Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?

[erockg]

That's too bad. Apple used to be the gold standard. I personally haven't had any issues with Apple support. Samsung and Google are light years behind Apple. I tend to find just going to the Apple store to be the easiest path.

I must be the minority, because I've never had bad luck with Apple. They're great.

 

[erockg]

I thought I might buy this thing but the Fiio store is kind of yucky to navigate, not sure it is worth my effort for aptx lossless

I didn't have any issues and am pleasantly surprised it was so easy this time.

Using them has been fun once you freaking figure them out. aptX Adaptive/Lossless on my iPhone with the PI8 sounds really great.

I will say, if the signal gets interrupted, like walking into another room and having a wall block you for 5-10 seconds, music cuts out. Quick fix is to pull the usb out and put back in. They connect right back. Annoying, but hey, a small price to pay for a small usb adapter that lets me use other codecs with my iPhone. Not bad at all.

 

[jant71]

Interesting? tidbit...
"a completely wireless version of Kinera's quad hybrid earphone "Verdandi" is in development, and they showed us a prototype. It is an ambitious model equipped with 1DD+2BA+2EST and 1BC (bone conduction driver), and for now it is called "Verdandi TWS (tentative name)." The price has not been decided yet, but it is expected to be around $1,200 at this time."

...and thus we usher in the new genre of the Chi-Fi Kilobuck TWS.

 

[clerkpalmer]

Interesting? tidbit...
"a completely wireless version of Kinera's quad hybrid earphone "Verdandi" is in development, and they showed us a prototype. It is an ambitious model equipped with 1DD+2BA+2EST and 1BC (bone conduction driver), and for now it is called "Verdandi TWS (tentative name)." The price has not been decided yet, but it is expected to be around $1,200 at this time."

...and thus we usher in the new genre of the Chi-Fi Kilobuck TWS.

What purpose does a bone conduction driver serve in a IEM like this? Does it add subbass?

 

[highlightshadow]

The BT11 is taking a beating via the comments in the thread here and on Reddit, FiiO even admitted in not so many words they are Beta testing it on us.

I have both and the BT-W6 is far more polished right now and has a fully working Windows App that you can set it up on and move to phone/Mac/games console etc.

The lack of LDAC is not an issue as I knew that to begin with and Creative have never done so and all my phones have supported it from 2016.

I can do LDAC via my BTA30 PRO also the Alt AD2P driver just as well as with the BT11 so the claim of better distance due to their ground-breaking antennae design etc is BS IMO.

The only advantage is I can now use my FW5's properly with LDAC on my PC as both devices shoehorn LDAC onto a chipset that does not support it by using Snapdragon's compression as without it you would be stuck with 600k instead of 900k but it can act up regardless.

If I use my FiiO FW5's with my PC it is 90% of the time via the Creative Dongle (previously BT-W4/5) for aptX Adaptive and the same on my phone or LHDC both of which are better than LDAC all round including SQ/Latency and Battery on the exactly same devices so an apple to apples comparison

Seems Fiio are losing a lot of goodwill with the BT11 and the "new" UWS5

 

[helmutcheese]

I like their IEM's as not much can go wrong with them but but anything else with DAC/Bluetooth components I own is buggy and quickly becomes abandonware.

 

[Not so fat head]

Interesting? tidbit...
"a completely wireless version of Kinera's quad hybrid earphone "Verdandi" is in development, and they showed us a prototype. It is an ambitious model equipped with 1DD+2BA+2EST and 1BC (bone conduction driver), and for now it is called "Verdandi TWS (tentative name)." The price has not been decided yet, but it is expected to be around $1,200 at this time."

...and thus we usher in the new genre of the Chi-Fi Kilobuck TWS.

These guys make from $29 - $1,400.00 IEM's? Crazy........
https://kineraaudio.com/collections...wYYDciawJRD6x0bEUfRGwCRz7Umwq7Ybi8wWRyHHSEUGz

 

[clerkpalmer]

I like their IEM's as not much can go wrong with them but but anything else with DAC/Bluetooth components I own is buggy and quickly becomes abandonware.

May not be everyone's cup of tea but they get points for going for it. I'll be they find a few takers.

 

[helmutcheese]

May not be everyone's cup of tea but they get points for going for it. I'll be they find a few takers.

Did I see you bought and are about to return the MTW4's even after the fit issue with the MTW3's even after I hooked you up with a link to 3rd party bigger ear fins?

 

[clerkpalmer]

Did I see you bought and are about to return the MTW4's even after the fit issue with the MTW3's even after I hooked you up with a link to 3rd party bigger ear fins?

It's not so much the fit but the sound.

 

[voicemaster]

Seems Fiio are losing a lot of goodwill with the BT11 and the "new" UWS5

I just got the UTWS5 2025 and so far, it has been pretty solid. Connection is good, no dropping out and re-syncing between the L&R, volume is louder compared to the older version and the charging has been flawless. I hope this will continue as time goes by. I am connected to my pc using BT-W5.

Left to right: Original - Updated - 2025 version.

 

[highlightshadow]

I just got the UTWS5 2025 and so far, it has been pretty solid. Connection is good, no dropping out and re-syncing between the L&R, volume is louder compared to the older version and the charging has been flawless. I hope this will continue as time goes by. I am connected to my pc using BT-W5.

Left to right: Original - Updated - 2025 version.

I was one of the lucky ones with no issues on charging pins but the EQ crap and ldac poor efforts to fix are making me inclined not to want to "upgrade"

 

[jant71]

https://www.documents.philips.com/assets/20240603/0379080bc4574af48b3ab1840100a000.pdf
Wanted to try out a Philips so I grabbed these for $39.99...

Not bad at all. Small, sturdy build budget set with o, nice hinge on the case. Tips sound good. Oval and lock into grooves on the stem. Only SBC and LC3, MP, touch controls are good and a soft beep register a touch. Controls everything ANC->Awareness->Off in on the left with two taps and tap and hold quick aware. Comfy and easy to fit. No issue getting them in and out of the case. Awareness is nice and clear actually except for my own voice which has that slight ears plugged sound. A slight white noise hiss if in a quiet area but solid ambient for $40. ANC is strictly low tones and usable but nothing special. No pressure feel and bass is slightly thickened with it on. Doesn't muck up the sound too much and does block enough noise to help keep the outside at bay under normal ambient noise situations but not high noise ones. Solid for the price but no threat to BOSE or SONY any time soon. The passive isolation isn't great perhaps a more isolating tip could up things but the stock tips are on the soft side so comfy but not big on seal

I like them. Sound is fun and a bit U shaped but a has a good treble presence. Happy it isn't too bassy with dull rolled on the highs. Fairly tight and snappy bass and nice texture. Some low thump when called for but not a consumer bassy set. Imaging and separation is well done. Good volume on these. Design is well done and controls are very usable and easy to get the hang of. Build is light but strong. Connection is solid. Above average budget set with no flaws. Good purchase that I'll hold on to.

 

[helmutcheese]

Why does the tape measure end at 5+1/4" what were you measuring?

 

[jant71]

Why does the tape measure end at 5+1/4" what were you measuring?

To show the case size obviously. I put it out of frame. Unless you want this...

Though it does give a bit of scale if one is familiar with the size of a 25 foot tape measure.