I did personally prefer the Ortofons to the FAD A1. I think the SB is good in a warm/smooth sort of way, more on par with the Ortofons but much different. The A1 and SB are quite near each other in overall performance despite their vast price difference. The SB is just a little bit better, a little better resolution, a little better balance, but the A1 is tighter and more articulate. Both offer better clarity and resolution than the Ortofons, but the Ortofons offer a lot more dynamic range and better balance.The FAD options have a thick, full note, weighty. They do make the Ortofon offerings sound much more light and delicate in nature. The Ortofons offer much better highs in terms of extension and presence than both the A1 and SB. I would be hard-pressed to suggest the SB given the price despite me actually liking it as a unique smooth offering. The A1 is one I initially really liked, but it sort of wore off in time. I do still prefer the Ortofon offerings as far as a better overall package. I do personally favor the e-Q7 over the eQ5, although both are actually quite close to each other. The e-Q7 is just a little warmer, a little smoother, a little fuller. The e-Q5 is a touch brighter, a touch more energetic and edgy.
As for what to buy, it's really a matter of personal preference. All of these products offer certain things. I do really like the A1, but I personally shy away from less than well balanced earphones these days. I also dislike when an earphone lacks frequency response breadth on both ends. A little roll off is fine, especially on a largely warm or bright earphone where a lot of emphasis was put on the other end of the spectrum. The FX700 is a good example, great low end, more laid back top end, excellent performance, very good balance. I like this earphone. The A1 unfortunately is less than balanced and lacks a good bit on the top end. For something that is not a budget level option, I have come to expect at least good extension, even if the frequency response shape was chosen not to be flat. Pure inability or vast cut off is kind of unacceptable at this price level. There are so many other options that can perform this simple task.
The UM3X is an interesting earphone. It's technically outstanding, but the design intent was for professional musicians as a listening tool during play. It was never geared for musical listening, and the frequency response of the product shows this. With EQing, it's one of the best earphones I've used. Without, it's rather colored but can be likable. There is significant focus on the lower end and low treble. Both midrange and high treble are recessed. Proper EQing can vastly improve the musicality of this earphone, but you need a dedicated EQ for it and one that's reasonably flexible, no iPod or Walkman built in crap, rather I'm talking about 10+ band or a very adjustable parametric EQ. I've owned a UM3X 3 separate times, and I've sold my UM3X 3 separate times. I've come to use other things. My current main is my e-Q7. I have come to the personal (preference) conclusion that it is the best overall balanced earphone I've used to date, a product that is not perfect but offers a wide mix of capabilities and excellent overall balance. It's broadly capable with few faults. Preference aside, I view the majority of +$150 earphones I've used to be at a pretty similar overall level of performance. This is to say that the jump from most things $150 to things $250, $300, or more is small. Most of the choice at this point is not about finding a holistically better product. Rather, most of the choice at this point is finding the right sound that best fits you, your preferences, and your goals. More expensive stops becoming better. It just becomes different. A simple example is Hifiman's RE252, RE262, and RE272(the 272 I have not used as of yet). These are top level products with certain capabilities that are not beat by any other product, but they are relatively affordable. The driver used in the RE262 is down right amazing. It's effortlessly dynamic, very transparent(read invisible, i.e. extremely low harmonic distortion), extremely detailed, effortlessly quick, and quite enjoyable to listen to. I'd still own a pair if it was just a little less colored. It's just a touch mid-centric (not bad mind you) for my liking. It's one I would suggest to you even, if it had a thicker note. It unfortunately suffers the same very short decay and subsequent fate of a lean low end just like the DBA-02. The bass amount is there, just not the body and weight one expects. Despite this, the driver is fricking godly. Heck, I would suggest buying one just to hear it. It will likely sound a little weird. Many found it to sound weird to them. I think the midrange focus is strange. It's not actually a frequency response issue. Frequency alone, it's actually well balanced. It's just that the short decay really cuts down the presence on the low end and pulls the attention and energy to the mid. The highs are also...odd. Again the sensitivity (frequency response) is there, but the presentation isn't edgy. It lacks the raw energy and bite, instead sounding more lax and sweet. It's actually quite likable, but again your attention pulls back to the mids. The RE252 is better balanced and thicker in note, but it lacks the dynamics of the RE262. I consider the RE262 to have a slightly better driver but worse implementation where as the RE252 is better implementation but a not quite as good driver. I've been curious about the RE272 and may pick up a pair sometime down the road. It is supposed to be quite good, treble focused apparently, so I'm not sure about the overall balanced of the earphone.
Now I'm just babbling.
Anywho, the short of it is that most of what you need to figure out is (a) your personal preference, and (b) which products fall into that preference. Once you're above $150, better, at least on a holistic scale is minimal. Most of it is simply a different sound. It just becomes a better fit instead. The one with the best fit is the one you will be most happy with. I would also suggest that you do try out a variety of products over time. Buy used to keep cost low. Resale will be at the same price, so loss is basically zero. Repeat and find your favorite. That's all I've done over the last few years.
