[dsrk]

Hi, what balanced tips? I need unfortunately XL sized tips for good bass, only some tips are available in XL. So I use memory foam ones.

You mean large right?
The black tips are the balanced tips, they come in three sizes S/M/L
Usually small tips fit me perfect but I am using medium size balanced tips to get perfect seal.

 

[scracy]

Hi, what balanced tips? I need unfortunately XL sized tips for good bass, only some tips are available in XL. So I use memory foam ones.

FiiO balanced tips that are included in the FD7 package

 

[Pulcino]

Thank you both very much, but large is usually too small for me . Will try the large balanced again but I remember they didn’t worked well with my strange ears. Spinfit has some extra large, they are ok but the FD7 original memory foam ones sound best for me so far.

 

[jirams]

I am finding it much more convenient to operate my M17 with headphone cable coming out of bottom and power cable entering at top.

 

[Tomm11]

Digital Coax out of X5III - older NOS Multibit Dac - Schiit Audio SYS (switcher/volume control) - Quicksilver Audio Headphone Amp - Fiio FD7

Excellent. Low end is phenomenal.

 

[cosie]

Strange, tried to search through 85 pages, but unable to find any FD7 comparison with competitive DD iems like Dark Sky, A8000, Luna...
Can someone please clarify that question or navigate where I can read it.
Thanks.

 

[Ace Bee]

Strange, tried to search through 85 pages, but unable to find any FD7 comparison with competitive DD iems like Dark Sky, A8000, Luna...
Can someone please clarify that question or navigate where I can read it.
Thanks.

At the price bracket of FD7, I have 3 iem - 634EARS LOAK-T(CL), Shanling MG600, IMR Elan. I auditioned the FD7 for a brief while, for about 15-20 min cumulatively, at an audio meet with another fellow audiophile. Frankly, FD7 did not outperform in any areas over the other three I mentioned, except bass volume and depth, but that too only compared to MG600 and LOAK-T(CL). Here is a brief comparison I noted down but forgot to post:

FD7 vs. LOAK-T(CL) Cocobolo, MG600, Elan: FD7 was definitely the warmer, darker iem. Low end had more body and presence than LOAK-T(CL). The midrange tonality was distinctly warmer on FD7, although maybe not as warm as FD5 (from memory). Timbre was nice. Midrange had ok transparency. Treble had noticeably less energy than LOAK-T(CL) and was a bit on the smoother side. Soundstage had more depth than LOAK-T(CL)
LOAK-T(CL) was significantly more transparent throughout the spectrum and just overall a more energetic iem. The low end was more controlled than FD7 but by no means was missing slam and body. If anything, FD7 bass felt very slightly over the top at times. Midrange had more transparency and much better separation. Treble was more forward and sparkling. Stage was wider, but had a bit less depth due to the forward energetic treble. The overall presentation was more open than FD7.

Compared with MG600, it had similar smooth notes of FD7, but had more transparency and separation. Bass was again more juicy on FD7, but MG600 was no slouch either, and provided satisfactory slam just like LOAK-T(CL). The stage expanded more in every direction on MG600 because of the semi-open configuration. Treble had slightly more sparkles, but not as much as LOAK-T(CL).

Elan had a similarly powerful bass like FD7 that dug deep, but it was more tight and controlled, and in comparison FD7's bass felt slightly loose and wet. Midrange of Elan was a bit more prominently defined, the notes felt a bit more three dimensional, but had a slight metallic edge to them. Midrange had a better transparency than FD7, but less than MG600 and LOAK-T(CL). Treble had a tiny bit more sparkle and extension on Elan compared to FD7. The most notable aspect of Elan was its three dimensional imaging, thanks to its Bone Conduction motor. FD7 imaging was nowhere close to it.

Hence, as you can see, I was not particularly thrilled by the FD7. Now, Dark Sky is better than all three of my iems which I mentioned, in every aspect. So I simply did not feel any need to compare the FD7 with the Dark Sky at all.

Edit: I used Shanling M7, medium gan, balanced out. Just in case anyone wants to point out that my source wasn't the right one for the iem to perform at its fullest.

 

[FiiO]

Strange, tried to search through 85 pages, but unable to find any FD7 comparison with competitive DD iems like Dark Sky, A8000, Luna...
Can someone please clarify that question or navigate where I can read it.
Thanks.

Dear friend,

You may check whether this reviews help:
https://audiomonsta.com/fiio-fd7-the-spirit-of-beryllium/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd7.25424/

Best regards

 

[cosie]

You may check whether this reviews help:
https://audiomonsta.com/fiio-fd7-the-spirit-of-beryllium/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd7.25424/

Thanks for these links, but there are no A/B comparing there. Just a "guessing" based on the graphs...
"I was not lucky enough to try this earphone." (about A8000 comparison form the 2nd link)

 

[gazzington]

Perfect match. FiiO M17 and FiiO FD7

M17 with the fd7/x is such an amazing combo. The power of the m17 just brings these iems to life

 

[chaz_flhr]

Perfect match. FiiO M17 and FiiO FD7

They scale well.

 

[dsrk]

FD7 is such an underrated IEM I am sure that it can't be in decided in just 15-20 minutes of audition.

It's still my daily driver and rotate it with my beloved headphones. That's a first for me.

I am no reviewer, so can't express my thoughts in a pleasing way.

I recently compared FD7 with much more expensive IEMs like VE Elysium, Phonix, EXT, U12T and Andromeda 2021 at a headphone connect.

While the VE line up clearely sounded better than FD7, U12t and Andromeda didn't sound much better to me. I would take FD7 over those two any day. Phew that just me.

I know tastes and preferences matter a lot in this hobby but what is good to a group of people must be good at something. That something is tonality and timbre in the case of FD7 IMO.

 

[gazzington]

FD7 is such an underrated IEM I am sure that it can't be in decided in just 15-20 minutes of audition.

It's still my daily driver and rotate it with my beloved headphones. That's a first for me.

I am no reviewer, so can't express my thoughts in a pleasing way.

I recently compared FD7 with much more expensive IEMs like VE Elysium, Phonix, EXT, U12T and Andromeda 2021 at a headphone connect.

While the VE line up clearely sounded better than FD7, U12t and Andromeda didn't sound much better to me. I would take FD7 over those two any day. Phew that just me.

I know tastes and preferences matter a lot in this hobby but what is good to a group of people must be good at something. That something is tonality and timbre in the case of FD7 IMO.

Fd7/x has amazing timbre. Everything sounds very natural

 

[Ichos]

Well guys, can't agree more with you!

 

[SemiAudiophile]

While the VE line up clearely sounded better than FD7, U12t and Andromeda didn't sound much better to me. I would take FD7 over those two any day. Phew that just me.

I know tastes and preferences matter a lot in this hobby but what is good to a group of people must be good at something. That something is tonality and timbre in the case of FD7 IMO.

I agree. EXT is technically a class above FD7 and U12t. But FD7 is still my favorite single DD. What it does, it does very well. I just appreciate it for what it is.

U12t has a different take on presentation and is special in its own way. It's incredibly clean, precise, and surgical. It's great at separation and layering. Almost like a planar with its fast attack (except with BA timbre). But you also lose the natural decay and reverb of the notes as you would with a traditional dynamic driver.