Introduction/Disclaimer:
Not only am I a relatively newbie audiophile, the FA-003 were my first pair of "audiophile" headphones, therefore, I might be slightly based towards it. I originally got the FA-003 for use as a monitoring headphone for my audio engineering work, and used it through my 2 years of study in UK. I have had this pair for around 2+ years now and it's become a my go-to headphones for mixing. While I have gotten much better/more expensive headphones since then, the FA-003 has remained my workhorse pair and my standard to which I compare all other closed headphones to.
What Ilike love...
Sound
I used to lay on the couch of my office at night just immersing myself in music with my FA-003 (Cowon J3 > Headstage Arrow). The mids are mesmerizing, sometimes almost as if the vocals were resonating in your throat. God, how I absolutely love the sound of the FA-003, an excitement which wouldn't be replicated until I got my HE-500 paired with Asus E1. Incredibly balanced, non-fatiguing while staying musical and engaging (whatever that means). With a tight, punchy bass and excellent treble extension, it performs well with any genre I throw at it (and my choice headphone for K-pop), a mark of a great pair of reference headphones. I found them relatively forgiving to poorer recordings/mixes/masters.
It has a surprising amount of detail, especially for a closed design. Being a closed phone, the soundstage isn't very wide (feels slightly constricted beside open pairs) but it's has a surprising amount depth to it and separates instruments very well.
Isolation
FA-003 isolates very well, which may be a bit fatiguing after awhile. Practically no leakage whatsoever.
Comfort
The pleather pads are very deep and comfortable and should easy cover your entire ear, it can get a bit warm for prolonged usage though.
Build Quality
2 years of abuse and still in excellent condition. The white lettering is unscratched, with everything intact.
Gripes
Not the best looking headphone. Wires get stiff after prolonged use. Alternative velour pads might have been nice.
Overall Impressions:
Quite an incredible pair of headphones. Very versatile and among the best in terms of fidelity for it's price range. I would recommend these over other studio headphones such as the M-50, SRH440/840 and MDR-7506 for monitoring use or enjoyment.
Not only am I a relatively newbie audiophile, the FA-003 were my first pair of "audiophile" headphones, therefore, I might be slightly based towards it. I originally got the FA-003 for use as a monitoring headphone for my audio engineering work, and used it through my 2 years of study in UK. I have had this pair for around 2+ years now and it's become a my go-to headphones for mixing. While I have gotten much better/more expensive headphones since then, the FA-003 has remained my workhorse pair and my standard to which I compare all other closed headphones to.
What I
Sound
I used to lay on the couch of my office at night just immersing myself in music with my FA-003 (Cowon J3 > Headstage Arrow). The mids are mesmerizing, sometimes almost as if the vocals were resonating in your throat. God, how I absolutely love the sound of the FA-003, an excitement which wouldn't be replicated until I got my HE-500 paired with Asus E1. Incredibly balanced, non-fatiguing while staying musical and engaging (whatever that means). With a tight, punchy bass and excellent treble extension, it performs well with any genre I throw at it (and my choice headphone for K-pop), a mark of a great pair of reference headphones. I found them relatively forgiving to poorer recordings/mixes/masters.
It has a surprising amount of detail, especially for a closed design. Being a closed phone, the soundstage isn't very wide (feels slightly constricted beside open pairs) but it's has a surprising amount depth to it and separates instruments very well.
Isolation
FA-003 isolates very well, which may be a bit fatiguing after awhile. Practically no leakage whatsoever.
Comfort
The pleather pads are very deep and comfortable and should easy cover your entire ear, it can get a bit warm for prolonged usage though.
Build Quality
2 years of abuse and still in excellent condition. The white lettering is unscratched, with everything intact.
Gripes
Not the best looking headphone. Wires get stiff after prolonged use. Alternative velour pads might have been nice.
Overall Impressions:
Quite an incredible pair of headphones. Very versatile and among the best in terms of fidelity for it's price range. I would recommend these over other studio headphones such as the M-50, SRH440/840 and MDR-7506 for monitoring use or enjoyment.