Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Dual Carbon IEM...available in the US!

[kumar402]

Thanks for this, this really helped! It's probably just me being fussy.

You are right I think turning the volume up really high all these days has damaged my right ear a bit as I generally hear tad more power coming from the left on most iems. However, when I switch the earphones the other way around on my fdx1 I do not notice a similar sound as the sound becomes slightly warmer and bassy on the left side aswell. Do most iems have slight differences on each side? I have never asked this question. My fdx1 isn't bad to the point where the sound isn't centred but if I try to notice it I can tell a difference of bass and my seal is good. I am generally a fussy person when I make big purchases but I am not sure if this is a general problem though.

Play some Mono tones or Songs recorded in Mono like those old albums from Tidal and Qobuz.

 

[jsmiller58]

Thanks for this, this really helped! It's probably just me being fussy.

You are right I think turning the volume up really high all these days has damaged my right ear a bit as I generally hear tad more power coming from the left on most iems. However, when I switch the earphones the other way around on my fdx1 I do not notice a similar sound as the sound becomes slightly warmer and bassy on the left side aswell. Do most iems have slight differences on each side? I have never asked this question. My fdx1 isn't bad to the point where the sound isn't centred but if I try to notice it I can tell a difference of bass and my seal is good. I am generally a fussy person when I make big purchases but I am not sure if this is a general problem though.

Actually I think that there is some degree of variance. Often you will see in graphs the left and right IEMs showing slightly different FR curves, though some insertion difference may account for some of this.

 

[lgcubana]

I think I've found my lane for the HA-FD01. I thought that I was going to stay with the stock, SE cable. But I already had a few MMCX balanced cables in hand, so I figured, just for grins:
1. NICEHCK C16-3 16 Cores High Purity Copper Cable = increased the depth & presence, but the mid bass became overbearingly muddy
2. NICEHCK 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Cable = increased depth & presence

(cheap & balanced)16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Cable + Radsone ES100, w/EQ

 

[Nabillion_786]

I think I've found my lane for the HA-FD01. I thought that I was going to stay with the stock, SE cable. But I already had a few MMCX balanced cables in hand, so I figured, just for grins:
1. NICEHCK C16-3 16 Cores High Purity Copper Cable = increased the depth & presence, but the mid bass became overbearingly muddy
2. NICEHCK 16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Cable = increased depth & presence

(cheap & balanced)16 Core Copper Silver Mixed Cable + Radsone ES100, w/EQ

Do these cables add warmth? I also slapped on my toneking t4 cable and definitely noticed a increase in depth and a bit more midbass but the warmth took away from the engagement factor the stock cables were offering. I'm researching more but soo far I have narrowed it down to the isn s16, isn S4 and the 175 cable on hakuzens list.

 

[Makahl]

What will add warmth is that EQ on his ES100, lol.

 

[Makahl]

Reading all this talk about anemic bass, some guy saying EX1K's has more bass on his graph and etc...

I'm starting to think there's something going on with the QC for a few users.

First, some people reported there's a gap/loose feeling when rotating the nozzle on one side: https://drop.com/buy/drop-jvc-ha-fdx1-dual-carbon-iem/talk/2556287
Then the @surfgeorge posted he is having the same issues and spotted a difference in sound due to a possible leaky point: https://drop.com/buy/drop-jvc-ha-fdx1-dual-carbon-iem/reviews/2560789

Given this imbalance on this graph, I wouldn't be surprised if @Nabillion_786 report about bass imbalance is something related to the IEM itself. My pair still with my friend in the USA but probably I'll get it at the end of the month. I hope JVC won't let me down. :/

 

[Nabillion_786]

Tbf the imbalance is minute I'd say but it's there. I thought this was me being nitpicky as I have never heard an iem that sounds perfectly balanced on both sides. However, this iem to my ears has more anaemic bass compared to my Kanas pro and oxygen which I am not sure is normal? Also, I am not sure on how freely this iem should rotate on the nozzles? As mine are not firm but I'd say medium strength on the right side and slightly more loose on the left which btw is the side with the slightly less bass and also is the side where that small latch holder part snapped off. Maybe bad construction on that side which could of lead to potential leakage? Dunno.

But after having said that I am still loving these as they have checked all the boxes I have been seeking for soo long (clarity, detail, speed, realism, great vocals, lively sound, balanced tuning) barring one of my main requirements which is soundstage. Fingers crossed a really solid cable may be able to accentuate this. The lack of bass doesn't hurt me as much as others but I'm thinking with that added bass it potentially could of lead to a more 3d and spacious stage.

 

[lgcubana]

Tbf the imbalance is minute I'd say but it's there. I thought this was me being nitpicky as I have never heard an iem that sounds perfectly balanced on both sides. However, this iem to my ears has more anaemic bass compared to my Kanas pro and oxygen which I am not sure is normal? Also, I am not sure on how freely this iem should rotate on the nozzles? As mine are not firm but I'd say medium strength on the right side and slightly more loose on the left which btw is the side with the slightly less bass and also is the side where that small latch holder part snapped off. Maybe bad construction on that side which could of lead to potential leakage? Dunno.

But after having said that I am still loving these as they have checked all the boxes I have been seeking for soo long (clarity, detail, speed, realism, great vocals, lively sound, balanced tuning) barring one of my main requirements which is soundstage. Fingers crossed a really solid cable may be able to accentuate this. The lack of bass doesn't hurt me as much as others but I'm thinking with that added bass it potentially could of lead to a more 3d and spacious stage.

I would hazard to guess that a thin o-ring could help with the loose swiveling.

The broken latch: If the pin itself is missing, you may have an unintended second vent hole. I would suggest you remove the nozzle (if that’s not going to make matters worse) and see if you can see light through through the hole, where the pin used to be.


Good luck

 

[james444]

The broken latch

This seems to be a design flaw: https://tinyurl.com/sjufccq

Presumably, it's the same design on the FD01, although it hasn't once fallen out on my unit.

If the pin itself is missing, you may have an unintended second vent hole.

The latch is on the outside of the housing, so fortunately that's not a concern.

 

[WHO23]

Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green FIlter Measurements
(MiniDSP EARS. Raw compensation. 1/12 smoothing. 500Hz 94dB normalized)

Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green Filter Stock Spiral Dot (Green) VS Drop x Empire Ears Zeus Stock Final E (Blue) VS Campfire Andromeda S Final E (Grey) VS Astell&Kern T8iE MkII Stock Oval Tips (Red) VS Etymotic ER4SR Stock 3-Flange (Black)

Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green Filter Stock Spiral Dot (Green) VS Moondrop Starfield Spiral Dot++ (Blue) VS LZ A6mini Black Filter Stock Tips (Orange) VS TFZ Secret Garden Spiral Dot (Purple) VS Etymotic ER4SR Stock 3-Flange (Black)

 

[javre76]

Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green FIlter Measurements
(MiniDSP EARS. Raw compensation. 1/12 smoothing. 500Hz 94dB normalized)

Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green Filter Default Spiral Dot (Green) VS Drop x Empire Ears Zeus Default Final E (Blue) VS Campfire Andromeda S Final E (Grey) VS Astell&Kern T8iE MkII Default Oval Tips (Red) VS Etymotic ER4SR Default 3-Flange (Black)



Drop + JVC HA-FDX1 Green Filter Default Spiral Dot (Green) VS Moondrop Starfield Spiral Dot++ (Blue) VS LZ A6mini Black Filter Default Tips (Orange) VS TFZ Secret Garden Spiral Dot (Purple) VS Etymotic ER4SR Default 3-Flange (Black)

So, there is nothing like it? I really like their sound (FDX01)...

 

[Nabillion_786]

Ok... now I have just realised why the left side has slightly less bass and a bit more air to the sound, it is because of the latch part snapping off. For some reason sound leaks out from that latch part area so after taping it the bass increased quite a lot which made the left side more bassy then the right so I had to just fully seal both sides which resulted in a thicker sound with more bass and stage depth. I think a lot of people here undesiring the bass performance would love this increase but I am not too fussed about this as I am more about clarity and detail with that single DD goodness. Maybe I'll just snap off the other side aswell to get them sounding equal but it would make me feel bad doing that haha. Also, people could try the familiar vent mod which also increases the bass but I have ruined another earphone in the past doing that as I forgot to poke that hole in the middle.

 

[AlexCBSN]

Well... talk about quality control, the pin that helps to pull the latch fell off on the “right” side

agh... don’t even start me on how much that annoyed me...

 

[MarkF786]

Well... talk about quality control, the pin that helps to pull the latch fell off on the “right” side

agh... don’t even start me on how much that annoyed me...

Will Drop or JVC provide a replacement under warranty? That’s what I’d try.

 

[AlexCBSN]

Will Drop or JVC provide a replacement under warranty? That’s what I’d try.

I already came to peace with it, i can pull it with a pin or something small, I’m detecting a lot of surrounding noise coming... I really like the sound quality but i think it’s rather funny how it performs, i think they are a good project, I’m going to be trying to mod them, maybe a bit of “stuffing” in the sides of the latch...