[luisdent]

That is a really nice video and you have done a great job describing the different sounds and fit. I can't comment about the isolation comparisons since i don't have the Etys but the Fitear seem better that average to me ..

I probably should have been more specific. I wasn't really conparing the isolation to other iems as being "average". I just meant that from low isolation to very high isolation, they fall somewhere in the middle around 20-25db of isolation (from what i can tell. I have no actual data on this, just my ears.) i can't really speak on what the average amount is across iems... The ones i have tried have really been all over the place and hard to "average out". If i had to guess, i'd say they are average to very good, but i don't have them on hand to test again.

 

[alpha421]

Great review. Very thorough.

 
I concur. Very well done and coherent.  I wish all video reviews were more like this.  Great use of hand gestures and very nice pace.

 

[luisdent]

   
I concur. Very well done and coherent.  I wish all video reviews were more like this.  Great use of hand gestures and very nice pace.

 
Thanks.  My wife just says it's the French in me.

 

[music_4321]

  I've posted a video review if anyone is interested and I'm writing a quick review on the product page as well.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiFd4lLINAk&feature=youtu.be

 
Excellent video! — very, very informative (have added a link to it to the first post in the thread).
 
A couple of things.
 
The FitEar Parterre also has titanium nozzles: http://fitear.jp/music/sp/parterre.html
 
I sold my F111 quite a while ago, but you and I seem to hear the F111 & ER4S quite differently (wish I had both to compare side by side). I always used a shallow fit with the F111s and got a perfect seal with the stock medium single flange tips (like you do). However, I now have the ER4S, and find I enjoy it more than I did the F111; I don't share your view that with a shallow fit the F111s are warm-ish — not saying you're wrong, only saying how I heard the F111s, or how I remember hearing them. The FitEars were ultimately not for me as I found them rather lean, but not the 4S. I find the 4S a better all-rounder, ie most of the music I throw at it sounds either excellent or very good and doesn't leave me with a feeling that something isn't quite right or that something is missing, like the F111 did with quite a few albums / tracks.
 
I also never found the F111s to be more 3D than the 4S—quite the opposite, in fact.

 

[luisdent]

Excellent video! — very, very informative (have added a link to it to the first post in the thread).

A couple of things.

The FitEar Parterre also has titanium nozzles: http://fitear.jp/music/sp/parterre.html

I sold my F111 quite a while ago, but you and I seem to hear the F111 & ER4S quite differently (wish I had both to compare side by side). I always used a shallow fit with the F111s and got a perfect seal with the stock medium single flange tips (like you do). However, I now have the ER4S, and find I enjoy it more than I did the F111; I don't share your view that with a shallow fit the F111s are warm-ish — not saying you're wrong, only saying how I heard the F111s, or how I remember hearing them. The FitEars were ultimately not for me as I found them rather lean, but not the 4S. I find the 4S a better all-rounder, ie most of the music I throw at it sounds either excellent or very good and doesn't leave me with a feeling that something isn't quite right or that something is missing, like the F111 did with quite a few albums / tracks.

I also never found the F111s to be more 3D than the 4S—quite the opposite, in fact.

I didn't say the were warm with the shallow fit... That is the deeper fit. The issue with the overall sound difference we are hearing is still most likely fit in my opinion. It isn't just a shallow fit with good seal... I was thinking of making a video on that. It has to be very shallow and sealed well, but also sitting "just right". I think it has to do with the distance and where it seals on the tip. Sometimes it almost seemed like it had to seal with only half the tip. A full seal yes, but not the whole tip inserted. It's hard to explain, but i am guessing some people might not even be able to achieve this fit based on their ears. I'm not sure.

It took a while to get the fit right for me. It wasn't just a matter of shallow seal. :-/ all i can say is to not give up if you have them. Once i figured out essentially how to do it, it became easier (but not 'easy'). I think this is the bane of the f111. I'm not sure what the target sound/fit was, but i just know that i was able to achieve er4s like response myself. Without that response, i could see someone finding the er4s more 3d. Just the treble alone adds to the depth and 3dness. But when i got that nice fit the f111 were something to behold...

 

[audiofreakie]

Comparison of Fitear 111 and ER4P, I had them. both.

- Fitear 111 more allrounder, er4p lack of bass, even I don't like boomy bass, I think ER4P need to boost the bass a little bit like 111 do.

- Fitear 111 had a superb ambience than ER4P. My. ear can notice the huge difference of ambience. between these monster of detail.
-Fitear 111 is more 3d, I found that ER4P is 2d, and has a small. soundstage.
- ER4P has more impact even it lack of bass.
- ER4P is equal Fitear 111 in detail, clean and sterile sound.
- Fitear 111 has a great treble, even ER4P has a more sparkling treble, I found that the ER4P treble is "cut" (I can't find the right explanation since my english is poor).

That's it, overall I more prefer Fitear 111 than ER4P, I think Fitear 111 is an upgrade and superior version of ER4.

Note : My friend report that Audio Note tonearms cable is great upgrade for 111 and even 334, pair it with cardas HPSC & viablue plug, even better than 000 cable.

Take it with grain of salt, all is my personal impression

 

[luisdent]

Comparison of Fitear 111 and ER4P, I had them. both.

- Fitear 111 more allrounder, er4p lack of bass, even I don't like boomy bass, I think ER4P need to boost the bass a little bit like 111 do.

- Fitear 111 had a superb ambience than ER4P. My. ear can notice the huge difference of ambience. between these monster of detail.
-Fitear 111 is more 3d, I found that ER4P is 2d, and has a small. soundstage.
- ER4P has more impact even it lack of bass.
- ER4P is equal Fitear 111 in detail, clean and sterile sound.
- Fitear 111 has a great treble, even ER4P has a more sparkling treble, I found that the ER4P treble is "cut" (I can't find the right explanation since my english is poor).

That's it, overall I more prefer Fitear 111 than ER4P, I think Fitear 111 is an upgrade and superior version of ER4.

Note : My friend report that Audio Note tonearms cable is great upgrade for 111 and even 334, pair it with cardas HPSC & viablue plug, even better than 000 cable.

Take it with grain of salt, all is my personal impression

Good impressions. I find most of that true with the er4s as well with the right f111 fit. However, you should get the er4p to er4s adapter. The er4s doesn't have the treble "cut" that the er4p has. It has very linear treble all the way up...

 

[audiofreakie]

Maybe I will build my own adapter since this adapter is not available in my country, Indonesia.
It is 75ohm right?

 

[luisdent]

Maybe I will build my own adapter since this adapter is not available in my country, Indonesia.
It is 75ohm right?

Yes.

 

[audiofreakie]

Will build it
soon, I had 2 vishay dale 75ohm, one pcs rhodium miniplug and 1 pcs female mini plug.

 

[eke2k6]

I've been listening to the F111 for the last couple of hours, and I struggle see why someone would buy this over the HF5. It lacks the HF5's great upper mids, the treble is neither as extended or brilliant, and I find unnecessarily warm. The worst part is that despite the warmth, it lacks the HF5's bass punch. I don't find it any more resolving either.
 
I'm also noticing a weird timbre thing going on.
 
I'll keep listening throughout the day, but at the moment I don't see how the F111 is worth more than the HF5, much less its current price.

 

[luisdent]

  I've been listening to the F111 for the last couple of hours, and I struggle see why someone would buy this over the HF5. It lacks the HF5's great upper mids, the treble is neither as extended or brilliant, and I find unnecessarily warm. The worst part is that despite the warmth, it lacks the HF5's bass punch. I don't find it any more resolving either.
 
I'm also noticing a weird timbre thing going on.
 
I'll keep listening throughout the day, but at the moment I don't see how the F111 is worth more than the HF5, much less its current price.

 
I know i say it over and over, but the fit is critical.  This isn't like the etymotic, where the fit gives you more bass, the fit completely transforms the sound to etymotic like response.  Start with the medium silicone tips and gently touch them to your ears.  Slowly push them in until they JUST seal in your ears.  If you can get them to stay in your ear before getting a seal, try wiggling them in your ear and playing with your earlobe to try and get it to seal more without pushing them in any further.  If you can get a fit and seal that shallow (assuming our ear canals are the same length) you should hear a huge difference.
 
If that doesn't work, and you have the black vsonic biflanges, push them in as far as you can and then some.  They aren't "as" good, but they also transform the treble completely if you can get them deep enough.
 
When I get the perfect fit, not only fo they sound like the er4s, but the treble is just as extended and beautiful.  It isn't an easy thing to achieve though.  So that in itself keeps them from being as good as they could be.

 

[gnarlsagan]

I've been listening to the F111 for the last couple of hours, and I struggle see why someone would buy this over the HF5. It lacks the HF5's great upper mids, the treble is neither as extended or brilliant, and I find unnecessarily warm. The worst part is that despite the warmth, it lacks the HF5's bass punch. I don't find it any more resolving either.

I'm also noticing a weird timbre thing going on.

I'll keep listening throughout the day, but at the moment I don't see how the F111 is worth more than the HF5, much less its current price.

I see the F111 as warmer than the ER4S also. I find the F111 to have more bass punch though, I think. I'll do some more a/b comparisons when I get them back. But I like the F111 because it's warmer. To me it offers a different flavor from the ER4S, with warm but linear mids and a more open 3D-ish presentation. Luisdent explained it well in his video review. The treble extension varies wildly with insertion technique unfortunately. For me the peak was from ~8.5k to 11k, with the latter being much preferable.

 

[eke2k6]

I've used my own auvio double flanges, the vsonic doubles, and the extra long single flange from the meelec m11 tip set.
 
The problem is that it's warm for no apparent reason. It's almost as warm as the ASG-2 (minus the mid-bass of course), but I was just telling a buddy that it has neither the black background nor the enveloping stage of the G2.
 
I think the greater sense of space vs the Etys comes from the more laid back upper mids. I could achieve the same thing by EQing down the HF5 at around 2.5 khz.
 
It is more linear than the G2 in the treble though, which is nice because it doesn't have the spike at 10khz. I don't hear much more presence though.
 
 
Lusident, I think the fit troubles you had were because of the F111's tendency to form a vacuum seal. This would restrict the movement of the eardrum.

 

[luisdent]

I've used my own auvio double flanges, the vsonic doubles, and the extra long single flange from the meelec m11 tip set.

The problem is that it's warm for no apparent reason. It's almost as warm as the ASG-2 (minus the mid-bass of course), but I was just telling a buddy that it has neither the black background nor the enveloping stage of the G2.

I think the greater sense of space vs the Etys comes from the more laid back upper mids. I could achieve the same thing by EQing down the HF5 at around 2.5 khz.

It is more linear than the G2 in the treble though, which is nice because it doesn't have the spike at 10khz. I don't hear much more presence though.


Lusident, I think the fit troubles you had were because of the F111's tendency to form a vacuum seal. This would restrict the movement of the eardrum.

I don't think so. I heard the exact same sound you describe. So i think you're missing the perfect fit. It's a matter of seal as well as distance. Some people might have a harder time achieving it. I achieved almost identical er4s quality when I got the fit right. So I know it's possible.

I can't eq my er4s to achieve the soundstage differences and 3d imaging. I think it's more the sound projection of the design personally...