IEMagnet01
Aka: IEMagnet, LeonardForbush, LanceP11, meekfella, BuddyGuy1, FredSavage, KillboyPowerhed, notthatguy.
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2012
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See below from |Joker|
Fidue A63 ($55) & A81 ($299)
Fidue is a new IEM brand coming out of China, founded by experienced headphone designer Benny Tan. From the company’s about
page, Fidue sands for:
F —— Fidelity: Natural original voice of high fidelity.
I —— Inspired: The resonance of soul.
D —— Durable: Long-lived quality.
U —— Unique: The unique design.
E —— Enjoyable: Enjoy happily.
Regardless of the brand story, the company’s two very first earphones are interesting for their sound alone.
When I first started listening to them I wasn’t sure of the pricing, but I remember thinking that the A63
would be very comfortable under $100. Turns out it’ll be priced closer to $50, which makes it look like an excellent value.
The packaging is quite nice on the A63 – not as lavish as with the higher-end model, but rather handsome and understated. Accessories include 5 types of silicone eartips and a soft pouch.
I do have an issue with the housings – I don’t understand why they made the metal edges so tall and sharp. The corners hurt after a while unless I switch to bi-flanges and position the housings farther in the ear. Not quite a deal breaker, but it could definitely have been more comfortable.
Sound-wise I like these a lot – better than the similarly-priced Astrotec AM-800
, for example. Nice clarity and detail, not too much bass, but still punchy. Vocal clarity is absolutely fantastic on these – better than with the VSonic VSD1, I think. With the pricing I’m seeing this one appears to be a winner.
The pricier A81
model takes it up several notches in terms of design. The packaging is extravagant – it greatly reminds me of the $1300 AKG K3003
. The earphones come with a nice carrying case, gorgeous leather-covered storage case, foam and silicone eartips, shirt clip, and two cables – a headset cable with inline mic and remote, and a higher-quality stereo cable with no headset functionality. Overall the packaging and accessory set are not one bit less impressive than any of the flagships from western brands.
The housing design of the A81 is reminiscent of the Ultimate Ears 900
in the way it fits in the ear. It’s meant for over-the-ear wear and includes two interchangeable cables. The sockets are 2-pin, but unique in the way the connectors are designed. As a result the A81 cables don’t really work with other 2-pin earphones. The housings of the A81 are not small, but the earphones are comfortable. The only issue I’ve found so far is a bit of driver flex on insertion, which can cause a channel imbalance unless corrected.
The 10mm dynamic drivers of the A81 utilize titanium composites. At first I wasn’t too impressed with its sound, but it has grown on me over the past month. It’s got quite a bit of bass but seems to maintain composure pretty well – a touch of mid-bass bloat but nothing drastic. Bass depth is good. Mids and highs appear to be pretty flat and smooth, and the A81 not overly warm or thick despite the bass boost. Soundstage is pretty nice as well – the MOE-SS01
, for example, sounds quite congested next to it.
Overall it’s definitely not a bad-sounding set but there are sub-$200 sets that I expect will be stiff competition – the VSonic GR07BE
and RHA MA750 for example, so time will tell how well these compete on value.
The two Fidue earphones will be reviewed in full.
Fidue A63 manufacturer’s page
| Fidue A81 manufacturer’s page
| Fidue A63 on ebay.com
| Fidue A81 on ebay.com
Exactly what I thought. He liked the cheaper version better, was more complimentary of the cheaper version, and though he likes the design of the a81, he also said the $300 had bass hump, took him longer to get used to, and thought there were comparable IEM's at a cheaper price point..so thanks for sharing that review. I might look into the a63 if the Piston don't work out?