Final Audio Design Heaven IV
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Bought these secondhand and re-cabled (see picture below).
They are subjectively my very favourite out of my collection of earphones, and the ones that I will have the hardest time parting with. But they have some issues that have brought them down to 3.5 stars. Let's see why:
DAC/AMPs: Apple Dongle, Questyle M12
Source: iPhone 11 Pro, Macbook Pro (2020)
Streaming from: Apple Music (Lossless)
Cable: The model I bought had been re-cabled with a Noble Audio cable
Fit, Soundstage & Timbre
Fit - These are deep-insertion IEMs (as you can see from the picture). They are fairly comfortable in that they go in well, but moving around with them, especially walking, is very uncomfortable even if they are worn over the ear because of the weird angle. They are also thicker (circumference wise) than the newer Final Audio E line, so the deep insertion is not all pleasant.
Soundstage - Unusually wide for the price (though perhaps much less impressive than when it was first released), and even for price points above it (eg compared to the Shure Aonic 5). Imaging is also surprisingly fantastic and separation is clear. Placement of each instrument is well defined. The soundstage is not that deep, but I hadn't expected it for this price and it isn't shabby at all either.
Timbre - Gentle, comfortable, and musical - I can and have listened for hours without noticing. But the timbre is thinner than say the BLON BL-03. It's not a bass cannon and does not behave as such. What it does is give a really natural rendering of the recording, and sometimes it's as if I'm in the room with the performer(s). You can see from the graph below how the entire lower and middle frequency is given a boost, and it really shows in its performance.
Source
Sound
Bass, Mids, Highs
Bass - For a single BA, it's good, clean, and doesn't have a BA timbre. However, it is weaker than the well-tuned single DDs (eg Penon Fan). However, the bass is still articulate and well-balanced. There does seem to be to my ears a slight mid-bass emphasis, but there's nothing overwhelming. While not at all for bassheads, the just-about-right bass also complements:
Mids - The perfect mids. I have gone through lots and lots of IEMs, and even headphones, but there is something about the Heaven IV's mids that I suspect can only be replicated or bested by the higher-end FAD Heaven models. It's warm, natural, vocals and strings are replicated with perfect clarity and gentleness, and this even extends to more electronic-based pop like Stay (Justin Bieber). I just can't tell you a single thing wrong with the mids, and in my opinion they are even edging out the mids boasted by the high-end Moondrop line.
Treble - Here lies one of the bigger "issues". Because the Heaven IV is tuned to be sibilance-free, there is a slight weakness in treble extension and definition. Mids will take over on songs where they are more present and present a slightly compressed frequency range. It's not severe (definitely not like the BLON BL-03), but treble-heads and even fans of neutrality will feel it.
Technicalities - Here, too, there is a little bit of clarity that suffers - because of the BA, there is actually not that much of a loss in clarity. However, decay is not perfect, and there is sometimes a little slowness in the bass and treble that one can notice where you're listening carefully and even a level of incoherence on more complex tracks.
TL;DR: For lovers of vocals and strings, these are for you. For bassheads, treble heads, and even lovers of neutrality, this may not be the pair for you, but I'd still say give it a try and see if these will surprise you. Enjoy and thanks for reading
They are subjectively my very favourite out of my collection of earphones, and the ones that I will have the hardest time parting with. But they have some issues that have brought them down to 3.5 stars. Let's see why:
DAC/AMPs: Apple Dongle, Questyle M12
Source: iPhone 11 Pro, Macbook Pro (2020)
Streaming from: Apple Music (Lossless)
Cable: The model I bought had been re-cabled with a Noble Audio cable
Fit, Soundstage & Timbre
Fit - These are deep-insertion IEMs (as you can see from the picture). They are fairly comfortable in that they go in well, but moving around with them, especially walking, is very uncomfortable even if they are worn over the ear because of the weird angle. They are also thicker (circumference wise) than the newer Final Audio E line, so the deep insertion is not all pleasant.
Soundstage - Unusually wide for the price (though perhaps much less impressive than when it was first released), and even for price points above it (eg compared to the Shure Aonic 5). Imaging is also surprisingly fantastic and separation is clear. Placement of each instrument is well defined. The soundstage is not that deep, but I hadn't expected it for this price and it isn't shabby at all either.
Timbre - Gentle, comfortable, and musical - I can and have listened for hours without noticing. But the timbre is thinner than say the BLON BL-03. It's not a bass cannon and does not behave as such. What it does is give a really natural rendering of the recording, and sometimes it's as if I'm in the room with the performer(s). You can see from the graph below how the entire lower and middle frequency is given a boost, and it really shows in its performance.
Source
Sound
Bass, Mids, Highs
Bass - For a single BA, it's good, clean, and doesn't have a BA timbre. However, it is weaker than the well-tuned single DDs (eg Penon Fan). However, the bass is still articulate and well-balanced. There does seem to be to my ears a slight mid-bass emphasis, but there's nothing overwhelming. While not at all for bassheads, the just-about-right bass also complements:
Mids - The perfect mids. I have gone through lots and lots of IEMs, and even headphones, but there is something about the Heaven IV's mids that I suspect can only be replicated or bested by the higher-end FAD Heaven models. It's warm, natural, vocals and strings are replicated with perfect clarity and gentleness, and this even extends to more electronic-based pop like Stay (Justin Bieber). I just can't tell you a single thing wrong with the mids, and in my opinion they are even edging out the mids boasted by the high-end Moondrop line.
Treble - Here lies one of the bigger "issues". Because the Heaven IV is tuned to be sibilance-free, there is a slight weakness in treble extension and definition. Mids will take over on songs where they are more present and present a slightly compressed frequency range. It's not severe (definitely not like the BLON BL-03), but treble-heads and even fans of neutrality will feel it.
Technicalities - Here, too, there is a little bit of clarity that suffers - because of the BA, there is actually not that much of a loss in clarity. However, decay is not perfect, and there is sometimes a little slowness in the bass and treble that one can notice where you're listening carefully and even a level of incoherence on more complex tracks.
TL;DR: For lovers of vocals and strings, these are for you. For bassheads, treble heads, and even lovers of neutrality, this may not be the pair for you, but I'd still say give it a try and see if these will surprise you. Enjoy and thanks for reading
Final Audio Design is a relatively new company to the IEM scene, with them releasing their first models in 2009. They are a Japanese company, with their roots extending back to 1974 where they first made high-end MC cartridges and booster transformers. The model that I will be reviewing today is their Heaven IV, which is the second cheapest model in their Heaven IEM series, the most basic one being the Heaven II.
FAD has always been a brand that has constantly caught my eye, but I have not had many experiences with them. I have auditioned their FI-BA-SS model several times and always been impressed in the way that it presents the midrange. I was hoping its lower end counterpart could also reproduce some of the magic that I heard with their flagship. The Heaven IV is priced at around $200, which puts it in a region of very sharp and stiff competition.
What intrigued me was the fact that all of Final’s models except for their new flagship the LAB 1 utilises a single balanced armature driver instead of multi BAs like many other companies. There seems to be a consensus that more drivers means better sound quality and this is what I have generally found to be true, but FAD is certainly the exception. Now let’s move on to see how the Heaven IV does against other competitors.
**Disclaimer** This was provided to be in return for an honest, unbiased review.
Unboxing & Accessories
The box is simple, but very nice. The outer sleeve has some information about the Heavens at the back, but unfortunately it is in Japanese so I can’t read it, but it mentions something about the BAM (Balanced Air Movement) technology that goes into their earphones. Upon opening the outer sleeve, you are greeted a solid black cardboard box with Final written over it. Inside there is a lot of padding to ensure that it won’t be damaged in shipping and there is the silver case that I’m sure you have all seen somewhere. Under that there is a manual and warranty card as well as some tips. Inside the case is the earphones, nicely shielded with foam on either side of the case.
I’m not sure if I got the Japanese version or whether that is just the version worldwide, but everything was written in Japanese. The case is excellent, somewhat ostentatious, but very nice nevertheless. It certainly does a very good job a protecting the IEMs, but I’m more concerned about scratching it lol. To open it you press a button on the side, which is quite nice for a change, you don’t see that very often. The foam inside is very protective but the case is a little bit on the bigger side. The tips are pretty standard, not a lot to choose from, but the ones that were already on the earphones fitted me very well. There is no cable clip unfortunately. Overall the accessories department is not filled with bells and whistles, but it has all the necessary ones.
Design, Cable & Isolation
The FAD Heaven IV is definitely one that catches the eye, from the case to the meticulous build of the earphones themselves. The housing is made out of metal, which probably affects the sound and has Final printed over it as well as L and R. It is very easy to tell the left from the right because of the cable entry placement. The plug is a gold plated right angle plug that is very small and should easily fit into any phone case that you might have. The strain reliefs are very good and effective, serving their purpose extremely well. Supposedly the BAM technology that goes into this is supposed to improve realism while reducing unwanted sibilance as well as create a live atmosphere.
The cable is something that I am not a fan of. On their website it says something about minimal cable noise, but I was very sceptical before I put these in my ears. Flat cable and minimal micrphonics are simply 2 things that do not go together in my experience. This case is no different. When worn down, the cable noise is very annoying and just like any other flat cable earphone. This is made worse by the fact that there is no cable clip. When worn over the ear though, most of the problems disappear and this is how I use them. There is a cable cinch. The cable itself is very flexible and one of the nicest I have used if not for the microphonics. Seems quite long as well, but the website says it is 1.2m so maybe it’s just me.
Well if you are expecting Etymotic isolation because of the barrel build of the Heaven IV, you may be a bit let down. The isolation is not bad by any means, but it just isn’t terrific. It is around average, a bit more than 3.5 perhaps on Joker’s scale. These do not reach Shure isolation yet, but is better than IEMs like the DN-2000. Overall it is pretty good and should serve you pretty well in day to day use as long as you don’t use them in very noisy areas.
Testing Gear
This was a bit odd, I found them to not scale a lot, but I particularly liked them with my D-Zero MKII, even more so than my DX90. On a Sansa Clip+, they sounded a little bit on the warm side, which I didn’t really like. On my Xperia Z2, it is rather good and flat, maybe a little bit colder than with the flatter D-Zero. The DX90 was also very good, but I don’t think that the match was quite as good as the D-Zero, but it was close. Adding an amp to these will result in slightly better soundstage, imaging and detail. The difference is not night and day, I would not recommend you going out to buy another source just for the Heaven IV. My point is that they sound very good with average sources, which is a huge plus but if you want that little bit extra from them, then hook them up to a more upstream source.
Sound Quality
Ultimately we only get something if it sounds good and does this? Well not to spoil anything major, but definitely, it sounds very good. Up to this point, I have a lot of mixed thoughts about the Heaven IV. It looks great, but the cable and lack of a cable clip is a bit of a downside. Can the Heaven make up for it? It is also my understanding that FAD uses their own drivers instead of getting them from the main companies like Knowles or Sonion, so this was going to be very interesting.
Bass
This was certainly the biggest surprise to me. I was expecting a somewhat small bass impact, but this certainly isn’t an anaemic bass BA IEM. Anything but that actually. The bass is on the heavier side of things, but not nearly heavy enough to be classified as a basshead IEM. The impact is solid and visceral, very tight and punchy. Speed is extremely good and there is no bass bleed into the midrange whatsoever. The sub-bass is good, perhaps very slightly rolled off, but that doesn’t bother me at all. For a single BA in this price range, the bass is very well textured and detailed. Actually, it is not only detailed for a single BA, but any IEM in this price range. The sub-bass has sufficient and controlled rumble to it and doesn’t muddy the bass. Coming from the SE846 as my daily IEM, the tone was actually very similar with the while filters. If anything the bass is slightly faster on the Heaven. Very impressive in this aspect and FAD goes to show that single BAs can have great bass extension and impact as well.
Midrange
So now we get to the interesting part, the magical midrange that FAD lovers keep raving on about. Having heard the FI-BA-SS, I certainly understood what they were talking about, the mids on that were extremely realistic and had a very nice background which seemed completely blank. It was really like no other IEM that I have heard before. The Heaven IV, luckily is actually quite similar in the sense that it does what the previous flagship from FAD does, but obviously not as well. The mids can be described as slightly warm, but not veiled to my ears, which is not something a lot of IEMs pull off. I am fine with warm IEMs, but I hate veiled mids. A very dark background and realistic vocals are the highlights for me, everything sounds very unique, in a good way. Detail is good, not the best, but still sufficient. There is zero sibilance, which is great, maybe it is what the BAM technology is there for, not really sure, but the midrange sounds fantastic.
Treble
The treble is pulled back compared to the rest of the frequencies and is definitely not as prominent. This does not mean that it is rolled off, because it definitely isn’t, it is actually quite well extended. It is just a little bit warmer than what I would personally classify as neutral, but my perception of neutrality, especially with regards to treble may be different to yours. If you love the HE-500 or HD650/600, the odds are you will have no issues with the treble at all. Clarity is quite good and sounds very solid, but the treble is not the most detailed. Cymbals have a nice tone to them, but the tone is a little bit on the dull side, but it has enough sparkle to stop the treble from being classified as dark. The tone of the treble is a little like the RE-400s, but it is more detailed and has better clarity. The treble is well defined, but polite as the same time without being boring. For those that are a bit sensitive to treble, this is an excellent choice.
Soundstage & Imaging
Now it is time to see if Final Audio Design does indeed deliver on their BAM technology creating a realistic live atmosphere. Traditionally, I have been a little let down by BAs in terms of soundstage in general, they don’t seem to quite reach the standard of dynamic driver IEMs. The Heaven IV really did catch me off guard here. I’ll admit that I didn’t think much of the BAM technology at first, but the soundstage that this single BA IEM produces is awesome. The stage is wide and expansive, as well as being rather 3D. It reminds me of the Titan 1 that I just reviewed. Width is perhaps a bit better than the height, but depth is what surprised me the most, it is rather deep and it sounds more realistic than the DN-2000’s soundstage, which is a very big call for me to make.
The imaging was also very strong, it allowed more space between instruments which aided the imaging. It is not quite as pinpoint as the SE846, but that is to be expected given the huge price difference. It is very good and absolutely trumps the RE-400, and is in the league of the DN-2000, which is quite impressive. Overall, in the soundstage and imaging department you really cannot expect anything more from these $200 gems.
Separation, Detail & Clarity
I must admit, I really underestimated these simply because of the fact that they were a single BA IEM and the separation is actually very good for the price range. If I just listened to these without knowing the technical specifications of this, I would not have been able to come to the conclusion that these were a single BA IEM at all. The separation is almost as good as the triple hybrid DN-2000 and much better than the Brainwavz R3, a dual dynamic driver IEM. This goes to show once again, that more drivers does not necessarily mean that it sounds better.
The detail is one area that the Heaven IV does not really do that well in. When I EQed them I actually got a lot of detail out of these, but I lost that tone that I love the Heaven IV for. Because it is a slightly warm IEM, the detail is not great, not because the drivers are not capable of delivering the detail, but simply because sometimes the microdetails in the higher frequencies get overshadowed by the mids and bass. It’s not that the FAD isn’t detailed though, because it most definitely is, but it is just not the best in its price range.
Clarity is like the detail section as well. I had no problems with the organic and sweet tone of the Heaven IV, the clarity was fine, especially good with vocals, but I just didn’t feel like with instruments they has that edge that the best in the price range do. Those tend to have a colder and brighter tone though and do not sound as realistic and relaxing as the Heaven do. Unfortunately, in my experience, one can’t really have both.
Summary
So is the Heaven IV the most technically proficient IEM in the $200 price range? No, but for a long time, it is the only IEM I have been able to use for long periods of time and simply relax and enjoy to the music. It is incredibly realistic and the price is very reasonable. It may not be the most detailed or have the best clarity, but listening to it just puts a smile on my face. As a whole package, the FAD Heaven IV is one of the best around $200 and it sounds remarkable. It easily gains my recommendation.
FAD has always been a brand that has constantly caught my eye, but I have not had many experiences with them. I have auditioned their FI-BA-SS model several times and always been impressed in the way that it presents the midrange. I was hoping its lower end counterpart could also reproduce some of the magic that I heard with their flagship. The Heaven IV is priced at around $200, which puts it in a region of very sharp and stiff competition.
What intrigued me was the fact that all of Final’s models except for their new flagship the LAB 1 utilises a single balanced armature driver instead of multi BAs like many other companies. There seems to be a consensus that more drivers means better sound quality and this is what I have generally found to be true, but FAD is certainly the exception. Now let’s move on to see how the Heaven IV does against other competitors.
**Disclaimer** This was provided to be in return for an honest, unbiased review.
Unboxing & Accessories
The box is simple, but very nice. The outer sleeve has some information about the Heavens at the back, but unfortunately it is in Japanese so I can’t read it, but it mentions something about the BAM (Balanced Air Movement) technology that goes into their earphones. Upon opening the outer sleeve, you are greeted a solid black cardboard box with Final written over it. Inside there is a lot of padding to ensure that it won’t be damaged in shipping and there is the silver case that I’m sure you have all seen somewhere. Under that there is a manual and warranty card as well as some tips. Inside the case is the earphones, nicely shielded with foam on either side of the case.
I’m not sure if I got the Japanese version or whether that is just the version worldwide, but everything was written in Japanese. The case is excellent, somewhat ostentatious, but very nice nevertheless. It certainly does a very good job a protecting the IEMs, but I’m more concerned about scratching it lol. To open it you press a button on the side, which is quite nice for a change, you don’t see that very often. The foam inside is very protective but the case is a little bit on the bigger side. The tips are pretty standard, not a lot to choose from, but the ones that were already on the earphones fitted me very well. There is no cable clip unfortunately. Overall the accessories department is not filled with bells and whistles, but it has all the necessary ones.
Design, Cable & Isolation
The FAD Heaven IV is definitely one that catches the eye, from the case to the meticulous build of the earphones themselves. The housing is made out of metal, which probably affects the sound and has Final printed over it as well as L and R. It is very easy to tell the left from the right because of the cable entry placement. The plug is a gold plated right angle plug that is very small and should easily fit into any phone case that you might have. The strain reliefs are very good and effective, serving their purpose extremely well. Supposedly the BAM technology that goes into this is supposed to improve realism while reducing unwanted sibilance as well as create a live atmosphere.
The cable is something that I am not a fan of. On their website it says something about minimal cable noise, but I was very sceptical before I put these in my ears. Flat cable and minimal micrphonics are simply 2 things that do not go together in my experience. This case is no different. When worn down, the cable noise is very annoying and just like any other flat cable earphone. This is made worse by the fact that there is no cable clip. When worn over the ear though, most of the problems disappear and this is how I use them. There is a cable cinch. The cable itself is very flexible and one of the nicest I have used if not for the microphonics. Seems quite long as well, but the website says it is 1.2m so maybe it’s just me.
Well if you are expecting Etymotic isolation because of the barrel build of the Heaven IV, you may be a bit let down. The isolation is not bad by any means, but it just isn’t terrific. It is around average, a bit more than 3.5 perhaps on Joker’s scale. These do not reach Shure isolation yet, but is better than IEMs like the DN-2000. Overall it is pretty good and should serve you pretty well in day to day use as long as you don’t use them in very noisy areas.
Testing Gear
This was a bit odd, I found them to not scale a lot, but I particularly liked them with my D-Zero MKII, even more so than my DX90. On a Sansa Clip+, they sounded a little bit on the warm side, which I didn’t really like. On my Xperia Z2, it is rather good and flat, maybe a little bit colder than with the flatter D-Zero. The DX90 was also very good, but I don’t think that the match was quite as good as the D-Zero, but it was close. Adding an amp to these will result in slightly better soundstage, imaging and detail. The difference is not night and day, I would not recommend you going out to buy another source just for the Heaven IV. My point is that they sound very good with average sources, which is a huge plus but if you want that little bit extra from them, then hook them up to a more upstream source.
Sound Quality
Ultimately we only get something if it sounds good and does this? Well not to spoil anything major, but definitely, it sounds very good. Up to this point, I have a lot of mixed thoughts about the Heaven IV. It looks great, but the cable and lack of a cable clip is a bit of a downside. Can the Heaven make up for it? It is also my understanding that FAD uses their own drivers instead of getting them from the main companies like Knowles or Sonion, so this was going to be very interesting.
Bass
This was certainly the biggest surprise to me. I was expecting a somewhat small bass impact, but this certainly isn’t an anaemic bass BA IEM. Anything but that actually. The bass is on the heavier side of things, but not nearly heavy enough to be classified as a basshead IEM. The impact is solid and visceral, very tight and punchy. Speed is extremely good and there is no bass bleed into the midrange whatsoever. The sub-bass is good, perhaps very slightly rolled off, but that doesn’t bother me at all. For a single BA in this price range, the bass is very well textured and detailed. Actually, it is not only detailed for a single BA, but any IEM in this price range. The sub-bass has sufficient and controlled rumble to it and doesn’t muddy the bass. Coming from the SE846 as my daily IEM, the tone was actually very similar with the while filters. If anything the bass is slightly faster on the Heaven. Very impressive in this aspect and FAD goes to show that single BAs can have great bass extension and impact as well.
Midrange
So now we get to the interesting part, the magical midrange that FAD lovers keep raving on about. Having heard the FI-BA-SS, I certainly understood what they were talking about, the mids on that were extremely realistic and had a very nice background which seemed completely blank. It was really like no other IEM that I have heard before. The Heaven IV, luckily is actually quite similar in the sense that it does what the previous flagship from FAD does, but obviously not as well. The mids can be described as slightly warm, but not veiled to my ears, which is not something a lot of IEMs pull off. I am fine with warm IEMs, but I hate veiled mids. A very dark background and realistic vocals are the highlights for me, everything sounds very unique, in a good way. Detail is good, not the best, but still sufficient. There is zero sibilance, which is great, maybe it is what the BAM technology is there for, not really sure, but the midrange sounds fantastic.
Treble
The treble is pulled back compared to the rest of the frequencies and is definitely not as prominent. This does not mean that it is rolled off, because it definitely isn’t, it is actually quite well extended. It is just a little bit warmer than what I would personally classify as neutral, but my perception of neutrality, especially with regards to treble may be different to yours. If you love the HE-500 or HD650/600, the odds are you will have no issues with the treble at all. Clarity is quite good and sounds very solid, but the treble is not the most detailed. Cymbals have a nice tone to them, but the tone is a little bit on the dull side, but it has enough sparkle to stop the treble from being classified as dark. The tone of the treble is a little like the RE-400s, but it is more detailed and has better clarity. The treble is well defined, but polite as the same time without being boring. For those that are a bit sensitive to treble, this is an excellent choice.
Soundstage & Imaging
Now it is time to see if Final Audio Design does indeed deliver on their BAM technology creating a realistic live atmosphere. Traditionally, I have been a little let down by BAs in terms of soundstage in general, they don’t seem to quite reach the standard of dynamic driver IEMs. The Heaven IV really did catch me off guard here. I’ll admit that I didn’t think much of the BAM technology at first, but the soundstage that this single BA IEM produces is awesome. The stage is wide and expansive, as well as being rather 3D. It reminds me of the Titan 1 that I just reviewed. Width is perhaps a bit better than the height, but depth is what surprised me the most, it is rather deep and it sounds more realistic than the DN-2000’s soundstage, which is a very big call for me to make.
The imaging was also very strong, it allowed more space between instruments which aided the imaging. It is not quite as pinpoint as the SE846, but that is to be expected given the huge price difference. It is very good and absolutely trumps the RE-400, and is in the league of the DN-2000, which is quite impressive. Overall, in the soundstage and imaging department you really cannot expect anything more from these $200 gems.
Separation, Detail & Clarity
I must admit, I really underestimated these simply because of the fact that they were a single BA IEM and the separation is actually very good for the price range. If I just listened to these without knowing the technical specifications of this, I would not have been able to come to the conclusion that these were a single BA IEM at all. The separation is almost as good as the triple hybrid DN-2000 and much better than the Brainwavz R3, a dual dynamic driver IEM. This goes to show once again, that more drivers does not necessarily mean that it sounds better.
The detail is one area that the Heaven IV does not really do that well in. When I EQed them I actually got a lot of detail out of these, but I lost that tone that I love the Heaven IV for. Because it is a slightly warm IEM, the detail is not great, not because the drivers are not capable of delivering the detail, but simply because sometimes the microdetails in the higher frequencies get overshadowed by the mids and bass. It’s not that the FAD isn’t detailed though, because it most definitely is, but it is just not the best in its price range.
Clarity is like the detail section as well. I had no problems with the organic and sweet tone of the Heaven IV, the clarity was fine, especially good with vocals, but I just didn’t feel like with instruments they has that edge that the best in the price range do. Those tend to have a colder and brighter tone though and do not sound as realistic and relaxing as the Heaven do. Unfortunately, in my experience, one can’t really have both.
Summary
So is the Heaven IV the most technically proficient IEM in the $200 price range? No, but for a long time, it is the only IEM I have been able to use for long periods of time and simply relax and enjoy to the music. It is incredibly realistic and the price is very reasonable. It may not be the most detailed or have the best clarity, but listening to it just puts a smile on my face. As a whole package, the FAD Heaven IV is one of the best around $200 and it sounds remarkable. It easily gains my recommendation.
H T T
Now that FAD and Massdrop have teamed up you can get the FAD IV BAM in the FAD II body for about $70 we all win!
Hi-Fi'er
Yes the Final Audio III are pretty awesome for the price. They do a lot of things right, only one thing they do wrong is get shouty at high volume levels and lose cohesiveness.
Final Audio Heaven IV Quick Review
Thanks to Hifiheadphones for the loan.
Full review here http://www.head-fi.org/t/742825/final-audio-heaven-iv-review-by-mark2410
Brief: Final Audio and a case to die for.
Price: £139 or about US$218 though they seem a bit rare in the US.
Specification: Driver Type: Custom made balanced armature, Sensitivity: 112dB, Impedance: 16Ω, Cable Length: 1.2m, Weight: 17g per earpiece
Accessories: 6 pairs of white silicone tips, 3 rounded and 3 more conical. Then of course there is that case.
Build Quality: Super. They visually positively drip plush and priemiumness.
Isolation: Very good. A bit on the lower side for a BA but still great, enough for most flights and the Tube if needs be. Oh and do watch out for traffic as you will not hear it with these in.
Comfort/Fit: Hmm pretty good. They seemed to want to sit a bit deep but they have a wide nozzle so it was a balancing act. Mostly fine though.
Aesthetics: Oooh, all of the pretty.
Sound: Good. For a BA they sound massive, a real semblance of scale and space for the music to really breathe. Vocals are slightly ethereal and have natural feel to them. I can see why some have found them to be quite mesmerizing. For me though, it felt like it has lost some of the forwardness and explicit nature of most BA’s. I won’t say either is “better” but well, I like forward and explicit. The bass, while again well textured for a BA it lacked real presence and couldn’t keep up with the mids. The highs, again with a slightly diffuse nature were lovely and airy but, head to head with others their detail levels just weren’t quite as good. While I can’t say I’ve loved each aspect in a technical sense the whole here is a grand and beautiful soundstage. Everything feels so very layered and spacious and I can honestly say it’s a beautiful whole. For a BA the atmosphere created here is slightly mesmerising, the sort of thing you could listen to eyes closed and hear the assemble tableau both before and all around you. That is where it truly shines.
Specs,
Housing - Stainless Steel
Driver - Custom-made Balanced Armature
S.P.L - 112 dB
Impedance - 16 ohms
Cable Length - 1.2m
Weight - 16g
Accessories,
6 Sets of Tips
Steel Carrying Case
Build Quality / Fit
The FAD Heaven IV like the e-Q5 is very well built imo with the stainless steel housing that looks really nice. They have a flat tangle free cable not unlike Beats that also gives them a nice look, really these are one of the nicest looking IEM's I've had a chance to use. They have a L shaped plug with the standard gold plated jack. I've had them get caught and pulled out of my ears and the cables held up great so the build quality of these are quite good.
As for the fit there's really nothing to complain about at all. With the 2 different style tips they give you its not hard to get a good isolating fit with these, I like the more rounded tips but the others work just as good. I thought they might get a little heavy feeling after a long listening session because of the steel housing but not so they felt fine after I had them in for about 4 hours. Like the e-Q5 the don't have the little chin slider that helps you get a more secure fit but since these are worn down you really don't need one imo. Over all a very nice fitting IEM that can be worn for long periods of time with no problems.
Sound Quality,
Bass - The bass of the Heaven IV was quite shocking to me but in a very good way. They have the most bass impact and depth I've heard from a single BA by far. They can compete with they bass of the triple BA TF10 no problem which when you think about is kinda amazing for a small single BA. The bass is very strong but doesn't over power the mids or treble imo and they sound great with hip hop and edm and I could even see some bass heads that would like the response of the Heaven IV's bass.
Mids - Here's where the Heaven IV stands out from the crowd with a quite unique sounding midrange. Its hard for me to describe them because I've never heard an IEM with this kind of midrange presentation before. They have a warm tone with good detail but it feels like theres some extra space in there some how. I'll listen to the same track with my e-Q5 then with the Heaven IV and say a melodies that sound more distant with the e-Q5 is more forward of the Heaven but not in a mid-centric way, like I said it hard to explain but the coloration they did to the mids works with these.
Highs - Like many other IEM's I've reviewed the highs are a bit more laid back but still have some sparkle when the track calls for it. Good detail but they might miss out on some of the micro detail that say the R-50 or HF5 can pick up on. The extension of the treble is good and I can hear it up around the 16 kHz area.
Soundstage - This is another strong point of the Heaven IV with a very spacious sounding soundstage. They are as wide sounding as the GR07 with the depth and height of the e-Q5 which makes them one of the largest soundstages I've heard from an IEM. Imaging is quite good but there are sets that do it better but separation is top notch and you can hear every individual instrument and sound from a song.
Conclusion - Over all the FAD Heaven IV is a very nice sounding IEM and in some ways sounds a lot like the e-Q5 with a better bass response and soundstage than most other single BA's. The mids though is where these differ from every other IEM I've heard and that's not a bad thing at all. At $198.99 from Musica Acoustic they're are very reasonably priced IEM that I think more people will start looking at for there next IEM purchase.
Value: Its super pretty and you certainly pay for that.
Pro’s: Pretty. Beautiful and expansive sound scape.
Con’s: Raw detail retrieval isn’t awesome, bit pricey.
Lorspeaker
i gotten a pair for usd100 used... love the mesmerising sound u said..
had the spiral tips on.
had the spiral tips on.
Techno Kid
Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Great bass, large soundstage, unique detailed mids
Cons: Highs could have a bit more sparkle but that's really it
Specs,
Housing - Stainless Steel
Driver - Custom-made Balanced Armature
S.P.L - 112 dB
Impedance - 16 ohms
Cable Length - 1.2m
Weight - 16g
Accessories,
6 Sets of Tips
Steel Carrying Case
Build Quality / Fit
The FAD Heaven IV like the e-Q5 is very well built imo with the stainless steel housing that looks really nice. They have a flat tangle free cable not unlike Beats that also gives them a nice look, really these are one of the nicest looking IEM's I've had a chance to use. They have a L shaped plug with the standard gold plated jack. I've had them get caught and pulled out of my ears and the cables held up great so the build quality of these are quite good.
As for the fit there's really nothing to complain about at all. With the 2 different style tips they give you its not hard to get a good isolating fit with these, I like the more rounded tips but the others work just as good. I thought they might get a little heavy feeling after a long listening session because of the steel housing but not so they felt fine after I had them in for about 4 hours. Like the e-Q5 the don't have the little chin slider that helps you get a more secure fit but since these are worn down you really don't need one imo. Over all a very nice fitting IEM that can be worn for long periods of time with no problems.
Sound Quality,
Bass - The bass of the Heaven IV was quite shocking to me but in a very good way. They have the most bass impact and depth I've heard from a single BA by far. They can compete with they bass of the triple BA TF10 no problem which when you think about is kinda amazing for a small single BA. The bass is very strong but doesn't over power the mids or treble imo and they sound great with hip hop and edm and I could even see some bass heads that would like the response of the Heaven IV's bass.
Mids - Here's where the Heaven IV stands out from the crowd with a quite unique sounding midrange. Its hard for me to describe them because I've never heard an IEM with this kind of midrange presentation before. They have a warm tone with good detail but it feels like theres some extra space in there some how. I'll listen to the same track with my e-Q5 then with the Heaven IV and say a melodies that sound more distant with the e-Q5 is more forward of the Heaven but not in a mid-centric way, like I said it hard to explain but the coloration they did to the mids works with these.
Highs - Like many other IEM's I've reviewed the highs are a bit more laid back but still have some sparkle when the track calls for it. Good detail but they might miss out on some of the micro detail that say the R-50 or HF5 can pick up on. The extension of the treble is good and I can hear it up around the 16 kHz area.
Soundstage - This is another strong point of the Heaven IV with a very spacious sounding soundstage. They are as wide sounding as the GR07 with the depth and height of the e-Q5 which makes them one of the largest soundstages I've heard from an IEM. Imaging is quite good but there are sets that do it better but separation is top notch and you can hear every individual instrument and sound from a song.
Conclusion - Over all the FAD Heaven IV is a very nice sounding IEM and in some ways sounds a lot like the e-Q5 with a better bass response and soundstage than most other single BA's. The mids though is where these differ from every other IEM I've heard and that's not a bad thing at all. At $198.99 from Musica Acoustic they're are very reasonably priced IEM that I think more people will start looking at for there next IEM purchase.
In the end , I got the CKR-9s as i fell i love with their heavenly bass texture and extension. The CKR-9s also have BA like sound with lots of detail and just about the same transparency.
Doesnt seem that anything else has the heavenly bass texture and BA level detail in the same package. Very satisfied with my purchase XD .