we have the ability to go fully balanced by building or buying a 3.5mm trrs to 2.5mm / 4.4mm balanced cable and that's great but the extra cable should have been provided for the asking price.
Except from the analogue cable we are offered an extra USB type A to type C cable and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
Sadly no carrying case is included not even a pouch.
Other manufactures at this price point offer good quality travel cases so Hifiman might reconsider their policy and offer at least a carrying pouch.
BlueMini
The BlueMini is a newly developed wireless adapter specifically designed to plug directly into the left ear cup of the Deva and stay there secure.
It is very compact and it doesn't affect comfort or cause any annoyance.
It is a bluetooth receiver supporting all the known codecs even the high resolution ones so we get LDAC , aptX HD , aptX , AAC , SBC but no aptX LL.
It also supports USB dac connection up to 24/192 with phones , tablets and PC's through the USB type C connection which is also used for charging.
We tested it successfully with Android and Windows OS without the need of drivers.
Playing time is on the low side with about 5 - 6 hours of real usage but the good news is that it fully charges in about 30 minutes.
Expect from the power / multifunction button there is also an extra one which disables the charging feature so we can use the BlueMini without draining the phone battery.
Pairing is very easy as it enters pairing mode upon power on and it supports auto power off after a few minutes of inactivity.
There is also a small build in microphone but calling quality is mediocre at the best.
Internally we find separate amp and buffer circuits adding greater power output and better dynamics with low THD.
The BlueMini is rated at 200mW for the Devas specific load with 95dB SNR and 0.1%THD pretty spectacular for this tiny device.
The use of the BlueMini is not limited to the Deva and can be easily used with other headphones too very simply by adding a 3.5mm female to 3.5mm male cable.
Sound impressions with the cable
The major portion of the cabled listening tests was conducted with FiiO M11pro and EarMen TR amp known for their linear sound profile.
The TR amp was more than capable of driving the Deva at ear deafening levels but the M11pro from its single ended out was stretched enough.
Unfortunately we didn't have a balanced cable to our disposal.
The Deva are among the best tuned headphones we have ever tested at any price point with a great natural (not neutral) tonality with a very lifelike presentation and exceptional timbre very close to the real thing.
Bass extends well with an audiophile tuning without bleeding into the midbass.
It is more than enough for all the genres of music rendering extremely well all the lower register acoustic instruments.
Heavy bass friends and EDM / electronic music lovers may find it lacking a few db but the Deva responded very well to EQ.
From a technical point of view it is more than acceptable with good layering , resolution , impact and weight.
Sure it could be more tight and precise or even a little bit faster and layered but still it is very satisfying.
The mids sounded just a tad little forward enough to make them very evolving and give voices a tiny prominence at the mix.
Voices that are crystal clear , round , full bodied and very engaging with life like presentation.
Rising higher we hear clarity , good energy and fine articulation with very natural decay of all percussion instruments.
This are high frequencies at their best , Hifiman have done an exemplary job tuning them by retaining a great balance between vividness and lack of brightness
so we can listen for hours long without any fatigue.
Detail retrieval is more than adequate but it cannot reach the performance found at higher priced rivals or brighter tuned headphones that favor analysis over musical enjoyment.
The Deva can project an incredibly open and spacious soundstage with pinpoint accuracy and precision not usually found in this category.
We get excellent width and depth with 3D layering truly remarkable for a mid tier headphone and one of the most airy presentations on the market.
Dynamics are good but they could be a lot better as we missed some slamming and hard hitting.
The headphone is very transparent and responds very well to amplification and gear upgrades so it will never be a bottleneck.
Sound impressions with the BlueMini
Judging from its size we wouldn't expect much but we were proven wrong as the BlueMini is a truly remarkable performer.
The sound presentation is quite linear highlighting the Devas virtues without adding or subtracting nothing.
We hear the same great sound signature with a few shortcomings compared to a good analogue connection.
Think this as an entry level dac/amp lacking in dynamics , bass slam and extension as also in detail retrieval and separation compared to the better upstream gear.
Other than that it is pretty good and it gets very loud so it can be easily suggested as an all in one solution without the fuss of hanging cables.
Bluetooth signal is strong and stable.
Of course as it is to be expected the USB dac connection yields much better results compared to the wireless one.
There is a let down regarding the microphone call quality which is passable and - as with the Ananda BT - the volume adjustment when listening to music is not linear as it should be but it is done with certain irregular jumps.
Vs the Ananda BT (Bluetooth only)
From the technical point of view the three times more expensive Ananda BT is a lot better sounding headphone from the Deva.
We get better bass extension and quality with better layering , speed and precision.
The Ananda BT are a lot more dynamic and hard hitting and of course very detailed but surprisingly they cannot match the Devas excellent soundstage which is more open and spacious but loosing in separation and accuracy.
Tonality wise they are more or less in the same ballpark with an excellent natural presentation and we might even consider the Ananda a little bit more fatiguing.
Other than that the Deva are more lighter and a bit more comfortable and of course they offer the analogue cable connection not found in the Ananda BT.
So our take between Ananda BT and Deva BT is that if budget is not of a problem and we want the best open wireless headphone available at the market right now then the Ananda BT is the obvious choice.
But if we are of limited budget or we want to make use of the analogue connection from time to time then the Deva offer a lot more sound than the asking price.
Vs the Sennheiser HD660s (cable only)
The Sennheiser HD660s is one of the best mid tier headphones of the market with great virtues retailing at about 500$ so it is double the price of the Deva.
At the European market the gap is more narrow as the HD660s is better priced while the Devs is a little more expensive than the US market.
First of all and regarding tonality they are both of same overall tuning with great natural tonality without any annoying peaks and excellent timbre with a lush midrange.
Both headphones extend more or less the same at the lower register but the HD660s is more precise and layered with better texture and above all greater dynamics.
The HD660s is a little more clear sounding throughout all the registers and can resolve better being able to portray all the fine nuances without sounding bright or sharp.
Soundstage is were the Deva takes the leading edge with it's huge presentation vs the intimate nature of the HD660s.
The HD660s can boast a laser like precision but so can the Deva adding to this more width and depth with double the air around the instruments and great layering.
Regarding comfort the Deva is the more comfortable around the ears and more cool but the HD660s headband is of a better fit and positioning.
So there is no clear winner here and despite the HD660s being double the price it isn't double the better.
Both headphones have their unique virtues and only taste or budget will be the decision factor.
Vs the Hifiman HE400i ver.2020
The 40$ more expensive Deva (without the BlueMini) features the same headband , it is 10gr lighter and more sensitive and easier to drive.
Comfort is a little better with the Deva thanks to the larger more breathable ear pads but it is also bulkier with the HE400i offering more snug and discreet fit.
Overall sound signature is quite the same with only marginal differences but that are easily audible.
Bass extension and quantity is the same as is the quality with both headphones sounding clear and layered but the Deva is offering a more visceral presentation with better overall dynamics.
Performance up to the mids is identical with a slight boost for the Deva making for a fuller and warmer sound.
Upper mids are more restrained at the Deva resulting in an easier going presentation but there is a slight emphasis at about 5KHz that some people might find annoying.
The HE400i is slightly more detailed and airy but we thought that the Deva presented micro details better with a more natural and unforced way and the timbre was more to our liking.
Headstage is equally good and enjoyable at both headphones that they really reach well above the competition.
So when it comes down to choosing as always it is a matter of budget and preferences with the cheaper HE400i 2020 version offering a more monitoring and neutral character against the most warm and full bodied Deva.
Last but not least let's not forget that the Deva can be easily transformed to a high quality bluetooth headphone with the addition of the extra BlueMini.
At the end
The Deva is an exceptional headphone, the outsider that can - under certain circumstances - win the mid price race.
With an astounding sound quality and more than enough technical ability it is a steal for the asking price and we need to spend a lot more to get something substantially better.
Regarding the soundstage it has literally no rivals in it's category and that is a truly remarkable achievement.
Add to this the great comfort and the extra ability to go wireless on a snap by adding the optional BlueMini dongle and we have in our hands a clear winner.
This is one of best headphones Hifiman ever made and the only thing we miss is a black edition.
A truly achievement and a bargain for it's asking price with or without the BlueMini.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright 2020 - Laskis Petros
SoundMAGIC HP1000
This headphone was kindly provided by SoundMAGIC to be featured in a series of unbiased honest reviews.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Introduction
SoundMAGIC was founded in 2005 by engineer Mr. Tony Xu and very soon instead of being condemned to obscurity like many other small companies from China they managed to succeed by offering truly great sound at a budget price.
At the beginning was the much acclaimed E10 the iem that redefined the market stating that budget is not necessarily cheap or bad performing.
Since then SoundMAGIC never resting at their laurels they have tried hard to further improve by releasing many other good products like E50 and E80 and even expanding at larger headphones like HP150 and HP200.
The latest release is their flagship headphone HP1000 an over the ear closed back design being reviewed here.
SoundMAGIC team spend more than three years researching and developing the headphone considering greatly user feedback in order to fine tune it.
Tech - build quality - comfort
At the heart of HP1000 we find a huge 53mm angled dynamic driver with a composite made diaphragm constructed with cavities of special design.
Nominal impedance is 66ohm with a sensitivity of 120db meaning that the headphone can easily be driven from low powered sources without peeking any internal noise.
Build quality is excellent reaching well above it's price point and all materials used are of top quality.
The adjustable headband is internally metal reinforced and covered with real sheepskin leather for comfort and durability.
The ear cups are made of matte plastic with scratch resistant coating and a very nice feeling to the touch.
The huge ear pads are user replaceable and made of breathable PU leather with memory foam inside.
Ear cups feature an adaptive aluminium spindle which can be rotated at 120° for easy storage inside the provided travel case and attach to the headband with aluminium yokes.
All in all really impressive and nothing to complain about.
The cable is detachable with different left and right plugs located at the bottom of each ear cup.
There is only one 1.2m cable provided with a 3.5mm plug at the end plus an extra 3m extension.
Cable quality is acceptable but not great and surely not a match for a flagship headphone.
An extra longer cable would be much appreciated as extensions are not much to our liking due to the extra connection.
Oddly SoundMAGIC instead of choosing a usual generic plug for the detaching system they have opted for a unique plug design never found elsewhere.
It is something like an aerial plug as you can see at the photos.
To be honest it gets the job done as it is stable and allows for easy handling but it rules out after market cables or other plug options like 2.5mm balanced.
In our opinion this is a major let down and should be addressed at the next batch or at least we should be offered with an extra 2.5 mm balanced cable.
Real use comfort is great as the headphone is not very heavy weighting 412gr and the headband does an excellent job distributing it equally at the head.
The ear cups are very roomy even for larger ears and cool enough considering this is a closed design so we were able to listen more than an hour without taking a break.
Clamping force is medium keeping the headphone stable without causing discomfort and providing good passive noise isolation.
Listening
After the needed burn in we begun our listening sessions pairing the headphone mostly with portable gear like FiiO M9 and low powered amps like Lehmann Audio drachenfels.
Even from the start it was apparent that we were dealing with a very good headphone an impression made stronger after days of listening.
If we would like to summarize in a few words this would be an even well balanced presentation with natural tonality , amazing clarity , plenty of detail and excellent headstage although in the lean , monitor side of things.
The HP1000 is a well tuned headphone with great extension at both ends of the spectrum and great clarity throughout a perfect achievement considering how difficult is to tune properly closed headphones.
Bass extends well down to the sub bass region but without an extra emphasis.
This is fast , reference tuned bass focusing mainly in quality but lacking in body and depth.
Notes can be individually heard with great layering able to successfully portray low strings either being plucked or bowed with satisfying decay.
There is no bleeding into the mid bass which is heard even and linear up to the mids.
Talking of mids which are well behaved and lively sounding but a touch of recession is robing them out of presence and body making for a clear but somewhat restrained presentation.
Depending on the mix some voices and instruments of the region are heard sometimes far at the background.
Highs follow up with some extra boost enough to lighten things up contributing to a very detailed and clean presentation without causing sound fatigue.
But don't be mistaken as the headphone will do no favors at all and poor quality as bright sources will be highlighted resulting in an over emphasized experience.
HP1000 is a very lively headphone but sometimes time decay especially in the higher frequencies is just too fast giving the impression of thin sounding instruments of the upper registers.
Dynamic behaviour is good able to portray with great sense of reality all the swings of the orchestra from whisper to full rise.
What impressed us most was the width of stage and sense of space making HP1000 one of the most open sounding closed headphones we have ever heard.
The sound stage is very wide with plenty of air between the instruments and pinpoint accuracy.
Aided by the amazing clarity and detail retrieval makes for a very persuasive presentation of the recording venue being it a small ensemble or a large orchestra.
It should be noted that this is more like a two dimensional projection than a 3D holographic stage because we found it lacking at height and depth.
Classical music lovers will find HP1000 much to their liking.
As mentioned earlier the headphone can play very loud from low powered sources so there is no need for an extra amplifier but dac quality is a prerequisite to fully enjoy it.
Pair it with a good dac/amp and be rewarded with great sound.
At the end
HP1000 is a leap above the rest of the SoundMAGIC products taking sound and build quality to a whole next level.
Don't let it's "humble" origins and low price deceive you.
This is a great sounding headphone , one of the best closed in the market , able to compete with rivals asking two or three times more.
With a well balanced monitor type sound it is going to equally please casual and professional users alike.
Add to this the top notch build quality , great looks and very reasonable asking price and we've got a real winner deserving our full recommendation.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020
This headphone was kindly provided by SoundMAGIC to be featured in a series of unbiased honest reviews.
Thank you for the opportunity.
Introduction
SoundMAGIC was founded in 2005 by engineer Mr. Tony Xu and very soon instead of being condemned to obscurity like many other small companies from China they managed to succeed by offering truly great sound at a budget price.
At the beginning was the much acclaimed E10 the iem that redefined the market stating that budget is not necessarily cheap or bad performing.
Since then SoundMAGIC never resting at their laurels they have tried hard to further improve by releasing many other good products like E50 and E80 and even expanding at larger headphones like HP150 and HP200.
The latest release is their flagship headphone HP1000 an over the ear closed back design being reviewed here.
SoundMAGIC team spend more than three years researching and developing the headphone considering greatly user feedback in order to fine tune it.
Tech - build quality - comfort
At the heart of HP1000 we find a huge 53mm angled dynamic driver with a composite made diaphragm constructed with cavities of special design.
Nominal impedance is 66ohm with a sensitivity of 120db meaning that the headphone can easily be driven from low powered sources without peeking any internal noise.
Build quality is excellent reaching well above it's price point and all materials used are of top quality.
The adjustable headband is internally metal reinforced and covered with real sheepskin leather for comfort and durability.
The ear cups are made of matte plastic with scratch resistant coating and a very nice feeling to the touch.
The huge ear pads are user replaceable and made of breathable PU leather with memory foam inside.
Ear cups feature an adaptive aluminium spindle which can be rotated at 120° for easy storage inside the provided travel case and attach to the headband with aluminium yokes.
All in all really impressive and nothing to complain about.
The cable is detachable with different left and right plugs located at the bottom of each ear cup.
There is only one 1.2m cable provided with a 3.5mm plug at the end plus an extra 3m extension.
Cable quality is acceptable but not great and surely not a match for a flagship headphone.
An extra longer cable would be much appreciated as extensions are not much to our liking due to the extra connection.
Oddly SoundMAGIC instead of choosing a usual generic plug for the detaching system they have opted for a unique plug design never found elsewhere.
It is something like an aerial plug as you can see at the photos.
To be honest it gets the job done as it is stable and allows for easy handling but it rules out after market cables or other plug options like 2.5mm balanced.
In our opinion this is a major let down and should be addressed at the next batch or at least we should be offered with an extra 2.5 mm balanced cable.
Real use comfort is great as the headphone is not very heavy weighting 412gr and the headband does an excellent job distributing it equally at the head.
The ear cups are very roomy even for larger ears and cool enough considering this is a closed design so we were able to listen more than an hour without taking a break.
Clamping force is medium keeping the headphone stable without causing discomfort and providing good passive noise isolation.
Listening
After the needed burn in we begun our listening sessions pairing the headphone mostly with portable gear like FiiO M9 and low powered amps like Lehmann Audio drachenfels.
Even from the start it was apparent that we were dealing with a very good headphone an impression made stronger after days of listening.
If we would like to summarize in a few words this would be an even well balanced presentation with natural tonality , amazing clarity , plenty of detail and excellent headstage although in the lean , monitor side of things.
The HP1000 is a well tuned headphone with great extension at both ends of the spectrum and great clarity throughout a perfect achievement considering how difficult is to tune properly closed headphones.
Bass extends well down to the sub bass region but without an extra emphasis.
This is fast , reference tuned bass focusing mainly in quality but lacking in body and depth.
Notes can be individually heard with great layering able to successfully portray low strings either being plucked or bowed with satisfying decay.
There is no bleeding into the mid bass which is heard even and linear up to the mids.
Talking of mids which are well behaved and lively sounding but a touch of recession is robing them out of presence and body making for a clear but somewhat restrained presentation.
Depending on the mix some voices and instruments of the region are heard sometimes far at the background.
Highs follow up with some extra boost enough to lighten things up contributing to a very detailed and clean presentation without causing sound fatigue.
But don't be mistaken as the headphone will do no favors at all and poor quality as bright sources will be highlighted resulting in an over emphasized experience.
HP1000 is a very lively headphone but sometimes time decay especially in the higher frequencies is just too fast giving the impression of thin sounding instruments of the upper registers.
Dynamic behaviour is good able to portray with great sense of reality all the swings of the orchestra from whisper to full rise.
What impressed us most was the width of stage and sense of space making HP1000 one of the most open sounding closed headphones we have ever heard.
The sound stage is very wide with plenty of air between the instruments and pinpoint accuracy.
Aided by the amazing clarity and detail retrieval makes for a very persuasive presentation of the recording venue being it a small ensemble or a large orchestra.
It should be noted that this is more like a two dimensional projection than a 3D holographic stage because we found it lacking at height and depth.
Classical music lovers will find HP1000 much to their liking.
As mentioned earlier the headphone can play very loud from low powered sources so there is no need for an extra amplifier but dac quality is a prerequisite to fully enjoy it.
Pair it with a good dac/amp and be rewarded with great sound.
At the end
HP1000 is a leap above the rest of the SoundMAGIC products taking sound and build quality to a whole next level.
Don't let it's "humble" origins and low price deceive you.
This is a great sounding headphone , one of the best closed in the market , able to compete with rivals asking two or three times more.
With a well balanced monitor type sound it is going to equally please casual and professional users alike.
Add to this the top notch build quality , great looks and very reasonable asking price and we've got a real winner deserving our full recommendation.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Petros Laskis 2020
We proudly present the world premier review of FiiO BTR3K.
Thank you FiiO for giving us the opportunity.
The sample was kindly provided by FiiO and it is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of the product.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Introduction
It's been only a few months ago since FiiO launched their flagship mini bluetooth dac/amp the BTR5 with much critical acclaim and while we were thinking that we are done for a while FiiO surprised us by replacing the not so old BTR3 with a brand new version the BTR3K.
FiiO's R&D team taking into consideration the great demand for balanced dacs decided to revamp their mid tier mini bluetooth dac/amp and add a fully balanced output to it.
So the BTR3K was born and let's dive inside to spot the key differences from the older one.
The AK4376A dac has been replaced by the newer AK4377A in a two pieces fully balanced design.
Power output is thus raised to a whole 78mW under 32ohm load for the balanced out and although remains the same 25mW for the single ended one we now get greater current capability resulting to 50% more power under 16ohm loads.
Bluetooth receiver remains the CSR8675 but is upgraded to bluetooth 5.0 for even better battery consumption and operation range.
All the known codecs are supported up to the high definition ones aptXHD and LDAC.
One key difference is the use of two independent crystal oscillators found also in the flagship BTR5 for accurate sound reproduction with reduced jitter and greater stability.
External dimensions are the same miniscule 58x25x11mm but weight is reduced to 23.5grm even though the battery inside is raised from 300mAh to 330mAh!
Volume is independently adjusted in 60 steps using the side volume button were we also find the multifunction and power buttons plus the mic.
Build quality is improved with a full aluminium body covered in both sides with oleophobic 2.5D glass.
In the front panel the multi color RGB light with the FiiO logo informs us about the current codec in use and battery status while the type C USB connection is located at the bottom.
USB dac connection is also supported as NFC for fast pairing.
An extra protection transparent hanging clip is provided as a lanyard and a charging USB cable.
For full information and technical specifications please use the following link.
https://www.fiio.com/btr3k
Listening
A great portion of the listening sessions were done with final audio's B3 and FiiO's own FH7 both single ended and balanced with the BTR3K paired with a smartphone and FiiO's M9 dap also under USB dac mode with a PC and several Android devices using an OTG type C cable.
We haven't experienced any problems with the Android OS and the BTR3K was instantly recognized natively without the need of a special app so we managed to listen to Spotify and Qobuz with great success.
With the very useful option to turn charging mode off the BTR3K runs on its own battery without draining power from the smartphone.
This feature plus a few others can be accessed through FiiO's music app available for Android and iOS.
Some of them include turning charging mode on/off , selecting the low pass filter , enabling various user configurable equaliser modes , altering idle time power off etc.
The best part is that all of this adjustments are stored into the BTR3K memory permanently and then can be used without the need of the FiiO app running.
Important update
While finishing this review FiiO released a brand new application specially designed to control all FiiO bluetooth products.
It is called FiiO Control and can be found here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fiio.control
FiiO claims a battery duration of about 11 hours and we are happy to report that under real life usage we managed to squeeze out about 9 hours of listening to high resolution material plus accepting calls.
Listening to music with BTR3K was a very enjoyable and musical experience without lacking severely in technical ability.
Overall tonality is flat and natural with a slight hint of warmth as we are accustomed to FiiO's house sound and AKM velvet dacs.
Extension is great to both ends of the spectrum without something annoyingly missing.
Lower regisrer is present reaching to sub bass if the program demands it , even and adequately controlled as not to sound one note never bleeding into mid-bass.
Mids are a touch prominent only to add a pinch of spice and high frequencies are fatigue free , crisp and easy going but without rolling off.
Detail is there and surprisingly good for such a device so with all our favorite tracks we were able to reach quite deep into the mix.
Dynamic behaviour left us satisfied especially with easy to drive iems as for the stage it felt wide enough although lacking in depth and height.
Staging , positioning and layering as detail retrieval benefit greatly from the balanced out.
Noise floor wasn't detected at least with the iems we had to our disposal so we are talking about a black background not to be expected from an entry level dac.
While listening to the BTR3K we were very tempted to try some from our full sized headphones to happily discover that the little "fellow" could run the Focal Clear pro and Sennheiser HD660S to loud enough levels and acceptable authority (balanced of course).
Performance may vary depending on the bluetooth codec being used and the best results as described above were attained with the wired USB dac connection.
Bluetooth connection negative impact is on high frequencies extension and timbre resulting to a thinner sound with some grain but nothing to really complain about as the overall performance remains the same.
All in all a great and satisfying musical experience for this mid tier mini bluetooth dac/amp from FiiO even without considering it's price.
Vs the BTR3
The BTR3K is a clear step up not only power wise but also in sheer technical ability and overall presentation as it objectively sounds better.
The only scenario to buy a BTR3 is for the very budget limited user without the need for a balanced out because you can now find them in heavily discounted prices.
Vs the BTR5
The BTR5 is the true flagship with triple the power output and it is technically more competent.
It extends better , exhibits more detail retrieval , is cleaner with better separation and more holographic stage.
Under USB dac mode BTR3K will decode only 48k/16bit while BTR5 will do up to 384k/32bit DSD256 plus the independent XMOS USB receiver.
Regarding musicality it is not necessarily better as it is more a kind of different presentation that being the ESS house sound vs the AKM one.
Of course it is also double the price and almost double the size so the buyer must judge carefully his needs and budget in order to choose.
At the end
The brand new mini bluetooth dac/amp BTR3K from FiiO is a clear winner.
It is a great step up from BTR3 with the same asking price and half of that from the flagship BTR5 while rivals do not offer balanced output at this price point.
With an excellent price to performance ratio and not very far behind in performance from the BTR5 it should be the easy choice for the majority of the users out there.
A very enjoyable musical experience with surprisingly good technical ability plus flawless and easy operation , tiny size and great battery life make this one our whole heart recommendation and deserving rightfully a full five star rating.
Test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
Thank you FiiO for giving us the opportunity.
The sample was kindly provided by FiiO and it is still under their ownership.
This is my honest and subjective evaluation of the product.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Introduction
It's been only a few months ago since FiiO launched their flagship mini bluetooth dac/amp the BTR5 with much critical acclaim and while we were thinking that we are done for a while FiiO surprised us by replacing the not so old BTR3 with a brand new version the BTR3K.
FiiO's R&D team taking into consideration the great demand for balanced dacs decided to revamp their mid tier mini bluetooth dac/amp and add a fully balanced output to it.
So the BTR3K was born and let's dive inside to spot the key differences from the older one.
The AK4376A dac has been replaced by the newer AK4377A in a two pieces fully balanced design.
Power output is thus raised to a whole 78mW under 32ohm load for the balanced out and although remains the same 25mW for the single ended one we now get greater current capability resulting to 50% more power under 16ohm loads.
Bluetooth receiver remains the CSR8675 but is upgraded to bluetooth 5.0 for even better battery consumption and operation range.
All the known codecs are supported up to the high definition ones aptXHD and LDAC.
One key difference is the use of two independent crystal oscillators found also in the flagship BTR5 for accurate sound reproduction with reduced jitter and greater stability.
External dimensions are the same miniscule 58x25x11mm but weight is reduced to 23.5grm even though the battery inside is raised from 300mAh to 330mAh!
Volume is independently adjusted in 60 steps using the side volume button were we also find the multifunction and power buttons plus the mic.
Build quality is improved with a full aluminium body covered in both sides with oleophobic 2.5D glass.
In the front panel the multi color RGB light with the FiiO logo informs us about the current codec in use and battery status while the type C USB connection is located at the bottom.
USB dac connection is also supported as NFC for fast pairing.
An extra protection transparent hanging clip is provided as a lanyard and a charging USB cable.
For full information and technical specifications please use the following link.
https://www.fiio.com/btr3k
Listening
A great portion of the listening sessions were done with final audio's B3 and FiiO's own FH7 both single ended and balanced with the BTR3K paired with a smartphone and FiiO's M9 dap also under USB dac mode with a PC and several Android devices using an OTG type C cable.
We haven't experienced any problems with the Android OS and the BTR3K was instantly recognized natively without the need of a special app so we managed to listen to Spotify and Qobuz with great success.
With the very useful option to turn charging mode off the BTR3K runs on its own battery without draining power from the smartphone.
This feature plus a few others can be accessed through FiiO's music app available for Android and iOS.
Some of them include turning charging mode on/off , selecting the low pass filter , enabling various user configurable equaliser modes , altering idle time power off etc.
The best part is that all of this adjustments are stored into the BTR3K memory permanently and then can be used without the need of the FiiO app running.
Important update
While finishing this review FiiO released a brand new application specially designed to control all FiiO bluetooth products.
It is called FiiO Control and can be found here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fiio.control
FiiO claims a battery duration of about 11 hours and we are happy to report that under real life usage we managed to squeeze out about 9 hours of listening to high resolution material plus accepting calls.
Listening to music with BTR3K was a very enjoyable and musical experience without lacking severely in technical ability.
Overall tonality is flat and natural with a slight hint of warmth as we are accustomed to FiiO's house sound and AKM velvet dacs.
Extension is great to both ends of the spectrum without something annoyingly missing.
Lower regisrer is present reaching to sub bass if the program demands it , even and adequately controlled as not to sound one note never bleeding into mid-bass.
Mids are a touch prominent only to add a pinch of spice and high frequencies are fatigue free , crisp and easy going but without rolling off.
Detail is there and surprisingly good for such a device so with all our favorite tracks we were able to reach quite deep into the mix.
Dynamic behaviour left us satisfied especially with easy to drive iems as for the stage it felt wide enough although lacking in depth and height.
Staging , positioning and layering as detail retrieval benefit greatly from the balanced out.
Noise floor wasn't detected at least with the iems we had to our disposal so we are talking about a black background not to be expected from an entry level dac.
While listening to the BTR3K we were very tempted to try some from our full sized headphones to happily discover that the little "fellow" could run the Focal Clear pro and Sennheiser HD660S to loud enough levels and acceptable authority (balanced of course).
Performance may vary depending on the bluetooth codec being used and the best results as described above were attained with the wired USB dac connection.
Bluetooth connection negative impact is on high frequencies extension and timbre resulting to a thinner sound with some grain but nothing to really complain about as the overall performance remains the same.
All in all a great and satisfying musical experience for this mid tier mini bluetooth dac/amp from FiiO even without considering it's price.
Vs the BTR3
The BTR3K is a clear step up not only power wise but also in sheer technical ability and overall presentation as it objectively sounds better.
The only scenario to buy a BTR3 is for the very budget limited user without the need for a balanced out because you can now find them in heavily discounted prices.
Vs the BTR5
The BTR5 is the true flagship with triple the power output and it is technically more competent.
It extends better , exhibits more detail retrieval , is cleaner with better separation and more holographic stage.
Under USB dac mode BTR3K will decode only 48k/16bit while BTR5 will do up to 384k/32bit DSD256 plus the independent XMOS USB receiver.
Regarding musicality it is not necessarily better as it is more a kind of different presentation that being the ESS house sound vs the AKM one.
Of course it is also double the price and almost double the size so the buyer must judge carefully his needs and budget in order to choose.
At the end
The brand new mini bluetooth dac/amp BTR3K from FiiO is a clear winner.
It is a great step up from BTR3 with the same asking price and half of that from the flagship BTR5 while rivals do not offer balanced output at this price point.
With an excellent price to performance ratio and not very far behind in performance from the BTR5 it should be the easy choice for the majority of the users out there.
A very enjoyable musical experience with surprisingly good technical ability plus flawless and easy operation , tiny size and great battery life make this one our whole heart recommendation and deserving rightfully a full five star rating.
Test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
vincemeister55
Hello sir! Will this work with the Dolby Atmos for Headphones app in Windows 10?
Ichos
Hello.
I am sorry but I haven't tested this app.
May you should ask FiiO support?
I am sorry but I haven't tested this app.
May you should ask FiiO support?
vincemeister55
Ok sir! Thanks for the reply!
Introduction
As we all know there is a growing demand for wireless headphones with active noise cancellation and good sound quality.
So it was only a matter of time till FiiO presented us with such a headphone.
This is not only the first wireless headphone for FiiO but it is also their first full sized one.
We are talking about the EH3 NC from FiiO a wireless Bluetooth headphone with active noise cancellation.
It is an over the ear closed design with a vast Bluetooth codec support as it includes the aptX LL , aptX HD and LDAC lossless formats amongst others.
Large 45mm drivers with double sided titanium plated diaphragm are powered by a CSR8675 chip handling both d/a conversion and amplification duties for maximum sound quality.
Wired 3.5mm jack and USB dac inputs are supported with both cables included inside the nice and sturdy travel carrying case.
Build quality and comfort
Premium materials are used all over such as good quality plastic , 2.5d glass for the outer cups and protein leather for the pads.
Build quality is overly satisfying with decent feeling but a little lacking compared to similar products from brands like Sennheiser as it feels a little filmsy and fragile.
Weight is average at about 293gr and comfort is excellent due to the very even distribution of the weight and the roomy , large enough ear pads.
Pads are made from protein leather and are user replaceable with the extra option of breathable mesh replacements sold separately.
There is memory foam inside which is shape adjusting and comfortable but it's a little noisy during compression as the air captured inside is being released.
It's not the most discreet wireless headphone we have tested but you can't call it bulky either and the modern design will apeall to many people.
Controls and ANC
User controls and indicators are pretty basic and are all located at the right earpiece as the left houses only the USB type C charging / USB dac port.
No gesture controls here, as there is only a power button ,an ANC on / off switch and three physical buttons to control music playback and calls.
Small leds indicate power status and remaining battery.
Battery duration is one of the best parts of the headphone as in real life use we managed to squeeze out more than 25 hours of mixed continuous use so no worries about frequent recharging.
Voice assistance and NFC connectivity are also supported.
Active noise cancellation is build around a powerful ADI dsp chip with four microphones but it is a basic one on / off solution so we don't get adaptive and user selectable modes.
In every day use combined with the good passive noise attenuation it proved to be an adequate solution.
Well it is not high end noise cancellation like we find in other more expensive headphones but it sure gets the job done more or less depending upon the situation.
Unfortunately sound quality takes a hit and the user must judge at the end if to use it or not depending upon the environmental noise.
Bluetooth connection is very solid as we didn't experienced any drop outs even at several meters away from the transmitter.
Sound quality
And now on to the most important part sound quality.
Impressions are with the ANC turned off and LDAC protocol enabled streaming music up to 24/96 from a mobile phone and Fiio M9.
Overall tuning is on the neutral side with an airy and open presentation and just a hint of a pleasant warmth.
It is not overly warm neither bright with decent treble extension and a little midbass emphasis.
Bass quantity is good enough to satisfy most users except maybe from the bass heads.
Quality wise is good but not great , sure it is not an one note bass but still is lacking in ultimate definition and transparency.
Dynamics are good to make for an enjoyable experience though and it is hard hitting when called to.
There is a slight bleeding into the midbass not overly annoying giving the headphone just a touch of warmth.
Mids are clear but a little veiled from time to time but you get an easy going non aggressive sound suitable for long term listening.
Voices and instruments are well rounded and full bodied making for a persuasive presentation.
Highs are extended enough , detail is good and satisfying but there is a slight lack of resolution.
Treble is well behaved without any annoying peaks or dips and any kind of sibilance fatigue.
Transparency and extension are further improved when listening with the analog or USB connections as it is to be expected due to the known Bluetooth limitations.
Further tweaks to the sound can be done through the FiiO music app with the included equaliser options.
What impressed us most with FiiO EH3 NC is it airy presentation and stage wideness for a closed headphone.
Left to right width is very good making for an open sounding experience with good instrument separation without congestion even during complex passages.
Overall sound impressions are very satisfying for the price tag with not much to complain about that is of course with the ANC turned off.
Sure FiiO must work on with their ANC implementation in order to be more competitive with their next products.
FiiO EH3 NC vs Sennheiser PXC 550 ii
Compared to the slightly more expensive Sennheiser PXC 550ii , the later offer a superior noise cancelling experience , are a little bit more light and discreet so better suited for the frequent traveller and commuter.
But the FiiO EH3 NC with the advanced codec support and more technical driver design takes head in sound quality be it in wireless or wired mode.
So when it comes to pure musical enjoyment the FiiO EH3 NC is our primary choice.
At the end
This is the first foray of FiiO into the wireless noice cancelling headphones realm and their first full sized over the ear one.
As such they should not be judged too severely.
Sure there are better but more expensive options out there especially regarding the noise cancellation feature.
But with FiiO EH3 NC we buy ourselves firstly a great sounding wireless headphone with the added bonus of noise cancellation.
Add the extra comfort , huge battery and friendly form factor at a very competitive price and we've got here a value king winner.
Test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Notes
This headphone was provided as a loaner unit from the Greek retailer of FiiO to be featured in several reviews and we thank him for the opportunity.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
As we all know there is a growing demand for wireless headphones with active noise cancellation and good sound quality.
So it was only a matter of time till FiiO presented us with such a headphone.
This is not only the first wireless headphone for FiiO but it is also their first full sized one.
We are talking about the EH3 NC from FiiO a wireless Bluetooth headphone with active noise cancellation.
It is an over the ear closed design with a vast Bluetooth codec support as it includes the aptX LL , aptX HD and LDAC lossless formats amongst others.
Large 45mm drivers with double sided titanium plated diaphragm are powered by a CSR8675 chip handling both d/a conversion and amplification duties for maximum sound quality.
Wired 3.5mm jack and USB dac inputs are supported with both cables included inside the nice and sturdy travel carrying case.
Build quality and comfort
Premium materials are used all over such as good quality plastic , 2.5d glass for the outer cups and protein leather for the pads.
Build quality is overly satisfying with decent feeling but a little lacking compared to similar products from brands like Sennheiser as it feels a little filmsy and fragile.
Weight is average at about 293gr and comfort is excellent due to the very even distribution of the weight and the roomy , large enough ear pads.
Pads are made from protein leather and are user replaceable with the extra option of breathable mesh replacements sold separately.
There is memory foam inside which is shape adjusting and comfortable but it's a little noisy during compression as the air captured inside is being released.
It's not the most discreet wireless headphone we have tested but you can't call it bulky either and the modern design will apeall to many people.
Controls and ANC
User controls and indicators are pretty basic and are all located at the right earpiece as the left houses only the USB type C charging / USB dac port.
No gesture controls here, as there is only a power button ,an ANC on / off switch and three physical buttons to control music playback and calls.
Small leds indicate power status and remaining battery.
Battery duration is one of the best parts of the headphone as in real life use we managed to squeeze out more than 25 hours of mixed continuous use so no worries about frequent recharging.
Voice assistance and NFC connectivity are also supported.
Active noise cancellation is build around a powerful ADI dsp chip with four microphones but it is a basic one on / off solution so we don't get adaptive and user selectable modes.
In every day use combined with the good passive noise attenuation it proved to be an adequate solution.
Well it is not high end noise cancellation like we find in other more expensive headphones but it sure gets the job done more or less depending upon the situation.
Unfortunately sound quality takes a hit and the user must judge at the end if to use it or not depending upon the environmental noise.
Bluetooth connection is very solid as we didn't experienced any drop outs even at several meters away from the transmitter.
Sound quality
And now on to the most important part sound quality.
Impressions are with the ANC turned off and LDAC protocol enabled streaming music up to 24/96 from a mobile phone and Fiio M9.
Overall tuning is on the neutral side with an airy and open presentation and just a hint of a pleasant warmth.
It is not overly warm neither bright with decent treble extension and a little midbass emphasis.
Bass quantity is good enough to satisfy most users except maybe from the bass heads.
Quality wise is good but not great , sure it is not an one note bass but still is lacking in ultimate definition and transparency.
Dynamics are good to make for an enjoyable experience though and it is hard hitting when called to.
There is a slight bleeding into the midbass not overly annoying giving the headphone just a touch of warmth.
Mids are clear but a little veiled from time to time but you get an easy going non aggressive sound suitable for long term listening.
Voices and instruments are well rounded and full bodied making for a persuasive presentation.
Highs are extended enough , detail is good and satisfying but there is a slight lack of resolution.
Treble is well behaved without any annoying peaks or dips and any kind of sibilance fatigue.
Transparency and extension are further improved when listening with the analog or USB connections as it is to be expected due to the known Bluetooth limitations.
Further tweaks to the sound can be done through the FiiO music app with the included equaliser options.
What impressed us most with FiiO EH3 NC is it airy presentation and stage wideness for a closed headphone.
Left to right width is very good making for an open sounding experience with good instrument separation without congestion even during complex passages.
Overall sound impressions are very satisfying for the price tag with not much to complain about that is of course with the ANC turned off.
Sure FiiO must work on with their ANC implementation in order to be more competitive with their next products.
FiiO EH3 NC vs Sennheiser PXC 550 ii
Compared to the slightly more expensive Sennheiser PXC 550ii , the later offer a superior noise cancelling experience , are a little bit more light and discreet so better suited for the frequent traveller and commuter.
But the FiiO EH3 NC with the advanced codec support and more technical driver design takes head in sound quality be it in wireless or wired mode.
So when it comes to pure musical enjoyment the FiiO EH3 NC is our primary choice.
At the end
This is the first foray of FiiO into the wireless noice cancelling headphones realm and their first full sized over the ear one.
As such they should not be judged too severely.
Sure there are better but more expensive options out there especially regarding the noise cancellation feature.
But with FiiO EH3 NC we buy ourselves firstly a great sounding wireless headphone with the added bonus of noise cancellation.
Add the extra comfort , huge battery and friendly form factor at a very competitive price and we've got here a value king winner.
Test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Notes
This headphone was provided as a loaner unit from the Greek retailer of FiiO to be featured in several reviews and we thank him for the opportunity.
You can get it from FiiO.eu
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
Important update
Hifiman released a firmware update addressing the max volume issue under USB connection.
Now this go pretty loud and without distortion.
Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth
You can buy it from Apos Audio - https://apos.audio/products/hifiman...id=c95e32681&_ss=r&&sca_ref=676352.9NrkRMN27k
Introduction
This review is part of the Ananda BT loaner tour made possible thanks to Hifiman.
Thank you for letting me be a part of it.
English is not my native language so please excuse any errors.
The impressions that follow are purely subjective and reflect only my personal view and sound taste.
As I have noted in my initial impressions the Ananda BT is identical to the original Ananda plus an extra weight of only 60gr in a total of 460gr pretty impressive considering the extra electronics inside the unit.
In daily use this extra weight isn't noticable at all and doesn't cause any comfort issues.
Build quality is the typical Hifiman with a combination of plastic and aluminium but this time extra care has been taken regarding assembly of the parts as everything is in place and there aren't any annoying cracking noises.
Quality control seems to be much improved as it should be regarding the price.
The pads are the known ones with asymmetrical design following ear shape made of velvet and leather easy replaceable by the user.
They are very roomy and fit my ears with enough space to breathe.
The headband is the same design as the original a hybrid one for even distribution of the weight.
Regarding the electronics inside there is no information available except that there is a Bluetooth receiver plus a dac chip split into two amplifiers for symmetrical amplification.
Hifiman claims that filter and analog circuit are from the same engineers who designed their top player R2R2000.
The Ananda BT is the first Bluetooth headphone in the market to support the new high resolution codec HWA LHDC offering 24/96 wireless transmission.
Of course a suitable transmitter is required and there are only a few available till now in the market.
For my part of the listening I used the usual aptx HD and LDAC protocols.
There is an extra wired USB type C dac connection with a PC or an Android device for true lossless transmission supporting up to 24/192.
Analog cable connection is NOT supported.
The headphone comes with a top quality traveling case , two USB cables the one type A-C and the other type C-C plus an extra microphone that can be plugged into the headphone for gaming and calls.
In use
The Ananda BT is an open back design so it will not block any outside noise and it is best suited for indoor use.
It does not offer any kind of noise cancelation , it is bulky and doesn't fold so this is not going to be your wireless commute headphone.
The two buttons at the left earpiece are only for powering and charging and you cannot control music playback and calls from the unit itself.
Portability aside this is a very comfortable headphone.
I used it for hours without any comfort issues regarding fit or weight , it clamps good without pressing your head and ears stay cool enough.
Battery life is lower than the one claimed by Hifiman but still good for such a headphone about 8 hours of wireless use.
When connected to a PC it has the ability to charge while playing music but the PC must be plugged to the mains.
Please note that battery must be charged for it to work with a PC connection and it will deplete your laptop / phone battery very fast.
Sound
I used the headphones mainly with my mobile phone , a Fiio M9 player and a mini PC.
The wireless protocol used was LDAC and as it is expected the wired USB connection yielded the best results by a fair margin.
The sound of the Ananda BT is more or less the same as the original wired one and even better as we are going to find out later.
This is one of the best tuned headphones in the market with a very natural timbre an even and cohesive presentation , clear and detailed reminding of a good speaker set.
All frequencies are treated equally with a slight peak at about 8khz which is audible but not overly offensive and doesn't cause any kind of fatigue.
It just adds an ethereal flavor to the overall sound presentation.
Bass extends very well down to sub bass region and it is of great quality and quantity.
It is not going to rattle you teeth and bass heads will find it lacking as this is the audiophile kind of bass.
Slam and dynamics are very good as is texture and speed.
This is not one note bass as it is very clear and tight you can hear bowings and plucking notes very easily making it for a very lifelike experience.
There is no bleeding to mid bass and transition to the mids is very even.
Mids region is crystal clear and detailed with a natural warmth and ease of presentation.
On certain recordings there is a very slight emphasis on male and female voices with the instruments just a step behind.
This is the kind of mid region that it is never forward resulting in a free flowing sound that is always sweet without fatigue.
Treble is very smooth despite the small 8khz bump and it is going to be loved by people which are sensitive in this region.
But don't be mistaken as the headphone isn't forgiving of poor quality and sometimes can get a little harsh.
There is enough detail and extension but this is the part where the wired original version excels at.
Or let me point it otherwise this is the Bluetooth connection week spot as treble extension gets a hit and becomes a little grainy and muted.
Let's not forget that despite the advertising of the opposite Bluetooth transmission is a loosy process no matter the codec used.
Wired USB connection can be a remedy to this but still the OG Ananda is the better performer.
Soundstage is the typical Ananda not overly wide but with top notch instruments separation , air and pinpoint positioning able to tackle the most complex orchestral recordings.
Now this is the part where things get very very interesting.
In my review of the original Ananda I found them a little lacking in overall dynamics and decay speed was very fast for my tastes especially in high pitched instruments resulting in a thin and very ethereal presentation with a little artificial sound.
This is not the case with the Bluetooth version as I am hearing them quite differently and improved at the above aspects.
Now the headphone is presenting ample dynamics especially in the bass region and overall decay is much more natural resulting in a fuller sounding headphone with better transients and proper notes fading over time.
It seems to me that Hifiman engineers have tailored the dac / amp sound in order to address that few shortcomings of the original headphone.
At the end
Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth is easily the best wireless headphone in the market with audiophile quality sound.
For my ears it is even better than the original and it can directly compete with a lot of wired headphones of the same category.
Soundwise there are no negatives especially when used with the USB cable it is one of the best presentations I have ever heard and will suit equally many music genres and tastes.
But the best part is the simplicity and the ease of use.
This is not a headphone only for the frequent traveller , but it is also a headphone for everyone who craves for big sound but doesn't have the budget or the mood or the spare time to deal with players , dacs , amps and other time and money consuming things.
With a very fair asking price you buy yourself great sound in a user friendly plug and play package.
This headphone can't get more recommend by me and needles to say that I bought the loaner unit.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
Hifiman released a firmware update addressing the max volume issue under USB connection.
Now this go pretty loud and without distortion.
Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth
You can buy it from Apos Audio - https://apos.audio/products/hifiman...id=c95e32681&_ss=r&&sca_ref=676352.9NrkRMN27k
Introduction
This review is part of the Ananda BT loaner tour made possible thanks to Hifiman.
Thank you for letting me be a part of it.
English is not my native language so please excuse any errors.
The impressions that follow are purely subjective and reflect only my personal view and sound taste.
As I have noted in my initial impressions the Ananda BT is identical to the original Ananda plus an extra weight of only 60gr in a total of 460gr pretty impressive considering the extra electronics inside the unit.
In daily use this extra weight isn't noticable at all and doesn't cause any comfort issues.
Build quality is the typical Hifiman with a combination of plastic and aluminium but this time extra care has been taken regarding assembly of the parts as everything is in place and there aren't any annoying cracking noises.
Quality control seems to be much improved as it should be regarding the price.
The pads are the known ones with asymmetrical design following ear shape made of velvet and leather easy replaceable by the user.
They are very roomy and fit my ears with enough space to breathe.
The headband is the same design as the original a hybrid one for even distribution of the weight.
Regarding the electronics inside there is no information available except that there is a Bluetooth receiver plus a dac chip split into two amplifiers for symmetrical amplification.
Hifiman claims that filter and analog circuit are from the same engineers who designed their top player R2R2000.
The Ananda BT is the first Bluetooth headphone in the market to support the new high resolution codec HWA LHDC offering 24/96 wireless transmission.
Of course a suitable transmitter is required and there are only a few available till now in the market.
For my part of the listening I used the usual aptx HD and LDAC protocols.
There is an extra wired USB type C dac connection with a PC or an Android device for true lossless transmission supporting up to 24/192.
Analog cable connection is NOT supported.
The headphone comes with a top quality traveling case , two USB cables the one type A-C and the other type C-C plus an extra microphone that can be plugged into the headphone for gaming and calls.
In use
The Ananda BT is an open back design so it will not block any outside noise and it is best suited for indoor use.
It does not offer any kind of noise cancelation , it is bulky and doesn't fold so this is not going to be your wireless commute headphone.
The two buttons at the left earpiece are only for powering and charging and you cannot control music playback and calls from the unit itself.
Portability aside this is a very comfortable headphone.
I used it for hours without any comfort issues regarding fit or weight , it clamps good without pressing your head and ears stay cool enough.
Battery life is lower than the one claimed by Hifiman but still good for such a headphone about 8 hours of wireless use.
When connected to a PC it has the ability to charge while playing music but the PC must be plugged to the mains.
Please note that battery must be charged for it to work with a PC connection and it will deplete your laptop / phone battery very fast.
Sound
I used the headphones mainly with my mobile phone , a Fiio M9 player and a mini PC.
The wireless protocol used was LDAC and as it is expected the wired USB connection yielded the best results by a fair margin.
The sound of the Ananda BT is more or less the same as the original wired one and even better as we are going to find out later.
This is one of the best tuned headphones in the market with a very natural timbre an even and cohesive presentation , clear and detailed reminding of a good speaker set.
All frequencies are treated equally with a slight peak at about 8khz which is audible but not overly offensive and doesn't cause any kind of fatigue.
It just adds an ethereal flavor to the overall sound presentation.
Bass extends very well down to sub bass region and it is of great quality and quantity.
It is not going to rattle you teeth and bass heads will find it lacking as this is the audiophile kind of bass.
Slam and dynamics are very good as is texture and speed.
This is not one note bass as it is very clear and tight you can hear bowings and plucking notes very easily making it for a very lifelike experience.
There is no bleeding to mid bass and transition to the mids is very even.
Mids region is crystal clear and detailed with a natural warmth and ease of presentation.
On certain recordings there is a very slight emphasis on male and female voices with the instruments just a step behind.
This is the kind of mid region that it is never forward resulting in a free flowing sound that is always sweet without fatigue.
Treble is very smooth despite the small 8khz bump and it is going to be loved by people which are sensitive in this region.
But don't be mistaken as the headphone isn't forgiving of poor quality and sometimes can get a little harsh.
There is enough detail and extension but this is the part where the wired original version excels at.
Or let me point it otherwise this is the Bluetooth connection week spot as treble extension gets a hit and becomes a little grainy and muted.
Let's not forget that despite the advertising of the opposite Bluetooth transmission is a loosy process no matter the codec used.
Wired USB connection can be a remedy to this but still the OG Ananda is the better performer.
Soundstage is the typical Ananda not overly wide but with top notch instruments separation , air and pinpoint positioning able to tackle the most complex orchestral recordings.
Now this is the part where things get very very interesting.
In my review of the original Ananda I found them a little lacking in overall dynamics and decay speed was very fast for my tastes especially in high pitched instruments resulting in a thin and very ethereal presentation with a little artificial sound.
This is not the case with the Bluetooth version as I am hearing them quite differently and improved at the above aspects.
Now the headphone is presenting ample dynamics especially in the bass region and overall decay is much more natural resulting in a fuller sounding headphone with better transients and proper notes fading over time.
It seems to me that Hifiman engineers have tailored the dac / amp sound in order to address that few shortcomings of the original headphone.
At the end
Hifiman Ananda Bluetooth is easily the best wireless headphone in the market with audiophile quality sound.
For my ears it is even better than the original and it can directly compete with a lot of wired headphones of the same category.
Soundwise there are no negatives especially when used with the USB cable it is one of the best presentations I have ever heard and will suit equally many music genres and tastes.
But the best part is the simplicity and the ease of use.
This is not a headphone only for the frequent traveller , but it is also a headphone for everyone who craves for big sound but doesn't have the budget or the mood or the spare time to deal with players , dacs , amps and other time and money consuming things.
With a very fair asking price you buy yourself great sound in a user friendly plug and play package.
This headphone can't get more recommend by me and needles to say that I bought the loaner unit.
The test playlist - http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/5669033
Copyright - Laskis Petros 2020
