Yeah, understand that NAMM is going on.
Better pm Bogdan after this week....
Sorry for the rant, but that s how my babies used to do when they had waited for too long for their toys...
Last edited:
Fir Audio Thread - Discussion and Impressions
Yeah, understand that NAMM is going on.
Better pm Bogdan after this week....
Sorry for the rant, but that s how my babies used to do when they had waited for too long for their toys...
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
Will be putting up a short review of my custom M5s very soon. In summary: pure bliss. Fun, analytical, and holographic.
Modwright01
Member of the Trade: Hifi-Portable
Cool. Can't wait to read it.
My review is coming very soon too
My review is coming very soon too
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
I love how everyone loves it btw. Not a bad word said about em. Cant wait to read yours too!Cool. Can't wait to read it.
My review is coming very soon too
macdonjh
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2015
- Posts
- 2,632
- Likes
- 9,330
Cool. Can't wait to read it.
My review is coming very soon too
Stop it, stop it, both of you. I haven't even heard the M5 and I'm trying not to like them. I don't want to want something that expensive.
On a more serious note, I am surprised there isn't more love being given to the M3 and M4. The M3 certainly isn't a reference sound, but boy were they fun. All kinds of Meghan Trainor going on. More fun than the Campfire Atlas (even when I held those in to get good sound) and a bit less expensive. I really enjoyed the M4, too. More complete sound than the M3 for what these days could be considered a reasonable price (I can't believe I said that). Kudos to all at FiR.
SBranson
Headphoneus Supremus
Ha ha... I found myself thinking that $2500cdn was “reasonable” too..... I’m sure the wife wouldn’t think so...
davidcotton
X-CANs and HDAMs
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2001
- Posts
- 7,701
- Likes
- 2,195
Quit headfi now then
You did get the "welcome to headfi sorry about your wallet" standard greeting when you signed up didn't you?
toaster
Headphoneus Supremus
First off...no.
Secondly, the m5 are the most fun headphones i've heard for electronic and pop music, period.
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
Oh man I'd love to hear the rest of the line-up. M5 was just a blind buy based on Bogdan's reputation. Hadn't heard any of them til I got the M5s. Take the plunge man, you wont ever regret it <3
EDIT: Btw, does anyone know what kind of estats are in the M5? Electrets? Pizoelectrics?
Last edited:
The FiR Audio M5 features electrostatic drivers manufactured by Sonion.
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
Last edited:
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
Fir Audio M5 Review
Chain: Custom Fir M5, PWaudio 1960s 2-wire, Cayin N6ii T01 Module
Before its release, I had already heard about the M5 from Fir Audio from some of my colleagues in the audio industry who had demoed it in CanJam Singapore 2018. They claimed it sounded like the Tia Fourte on steroids. This definitely peaked my interest because while I appreciated what the Fourte did, and what it was supposed to be, I really did not like them. The M5 does away with the treble peaks and sibilance, smoothing out the treble while retaining quite a bit of sparkle and detail. The notes are also thick, syrupy, and draped over a very black background. While down under, you can hear and FEEL the thump of the dynamic driver, but without any bass bleed. Overall, the tonal balance is excellent. It comes across as very natural and warm, but having an insane amount of detail. Coherence isn’t an issue with this IEM, as it is with most hybrid IEMs. While fantastic there are a few flaws, which I will get into a bit later.
The first thing that I always listen for in any IEM is the presence of a treble peak, and sibilance which I hate. I threw Torn by Natalie Imbruglia and Don’t Know Why by Norah Jones at the M5s and they were handled masterfully. Both songs came back smoothly and without a hint of peaky-ness or sibilance. The detail in the treble is amazing. You can hear every pluck of the string, every crash of the high hats, and every breath of whomever you are listening to. However, this is also where I noticed the M5’s first flaw. I find that they could have added a bit more sparkle on top; it does seem to lack some life in some songs. The kind of treble I prefer is what the Khan and Trio have, detailed and sparkly, but not hot or shouty. The treble gets a 9.5/10 from me.
Notes are thicker, and have much more body than they do in either the Khan and Fourte in the mids. The M5s have really got these frequencies spot on. Adele and Johnny Cash’s voices sound rich and full on the lower end of the spectrum, while Freddie Mercury and Norah Jones high notes sound wonderful on the other end. There is a nice warmth and richness to the M5’s mids which allows it to sound very, very natural. Most IEMs sacrifice detail when adding a little bit of warmth, but the M5 is able to maintain that amazing detail found in the treble. What I disliked about the Noble Khan, is that there was this weird transition from the upper highs to the treble. It was quite audible, and you could clearly hear it in some songs. This lead to the Khan’s not sounding very coherent at all. While the slight peak in the upper mids allows you to hear a bit more detail, it ruins the overall cohesion of the Khans. I give the M5s 9.5/10.
Lastly, we have the bass. It hits hard, fast, and is controlled and layered at the same time. However, it struggles with songs are complex and fast-paced with regards to the bass. This issue isn’t limited to the M5s alone, most IEMs with DDs demonstrate this characteristic. Same Squad by P-Lo demands tight, fast, hard hitting bass. The M5 delivers exactly that. Gotta Have It by Kanye and Jay-Z, which has wet, thrumming bass, with tons of sub-bass rumble, is where the M5 has a hard time keeping up. You can hear the bass bloat a bit, with some congestion, although it isn’t too noticeable. Another song the M5 has difficulties with is Runaway by Kanye West. The low end of that song has a ton of congestion with multiple rhythms and beats meshed into one sound. The M5 fails to separate these at times, and the bass bloat rears it’s ugly. Barely noticeable, but it is there when you really hunker down and listen critically. Bass is a 9/10 for me.
Now this next category is where all tubeless IEMs shine. Sound presentation is holographic, while proportionately wide and all. I’d prefer a bit more air personally, which isn’t really a criticism of the M5s. Most IEMs put you in front of the artist, as if you’re watching them perform in FRONT of you. What tubeless tech, or Tia technology does for you is that it immerses you in the song. It’s as if you have the performers surrounding you, or a set of speakers surrounding you in a room. This is most evident when listening to orchestral or live music. The presence of a Z axis is all-too evident in these situations, where the music extends behind and in front of your head a few inches. It isn’t vividly 3D, like the Project K Soundwriter, but it is highly apparent. Another facet of tubeless tech is how the sound is produced. It’s as if the notes are floating, or do not come from any one direction. They just appear in the spots they’re supposed to instead of coming from the IEMs directly, if that makes any sense. They just pop out of nowhere.
When it comes to staging and imaging, the M5s can go toe to toe with any other flagship model out there. The stage isn’t ridiculously wide, to the point that the center focus of the song gets a bit stretched out. This is one of the reasons I opted out of the Atom modules; I prefer my width to be in proportion with the height, and the modules extend the width a bit too much for my liking. I want that pinpoint focus in the center of my head. The lack of a module does not restrain the M5’s width; it is still very wide and stretched out on the X-axis. Each instrument can be individually picked out from the song without issue, and you can precisely identify which part of the stage that instrument is coming from. There is absolutely no sign of congestion, except in the lower frequencies. The M5s are accurate and precise in staging and imaging. Side note: my bass filter was set to neutral by Bogdan.
Tonality. This is the M5’s best feature for me. Bass, mids, and treble are all balanced. There is rumble from the DD when you need it, excellent highs from the electrostatics, and that delicious natural warmth in the mids all blend into one perfect package. It doesn’t sound metallic, overly bright with shouty treble, or veiled with bloated bass. If the 12t is perfectly flat and neutral, then the M5 is its counterpart when it comes to a natural and warm sound.
Lastly, I’m going to talk about the LID circuit. It’s a double-edged sword. The M5 keeps its sound signature no matter what source you pair it with. Everything else changes, from the detail, imaging and separation when you jump from source to source, except the tonality. This should be great news for people on the go who only want to bring their phones around. But for people who like mixing and matching DAPs, amps, and DACs, this is very limiting. I personally like looking around for the perfect dap to pair with my IEMs, so I’m not the biggest fan of the LID circuit.
Customer service is top-notch. Bogdan, through Facebook, helped me with all the design choices, answered all my questions about the tech, and even accepted a special request for the faceplates. Huge props to him and his team at Fir Audio.
Comparisons
I bought the Noble Khan a few months before I got the M5s, and I think it’s a fair to compare the two hybrids. The Khans use 1 piezoelectric tweeter for the treble, 4 BAs for the mids, and 1 DD for the bass. Compared to the M5s, the Khan’s bass is not as thumpy or pronounced, but it is more technical and controlled. The mids are tuned to be a bit brighter, and it has that weird transition from the upper mids to the treble I previously mentioned. The treble is very sparkly and detailed, although it can get very fatiguing to listen to. Overall, the M5 is much more natural and warm, while the Khans are a bit more analytical and bright.
SONG LIST
Tonal Balance
Rosanna – Toto
How Much I Feel – Ambrosia
Sibilance
Natali Imbruglia – Torn
Sara Bareilles – Come Round Soon
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Treble
The Who – Who Are You
Earth Wind and Fire – Let Me Talk, Fall in Love With Me
Tower of Power – Still a Young man
Mids
Johnny Cash – Hurt
So Very Hard to Go – ToP
Hello – Adele
Bass
Same Squad – Plo
Gotta Have It – Jay-Z/Kanye West
Hip Hop – Dead Prez
So What? – Miles Davis
Layering
Time – Hans Zimmer
Stage and Imaging and Separation
Beethoven Symphony no. 7 in A minor
Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 6 in B minor
https://imgur.com/pgNjPMI
https://imgur.com/eR1fIa5
https://imgur.com/MdIEliv
Chain: Custom Fir M5, PWaudio 1960s 2-wire, Cayin N6ii T01 Module
Before its release, I had already heard about the M5 from Fir Audio from some of my colleagues in the audio industry who had demoed it in CanJam Singapore 2018. They claimed it sounded like the Tia Fourte on steroids. This definitely peaked my interest because while I appreciated what the Fourte did, and what it was supposed to be, I really did not like them. The M5 does away with the treble peaks and sibilance, smoothing out the treble while retaining quite a bit of sparkle and detail. The notes are also thick, syrupy, and draped over a very black background. While down under, you can hear and FEEL the thump of the dynamic driver, but without any bass bleed. Overall, the tonal balance is excellent. It comes across as very natural and warm, but having an insane amount of detail. Coherence isn’t an issue with this IEM, as it is with most hybrid IEMs. While fantastic there are a few flaws, which I will get into a bit later.
The first thing that I always listen for in any IEM is the presence of a treble peak, and sibilance which I hate. I threw Torn by Natalie Imbruglia and Don’t Know Why by Norah Jones at the M5s and they were handled masterfully. Both songs came back smoothly and without a hint of peaky-ness or sibilance. The detail in the treble is amazing. You can hear every pluck of the string, every crash of the high hats, and every breath of whomever you are listening to. However, this is also where I noticed the M5’s first flaw. I find that they could have added a bit more sparkle on top; it does seem to lack some life in some songs. The kind of treble I prefer is what the Khan and Trio have, detailed and sparkly, but not hot or shouty. The treble gets a 9.5/10 from me.
Notes are thicker, and have much more body than they do in either the Khan and Fourte in the mids. The M5s have really got these frequencies spot on. Adele and Johnny Cash’s voices sound rich and full on the lower end of the spectrum, while Freddie Mercury and Norah Jones high notes sound wonderful on the other end. There is a nice warmth and richness to the M5’s mids which allows it to sound very, very natural. Most IEMs sacrifice detail when adding a little bit of warmth, but the M5 is able to maintain that amazing detail found in the treble. What I disliked about the Noble Khan, is that there was this weird transition from the upper highs to the treble. It was quite audible, and you could clearly hear it in some songs. This lead to the Khan’s not sounding very coherent at all. While the slight peak in the upper mids allows you to hear a bit more detail, it ruins the overall cohesion of the Khans. I give the M5s 9.5/10.
Lastly, we have the bass. It hits hard, fast, and is controlled and layered at the same time. However, it struggles with songs are complex and fast-paced with regards to the bass. This issue isn’t limited to the M5s alone, most IEMs with DDs demonstrate this characteristic. Same Squad by P-Lo demands tight, fast, hard hitting bass. The M5 delivers exactly that. Gotta Have It by Kanye and Jay-Z, which has wet, thrumming bass, with tons of sub-bass rumble, is where the M5 has a hard time keeping up. You can hear the bass bloat a bit, with some congestion, although it isn’t too noticeable. Another song the M5 has difficulties with is Runaway by Kanye West. The low end of that song has a ton of congestion with multiple rhythms and beats meshed into one sound. The M5 fails to separate these at times, and the bass bloat rears it’s ugly. Barely noticeable, but it is there when you really hunker down and listen critically. Bass is a 9/10 for me.
Now this next category is where all tubeless IEMs shine. Sound presentation is holographic, while proportionately wide and all. I’d prefer a bit more air personally, which isn’t really a criticism of the M5s. Most IEMs put you in front of the artist, as if you’re watching them perform in FRONT of you. What tubeless tech, or Tia technology does for you is that it immerses you in the song. It’s as if you have the performers surrounding you, or a set of speakers surrounding you in a room. This is most evident when listening to orchestral or live music. The presence of a Z axis is all-too evident in these situations, where the music extends behind and in front of your head a few inches. It isn’t vividly 3D, like the Project K Soundwriter, but it is highly apparent. Another facet of tubeless tech is how the sound is produced. It’s as if the notes are floating, or do not come from any one direction. They just appear in the spots they’re supposed to instead of coming from the IEMs directly, if that makes any sense. They just pop out of nowhere.
When it comes to staging and imaging, the M5s can go toe to toe with any other flagship model out there. The stage isn’t ridiculously wide, to the point that the center focus of the song gets a bit stretched out. This is one of the reasons I opted out of the Atom modules; I prefer my width to be in proportion with the height, and the modules extend the width a bit too much for my liking. I want that pinpoint focus in the center of my head. The lack of a module does not restrain the M5’s width; it is still very wide and stretched out on the X-axis. Each instrument can be individually picked out from the song without issue, and you can precisely identify which part of the stage that instrument is coming from. There is absolutely no sign of congestion, except in the lower frequencies. The M5s are accurate and precise in staging and imaging. Side note: my bass filter was set to neutral by Bogdan.
Tonality. This is the M5’s best feature for me. Bass, mids, and treble are all balanced. There is rumble from the DD when you need it, excellent highs from the electrostatics, and that delicious natural warmth in the mids all blend into one perfect package. It doesn’t sound metallic, overly bright with shouty treble, or veiled with bloated bass. If the 12t is perfectly flat and neutral, then the M5 is its counterpart when it comes to a natural and warm sound.
Lastly, I’m going to talk about the LID circuit. It’s a double-edged sword. The M5 keeps its sound signature no matter what source you pair it with. Everything else changes, from the detail, imaging and separation when you jump from source to source, except the tonality. This should be great news for people on the go who only want to bring their phones around. But for people who like mixing and matching DAPs, amps, and DACs, this is very limiting. I personally like looking around for the perfect dap to pair with my IEMs, so I’m not the biggest fan of the LID circuit.
Customer service is top-notch. Bogdan, through Facebook, helped me with all the design choices, answered all my questions about the tech, and even accepted a special request for the faceplates. Huge props to him and his team at Fir Audio.
Comparisons
I bought the Noble Khan a few months before I got the M5s, and I think it’s a fair to compare the two hybrids. The Khans use 1 piezoelectric tweeter for the treble, 4 BAs for the mids, and 1 DD for the bass. Compared to the M5s, the Khan’s bass is not as thumpy or pronounced, but it is more technical and controlled. The mids are tuned to be a bit brighter, and it has that weird transition from the upper mids to the treble I previously mentioned. The treble is very sparkly and detailed, although it can get very fatiguing to listen to. Overall, the M5 is much more natural and warm, while the Khans are a bit more analytical and bright.
SONG LIST
Tonal Balance
Rosanna – Toto
How Much I Feel – Ambrosia
Sibilance
Natali Imbruglia – Torn
Sara Bareilles – Come Round Soon
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Treble
The Who – Who Are You
Earth Wind and Fire – Let Me Talk, Fall in Love With Me
Tower of Power – Still a Young man
Mids
Johnny Cash – Hurt
So Very Hard to Go – ToP
Hello – Adele
Bass
Same Squad – Plo
Gotta Have It – Jay-Z/Kanye West
Hip Hop – Dead Prez
So What? – Miles Davis
Layering
Time – Hans Zimmer
Stage and Imaging and Separation
Beethoven Symphony no. 7 in A minor
Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 6 in B minor
https://imgur.com/pgNjPMI
https://imgur.com/eR1fIa5
https://imgur.com/MdIEliv
Last edited:
Modwright01
Member of the Trade: Hifi-Portable
Well done bro !
I almost finish mine, just wait for my R2R 2000 RED tuesday for a final dap test matching.
Just 4 things I want to say already :
- M5s are NOT V-shape. If you feel this, it is because of the unparalleled intensity in bass and incredible details in highs. The mids have the same presence in the mix. No loundness effect at all.
- I tested a lot of TOTL recently and compare them with the M5. The closest on the market is the VE Erlkonig. Those 2 are super close. On several tracks, M5 do better for separation layering even more detailled when the erlkonig are probably tuned to play between smooth/detailled signature. The intensity is really close but there is even more slam in the bass and a bit more sparkle in the M5's highs. Overall, Really hard to chose who win the fight. Both are excellent but M5 are less pricey and can be custom made !...
- It makes me feel like a lot of totl sounded outdated technically beside the M5, especially in terms of details/extension. Even the excellent soundwriter K can reach the slam and ultra high details of the M5.
- I thought the black Atom XL was the best, but I finally prefere the grey offering a superb balance and made the sound signature stellar with the perfectly right amount of bass slam.
I almost finish mine, just wait for my R2R 2000 RED tuesday for a final dap test matching.
Just 4 things I want to say already :
- M5s are NOT V-shape. If you feel this, it is because of the unparalleled intensity in bass and incredible details in highs. The mids have the same presence in the mix. No loundness effect at all.
- I tested a lot of TOTL recently and compare them with the M5. The closest on the market is the VE Erlkonig. Those 2 are super close. On several tracks, M5 do better for separation layering even more detailled when the erlkonig are probably tuned to play between smooth/detailled signature. The intensity is really close but there is even more slam in the bass and a bit more sparkle in the M5's highs. Overall, Really hard to chose who win the fight. Both are excellent but M5 are less pricey and can be custom made !...
- It makes me feel like a lot of totl sounded outdated technically beside the M5, especially in terms of details/extension. Even the excellent soundwriter K can reach the slam and ultra high details of the M5.
- I thought the black Atom XL was the best, but I finally prefere the grey offering a superb balance and made the sound signature stellar with the perfectly right amount of bass slam.
Last edited:
jrbgarcia
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 6, 2017
- Posts
- 309
- Likes
- 99
I dont understand why there are people who think the M5s are V-shaped. Completely agree that they are not.
macdonjh
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2015
- Posts
- 2,632
- Likes
- 9,330
Quit headfi now then
I must have signed up before the "Welcome to Head-fi" package had that warning.
