[mhoopes]

Use FINAL type e eartips

Tried now

Mind blown

Better than CI in bass speed

With mid-bass EQ on the FA7, it's harder for me to discern, by ear, the difference between the two in terms of bass decay. I guess a handful of years on hybrids will do that. The sub-bass does seem more elastic to me on the FA1. [edit]: Ok, I checked out the aforementioned Digital Society track again, and I'm getting, marginally, a better sense of the kick drum attack on the FA1. My ears need a little more training in this area.

What a difference a couple of years has made on the value proposition of Chi-Fi earphones.

I have the M Final type E tips; I couldn't get them to seal properly in the FA7 with my ears. I may have to pony up for the L size. $25 shipped in the US for 3 pairs from MTMT Audio.
I'm accumulating quite the collection of moderately-expensive tried-once ear tips. Does anyone in the US want to buy some Final Type E M, MandarinEs Symbio W SSMLLL, and/or SpinFit CP145 & CP155 L tips?

 

[maira]

I really like my FH5 in BAL (lc-2.5c) with Shanling M5s.

What will be different with FA1?

 

[davidcotton]

With mid-bass EQ on the FA7, it's harder for me to discern, by ear, the difference between the two in terms of bass decay. I guess a handful of years on hybrids will do that. The sub-bass does seem more elastic to me on the FA1. [edit]: Ok, I checked out the aforementioned Digital Society track again, and I'm getting, marginally, a better sense of the kick drum attack on the FA1. My ears need a little more training in this area.

What a difference a couple of years has made on the value proposition of Chi-Fi earphones.

I have the M Final type E tips; I couldn't get them to seal properly in the FA7 with my ears. I may have to pony up for the L size. $25 shipped in the US for 3 pairs from MTMT Audio.
I'm accumulating quite the collection of moderately-expensive tried-once ear tips. Does anyone in the US want to buy some Final Type E M, MandarinEs Symbio W SSMLLL, and/or SpinFit CP145 & CP155 L tips?

For the clear type there should be a selection pack available of all sizes. There is in the uk.

 

[sidecross]

With mid-bass EQ on the FA7, it's harder for me to discern, by ear, the difference between the two in terms of bass decay. I guess a handful of years on hybrids will do that. The sub-bass does seem more elastic to me on the FA1. [edit]: Ok, I checked out the aforementioned Digital Society track again, and I'm getting, marginally, a better sense of the kick drum attack on the FA1. My ears need a little more training in this area.

What a difference a couple of years has made on the value proposition of Chi-Fi earphones.

I have the M Final type E tips; I couldn't get them to seal properly in the FA7 with my ears. I may have to pony up for the L size. $25 shipped in the US for 3 pairs from MTMT Audio.
I'm accumulating quite the collection of moderately-expensive tried-once ear tips. Does anyone in the US want to buy some Final Type E M, MandarinEs Symbio W SSMLLL, and/or SpinFit CP145 & CP155 L tips?

Yes, the saga and illogical path of ear tips.

My fh5 needs spinfit 155 med. only while fa7 works only with comply isolation 500 med. To interchange these with one to the other does not work for my ears.

The fa1 works with spinfit 145 med. The human ear is hard to judge by outside appearance.

Yes, to the great strides the Chinese manufacturers have made in iem design and production.

 

[gwertheim]

About to buy on AliExpress, is there an upgraded fiio cable I can get which is unbalanced 3.5mm for plugging into my topping mx3 or phone?

 

[caleb7720]

About to buy on AliExpress, is there an upgraded fiio cable I can get which is unbalanced 3.5mm for plugging into my topping mx3 or phone?

The lc-3.5b is single ended. It's a great great cable overall (It's withstood hours in -40), but the earhooks canabn annoying at times.

 

[gwertheim]

The lc-3.5b is single ended. It's a great great cable overall (It's withstood hours in -40), but the earhooks canabn annoying at times.

You live in Alberta? Any cable which can withstand that cold is worth its weight in gold when you live north of the border

 

[caleb7720]

You live in Alberta? Any cable which can withstand that cold is worth its weight in gold when you live north of the border

Yes lol. Most cables come apart at the terminations, but the fiio manages not to fray or get too stiff.

 

[bubukill17]

Generic screenshot out of my cellphone

 

[SeeD]

I returned the FA7s. If I am going to EQ a pair of earphones to get the sound profile I want.....might as well EQ a $100 pair than a $300 pair.

For me - I made the right decision and have no regrets. Loving the FA1s.

 

[requal]

@dhruvmeena96 Can you compare amount and quality of bass in Etymotic ER4XR from memory to FA1 bass?

 

[sidecross]

I returned the FA7s. If I am going to EQ a pair of earphones to get the sound profile I want.....might as well EQ a $100 pair than a $300 pair.

For me - I made the right decision and have no regrets. Loving the FA1s.

I am pleased you have found the fa1 to your liking.

I use the fh5 and fa7 as my main music listening iem's and the fa1 for my night time use. For my use the fa1 could not replace either fh5 or fa7.

We all are as different as the iem's we use; the final equation on an iem is to include both. No written opinion voiced here is an absolute and that includes this one.

 

[SeeD]

I was just happy that I enjoyed the FA1/ES-100 more so than the FA7 combo. Saved some $$ so I can continue to explore differing avenues of audiophile earphones.

 

[mhoopes]

Kropka.audio has posted their FA1 review:
https://translate.google.com/transl...ropka.audio/test/sluchawki/fiio-fa1-recenzja/

 

[sidecross]

Kropka.audio has posted their FA1 review:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=pl&tl=en&u=https://kropka.audio/test/sluchawki/fiio-fa1-recenzja/

Thank you for the link.

This is an excellent review and concur with its findings; I am very happy with my fa1.