Fiio FH5s Pro, the FH5s gets a nice upgrade.

About me:

I'm a sucker for technical aspect, for me things like separation and imaging is more important than the tuning itself. I'm an open minded person, bassy earphone or treble heavy IEM is good for me as long as technical aspects are good and i try not to be biased by Frequency Response on any IEM i use.

Part 1: The Honeymoon Period


*it caught some scratches over time

In my place, people don't appreciate FH5s, an used FH5s with 11 months of active warranty is offered at as low as $130 because nobody would care enough to buy it. Thus I was moved to make this review to give people a proper truth about FH5s. I Bought FH5S on July 2021 which was around 7 months ago by the time i wrote this review. being a cable believer, in September I bought the the LC-RC Cable to make it into the "Pro" version. To be honest, im one of those guys who loves the regular version of FH5S and bought the pro cable for the sake of making my FH5S sounds better, had the Pro version never been released, i would still be pleased by regular FH5s.

My FH5s sounds really good to my ears (at that time), The pro cable adds more tonal weight to the regular FH5s (which sounds too thin) without sacrificing the airyness feeling and separation from regular FH5s, the Pro cable also add more width to the soundstage as well. the depth in FH5s Pro is very good, female vocals are brought to front while instruments are noticably significant behind the vocals, however With its nice transparancy and solid separation even female vocals doesn't sound too overwhelming and instruments still got good detail and texture. Male vocals are not as forward as female vocals although malesvocals still sounded pretty wide and got big proportion on the overall soundstage. Thebass is very good for my taste, it has a good slam whilst maintaining a good control of never crossing to mid frequency, it also got a better bass texture than than FiiO FD5.

FH5s Pro mid frequency sounds pretty natural for hybrid, it has nice texture and sense of reality something that smooth sounding IEM like Blessing 2 is lacking. FH5s Pro also got a good extension on the treble, something that I wish existed in Moondrop Blessing 2, wide soundstage with the feeling of airyness is simply a cherry on top for FH5s pro. Overall FH5s is a neutral-ish / mild V-shape with very nice technical performance, in all honesty, I don't get all the fuss from those who don't like FH5s because tonality and timbre is pretty good for me

Part 2: Change of Heart

I don't know whether i woke up on the wrong side of the bad or simply got revelation or maybe maybe my FH5s just sounded differnt after a certain time of usage, one day i tried my FH5s Pro after not using it for like 2-3 weeks, I was surprised that suddenly I agree with all the negative comments revolving around FH5s. Even with my Pro cable, i still think the FH5s sounded too thin and the airyness feeling of the FH5s simply ruin the separation and imaging, instruments sounds too flurry thus disturb my ability to pinpoint where the instruments sound are coming from. Female vocals sounds like both Dynamic driver and BA are overalpping on the same frequency, simply make a very weird timbre on the vocals. the Shout on the uppermid range somehow become unbearable on certain tracks. The more i listened to it, the more chaos it become, everything was so wrong with not good technical aspect to back it up.




Lucky for me, FH5s is a very scalable IEM in the first place, any change in cable and eartips will cause noticeable difference. i change the pro cable into my custom made copper cable. I know it isn't fair to assess IEM with after market accessories in the first place, so i just add this as a side note. with Copper cable, gone is the weird timbre in the female vocal and that flurry sounding treble that ruin imaging, it also adds more weight to the tonality which is a really good news if you hate the thin sounding FH5s. However, using copper cable came at a price, the quality of transparency is reduced, soundstage width is slighty reduced as well. Although i can now properly pinpoint instrument, but the distance between instruments are shrink, the empy area or black background area between each instrument is gone as well. although copper cable is decent trade off to make FH5s sounded good again, there are still price to pay.

Part 3: Closing

This is the first IEM which i feel and understand emotionally both side of the love and hate. I still don't know whether i got change of heart or simply my FH5s just sounded diffrently. with copper cable I still give it a 4.5 stars, however my 3.5 stars of score based on its initial performance and its possibility to fix its sound. All in all, I still pick my FH5s than my Blessing 2 any time of the day, it has better dynamic range, more slam and excitement than the carefully tuned Blessing 2. If you have a decent copper cable, just go for it, not to mention those aesthetic looks on FH5s simply a cherry on the top which unrivaled in its price range.

Fiio FH5s pro/LC-RC cables

In the earphone industry, the cable that is included can make or break an earphone sound. Too many times I have seen included cables that accentuates issues for the host earphone or worse not resolving enough to accentuate the best parts of the earphones sonics. Earphone and headphone cables have become an industry unto itself with all the major players having a hand at designing the right cable for your personal audio. I know there is a lot of debate whether a cable has any type of sound enhancing effects on a host earphone sound. I am writing this report/ review with no intention to sway the masses about cables. That is a topic unto itself but more so what Fiios newest cables do for their new FH5s pro.

You have seen the recent launch of Fiios FD3 and probably seen the announcement of their upcoming FH5s pro variant. Both the FD3 pro and the FH5s pro versions come with their new LC-RC cables that makes them “PRO” and I am here to tell you both their FD3 and the FH5s are no different in the sound tuning aspects to their pro versions. It just adds these newer modular 8 cored cables the LC-RC in the mix. You gotta figure these cables had to have been something special to warrant a complete name add on and even better called the “PRO” version. Traditionally a pro version of an earphone would have meant that we would have seen some type of sound tweak to the stock sound tuning. Believe it or not Fiio has done just this

Using a new cable.

Before I get into this report I would like to thank @FiiO for the review sample of their LC-RC cables. You can find out more about them and order you a set here. Their new Pro version of the FH5s can be purchased here.

To be honest I was very surprised when I got contacted about the LC-RC. As a cable believer myself as I do cable reviews here on headfi. I was thinking, a new pro version? With just a cable upgrade?

The LC-RC is an all new 8 core version of a higher purity monocrystalline-copper plated in silver cable with a type 2 litz structure. It consists of 19 strands making up each core, 152 wires making up the bulk of the cable. The difference between this one and their included prior cables seems to be that of purity. A higher purity of copper seems to be at the core of these cables and I noticed the sonic properties this cable brings forth is more copper influenced than silver of their prior cables. The strands are Individually isolated with a thermoplastic polyurethane coating for the outer sleeving. These cables also include Fiios proprietary modular plugs which include a single ended 3.5mm and two balanced plugs in 2.5mm and 4.4mm.

The question is does this cable warrant a PRO upgrade to their FH5s?
Absolutely YES!. I have tested the cable out on the FH5s and I can confirm that what you are getting is a nice upgrade for the FH5s sound via cable tuning.

The LC-RC itself is a nicely made boutique style earphone cable that is equivalent to much more expensive cables you see being sold by other manufacturers for much higher prices. Its resolving ability is very high and since the base foundation is one based on copper. It clearly gives an ode to dynamics, note weight, stage, fullness and bass of your host earphones sound tuning while smoothening the treble aspect of the host earphone. When using the LC-RC especially in balanced configuration the sound gives a greater expansion with better note weight to the sonics. This makes a difference in how you perceive the sound on the FH5s.

The FH5s, you can read my initial review of them here. Its sonic foundation is musical with some of Fiios best presentation for mids and bass. The inclusion of the 3 switches that enhances the given parts of their tuning means you can tweak the base tuning by a few dbs. More bass, more mids and a touch more treble if desired or a combination thereof.

Despite what you might have read or seen on the nets about their sonic character. It was their treble presentation that was highly contentious. The treble was debatable in its presentation due to the dual BAs in the nozzle of the FH5s. Its included cable was Fiios older silver-plated monocrystalline cables in 4 cores. While the material base seems similar to the new LC-RC cable there is a clear difference in how the LC-RC shapes the sonic character of the FH5s vs their previous included cable. The included FH5s cable in my prior review, I put it out there that it does not match well with FH5s sound tuning. It accentuates and highlights treble notes. The newer LC-RC cable actually corrects the one aspect I had some issue with and its sonic character now incorporates a bigger change to the host earphone with an even better presentation for the FH5s all due to this cable.

The sound is somehow smoother, a bit more atmospheric, slightly warmer for the mids, wider, deeper and yes it has a positive effect on the trebles. Treble is now cleaner and not as glare prone like thor prior cables had a tendency to accentuate. This new cable does not seem to highlight the treble notes but makes them much more coherent sounding. It is very much an upgrade from their previous presentation of the FH5s as it adds more body and stage to the sound which in effect adds a more fluid, more cohesiveness to the host sound vs being more analytical in approach to their previous cable presentation.

The nice aspect of this cable is that if you own the prior FH5s, I am sure you have been using other aftermarket cables. You can now buy the LC-RC cable to go along with the FH5s. And for folks that are considering a new FH5s. Go for the pro version. It is easily the best version of the FH5s and it has everything to do with this particular cable. I have been testing out Fiios new K3 dac/amp recently and I was very surprised how well the FH5s matches up with the K3.

FH5s vs FH5s pro
What's the difference?
The FH5s pro version now using the LC-RC has a positive and substantial effects on the base sound tuning. It adds fullness and greater note weight to the mids and also adds a greater impact and better more defined bass presentation. LC-RC balances out the treble much more so with the mids and bass this time. It still has a full treble presentation to the base FH5s sound but going back to the stock cable the FH5s sound more lean in general from mids to bass, and it clearly accentuates treble notes. Its stage is not as expansive and loses depth as well.

This makes a huge difference in my book. It adds more body to the sonics and at the same time smoothes and cleans the treble presentation. Treble doesn't stick out on an island like it did with the prior cables. Sound is much better blended and more cohesive with the dynamic drivers of the FH5s.

In fact this was the clear issue for me on the stock FH5s presentation. Their included stock cable enhanced the treble to the point where rock and metal music was really unlistenable. Metal and rock fans rejoice. You can now listen to your rock and metal music. Beyond this it just sounds like an entire overhaul of the FH5s with much better cohesion. And that would warrant a pro moniker..

It was all due to a brilliant move on Fiios part to introduce these cables to the market.These cables are what should have come with the stock FH5s but hey it is never too late to improve upon what you have established.

The FH5s pro is a much better sounding version of the FH5s, more expansive, more cohesive, more dynamic and a more musical sounding FH5s as a result. Vocals especially sound fantastic using the LC-RC. The bass now has clear authority with the LC-RC and sees even better texture for sub bass. I never had an issue with the mids to bass performance of the stock FH5s but the LC-RC now enhances the best aspects of the FH5s and makes the sound much more cohesive and smoother, an upgraded version of the FH5s overall.

The LC-RC is exactly what the FH5s needed even more so than their FD3 pros. FD3 even in stock form has no cohesion issues. The FH5s corrects the one aspect that prevented the FH5s from stardom IMO. Without reservation I can recommend the FH5s in the pro form. It is now one of Fiios best sounding earphones. It still has a full treble end so the LC-RC does not blunt or roll off the trebles but the balancing now is so much better to my ears. The pro version has the treble with a good amount of sparkle that sounds like sparkle and not to the point where trebles start to sound splashy like their prior cables had a tendency to do. This my friends brings the FH5s back into the mainstream and something you should take notice of.

This is how you correct and improve what you have established. The LC-RC is a substantial upgrade to both the FD3 and especially the FH5s. Bravo Fiio..As much as I was surprised with the recent release of the FD3 earphones I am even more surprised about the LC-RC cable and what it has done to transform the base FH5s sound tuning.

If you have been on the fence about their FH5s due to the negative press. As crazy as it sounds, I mean how can a cable change up the sonics that much for a complete turn around? It is exactly this. Get the pro version and if you already own the FH5s. Get the LC-RC cable. It is exactly what the FH5s needed and a clear substantial cable upgrade for the FH5s.

The only real negative on the LC-RC is that it is slightly springy but even less so than their prior included cable. Otherwise get a set and even if you don’t own a FH5s get a set for your other earphones. These cables have more of a higher end copper properties than silver enhancing properties of their prior cables and this adds a certain level of musicality to your host earphones while retaining high levels of detail and imaging for the host earphone sound adding note weight and stage in the process. All I am saying is I can now listen to Rush! Lol

What a turn around for one of the most debated earphones that Fiio has made and yes it was due to the LC-RC. Brilliant and even more brilliant they didn’t have to reinvent the FH5s sonic formula. Just introduce a clear upgrade for the sound via cables. Thanks for taking the time to read.