[haiku]

A question to all the FI-BA-SS owners. How many hours of burn in did your FI-BA-SS need to sound the best? My new LAB01 sounded great right out of the box, but even after 50 hours of burn in on the clock, the FI-BA-SST25 fail to impress me so far.....

 

[CH23]

A question to all the FI-BA-SS owners. How many hours of burn in did your FI-BA-SS need to sound the best? My new LAB01 sounded great right out of the box, but even after 50 hours of burn in on the clock, the FI-BA-SST25 fail to impress me so far.....

I don't really do burn in. If they don't sound the way I like headphones to sound, I give it 2 days.
But the FI-BA-SS sounded fine to me when I bought them, so you might just not enjoy them? (as i didn't enjoy the whole heaven line-up, with FI-BA-SS being the exception)

 

[haiku]

I don't really do burn in. If they don't sound the way I like headphones to sound, I give it 2 days.
But the FI-BA-SS sounded fine to me when I bought them, so you might just not enjoy them? (as i didn't enjoy the whole heaven line-up, with FI-BA-SS being the exception)

Yep, that´s what I think, too.

 

[Piotr Michalak]

A question to all the FI-BA-SS owners. How many hours of burn in did your FI-BA-SS need to sound the best? My new LAB01 sounded great right out of the box, but even after 50 hours of burn in on the clock, the FI-BA-SST25 fail to impress me so far.....

Well, I have bought Lab1 quite recently... and also tested new FIBASST on 2,5mm trrs some time ago - but returned this one quickly!

My point is, if you love the smooth-darkish-oily-deep-holographic-DarkChocolate style of Lab1, probably FIBASST isn't for you (and me neither). I personally don't know who FIBASST is for, as for me, it's a fail.

PS Still being Final biggest fan in Poland, though...

PPS I spoke to CustomArt founder, Piotr Granicki, and he believes that balanced armatures don't burn-in. I mean, they don't need to be burned in at all, there is nothing to gain in this process, they don't change. The only thing that may need burning in is the cable (Cu = several hours only, silver = 50-100h), and the solder, which of course will change the sound, but as you see, you don't need 500h of burning them. That's what one of my friends, a headphone modder, also confirmed. So I would consider only burning in my ears, possibly by testing various plugs, maybe Comply's?

 

[Piotr Michalak]

MuppetFace, thank for your impressions, I want to mention that you forgot about the LAB II,
for me their only product which can be really seen as a reference ( for me clearly more than the Fi-BA-SS . I cant say for the LAB I which I don t have,)
although the LAB II has a dynamic driver.
the downside is that the LAB II doesnt have the mystic coloration of the top PF.

I have PF VIII, PF X-G and LAB II. Tested them many times head to head, A/B, etc.
And it's clear that X-G gives much more information than VIII.
But also LAB II gives much more information and is much richer than X-G.
X-G has no start when compared to bigger TOTL cans like Sonorous X or SR-009.
Lab II - definitely has. It's one of the greatest headphones not only in the little IEM realm, but in the overall headphone wall of fame.

Also, when I connect them to ASL Twin Head (big desktop amp), X-G doesn't scale up so much. But LAB II... scales up like the greatest big cans would, be that planar magnetic or dynamic or electrostatic. The quality of the driver in LAB II is absolutely insane!

Changing from X-G to LAB II always makes my jaw drop. There is several times more holography. In fact, the three-dimensionality of the sound is so great, that it may be better than my Stax SR-009 with Twin Head as preamplification (which is, by the way, completely different than what you've heard at CanJam London and others - preamp changes SR-009 into something like Shangri-la, but more fully bodied and heavy, the greatest headphone in the world probably).

When connected properly, LAB II as a headphone completely disappears. There's only music. It sounds as if there was no headphone playing at all, as if you were in the middle of the concert - provided you have connected it into one of the TOTL DAPs - AK380ss in my case, WM1Z may be, or Ultima or something would probably suffice - or a high class desktop set, and provided you also upgraded the cable to at least the original 2,5mm balanced trrs (200$?).

I have also bough Forza Noir Hybrid cable for them (2.5mm trrs), which is completely crazy, since it's too heavy to use them other way than on a couch, not moving (they fall out), or with custom tips (only vented! but still they loose much with custom tips).

However, on Forza cable there is even more, like two times more information than on the original cable, and the sound quality becomes absolutely CRAZY. It's like as if you were on drugs and became one-with-the-music. It's hard to explain, there is no other headphone in the world as no other plays inside your ears into both inside and outside your ear canal at the same time in a way coherent with your ear canal shape (look at how they're built - ergonomically) - even SR-009 only uses a flat membrane outside the ear canal, and it comes through when compared.

Lab II on Forza Noir Hybrid = ultra holography. It's a shame there is no way to wear them, however I would pay at least 100$ for some fitting ear hooks, that would connect to the Forza cable and keep them in my ears. Unfortunately I have to use the original 2.5mm trrs every day.

Also I recommend users to take the plastic from mmcx connectors off (gently, using a knife) as they both look better and fit in the ear better (as plastic was making the cable stiffer).

 

[haiku]

Well, I have bought Lab1 quite recently... and also tested new FIBASST on 2,5mm trrs some time ago - but returned this one quickly!

[/SIZE]

Maybe you shouldn´t have done this. I contacted the FAD support team (which is excellent, by the way), and they were totally surprised and sad that I as a FAD fan didn´t like FIBASS. Their suggestion was, to give it some more listening, and if after some time I still don´t like it, they would find a way to solve the problem to my satisfaction.
Then, I had an idea. I went to the product page and read, how to best insert the FIBASS. It said if the bass is insufficient, the earphones don´t sit right. There was my mistake. I thought when I get a decent seal, that´s all it would take. So I experimented with the insert depth, and found to my surprise, that the FIBASS sound phenomenal, when I insert them really deep! Now, I´m happy again.
So Piotr, perhaps you´ll give the FIBASS a second chance, too. Sure, it´s still possible that you simply don´t like the sound characteristic.

 

[haiku]

2 hours later, I still can´t get enough of the FIBASS. With the new insert depth, they sound really awesome. Man, the Wizards at FAD did it again. After the LAB01, this is definitely the number 2 of my iem flagship harem!

 

[james444]

So I experimented with the insert depth, and found to my surprise, that the FIBASS sound phenomenal, when I insert them really deep! Now, I´m happy again.

Agreed, FI-BA-SS is quite treble happy... with deeper insertion, resonances get pushed up in frequency and sound less fatiguing.

I usually recommend to use Sony hybrid tips and cut off half of their stem, which makes deep insertion pretty easy.

 

[Piotr Michalak]

2 hours later, I still can´t get enough of the FIBASS. With the new insert depth, they sound really awesome. Man, the Wizards at FAD did it again. After the LAB01, this is definitely the number 2 of my iem flagship harem!

Hmm, maybe I'll give them another run in the future For now, too many IEMs in my harem... Thinking about my first CIEMs, possibly CustomArt (whose office is near mine) or maybe Lime Ears Aether? (Did you know we have 6 (six) companies doing CIEMs in Poland? This is heaven)

 

[redkingjoe]

Hmm, maybe I'll give them another run in the future For now, too many IEMs in my harem... Thinking about my first CIEMs, possibly CustomArt (whose office is near mine) or maybe Lime Ears Aether? (Did you know we have 6 (six) companies doing CIEMs in Poland? This is heaven)

Mid May, I spent a week in Poland. Where are you in Poland? I love krakow. Warsaw is good. Everything is extremely inexpensive there. I only spent little bit of money, but I felt like I was living like a Billionaire. So the headphones price might be 50% of USA? How much is FIBASST, PFIX, PFX, Lab 1, Lab 2? I might go to Poland to get a bunch of headphones.

 

[Jaylat]

Having a problem with my Piano Forte XIII’s that I bought in January from FAD through Amazon. The right side has a buzzing sound, especially on low frequencies. I checked it against another IEM, the Heaven VI, and it’s definitely the PF VIII and not the player. Very disappointing.

Has anyone else experienced this? Also, does anyone know how to contact Final Audio to get a defective IEM fixed under warranty? I tried calling the US rep (no answer) and emailing the FAD website, with no results.

Any thoughts / suggestions would be appreciated.

Just an update -- I tried sending the email to the US FAD distributor and he replied right away. Everything is getting taken care of and a replacement will arrive this week.

 

[peareye]

Final has excellent support for us in North America!

 

[Piotr Michalak]

Mid May, I spent a week in Poland. Where are you in Poland? I love krakow. Warsaw is good. Everything is extremely inexpensive there. I only spent little bit of money, but I felt like I was living like a Billionaire. So the headphones price might be 50% of USA? How much is FIBASST, PFIX, PFX, Lab 1, Lab 2? I might go to Poland to get a bunch of headphones.

I'm in Warsaw. Been to Kraków a few times, a very beautiful city, currently has some air quality problems. Is it so inexpensive? Compared to London, or California, or Tokio, yes Keep in mind some of you guys live in the most expensive places in the world

However the prices of headphones are pretty much standard internationally. An importer has to order for example Audeze LCD-4 from the States with a discount, then add margin, then add VAT and duty, and then we have a $5000 price tag, but in Polish złoty. So no, probably you won't get 50% off the USA prices of headphones

Still, it's worth checkin in local distribution whether they have some deals, for example they bought when PLN was stronger/weaker, and now the relative price may be lower/higher... One example. When I was buying Lab2, it was priced 18.000 PLN (the same as Focal Utopias, LCD-4 and some others), from which I got a discount as a regular client.
Now you may buy the few remainding pieces of Lab2 (as I was told, there are 3 in Final Japan...) in Final Japan direct shop for about 14500 PLN. Of course, they probably don't ship to Poland, but still, the price change is strange. I was told that PLN was weaker back then, when Lab2 came out.

Sonorous X by comparison is 20.000 PLN in Poland, but 20.500 in Japan direct store! Slight difference, but still.

If you come to Warsaw, contact me, I can help you get some acquaintances in distribution, as I know some of them well, maybe some additional discounts would be given to you.

 

[redkingjoe]

2 hours later, I still can´t get enough of the FIBASS. With the new insert depth, they sound really awesome. Man, the Wizards at FAD did it again. After the LAB01, this is definitely the number 2 of my iem flagship harem!

i don't have chance listening to lab1 but I like look of it!

Can you please give me a head-up on fibass vs lab1?

 

[redkingjoe]

Hmm, maybe I'll give them another run in the future For now, too many IEMs in my harem... Thinking about my first CIEMs, possibly CustomArt (whose office is near mine) or maybe Lime Ears Aether? (Did you know we have 6 (six) companies doing CIEMs in Poland? This is heaven)

Certainly, you are FABKing. Really wish you will compare more brands with FAB! The fad PF and Lab2 really amaze me. I love the look ! They look better than diamonds. The only thing that scared me is wearing it. I don't have the confidence.

Which CIEMs is on your next target?

But I believe it will be very interesting to compare your Fad with these stuff: hifiman re2000, re800, dita dream, CFA vega and lyra ii! It seem these phones have only single unit for making sound.