[thefitz]

I'm saying as soon as you change the barrel material, it's not the same at all. If anything, I thought the BAs were the same but the housings were different between the models.

 

[jant71]

Well, agree that changing the material will change the sound but looking at the FAD site both II and IV are listed stainless steel as are the III on Massdrop. Just asking cause it was put forth that the body is not the IV but I don't really see it from images nor the materials stated not that I am going crazy looking. Just seeing if there is something I missed. As I said, outside of matte black finish on the outside, I'm not seeing the change outside of maybe the front damping which is my guess. It seems to me a IV with matte black coating and the material in the bore may be changed.

Does make sense to me as the IV was always less popular and many times stated to be missing what made the Heaven series so enjoyed even if it was still technically a good earphone. So, them tweaking the IV when working with Massdrop seems something they would have in mind to come up with for a quick, easy to do "new" model. It is exactly what I would have done. Drop the case and come up with some packaging and done with minimal effort.

TBH, not really even an issue what changes or not where done as long as they are a good deal better than the II and are even cheaper. The matte black is another plus. These are certainly a winner and that is all that counts

 

[frix]

does somebody know if all final products are made in japan. Would love to read more about the heaven iii beacause another drop is online.

 

[alpha421]

Depends on the model. Typically flagship models are made in Japan. Others are made else where like the Philippines. Surprisingly, the Heaven lll are made in Japan.

 

[jwbrent]

Depends on the model. Typically flagship models are made in Japan. Others are made else where like the Philippines. Surprisingly, the Heaven lll are made in Japan.

Seems like a good deal for $69, however, I question the wisdom of using a 36" cable.

There's nothing about warranty, the couple items I've bought from them stated the warranty under the specs.

 

[H T T]

Seems like a good deal for $69, however, I question the wisdom of using a 36" cable.

There's nothing about warranty, the couple items I've bought from them stated the warranty under the specs.

 
I have never had problems with Massdrop. I was on the first Heaven III drop. After over three months of moderate use, the Heaven IIIs are holding up well with no issues. I doubt you will need the warranty. The 36" cable works well for me. Out of curiosity, what is the problem with that length?
 

 Just asking cause it was put forth that the body is not the IV 

 
That was what was reported on the first drop. I am only relaying what was said there. If it is "fake news", my apologies. It would be nice if FAD could clarify concerns about the issue. That said, the Heaven IIIs are (head, shoulders, torso, and lower extremities), the best IEM for classical, acoustic, and vocals for under $100 that I have had the opportunity to listen to. If you are looking at other genres, there are other IEMs that might be be better suited for your needs. I am a big fan of the NuForce NE800m for EDM and pop music.

 

[jwbrent]

   
I have never had problems with Massdrop. I was on the first Heaven III drop. After over three months of moderate use, the Heaven IIIs are holding up well with no issues. I doubt you will need the warranty. The 36" cable works well for me. Out of curiosity, what is the problem with that length?
 

 
When I go hiking I wear shorts with deep front pockets and 36" would be a problem.

 

[H T T]

When I go hiking I wear shorts with deep front pockets and 36" would be a problem.

The Heaven IIIs are probably not going to be the best for rigorous walking even with longer cables. The earphones stick out of your ear a bit and can be prone to loosening up the seal with moderate or more intense movement.

 

[thefitz]

I've seen complaints about the Heaven III being a dark headphone. It can't possibly be IV in a II body if this is the case (and I'm still not convinced that the BAs are different in the Heaven line whatsoever... most BA in-ears use off-the-shelf BAs anybody can buy).
 
I can wear the Heaven II-VI with super deep insertion, and they're just magnificent. The IVs sound too good to be true on my FiiO rig, although they're a little lean coming through my ~3 ohm output impedance phone. Can't wait for my VI to arrive.

 

[jwbrent]

The Heaven IIIs are probably not going to be the best for rigorous walking even with longer cables. The earphones stick out of your ear a bit and can be prone to loosening up the seal with moderate or more intense movement.

OK, thanks for your observations.

 

[H T T]

I've seen complaints about the Heaven III being a dark headphone. It can't possibly be IV in a II body if this is the case (and I'm still not convinced that the BAs are different in the Heaven line whatsoever... most BA in-ears use off-the-shelf BAs anybody can buy).

I can wear the Heaven II-VI with super deep insertion, and they're just magnificent. The IVs sound too good to be true on my FiiO rig, although they're a little lean coming through my ~3 ohm output impedance phone. Can't wait for my VI to arrive.

I don't find the Heaven III dark at all. It is very mildly brighter than the Havi B3 in my experience.

This is from a Massdrop administrator posting in the Heaven III discussion:

"Hi everyone, there's been a lot of questions about this IEM and I'll do my best to address them. The Heaven III has been compared to the Heaven II throughout this drop, but it has much more in common with the Heaven IV. It uses the same balance armature driver as the Heaven IV.

Final Audio wants to bring both the sound and build quality of the higher-end Heaven series to a more affordable price point on Massdrop. The Heaven III is a serious effort to do so. I hope you all enjoy the IEM!"

 

[thefitz]

Nice, so it's the IV's BA in an evidently cheaper casing.

 

[bidn]

 

ninaraduga, would you mind providing a general difference between the VIII and the IX? I like the IX's finish better, but I'm interested in the differences in bass performance.

 

 
Personally, I do not hear a difference in bass between 8, 9 and 10. The main difference is the midrange. The higher we climb in this series, the more extensive middle frequencies we hear. A wider scene, volume, space. The bass does not change at all. 30-100 Hz is absent. 100-200 Hz at a normal level, approximately as in Etymotic ER-4S. Bass guitar is almost not audible. The drum can be heard very well. Headphones are not exactly for bassheads)

 
Yes, what changes wonderfully is the soundstage but above all the depth and angular imaging. You can pinpoint from which depth and at which angle sounds come from (e.g. if the singers or instruments are spread, or if different persons in the audience whistle, shout, this out of your head. This is unique.
 
I also agree that the bass does not change, 
however on my  AK240 :
- without EQ they have : 32 Hz = 0 , 45 Hz very weak, 63 Hz about half, so not an absence below 100Hz
(- with EQ they have 32 = 0, 45 = half, 63 Hz full)
 
This is actually great given that these are IEMs,
- the IE 800 does not have much more
- the AKG K3003 has quite less bass,
- and the super expensive JH Harvey Layla has zero at 100 Hz (the only one in my collection that I should not have bought...)

 

[bidn]

 

How does it cope with metal?

Outstanding! Speed, pressure and aggression. A lot of drivers (3-4-5 or more) can not do this as a single driver. Multiple drivers headphones need to reconcile each driver, so the power and rush of music is lost. This is probably why the FINAL products do not have multi-driver in ear headphones at all. Keep it up!

 
My experience is exactly the same as yours, ninaraduga !
The Piano Forte are fantastic for metal, by far my favorite IEM for metal and better than many headphones.
 
First, the only point where they do not shine, bass, is not bad (see my post above):
- a little less than the Sennheiser IE 800 (which lacks the speed required for metal)
- more than the AKG K3003 (fast, but awfully sibilant in metal, I can't listen to metal with them)
- way much much better than the super expensive JH Harvey Laya.
With EQ 32 Hz remains 0 (non existent), 45 Hz goes to about half normal volume, and 63 goes to about full.
So with EQ you will not miss much.
 
Now the great stuff:
 
First,
they are very fast and resolving and can handle the extreme speed of metal
where all expensive planar headphone will fail at the restitution of metal music (being too slow),
and very few full-size headphone will be fast enough without being bright
(the only acceptable for metal for me are the Utopia, the Sonorous X and the Sonorous VIII, the other dynamic ones are either too slow or too bright)
(I can't speak for the Elear yet, but this one may be OK too).
 
Second,
as usual with them, the voices will be fantastically beautiful,
e.g. the female opera vocals of symphonic metal: Nightwish, Epica, Sirenia...),
the superb voice of Manowar's singer...
But this is limited as often the vocals are meant to be kind of ugly in metal, and yet there the PF will even often shine with the following....
These voices...
 
 
Third,
there is this thing about the PF (and quite some other products from Final, e.g. Sonorous, but the PF beat the Sonorous in "mystics", but the Sonorous X and VIII do have full bass)
what some call magical, what I personally call mystical.
This is what I used to like the PF for:
listening to sacred music (e.g. renaissance polyphony) gives me the impression of being in heaven, of feeling God,
wonderful...
but I would never have thought this would be great for metal.
And yet ...
Listen to pagan Celtic folk metal like Eluvietie : you feel like there is a real shamanic ritual taking place around you !!!
Listen to black and you feel the place, the demons and monsters are real!!! SCARY!!! you 're trapped in the reality of these hellish places...
Listen to funeral doom and you feel that doooooomy atmosphere
Listen to epic atmospheric (Summoning, etc.), and you are in Middle Earth!!
Listen to true metal (Manowar) and you are in the world of Conan the Barbarian....
 
However this " magic" will not work so well for some metal genres which do not have such spirituasl or fantasy atmospheres,
it will work to a lesser extent for death
it will simply not work for trash.
 
 
[fourth]
And I am passing on their unmatched imaging (especially of the PF X),
take a live metal record, you here the singer and band members and each persons in the audience,
as if it were real.
 
 
But these are expensive items.
A great inexpensive IEM for metal is the Focal Sphear
(very fast, punchy, detailed, clean, neutral; great bass; but the highs get mixed up sometimes).
I you don't have much money, I would save money for the Utopia, so go first for the Focal Sphear,
and when  you have bought the Utopia, only then I would buy an expensive Piano Forte
ideally buy directly the X. I first bought the VIII, then the IX, then the X...
same with the Sonorous : first the Pandora Hope IV, then the Sonorous VIII, then the X.

 

[pacman46]

Well got my iii's in today.for that little money these cost me .. wow I'm kinda shocked. I have the ii's and these to me are definitely an upgrade to them. Actually the ii's really shine with a amp/dac kinda thing. But these are really good. I'm surprised of the sq final produced with that little money. Definitely makes me wanna go up to the v , vi .vii ? Very happy.