[castleofargh]

I'm with Inks, there is no way the F111 and er4 have the same signature.  but people loving one will probably love the other.
 

 

[Inks]

No FitEear uses standard equipments, most likely an IEC711 coupler. Last I checked it looked like a G.R.A.S

They have to be doing something wrong honestly, both subjective listening and 3rd party graphs really disprove those graphs. The F111 is closer to the ER4P than ER4S, but its like a hybrid of the two with slightly better bass depth than both.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

So far I've only had a few hours to listen, and I'm still adapting to the sound of the f111, however it is without a doubt one of the best IEMs I've ever heard.  In fact, I'm not sure if I prefer the er4s or the f111, but they are the top two in my book.
 
If I compare them with no EQ, the f111 wins in a lot of areas.  They have nearly perfect bass, better comfort and better soundstage.  They give possibly the best non-eq listening experience for an IEM.  However, they are not as even or extended as the er4s in the treble.  Don't get me wrong, the difference is small when you compare both of these to ANY other IEM I've heard.  However, the er4s is just treble master with red filters or green for that matter.  The er4s bass, even when at similar levels lacks something that the f111 has in the bass.  I'm not sure yet if it's the attack or texture or something, but I prefer the f111 bass.  However, the er4s has more airy openness up top.
 
The f111 still manages to pull out pretty much the same level of details, but just in a slightly warmer way and with a little less smoothness up top.  But again, this isn't a drastic difference really.  They both have an etymotic type sound to them.  The f11 just sounds more full and robust and bigger.  The er4s sound more open and analytical.  It's like your looking at an image and inspecting the details, where the f111 is a little more like the image is 3d or at least the image is more immersive.
 
The f111 winds hands down in comfort and typical user features.  The cable is excellent and feels great.  The tips are nice and don't require any ear bleeding at first.  However, the er4s still wins in isolation.  The f111 is very good, but the ety is just insane.  I have a loud a/c unit in my living room.  Loud.  The etymotic literally blocks it all.  I can't tell if it's on with the deep silicon fit I get.  The f111 blocks it so that all I hear is a very faint hum.  Enough to know it's on, but not interfere with the music really.  So I wouldn't avoid them if you want great isolation.  They are great.  But the etys are greater. haha.
 
I'll post more as I listen more.

 
Have added you initial impressions to the first post of this thread. Will add more if you post further in-depth impressions.
 
BTW, I was under the impression Mr luisdent thought (before hearing the F111s) these FitEars were bass-head IEMs — it appears they aren't.

 

[audiofreakie]

You all should try listen to er4 with cardas cable+ oyaide plug, without resistor, its sound similiar to f111.

 

[TimOgawa]

has anyone tried the F111 with the 000 or 001 cable?

 

[luisdent]

Have added you initial impressions to the first post of this thread. Will add more if you post further in-depth impressions.

BTW, I was under the impression Mr luisdent thought (before hearing the F111s) these FitEars were bass-head IEMs — it appears they aren't.

I think you're thinking of someone else. I've never heard or discussed the f111 much before now. Why would i have thought that?

As for the er4s. There is absolutely truth to that graph in some small way. I get a fit with one or two tips out of the 20 something tips i have where the sound is absolutely 100% er4s-like but better bass slightly. Unfortunately, i can't consistently get this fit. In fact, it's frustratingly hard to get it. I don't know what changes, because in both cases i get good isolation, pressure, etc. but more than once i thought "oh my gosh, that graph was completely accurate!!! I just needed the right fit!" Then i go on for a hour trying to get the fit again.

What normally happens is that i get hollow, unsealed fitment with 50% of my attempts. With only TWO of these tips can i get consistent sealing and fit. And when i do, i get the exact sound i usually hear described by people like gnarlsagan. Very ety like, but lower treble and more bass essentially...

If i had to guess, either the fit that gives me amazing sound is a fluke, and it just happens to affect the frequencies that way... or these things are harder to fit than the er4s!

I'm guessing the first option, because of how often i get the normally described sound. I bet that graph was based on the best attempt of a bunch of tips and fittings... I'm not sure. But these tips just aren't helping me out...

 

[luisdent]

For a quick update.  These things are amazing with the right fit.  I've been able to successfully fit the tips a lot more often now to achieve almost exact er4s frequency response.  But here's the kicker...  They're better than the er4s in every other way (in my opinion).  Instruments stand out as much more distinct and 3D.  Certain things can more easily be heard 'within' an instrument.  They're less fatiguing relatively speaking as well.  They don't require a mining operation to get the tips in your ears.  Lastly, they are more geared towards consumers, so the cable is shorter and more nice (possibly not as durable though, I'm not sure) and they go around the eras (i prefer that now).
 
To get this "perfect" fit, I have found that I need to only insert them JUST enough to create a full seal.  So they end up being fully seated and secure, but as far away from the eardrum as possible.  I can do this with only two tips so far; the stock medium silicon singles and the stock frosted double flange.  The singles are easier to get consistently though.  So, this might be a challenge for a lot of people.  I'd recommend playing around with all of the tips and really trying every single possible position, angle, depth, etc.
 
If I push them in further the seal changes and then if I push then in really far the seal changes again.  With each succession though the seal is almost broken and re-established.  It's like it fits in my ear three different depths with breaks in between.  Strange sort of.  With each successively deeper insertion the treble becomes lower and the bass becomes louder.  They never sound bad, but the deeper I go the more they sound like the way most people describe them.  Bassier than the er4s with less treble.  However, in the shallowest proper seal, I get almost the identical er4s sound.  Not really any more bass even.  They sounds almost like someone took the er4s and made them project out further in space so things sounded more "live" and instruments more distinct.  Otherwise, without the perfect fit I'd say the er4s were better in frequency with the f111 being better in presentation.  So they'd be comparable.  With the proper seal though I "think" I'm leaning towards the f111 based on sound alone.  Once price and everything else is factored in, that's a lot more money (2X more) for the f111 over the er4s.  Whether that is justified would be up to each individual.  I'm not sure myself, because I wouldn't want to spend that much to upgrade, unless I could be sure I would be able to easily achieve the "perfect" fit.  As of right now I think it's getting easier, but time will tell.
 
UPDATE:  I'd just like to add that they sound so much like the er4s I've started using the exact same er4s bass boost eq I use.  Some songs are simply much easier to hear into and micro details are even more apparent with the f111.  So far today I haven't had a problem achieving the perfect shallow fit.  I have been noticing the less sound isolation though.  I've been so used to the er4s which are almost unreal isolation.  The er4s isolate noise better than the highest rated foam earplugs you can buy in stores.  The f111 is good isolation, but more "average" than the er4s in that regard.  It's plenty for me, but I probably wouldn't use them in the server room at work, whereas the e4s bring the servers down to an almost silent hum so I can actually listen to music.  I probably "could" use them, but I wouldn't want to risk compounding server noise with music noise and damage my hearing over time.  Anyway, back to music!

 

[tomscy2000]

I'm glad the ER4 kids all enjoy the F111's fit.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

I'm glad the ER4 kids all enjoy the F111's fit.

 
It's funny, because once you get the best seal they are comfortable and easy to wear.  However, I wish it were possible to just insert a normal silicon tip and achieve optimal sound.  I guess everything is a trade off...

 

[eke2k6]

Now I'm uber excited for the F111. I'm not going to be able to afford it, but the way the sound signature is described against the ER4S sounds very much like the way the HF5 is portrayed.
 
Oh and I ordered a genuine ER4P to S adapter for $13. I'll see how it affects the HF5.

 

[HeroicPenguin]

Quote:

Now I'm uber excited for the F111. I'm not going to be able to afford it, but the way the sound signature is described against the ER4S sounds very much like the way the HF5 is portrayed.
 
Oh and I ordered a genuine ER4P to S adapter for $13. I'll see how it affects the HF5.

 
I think the HF5 is actually a better comparison than the ER4. The F111 sounds exactly like a more refined HF5 -- tighter bass, much larger soundstage, better clarity, and more detail. I loved the HF5, but when I went from listening to the HF5 to the F111, the difference was huge.
 
I also liked the HF5 more than the ER4 (the treble on the ER4 was a bit too piercing and the bass quantity felt better on the HF5); the F111 feels like the ER4 "done right" to me.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

For a quick update...

 
Good to see Mr luisdent is slowly but surely becoming a bass-head.
 
(Have added your "quick update" to the first post of this thread)

 

[luisdent]

Good to see Mr luisdent is slowly but surely becoming a bass-head.

(Have added your "quick update" to the first post of this thread)

"Becoming" a bass head? . I am coming from a sony ex85lp... Go check out that frequency response.

My all time favorite iem for bass is actually the pfe112. Most people wouldn't consider them bass head iems . I like my bass like i like my... Well, bass... Flat but full, tight and punchy. Most iems, including the f111 and er4s sacrifice low sub bass levels to make the rest of the spectrum more even. It seems like every single driver iem makes a sacrifice in either treble, mids or bass. Or in the case of the f111, the same amount but in a few areas.

Ironically, multi driver iems typically use the extra drivers to pump up the treble and bass instead of making a completely flat response. Oh well. Maybe some day fitear or etymotic will add even one more driver to balance out the areas lacking...

 

[UnityIsPower]

Thanks for the impressions Luis.

I think music was being sarcastic?

Doesn't Fitear have Fitear has the 334 w/ 3BA 4BA and parterre w/ 2 BA's in each earpiece?

 

[luisdent]

Thanks for the impressions Luis.

I think music was being sarcastic?

Doesn't Fitear have the 334 w/ 3BA and parterre w/ 2 BA's in each earpiece?

Yes, but neither are flatter per se based on graphs. The 334 offer more bass from what i understand. Not sure about the other... And perhaps music was being sadistic... I mean sarcastic