[superuser1]

4.4mm balanced cable arrived, with the expected quality as per FiiO. Time for some serious listening.

Spoiler

They look great! How is the synergy of the pairing?

 

[ledzep]

Im thinking of getting the Spinfit CP240 so I wanted a second option before spending 20 bucks.
Thanks !

I'm usually a medium in most tips but I've found the large 240's better

 

[shutterbox]

Had a chance to try the FH5.
On classical, vocal, jazz music that I played, there's always so much midrange all the way to upp midrange, its just isn't a balance sound. there's much clarity though.
I wonder why didn't the DD do some magic into the midrange, and there's so much emphasis on the midrange, the bassline (though audible) doesn't seem to be able to do its magic.

Its just not the sound that I can listen to for long.

 

[ezekiel77]

They look great! How is the synergy of the pairing?

I've heard it for an hour, and seeing as how they're the same SPC cable as stock but with a different termination, it gives me all the goodness of stock with the added benefits of balanced out via my Sony DAP (more power, better separation and imaging, cleaner stage with good black space). For the retail price of what, $33? It's worth it in my book.

 

[EzequielFriscia]

I'm usually a medium in most tips but I've found the large 240's better

Ufff you kilted me there.... mmmm I tried vocal and bass from the FH5 and the ones that fit better to me are medium, do your think I should go large too?

 

[cleg]

my take on FH5

 

[ledzep]

Ufff you kilted me there.... mmmm I tried vocal and bass from the FH5 and the ones that fit better to me are medium, do your think I should go large too?

The mediums go a bit too far in which normally would be ok but with the shorter barrel the first plug goes into the canal and the second one just fits into the entrance nicely

 

[EzequielFriscia]

The mediums go a bit too far in which normally would be ok but with the shorter barrel the first plug goes into the canal and the second one just fits into the entrance nicely

Gotcha ! So you pick the large to compensate the short barrel from the FH5, not because of the ear itself even if the size should be medium, right?

 

[ledzep]

Gotcha ! So you pick the large to compensate the short barrel from the FH5, not because of the ear itself even if the size should be medium, right?

Correctamundo !

 

[Titoyago]

Mickey Mouse boots exactly. Do the tips come off in your ear with this mod?

Although they are held in place by a small surface, I have not dropped them.

When I finish using FH5 I put them in the FiiO bag.

 

[Dsnuts]

Had a chance to try the FH5.
On classical, vocal, jazz music that I played, there's always so much midrange all the way to upp midrange, its just isn't a balance sound. there's much clarity though.
I wonder why didn't the DD do some magic into the midrange, and there's so much emphasis on the midrange, the bassline (though audible) doesn't seem to be able to do its magic.

Its just not the sound that I can listen to for long.

Your not the only one I have seen "Try." the FH5. And was not impressed by them. I am gonna tell you and people that "try" the actual chance that your hearing them correctly is maybe 20%. Reason why I say this. Unless the tips that was on the FH5 was perfect fitting and optimized for your ears your not going to hear them correct. If you really want to demo them I would actually buy them and give them a good listen at a quiet invoronment for one and then I would actually use more optimized tips for youself.

If you look at the current owners comments and posts. How many do you see actually using the included tips? Not much and the reasoning is. Here is where I think Fiio could have done a much better job. The tips they include is not great. Not bad but not great. Not too many manufacturers actualy put in tips that are worthy of using.

Why do you think we have to resort to using different tips? If the included tips that came with them fit every person then it would be great but the one thing I am gonna tell everyone that 'TRYs these is that your not going to hear them correct on a "try". You have to optimize the sound first. Just some advice. FH5 due to the short nozzle and shallow fit. IMO needs a good few days of listening before you can have a good idea what they are like. I would actually buy them and then return them if you don't like them. I would imagine you would have a different understanding of them after using them for a few days vs."Trying" them. My $.02

I own these and what your saying after trying them does not fit my description of them. I would assume it was due to not having optimzed tips for your ears among other factors. It does sound like your not hearing them correct however.

 

[Titoyago]

With the stock tips, I found that the body was in contact with my superior crus, and would cause some discomfort, and also prevented full insertion.

I added ~3 mm, so the stem goes up the lip, but not down it. They haven’t come off in my ears, but they have come off in my pocket.
I cut them using scissors, so precision wasn’t in the cards. I’ll try to get them to 2 mm with a razor blade, to improve retention.

As they are, I don’t feel any points of contact in my pinna, which shows that FiiO did a pretty good job with a larger-sized universal.

If the outside of the tip is raised upwards, it does not seem very difficult to join the two tubes together (zeal paper, insulating tape, or pattex).

 

[mhoopes]

Your not the only one I have seen "Try." the FH5. And was not impressed by them. I am gonna tell you and people that "try" the actual chance that your hearing them correctly is maybe 20%. Reason why I say this. Unless the tips that was on the FH5 was perfect fitting and optimized for your ears your not going to hear them correct. If you really want to demo them I would actually buy them and give them a good listen at a quiet invoronment for one and then I would actually use more optimized tips for youself.

If you look at the current owners comments and posts. How many do you see actually using the included tips? Not much and the reasoning is. Here is where I think Fiio could have done a much better job. The tips they include is not great. Not bad but not great. Not too many manufacturers actualy put in tips that are worthy of using.

Why do you think we have to resort to using different tips? If the included tips that came with them fit every person then it would be great but the one thing I am gonna tell everyone that 'TRYs these is that your not going to hear them correct on a "try". You have to optimize the sound first. Just some advice. FH5 due to the short nozzle and shallow fit. IMO needs a good few days of listening before you can have a good idea what they are like. I would actually buy them and then return them if you don't like them. I would imagine you would have a different understanding of them after using them for a few days vs."Trying" them. My $.02

I own these and what your saying after trying them does not fit my description of them. I would assume it was due to not having optimzed tips for your ears among other factors. It does sound like your not hearing them correct however.

Individual experiences can vary a lot. I suspect we're hearing a lot right now from people that are having fit issues. I think for most ears the shallow insertion depth isn't an issue, as otherwise the reviews would be generally complaining about lack of bass, which isn't the consensus view.

Generally, the reports are that they're very comfortable, and that the v-shaped, upper-mid-forward tuning is a matter of taste. I can say that I'm generally not a fan of v- or u-shaped tuning, or really any noticeable coloration deviating from the kind of monitors used in audio mastering, so I usually have to lean on equalization to extract the sound I'm looking for. I reserve final judgment until I've exhausted the tip fit and EQ options. I can say that the FH5 seem to have good capability at this price point.

What confounds me in unboxing reviews is how much people are swayed by fancy packaging and presentation. How much of those materials do you end up interacting with on a daily basis? Do you use that Pelican-style case, or the oversized packaging foam that holds the earphones in a death grip? Personally, I'd prefer they put that money into a wider assortment of tips (double-flange, for instance).

 

[Dsnuts]

I totally agree. I would definitely give up a fancy package for a larger variety of tips. That makes 100% more sense to me.

 

[cleg]

What confounds me in unboxing reviews is how much people are swayed by fancy packaging and presentation. How much of those materials do you end up interacting with on a daily basis?

well, as one of those persons, making that reviews, I'll answer that question. I do that because many people asks for it. At the beginning I've skipped that part, and I got tons of comments like "why you cal dat a review, if you even didn't show the package?". So, I've decided to include unboxing, as you can skip unboxing part anyway, and for some people it's an important part of review, and if it's absent, you can't add it.

Do you use that Pelican-style case, or the oversized packaging foam that holds the earphones in a death grip?

yep, I'm using that pelican case for tips storage, and fabric case to store IEMs themselves, pretty convenient. And if I got some useless cases of cans, I have my wife, and she's always glad to find some usage for that "useless" things For example, pelican cases are great for bijouterie storage, and tin cans are good for beads, threads and needles
as for foam — it's a part of presentation, it's anyway important part of IEMs, the more expensive they are. you should feel that it's a worth sing, and if $500 IEMs came wrapped in simple ziplock, it's a no-go.

Personally, I'd prefer they put that money into a wider assortment of tips (double-flange, for instance).

well, FH5 has one of the biggest accessories set. of course, they could probably add even more, but tips costs about few bucks on Ali, so why add even more?