FiiO FA9-Flagship 6 Knowles Balanced Armature IEM
- Thread starter FiiO
- Start date
How is looking progress with Fiio M11 Pro firmware's with MQA support for 3rd party applications?Thanks for sharing your impression.
Best regards
FA9 is now available in our Aliexpress store: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001035600968.html
Best regards
Best regards
FiiO FA9 early impressions.
-Excellent build quality and fit.
-Stock cable is good quality but only available in 3.5mm, so I got the LC-RE cable which comes with a modular plug system for my 4.4mm fix.
-The modular plug of FiiO's LC-RE doesn't match the quality of say, Dunu's Hulk. Feels less premium.
-The switches are horrible to learn, and the on/off documentation in the product page is confusing. It's better to stick to up or down.
-Default switches is down/up/down, or 010. 011 for more bass/less mids, 001 for a V-shaped sound, and 000 for a treble-centric sound.
-The first switch controls impedance, down for DAPs up for phones I guess. Down is cleaner and sounds less congested.
-Loads of tips to try, but I stuck with the included Spinfits (CP360?) and was happy with them.
-Driven by M15 on low gain, FA9's default sound is warmish and midforward. Vocals got too in my head to the point it got bothersome.
-Changed the switches to 011, and it got much better for me. Full blooming bass with quick decay and no bleed, and the overly-forward mids took a step back. So far I'm sticking to this one.
-Treble is extended and airy, just the right amount of sparkle. No sibilance.
-Good resolution and detail levels.
-Soundstage is average, width more than depth.
-I like the FH7 bass texture more, but FA9 does mids and treble tone well. More testing and comparisons to come.
Overall, solid effort from FiiO. I just wish the switches were better implemented.
-Excellent build quality and fit.
-Stock cable is good quality but only available in 3.5mm, so I got the LC-RE cable which comes with a modular plug system for my 4.4mm fix.
-The modular plug of FiiO's LC-RE doesn't match the quality of say, Dunu's Hulk. Feels less premium.
-The switches are horrible to learn, and the on/off documentation in the product page is confusing. It's better to stick to up or down.
-Default switches is down/up/down, or 010. 011 for more bass/less mids, 001 for a V-shaped sound, and 000 for a treble-centric sound.
-The first switch controls impedance, down for DAPs up for phones I guess. Down is cleaner and sounds less congested.
-Loads of tips to try, but I stuck with the included Spinfits (CP360?) and was happy with them.
-Driven by M15 on low gain, FA9's default sound is warmish and midforward. Vocals got too in my head to the point it got bothersome.
-Changed the switches to 011, and it got much better for me. Full blooming bass with quick decay and no bleed, and the overly-forward mids took a step back. So far I'm sticking to this one.
-Treble is extended and airy, just the right amount of sparkle. No sibilance.
-Good resolution and detail levels.
-Soundstage is average, width more than depth.
-I like the FH7 bass texture more, but FA9 does mids and treble tone well. More testing and comparisons to come.
Overall, solid effort from FiiO. I just wish the switches were better implemented.
ryanjsoo
Reviewer for The Headphone List
ryanjsoo's Reviews
Hey folks, also bringing some early impressions, too early to dive into the switch and tip tuning but took a bunch of measurements for those curious to see how the sound is affected, you can see the full writeup with measurements here and a shorter summary below.
I personally love the design. The faceplates have heaps of depth and play with light in fascinating ways. The fit is great though they are on the wider side and don't have the lowest profile fit as a result. They are, nonetheless, smoothly formed with a lack of hard edges in addition to contours that follow the natural shape of the ear. The translucent housings are a highlight, resin-filled and very high-quality with zero bubbles or imperfections, even when pixel peeping photos. This provides a window into that captivating 80.6mm low pass and the 6-BA driver array inside, very, very cool to look at, almost like a miniature water park!
The fun doesn't stop in listening. I'm hearing a well-balanced signature overall. It has extended and hard-hitting sub-bass in addition to a slower decay that gives bass a weightier and more dynamic feel than the majority of BA earphones. The midrange is smooth and full, vocals are brought slightly forward to match their elevated bass and the presentation avoids becoming too warm or closed-in. Vocals sound quite natural and inviting but lack some extension and clarity due to a 3KHz dip, not a deal-breaker but noticeable if you're picky. ezekiel put it very well above, the treble is clean and airy but also well-metered, not at all peaky. Instrument delivery is smooth and well-detailed but don't expect an especially focussed or aggressive sound here. The background isn't glaring or splashy in the slightest and both resolution and extension are impressive, I'm hearing a wide soundstage with the pre-installed Spinfits. Spatial positioning isn't quite holographic but it is an immersive and airy presentation with good tri-frequency separation.
To my ears, the FA9 is quite a competitive earphone as it is priced far enough below the kilo-buck models not to be a direct competitor yet the sound quality is almost at that level (though not to say that it ever will be mistaken for one). This may be a good option for those eying something like the Andromeda yet can't stomach the asking price. Eye candy below:
I personally love the design. The faceplates have heaps of depth and play with light in fascinating ways. The fit is great though they are on the wider side and don't have the lowest profile fit as a result. They are, nonetheless, smoothly formed with a lack of hard edges in addition to contours that follow the natural shape of the ear. The translucent housings are a highlight, resin-filled and very high-quality with zero bubbles or imperfections, even when pixel peeping photos. This provides a window into that captivating 80.6mm low pass and the 6-BA driver array inside, very, very cool to look at, almost like a miniature water park!
The fun doesn't stop in listening. I'm hearing a well-balanced signature overall. It has extended and hard-hitting sub-bass in addition to a slower decay that gives bass a weightier and more dynamic feel than the majority of BA earphones. The midrange is smooth and full, vocals are brought slightly forward to match their elevated bass and the presentation avoids becoming too warm or closed-in. Vocals sound quite natural and inviting but lack some extension and clarity due to a 3KHz dip, not a deal-breaker but noticeable if you're picky. ezekiel put it very well above, the treble is clean and airy but also well-metered, not at all peaky. Instrument delivery is smooth and well-detailed but don't expect an especially focussed or aggressive sound here. The background isn't glaring or splashy in the slightest and both resolution and extension are impressive, I'm hearing a wide soundstage with the pre-installed Spinfits. Spatial positioning isn't quite holographic but it is an immersive and airy presentation with good tri-frequency separation.
To my ears, the FA9 is quite a competitive earphone as it is priced far enough below the kilo-buck models not to be a direct competitor yet the sound quality is almost at that level (though not to say that it ever will be mistaken for one). This may be a good option for those eying something like the Andromeda yet can't stomach the asking price. Eye candy below:
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This set looks very nice, like diamonds
.I wonder what they sound with M15 !!
.I wonder what they sound with M15 !!
You could get one and try!This set looks very nice, like diamonds
Best regards
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