[Dsnuts]

G & B for me. I like spacious shells for IEMs just because what they do for sound.

 

[Lolito2]

fh3 looks even better than C

 

[prawdziwysimone]

Bullet/None

 

[Surf Monkey]

C was my first choice, which seems to be a popular one so far. The shell design is cool, but more importantly to me the overall semi-custom shape is closest to the sets that fit me best. The OH10 and the NX7 MK4 have a similar shape.

But as was mentioned above, the arguably more important side is the back, where they go into the ear. The length and angle of nozzles is a particularly critical element in fit and seal.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Bullet/None

It’s curious that D is included on this list since flat head buds aren’t really the same as IEM and bullet style phones. Bullet vs semi-custom seems like a better contest than IEM vs flat head bud.

 

[Surf Monkey]

G & B for me. I like spacious shells for IEMs just because what they do for sound.

This is what makes me hesitate on C. By way of illustration, the OH10 is small and comfortable with a massive soundstage. It’s a single DD and a single BA. The NX7 MK4 is very similar in shape and size but packs in four BAs, a “dual” DD and a PZT. The tune is good but the stage is cramped in comparison.

C if it contains only two or three drivers at most.

 

[Dsnuts]

This is what makes me hesitate on C. By way of illustration, the OH10 is small and comfortable with a massive soundstage. It’s a single DD and a single BA. The NX7 MK2 is very similar in shape and size but packs in four BAs, a “dual” DD and a PZT. The tune is good but the stage is cramped in comparison.

C if it contains only two or three drivers at most.

ya I am reviewing the NX7 MK4 currently. The reason why the stage is cramped on them is all the drivers sit inside the concha of the ear and all the drivers are litterally on top of each other. Shell implimentation and how the drivers fit inside the shells makes a big difference for stage perception. FH9 and FH7S both use larger shells and has a boat load of drivers but no way is the sound cramped like it is for the NX7 Iems.

Some of my best sound stage IEMs all use larger shells. Solaris, Mest, Legend, Zeus, Z1R, FH9 ect. This was the reason why I kept on putting in my reviews to NiceHCK that they need to use a different shell. But nope 4 revisions later and they are still using the same exact housing. What a damn shame, but I suppose reusing what they have saves on cost.

If the design of the housing was good from the get go this would not have been a problem. That generic shell they are using is used on numerious IEMs from TFZ, KZ TRN, KBEAR CCZ and probably a dozen more to name of few, they all use that exact same shell.

To be frank, when I see an IEM using that same housing. I dont even bother. Lol.

 

[warrenpchi]

Seems like a lot of people are basing their selections purely on aesthetics.

 

[Surf Monkey]

ya I am reviewing the NX7 MK4 currently. The reason why the stage is cramped on them is all the drivers sit inside the concha of the ear and all the drivers are litterally on top of each other. Shell implimentation and how the drivers fit inside the shells makes a big difference for stage perception. FH9 and FH7S both use larger shells and has a boat load of drivers but no way is the sound cramped like it is for the NX7 Iems.

Some of my best sound stage IEMs all use larger shells. Solaris, Mest, Legend, Zeus, Z1R, FH9 ect. This was the reason why I kept on putting in my reviews to NiceHCK that they need to use a different shell. But nope 4 revisions later and they are still using the same exact housing. What a damn shame, but I suppose reusing what they have saves on cost.

If the design of the housing was good from the get go this would not have been a problem. That generic shell they are using is used on numerious IEMs from TFZ, KZ TRN, KBEAR CCZ and probably a dozen more to name of few, they all use that exact same shell.

To be frank, when I see an IEM using that same housing. I dont even bother. Lol.

Case in point: the much maligned MUSE Power is massive and regardless of its tuning issues it has the biggest stage of any set I own.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Seems like a lot of people are basing their selections purely on aesthetics.

It’s difficult to do much than that when we don’t know what FiiO has in mind for the driver configuration and hasn’t shown us the reverse side of the housings.

 

[Johnny Fire]

Give us the proper support and let the polls for later please.

 

[akãjerovia]

FH3

 

[Rhythim]

FA7 is the comfiest iem to my ear ever. I think Fiio's nailing the design, I voted for FA9 cause of this but I've never tried the F9s shape before so I cant fully say.

Personally I think the FA7 are really snazzy looking too. Subtle but awesome

 

[Hooga]

None of those. But it's not the shape what fiio needs to improve

 

[RONJA MESCO]

We have tried many designs in different styles and directions since we made headphones, but we know that these designs are still far from the standards our users want.
In order to grasp the direction and improve the design level, James Chung has summarized typical ID representative works, and you may check which design you prefer.
Please feel free to select the style in the following poll. Welcome everyone to leave comments.

B-C
F-H
and J
I do not like IEMs that resemble ear buds, because if so, I may as well order earbuds. Also, though it's not true, I often in my mind see earbuds style as inferior, cheaper and lacking as compared to other more traditional IEM shapes. Also I do not like IEM's that look like Sennheiser style because they usually run on the small side for my ears.