[FiiO FW5]HiFi True Wireless Armature Balanced Earbuds,96kHz/24bit Snapdragon Sound, LHDC support, Flagship TWS chip Qualcomm QCC5141 + independent AKM DAC/Amp AK4332
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Fully Integrated True Wireless Earbuds, FiiO FW5
Chapter 3 Who is suggested to get the FW5?
Along the way, FiiO always focuses on the HiFi market segment. This means it is a big challenge to compete with those big brands. To survive, we have to dive into the corner where they are unwilling to do.
The positioning of the FW5 is very precise. We tried our best to make the sound quality to the top to satisfy users with extremely high requirements in sound quality and with a more sensitive auditory sense.
To give an inappropriate analogy, in the auto market, big brands all focus on the most mainstream family cars while small brands focus on niche products such as sports cars. In terms of fuel consumption, space and comfort, sports cars cannot compete with family cars that are ten times cheaper, but their acceleration and driving feel are far superior to these ordinary family cars.
The FW5 is also a product with obvious advantages and disadvantages.
So how did we make sound quality outstanding for the FW5? We divide the sound quality of TWS into three sections: transmission/reception, digital to analog conversion, and electro-acoustic conversion. The goal of the FW5 is to make these three sections to the top.
The first is the transmission/reception section. The FW5 adopts Qualcomm's current TWS flagship model QCC5141, which supports aptX, aptX Adaptive, LHDC, etc. (The LDAC format is not guaranteed to be supported for the time being).
In the digital to analog conversion section, the FW5 is one of the rare TWS earbuds that adopts an independent DAC. Due to limitations of space, power consumption, cost, technology and other reasons, 99.999% of TWS earbuds use a built-in Bluetooth chip with DAC and headphone amplifier integrated. Compared with the built-in DAC, an external DAC has very obvious improvements in all audio indicators, such as distortion, signal-to-noise ratio (noise floor), output power, and dynamics.
In the final electrical signal to sound signal conversion section, the FW5 adopts the rarely-seen acoustic design of 1 dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures. This is a highly acclaimed design mainly used in mid- to high-end earbuds in the HiFi market. Mainstream TWS earbuds generally adopt a single dynamic driver considering the cost and size.
Therefore, it is no wonder that the FW5 becomes a fully integrated HiFi TWS. There may be some TWS that meet the three sections mentioned above, but as for the best, I personally think the FW5 is the first one that is excellent in all aspects.
Finally, from the perspective of the market, there might be a big problem- the more precise the positioning of the product, the fewer the target users. The only thing we can do is wait for the answer from the market.
Chapter 3 Who is suggested to get the FW5?
Along the way, FiiO always focuses on the HiFi market segment. This means it is a big challenge to compete with those big brands. To survive, we have to dive into the corner where they are unwilling to do.
The positioning of the FW5 is very precise. We tried our best to make the sound quality to the top to satisfy users with extremely high requirements in sound quality and with a more sensitive auditory sense.
To give an inappropriate analogy, in the auto market, big brands all focus on the most mainstream family cars while small brands focus on niche products such as sports cars. In terms of fuel consumption, space and comfort, sports cars cannot compete with family cars that are ten times cheaper, but their acceleration and driving feel are far superior to these ordinary family cars.
The FW5 is also a product with obvious advantages and disadvantages.
So how did we make sound quality outstanding for the FW5? We divide the sound quality of TWS into three sections: transmission/reception, digital to analog conversion, and electro-acoustic conversion. The goal of the FW5 is to make these three sections to the top.
The first is the transmission/reception section. The FW5 adopts Qualcomm's current TWS flagship model QCC5141, which supports aptX, aptX Adaptive, LHDC, etc. (The LDAC format is not guaranteed to be supported for the time being).
In the digital to analog conversion section, the FW5 is one of the rare TWS earbuds that adopts an independent DAC. Due to limitations of space, power consumption, cost, technology and other reasons, 99.999% of TWS earbuds use a built-in Bluetooth chip with DAC and headphone amplifier integrated. Compared with the built-in DAC, an external DAC has very obvious improvements in all audio indicators, such as distortion, signal-to-noise ratio (noise floor), output power, and dynamics.
In the final electrical signal to sound signal conversion section, the FW5 adopts the rarely-seen acoustic design of 1 dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures. This is a highly acclaimed design mainly used in mid- to high-end earbuds in the HiFi market. Mainstream TWS earbuds generally adopt a single dynamic driver considering the cost and size.
Therefore, it is no wonder that the FW5 becomes a fully integrated HiFi TWS. There may be some TWS that meet the three sections mentioned above, but as for the best, I personally think the FW5 is the first one that is excellent in all aspects.
Finally, from the perspective of the market, there might be a big problem- the more precise the positioning of the product, the fewer the target users. The only thing we can do is wait for the answer from the market.
C_Lindbergh
Headphoneus Supremus
My suggestions is just an option in the app for transparency mode to be enabled when you pause the music.
Also perhaps a slider in the app for the strength of the ambient mode. (also would be great if you enabled sidetone).
Hopefully you can add it pretty fast, then I'll buy them straight away
I appreciate the honesty on the product deficiencies and who the product is focused on. Thank you for the transparency Fiio.
Dsnuts
Headphoneus Supremus
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It is strange that 1.5 months have been sold and not a single review and not a single sensible review on the network ..
It's time to fire the department responsible for marketing and promotion in general.
how will the product be successful if the manufacturer himself says that he sells a pig in a poke?)
( google translated)
I am working on a review for them. In an ideal world I can get to a review as soon as I receive an item but unfortunately it is that time of the year where I finish a review and I get 3 more items to review the very next day. Next week I will be dedicating my hearing time on the FW5
One thing I can say about its sonics though. These are for bassheads. No doubt about that. It has some of the meatiest deep rumbly bass notes I have heard on just about anything. Not just bass but amplified bass. Which is the type of signature I prefer for out and about use. I will have much more to say very soon and will post some impressions about them soon. But for now. Yes I am very impressed with the FW5.
It's time to fire the department responsible for marketing and promotion in general.
how will the product be successful if the manufacturer himself says that he sells a pig in a poke?)
( google translated)
I am working on a review for them. In an ideal world I can get to a review as soon as I receive an item but unfortunately it is that time of the year where I finish a review and I get 3 more items to review the very next day. Next week I will be dedicating my hearing time on the FW5
One thing I can say about its sonics though. These are for bassheads. No doubt about that. It has some of the meatiest deep rumbly bass notes I have heard on just about anything. Not just bass but amplified bass. Which is the type of signature I prefer for out and about use. I will have much more to say very soon and will post some impressions about them soon. But for now. Yes I am very impressed with the FW5.
Last edited:
o0genesis0o
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm also looking forward to review these. Is the soundstage as good as the usual Fiio IEMs?
Decent sounding TWS could be game changer for audiophiles on the go. I haven't tried AirPods Pro 2, but the first version does not have the technical performance that I look for.
PHILARMONIA
New Head-Fier
There is a lot of information there!Fully Integrated True Wireless Earbuds, FiiO FW5
Chapter 3 Who is suggested to get the FW5?
Along the way, FiiO always focuses on the HiFi market segment. This means it is a big challenge to compete with those big brands. To survive, we have to dive into the corner where they are unwilling to do.
The positioning of the FW5 is very precise. We tried our best to make the sound quality to the top to satisfy users with extremely high requirements in sound quality and with a more sensitive auditory sense.
To give an inappropriate analogy, in the auto market, big brands all focus on the most mainstream family cars while small brands focus on niche products such as sports cars. In terms of fuel consumption, space and comfort, sports cars cannot compete with family cars that are ten times cheaper, but their acceleration and driving feel are far superior to these ordinary family cars.
The FW5 is also a product with obvious advantages and disadvantages.
So how did we make sound quality outstanding for the FW5? We divide the sound quality of TWS into three sections: transmission/reception, digital to analog conversion, and electro-acoustic conversion. The goal of the FW5 is to make these three sections to the top.
The first is the transmission/reception section. The FW5 adopts Qualcomm's current TWS flagship model QCC5141, which supports aptX, aptX Adaptive, LHDC, etc. (The LDAC format is not guaranteed to be supported for the time being).
In the digital to analog conversion section, the FW5 is one of the rare TWS earbuds that adopts an independent DAC. Due to limitations of space, power consumption, cost, technology and other reasons, 99.999% of TWS earbuds use a built-in Bluetooth chip with DAC and headphone amplifier integrated. Compared with the built-in DAC, an external DAC has very obvious improvements in all audio indicators, such as distortion, signal-to-noise ratio (noise floor), output power, and dynamics.
In the final electrical signal to sound signal conversion section, the FW5 adopts the rarely-seen acoustic design of 1 dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures. This is a highly acclaimed design mainly used in mid- to high-end earbuds in the HiFi market. Mainstream TWS earbuds generally adopt a single dynamic driver considering the cost and size.
Therefore, it is no wonder that the FW5 becomes a fully integrated HiFi TWS. There may be some TWS that meet the three sections mentioned above, but as for the best, I personally think the FW5 is the first one that is excellent in all aspects.
Finally, from the perspective of the market, there might be a big problem- the more precise the positioning of the product, the fewer the target users. The only thing we can do is wait for the answer from the market.
But nowhere does it say how many minutes the headphones charge in the case!?
Dsnuts
Headphoneus Supremus
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Excellent sound stage actually. These are tuned a bit more consumer vs audiophile. Which imo is not a bad thing. Bass is brawny I think roughly 10dbs of it. I just finished a review of another TWS IEM called the Shozy AVA and those have a very similar level of bass but Fiios FW5 has better bass from mid to sub bass presence. The Shozy AVA costs more too. Beyond the bass. This signature is pretty much perfect for longer work or workout use. Very musical bold sound signature. Treble is clean too. Its a bit V shaped in signature with a more neutral mids presence a beefy bass note and a smooth treble end. This Dac chip the AK4332 a version of it anyway is also being used on Fiios UTWS5 so I recognize the source aspect of its dac/amplification. Its a warm sounding chip so in combination of its driving power and the more consumer friendly tuning of the FW5 and we have a warm, big bold full bodied signature. It is a very musical sound which is what you want to hear when out and about. Nothing analytical or neutral tuned on the FW5. Its an easy sound to like.
PHILARMONIA
New Head-Fier
No, I meanExcellent sound stage actually. These are tuned a bit more consumer vs audiophile. Which imo is not a bad thing. Bass is brawny I think roughly 10dbs of it. I just finished a review of another TWS IEM called the Shozy AVA and those have a very similar level of bass but Fiios FW5 has better bass from mid to sub bass presence. The Shozy AVA costs more too. Beyond the bass. This signature is pretty much perfect for longer work or workout use. Very musical bold sound signature. Treble is clean too. Its a bit V shaped in signature with a more neutral mids presence a beefy bass note and a smooth treble end. This Dac chip the AK4332 a version of it anyway is also being used on Fiios UTWS5 so I recognize the source aspect of its dac/amplification. Its a warm sounding chip so in combination of its driving power and the more consumer friendly tuning of the FW5 and we have a warm, big bold full bodied signature. It is a very musical sound which is what you want to hear when out and about. Nothing analytical or neutral tuned on the FW5. Its an easy sound to like.
Example: 5min - 1h
Dsnuts
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
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You're asking how long it will charge to full capacity? That is a good question for @FiiO
Dear friend,
The FW5 was available in our Aliexpress store in Nov. 24 and on the way to the worldwide sellers since Dec. 3rd. So you may have misunderstood the time to market.
And we have arranged sending the FW5 to the reviewers. It will take them some time to try before writing the review.
Best regards
Dear friend,
| Charging time | Units: ≈1h Charging box: ≈1h40min |
You could check more information in the parameters page: https://www.fiio.com/fw5_parameters
Best regards
Fully Integrated True Wireless Earbuds, FiiO FW5
Chapter 4 FiiO TWS product and technology accumulation solution
You may be confused about why FiiO would take sound quality as an important selling point for the FW5. Here we would like to share FiiO's history and experience in making TWS earbuds.
In September 2019, we released the first TWS earbud model EW1 under the Jade Audio brand. Its sales volume was less than 10 thousand pieces. It can be considered a test of the TWS market. FiiO made some sound adjustments based on the OEM process, reducing some background noise and making some corrections to the curve, etc.
In November 2019, we released the first TWS ear hook UTWS1, which provided a TWS accessory for users to change their earphones into TWS ones. Likewise, we made some sound adjustments and hardware corrections based on the OEM process. For sure, it has also been upgraded to TWS+ dual ear hooks.
In July 2020, we released the FW1 under the FiiO brand. We designed the charging case by ourselves which solved the problem that occurred in the core charging case of the EW1. Also, we changed the charging port to Type-C, and designed the acoustic part all by ourselves. However, we did not develop the core software.
In December 2020, we released the UTWS3. Compared with the UTWS1, it has a great improvement in all aspects, which was self-developed by FiiO from the structure, electronics, and software designs, and it was completely manufactured by FiiO. The UTWS3 means that FiiO is totally capable of researching and developing TWS products independently.
In September 2021, on the basis of the UTWS3, we upgraded the Bluetooth DAC to Qualcomm's flagship QCC5141, and also realized the DAC plug-in, breaking through the limitation of the built-in DAC, so that the audio performance has been greatly improved.
The emergence of the UTWS5 means that FiiO has mastered the independent software and hardware development capabilities of high-end TWS chips. This is also the world's first breakthrough in achieving DAC plug-in of the QCC5141.
In October 2022, on the basis of the previous models, FiiO further integrated the acoustic technology of FiiO earphones, developing a high-end HiFi TWS product. It is also an official announcement that proves in the TWS earbuds market, FiiO may be the only HiFi manufacturer with independent development capabilities in ID, structure and electro-acoustic designs, software and hardware research, and production.
At every step, we are constantly exploring, learning, and accumulating. Therefore, the FW5 is definitely not an accident, but a result of a clear development path.
Chapter 4 FiiO TWS product and technology accumulation solution
You may be confused about why FiiO would take sound quality as an important selling point for the FW5. Here we would like to share FiiO's history and experience in making TWS earbuds.
In September 2019, we released the first TWS earbud model EW1 under the Jade Audio brand. Its sales volume was less than 10 thousand pieces. It can be considered a test of the TWS market. FiiO made some sound adjustments based on the OEM process, reducing some background noise and making some corrections to the curve, etc.
In November 2019, we released the first TWS ear hook UTWS1, which provided a TWS accessory for users to change their earphones into TWS ones. Likewise, we made some sound adjustments and hardware corrections based on the OEM process. For sure, it has also been upgraded to TWS+ dual ear hooks.
In July 2020, we released the FW1 under the FiiO brand. We designed the charging case by ourselves which solved the problem that occurred in the core charging case of the EW1. Also, we changed the charging port to Type-C, and designed the acoustic part all by ourselves. However, we did not develop the core software.
In December 2020, we released the UTWS3. Compared with the UTWS1, it has a great improvement in all aspects, which was self-developed by FiiO from the structure, electronics, and software designs, and it was completely manufactured by FiiO. The UTWS3 means that FiiO is totally capable of researching and developing TWS products independently.
In September 2021, on the basis of the UTWS3, we upgraded the Bluetooth DAC to Qualcomm's flagship QCC5141, and also realized the DAC plug-in, breaking through the limitation of the built-in DAC, so that the audio performance has been greatly improved.
The emergence of the UTWS5 means that FiiO has mastered the independent software and hardware development capabilities of high-end TWS chips. This is also the world's first breakthrough in achieving DAC plug-in of the QCC5141.
In October 2022, on the basis of the previous models, FiiO further integrated the acoustic technology of FiiO earphones, developing a high-end HiFi TWS product. It is also an official announcement that proves in the TWS earbuds market, FiiO may be the only HiFi manufacturer with independent development capabilities in ID, structure and electro-acoustic designs, software and hardware research, and production.
At every step, we are constantly exploring, learning, and accumulating. Therefore, the FW5 is definitely not an accident, but a result of a clear development path.
helmutcheese
Headphoneus Supremus
It would be nice if FiiO added the user manual.pdf to their very slow webpage so I do not need to read one the size of stamp when they arrive hopefully on Monday (tomorrow).
https://forum.fiio.com/note/showNoteContent.do?id=202105201631166296804&tid=17
https://forum.fiio.com/note/showNoteContent.do?id=202105201631166296804&tid=17
FiiO Willson
Sponsor: FiiO
Sorry,Gave you a bad experience
Here are as many FAQ's as you want about FW5, including the PDF file you mentioned
https://www.fiio.com/fw5_faq
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