[dweaver]

I noticed a new thread in the Sponsorship Announcements and Deal thread by Telos Accoustics and like others I posted my interest in trying out their Kickstart IEM called the Fujisan. Shortly there after I was contacted by Telos and asked if I would like to test one of the test samples which I gladly accepted. They expedited these to me just before my vacation started and I started to post initial impression which can be found in the thread I linked in my first sentence.
 
Unfortunately my laptop had issues while I was away making it hard for me to write a proper review (plus my family kind of expected me to vacation with them...) so I am only now ready to write my review. But thought I would start up a thread in the IEM Portables section since not everyone visits the Sponsor Announcements and Deals thread.
 
Please feel to ask any questions you want here. for now since I am the Head-Fi member that I know of to have a pair of these to review I will do my best to answer any questions about build, comparisons to other IEM's, and basic sonic qualities.
 
NOTE: the pair I am using is not the same as the final model in regards to finish, final cable sleeve, small accessories, etc. But I have been told it has the final tuning that will be used and the same essential cable. As such I am going to only use the stock pictures of the IEM from Telos home page and Kickstarter pages.
 
Telos Fujisan on Kickstarter
Telos Acoustics Website
 
Here are some pictures from Telos Acoustics:
 

As can be seen in the photo above the IEM has almost a retro styling and is a half in ear style which is fairly common. But the location of the driver helps to make this IEM more isolating than most half in ear models I have personally tried it is at least as good as an average full in ear IEM. The IEM also sports an oval shape to the nozzle which definitely adds to the comfort level of the IEM (but I am getting ahead of my review now

).
 


 
While I can not say with any certainty (since I am not affiliated with Telos Acoustics in way). I actually am very encouraged by their stance on Kickstarter regarding things like special features or Kickstarter special versions. Having been on the end of a 1 year wait for another Kickstarter IEM project due to offering things like special colors etc. I have a feeling Telos by deliberately staying focused on their original concept will have a better chance of actually being able to stay within their delivery dates.

 

[dweaver]

OK, after a bit of delay here is my review of the Fujisan by Telos. The unit I am using is a loaner test unit from the manufacturer, as stated above this unit doe not have the final cosmetic finishes but does have the final tuning.
 
When I initially received the unit I liked how it looked and found it to be very comfortable in ear. Initially I struggled with the default tip before realizing I was using the medium tips instead of the large ones. Consequently I ended up playing with a couple of other tips I had on hand including UE900 tips and JVC Spiral Dot tips. I find the original tips offer the best balance especially in the treble region. The UE tips increase the treble to the point where they start to be to strong affecting the sound stage and the JVC Spirals landing somewhere right in the middle. The default tips look pretty generic but I do think that so long as they fit OK they offer the truest rendition of sound that Telos was aiming for.
 
The one issue I did struggle with was cable noise and to a much lesser degree footfall noise. I ended up using a shirt clip and making a simple chin cinch and this removed almost all cable noise and helped to reduce the footfall noise to almost nil. In discussions with Telos they decided to add a shirt clip to the packaging. Once this issue was resolved I was able to start to enjoy the IEM and just focus on it's sonic and comfort.
 
Comfort wise the IEM is the first straight down IEM I have used that I have enjoyed in the past few years. The oval shaped nozzle and half ear design is very well done and works as advertised. I have been able to wear the IEM for several hours at a time with ZERO comfort issues they are very close to being as comfortable as my XBA-Z5 which I think is as comfortable an IEM I have ever owned.
 
The isolation of this IEM is also much better than most half in ear IEM I have heard. It is not to the level of the best in ear IEM like Shure or Etymotic  but it is at least as good as most average IEM's which again is better than other half in ear IEM's I have tried.
 
The build of the IEM while mostly plastic does seem to be fairly robust and the cable is thin and light yet very sturdy as are the strain reliefs. The jack is a straight I jack but is a good balance between thin and light and sturdy.
 
In regards to sound the overall sound is slightly bassy with a warm sweet tilt in the midrange and extended yet not hot harsh treble. The sound stage is slightly above average with similar imaging. I found I was able to listen to the IEM for hours on end with no fatigue and yet never felt bored with the signature.
 
Bass - 4.25/5 - The bass of the IEM is a bit hard to stick. It has pretty deep sub-bass while not having much of a mid-bass hump. The bass also does not have a lot of slam or punch as compared to some IEM's I have heard. In regards to 2 IEM's I have on hand I would say the Fujisan has deeper bass than the RHA T20 and not quite as heavy bass as the XBA-Z5. I find the overall tonal quality of the bass to be pleasant with good texture.
 
Midrange - 4.25/5 - The midrange is slightly forward and as mentioned a bit on the warm sweet side. Strangely enough even though this is the tonal quality of the midrange I still manage to hear the slight natural sibilance of singers like Patricia Barber but they never go into the painful sharp levels that some IEM's end up having.
 
Treble - 4.5/5 - The treble of the IEM is one of it's best features in my opinion. It managed to be bright and detailed without any spikes that would make it fatiguing. It is one area where I actually find myself preferring over my XBA-Z5 at times which is something I have not had another IEM achieve since I bought the Z5.
 
Sound Stage / Imaging - 3.5/5 - This is the one area that I would say the IEM is only slightly above average. The sound stage is decently wide but lacks depth. Imaging is consequently not as accurate as my XBA-Z5. But I have to also be very honest about the fact that I am spoiled by my XBA-Z5 which excels in this area so others may not feel this area is as average as I make it out to be. In fact when I did an A/B between the RHA T20 and the Fujisan they were similar with the T20 only just edging out the Fujisan.
 
The Fujisan also has a microphone and single button remote which seems to be good for the remote and average for the microphone. Telos opted to put the microphone and button at the Y joint as compared to higher up on the right or left cable. I find this position OK for the button but less than ideal for making calls as it starts to make me sound distant but I have not had any serious complaints about my voice when using the microphone.
 
Over all I find this IEM to be well designed and thought out. It is not perfect but it has excellent qualities that make it worth while in my opinion. Only time will tell if the $299 MSRP will hold up but at the asking price of the Kickstart project I think this is an excellent value IEM (even at the $139 bracket) if your looking for the sonic qualities I have mentioned and if your wanting a very comfortable IEM. I have to be honest and say I enjoy the Fujisan over my last Kickstarter IEM the Rocket by Aurisonics which I found to be too lacking in the bass department and a bit subdued in the treble region. The Rockets have a better midrange but not by enough to make me prefer it over the Fujisan's fuller overall sound. I also vastly prefer the Fujisan from a comfort perspective.

 

[audiobot]

 

[dweaver]

Just posted this reply in the original announcement thread but since it was a question I thought I place it here as well.

@dweaver: if you are able to would you mind drawing a comparison between the Fujisan and the Etymotics HF2/3/5 (which are all the same except for the music control remote). Thanks!

I have owned the HF2 so can comment on this. Sorry for the delay. The HF2 has a very typical BA type signature in my opinion. Meaning it's bass is very tight and punchy but not heavy in any way, it's midrange is front and center and is on the lean side verging on cold, treble is bright and very crisp but not harsh. I think of the HF2 as an analytical persons dream IEM. In many ways the HF2 reminded me of an AKG K702

The Fujisan is quite a bit different than the HF2 sonically speaking. The bass of the Fujisan is heavy and nuanced with good decay and texture. The midrange is slightly warm and has a bit of sweetness to it, the treble is nicely extended with good sizzle with no spike in the lower treble which helps make cymbals not sound to loud on the initial hit. The Fujisan is kind of like the baby brother of my Sony XBA-Z5 signature wise.

The HF2 is the more isolating of the 2 IEMs due to its deep insertion design while the Fujisan is more of a typical level of isolation. Both have some issues with micro phonics and both can be managed through cable management to a degree lessening the issue. The Fujisan is easily more comfortable. I can wear them for hours without any problem. The HF2 on the other hand was hard for me to wear for extended periods of time and they caused itchiness in my ears.

If you love the Ety sound and don't want it changed up much the Fujisan is not the right IEM for you. But if you want a complimentary IEM that is different from the analytical nature of the HF2 the Fujisan is an excellent option.

 

[dweaver]

Review is up...

 

[Flamess]

Noooiice! 

 

[dweaver]

Looking at Kickstarter one $99 slot just opened up if anyone was wanting the best deal on these...

 

[meringo]

I have been listening to my pair extensively the past few days. I feel awful only paying $100 for these, they are worth far more.

Build:
Build quality is top notch. Although I would have liked to have seen detachable cables, the permanent Kevlar cable seems super durable. The shell is extraordinary light weight, and the stem design really holds the IEM in place well. My favorite part of the build is the nozzle, as it turns standard tips into oval tips. This shape is much better for your ear, as Klipsch proved years ago.

Isolation:
The Fujisan isolate well for having such a shallow fit, but they certainly don't isolate Well enough for train or subway use. Outside noise is much too distracting. With that being said, the shallow design helps makes them incredibly easy to put in and take out of our ears.

Sound:
Sound quality is a phenomenal for the $300 price tier. I don't know if anything I'd recommend above these without paying $50-100 more. They are fairly neutral, with a slight emphasis on bass. To me, then make my old favorite single dynamic driver IEM, the IE80, totally obsolete. Fujisan just does everything better.

Final thoughts:
This is the best gym headphone on the market. They stay in place like no other, sound great, and seem like they will last for a while. For non-enthusiasts, this could be the only IEM you would ever need. For enthusiasts, they are the best "non-hassle" quick to use and pocketable option.

Go buy them. Happy listening.

 

[dweaver]

Good to see these are now being shipped out and great first impression. Being one of the few to hear these prior to their production is an honor but nervous at the same time as there is the worry that others won't hear them the same as I do. Glad to see it isn't just me that like them. I look forward to other people's impressions as they get their pairs.

 

[meringo]

Did you find the mids to be a bit recessed? I guess that would be my one complaint in the sq department. This is a dynamic... maybe I'm asking for too much. I'd love to see telos release a hybrid. This driver + a BA for added mids would be sick. 

 

[dweaver]

I found the midrange to be a bit warm which I like but I didn't find it to recessed. But depending on what your used to listening to you might have a different take on that than I do.

 

[meringo]

I found the midrange to be a bit warm which I like but I didn't find it to recessed. But depending on what your used to listening to you might have a different take on that than I do.

 
I have changed my opinion after further listening. I will be posting a full review shortly, with comments on such!

 

[meringo]

My review!

 

[dweaver]

Nice review . I like your assessment, the bass is the trickiest aspect of the sonic signature. I like it but I can see where it will depend on the type of music you listen to for the bass to work. I don't listen to much music with fast complicated bass so it works well for me.

 

[audiobot]

Great review meringo. I should be getting my pair on the 30th.