1 Dynamic Driver 4 Balanced Armature 8 Electrostatic Driver Flagship IEMs, FIIO FX17

Apr 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM Post #151 of 182
It's normally marginally cheaper to buy from Aliexpress , although not all the time. It was more that ordering meant I would get the FX17 way faster than waiting for any of the UK distributor options.

This change in policy by Fiio seems to be a new thing they are doing. I had similar issues getting the Fiio RR11 from their store, as in I couldn't.
 
Apr 24, 2025 at 8:04 AM Post #152 of 182
I've had the FX17s for a week now, and my last impression has been confirmed: they're a significant upgrade over my FA19s in virtually every respect.

A video review mentioned that they're quite capable of handling all genres, meaning they're not specialized in anything I wouldn't have understood anyway. I always associate specialization with the term "manipulated" or "sound-tuned" to favor something in particular, but who needs or wants that?

You can hear everything with the FX17s in high quality, as long as the recording allows it. They don't hide poor material either, and that can be quite exhausting. Don't forget, the FiiO also rewards you when you consider the source as well as the output device, using a suitable headphone amplifier or portable player. With the Questyle M15i, for example, they don't sound as good when connected directly to an iPad Pro as they do when connected to a Mac, and here, the output is via ROON.


One more thing about breaking them in: before anyone makes a final assessment of these headphones, they should let them play continuously for about two days. In my subjective opinion, the sound becomes even more cohesive and homogenous this way. If they still don't please, they simply don't meet the listener's expectations.


``` It was already mentioned here that some drivers don't benefit from this, which may well be true. But there are other components that can influence this, and I primarily include the crossover, which here is a five-way version.

An example from the loudspeaker world: I have the B&W 803 MK3, with a three-way crossover. Here, I had the impression that the three drivers each played a different part at the beginning, resulting in breaks in the homogeneity. Over time, however, they increasingly converged into a homogeneous unit.
 
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Apr 24, 2025 at 9:23 AM Post #153 of 182
I couldn't agree more with @paramac

I've had the FX17 burn-in for about 60 hours and, like a fine wine, it's only matured and Improved more and more.
If you're not a believer in burn-in, this IEM might just change your mind. Of course, there's a cerebral burn-in where you need a period of time to adapt to the new sound signature, but it's not about that. I can simply notice that something doesn't quite fit: the cohesion, some strange peaks, the bass seemed stiff without the corresponding extension. These are easily perceptible things, and I can easily discern when my brain doesn't quite recognize a new type of sound, that something just doesn't quite come together.

Well, having said that, I can only describe the FX17 as an ode to balance, good taste, and exquisite refinement, only available in IEMs at least twice its price and more. We are talking about a level of soundstage, resolution, layers and not least, the timbre, all top notch. I perceive FX17 as a pleasant signature in W, I would say that highs, mids and lows share exactly the same prominence in the spectrum, nothing stands out above the rest, however everything is there in perfect harmony, another thing that I love is how it resolves complex and crowded passages with an ease and realism that I have rarely appreciated in other IEMs, it reminds me in many ways of Macbeth, we are talking about something serious.

My biggest concern is the bass extension which is becoming more and more satisfactory, although it is not a basshead set it can certainly move a lot of air if required, with a very high quality texture and precision, the mid-bass is a bit reserved but the sub-bass extension is very good, it goes deep very well, although there are IEMs that go deeper, I insist, FX17 is an exercise in balance and impeccable good taste, however the bass will satisfy the vast majority of people, in addition, I am sure that a change of cables and sources can extract a little more juice from the bass.

The big handicap is that even though I still want a little more bass, not much more certainly, right now I can't even think about giving up everything that the FX17 offers as a whole, also, I'm not sure I could find everything that the FX17 offers with more emphasis on bass without spending thousands of dollars, as I said once before, if FX17 had been released under any other brand that the community considers premium and had a price twice as expensive, many people would be applauding and praising this IEM that is without a doubt, among the best in the sector.

With all this I may seem like a fiio fanboy but the reality is quite different, until now I haven't finished connecting with their products that if I remember correctly have been BTR7, Q15 and FH9, but I will add that fiio's good work with FX17 makes me really want to try their next flagship M27 and I think FX17 deserves much more repercussion than it's getting.

I don't usually make many recommendations to manufacturers, but in this case I'm going to allow myself to recommend to @FiiO that he does everything possible to carry out the European tour and also, it would be crucial that the unit that is sent has between 50 and 60H of burn-in.

If people want it, I will update my impressions a bit when I try the AMP15 and also the fusion 1 and Aristotle cables that are on their way to me and should arrive soon :)
 
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Apr 24, 2025 at 9:59 AM Post #154 of 182
The FX17 has ample bass, deep and powerful, but not overly so. As an example, you can listen to the following album, which is an excellent recording. The bass here isn't just deep; it's reproduced so powerfully through these IEMs that you can physically feel it.

Bildschirmfoto 2025-04-24 um 15.53.43.png
 
Apr 24, 2025 at 10:11 PM Post #158 of 182
The FX17 is the second electrostatic IEM model in FIIO’s tribrid driver series (combining dynamic, balanced armature, and electrostatic drivers), developed based on the FX15. It is also the flagship product of the FX series and currently the highest-priced earphone product offered by FIIO.

The FX17 was initiated as a project in 2023 and was first showcased at the Beijing International Headphone Exhibition in 2024. Since then, it has undergone continuous refinements, including optimizations in sound quality, exterior design, material changes, as well as adjustments to cables, connectors, and other components that affect sound details. From its initial showcase to mass production, the FX17 has gone through three versions of design. Considering its position as a flagship product priced in the 1500 USD range, the final design adopts a minimalist yet luxurious style to emphasize sophistication and stability.

The acoustic architecture and tuning approach of the FX17 are based on the FX15. Its most notable feature is the use of Sonion electrostatic drivers. Electrostatic drivers typically have low sensitivity, so to enhance their effectiveness and perceptibility, the FX15 was designed with relatively low sensitivity. Additionally, to allow users to fully experience the unique characteristics of the electrostatic drivers, a dedicated electrostatic switch was incorporated into the FX15. Similarly, the FX17 employs the same crossover technique as the FX15, with the electrostatic drivers responsible for a wide frequency range covering high and ultra-high frequencies. The use of eight electrostatic drivers not only increases the density of high frequencies but also improves sensitivity, making the FX17 easier to drive.
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Apr 25, 2025 at 1:14 AM Post #159 of 182
Oh gods, why on earth did you decide to hide these beatiful internals in a bland polished shell which is a scratch magnet on top of it?
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If it was transparent, I would get it in a heartbeat!
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Apr 25, 2025 at 2:15 AM Post #160 of 182
The simplicity of the design is understated and a sign that this isn't a standard product. The choice of materials is premium, not plastic as is often the case, but rather high-quality titanium.

Furthermore, what matters is the inner qualities and the fact that they fit comfortably when I wear them in my ears. Where they're supposed to be, it doesn't really matter how they look, because I can't see them there. :)
 
Apr 26, 2025 at 11:13 AM Post #162 of 182
After burning the AMP16 along with FX17 I went back and tried AMP15, I also like AMP15 more, it resolves better and is more detailed, in turn the bass is even cleaner and faster, so it will stay by default.

Likewise I have tried Fusion 1 and I can say that it brings a palpable bass improvement to the table so I am really happy, now I am looking forward to trying Aristotle when I receive it and compare which of the cables fits better even though it is already great right now :)
 
Apr 26, 2025 at 11:17 AM Post #163 of 182
This was the case for me, too. Initially, the highs and bass were more controlled. After just 20 hours of break-in, the bass was too much and the highs were gone. The AMP15 does a much better job. I'm also curious about the cable.

https://headfonics.com/fiio-fx17-review/
 
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Apr 26, 2025 at 11:44 AM Post #164 of 182
Wow, a 9.2 in sound quality, I seem to remember that the maximum is 9.4 obtained by very few models, all of them cost 2 to 4 times more, I really agree about the expansive stage and the abysmal depth, Fiio FX17 does some things in a very special way, I bought it blindly on a hunch and it is impressive, it has been a long time since I had such a desire to listen so actively to a new IEM :)
 
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