FiiO FH7

----------
Read this review as it appeared on Headphonist.
----------

The Fiio FH7 is the cream of the crop IEM for a Chinese hifi manufacturer that needs no introduction.

Still, we’ll give them one. Since springing to life in 2007, Fiio has long-since made a name for itself in the HiFi community by creating fantastic product offerings since its infancy. I’d even go as far as saying that it helped to make the hobby affordable for many who would have otherwise written it off as “just expensive headphone stuff”.

Recently, Fiio has started concentrating its efforts away from just portable Amps and DACs and more towards those little speakers that deliver sounds to your ears. Its latest flagship offering, the FH7, is a lesson for all other earphone manufacturers: watch out.

First Impressions
From the second I unwrapped the FH7 for their time in front of my camera, I knew I had to listen to them. The premium construction, elegant feel, and box full of accessories was extremely impressive.

After snapping some photos, I sat down at my desk to begin editing and placed the IEMs into my ear – and I was blown away. The fullness, the clarity, the extension… these will be the endgame IEM for many, many people.

When you know, you know. And soon you will too.

Construction

Fit and Finish
Meet the TriShell. That’s Fiio’s name for the seemingly oceanic-inspired design of the IEM’s all-metal structure. Its tri-pointed shape contours perfectly with the human ear and fits comfortably nested in the canal. Top it off with some foam tips and you’ll have near-perfect sealing with comfort to match.

Make no mistake, the Fiio FH7 has an extremely premium feel, as it should. The body and face are both machined from an aluminum magnesium alloy and has some heft. The top of its shell has a very familiar wave-like pattern similar to its little brother, the FH5. Both the face and body are anodized in a matte black finish with a polished rose gold ring to break up the monotony.

Two short silver nozzles are planted into your ears and feel to be an appropriate length to keep the IEM planted without being obtrusive. At the very end of the nozzles are swappable filters which give the IEM an advantage over the competition (and is something which we will get into a bit later).

A color-coded MMCX connector rises from the shell onto a short pedestal where the cable will connect. Perhaps it is moved further from the shell to add comfort or make room for the five drivers which sit inside each earphone.

Cable


The Fiio FH7 comes pre-packaged with a beautifully braided 8-core Litz cable that measures out to be just under four feet long and is extremely beefy. In fact, its thickness also helps to prevent the cable from developing any memory when sitting in storage and keeps tangles at bay.

Its jacket is pellucid, revealing the silver coated copper stands woven within each core. An aluminum y-split barrel sits about chest height with a matching adjustment slider.

Like the MMCX connectors on the IEMs, the male-end on the cable is color matched with a red or blue collar, making it easy to differentiate orientation before placing it into your ear.

Termination is done with a reinforced right-angle 3.5mm TRS jack and is unbalanced.

Packaging



Fiio knocked it out of the park with the packaging. The FH7s are beautifully nested inside a book-like enclosure that sits in the soft touch outer shell.

When opening the cover, you’re immediately greeted with the earphones hooked up to their corresponding cables. In the bottom right sits the small capsule which holds the swappable filters, and a small Apple-like tag at the bottom indicates that there is more to be seen underneath.

Tug on ticket and reveal an entire layer of extra. A plethora of tips to choose from, two cases (a beautiful sprung and magnetized stationary faux-leather blue case, plus a portable soft case stuffed inside), a small cleaning brush, and a cable organizer.

Sound

^^ These measurements were taken with the red o-ring filters, more on this later.


If there are your first wired IEMs purchased for more than $200, you’re in for a treat. The FH7 packs an extremely impressive amount of sound into these tiny little earphones, and I can’t wait to tell you what to expect.

Lows are beautifully punch and clean. The detail is incredible and the messy sub-bass of the FH5 is tamed without sacrificing on hard-hitting lows.

Bass is fast and responsive. It moves from sub-bass to mid-bass, and even lower-mids with extreme precision, though extension leaves just a little bit to be desired with some deep-dipping EDM tracks – See: Dodge & Fuski’s Bring it Back (Genre: Dubstep, EDM).

It’s evident that Fiio tuned the dynamic driver even further than its predecessor. Fiio says that it is able to make such deep-hitting lows by using a proprietary design technology it calls “S.Turbo v2.0”. Like the FH5, the FH7 was designed with an internal system of turbine-inspired tubes to improve low-end response and enhance detail. Ultimately this filters out unnecessary mids and highs so that the dynamic driver is able to handoff that workload to the BA drivers.

Moving on to the mids; a small bit of warmth can be observed when listening, but don’t expect the FH7 to be like listening to your favorite track with a tube amp. Instead, Fiio seems to have chosen to focus on clarity. Details of tracks that I hadn’t picked up with other headphones became evident and separated from the monotony that is a track mix.

I’m waging that this has something to do with the balanced armature drivers being responsible for delivering more mid-range sound than the dynamic driver.

Speaking of the BA drivers, we’ll move onto the highs. As I mentioned earlier, clarity appears to be a huge point that Fiio designed these earphones around. The highs are no exception, coming through crisp, clear, and detailed.

That’s not to say that they’re overly bright and sibilant either. The FH7 isn’t tack-sharp to the point that it’s fatiguing, but being able to pinpoint specific notes and instruments is a huge plus that these achieve with ease.

Here’s where it gets interesting – the sounds I described above? Those can change, and quite easily thanks to Fiio’s included swappable filters.



Nested nearly inside a small capsule are two extra sets of filters, each with a different colored o-ring to designate its purpose.

• Black: Reference (Balanced)
• Green: Detailed treble
• Red: Dynamic bass

Equipped on the unit by default are the reference filters, but by swapping on any of the others, you’ll have an entirely different listening experience – seriously.

When testing out the Fiio FH7, I was able to place a different filter in each ear and was amazed that this wasn’t just a gimmick. Simply pop off a tip and unscrew the filter from the nozzle to expose one of the balanced armature drivers underneath. Once a new filter is installed, the sound signature of the IEM changes drastically.

How can an IEM so customizable and fulfilling be priced into a sub-$500 price bracket?

And to top it all off, Fiio includes an additional six different types of tips in the box (15 pairs in total), each one with its intended use case written right on the packaging. That means if your ears prefere silicone, use them. If you like the sealing nature of foam, those are included as well. And if you’re one of the many people in the world who like SpinFit tips, three pairs are included as well.

Each of these can also fine-tune the listening experience to make it even more customizable. In total, there are 18 different listening experiences in one single box. That’s a hell of a lot of value if you ask me.

Soundstage
Most IEMs that you’ll listen to will display the same pattern of a slightly enlarged soundstage that is wider than it is deep.

The FH7? Not so much.

Well-rounded is more than just a term to describe the performance, it’s also proper to describe the nice even “ball” that the FH7 produces – even sound across all axes.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re nothing like a set of good open back headphones, but close your eyes while listening to Venetian Snare’s Öngyilkos Vasárnap (Genre: IDM, DnB) and you’re able to feel instrumentation and sounds creep in every direction at varying points.

Clarity and Detail



Fiio has clearly put an emphasis on tuning the FH7 for exceptional clarity. This is likely due to the way that its dynamic driver sits nestled behind all other sounds thanks to the turbine-inspired channels that acoustically filter out mids and highs.

Separation of different instruments and tones are easy to make out. The scratching of a pen on paper, the sound as a finger slides across a heavy gauged guitar string – all of this is finely textured and audible.

Hear What I Hear

As always, you can listen to the Spotify playlist we use to test all of our headphones here.

Portability, Comfort, and Use
I haven’t found a single use where I couldn’t enjoy the Fiio FH7s. They’re more than competent performers at the office and keep me from getting strange looks when wearing large over-ear cans.

Commuting or hitting the gym? No problem. The included foam tips don’t just provide superior sound isolation, they also keep the IEMs planted in your ears.

Comfort is a non-issue, as these are quite easy to wear for extended periods of time without fit, weight, or music-induced fatigue.

Nerd Notes

• Drivers: Hybrid
  • 1x 13.6mm beryllium dynamic driver
  • 4x Knowles balanced armature drivers
• Style: In-Ear, Wrap-Around
• Weight: 0.3oz (per side, without cables) (8.15g)
• Sensitivity: 111 dB
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Plug: MMCX (Detachable)
• Cable: 4-foot (1.2m), 8-wire braided, terminated with a right-angle 3.5mm connector

Final Thoughts

Fiio did a great thing by introducing the world to the FH7. These IEMs are more than anyone could ask for in the sub $500 range and sound incredible.

The customizable nature of the FH7 make them absolutely worth the asking price – if you don’t like the stock sound, simply swap out a filter and tips to completely change the signature.

I would personally pit these against the Campfire Audio Andromeda in terms of sound quality for less than half the price.

Where to Buy
At the time of writing, the Fiio FH7 are available on Amazon for $449.

Should you buy?
Folks, this is it. I've listened to dozens of IEMs both cheap and expensive, and these have been the first to truly spoil the magic of in-ear listening for me. If you buy only one set of high-end IEMs, let it be these.

FIIO FH7 REVIEW: The End Game Wonder

SOUND: 9.5/10
CONSTRUCTION&DESIGN: 9/10
PACKAGING&ACCESSORIES: 9.5/10
VERSATILITY: 10/10
VALUE: 9/10

Click to expand...

FIIO is the best know Chi-Fi company and they’ve been around for more than 10 years.
Founded in 2007 by creating the first ultra-portable amplifier (E serie), they never stop pushing the boundaries of portable audio gear. At first, they concentrate their effort on creating budget-minded portable audiophile gear like tiny AMP or DAC-AMP and logically begin to create DAP too.

This wasn’t enough so they jump into audiophile earphones territory too, but they weren’t the only Chi-Fi company now and competition sure was harder than DAP or DAC-AMP world. Nonetheless, they proved to be very capable to engineer great sounding IEM, especially with hybrid models like F9 PRO that got good reception among audio enthusiasts.
Just lately they seem to try to compete with high-end audiophile IEM by making their hands into multi balanced armature iem like the FA7 quad-BA or hybrid multi drivers IEM like FH5 and FH7. Both FA7 and FH5 are still budget-friendly for the quality of drivers and material used, but the FH7 being their flagship model, the price takes a jump at around 450$.

At this mid-tier price, FIIO enters the real high-end world were critical audiophiles expect top of the line tuning. You can’t fool anybody in this price segment, especially when your company is known to deliver high-value products.
The FH7 uses a very big 13.6mm Berylium driver with 4 Knowles balanced armature, as well it has a changeable nozzle filter to tune the sound by adding treble or bass. This is seriously TOTL promise, but will this big dynamic drivers will ruin everything delivering an immature bassy sound? Absolutely not. FIIO tune the FH7 to be ultimate all-arounder End Game earphones and let me tell you they sure achieve the goal of delivering a near neutral sound with perfect balance.

But does it justify the 450$ price tag? Let’s give you a hint: more my review is long to write, more it mean I enjoy listening to the IEM. My FH7 review is the longest I ever wrote.

SPECS

PACKAGING&ACCESSORIES




When you present your product as flagship, it should have an impressive presentation with great care to details so the full purchase experience feels respectful towards the consumer reception. FIIO sure gives a lot of effort to achieve a luxurious product experience and the whole UNBOXING process shows it well. The FH7 boxing is classy, sober, and practical. It comes in a big box that has a cardboard door to open. When opened, the IEM are beautifully presented and star of the show. At their side, you have the little sound filter carrying case with descriptive of their tuning. When you pull off the first package cover, the presentation is again well done with a very informative ear tips display (and holder) that have nothing less than 14 different pairs of ear tips, including real Spinfit, bi-fangle, silicone and memory foam with description under it like Vocal, Balanced, Bass so you know how it will affect the sound, this is a very welcome display! The included carrying case is very fancy too, made of real leather and with enough space in it to include an extra cable or another IEM or…well, another carrying case as included with the FH7. Yep, the number of accessories is near over-kill, but I would have preferred an extra balanced cable than an extra carrying case. Or a cable with a changeable jack. Anyway, we are already very spoiled with FH7 accessories.

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN








The FIIO FH7 are very elegant looking earphones with carefully crafted housing made of extremely sturdy aerospace aluminum-magnesium alloy. The body has a good weight to it but it is still light for its rather big size. The sandblasting finish isn’t prompt to easy scratching, which is very important for IEM of this price and another proof of care to durability from FIIO. This is full of alloy housing without any plastic path. All parts are perfectly fitted and their no sign of craftsmanship issue. The backplate have curvy ripples that make an interesting light effect and is pleasant to touch, as well, it gives a little grip for IEM placement in your ears. The golden alloy contour of the back is shinny and very appealing to the eye. The mmcx connectors are embedded solidly into the body without any fragile part that can affect durability. The nozzle is full metal and nozzle filter feels solidly screw when used, without any loose part as it can happen with cheaper built. All in all, the FH7 has awesome built that surpass what you can expect in this price range.
The body is quite big and will perhaps not fit very small ears, but the angled long nozzle should permit an easy and comfortable fit for the vast majority of humans anatomy. Due to its consequent weight, it’s mandatory to use a cable with ear hook so their no risk the earphones slip off your ears.



The included cable does have an ear hook for good reason, and when I try other cables without any, it not completely fall off my ears but has a less secure fit and was a little shaky. The quality of the cable is impressive and look very durable. It’s an 8 strands silver-plated cable with solid mmcx connectors and L metal jack. Wearing this cable, I never encounter any discomfort issue with the FH7 even after more than 3 hours of constant use.

DRIVEABILITY

The FH7 are very easy to drive, they have an impedance of 16ohm and high sensitivity of 111db. The fact impedance isn’t too low makes them not overly sensitive to audio source but I still find them to sound crisper with low impedance output. Strangely, they pair better with clear DAP or DAC-AMP that deliver reference type of sound with high dynamic and black background. Both my Ibasso DX90 and Xduoo X20 sound excellent with the FH7, but too powerful amp can warm tonality and affect overall resolution.

ISOLATION

Passive noise cancelation is quite good and you will hear only your music even if listening at low volume. Due to top housing venting hole, it have some noise leakage but nothing intense.

CABLES PAIRING


The FH7 are very sensitive to the different type of cable used. It mostly affect timbre and to less extend tonality, which means it affects transparency, resolution and soundstage as well. This is subtle sound difference because overall tonality stays the same, but for trained ears, going from full silver-plated cable to full copper do offer a very audible different sound color.

STOCK 8strands 19cores Silver-plated copper cable is great and enlights the technicalities of the FH7, it offers the clearer, sharper, and more transparent sound. This mean it offer the brighter tonality and thinner timbre too. This do extend soundstage deepness as well and you have more micro-details, but the highs feel the more metallic and overall sound is colder. I didn’t fall in love with the FH7 with stock cable.

AUDIOSENSE 8strands 19cores 6N crystal copper cable offers the warmer and thicker timbre, with slight bass and mids boost. The tonality is the more natural and gone is the extra emphasis on treble. Highs seem fuller and less edgy. Transparency is less good due to more opaque timbre, so soundstage is less deep but gains a bit of wideness. Vocal sounds more present and lusher. I really like this cable for extra romantic musicality.

NICEHCK 16strands Mixed Copper and Silver-plated cable is perhaps the best of both worlds. Sure, construction is not the best especially due to rather loose MMCX connector but it offers the biggest tallest soundstage with nearly similar deepness than FIIO cable. Timbre is thicker and more natural but with enough transparency to keep a great layering. Treble is crisper than full copper cable but not too bright or cold. Vocal are less thin and dry than the stock cable.

FINAL AUDIO 4 strands High purity OFC silver plated cable is very similar sounding to stock cable but with a more aggressive dynamic and attack and brighter upper highs. Soundstage feels slightly deeper and vocal more upfront. Bass is tamed a bit. It offers the sharpest tonality. You got bonus sibilance in vocal too. It’s my least favorite cable pairing.

SOUND FILTERS



RED (BASS BOOST)
It should have been called sub-bass boost, as this filter tends to boost sub-bass rumble and presence, making overall bass and lower mids warmer and mid bass less punchy and well defined. Here we have a more boomy bass with more resonance, this warm whole tonality by veiling it a little when bass occurs. Clarity is less sharp and soundstage less deep. Male vocal can gain in presence and fullness, as well as low register instruments like the acoustic bass, Basson or organ can be more forwarded. TREBLE seem a bit more relaxed too. Good for slow jazz and some pop, but technically inferior to the 2 other filters.

BLACK (REFERENCE SOUND)
The best tonal balance of all filters, and the favorite of everyone (including myself) from what I read. The soundstage is the wider-deeper. Imaging is accurate from low to ultra highs. Bass is controlled, punchy, and full-bodied with excellent separation. MIDS are full, crisp and precise. TREBLE is vivid, natural, and not overly bright. Neutral with a hint of extra dynamic.

GREEN (HIGH BOOST)
Yep, we got a nice highs to boost here, from about 5khz to 10khz. Brighter it is, but this might be a blessing for the treble head that wanna taste all micro details and instrument textures of FH7. Highs are airier with longer resonance, they are pushed forwards and tend to stole mid-range presence a bit. It’s still well balanced and not overly peaky, but not as well balanced as Reference filter. With very busy tracks the highs can feel shouty sometimes too. I tend to use this for instrumental music like folk, classical quartet, some indie.

SOURCE PAIRING



The FH7 does not love high impedance output, so they will sound the best with DAP or DAC-AMP that have lower than 0.1ohm. To take full advantage of the high resolution they can offer, your audio source should have the blackest background possible and not be too bright, grainy or aggressive.

XDUOO X20 sounds great with the FH7 but with the stock cable, it can be a little too cold and thin, the soundstage isn’t as holographic as with more dynamic audio source.

When hooked to JDS LABS ATOM, the sound became slightly warmer-thicker and less precise in the attack, soundstage gain in wideness but lack clear deepness of X20 output.

IBASSO DX90 is a great pairing, it tends to add some bass weight and offer ultra-crisp imaging and add nice edge to the definition without making it sound harsh. Treble is more vivid and sparkly too.

FIIO BTR5 thickens the sound and adds nuance to the textures of timbre, it do not sound as transparent as X20 or DX90 but offers a more natural tonality.

TEMPOTEC SONATA HD PRO improves soundstage deepness even more but make the sound a little more neutral and calm bass impact. The treble seems more delicate and airy, slightly more metallic and sparkly. It’s an odd pairing.

SOUND



Gear used for testing: Ibasso DX90, Xduoo X20, Xduoo X3, Tempotec Sonata HD Pro and some amps like Xduoo XD-05plus and JDS LABS ATOM.

THE OVERALL SOUND SIGNATURE of the FH7 can be considered as unboring neutrality with nicely balanced W shape tonality, fast well-rounded bass, forwards mids, and upper mids and upper treble for extra crispness. Timbre is on the warm side even if the treble adds a hint of brightness, both dynamic driver and Knowles armature are smooth and thick sounding while the BA used for upper highs have more bite, it’s still not particularly aggressive. Again, it must be noted that LOT of sound tweaking is possible with the FH7, which I will explore more, but for this full sound review, I use the Reference Filter with (not included) 6N copper Litz cable and SPINFIT Silicone ear tips which tend to offer the more balanced and punchy signature. If you look at the Frequencies Response graph of FH7 you might be worried about bass quantity, but don’t be because it’s among best bass performance I heard in sub-1000$ IEM category. Low-end control is exceptional, and while sub-bass is thick and very present it does not swallow the mid-bass punch wich is extremely well rounded and punchy. Mids are forwards, with natural tonality and great transparency, it’s lush and quite thick too, especially for male vocal, while female is crisper. The treble is full, you don’t have a strange boost in any region that can create unbalance and due to extra highs sharpness, the FH7 delivers plenty of micro-details, still, not in a trebly or metallic way.



EAR TIPS changes the sound even more than Sound Filters and this is mostly due to how it affects bass response or soundstage. The more the nozzle end is near your eardrums more the sound is forwards and bright, especially is the nozzle hole of ear tips is small. With small wide bore eartips, like the BASS one, the sound is wider and more U shape, it tends to push forwards sub-bass and warm mid-bass and lower mids a bit as well as affecting deepness of imaging negatively. The FLC 8 silicone ear tips I use the most offer a sound that finds its place between BALANCED & BI-FLANGE ear tips, it’s more open than Balanced and less ”tunnel-like” than BI-Flange. The SPINFIT is my second favorite signature as it tend to enlighten mid-bass weight and punch.

SOUNDSTAGE is very wide and out of your head with a nice holographic feel, it’s taller than deeper too. This type of spatiality is circular and around your head, not frontal. With the FH7 you are in the middle of the music, not in front of a stage or in a hall.

IMAGING have excellent layering and above-average separation, but space between instrument isn’t widest one. We aren’t in crisp analytical balanced armature territory here, more into transparent layers of sound that keep their logical placement into the soundstage axis. For example, bass and mids highs tend to stay in the backs of mids, micro details and high range instruments like violin are easier to spot precisely than saxophone or piano which stay in the middle with more intimacy with other instruments. To note that both imaging and soundstage are connected and ear tips can drastically improve their rendering by not boosting the lower or mid-bass, flatter is the bass, the cleaner is imaging and soundstage.

THE BASS, while not being to Basshead level like the more V shape FH5, is sure far from bass shy. In fact, for once, you got both quantity and quality to the very same level, it’s just a hint boosted but not as much as mid-range so it acts like a foundation instead of an overly forwarded presence. With its very authoritative mid-bass punch that is perfectly rounded, weighty and most of all well controlled and lean thick sub-bass, your in for a very versatile bass performance that offers pristine articulation and control. The low end has a well-think hierarchy where both sub bassline and mid-bass kick can play at the same time without mixing awkwardly due to impressive layering. Yep, the FH7 is slightly bassy, it’s not a flat, dry lean bass that some can expect from a neutrally tuned IEM, and again, ear tips can either push forward sub or mid-bass. Timbre is smooth and nuanced with just the right amount of texture so it sounds natural, it will not extract texture or grain that isn’t there which could affect its transparency. The extension is thigh without a lot of resonance or decay, so if you search for boosted rumble the FH7 doesn’t do that, instead if offer thick sub line that stays in the back of the track but are easily audible even with a weighty kick coming in. For example, in ”Song for spirit flight” by electronic artist REJOICER, we can take the measure of how much the bass waken up when it’s asked for, the synth sub line is juicy, rich and muscular and when the big kick comes in, the slam is very weighty and energic, the kick stays in its place and doesn’t interfere with the rest of sound and the voice is transparent and airy as intended in the recording, what impress is how well separated synth and kick are from rest of sounds. FIIO really nail the right bass balance with this FH7 and I might think it’s among the most addictive bass performance I heard up to date whatever price range, both sub, and mid-bass is superbly sculpted, one having natural extension while the other is perfectly rounded punch, the fact sub-bass stay behind kick make it able to be extremely well-articulated with near no bass bleed into mid-bass prooving to have a very fast transient response, sounding more like 2 micro-dynamic drivers than a single DD, something when an IEM is punchy it’s either too forward in texture with thin timbre or too warm with overly thick and sloppy impact, here you have it all: resolution, rounded impact, and control. This type of bass is utterly versatile, cello sound full and natural while subline are clear and articulate, and kick has fast slam. Any music style will have the right amount of bass liveliness, should it be IDM for fast well resolve juicy kick, RAP for thigh rumble and clear vocal, classical for full cello or organ, rock for the fast kick that does not warm the guitar…as said: Anything!

THE MID RANGE is crisp and full, the lower mids aren’t too recessed and upper mids aren’t too peaky, it’s balanced and very clear without being overly bright. Male vocal has full-bodied presentation while the female one is lush and clear with vivid presence, if any sibilance occurs, it’s mostly due to the recording but the stock cable does tend to thin and brighten female vocal. For example, Sabrina Claudio tends to have bright recorded vocal while Agnes Obel or even rapper like IAMDDB show lusher vocal without any problem in timbre or tonality. The definition is rather smooth, with just enough edge to fully extract the details in a natural way, you don’t have lipsy vocal or too scratchy violin presentation, it’s lush and accurate. What impresses a lot is how well articulated in precise separation the whole mid-range is, for example, the whole album ”KING’S BALLADS” by GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW can sound like total shouty crumpled mess with most IEM, either because they are too bright, too bassy or cannot deal with over saturated mastering that is rather experimental and have plenty of crash cymbals and strange bass line, the FH7 show how he can extract the mids cleanly without forgetting about both bass and treble resolution and impact, he voice sound wide and full with excellent transparency that permit to hear every detail of the song, the bass stay in the back and do not veil here voice. You keep the sens of deepness in mids due to excellent layering and crisp imaging, with FH7 you never got any congestion even with busiest tracks.

THE TREBLE is full, extremely well controlled with a hint of extra sparkle on top. Even if it’s not the most airy or sparkly upper highs, the micro-details are easily heard without sounding too aggressive. As I’m not ”good treble” sensitive, I like to have sharp clarity on top and the FH7 delivers that effortlessly. No metallic or grainy highs timbre with the FH7, it’s just a hint bright to give enough bite to percussion, snares, electric or acoustic guitar, and violin. Violin shows that FH7 aren’t harsh sounding as the tonality is natural and full, the attack is impressively fast and well-controlled with an edgy definition that still keeps sens of naturalness in tonality. The FH7 makes it for a coherent, revealing presentation with plenty of sound info in highs range that benefits both macro and micro resolution, the instrument are clear and full, sharply define within the accurate imaging while microsound, details, and texture are perfectly balanced with rest of tonality. Sounds are perfectly sculpted and each of their individuality can be heard. This is pure heaven for critical listeners that love to crave rendering richness of their music because the treble is excellent in both technicality and tonal balance, feeling natural and on par with the rest of the spectrum and not overly colored or pushed forwards. The track ”KAMELSNURR” from GEIR SUNDSTOL show how well balanced and highly resolved is the treble region, with lots of other IEM it sounds overly bassy or metallic, sometimes it’s the background texture that is to push forward, but with the FH7 everything sounds highly realist, articulate and musical, the guitar playing has a good thickness, natural texture, and confident control. None of the instruments or sound stole the show of others, so you travel freely into the soundscape without distraction. Highs have a sense of weight, they aren’t delicate and thin but holographic and calmly authoritative. FIIO tuned the treble with an extreme refinement that avoids any artificiality, coldness, or dryness, is highly controlled and accurate in projection, and will never become redundant in its presentation like too analytical or sharp sounding iem can do.



COMPARISONS



VS FINAL AUDIO B1 (700$)
The B1 is a hybrid too, but it only has one dynamic and balanced armature driver. Though the construction is more impressive and sturdy, its more prompt to scratch too and less comfortable for long wear. As well, the B1 is notably harder to drive than FH7.
Overall tonality is warmer and more natural than FH7. The soundstage is more intimate and less holographic. Imaging is notably inferior both in layering and spatial instrument placement which lacks space and can feel overly congested. BASS is slower, warmer and less controlled, it warm and thicker the mids which are more upfront making the vocal take the first seat and overshadow other instruments. Sub and kick aren’t well separated like the FH7 and mid-bass punch is less impactful. TREBLE isn’t as crisp and balanced as FH7 and does not offer high accuracy. An instrument like the piano sound fuller with B1, vocal while less clear are more pleasant too, but the whole resolution is hollow and the sound lack the energic fun of FH7.
All in all, the B1 has a more romantic laid-back warm musicality but is inferior in term of technicalities, attack, and control, making the FH7 more versatile, resolving and accurate.

VS AUDIOSENSE T800 (300$)
The T800 uses 8 Knowles Balanced armature per side and one would think that the FH7 would be more bassy due to its dynamic driver but it isn’t the case as the T800 is way more V shape. The construction is excellent, using full resin body, but it use bigger housing than FH7, making the fit somewhat problematic and very ear tips dependant (for both sound and fit). As well, the T800 is more capricious about pairing and can sound very weak with too high impedance output source.
SOUNDSTAGE is wider, taller, and more holographic, but not as deep as the FH7. IMAGING is rather similar, but less accurate in placement, as well, the bass tends to bleed on lower mids and affect instrument separation in low and mid-range. BASS is more boosted, near bass head level with a big slam, it’s boomier and less well separated than the FH7 more realist bass presentation. Overall clarity and resolution are crisper with FH7. Mids are thicker and more opaque with T800, female vocal are more forward too but lower mids is less full and warmer due to bass bleed. Mid-range articulation is more refined with the FH7, but slightly colder too, especially for the vocal. Still, male vocal are clearer with more natural tonality. TREBLE is crunchy with the T800, thicker and less extended. FH7 offers more sparkle decay and more articulate highs. T800 offers a more muscular and forwards sound that is less neutral and balanced than FH7.
If your a bass head that prefers quantity over quality, the T800 is a more entertaining listen and sure offer tremendous holographic sound, but if you search for more realist tonality and more refined neutral sound with more bass quality than quantity, the FH7 is sure better balanced and technically superior.



VS MEZE RAI PENTA (1100$)
The Flagship Penta sure have a more appealing construction and better comfort, which it’s his highlight. In the other hand, the cable isn’t as good as FH7.
In term of sound, one would think that the FH7 is the more expensive IEM due to more refined and balanced tuning, higher resolution and faster attack.
TONALITY is more V shape with warmer low and mids and brighter mid-treble. SOUNDSTAGE is more intimate, both in wideness and cruelly lack deepness compared to FH7. IMAGING is messy and unprecise, due to more forward sound and can even get to congestion with busy tracks. BASS is slower, warmer, and boomier with a lack of natural extension than the leaner and more articulated bass response of FH7. MIDS are more artificially forwarded, more recessed in lower mids and drier in texture, it isn’t as crisp and full as the FH7. The vocal feels more intimate and thinner with less balanced tonality. TREBLE is more splashy and grainy, lacking in attack bite and accuracy that FH7 offers effortlessly. FH7 offers more micro-details and haven’t upper highs roll off like the Penta. The transient response of both dynamic and balanced armatures drivers is slower and less cohesive than FH7.
All in all, even at more than double the price, the Penta feel sub-par in term of both technicalities and tonalities compared to more neutral and clear sounding FH7.

VS FINAL AUDIO B3 (500$)
Now, these two offer a pretty similar tonality leaning towards neutral clarity.
In fact, the B3 is even flatter sounding than FH7, so the tuning is less energic and fun than FH7. B3 is a very serious sounding IEM and it’s incredible what it can offer with only 2 balanced armature per side.
SOUNDSTAGE is more intimate but slightly deeper. IMAGING isn’t as crisp and well defined as FH7 but layering seems even more transparent and space between instrument cleaner when bass occurs. BASS is where it just can’t compete with FH7 natural extension, it roll-off in the lower sub-region and feels thinner and brighter, still, it can offer more slam than FH7, but with less good definition and weight, kinda shouty slam we could say. MIDS are brighter and less full than FH7, vocal are a little more recessed and thin and articulation isn’t as crisp as FH7. TREBLE is more balanced than FH7 and offers a more realist cohesion with the rest of the spectrum, it does not have an extra crispness in upper treble like FH7 so micro-details are there but not as sharp and sparkly. Both have similar technicalities apart from bass and overall clarity which is more vivid and energic with FH7.
To my ears, these 2 are in the same league, with excellent tonal balance and fast transient response, the FH7 feel like a B3 with extra fun due to more energic bass and highs. Still, the more edgy definition of FH7 makes them more spectacular to listen to, and the weightier bass permits a more versatile listen.

VS FIIO FA9 (500$)
The FA9 is the new flagship multi BA earphones from FIIO, it use 6 Knowles drivers and a tuneable switch. Construction is resin plastic, and housing is smaller and lighter, so it’s more comfortable than FH7.
SOUNDSTAGE is more intimate in both wideness and deepness, the IMAGING has better transparency and layering but instrument separation isn’t as wide and easy to spot than FH7. BASS is lighter, slightly faster, and a hint more textured, mid-bass isn’t as punchy and weighty and lower extension lack naturalness and fullness of FH7. MIDS are slightly more forwards, but more intimate too, they are smoother, thinner and airier, not as edgy and full as the FH7 which have more upper mids presence bite. The TREBLE is more delicate and transparent, it will please the treble sensitive people but I personally prefer the more dynamic highs of FH7.
All in all, the FA9 offers a flatter and even more neutral sound than FH7, making them nearer to a warmed up DF target while the FH7 is nearer to brighten up Harman target. It’s a less fun, more mature sounding IEM than FH7.

CONCLUSION



I will tell you a secret here: I’ve never been a fan of FIIO earphones I tried before, which are the whole F serie, sure, I find the F5 and F9PRO pretty decent, but until price drop, I didn’t think they were competitive in their price range. So, yeah, my expectations weres ironically high due to 500$ price range. I wasn’t a believer in FIIO tuning capabilities until I finally try the FH7: these are seriously well-tuned earphones that stand apart of sub-1000$ IEM in term of perfect balance, the fullness of timbre and effortless resolution.

What happens? How can a company know for DAP and portable AMPS can jump into high-end earphones and deliver such accurate tonality? And they even permit you to tune this tonal balance into a more V or W iem…making it the most versatile IEM I ever owned.
Please FIIO, keep the tuner of FH7 in your team, and use the phenomenal dynamic driver with other IEM you make! This bass is just perfect and so is all rest of the audio spectrum! You did it, finding the sweet spot between neutrality and authority, and it’s an incredible accomplishment that justifies the 450$ price tag. Pure audiophile joy that will never bore you neither satiate you.

If you search for a versatile End Game earphones that don’t cost the price of a yacht, deliver dynamic technicality and balanced tonality, have weighty natural bass, crisply articulated and versatile mids, and vividly natural treble, the FIIO FH7 might just be the winner you were looking for.



(for more honnest audio reviews, please give a look to my BLOG)

The Shooting Star Returns - FiiO FH7 IEMs and LC-2.5D Silver Cable Review



FiiO FH7 is the current flagship IEM from FiiO, priced at 450 USD, making it a direct competitor for a few other IEMs like IMR R2 Aten, FiiO FA7, Final Audio B3, iBasso IT04, and TheCustomArt Fibae Black. Pairings will include iBasso DX220, FiiO M11, and FiiO Q5s. There's a lot of FiiO in this article, but all of it has a high price/performance ratio, so it'll all be interesting. For the 110 USD LC 2.5 D, the pairings will include FiiO FA7, Shozy CP, Final Audio B1, Final E5000, Dunu DK-4001, Campfire Atlas.



Introduction

For those of you who haven't read my latest article about FiiO Q5s, I wrote a pretty detailed opening piece, where I explain a few things about FiiO. The short version is that you'll get outstanding support from FiiO, constant firmware updates, and good overall build quality for their products, but purchasing from their agents and local sellers is always better because you have the convenience of getting that nice warranty sorted out earlier. Local agents usually swap any product with an issue for a new one, and do so in minutes, so you won't have to worry about a thing when going with FiiO.

It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with FiiO. I'd like to thank FiiO for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with FiiO FH7. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it, the purpose of this review is to help those interested in FiiO FH7 find their next music companion.



About me

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/about.html



Packaging

First things first, let's get the packaging out of the way:

















Happily, we're dealing with a proper FiiO package here, so you don't have to worry about half assed jobs, or packages that feel cheap and not interesting here. Instead, with FH7, we have one of the most complete, best arranged, most high-end looking packages in the IEM world. Even Sennheiser can't compete with their IE800, HD660S or others, who feel a bit amateur compared to how nicely FiiO packages their products.









As far as direct competitors go, I can see why Final Audio receives a lot of love with IEMs like the B series, which include B1, B2, and B3. I'll be honest with you, though, although Final audio has that magical touch with their Japanese packages, they still lack some of the extras that FiiO includes with their IEMs.

Indeed, with FH7 you can find a Huge selection of tips, with explanations about how each affects the sound. There are also two carrying cases, one that's made of leather and is a hard carrying case meant to protect FH7 during transportation, and one which is made of a textile material, and is the same as the one found on FiiO Jade EA3. There's a little tool that holds all the filters as well, because FH7 has interchangeable sonic filters which change its sound.

The package for the LC-2.5D cable is also nice, although it being a cable means that it doesn't really require or come with a lot of extras. The cable is balanced, and in 2.5mm size, so you will need something like FiiO M9, Shanling M2X or a DAP/ source that has a Balanced output to use it.

It is also an MMCX cable, so IEMS that rely on the standard MMCX connector, like Campfire Atlas, iBasso IT01S or Dunu DK-4001 should work best.

Etymotic ER4XR, which also has an MMCX connector, but which is uniquely shaped, won't work with any aftermarket cables.



What to look for when purchasing a high-end In-Ear Monitor

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/p/what-to-lookl.html



Build Quality/Aesthetics/Fit/Comfort

There's a lot to keep in mind when going with FiiO, and a strong point is build quality. Back in 2010, they used to make portable amplifiers that would last a few years, but now they make IEMs, Earphones, Headphones and even flagship DAPs that can last even longer.



The shell of FH7 is made of a CNC aluminium-magnesium alloy, similar to the one found on FH5. This makes them both ultra-resistant, but also light, for a comfortable wear. The toning is black now, compared to FH5, which was a silvery color. The MMCX connectors have a colored ring, RED for the right earpiece, and Blue for the left earpiece. The same can be said about the cable, so you quickly know which is the left and which is the right piece.

The comfort is improved, compared to the comfort of FH5, with a longer nozzle, and with a more natural angle, so even if you hadn't had the best comfort with that one, FH7 should be pretty comfy.

The filters are threaded, and they may be the main reason FiiO's IEMs now have a better comfort, as they needed more space to accommodate the filters, but not only they improved comfort, but those filters let you customise the sound of FH 7, in a Bass, Reference and a Treble adjustment.

There's no driver flex, as FiiO has a Dual Venting design, where they eliminate the flex from both the front and the back of the driver, and we're talking about the dynamic driver here, because FH7 is a 5-Drivers design, with a Dynamic + BA configuration.

The cable is still based on the MMCX connector, but it is one of the best on the market, and if you know that I had an issue with DK-3001 from Dunu and their MMCX connectors, you don't have to worry, FiiO integrated a high-quality connector, just like Dunu did with their DK-4001 and DK-3001 PRO. The cable conducts no microphonic noise, and is flexible, so you don't have to worry about it hardening up even during a full blown winter. This being said, there are two rubber guides that help fix the cable better, but thankfully, there are no hard guides, like the ones found on Unique Melody Martians, which weren't exactly the most comfy around. Soft ear guides are always better than the hard counterparts. Clear Tune Monitors VS-4, and Dita Truth uses the same soft ear guide that works well.



I'm really happy to see Spinfit, Foam Tips, and a selection of silicone that affect the sound included with FH7, it shows that FiiO care about how good the package is for a large number of people, not just how well they work for those who get a good comfort with their initial fit selection. The thinking here is that I personally get the best fit with Spinfit tips, rather than comply, but some people prefer foamies, and it is always best for a company to include them all.

The isolation is average, due to the vented design, and the leakage is minimal, because the vents are small enough to not have a huge impact on how much FH7 leaks. They could be blasted full-volume in a library without anyone knowing, but if you wear them on a crowded street, you will need to have your volume set at medium to have some enjoyment.

The filters are color coded, and they do the following

Red - Dynamics and Bass Emphasis
Black - Balanced and Reference Tuning
Green - Detail and Treble Emphasis

As FH7 comes with Black out of the box, it is the one I use the most with them, and the one I reference the most when describing them.



Sound Quality

You could say that there are three different signatures to FH7, given the three sonic filters, and there's also the large selection of tips, which gives them a huge flexibility, but there is a core signature of FH7, which is quite different from that of FH7, so there's no direct linearity, owners of FH5 having both FH7, and FA7 as upgrade options, depending on what side of FH5 they liked more.



FH7 sounds considerably more refined, more resolving, more detailed, and brighter than FH5. The additional treble driver, and the larger 13mm Be driver offers more contrast, and more dynamics than FH5 as well, also providing a considerably larger soundstage with more air.

The bass of FH7 hits deeper, with more impact than that of FH5, and there's also better layering and texture with FH7, but FH7 is not bassier than FH5, actually having less bass, being neutral for the most part. This is interesting, as most FiiO IEMs had had a tuning to themselves, like F9PRO being moderately V-Shaped, FH5 being mid-centric, thick, with a bass emphasis, and FA7 being a straight-forward thicc, bassy, warm and intriguing IEM. The beauty here is that the bass is deep, impactful, but leaves enough space for the mids, which are forward and detailed, and there's also the treble, forward, sparkly and full of detail, to compliment the rest of the signature.

The bass is deep, impactful, but neutral in quantity, very similar to Dunu's DK-4001, although I reckon FH7 has slightly less than that. There's a whole new level of bass detail and texture compared to FH5, and it is on par with other high-end monitors that have a neutral sound, reminding me of the way Unique Melody Martian had a really great bass, despite having a very neutral-bright signature as well. Control is a good word here, because the bass doesn't appear unless really called for. There's a slight sub-100Hz elevation that gives instruments some weight, so that it doesn't sound congested or weightless / thin.

The midrange is gentle, with the lower mids area having a slight dip, and with the rising happening again around 1.4kHz towards 2.5kHz. There's a peak around 1.5kHz, so the midrange is fairly forward, in quantity, but different from the vocal intimacy and power FH5 used to have. The different tuning of the treble towards bright also makes FH7 sound considerably more airy, with more space and more textured than FH5. FH5 is far more forgiving, especially with poorly recorded albums, so you may not want to upgrade, unless you're ready to see what the true version of your music sounds like, under a tiny microscope.

The treble is energetic, forward, but also coherent. It isn't especially spikey, like IT-04, nor too wet, like IE800 from Sennheiser, but rather a natural type of treble, with fairly good texture, body and clean tonality. The bumps happen around 5.5kHz all the way to 7.5kHz, and there's another bump in between 8 and 12 kHz. This makes it quite balanced, and compared to FH5, it sounds considerably more airy, more open and brighter.

The width of the stage is better than it was on FH5, which is the main IEM you're probably considering upgrading from, and the height of the stage is also considerably better. Since the percussion feels a bit more forward on FH7, you don't feel like everything is pushed away from you, and you're sitting at the center, but you get a great sense of layering, and you hear instruments playing both forward, near you, and some playing in the background, creating a beautiful imaging that works really well with all music types, from atmosphering and progressive, all the way to EDM and Dubstep.



Portable Usage

FH7 is fairly easy to drive, even easier than FA7, which is all-BA, and especially since you may pump more volume in FA7 to hear more treble, FH7 will generally be quieter than it.

Indeed, this is a big point of the tuning, FH7 can be enjoyed at both loud volumes, and quietly, in a silent room.

There's also the fact that FH7 comes with a fairly high-end cable, but there's that FiiO LC-2.5D Silver Cable, which has even better ergonomics, is even sleeker, and has a beautiful overall sound, with even better detail, better clarity and more treble sparkle / air than the default cable.



That LC-2.5D cable is actually an excellent upgrade for many IEMs, but the best pairings for it were with FiiO FA7, Dunu DK-4001, Campfire Atlas, Final Audio B1, Final Audio E5000, and Shozy CP.

There's also the fact that with FH7, you can pair it with a Bluetooth dongle and be done for a long time in terms of sources, so something like BTR5, or BTR3 would make a lot of sense if you're going for FH7.

If you're looking at the driving part, a FiiO M5, or a Shanling M2X will do the job, if you want to stay on a budget, but if you want to hear the true resolution and details that FH7 can provide, a FiiO M11, iBasso dX220 + AMP 9, or an Opus #2 would fare much better.

Now, this is a secret, but I actually paired FH7 with Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, and with Audio-GD Master 19 as well, and the results were phenomenal. But this was the moment when I discovered that FH7 is fairly sensitive to hiss as well.

This may have eluded others, because it ain't the most sensitive out there, with but the DAC+ from Mytek, it was pretty easy to hear, and even easier with Hiby's R6, which has a really high output impedance.



Youtube Video

FiiO FH7 Video Review:

FiiO LC-2.5D Video Review:



Comparisons

This is one of those comparisons that's really rich, because there's just a lot to compare the FH7 to. Starting with FiiO's own FA7, then following with IMR R2 Aten, Final Audio B3, iBasso's IT04, and finally with TheCustomART Fibae Black, there's a fierce competition in this price range, and if FH7 manages to hold its ground, it is set to make history in the hearts of music lovers.



FiiO FH7 vs FiiO FA7 - Starting with the obvious, you're curious to know whether you need an H or an A in this situation, as FiiO F A 7, and F H 7 sound pretty different and make really good upgrade paths from the same FH5. If you have something that's multi-signature like FLC 8N, you don't have to worry, you can always go for something like the FA 7, if you wanted a bassy sound, or FH 7 if you wanted a neutral-ish sound. Back to the comparison at hand, FH7 has similar comfort to FA7, although the build is different, and FA7 is an all-BA, while FH7 is a hybrid design. Despie this, FH7 is the neutral one, while FA7 the bassy and warm one. FA7 offers considerably better isolation, thanks to its lack of venting, as only FH7 needs one for the Dynamic Driver. FA7 doesn't have a filter system, and you can't really change its sound that much, as it doesn't like a lot of EQ either. I personally like the sound of FH7 considerably more, as it is more balanced, with FA7 being much thicker, colored, and having a smaller stage, with less detail and less dynamics. FH7 is more engaging, has more refinement.

FiiO FH7 vs IMR R2 Aten - R2 Aten has a different design, with considerably less passive noise isolation, but also a more configurable sound, as it comes with more filters, and with two sets of filters this time, so there's a larger number of combinations possible, and more total tunings you can achieve with it. This being said, if there were some things that the two had in common, those are the comfort, which is pretty great on both IEMs. The package is better on FH7, more elegant, and feels considerably more like a properly set IEM, with all the bells and whistles you could need. This being said, the sound is dominated by the bass, R2 Aten having less air in the treble, and FH7 having more refinement, more clarity and more depth, regardless of the combination of filters you're running on either. FH7 can take more EQ, and there's more headroom, but both are easy to drive, and both scale similarly, so a FiiO Q5s would suffice for both.

FiiO FH7 vs Final Audio B3 - Final Audio B3 is one of the IEMs that's less talked about, but it is the most direct competitor to FH7, as it has a fairly similar signature, but a different design, and comes from a company that follows an entirely different philosophy from FiiO. The package is clearly better on FH7, and there's simply more extra included with it, but if you're a fan of Japanese Aesthetics, you'll love the simple, yet premium feeling of B3. The comfort is better on FH7, but there's a similar level of comfort and isolation between them. The sound comes close in terms of tuning, and this is why I brought up the B3, and not the B1, which was closer in both pricing and overall design to FH7's idea of being the flagship from FiiO, but B3 is tuned to be slightly warmer, and to have slightly more bass. The key difference here is headroom, B3 is something you either like, or you don't. It doesn't adapt well to EQ, and it has so little headroom, that you can't really listen to it very loud without some distortions coming up. By comparison, you can crank FH7 much louder without distortions, you can tune FH7 using the Filters, and they take some good amounts of EQ, thanks to their large headroom. The stage is deeper on FH7, but similarly wide on both.

FiiO FH7 vs iBasso IT 04 - You start seeing the differences from the packaging, but you get both a Single Ended and a Balanced cable in one with IT04. The comfort is much better on FH7, because IT04 has a dynamic driver, but has driver flex, as the vent doesn't work very well. I am getting an odd comfort with IT04, but I loved the sound, which was very ethereal, with a very neutral bass, but still more sub-bass emphasis. There's more control on FH7, and FH7 is a bit warmer in the mid bass, where the tonality of IT04 is downright cold. There's a fuller sound on FH7, but not a much fuller sound, and both are fairly on the thinner end of the spectrum, compared to FA7. Both can show the sibilance, if it was alreadt in the record, but neither isn't harsh, and both sound pretty sweet in general.

FiiO FH7 vs The Custom ART Fibae Black - Fibae Black would have been a much more fair competitor to FiiO's FA7 rather than FH7, because it features a similar concept, and a similar tuning. The comfort is better on FH7, with a more ergonomic design, Fibae Blac not having vents, so having a void going on. There is more headroom with FH7, and if you don't like Fibae Blac, you can't EQ it, and what's actually a bit more concerning is that you can't bring it very loud, as it starts to distort when driven really loud. The signature is pretty much at different ends of the spectrum, with Fibae Black being a thick, dark, bassy IEM with a really natural tonality, and a good sense of imaging, although within a limited space. By comparison, FH7 is straightforward, huge in staging, has much better treble performance, a more neutral sound, but with less bass emphasis. There's a considerably better detail on FH7, and a more refined sound as well.



Recommended Pairings

There'll be two parts here, one where I pair FH7 with a number of DAPs, like FiiO M11, iBasso DX229, or DX 220 + AMP 9, and also also FiiO's Q5s, a newly released DAC/AMP that's pretty interesting. But, since this is a review of the LC-2.5D cable, I'll add a few words about how that one pairs with a few IEMS, including FiiO FA7, Final Audio B1, Shozy CP, Final Audio E5000, Dunu DK-4001 and Campfire Atlas. Ara Ara, that's quite a lot, so let's get down to it.



FiiO FH7 + FiiO M11 - A full FiiO pair, with FH7 and M11 is what you need, if you want to be set with a simple, yet effective setup. M11 has a smooth OS and UI, has plenty of power for FH7, has a very effective EQ. M11 is also a happy DAP for price/performance ratio, and it has both a Balanced and a Single Ended Output. There's enough power for larger headphones as well, and there's even Bluetooth, with all the fancy codecs, so you're pretty bullet proof with M11.

FiiO FH7 + iBasso DX220 (AMP 9) - DX220 is another DAP that you'll be set with after you get, unless you want to wait out for DX220 MAX, which will be soon on the market, and which I will be reviewing soon. There's also a DX150 from iBasso which uses the same modules as DX220, and DX 200, and there is a DX160 out there that has stellar performance for its price. Back to DX220, it is one of the most recommended DAPs in the entire world, thanks to its really high-quality hardware, with enough RAM, a fast CPU, and the modular design, allowing it work with virtually every headphone out there that's driveable from a portable. The logic here is that HE6SE from HIFIMAN isn't really driveable from a portable, but there is stuff out there, like HIFIMAN Arya, which is hard to drive, but DX220 can do without a hassle. With FH7, when having AMP9 installed, DX220 manages to give you a really sweet midrange, with a sweeter treble, and a slightly warmer sound than most other pairings. IF you want something that is more correct and provides a more reference tuning, DX220 comes with AMP1 by default, and that provides a very neutral performance.

FiiO FH7 + FiiO Q5s - FiiO Q5s is that DAC/AMP you wish for, when you want to use your smartphone as a source. It is better than the original Q5, and a good alternative to iFi's xDSD, and the Earmen TR-AMP. If you have other IEMS and Headphones as well, Q5s will prove to be a good friend, because it has both a Balanced output, and a Single Ended output. The sound is detailed, crisp, clear and has a natural tonality. Everything is warmer, less revealing of sibilance, and more musical than most other sources.

FiiO LC-2.5D + FiiO FA7 - FiiO FA7 is one of the IEMs that takes the most advantage from having the LC 2.5 D because, you get a brighter overall tuning, as the silver in LC25D will sprinkle some extra treble, and take away some of the bass in most IEMs. This is especially benefic to FA7, which was thicc and bass-heavy, as it results in a more balanced overall tuning. FA7 lacks a large headroom for proper EQ, so the cable is a good way to improve their sound without distorting it.

FiiO LC-2.5D + Shozy CP - Shozy CP already came with a great cable, but I discovered that adding FiiO's LC 25 D made things much better, because it added to the already pretty great sound of CP, by making it more sparkly. CP didn't have a lot of treble to begin with, but adding some with a cable, as it doesn't take EQ very well, due to lack of headroom, and using LC-2.5D brought the entire sound to a whole new level.

FiiO LC-2.5D + Final Audio B1 - Final Audio B1 didn't lack treble, but air and soundstage, and this is where LC25D came in handy, because it adds some air, and gives more space for the instruments to breath with B1. The same trick can't be done in EQ, unless you're using a very specific parametric EQ, with variable Q factor, so if you're not one to like to mingle and tinker, LC-2.5D is a great way to turn an already interesting IEM into something even better.

FiiO LC-2.5D + Final E5000 - E5000 is a pretty one-track IEM, with a really hard to drive nature, needing real power even from the Burson Play to sound loud, but being able to take enough power, and stay clear, that for the most part you could easily EQ it if you wanted to change it. If there's anything that E5000 has, it is headroom. At the same time, if you weren't a fan of the Final original cable, because it was not very flexible, you will be happy to hear that LC-2.5D is more flexible, and besides the improved ergonomics also makes the sound of E5000 thinner, gives them a more balanced presentation, allowing for more sparkle in the treble, and for more excitement to be felt.

FiiO LC-2.5D + Dunu DK-4001 - DK-4001 was great, but it was a bit gentle, and a bit vague. This being said, it did not lack treble, and its cable was already great, with its modular design, so you may wonder what does it have to do with FiiO's cables, but in all honesty, Dunu's own cable is thick, and the Dunu cable is even thicker, which made me wonder how would DK-4001 feel like if they had a thinner, more ergonomic cable. You lose that cable modularity, and have to settle on a size, either LC-2.5D, LC-3.5D or LC-4.5D, which are basically the 2.5mm Balanced, 3.5mm Single Ended, and 4.4mm Balanced versions of the same cable. After you do that, you get better ergonomics, a more open, more airy sound, and what's actually surprising is that FiiO's cable made Dunu more dynamic, more precise, and took away some of their strong character, making them more versatile, working much better for rock and metal.

FiiO LC-2.5D + Campfire Atlas - Campfire Atlas already comes with a Silver cable, and a pretty high-quality one at that, which is ended in a 3.5mm Single Ended jack, and which is very flexible and very practical. The main reason I'd go for LC-2.5D is that it allows you to connect Atlas to a balanced output, and most DAPs like M11, and even some DAC/ AMPs like Q5s will sound considerably more balanced, wider and brighter from a balanced output. This isn't always the case, but it is the case more often than not. When testing with M11, connecting Atlas to the Balanced output did improve the performance, because Atlas has a huge bass, and having a slightly brighter overall tuning and less bass made the sound easier to listen to, with a larger variety of music. Sadly, this did not solve the driver flex, but it did make my entire experience with Atlas better.



Value and Conclusion

The value of FH7 is pretty great, and for the performance it doesn't cost quite that much. Of course, no 450 USD IEM is going to be as great of a value as a 300 USD Pair, like the FLC 8N, but FH7 manages to have a much better sound, and overall, it is one of the most detailed, most clear, and most crisp IEM you can find in the 450 USD price. I could go as far as to say that you probably can't find an IEM to bear FH7 if you want a neutral, clear, crisp sound, with a large stage and with a good kick for imaging. When it comes to FiiO's LC-2.5D cable, it costs 110 USD at the moment of making this review, so you're going to get great value, if pairing it with the right IEMs.



The package has always been great with FiiO, and with two carrying cases, an exceptional cable, and with a huge selection of tips. FH7 does not disappoint. With a build quality that would make anyone say wow, metallic shells, and with a comfort that hugely outcomforts the FH5, you could say it is an upgrade in every way possible.

The only part that can't be a direct upgrade is the sound, because FH7 goes for a totally different tuning that FiiO's previous IEMs, now having a neutral signature, with just a slight emphasis in the bass and with a good amount of sparkle in the treble. If resolution, refinement and soundstage are your things, you should totally keep in mind that FH7 even manages to change its signature if you need it to sound slightly different, thanks to its filters.



Before the end of this review, FiiO FH7 is getting featured in Audiophile-Heaven's Hall Of Fame, for being one of the most detailed, clear, clean, and resolute IEMS in the 450USD price area, and for having a great comfort, awesome aesthetics, and excellent build quality, even managing to take down the previous FiiO best, the FH5.



At the end of this review, if you need an upgrade from your current IEM, and if you're rocking a nice midrange set, you should totally consider getting FiiO FH7, and if you already have FH5, don't forget to read the sonic impressions, because the signature of FH7 is more resolute, wider, but also more neutral, and with less bass and mid emphasis than FH5.

Also, if you're in need of a Silver cable, you can always look into the FiiO LC-2.5D, and especially if you already have an IEM that has a good synergy and matching with it, you should have a lot of fun using it, thanks to its great ergonomics and design.



Full Playlist used for this review

While we listened to considerably more songs than those named in this playlist, those are excellent for identifying certain aspects of the sound, like PRaT, Texturization, Detail, Resolution, Dynamics, Impact, and overall tonality. We recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you're searching for new most, most of them being rather catchy.

Youtube Playlist



Tidal Playlist

https://listen.tidal.com/playlist/64555551-ec3c-4279-ae44-248fdfcf6c4b

Song List

Bats - Gamma Ray Burst: Second Date
Eskimo Callboy - Frances
Incubus - Summer Romance
Electric Six - Dager! High Voltage
Kishida Cult - High School Of The Dead
Dimmu Borgir - Dimmu Borgir
Breaking Benjamin - I Will Not Bow
Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame In All Of Us
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
Infected Mushroom - Song Pong
Attack Attack - Kissed A Girl
Doctor P - Bulletproof
Maximum The Hormone - Rock n Roll Chainsaw
Rob Zombie - Werewolf, Baby!
Escape The Fate - Gorgeous Nightmare
SOAD - Chop Suey
Ken Ashcorp - Absolute Territory
Machinae Supremacy - Need For Steve
Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Wanna Stop
Crow'sclaw - Loudness War
Eminem - Rap God
Stromae - Humain À L'eau
Sonata Arctica - My Selene
Justin Timberlake - Sexy Back
Metallica - Fuel
Veil Of Maya - Unbreakable
Masa Works - Golden Japang
REOL - Luvoratorrrrry
Dope - Addiction
Korn - Word Up!
Papa Roach - ... To be Loved
Fever The Ghost - Source
Fall Out Boy - Immortals
Green Day - Know The Enemy
Mindless Self Indulgence - London Bridge
A static Lullaby - Toxic
Royal Republic - Addictive
Astronautalis - The River, The Woods
We Came As Romans - My Love
Skillet - What I Believe
Man With A Mission - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Yasuda Rei - Mirror
Mojo Juju - Must Be Desire
Falling Up - Falling In Love
Manafest - Retro Love
Rodrigo Y Grabriela - Paris
Zomboy - Lights Out
Muse - Resistance
T.A.T.U & Rammstein - Mosaku
Grey Daze - Anything, Anything
Katy Perry - Who Am I Living For
Maroon 5 - Lucky Strike
Machinae Supremacy - Killer Instinct
Pendulum - Propane Nightmares
Sirenia - Lithium And A Lover
Saving Abel - Addicted
Hollywood Undead - Levitate
The Offspring - Special Delivery
Escape The Fate - Smooth
Samsara Blues Experiment - One With The Universe
Dope - Rebel Yell
Crazy Town - Butterfly
Silverstein - My Heroine
Memphis May Fire - Not Over Yet

I hope my review is helpful to you!

---















---