[superuser1]

The fd5 needs a bit more body in male vocals to compete here

How do you plan to remedy that? Have you tried some OCC pure copper cables?

 

[ledzep]

Thanks a lot @RikudouGoku and @Dsnuts as I especially seeked help from both of you and waited patiently for your review/impressions. I can confirm that this is my favourite purchase and you both were right about them. Now my concentration will be to further tweak them for improvement. I wanna zap every bit of sound bliss from them as possible lol. I have cables and some filters to work with In the coming days and will post more impressions in due time.

Any additional findings are always welcome !

 

[Nabillion_786]

How do you plan to remedy that? Have you tried some OCC pure copper cables?

I will try some thicker cables like the isn ag8, isn s16 and my penon os849 also. Thicker cables add more stage and body compared to copper for me through my countless of hours comparing.

Upon further listening I figured that the stage is also pitched a little too forward. I need to find a way to get that sound projection a little back. I know I can get used to this overtime but it seems as though the action is happening a bit too far Infront of me everywhere instead of all around me everywhere. A little strange when compared to other iems but zero issue as the stage is still the standout with these. Just something a little different that's all.

 

[IEMusic]

I wonder how the Yy UPOCC cable pairs with the FD5?

 

[kkugel]

Initial impressions: crazy sounding iems! Soundstage is ridiculous! Sourcery going on in my ears right now as I can't believe the level of detail, clarity, separation and especially that phenomenal stage. Mids are fuller then the nm2+ with better emotions and have a much more expanded stage aswell. They are a clear upgrade over them. Already this is my best iem to date with only a bit of listening. In all honesty they sound perfect to me from bass to treble and overall easily take the crown from my collection of iems.

For my vocals listening they are second place (soo far) because I've just realised that the kpe's mids must just be that special for my tastes and no iem may ever beat it for me in that department (fd5 is close however). The fd5 needs a bit more body in male vocals to compete here but I am perfectly happy with how they sound. Overall they slaughter the kpe anyways but it's just that I love the kpe's very sweet and emotional mids.

Could you elaborate on the comparison to the NM2+ a bit? I have them and think they sound really bad with heavy metal (Trivium for example). Do the beryllium drivers handle the fast transients better? If you could compare them by listening even that would be amazing, since the NM2+ are so good, but I can't use them for my fav genre thanks man!

 

[Floris888]

FA9 - FH7 or FD5. Im interested in one of these iem .Thank you.

 

[Dsnuts]

I wonder how the Yy UPOCC cable pairs with the FD5?

Matches up quite well actually but is a touch more edgier sounding vs my ISN CU4 cable. I think if your using a more warmer source in combination with the UPOCC yy cable it should be fine. A good match actually.

I still prefer using my CU4 cable though. I tried just about all my copper cables and the CU4 came out the winner. I am thinking something cheaper like the ISN C16 might do well with these too. In fact I will be back.


Top left CU4, right C-16
Bottom yy UPOCC.

Ok so here is a surprise. The cable I got on the FD5 on this pic is a classic thick copper cable the old ISN C-16. These don't cost much but they match up almost as good as the CU4 which is a lot more spendy. The only catch here is that the C16 is a bulky cable. But if you don't mind a bit of thickness to your cable. They do the job for much cheaper.

 

[Nabillion_786]

Could you elaborate on the comparison to the NM2+ a bit? I have them and think they sound really bad with heavy metal (Trivium for example). Do the beryllium drivers handle the fast transients better? If you could compare them by listening even that would be amazing, since the NM2+ are so good, but I can't use them for my fav genre thanks man!

It's still early days of course and after a couple of weeks I feel I will be able to give much more accurate comparisons as I can experiment with different things and there will be enough burn in/ brain in.

But ootb I'd say it is a clear upgrade because it sounds much more realistic then the nm2+ with slightly more note weight. There is better separation and much more bigger/airier stage aswell. Detail is slightly better and the clarity is soo pure my Manuka honey is beginning to question it's existence. Now as for speed i'd say there very similar but this iem deals with with congestion better because everything is better separated. Soo far, they sound almost perfect to my ears but I'd wish for slight bit more note weight for even more emotions. I will comment about the stage after getting used to them aswell.

 

[lgcubana]

Well that's disappointing

 

[davidmolliere]

I'll be receiving @iFi audio Zen Can today and I must say I am intrigued at what this will bring to the FD5

I'll report and get down to ISN H40, Penon Orb and Meze Rai Solo comparisons

RHA filters have shipped as well so end of the week I'll be able to play with this.

 

[Ra97oR]

Anyone have heard the Fiio FD5 that can compared to other single DD IEMs like the Final A8000, Sony EX800ST or Periodic Audio Be?

 

[ledzep]

I'll be receiving @iFi audio Zen Can today and I must say I am intrigued at what this will bring to the FD5

I'll report and get down to ISN H40, Penon Orb and Meze Rai Solo comparisons

RHA filters have shipped as well so end of the week I'll be able to play with this.

Mine on way too

 

[RikudouGoku]

Anyone have heard the Fiio FD5 that can compared to other single DD IEMs like the Final A8000, Sony EX800ST or Periodic Audio Be?

...please dont have the Periodic Audio BE in the same sentence as the FD5.....

I did compare it with the EX800ST but with EQ since I cant handle the treble on the stock.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd5.24858/reviews#item-review-25005

 

[FiiO Kang]

Before everyone is frantic in getting extra nozzles for the FD5. I am gonna tell you guys, it is a better idea to get the FD5 and hear them for yourselves. I think Fiio went for a reference level of definition on these with the combination of a highly resolving cable and a larger than average sound stage. Dont know how that prism baffle plays in how the sound projects but sound seems to be more frontal than most IEMs. The positive with this presentation is that your gonna get your detail and the FD5 has some astounding technical ability. Sound layering especially is amazing on the FD5. It doesn't reach the level of my Luna but FD5 has its own unique sound in that regard.

These do make for excellent movie watching and gaming since the sound has a large stage with a very dynamic and dimensional sound due to that layering. You can clearly make out frontal, mid and back ground sounds in good recordings. This frontal sound includes some very extended treble response as a sound design. I don't feel the upper mids are boosted any more than any other harmonish tuned earphones but I think it is more due to that forward projection of the sound that is causing that detail to be a touch fatiguing on more aggressive tracks.

With all these posts of new filters and such, last night I took the stock cable off of the FD5 and used a less resolving SPC cable. Sound tuning is the same but the sound get much more smoother a bit less defined but you know what. That stage, that imaging and layering is intact. With the combination of this cable and my foam tips. I can now listen to the M15 perfectly. I had a good long 3 hour session last night and for me I would have this level of detail for an earphone that you can tone down via external methods vs a tuning that is too reserved.

Also I mentioned this before. Your sources will matter. If your using a highly detailed neutrally tuned source. You might find the sound a bit fatiguing. If you use a warm sounding source. Your golden.. The FD5 has been a surprise to me for several reasons and it isn't perfect but like all good things in life. You have to try a few things with them to get them to mesh with what you have. But once you get them going on.

Your gonna be rewarded with one of the best bang for buck sounds in the industry.

Yes, everybody listen to the voice of FD5, FD5 is getting very good reviews in China and in many regions, the highest reviews ever.

 

[Ra97oR]

...please dont have the Periodic Audio BE in the same sentence as the FD5.....

I did compare it with the EX800ST but with EQ since I cant handle the treble on the stock.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-fd5.24858/reviews#item-review-25005

Good to know it haven't got the grainy treble of the EX800ST, might be a good try.

We will have to agree to disagree on how the Periodic Be sounds.