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Fidue A65 - Titanium micro dynamic driver IEM - impressions and discussion thread
Jun 30, 2015 at 6:38 AM Post #32 of 62
ganio said:
  How about comfort and noise isolation? Ive heard that they can feel a bit heavy due to the metal housing? 
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They're very comfortable! I suggest you read my review of them I just posted above.
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 7:48 AM Post #34 of 62
ganio said:
   
Cheers! 
 
Edit: Found em for 300 yuan(if you happen to be in China that is). Your review just might have convinced me to go for it :D 
 
http://item.jd.com/1589452353.html#none
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Hmmmm... logo on the back doesn't look like the ones I've got. These might be fake. You want me to check with Fidue?
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 10:14 AM Post #35 of 62
I thought that they might be a special chinese edition or something seeing as I havent been able to find any a65's on the chinese websites with the "traditional" Fidue logo on the back, which is unusual. However it would really be great if you can check with Fidue 
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 5:30 PM Post #36 of 62
ganio said:
I thought that they might be a special chinese edition or something seeing as I havent been able to find any a65's on the chinese websites with the "traditional" Fidue logo on the back, which is unusual. However it would really be great if you can check with Fidue 
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I've got confirmation from Fidue that they are indeed a special edition if the Fidue A65 and they are legit. Though they are slightly different to the one that I have.
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 11:04 PM Post #37 of 62
Any word on sound characteristics or tuning change or its just the cosmetic change (likes of swarovski
wink.gif
)?.....
 
Jun 30, 2015 at 11:40 PM Post #38 of 62
shawn71 said:
  Any word on sound characteristics or tuning change or its just the cosmetic change (likes of swarovski
wink.gif
)?.....
Click to expand...

 
I can only assume that they will sound the same. If it's made with the same Titanium driver and aluminium shell.
 
Aug 6, 2015 at 7:27 AM Post #43 of 62
DJScope was kind enough to send his A73 & A65 for a tour for several ANZ members to try.
Thank you DJScope

joint impressions and some pictures for both threads are below. In the pics: Fidue A65 - rose brushed metal , Fidue A73 - red+black acrylic + silver plastic, DUNU Titan1 TPEOS - odd silver blue + red flying saucers with holes in grills. H300 (painted silver matte bullet), TPEOS Altone A350 - red + black silver bullet.

here's impressions album http://www.head-fi.org/g/a/997221/fidue-impressions




A65:


package - no frills/build
- Titanium coated single driver DD
- Assorted tips (silicon sf, 1x DF) (bit light on)
- soft velvety carry case.
- built-in mic cable
- pretty rose coloured metal body .
- shirt clip ? (not listed but the package i had - had 2 so unless a73 had 2 included A65 comes with one)

Fit:It's also very comfortable - for me they disappear in my ears.
Cable: rubbery, irritatingly tangle-prone. Noisy when not over the ear( it's soft so not as bad as it could be but still)
These are a bit harder to drive vs A73 but no amp required

build/accessory qualms: metal body gets very cold in cold weather and if it's windy doesn't warm up. Tips are a bit light on variety wise (come on Fidue, tips cost 25 cents wholesale ...). I'm likewise annoyed by the lack of a neck clinch but have no issues wearing these over the ear. I like the remote but having a volume buttons would be ideal to avoid taking the player out. Rubbery tangly cable.

Sound:
after the honeymoon - Overall these good with a bit of EQ. For $65 I do prefer them over say Ostry KC06 (the latter are a bit treble happy for my liking and a bit dry in the mids) .
I'd describe A65 as mids forward with emphasised bass and controlled if not slightly dark highs.


I think out of the box they feel a bit boomy in the mid-bass/bass and (and looking at the provided FR chart in DJScope's review.) bleed into the lower mids. (add sub-bass (say +3db at 30hz, + 2.5 at 50), reduce 100hz->500hz -3 to -0.7db to give it more of a sub-bass focus and remove the bleed), it's not unpleasant slow boomy but some will find it too much and unpalletable. The bass speed/decay pretty good (vs h300) and it hits in a very fun way. (silicon tips or comply with Clip+ or Xduoo X2 or ).
Curiously the Fidue provided FR chart is smoothed to 1/3 Octave, but I likewise detect no noticeable offensive treble peaks (there's probably still something around the 7/8khz but not prominent) . If you have an android phone - I quite like Jetaudio Plus's 20 band EQ and non-EQ settings and extra add-on bass settings (X-Bass/AM3D - Z-bass). While the bass controls are not as flexible as Q/f/db on clip+ they're rather user friendly and let you easily reduce mid-bass/upper bass and boost sub-bass making these inexpensive fun bass-head IEMs with forward mids

The mids a bit too forward/warm for my liking. The mids resolution is pretty good, but the mids are also Forward.


I've seen these described as treble light and all, but I find it just right for the treble. There's no sibilance no hot treble like with H300/A73/A350/Titan1 Granted I'm sensitive to treble but I really like the treble tuning on A65. It's just forward enough to sound natural and there's bite on the cymbals but it doesn't make me reach for the equalizer or comply tips (didn't find much difference comply to silicon on these).

Genre of music - possibly pop or hip-hop . Liked them with dubstep as well. Perhaps not classical. Ok for metal and acoustic rock ...


Soundstage: while it's not bad, the forward mids and bass bleed mask it a bit for me compared to A73 or Titan1 soundstage but anyhow(Titan1 imo has unnaturally large, A73 is good )


sound
pros: fun, nice treble definition and no sibilance
cons: tonal balance and refinement. excess mids, bass+mid-bass

Not entirely sure if I'd compare these to Titan1? Probably not. Titan1 is sibilant to me and lacks sub-bass and bass, but has nice soundstage/good accessories but costs almost 2x the A65. Would I recommend A65? With a bit of EQ - yes, unequalized, that's a bit bit hard given I have a couple of similar or cheaper DD based panasonic and the like earbuds that aren't that much worse (but those look worse , sound a bit worse and have dodgier build). While I initially enjoyed them quite a bit, if I had a choice, I'd probably save an extra $60 for A73 (I'd really prefer something a bit more neutral across the range)


A73:


package/build/fit
- 1BA + DD in acrylic + plastic or painted acrylic body
- Assorted tips (silicon sf)
- hard-ish clamshell case
- build in mic cable
- shirt clip

Cable: rubbery, irritatingly tangle-prone. Noisy when not over the ear( it's soft so not as bad as it could be but still). Very stiff remote control button


Fit: this is where it gets tricky - I think the intention is to wear them fully in ear (like with acrylic IEMs - going into the concha) . for me they don't stay in that way (or seal too well with comply or largest silicon tips). So I wear them half in - hanging the red shell part + cable over the ear edge (given the cable goes down and not over the ear perhaps that's also intended). They stay in in this position but you get a bit of wind noise . Overall it's acceptable.

We'll come back to this for the sound, but basically if worn over the ear for me the sound changes vs the wearing them down due to insertion depth and also nozzle partially being obscured by squished tips .

These paired quite well with both the clip+, Xduoo X2 and Note 3 and were easy to drive

build/accessory qualms: Fiddly fit, Mic button a bit hard to press repeatedly (stiff). Tips are a bit light on variety wise (come on they cost 5 cents wholesale ...). I'm likewise annoyed by the lack of a neck clinch but have. I like the remote but having a volume buttons would be ideal to avoid taking the phone out.

Sound:
The issue here for me is that it seems the insertion depth and hence the treble peak vary dramatically for me.
When worn down I need to EQ the treble down but the soundstage is very good, when worn as intended over the ear the sound is a bit muffled but I don't have too much of a sibilance issue around 8k. I'll post the impressions 'as i can wear them' not as 'they are probably intended to be worn :\ ' Comply tips mitigate the sibilance for me, but muffle them a bit reducing the perceived soundstage.

I think overall these are well tuned: The sub-bass to bass to mid-bass ratio is very good - no bleed, generous extension, satifying speed and impact. It's maybe only slightly (10-15%)worse than H300 for my liking (given H300 is my testing bass clarity reference that's a big compliment). The bass on A73 is hugely enjoyable with just about any genre from metal, to hip-hop to dub-step to classical for me. Personally I add 3db around 40hz (20-70), but that's a preference.

Mids wise - I'm happy with the resolution and they're forward enough to be enjoyable (not H300 cold or detailed perhaps), but not too warm either. I occasionally start thinking the mids aren't forward enough and there's a dip somewhere -but I'm probably imagining it/fit issue (or issues accomodating from A65 that's more forward).

Highs - extension is good - but there's an 7.5-8-9k peak making it prone to both hot treble and sibilance depending on tips and insertion depth and treble sensitivity. Comply tips mitigate it for me here, but i seem to squish the sound tube against my ear and the sound changes more than I'd like. I end up taking off -2db at 8.5khz (wide Q on clip+ custom EQ)



Soundstage: not Titan1 wide for the soundstage, but definitely wide .

sound
pros: balanced towards a bit vshaped, wide soundstage with good extension and quality/quantity/speed.
cons: sibilance issue for some

I would definitely buy these instead of Titan1 and for anyone who wants a versatile inexpensive (~120USD ) IEM that performs above what many offer for that price... My only concerns would be fit/comfort/potential sibilance and cable usability and bundled tips. I would've possibly liked them a bit warmer in the mids around 1khz but that's easily adjustable with a relatively narrow Q EQ on clip+.
 
Aug 7, 2015 at 2:57 AM Post #45 of 62
Although Fidue A65 arrived to me today for a demo, I haven't had a chance to try them yet.
 
I did however have my camera out and thought I'd grab some shots.
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
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