[normie610]

I am still using the stock cable of the M4 (which is great, btw), but have a DITA Oslo cable lying around to try out. I was told the Oslo works well with FiR's IEMs, but I have not yet gotten around to trying it yet because I want to get to know the stock sound a bit better.

I am getting a good fit, but yeah, it can be tricky at times. Sometimes I end up using a tip size smaller or larger and often I end up using Final E-tips, but it is very personal.

I have to say, the M5 fits my ears much better than Trio, although they do share a similar form factor. And I’m using Symbio W’s as my tip, an excellent synergy with M5. Oh and the stock cable is damn good, I don’t feel the need to cable roll.

 

[Wyville]

I have to say, the M5 fits my ears much better than Trio, although they do share a similar form factor. And I’m using Symbio W’s as my tip, an excellent synergy with M5. Oh and the stock cable is damn good, I don’t feel the need to cable roll.

Yeah, I have much the same thoughts on the fit. The Trio are good for me and I think the M4 might be a little more comfortable. Really need to compare the two more closely because they seem to have a few more things in common.

I would be perfectly happy with the stock cable as well, but if the Oslo cable works well then it is staying on primarily for the Awesome plug. It is so nice to be able to quickly switch between plugs.

 

[aaf evo]

The Sony ZX507 with the FiR M5 has incredible synergy. Great levels of musicality and overall presentation.

 

[Alanaudio]

Is the tour of M4 & M5 still open? I'm trying to upgrade from CA Solaris but not sure how M5 sounds compared to the Solaris.

 

[chickenmcnug]

Is the tour of M4 & M5 still open? I'm trying to upgrade from CA Solaris but not sure how M5 sounds compared to the Solaris.

I owned the Solaris and M5 together.

M5 has more bass, sounds chunkier while the Solaris is punchier.

Solaris mids are better as the bass on the M5 overpowers this a bit though it's not too much.

Highs depends, on the Solaris it's crisper and airier, M5 has nice texture.

Solaris has a wider soundstage and has better separation

In general, Solaris is flatter, M5 sounds more V in comparison. They complement each other rather than the M5 being an upgrade.

If you want more of an upgrade to the Solaris you might want to look at the VE8 which is quite similar to the Solaris but has better mids, highs similar to the M5.
Bass is also kind of similar but imagine BA v DD.

 

[Alanaudio]

I owned the Solaris and M5 together.

M5 has more bass, sounds chunkier while the Solaris is punchier.

Solaris mids are better as the bass on the M5 overpowers this a bit though it's not too much.

Highs depends, on the Solaris it's crisper and airier, M5 has nice texture.

Solaris has a wider soundstage and has better separation

In general, Solaris is flatter, M5 sounds more V in comparison. They complement each other rather than the M5 being an upgrade.

If you want more of an upgrade to the Solaris you might want to look at the VE8 which is quite similar to the Solaris but has better mids, highs similar to the M5.
Bass is also kind of similar but imagine BA v DD.

Thanks for your detailed comparison! If M5 sounds more V shape, it might not be a perfect upgrade for me. I'm looking for IEMs that sound even crisper and airer than Solaris with a better resolution in mids and the same quality of bass as Solaris. I purchased Final A8000 recently hoping to replace the Solaris, the highs and the overall resolution is exactly what I'm looking for, but the mids (especially the lower mids) are recessed and thin compared to Solaris. I did have a demo of VE8 years ago which sounds good but it is a little bit overpriced right now for an 8 BA CIEM. I guess It is better for me to just wait for the next flagship from CA...

 

[chickenmcnug]

Thanks for your detailed comparison! If M5 sounds more V shape, it might not be a perfect upgrade for me. I'm looking for IEMs that sound even crisper and airer than Solaris with a better resolution in mids and the same quality of bass as Solaris. I purchased Final A8000 recently hoping to replace the Solaris, the highs and the overall resolution is exactly what I'm looking for, but the mids (especially the lower mids) are recessed and thin compared to Solaris. I did have a demo of VE8 years ago which sounds good but it is a little bit overpriced right now for an 8 BA CIEM. I guess It is better for me to just wait for the next flagship from CA...

The EVE20 looks promising from Deezel's impressions, just sold my Solaris and might order one.

Is yours the OG? You might want to just get an SE, I have not tried them personally but most OG users love the SE which has the exact improvements you're looking for.

 

[Rockwell75]

I'm looking for IEMs that sound even crisper and airer than Solaris with a better resolution in mids and the same quality of bass as Solaris.

Honestly it sounds like what you want the SE Solaris. As an added bonus the bass is tighter and punchier. Strictly speaking I am not aware of any IEM on the market right now that is a strict upgrade to Solaris across the board, namely a balanced, punchy, holographic and spacious sound with impeccable separation, coherence and DD bass.

 

[eldss]

Thanks for your detailed comparison! If M5 sounds more V shape, it might not be a perfect upgrade for me. I'm looking for IEMs that sound even crisper and airer than Solaris with a better resolution in mids and the same quality of bass as Solaris. I purchased Final A8000 recently hoping to replace the Solaris, the highs and the overall resolution is exactly what I'm looking for, but the mids (especially the lower mids) are recessed and thin compared to Solaris. I did have a demo of VE8 years ago which sounds good but it is a little bit overpriced right now for an 8 BA CIEM. I guess It is better for me to just wait for the next flagship from CA...

I recently tried the VE8 and Elysium and compared to my M4, I much preferred the M4 to the VE8, specially considering the price. As for the comparison with the Elysium which I think it’s a fantastic iem, I found the M4 to have better bass overall, the mids were close, although using a dynamic for kids is brilliant and the Elysium overall wins it. As for the highs, the Elysium is smoother and overall better. But in general, I felt that the M4 was close as an overall package and one could argue it’s a poor man’s alternative to the Elysium (even though the M4 is not bargain cheap), but more attainable.

 

[Alanaudio]

The EVE20 looks promising from Deezel's impressions, just sold my Solaris and might order one.

Is yours the OG? You might want to just get an SE, I have not tried them personally but most OG users love the SE which has the exact improvements you're looking for.

Yes, mine is the OG. I had a demo of the SE at NY Canjam. The SE has a better resolution of the mids and instruments, a deeper bass, and a "blacker" background. However, the Highs is smoother and warmer which is the opposite direction of the "crisp and air" Highs from the OG. SE was my primary choice for upgrading the OG, and it is also one of the reasons I went to the NY Canjam, but after the demo, I would rather keep the OG just because of that crisp and air Highs.

 

[Alanaudio]

Honestly it sounds like what you want the SE Solaris. As an added bonus the bass is tighter and punchier. Strictly speaking I am not aware of any IEM on the market right now that is a strict upgrade to Solaris across the board, namely a balanced, punchy, holographic and spacious sound with impeccable separation, coherence and DD bass.

Yes, I'm accepting the fact that I should not blindly upgrade at this time. I do like everything SE presented except for the Highs which is smoother than the OG( I prefer crisper and airier)

 

[chickenmcnug]

Yes, I'm accepting the fact that I should not blindly upgrade at this time. I do like everything SE presented except for the Highs which is smoother than the OG( I prefer crisper and airier)

Tbf I haven’t heard anything with crispier highs than the Solaris OG, guess we all have our unicorn

 

[420204]

Here's a quick preview of the M4 on Headfonia:
https://www.headfonia.com/first-look-fir-audio-m4/

 

[macdonjh]

First look? Really? Where has he been the last four months?

 

[Wyville]

I have had the M4 over for a while now and not yet gotten around to posting some early impressions, so high time to catch up on that.

Initially I had some (very) occasional issues with them. I found that with some recordings the lower treble hit my treble sensitivity a bit too much (I can be quite sensitive to treble at times) and so I did some tip-rolling and switched from the PAW6000 to the Plenue 2 as my source. That made all the difference and I am really impressed by these.

The signature is what I would call fairly uncoloured, with a very well done lift in the bass to add pace and impact, and a subtle bit of excitement coming from the lower treble. So perhaps you could say the M4 have a slight U-shape, but really well balanced. The bass is one of the very best I have heard so far. It has body and physicality to make the M4 engaging and fun, but it is extremely well controlled and has a lot of texture and detail. Mids are a little leaner than I am used to (I have a lot of IEMs with more coloured/fuller mids), but nothing anaemic either. There is a little note articulation coming from the lower treble and beyond that it is a very well-positioned treble (nothing splashy or pushed too far forward) with great extension. The stage feels spacious and imaging is very precise. The level of detail I hear with these is also great, bringing out nuances very clearly.

Initially I had expected something perhaps similar to the Trio, but I think the M4 might be closer to the U12t with a DD bass and a bit of added excitement to make them more engaging. (Unfortunately I no longer have the U12t around to compare directly, so take that statement for what it is.) The physicality of the bass is really well done for that. It is quite physical, but not at the level of something like Legend X and nothing bloated either. Note articulation balances a fine line (hence my tip-rolling and source switch), but it works really well to make the music livelier. Anyone less sensitive to treble will certainly enjoy it.

My first impression is that these might well be perfect for people who do not like too much colour to their sound, but are looking for some fun and excitement with a (very) high level of technical performance. They are also highly versatile and I enjoy them with a wide variety of music (all my music actually).