Fiio FD5

Welcome to another rapid-fire review where I share impressions of audio gear as fast as possible. Today, we talk about my (ex-)darling, Fiio FD5.

Forewords​

• I purchase this unit on my own. I have no affiliation with or financial interest in Fiio. This unit costs me AUD $460.
• You should treat this review as the subjective impressions of an audio geek rather than an “objective truth” about the IEM. Your experience with any IEM would change depending on your DAC/AMP, music library, ear tips, and listening volume.
• I rate IEMs by A/B testing them against a few benchmark IEMs, regardless of price point. This approach ensures the consistency of the ratings in my ranking list. It means that if two IEMs score the same, they perform more or less similar.
• I believe that great IEMs are the ones that can achieve multiple difficult things simultaneously: (1) high resolution (meaning lines of music are crisp, clear, easy to follow and full of texture), (2) 3D soundstage with a strong sense of depth, (3) bold and natural bass with a physical rumble, (4) natural timbre, (5) relaxing and comfortable tonality.
• Ranking list and measurement database can be found on my IEM review blog.

Specs​

• Driver: 12mm Beryllium-coated DLC diaphragm
• Connector Type: MMCX
• Impedance: 32ohms
• Sensitivity: 109dB@1mW

Non-sound aspects​

Luxurious! FD5 was the first high-end IEM that I ever held in my hands. Boy, oh boy, it made a strong impression. Everything about this IEM screams “expensive”, from the fancy packaging to the leather case, the braided cable with interchangeable plugs, to the IEMs themselves.

The earpieces are heavy chunks of stainless steel. The cable is also chunky and heavy. Luckily, I have no discomfort even when I wear FD5 for many hours. The open-back design helps to reduce the pressure in the ears to create a comfortable wearing experience. The drawback is that FD5 does not isolate noise well.

How it sounds​

Tonality: 3/5 - Average​

Looking at different reviews on the Internet, you will find two opposite perceptions of FD5 tuning. One side hails FD5 for its close adherence to Harman In-ear Target, making it a superbly tuned IEM. The other side considers FD5 a mediocre, generic V-shaped tuned IEM.

Both sides are correct. FD5 does express some characteristics of Harman-tuned IEM, primarily the ear-gain compensation from 1kHz and the rolled-off treble. This tuning highlights midrange elements, particularly vocals, and pushes them closer to you while pulling the band further into the background.

At the same time, FD5 is “generic V-shaped” because it boosts the midbass and lower-midrange (150 to 250Hz region) to intensify the “boom boom” sound. Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a few extra bass punches. However, FD5 cannot control the bass very well, so a sense of “mud” spreads over the midrange, impacting its clarity. A cut at 250Hz could have helped deal with this issue.

Another problem with FD5 is the “cat ears” shape in the upper midrange and treble, characterised by the twin peaks at 2.5kHz and 5.5kHz. These peaks sharpen the sound, particularly vocals and note attacks, such as guitar picks or sticks hitting drums, to create the illusion of clarity. However, too much sharpening makes the sound artificial and harsh. These peaks also mask the details around 3kHz. As a result, something always feels missing in the midrange of FD5.

Tuning gimmicks: FD5 includes an extra set of thin nozzles (Etymotic size) to reduce the upper frequencies. Unfortunately, none of the supplied tips works well with these narrow nozzles. Even with suitable tips from Etymotic or Westone, these nozzles still do not sound good, as they silence the treble too much, making FD5 dull.

Percussion rendering and bass: 4/5 - Good​

Good, but it could be better.

The tuning of FD5 makes drums very punchy. Bass attacks are sharp and snappy with a unique tactile feeling, like air pushed against your ears.

However, I always feel drums lack body with FD5 because there is not much rumble to accompany the “boom” sound. The lack of sub-bass is quite apparent when I compare FD5 with sub-bass-focused IEMs such as Blessing 2 or my FH3.

Resolution: 3/5 - Average​

I can accept the mid-bass-focused rendering. I can even tolerate the cat ears tuning.

However, I cannot turn a blind eye to the (lack of) resolution of FD5.

FD5’s resolution is not poor. It’s not good, either. As I mentioned above, the lack of control over the bass casts a “veil” or “mud” over the midrange of FD5, making everything a little bit less separated and overly smoothened. The presentation here lacks refinement.

The cat ears tuning can improve the clarity of the elements at the centre of the soundstage. However, when you shift your attention to details, such as backing vocals at the sides of the stage, you will see that they are blurry and barely intelligible. This kind of resolution is a far cry from the infamous Blessing 2, which retails at the same price as FD5.

Soundstage imaging: 4/5 - Good​

Soundstage imaging is a bright spot of FD5’s performance. The open-back design helps FD5 project a wide, open soundstage free of the sonic wall. As a result, orchestral music sounds large and epic with these IEMs.

The drawback of FD5’s soundstage lies in its slightly blurry imaging. Simply put, instruments feel like hazy blobs coming from various directions on the soundstage. This haziness prevents FD5 from projecting an impressive “3D” soundstage where instruments pop up at different distances and layering up from closer to further away. I suspect this limitation is related to the average resolution.

Conclusion​

This review is a farewell to an old friend. As I rarely use FD5, it has been sent off to another owner who is head over heels for it and couldn’t stop listening to it. If you consider FD5, I highly recommend an audition before bringing one home. It might just be the perfect IEM for you.

Pros:

• Wide and open soundstage
• Fun bass
• An interesting sense of tactility to the sound

Cons:

• Average resolution
• Slightly blurry imaging
• Tuning can sound harsh and artificial

FIIO FD5 - The New Flagship & Soundstage King



Disclaimer:

I have bought this IEM with my own hard earned money and no one has paid me anything or supplied me with any review unit. So, everything mentioned in this review are purely my own based on my experiences with the IEM.


Introduction:

The FiiO FD5 is a new flagship single 12mm beryllium-coated dynamic driver universal IEM featuring interchangeable sound tubes. It is priced at $299.99
Fiio has had a long adventurous journey into hybrid IEMs such as: FH3, FH5, FH7 and FA9 and had reasonable success specially with FH7.
Now it seems that they are back to basics with single Dynamic driver in their brand new flagship the FD5
.

Specifications:

Drivers: 12mm Beryllium-coated diamond-like carbon Dynamic Driver
Impedance: 32 Ω
Sensitivity: 109 dB/mW
Frequency Range: 10 – 40 kHz
Cable/Connector: 120cm MMCX
Price: $299

The Sound Tubes - Interchangeable​

The FD5 comes with interchangeable output nozzles and FiiO includes 2 sets. The stock nozzle is approximately 4.5mm which is a common size. The second nozzle is thinner and looks like a 2.5mm size which is not a common size.

My impression moving forward on the sound signature is mainly with the narrow sound tube as that gives much better tonality with rich texture and better imaging & Timbre. Clarity also improved quite a bit with the narrow one... but details on those coming later.

The Package:

The package is great for the price can almost rival those of $1000 price ranges...



Lifting the first layer of foam, another floor is being revealed, home to the rest of the accessories. On the right there is a smaller box that houses a cleaning brush, a pair of interchangeable sound tubes, a yellow MMCX clip that will help you remove the cable much easier and two interchangeable headphone jacks: a 2.5mm balanced and a 4.4mm balanced one. FiiO did really kill three birds with one stone, as the included cable has 3 interchangeable audio jacks and that is probably the best idea they came up with.

On the left you’ll find a bigger ear tip collection split into 5 categories, as follows

• Balanced ear tips (3 pairs of S, M and L – the standard white silicone ones)
• Vocal ear tips (3 pairs of S, M and L – the white silicone ones with red inner tubes)
• Bass ear tips (3 pairs of S, M and L – the grey silicone ones with a red inner tube)
• Tri-Flange ear tips (2 pairs of S and L – the longest white silicone ones)
• Memory foam tips (2 pairs in M size only – the black foam sticky ones)

An impressive packaging no doubt, but even more impressive was seeing the number of accessories laying inside. FD5 is covering all my needs, including 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced connections.



Design & Build Quality:


Looks are always subjective, but I think these are just great-looking IEMs. Maybe the best amongst FiiO IEMs till date. Its shell is made out of polished stainless steel, a bit heavier than many others but that gives some confidence on the product being high-quality. The FD5 comes with semi-open design & if you closely inspect the outer cover, you can spot some tiny holes in it. The IEM shell does also have a small hole in it, that will remove the air pressure between your ear canal and the IEM body, for a much better comfort long term.



Comfort:

Although a bit on the heavier side, I found them comfortable for longer hours of listening and never felt too heavy on the ears.




Story of the Narrow tube & Ear-tips:

Amongst the interchangeable tubes that the FD5 comes with, I found the Narrow tube to be more musical and significantly better in terms of sound.
Hence, the full sound impression is based on the narrow tube only. However, that comes with a problem... very few ear tips fit the narrow tube.

Hence, the story of ear tips begins... comparison of the few that actually fit the narrow tube are below....



The ear tips I had used are...

• Shure silicon tips
• Spinfit CP800
• Final Audio Transparent red

Amongst the above 3 tips, I found that the shure somehow turns down the bass quite a bit while enhancing mids & highs. In the Final E series one I found the mids to be a tad bit less prominent than the Spinfit CP800 one. Hence, I preferred the CP800 for the overall better sound.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SOUND....

Items used for this review:


Tracks used for this review:

Dire Straits – Telegraph Road (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
INXS – Need you Tonight (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Mark Knopfler – The ragpicker's dream (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Eric Clapton – Tears in Heaven (Acoustic Live at MTV) (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Lost Frequencies – Crazy (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Don McLean - American Pie (24bit/192kHz)
The Chainsmokers – Something Just like this (24bit/48kHz)
Smith & Thell - Goliath (24bit/48kHz)
Owl City - Fireflies (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Dolores o' Diordan – Ordinary Day (24bit/96kHz)
Coldplay - Hymn for the Weekend (24bit/96kHz)
The Doors – Spanish Caravan (24bit/96kHz)
REM - Losing my Religion (24bit/88.2kHz)
Mumford & Sons – There will be time (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
Ronan Keating – When you say Nothing At All (Flac 24bit/48kHz)

Source of Sound & DAC/AMP:

The Hiby R6 and IFI Hipdac had been used mostly.
Source of music has been QOBUZ for most cases.



Let's now talk about the quality of Sound....

Sound signature:
It's interesting to see that FiiO used the IE 2017 Harman Curve as a reference, tuning their FD5 as close to it as possible, here is a picture FiiO posted on their website. I found the tuning to be mildly V shaped... but more on the neutral side.



These initially sounded clean, undistorted and easy going. There was a feeling of smoothness and liquidity that cannot be found on hybrid or all-armature IEMs. After listening to multi-driver IEMs for a few months and then switching to FD5, the immediate feeling is that every sound is coming precisely at the same time, from the same spot in a natural and undistorted way. Bass felt quite airy and textured, the soundstage was impressively well-spread, with a perfect positioning of every notes around me. There was plenty of air around those notes, the sound (weirdly enough) wasn’t exactly inside my head, creating a nice 3D image around me.


The BASS:

Bass felt quite airy and textured, but also heavy weight and muscular. There is good extension and depth to the bass. Every instrument sounds natural and there is good depth in the bass also. There isn’t a super long trail in the bass, bass notes are not overlapping with midrange and the rest of the FR always felt precise, defined and clear sounding. To some degree I find them even more detailed compared to multi-driver IEMs. There is always a raw and unpolished feeling with some particular Chi-Fi IEMs, but there is nothing of that in here, not even a footprint. FD5 are smooth, quite gentle with the right music, very polished and controlled even at much higher levels.


The MIDS:

Midrange felt great specially for instruments like Guitar - the sound is just rich & full of texture. Piano went down and decayed naturally, violins had a longer vibration, and was great sounding. Human voices are happening exactly in this region and sometimes I wanted to boost their presence so I could be carried away by their singing.


The HIGHS:

It is pretty cool experiencing cymbals and bells in a very clear and defined way, there is more bite in there with some very occasional mild sharpness. The only bad thing I can say about its treble, is that its intensity was higher than usual. However, I can’t find excessive ringing with them, there is no distortion, there is no bloat or a lack of refinement, nothing of that in here. Treble is boosted in the most sensitive part of our hearing; some might like that and some might not. I like the treble personally and do not find it fatiguing in any way.

The SOUNDSTAGE:

Soundstage is amongst the strongest traits when it comes to the FD5. It is huge, with great depth and layering. When I moved to other regular IEMs, it wasn’t as grand and open, as if the windows towards music were half shut, or half opened if you are an optimist. I strongly believe that the soundstage of FD5 is one of its best traits

Imaging & Timbre:

The FD5 produces a good amount of the microdetails and nuances present in recordings. I think it is one of their best qualities. Layering is done well and it gives the user a decent amount of directional information and placement. Imaging and timbre further shines with the use of upgrade cables with silver litz copper cables.

Comparisons :

FIIO FH7 : The FH7 being the most successful amongst Fiio flagships is a hybrid IEM. It comes with 4BA+1DD architecture. The FD5 on the other hand comes with a single DD. Though technically these are not comparable - My comparison here is more of a flagship against another and both coming from Fiio.
I have owned the FH7 for a few months now and it had been amongst my favorite IEMs till the FD5 came in. While the Balanced Armatures of the FH& produces clean & detailed sound... it misses on some of the 3D part of the timbre that we can get from the DD sound of the FD5. The bass is more textured... the mids have more body in the FD5. Overall I'd prefer the FD5 over FH7 any day.

Conclusion :

I have found the FD5 to be very pleasant sounding specially with the narrow tube. Sound-wise it's quite a beast and can beat IEMs that costs twice the price within a heartbeat. It is by far the best flagship IEM released by Fiio till date.

A 1.5 Year Revisit

[ Updated 19 September 2022 ]

I remember the first time I picked up the FD5 (I would go on to own them three more times) in January of 2021 after reading the glowing early impressions of them. I was sorely overwhelmed on my first listen, until I discovered how tip-dependent they were, and after shuffling through an assortment of tips, finally discovering their sheer wonder with the SpinFit CP145.

At the time, I wrote a brief initial review of the FD5, mostly expressing my revelry, as one does in the early honeymoon stages. Fast forward to the third-quarter of 2022, and over a dozen IEMs later, including more expensive units as the Moondrop Variations, UM MEST, Sony IER-M9, and ThieAudio Clairvoyance, I thought I would do a proper revisit and head-to-head comparison with other popular competitors to the FD5 I’ve owned in the intervening time.

This review will cover comparisons with the following:

• Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk [ 1DD 4BA ] — $329
• Unique Melody 3DT — [ 3DD ] — $319
• Sony XBA-N3AP — [ 1DD 1BA ] — $300 [ Discontinued ]
• JVC HA-FDX1 — [ 1DD ] — $280

The comparisons with the Dusk and 3DT were done directly, whereas my notes for the XBA-N3 are largely from memory (I’ve owned the N3 thrice now). Finally, the notes on the FDX1 were made in direct comparison with the UM 3DT, so make the appropriate extrapolations as you will.

Unique Melody 3DT

• The FD5 is distinctly more spacious and expansive staging-wise, with a far more open and airy presentation, and a greater sense of scale. By comparison, the 3DT’s staging dimensions are just about average, with a more conventionally intimate, closed-in IEM presentation
• Tonally, the FD5 is relatively more linear, with a mild U-shaped tuning, and a more polite, mid-centric presentation. The 3DT, on the other hand, is unapologetically lively, bold, energetic, vivid, with a slightly aggressive L-shaped tuning.
• Timbral accuracy and dynamism are quite simply superb on the 3DT. This is one of their defining qualities for me, and they easily surpass the FD5 in this regard, with the FD5 sounding relatively soft and smoothed-over. When it comes to the depiction of acoustic instruments, the 3DT stands out with a remarkable realism, vividness, and textural nuance.
• Tonal density is also appreciably greater on the 3DT, lending it a greater sense of realism with acoustic music.
• Clarity and detail retrieval are relatively similar between the FD5 and 3DT, with an edge to the FD5.
• Transparency and separation, however, are distinctly superior on the FD5, due perhaps in part to its semi-vented design.
• Bass displays distinctly greater density, vigour, and slam on the 3DT, whereas the FD5’s bass has a relatively more polite, softer, and more rounded quality
• Treble on the FD5 is smoother, more even, with a more delicate quality, and displays distinctly greater air and extension. The 3DT has a noticeable lower-treble peak that lends it the appearance of greater clarity, but it doesn’t quite extend as high as the FD5, and has a harder, edgier quality.
• Mids are appreciably fuller, more linear, and more open sounding on the FD5, whereas the 3DT’s mids are noticeably leaner, with a slightly recessed lower-midrange, and a greater upper-midrange emphasis

Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk

• As with the 3DT comparison, staging is distinctly more spacious and expansive on the FD5, with a much more airy and open presentation. By comparison, staging on the Dusk is more forward and more involving, with a more conventionally closed-in IEM presentation.
• Tonally, the Dusk might be described as slightly thick bass-boosted neutral, whereas the FD5 presents a crisper, lighter, mildly U-shaped tuning
• Note weight is noticeably shallower on the FD5 (although this is tip-dependent), with a relatively leaner and drier quality, whereas the Dusk displays appreciably greater tonal density.
• Bass on the FD5 is distinctly tauter, more textured, more agile, with a greater sense of tactility. As has been well-documented, the bass on the Dusk lacks a certain dynamism, elasticity, and tactility, with a relatively dry quality.
• Transient response is distinctly quicker on the FD5, sounding a tad muted or lopped-off on the Dusk, relatively speaking
• There’s distinctly greater snap, bite, and attack on the FD5
• Treble extension is noticeably superior on the FD5, with a pleasingly delicate, airy quality
• Macro- and micro-dynamics are appreciably, if not distinctly, superior on the FD5. Again, as has been documented elsewhere, the Dusk still sounds relatively downwards-compressed. The FD5 simply comes across as being far more effortless and expressive.
• In terms of technicalities, I would say say that the FD5 is noticeably more resolving

Sony XBA-N3AP

• Soundstage is distinctly wider, more spacious, and expansive on the FD5
• Presentation is distinctly airier and more open on the FD5
• Tonally, the N3 is smooth, warm, and bassy, whereas the FD5 showcases a mildly U-shaped profile
• Note weight is appreciably thicker and denser on the N3
• Bass is distinctly weightier, more vigorous, more robust, and more impactful on the N3. However, the FD5’s bass is more agile, textured, defined, and less prominent.
• Mids are thicker and fuller-bodied on the N3, being more linear, open, and expressive sounding on the FD5
• Mid- and upper-treble have noticeably greater presence on the FD5, with greater air and extension, whereas the N3 sounds relatively darker and smoothed-off up top
• The FD5 displays distinctly superior micro-dynamics, contrast, and textural nuance, whereas the N3 sounds relatively smoothed-over, as noted by @crinacle in his ranking list
• Technicalities, in terms of clarity, detail retrieval, and separation, are distinctly superior on the FD5.

JVC HA-FDX1 ( compared to Unique Melody 3DT)

• The 3DT is leaner, cleaner, and more precise sounding
• The 3DT displays greater treble extension and articulacy
• The 3DT displays greater bass presence, impact, and definition
• The 3DT displays greater clarity, resolution, and transparency
• The 3DT sounds relatively V-shaped in comparison to the FDX1
• The 3DT displays greater macro- and micro-dynamics
• The 3DT offers distinctly superior isolation
• The 3DT is undoubtedly the superior technical performer, and easily at least a tier above the FDX1
• The FDX1 still suffers from somewhat shouty upper-mids
• The FDX1 is warmer, smoother, and fuller-bodied
• The FDX1 displays a more a more organic, atmospheric presentation

Comment on the Sony MH755



Curiously, of the IEMs I currently own, the FD5 is most reminiscent to my ears of the cult dollar-bin classic, the Sony MH755, but with a more masterful tuning and technical performance that far surpasses the latter. It dials down the decidedly boosted sub-bass of MH755, and shifts the broader lower-treble peak on MH755 a little closer to the mid-treble with a narrower band. For those looking for the upgrade to the MH755 with a more mature tuning, the FD5, at least for me, fits the bill.

Conclusion

Suffice to say, the FD5 is my favourite IEM of the Dusk, 3DT, XBA-N3, and FDX1. They are easily the most technically competent performers of the lot as a whole, with a tuning that deftly toes the line between palatability, engagement, and fun. The N3 is a close contender for subjective fun and engagement factor and close too to my ideal tuning, but it lacks that bit of lower- to mid-treble energy, and while its bass is incredibly fun, it can also be a tad intrusive on certain recordings. Technically, the N3 has also begun to show its age. The 3DT remains a compelling option for its unique timbre, vivid presentation, and visceral energy. As for the Dusk... well, if you're after a palatable, agreeable tuning, with decent technicalities, and a listen that doesn't stand out in any particular way, good or bad, I imagine that might be your cup of tea.

____________________________

Initial review

[ 16 February 2021 ]




I’ve been sitting on the FD5 for about a month now, and wanted to share my impressions.

For context, my main IEM of late has been the Sony IER-M9. Prior to that, my primary driver was the Sony XBA-Z5. Other single DD IEMs I’ve owned include the AK T8iE MKII (warmer, darker cousin of the Beyerdynamic Xelento) and the Sony EX1000.

Chain

Spotify Premium on Mac > iFi ZEN DAC Balanced > iFi ZEN CAN Balanced > FiiO FD5

Preface

I’ll state upfront that I was frankly disappointed when I heard the FD5 out of the box. I really liked the bass (meaty, plenty of slam) and the mids (full, euphonic), but I found its technicalities fairly lacking.

I ran through a bunch of tips—stock Balanced, stock Vocal, Symbio W, Symbio Peel, Acoustune AET07, Azla Sedna—but simply wasn’t hearing the staging, holographic imaging, or resolving capabilities that they had been praised for in reviews.

More specifically, I thought the separation, imaging, and detail were below average for its price point. Muddled and congested sounding, even. Upper-mids/lower treble also tended to display a certain harshness, upper-treble was poorly articulated, diffuse, and splashy, and there was a distinct lack of refinement to the sound as a whole.

On a whim, I tried the SpinFit CP145 tips, and that made a world of a difference. There was the staging and technical capability that I’d read about. Gone was the upper-mid harshness and dissonance between the lower and upper mids. Upper-treble became well-extended, well-articulated, and refined.

Summary

My sonic priorities are fairly defined: bass, soundstage, timbre, dynamism, liveliness. The FD5 checks all these boxes, with fantastic technicalities to boot.

At its price point, the FD5 are exceptional by virtue of their staging and presentation alone. There isn’t the closed-in quality or small images that characterises most IEMs, or the “ants playing in a concert hall” type effect that appears even with IEMs with large stages. This is an open, airy, and expansive presentation.

The closest approximation to the tonality and presentation of the FD5 in my estimation would be the Sony EX1000, albeit with a smoother, more refined treble, and a healthy added dose of bass slam, weight, and grunt. A lovechild of the Sony EX1000 and the Sony XBA-N3, if you would. I do want to caveat here that it's been a while since I've had EX1000, so I won't comment on their relative performance in terms of technicalities.

Of the V-shaped IEMs I’ve owned—AK T8iE MKII, Fearless S8F, Sony XBA-N3—I’d pick the FD5 everyday.

If it isn’t clear at this point, I dig the FD5, and I dig ‘em hard.