Am removing this review

Thanks, nice read. Fyi though the balanced armature flagship is the fi ba ss. Per their literature. Under details you listed the heavens as the flagship.

nice review.  As an owner of the Heaven VI's before they got stolen out of my car, I'm a big fan of the unique sound signature these present.  The instrument separation, realism/timbre, and soundstage just all feel different and comfortable for long listening periods.  I do like a little bass, but I want it to have clarity.  
I have the Heaven VIII's on the way this week and I can't wait.  I hope I remember the VI's enough to be able to compare them!  I wonder if its just an eq'ing of the bass DOWN to get some clarity of the bass end.  I don't anybody should be getting FAD's to have a fun BASS sound.  They should be looking for an experience.  But, IMO, anyone getting the FAD's shouldn't be looking for them to be their ONLY set of IEM's, unless they know what they're getting ahead of time.  This is not because they're inferior, by any means, its just they are SO different.  I recommend any audiophile try them some point before they die.  You'll either love them dearly, or you just won't get what the fuss is about.
 
My 2 cents..... if its even worth that much.

I should have the Heaven VIII coming this week too. I'll see how they compare to the fibass. Excited. Hopefully they will come in before weekend, crossing fingers.

lol!  my fingers are crossed too.  I've never opted for the fibass, so I'll be curious to know, too!  Got to record initial impressions, but then write after a couple weeks when the buzz wears off!

The fibass definitely had a break in period. I would say ears since rarely do I go with break in but I a/b with many different headphones and earphones ongoing and these changed. Wish I had heard the Heaven VIII at canjam. There are times I feel like. A little more bass and I am thinking the heavens will have it. Love the fibass though. I am using comply tips, I think the pair I have in now I trimmed just a sliver of the plastic insert. main thing with the fad headphones is that they don't insert to deeply and so my ear problem with body/walking noise is lessened to a huge degree and I can actually use iems comfortably. Where did you order yours?

Please do update when you get them, that is a comparison I am really, really looking forward to!

I purchased them through Head-Fi from @EveTan .  He's shipping them priority, so i should have them this week.  I'll record my first impressions, but I've found that reality doesn't fully materialize until I've had them for a couple weeks.

Nearly bought used on Headfi but I had my name in for them from meet so they are honoring the discount offered there for me and it is just slightly higher than the used price with new warranty date ect. Problem is that they haven't gotten their shipment from Japan yet.

So, got my Heaven VIII's in today.  Initial impressions are that they are exactly what I had hoped for.  Wide soundstage with good instrument separation.  For me, its perfect treble, sparkles in a non-fatiguing way.  Bongos on these are the best I've ever heard without question.  Kodomo's "Losing Your Way" sounds better than it ever did for me.  I need to really listen to these and scrutinize these to get more of a feel for strength and weaknesses and get some comparisons.  Its like I had said, this sound is an experience.  
I do notice that the cable is a little bit different than the heaven VI.  It feels better quality and a little less rubbery.  its a straight connector, but that's not a problem for me.  There's a little peak in the bass region, but it responds well to EQ'ing.  I'm going to listen to it flat for a while, though, to get a better feel for its designed signature.

Lucky you! I am still waiting for them to come it and then will have to wait for shipping. Really interested in the fullness and bass. Also if they play well out of other devices, I have high end but the fibass is 16ohm and the Heavens are 24ohm so i was hoping for them to be a little more forgiving of general carry around things(like my iPhone 5s ). Thanks, looking forward to impressions.

So far, I've put about 14 hours of listening into these.  I purchased these used, so I'm assuming that burn-in time is not required.  I listen primarily to my MacBook Pro and sometimes my iPhone 6Plus with a USB connection into a SoundBlaster E-5.  For the purpose of examining the natural sound of these, I'm do zero tweeks to the EQ.  I also have a FiiO amp to put these on after I've thoroughly aquainted myself to the sound.  I also primarily listen to a subgenre of electronic, but I've thrown in some mainstream vocal-centric song.  For the most part, though, I listen to Tycho, Koan, Saul Stokes, Xerxes, Ronald Jenkees, ODESZA, and those that exist in their associated genres.  Electronic music is increasingly difficult to categorize, but maybe I could break it down another time in another place.  But what's important to know is that its mostly instrumental and NOT the BOOM, BOOM, BOOM repetitive trance/house that most associate with electronic.  Also, I'm a Money guy, so I often am looking at not rating headphones on a score, but actually coming up with what I think the true market value of these phones is/should be.  
 
Also, I hate to do the cliche, but these headphones are more eartip sensitive than any other phone I've had.  I think every reviewer can only say that about one set of headphones.  And, before you say that about a different set, you need to go back and delete it on the other pair you said that about .  I've tried multiple tips so far, and each have had an affect on sound.  Pics attached.
 

 
 
I've done a lot of comparisons right off with the PFE 232.  These are almost like the Yin and Yang.  FAD VIII is musical and lush mids, while the PFE 232 is mid-recessed.  I'm using the gray filters on the PFE's, by the way.  FAD VIII is giving you a listening experience, while the PFE's are giving you a detailed look through a microscope.  What i'm discovering is the FAD VIII has a sort of artificial intelligence built into it.  It knows how to play the highs in such a way that is present, but it will tone it down before it gets simblant.  The PFE, on the other hand, doesn't give a sh** what you think, its going to play those highs.  Although the FAD will give you a bass hit, its more like the bass "experience," whilst the PFE will give you an in-depth look at the texture that's there.  Bass on the PFE is clearly more detailed and played truer.  The FAD's play the bass in a way that melds the sounds together.  FAD uses its 'artificial intelligence' in order to put the melody and the focus of the song up on a silver platter.  The PFE, on the other hand, loses the focus that I believe the artist intended.  Instead, the PFE will play all the sounds clearly with indifference. 
 
Mids are much cleaner and spaced on the FAD.  Which is why I think a song's presentation is more true to how the artist meant for you to experience it, I believe.  This is because melody's and the tune of a song exists in the mid-range.  The PFE is easier to pick out each instrument.  It goes back to the old anology of societies (I'm a Sociologist); some cultures mix together and assimilate.  Other cultures keeps their differences separated; segregation without it necessarily being a racist or negative term.  FAD is the "Melting Pot" of sounds, comign together to give you a distinct flavor.  PFE is the "Tossed Salad" where each ingredient will keep its flavor; while sometimes some ingredients have a more potent flavor that can drown out others.  
 
The above compare and contrast could be used when describing the hybrid head-to-head of the ASG-2 and the K3003, with the K3003 being more like the PFE in this case.  However, this is just in the sense of how their overall feel and experience is concerned.  I would NOT put the FAD like the ASG-2, except to say that ASG-2 to its bass' strength is to the FAD to its Mids' strength.  If that all makes any sense.  Without going too into it, I would place the FAD over the ASG-2 in terms of preference.  I would also put the K3003 over the PFE in terms of personal preference as well, but that's for paragraphs in a different forum!
 
I don't put the PFE at the $599 retail that it sits.  However, I put it more at the $400 range.  In comparison, I put the FAD's pretty close to that.  However, I'd put these Heaven VIII's at about $500+ in direct comparison.  I'd put the Heaven VI at about $350.
 
Next, I'm looking to A-B with the FX-850, which so far, has proven to be more a little more difficult. 

You know i would be really curious to compare the FAD Heaven viii to the Earsonics Velvets for overall enjoyment

peareye said:

  You know i would be really curious to compare the FAD Heaven viii to the Earsonics Velvets for overall enjoyment

Click to expand...

I totally agree.  somebody just needs to loan me their Velvets for two weeks....  

Well, ya me too...
 
Actually, they both have reviewed favorably and consistently...which is nice so it doesnt create too much doubt in our minds.