[Kurdt-bada]

thanks dude different kind of birds talking about our avatars, lot of birds around here lately 

 I'm  fan of larry more than a celtics fan i like the colours anyway but these days celtics are quite different
 
and thanks for your impressions too

 

[Cecala]

  Quick impressions of the FA-4 in the last paragraph:
 
Quote:

   
 
(Really) Initial Impressions:
 
Equipment: hifimediy asyncronous 24/96 DAC -> matrix m-stage. iPod Classic 6th gen -> Tralucent T1. iPhone 4.
 
All phones using ortofon tips, except the g2, which has tf10 tips.
 
 
Starting with the Cardas...Carlsan told me he put about 20 hours of burn on them, and I left them almost at max on my clip+ overnight. My impressions remain the same. It's a dark phone, but it's dark and sweet (to borrow a term from tinyman). It sounds almost like a dynamic driver version of the Stage Diver 3, except I remember the SD3 being a bit more on the dry side. Vocals have a slight fuzz around them in the centerstage, which is interesting because cues at the left/right extremes have good clarity. On Ben Howard's The Wolves, background vocals are rather subdued/clouded. The paradox is that there's a good bit of detail. Switching to the G2 is like removing foam from your ears. Strangely, I don't find the G2 to have much more detail than the Cardas, but it's just so much clearer, and the bass is a good deal cleaner without the bloat. I definitely hear more mid-bass in the Cardas as well. Did I mention the G2's clarity over the Cardas? The Cardas is also more intimate sounding overall to my ears.
 
 
On to the FA-4E.
 
The most linear of the bunch, with the cleanest, but least impactful bass. The bass really is a thing of beauty in its ability to punch and get out of the way. It reminds me of my Ety HF5, but with better extension down low. The mids are also very, very nice. The upper mids are a good deal more forward than in the ASG-2, giving better clarity and more transitional nuance in the space between the treble and mids. This also means you have to pump up the volume a notch or two in the G2 to get the same type of presence in the upper mids. The FA-4's mids have the ability to be more delicate, which is great for female vocalists like Ingrid Michaelson, and male singers like Dallas Green. The treble is perfectly aligned with the sound sig, but loses slightly to the G2's timbre. I'd take the FA-4's upper mid presence though. In my time listening, I haven't found myself wishing for more sub-bass extension or presence...amazing for a BA based phone. 
 
My current standings: FA-4 = G2 > Cardas.
 
 
That's all for now. I'll do more this weekend, and I'll see what Gavin's silver/gold hybrid cable does to the FA-4's signature.
 
 

 
 
Thanks for your input. I look forward to your impression of Gavin's silver/gold hybrid cable.

 

[Ultrazino]

So I got the FA4 in my ears right now. They are undoubtedly fine IEMs.
What I like most so far is the treble. It's pretty smooth although pronounced - I would not call it sibilant and they are even moderately enjoyable with bad recordings.
The loudness tuning definitely has quite a lot bass with low end rumble. It's very different to SD3!
 
What I can't see so far is the big soundstage. It's actually very narrow coming from SD3 and comparatively flat next to SD2, which renders bodies better IMO.
 
I will try different tips tomorrow. UE900 silicone tips are too fatiguing for me so far so I will try something with a narrower nozzle.

 

[Gintaras]

  So I got the FA4 in my ears right now. They are undoubtedly fine IEMs.
What I like most so far is the treble. It's pretty smooth although pronounced - I would not call it sibilant and they are even moderately enjoyable with bad recordings.
The loudness tuning definitely has quite a lot bass with low end rumble. It's very different to SD3!
 
What I can't see so far is the big soundstage. It's actually very narrow coming from SD3 and comparatively flat next to SD2, which renders bodies better IMO.
 
I will try different tips tomorrow. UE900 silicone tips are too fatiguing for me so far so I will try something with a narrower nozzle.

 
 
interesting, would you mind telling more impressions between FA4 and SD3? thx

 

[Kurdt-bada]

Nice impressions ultrazino keep posting, very interesting to see different opinions. Glad you liked the highs I'm using the pearl from effect studio cable which make the treble sounds smoother and increases soundstage, bass and mids details but i still prefer the stock cable brilliant highs to that improvements! 
 
It seems we perceive soundstage a bit different to me they are the closest of my iems in that regard to the ex 1000 but can't say about the sd3 which from what i've read delivers huge soundstage.on the other hand burtonchell find the soundstage of the fa 4e airier than the sd3 but not as deep, music_4321 also find them more headphone like than most of the ba iems he had tried including the sd2 but different people different opinions after all 

 

 

[Cecala]

  .
The loudness tuning definitely has quite a lot bass with low end rumble. It's very different to SD3!
 

 
 
Can you refine your sentence. What are you saying here, that the Fischer has more bass than the SD3?

 

[Ultrazino]

What I meant was that I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of sub-bass. It's not IE800 quantity but it's definitely too much for my taste. However, the bass does not color mids as warm as the SD3.
So it depends: the SD3 has (much) more bass, but not as fatiguing. The FA4 has a cleaner (or more lightweight) transition from bass to mids but can be fatiguing with the amount of sub-bass.
 
Ironically, I find the InEar double flanges to work best so far. With multi-flanges the FA becomes more enjoyable to me as both, rumble and highs, are taken some air out of the sails.
 
Soundstage is much smaller than compared to SD3, no doubt. It's as wide as SD2 but flatter.
 
Keep in mind, this is only the second day and brain burn-in is still in process.

 

[eke2k6]

  What I meant was that I am a bit overwhelmed by the amount of sub-bass.

 
Because the SD3 has very little. The FA-4's bass is very clean, with little boost anywhere:
 

 

[Ultrazino]

   
Because the SD3 has very little. The FA-4's bass is very clean, with little boost anywhere:
 

 
You call over 10db at 20-30 Hz a "little boost"? It's a brain massage that causes rumble where there shouldn't be any. My head shakes when Chris Jones hits a guitar string.
Switching to SD2 feels like a relief.

 

[shotgunshane]

I don't know how reliable these graphs are but it only shows a ~6db boost from 1k.

 

[eke2k6]

   
You call over 10db at 20-30 Hz a "little boost"? It's a brain massage that causes rumble where there shouldn't be any. My head shakes when Chris Jones hits a guitar string.
Switching to SD2 feels like a relief.

 
 
The difference between 115db (1K) and 118db (the largest bass boost point) is 3. Look at those graphs again.
 
The SD3 has poor extension. If you've adjusted to its sound, the FA-4 will sound like it has too much sub-bass.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

I don't know how reliable these graphs are but it only shows a ~6db boost from 1k.

 
yes it's said is + 6db of bass boost, zino the sd3 are +12 db of bass boost if I remeber well. it seems the sub bass region is more extended in the amps and you are not used to that but man in that case +12 db of bass boost doesn't case you pain at all? it's also said it bleeds into the mids and make the sd3 a dark sounding phone so if you find the amps sub bass to add rumble when it's not necessary i guess the sd3 should also make music presentation far from neutral...

 

[Ultrazino]

Thanks Shane, I skipped a line.
 
Eke, I haven't compared to SD3 yet. The FA4 is fatiguing and it has too much (sub-) bass. That's all I said.
If you'd read my review on SD3 you'd know I'm not happy with the bass boost either and also that it's a upper/mid bass that bleeds into mids. It extends just fine, however. Sub-bass is very well perceptible, even at low volumes. But there is just much more going on at 180 Hz. So in that sense the FA4 does not extend deeper but it has the boost shifted to the end.
 
I'm switching between FA4 and SD2 today and I have yet to find a recording with which I rather grab the Fischers. The SD2 sounds more 3D, more linear, more organic and smoother in the mids.
The FA4 has this very distinct BA feeling of thin and artificial tones that reminds me of the PFE1xx. I need some more getting used to.

 

[Kurdt-bada]

quite different opinion i guess
 
Quote:

   
The SD2 still belongs more or less in the UM3X, W4, UM2 camp, ie, though more neutral than the Westones, it still has some clear warmth to it and a more monitor type of sound, more in your head. The FA-4 sounds more high-end, fuller, clearer; there's more layering, making it clearly more 3D sounding and expansive. The layering and treble energy not only present details more clearly, but the very good layering allows for instruments to find their own space and are, therefore, allowed to breathe, so to speak, and not constantly fight for their place in the 'virtual' stage.
 

 

[Gintaras]

Thanks Shane, I skipped a line.

Eke, I haven't compared to SD3 yet. The FA4 is fatiguing and it has too much (sub-) bass. That's all I said.
If you'd read my review on SD3 you'd know I'm not happy with the bass boost either and also that it's a upper/mid bass that bleeds into mids. It extends just fine, however. Sub-bass is very well perceptible, even at low volumes. But there is just much more going on at 180 Hz. So in that sense the FA4 does not extend deeper but it has the boost shifted to the end.

I'm switching between FA4 and SD2 today and I have yet to find a recording with which I rather grab the Fischers. The SD2 sounds more 3D, more linear, more organic and smoother in the mids.
The FA4 has this very distinct BA feeling of thin and artificial tones that reminds me of the PFE1xx. I need some more getting used to.

very interesting opinion and you sound real honest because i can feel you tried to like fa4 as much as possible, thanks