Thank you to Tony from hifiheadphones.co.uk for the review unit.
 
Fidue A65
 
Thanks to tony from hifiheadphones for letting me be part of the UK tour.
 

 
 

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS​

 

1. Drivers: Custom 8mm dynamic driver with Titanium composites
2. Frequency range: 16Hz - 22kHz
3. Impedance: 16Ω
4. Sensitivity: 101dB
5. Max input power: 30mW
6. Distortion: <1%
7. Plug: 3.5mm straight gold-plated jack
8. Cable: 1.2m, 7N-OFC

 

FEATURES ​

 

1. Micro dynamic drivers with titanium composites
2. Solid metal housing construction eliminates distortion
3. Ergonomic body design and robust metal microphone, splitter and jack
4. Universal microphone and control button compatible with most smartphones
5. Various silicone eartips effectively isolate and provide secure fit
6. Can be worn in a cable down or over the ear configuration

 
________________________________________________________________________________
 
Packaging
 
The Fidue A65 comes nicely laid  out in a nice green and white box with a thick grey inner foam holding the earphones in place, there are 3 pairs of single flange silicone tips and 1 set of double flange.
Fidue also include a carry pouch and shirt clip.
 
Build quality and design
 
The A65 are extremely well built using an all aluminium housing and the attached cable is rugged with a metal straight jack. It is probably the best built earphone i have used under £100, excellent attention to detail for the price.
________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Sound
 
i will start by using a scale and then give my impressions afterwards.
 
Treble
Harsh |------|-o----| Smooth
 
Mids
Forward |-----o|------| Recessed
 
Bass
Boomy |------|-o----| Controlled
 
Dynamics
Compressed |----o-|------| Natural
 
Detail/Resolution
Dull |------|o-----| Vivid
 
Transparency
Veiled |------|o-----| Clear
 
Soundstage 
Small |-o----|------| Large
 
 
The first thing that stood out to me was the clarity and detail from an iem that costs £50 it could pick out small details that nothing else i had around this price range could, definitely punching above the rest.
The way i would describe the overall sound is rich and smooth, the mids have plenty of presence and enough bite for heavy electric guitars, the bass is punchy but controlled so it doesnt leek in to the mids very much at all. Treble is smooth and detailed, theres no sibilance that i heard, now on to the last part which is what stops me from marking it as one of the best iems under £100.
Soundstage, its just far too small for me and it leaves it sounding very congested and closed in, so small infact i could only listen to the A65 in short bursts. If this is not a problem for you then i say go for it, i imagine the price and sound signature pleasing a lot of people.
 
Thanks for reading. 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks, @Tony-Hifi at HiFi Headphones, for organizing this tour and graciously allowing me to join. My honest opinion of the Fidue A65 follows.

 

Introduction

I always start with a bit about me. More details are below the fold, but here’s a little insight into my grading. I grade primarily on sound and value. Coming with 20 pairs of tips won’t help a headphone, and coming with a stupid awful case won’t hurt it unless there are other cascading detractors.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Tony and the crew at HiFi Headphones in Lancing, UK do a very good job providing the features of the products they have for sale. These stats are lifted directly from the Fidue A65 product page there. From the rumours I’ve seen around HeadFi, these have the same guts as the Fidue A63, but these look far more premium, in my opinion.
 
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. Drivers: Custom 8mm dynamic driver with Titanium composites
2. Frequency range: 16Hz - 22kHz
3. Impedance: 16Ω
4. Sensitivity: 101dB
5. Max input power: 30mW
6. Distortion: <1%
7. Plug: 3.5mm straight gold-plated jack
8. Cable: 1.2m, 7N-OFC

 
FEATURES

1. Micro dynamic drivers with titanium composites
2. Solid metal housing construction eliminates distortion
3. Ergonomic body design and robust metal microphone, splitter and jack
4. Universal microphone and control button compatible with most smartphones
5. Various silicone eartips effectively isolate and provide secure fit
6. Can be worn in a cable down or over the ear configuration

 
See more at: HiFi Headphones. Tony has also done a video review there that I think was quite good.
 
I’m a sucker for images showing machines being taken apart like they are being pulled apart by duelling magnets in a paper white zero-g outer space. This image is also stolen from HiFi Headphones. A google image search turned up only HiFi Headphones for this image. I don’t know why Fidue isn’t plastering it all over the internets, because it’s darn cool.
 
 

 

Form & Function

The Fidue A65 is light weight and pretty ergonomic. It is a nice coppery rose gold colour with a little bit of directional texture. It’s like the IEM body was extruded from a piece of copper—it wasn’t, it’s aluminum. The strain reliefs have the best right left identification I’ve come across on any headphone; it is a simple elegant solution to the right/left ear dilemma that can serve any level of visual acuity. Stevie Wonder would look great with a pair of these and the little raised dot on the right strain relief would tell him exactly how to wear them. Most headphones use lettering or colour coding, but these don’t serve you well in a dark airplane cabin or on a late-night coach to London. The little raised dot is a perfect solution. It also allowed me to switch quickly between headphones during testing—bonus! You can see the raised dot in the picture below.
 

 
 
The cable looks fairly inexpensive. I’ve seen it online on a variety of inexpensive Chinese headphones on aliexpress. The cable also has some microphonics—not too bad, and I don’t run often so it doesn’t really affect me. Luckily, for those who do run, it comes with not one, but two clips. I guess they probably knew about that microphonics issue. The cable can be worn up or down, but I found that the Fidue A65 are most comfortable worn down due to the feel of the cable over-ear. The cable is a bit stiff, so doesn’t contour as nicely to the top of the ear as I’d like. Ear-guides would probably make these easier to wear up.
 
The A65 cable has has a microphone and one button remote for answering calls. The button assembly is plastic with an aluminum shell. I regret to say that I didn’t test out the microphone. I don’t like listening to music out of my phone, and I also don’t like being interrupted when listening to music, so microphone testing ends up low on my listening priority list. I’ll have to remedy that in future reviews.
 
The package is a nice size, has good icons, nice packaging and presentation, and contains the following:

1. Fidue A65 IEMs
2. 3 pairs of single flange silicone eartips (S/M/L)
3. 1 pair of double flange silicone eartips (M)
4. Cable clip
5. Shirt clip
6. Velvet carrying pouch
7. Warranty card

 
The accessories aren’t as generous as the RHA s500i or the RHA ma750 (two headphones, I think that this one sits in between, reviewed here), but I think that they are sufficient. The silicone tips were good quality. I like the velvet carrying pouch, it has a nice feel and a nice mechanism: you press the sides and it snaps open and release and it snaps closed. I think it is a perfect size for the headphones, and will do a decent job keeping dust off of them, but will probably be prone to dust on the case. It isn’t a terribly protective case, but I think it will do the job just fine. If you want something heavier, there are lots of inexpensive cases on Amazon and ebay. I was satisfied with the accessories included, I don’t need to be wowed when it comes to accessories for any headphone.
 

 

Audio quality

The Fidue A65 have a nice relaxed sound signature. When playing out of the iBasso DX50 on low gain, the bass is easygoing, and the sound is not overly forward. It has a nice warm sound on the bass and vocals. When I flip the gain switch to high on the DX50, it’s almost like the headphone transforms a little, it gains more sub-bass and low mid-bass body.
 

 
Testing the difference between the gain settings, it seems that the volume scale difference between each level of gain is about 5 to 7 points. When listening to Neil Young – Out on the Weekend (Pono 24-192) turning the gain from low to high suppresses the guitar on the right slightly, lowers the mids in relative terms, and darkens the overall presentation of the headphone.
 
Comparing the RHA ma750 to the Fidue A65, the ma750 isn’t as clean. It has a bit of fuzz on the lower end of the bass where frequencies are emphasized when on high gain. Lowering gain to medium reduces the fuzz but doesn’t eliminate it. The ma750 has a really romantic feel to the vocals, but the guitars aren’t as transparent. Overall the sound is a bit more congested, it is a more forward overall signature than the A65. Vocals on the A65 are more forward in relative terms to other instruments in the signature than they are on the ma750, but they are less forward in absolute terms. The ma750 just has a much more energetic, in your face signature.
 
The s500i has an overall drier sound with thinner presentation on metallic instruments. There is less decay on the bass, and the guitar on the right side of On the Weekend is a bit more forward. You can’t hear the stage as well on the s500i as on the A65, reflections off the back of the stage are a bit muted, comparatively.
 
Something that I observed that I believe is important to note, and also why I’m not sure that ABX really is measuring what it thinks it is measuring, is that for the first 10 seconds or so between switching between any of these headphones, if done in quick succession, they sound more similar than after the first ten seconds. I think our brains try to re-create the sound we expect to hear rather than the sound that is really there. I’d advise that when switching between headphones that you throw out the first ten seconds to overcome this signature smoothing effect.
 
I also tried out the ERIB-2a and the 64Audio X2 compared to the A65. It wasn’t a contest on either. The ERIB-2a tops everything in this review, and it should, as it’s $775 instead of $75. The 64Audio X2 is my favourite headphone I own (don’t own ERIB-2a, yet). The 64Audio X2 was a Kickstarter special that was made because 64Audio was unable to produce the Control headphones they promised on their Kickstarter. A 64Audio rep has indicated that it is a version of the 64Audio U2 ($399). I feel pretty good about getting it for $150 plus import fees. The 64Audio X2 has better soundstage depth and width, better drum slam, better transparency, and better note decay all around than the A65. It is just better. It is also a more efficient headphone, performing best on low gain on the DX50. If you see an X2 on sale, you should strongly consider buying it.
 
Continuing with the comparison between the A65 and the ma750 (this time with both on medium gain), I threw on Queen – Loser in the End. I like this track for testing drum slam, guitar crunch, soundstage, and I love the vocals and wood blocks. It is a slamming track. With the RHA ma750 bass is a bit less focused, and the soundstage has less depth and width. The drums kick wonderfully with the ma750. The overall presentation is tighter on the A65 and less forward. While the signature is not as lively as the ma750, it isn’t sleepy in any way. The sound is nicely balanced with no over-emphasis anywhere in the spectrum.
 

 
 
Further comparisons using Fleetwood Mac – Dreams and Tony Furtado – Bolinas give the advantage more to the RHA ma750. On dreams the ma750 did a better job of vocal separation during the chorus, but the overall sound wasn’t as clear as on the A65. The A65 liked the extra bass weight that came with higher gain. This added weight was independent of volume. Whilst the A65 was clearer on Dreams, unexpectedly, it sounded a touch veiled on Bolinas, and sounded a little artificial. The ma750 had better air around the guitar plucks, while still feeling a touch congested, I don’t know how it manages to do that. Neither headphone had the tone quite right on Bolinas.
 
Putting on City of the Sun – to the sun and all the cities in between for a final comparison between the A65 and the RHA s500i. The A65 has average depth and width on the sound stage. It is easier to drive than the s500i. The backing vocals on this track are a bit hazy with the A65, whilst the sound is clearer and airier with the s500i. The s500i has less bass quantity than the A65, but it has a more precise signature (tighter, crisper) that works well with this track.

 

Conclusions

The Fidue A65 is a very good performer for it’s price ($50 to $75)(£49 at HiFi Headphones). I found that the signature falls in between the RHA s500i and RHA ma750. The signature isn’t lush and energetic like the ma750, but it isn’t dry like the s500i. It is a nice balanced signature. The soundstage has average depth and width. On some tracks parts of the treble can sound veiled. The A65 has swings in sound signature due to changes in amping, so it may be that different amping setups will provide subtly different sounds. Some will like this flexibility, if you have more sources, you can find a good match, or even if you have gain settings on your player. If you have a source that doesn’t mesh well, you may find fault with this variability. So the changes in sound signature based on amping may be a positive to some people and a negative to others. The accessories are adequate, but not extensive.
 
Overall, I liked the Fidue A65. It is a good headphone at a good price with a nice balanced sonic presentation. The coppery rose gold finish of the shell is gorgeous to look at. For me the swings in sound signature with different gains were a positive, so I’m giving the A65 credit for them. I thought this headphone was as good as the two RHAs I primarily compared it against, so I would rate it the same 4.25 rating that I would give the RHAs if it existed on HeadFi. Since 4.25 doesn’t exist, I round up to 4.5. Give me a scale with quarter points, please, HeadFi. If Untappd can do it for beer, you can do it for headphones.
 
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment and ask questions below.

Thanks to Tony-hifi for the loan.

This is not a brand that I am previously familiar with and having tried many other brands because I work for an audio retailer, I was eager to compare like for like.

I won't go into manufacturer jargon as that has already been covered by previous reviews.

From the moment of receiving the Fidue A65's expectations were high. You cannot help but feel this way due to the premium packaging compared to most other in-ears at this price, once removed from the packaging, they did not disappoint. An all metal body (brass/Rose gold finish) with a decent cable attached as opposed to some of the flimsy offerings from othe brands and Four different ear silicon bud sizes to choose from.

I started of trying the A65's driven by my Samsung S5 streaming Via Tidal music service in "hifi" mode. To start off I played the Ivory Pyramid "Ramsey Lewis" album, the first three tracks have a great deal of detail and dynamic range, treble was sweet without being harsh at any volume level that I would be willing to risk I am not a fan of forward sounding products so enjoyed this type of presentation, mid was clean and with a wide soundstage, saving the best until last was the bass. Another track from this album is A night in Bahia, starting of with a gentle percussion and building unto a thunderous bass line.
The track"People make the world go 'round" slammed! Deep fat and rounded to perfectly blend into the full spectrum of sound. I went on to try a variety of musical tastes pop, soul, Reggae etc etc before connecting my Fiio Mont Blanc. Wow! More of everything, but that bass is what grabs you, I played Rush Over by Marcus Miller "Tales" a beautiful rolling bass with each note let seperate and distinct. Vocal were warm & lush.

The A65's definatly sing when pushed that little bit more via the like of a Mont Blanc. I have recently been given a set of Bose QC-20 units, considering the difference in price here and I must confess to not being the biggest fan of this company I was surprised by just how much more accurate I found these cheaper A65's! I'm not into active noise cancelling so that is of no use to me. Besides, the passive cancellation offered by the A65's was more than enough for me.

My only gripe would be the cable microphonics, because of its clingy rubberised shielding, it rubs hard when on the move thus creating noise. But this is something that I could happily live with.

Highly recommend.

Disclaimer
 
Firstly, I would like to thank Tony at HiFiHeadphones for this review sample and setting up the review tour, in trade for honest opinions and impressions. 
 
Introduction
 
So without spoiling too much, what is the A65 all about well it’s one of Fidue’s mid-tier earphones that I can only assume was made to desecrate any earphone at this price point and even many above it, The A65’s uses a micro dynamic titanium driver, rare for a headphone of this type but becoming more and more popular. There are a few draw backs, barely, but we will get to that a little later. 
My initial impressions were these sound pretty good, all I can say is keep reading because these things are something spectacular.
 
Unboxing/packaging
 
You might hear me bang on about the bang for buck these earphones offer but that doesn't mean they skimp too much on presentation.The earphones come in a rather plain yet quaint box, typically upon opening the box you see the beauty creep out. A nice faux black sued encases the earphones, included accessories are 3 pairs of small, medium and large silicone tips, 1 pair of double-flange tips and a soft carrying pouch as pictured below. I've tried to not spend too much time on this sections so I hope the pictures will write the words for me.
 

Design/comfort 
 
There is no shame in having a crush alright so don’t judge me when I say it was love at first sight! Honestly though I find it hard for anyone not to enjoy the textured, creative raw yet refined appeal the A65 offer. They remind me a reinvented DN-2000 smaller tighter and lighter.  The outer case for the earphones are wrapped in a brushed copper finish with the housing taking on the form of a very handsome pyramid. As you can see a lot of thought and effort was put into the small touches looking at the little logo on the back and the ever so slightly rounded nibs that hold your ear tips on. They say the little things matter and I must agree.
 
The cable is a little less luxury but once used for a bit went from a stiffed neck partner to someone who was quite agreeable. It actually reminds me of a coated version cable that was on the GR07 BE, so underneath the brown hue is a candy cane, barber shop, red and white swirled design. Why this choice I have no idea? Honestly whack on an extra £10 and give me a removable one I would be quite happy. 
 
Comfort wasn’t too bad with the supplied silicon ear tips that accompanied the earphones however comfort was greatly improved when I slid on some of my own foamies. Love me some foamies just
not Comply, never Comply, I kid they’re great but I hope one day all the slight digs people take at them will sink in and the revise the durability. Anyway petty issues aside the A65 fit great once you get a good seal they just manage to hit a sweet spot allowing you be able to wear them for hours upon end which I have done.

Mic Function
 
Although I don’t use my iPhone much for music anymore on the off chance I do it’s always useful to have a pair of high quality earphones with a mic. I’m glad Fidue included one and it’s not a surprise they didn’t skimp on quality here. The mic is encased in a ridged meatal fascia and the only thing letting it down is that slightly cheap looking plastic that joins end to end together.
Call quality is absolutely fine no snaps, crackles or pops. All the calls I made using the A65’s came across clear and gave me great feedback allowing me to hear the other person on the other end of the phone, always a bonus… In most cases. The mic has a singular button control press once to play a track, once to stop and once to end a call, simples. 
 
Sound Quality
Time to break it all down I’ve summarized my main points below to really sum up my feelings about the A65 so feel free to skip ahead if you want a tidy version of what I am about to say. 
 
Highs
 
Say hi highs, “Hi” they shout back with youthful exuberance in heart full of the joys of spring announcing detail upon detail without ever getting snippy. There is a slight peak on lower quality recordings but easily forgivable as the titanium driver is pushing out a great amount of detail for a single dynamic. Have I heard a more detailed monitor of course but bear in mind the cost of these sweet angelic little gems.  Air allows each instrument its place and the balance is stuck just so the A65 haven’t really gone overboard with anything here and I love it. As contrast as it is to say the highs are almost presented with a smooth brightness, if you didn’t think that was possible try them out. 
 
Mid-range
 
Well now I have had a small debate here with a family member who tried these and summed up we agreed these are just amazing when there amazing and okay when there not. Well whatever do you mean sir? Hum don’t quite know myself to be truthful. Not every recording shows off the stunning, inviting, open, almost liquid like, upfront mid-range these earphones are capable of. Nevertheless, I must state for the record when you hit a spot of music that’s recorded well you will be missing no thing, I almost didn’t see it coming when I started listening to some electronic music the transient passage of the song came all of a sudden swept me off my feet and evaporated as quick as it came. I then moved on to trying some vocal tracks and there is was with a little encouragement these blew the dust off some music I haven’t enjoyed in a good long while. Me the M2 and A65 lost hours of sleep as I laid awake at 2am just revisiting music I know oh so well with the generous space and emotion the A65 brought to the table.  
 
Lows
 
Improvements made over the likes of their flagship model imo. The A83 had me a bit puzzled when I first heard it was like a bloated mid bass of fury things did settle down but the A65 is much more up my street. Balance, now whilst I feel there is some slight mid-range recession on some tracks which almost forces my hand to use the expression V-shaped there is no denying Fidue went after a balance here. Lows are presented with authority but nothing of a Head Teacher more a Substitute Teacher who came in one day but is not the type you feel like making fun of. Mid bass is ahead of the sub bass which is fine as it keeps the sound light and breezy, although as much as I am enjoying the sound overall, tuning the nether regions a bit more for a deeper slightly more textured bass would be adding the crème de la crème.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
 
Oh gosh as the A65 open up which they will do more and more with burn in you will come to realize just how much a mid-tier earphone is capable of. The soundstage is certainly larger than average and there is a beautiful sense of air which brings a holographic feel to the imaging. Instruments have enough separation to be classed as above average, sure it isn’t incredibly distinct but you can pick out heaps of detail when you look into her. I must say bar a few issues with layering and instruments diffusing there is a spectacular sense of imaging here. 
 
Conclusion
 
From the iconic looks, with its brushed copper triangular design to the marmite cable and mic making no compromise to sound performance vs price, there is no getting around that these are a fantastic entertaining pair of earphones that deserve nothing but appraisal. 
 
In all my experience of budget or low mid-tier price ranged earphones these are the best I've heard by a far margin. The sound field is 3D holographic and actually accurate. Bass is tight enough and hardly ever bleeds into the midrange never smears an ounce of detail. Clarity of this caliber is almost unheard of at this price point. Sure there are issues with poor recordings you get a little treble spike but it's more dependent on your source and recording. Tuned beautifully, usually I prefer a more upfront mid-range yet even with the slightly more V shaped response the A65 still push out tantalizing vocals with an addictive bite that just sweetens certain music genres and tracks. Treble peaks on this can be bothersome but I feel no reason to complain about it the titanium driver is clearly doing more than I've seen before at this price point so don't expect the level of refinement you get from a pair of high end CIEM but don’t expect these to fall too short of your expectations, even if they’re high. 

Preamble:

Before I start with my actual review, I would like to thank Penon Audio for providing me with a sample of the A65 (http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A65) in exchange for my honest opinion on it. I am not affiliated with Penon or Fidue in any way and this review (as usual) reflects my actual thoughts on the product.
Penon Audio is a Chinese online shop for hi-fi products and was founded in 2013.
I have also been a client of theirs and bought products from them several times and can’t really report any bad things about them. With standard shipping, the delivery time never exceeded two weeks and this time, the A65 arrived quite quickly as well (12 days) here in Germany.

Benny Tan, Fidue’s chief engineer, has got more than 20 years of experience in developing and producing premium headphones and has already designed several products for some famous brands in the past, so says the text on the back of the A65’s packaging.
That the team around Benny Tan and Fidue are no rookies in the audio industry becomes obvious when one starts listening to their products, such as the A65 or the hybrid A73 that already convinced me before, but I’ll get more into detail further below in my review.


Technical Specifications:

Price: $59.90
Drivers: dynamic, 8 mm, titanium-coated
Frequency Response: 16 – 22000 Hz
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Sensitivity: 101 dB
Distortion: < 1%
Max. Input Power: 30 mW
Cable Length: 1.3 m
Microphone Sensitivity: -42 dB (+/- 3 dB)
Microphone SNR: > 55 dB


Delivery Content:

The A65 comes in a sturdy white cardboard box with a the model and manufacturer name on the right, including a short description with white text on green background, which I find unique and refreshing. The green colour, together with the “F” in Fidue that looks like a branch with two leaves, brings up associations of harmony, calmness and relationship with nature – but that was enough association for today.
Moreover, there is a chequered grey pattern that consists of the Fidue F and grey squares above the Fidue logo on the front. The green band from the front continues on the bottom and has got the brief description from the front translated into Chinese and German, with the slogan “Original sound, beautifully voiced!” with Benny Tan’s printed signature beneath.
On the back, there’s a QR code with the serial number overhead and the technical specifications with a brief description of the company and Benny Tan on the right.
Inside are the In-Ears, four pairs of silicone eartips (three pairs that differ in size and one pair of double-flange tips; the medium single-flange tips are already installed on the A65), a small carrying pouch (a zippered case would have been nicer to see), a shirt clip with the white Fidue logo on it, an unnecessary silicone cable tie (rolling it up with the fingers is in my opinion faster and better) and finally something that seems to be a warranty card.
 

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Looks, Feels, Build Quality:

Respect, Fidue!
The entire in-ear bodies are made of metal. The front with the nozzle consists of a darkish “gunmetal” grey, the middle part is copper-coloured (I even assume that it actually is varnished copper) and the faceplate is made of silver stainless steel with a “Fidue F” on it.
The straight connector, the y-split and the remote control (whose button can only be pushed with a lot of force on my sample) are all made of finely grooved metal cylinders and have got grey rubbery strain reliefs. Strain relief on the IEMs’ shells is also of superb quality and grey as well. The sturdily feeling, tangle-free cable is very flexible and of greyish semi-transparent nature, wherefore the copper and red coloured wires can be seen through.
There are about no microphonics when the cables are worn around the ears, though I am missing a chin-slider.
 

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Comfort, Isolation:

The A65 can be worn both with the cables straight down or around the ears, whereby the latter is the preferred method with all of my in-ears (as it drastically reduces microphonics and improves fit as well as comfort).
The IEMs sit very comfortably in my ears, although it is a bit sad that Fidue did not implement a chin-slider (probably due to the in-line remote control). As a consequence of it, the cables move when I lean backward or to the sides.

The isolation is above mediocre in my ears, although audibly lower than with entirely sealed IEMs.


Remote Control, Microphone:

The single button in-line remote control works smoothly and without any flaws with all devices that support a microphone and remote control. The Button’s pressure point is rather high, but it is still easy to operate and not too stiff.

The microphone’s speech quality is above average, with correct and realistic yet somewhat muffled voices, which can be tuned to sound clearer by turning the microphone towards one’s mouth.
 

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Sound:

Just in case, the A65 was burnt in before listening.
My main source devices for this evaluation were the iBasso DX80 as well as DX90 and the HiFime 9018d. The music was mainly stored in FLAC format.

By the way, the small vent in the front of the in-ear bodies influences the bass quantity (the lows increase the more it is closed), wherefore the impressions could differ from person to person.

Tonality:

The A65 is tuned well and located more on the balanced side.
The bass is only slightly elevated by 3.5 dB in my ears. That gentle emphasis focusses mainly on the upper bass, but also somewhat includes the upper mid-bass and lower fundamental tone range. Down from the midbass, level decreases, but the A65 is able to produce a good amount of sub-bass at decent levels without any problems.
From the upper bass on, the level in the fundamental area is fairly even and neutral and smoothly transits into the midrange which is present, but not really emphasised, however minimally on the darker and gentle side.
Joyfully, the A65’s lower treble/presence area is not really pushed back and is not under-present, unlike with many other in-ears.
The following treble is a bit more in the background, but doesn’t make the sound appear warm, but only slightly dark and gentle. The entire treble is very even as well as smooth and I can’t spot any dips or peaks except for a small, broad-banded emphasis at 8.5 kHz which is however very unobtrusive and definitely below the ground-line.
Level is a bit more in the background in the super-treble above 10 kHz, but doesn’t really decrease from then on and still maintains a constant level up to the extremely high frequencies.

Resolution:

Here’s really about nothing to criticise and the A65 sounds high-resolving, detailed as well as precise.
The lows are fairly fast, responsive and dry, maintain a good control and hit hard. Lows don’t soften towards sub-bass, which is nice to hear.
The mids are clean and detailed; voices sound natural, finely resolved and tactile.
At first glance, treble seems a bit less detailed, but it really isn’t. As it is very even, smooth and moderately in the background, it does not grab one’s attention first, but it is clean as well as precise, however cymbals’ decay is a bit too fast and lacks some ringing.
The value that is offered here is quite remarkable and the Fidue even maintains good control with fast and complex music.

Soundstage:

In my ears, the soundstage displayed by the A65 is about average in width, with more or less the same spatial depth. Instrument separation and layering however are enormously precise, and single instruments as well as sound elements are sharply and cleanly separated from each other.
Honestly, this is clearly more than you can expect in terms of separation and spatial precision from a soundstage out of an IEM in this price range – a big thumbs up.


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Vs. DUNU Titan 1:
Both IEMs have got titanium-coated drivers, but follow a different tonality and also differ in terms of soundstage presentation.
The Fidue is the more balanced sounding out of the two earphones. Regarding resolution, both are not really far apart, though I would probably say that the DUNU has got the slightly higher amount of details. In the midrange, I see the Fidue as gently higher resolving and also in general as being more natural sounding.
The DUNU is a bit faster in the bass department where it has the better control and body at the same time.
The DUNU’s soundstage is clearly laterally as well as spatially larger extending (which could also be expected beforehand due to the semi-open design), but the Fidue’s instrument separation and spatial precision is at least just as good.


Conclusion:

There is really not much you could do wrong with the Fidue A65 at this price point – it offers a superb build quality and a natural sound signature with a high resolution as well as a very precise soundstage reproduction with sharp and clean instrument separation. The value for the money (both regarding sonically as well as haptically) is sublime.
The lack of a chin slider, the just semi-protective carrying pouch as well as the slightly too fast decay of cymbals is my only real criticism, and therefore the A65 manages to achieve 95% or close 5 out of 5 possible stars.

Just a short review, as there is really not a lot to say, which is a good thing, nothing to complain about with these.
 
Build is excellent, they feel supremely solid, I mean even 1k+ iems don't feel this solid. The cable looks and feels great, is tangle resistant, and feels very robust, gives the impression that it won't crap out at the strain reliefs. The jacks, divider and iem housing are all made of what feels like steel (I don't know what material it actually is) but it certainly feels more solid than some other iems that use aluminium, maybe it is thicker or alloyed.
 
The sound is fairly balanced, but not in an analytical way, the bass definitely carries the body of the sound, but is done in moderation, and the treble is non fatiguing yet present. I think these are excellent all rounders. The mids have great body like the bass, vocals sound very clear and open yet at the same time carry weight, the are done excellently. The bass is enough in quantity to keep things interesting for electronic, a thicker lower mid bass makes male vocals sound fantastic, it isn't the most quick, but it isn't overly slow. The treble conveys all the info and rhythm but manages to not sound sharp, but slightly splashy, the iem in general carries a thicker sound throughout. The sound stage is very open and not skewed to left and right.
 
All in all it is highly recommended by me, flawless build and excellent sound at a modest price it.

At the time of the review, the Fidue A65 was on sale at Penon Audio’s website. Here is a link to their listing of the product:

http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A65?search=fidue
 
Introduction
I will be the first to admit that I have become a Fidue “fan boy." I own both the A83 and A73. Both earphones are ranked at the top of my list of most favorite in-ear monitors. Fidue has managed to utilize hybrid technology (combination of dynamic and armature drivers in one housing) to render a listening experience that is truly remarkable. While their current top of the line IEMs use this technology, Fidue offers some pretty nice single dynamic driver options. Today I will be reviewing one of them in the A65.
 
Disclaimer
I purchased the A65 from Penon Audio. I am in no way affiliated with Penon Audio or Fidue.
 
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
 
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me, especially if they can be had for low prices. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased MANY different headphones and earphones, ranging from from dirt cheap to higher end products. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and have a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound to mix and match. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
 
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have owned and used.
 
REVIEW
The A65 comes in a white box with gray and green accents. There is a brief description of the product on the front of the package. The back of the box features the product specifications in three different languages, along with a little information about Benny Tan, who is the mastermind of the Fidue sound. Benny has over twenty years of experience dealing with high end earphones, and to be completely honest it shows when using Fidue products.

 

 
Specifications

1. Driver Unit: 8mm dynamic Drive with Titanium Composites
   
2. Frequency response: 16Hz - 22000 Hz
   
3. Rated impedance: 16Ω
   
4. Sensitivity: 101db
   
5. Distortion: <1%
   
6. Max Input Power: 30mW
   
7. Plug: 3.5mm mini stereo gold-plated plug
   
8. Cable: 1.3m
   
9. Sensitivity of Mic: -42+-3db
   
10. S/N Ratio of Mic: ＞55db
    
    

 
Accessories

1. FIDUE A65 Headphone
   
2. Silicone eartips (S/M/L)

   
3. Double flange silicone eartips
   
4. High quality  pouch
   
   

 
The Fidue accessories package is formidable, but where I feel the recent products fell short is with their tips selection. While they are decent tips, I found that tip rolling with other tips on the A65 helped me to find something that helps maximize sound quality. Your mileage may vary, please just remember this as food for thought in case you do purchase the A65. Also, the pouch is made of a synthetic suede material and has a clasp that springs open and shut. While the case is decent, I feel a clam shell case would have been a better and higher quality application.
 
Housings
The Housing design of the A65 is one of the best housing designs I’ve come across. They are a rounded triangular design that has the appearance that they were made of melted pennies and nickels. The housings are made entirely of metal and seem very durable. While their metal design would lead you to believe that these would be on the heavy side, the a65 manages to stay relatively light.

 
Cable, Y-Split, Cable Jack, Strain Reliefs
The A65 sports a 7N-OFC cable designed to transmit optimum sound quality. The cable has very little spring or memory. It is coated in a rubbery (and slightly tacky) jacket. The Y-split is made of a combination of rubber strain relief and metal jacket. The cable jack is a straight design that follows the same concept as the Y-split. Strain reliefs at the housing, Y-split and Jack all have the same rubber material and are well done.

 
 
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics, Isolation
Because of the solid metal design and rubber strain relief, microphonics are better than most in-ear monitors, even when worn cable down. The A65 can be worn both under and up and around the ear. I had no issues with their fit.

 

 
Functionality
A universal single button microphone and remote is located on the cable leading from the Y-split to the right channel. It follows the same design as the Y-split and Cable Jack. When using the microphone while talking to friends and family, they stated that my voice came through at a four on a scale from one to five. I could hear their voices clearly as well. The single button can also be used to play, pause and skip tracks on my LG G3, and can also be used to access Google Voice.

 
Sound Review & Materials
 
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake (bass speed, punch, response)
“Doin’ it Right” by Daft Punk (sub bass)
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk (bass to midrange transition resolution, male vocals)
“Madness” by Muse (soundstage, separation)
“Some nights” by Fun (soundstage and male vocals)
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela (texture and imaging)
“Bassically” by Tei Shi (bass to midrange resolution, female vocals)
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie (female vocals, acoustic playback)
“One” by Ed Sheeran (male vocals, acoustic playback)
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack (symphonic presentation, imaging)
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits (detail, separation, balance)
“And Justic for All” by Metallica (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed (driver distortion, treble response, rock playback)
 
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
 
Sound Signature
The A65 has a midrange forward signature that really makes for a fun listening experience. There is a considerable amount of lower midrange and mid bass that adds weight to whatever you’re listening to, but the resolution provided by the titanium driver helps keep the signature under control and enjoyable. There is supporting sub bass and treble response has enough presence but it is farther back in the overall mix. Like with many of Fidue’s earphones that I’ve heard, the midrange is addictive. Although the overall signature works well for all genres, vocals lovers as well as acoustic instrument aficionados will especially enjoy the A65.
 
Bass
Bass tones could be heard as low as 20Hz and slowly climbed up towards 200Hz. Sub bass can be heard and it will reveal itself so long as it isn’t being overshadowed by any midbass tones. A65 mid bass has an authoritative yet controlled and resolving mid bass presentation. Bass speed was pretty average in terms of attack and decay.
 
Midrange
A65 midrange is the star of the show. Vocals sounded smooth and textured, and were pretty incredible. Just about every singer I listened to had a very nice warm tilt without being overdone to the point that it was unnatural. Guitar plucks, pianos, and string instruments all had good timbre and definition.
 
Treble
The A65 treble sounded pretty relaxed as compared to other popular in-ear monitors. There is decent resolution but because of the mid forward presentation it doesn’t jump out at you as much as some other earphones. Those who enjoy a colder sounding earphone that focuses more on details will find fault in this. I personally think that this earphone sets up to be a fatigue free listening experience that doesn’t call on any treble spike to get a sense of space. I don’t feel the treble response is “rolled off”, but more that it isn’t spiked.
 
Soundstage and Imaging
There is a really good level of separation between instruments, especially in the midrange. This makes for an earphone that offers a pretty decent sense of space. The tuning gives me a sensation that the vocalists are right in front of me, with the band playing behind. Overall, for the price the A65 offers great value in terms of giving the user a headphone that creates unique and realistic soundstage presence and instrument placement.
 
Source Selection
A65’s titanium driver is pretty universal in a sense that it sound pretty good through just about any source you use, whether it be a cell phone or a high end desk top DAC. The A65 has a tuning that is pretty forgiving with poorly mastered recordings and MP3s. I see this as a big plus because nobody who purchases them will feel like they have an inadequate source for them.
 
Comparisons
 
Havi B3 Pro1 ($45 to $65 USD on many sites)
Havi is a hall of famer of an IEM. It is a beautifully balanced earphone with very nice soundstage and imaging. Their dual driver design is very power hungry, requiring users to reach for their portable and desktop amplifiers to maximize their sound quality. Nevertheless, the Havi can present a true audiophile experience and has stayed relevant for a long time as competitors have burned out and faded away.
 
The Fidue rivals the Havi in many ways. I feel the build quality seems slightly more premium with the Fidue. Their metal housing and pretty durable cable feels more durable. The Fidue offers a more forward and textured midrange presentation that when A-Bing them side by side, makes the Havi seem slightly flat and less entertaining. However, overall I find the Havi to be the more balanced and better at evenly projecting each frequency response. The A65 doesn’t necessarily need anything more than a smart phone to sound pretty good. That combined with the universal mic and remote gives the A65 an advantage over Havi.
 
Overall sound quality I would give a slight advantage to the Havi. My reasons being that the Havi has a more linear tuning that hits a sweet spot between warm and cold signatures. The Fidue still sounds great, but it offers a slightly creamier and warmer sound. If I have a portable DAC/amplifier I  can stack with my phone and use with my computer, I’m reaching for the Havi. If I don’t plan on using anything besides cell phone or my laptop jack, I’m going to use the A65.
 
VSONIC VSD3S ($45 to $55 USD on many sites)
Vsonics much anticipated release didn’t disappoint. They were a big hit that many (including myself) enjoy listening to. They offered a reasonably priced earphone that offered a decent build and tuning that is extended on both ends.
 
The A65 has less sub bass and just a hair more midbass than the VSD3S. Don’t let that deter you from thinking the VSD3S bass is better. The A65 has very good resolution and tone that I find to be slightly better than the VSD3S bass (which can sometimes be monotone to my ears). Fidue offers a slightly warmer tuning and smoother midrange. The VSD3S midrange seems slightly grainy although more detailed to my ears. The A65 treble response is smoother and less extended than the VSD3S treble which occasionally borders on sibilant with some tracks. I really like the fit of the VSD3S (I’m a fan of IEMs designed for over the ear fit) but the A65 is more universal that it can be worn over the ear or down. VSONIC has a better tip selection, but the A65 has a better storage pouch as compared to the velvet pouch that comes with the VSD3S.
 
Overall, I would say it is a draw in terms of sound. The VSD3S is more extended and detailed, and the A65 is smoother, warmer and better tuned for long listening sessions. The build of the A65 is superior and the carrying case is nice as well. This one is a coin flip for me if I had to decide. They both are good and bring something different to the table.
 
Conclusion
If I’m leaving the house and want to listen to some great vocals, one of the main options I reach for are these. They offer a great value for the money, and they are a great option for someone looking to upgrade from their stock earphones. Their tough build, universal microphone and remote, and fatigue free and high quality sound makes this an easy one to recommend in their price range.

 
Thanks for reading and happy listening!

[size=24.5699996948242px]Introduction[/size]

The Fidue A65 is in quite of an interesting place. It's in the budget range that has a lot of great contenders, but in it's defence it brings a Titanium micro dynamic driver, and with impunity. There are only 3 other products that I know off that packs a Titanium diaphragm, and none of those are near this price range. The Titanium driver brings great, fast bass response, overall good imaging and BA like treble. The A65 shows all these traits but with a different type of tuning. The frequency response is actually quite flat which brings out this really sweet, mid forward sound which sounds divine with vocals and acoustic music; absolutely amazing with house, jazz and lounge. Of course classic rock is splendid as well, but I don't listen to it all that much; Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeplin is a must with these.
 

A little about the Fidue A65

More info at the Fidue website: http://www.fidue.com/e_products/ Not yet on their website
 
 

 

Purchase them here:

Asia: http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A65
Australia: http://www.noisymotel.com/product.asp?ProductID=891​

 
 

Conclusion

The Fidue A65 surprised me quite a bit. Bringing to the table a very enjoyable listen with everything that I threw at it. Using a Titanium diaphragm to bring a great smooth listening experience most people would enjoy with most genres, and all this at a super affordable price. Well done Fidue!
 
Cheers!