Fiio FH3 owner and respecter here.
Wondering what the next step up would look like in terms of adding a new dimension to what IEMs are capable of. FD5 and FH7 are on my radar.
Which one would be a better buy for someone who enjoys rock/pop, EDM, classical/orchestral? Both FD5 and FH7 appear to offer a lot.
hmmm I would say FD5, its mostly of if you want a clean cohesive with the rest of the sig with the FD5 or a rich smooth mid with the FH7.
FD5 also has the advantage of having highly slammy and controlled bass with slightly hot treble for that classic exciting sig.
Have you considered going outside the Fiio realm?
As a FH3 appreciator I looked into those and they didnāt seem to be a big upgrade and so I settled on the Timeless.
I have looked around. Admittedly, itās easy for someone relatively inexperienced in IEMs to get lost in a sea of IEM options. Truly is a golden era for audio options. Researched Moondrop offerings, 7hz timeless (how do you like yours? What genres do you listen to?), thieaudio, Sennheiser too.
Iām basically leaning toward getting a DAP and going the IEM route for most stuff, will switch back to Sundara to give my ear canal a break. Appears IEMs can reach far above their price point to achieve what multi-thousand dollar over ear cans do at a fraction of the equipment cost, including amp/DAC requirements.
The fh3 is one of the best in the sub ā¬150 range. If not the best.
If you really want to āstay loyalā to FIIO, then the image posted by remtang sums it up nicely: single dynamic driver FIIO iems are V-shaped, hybrids go for slightly recessed 2-6k warm-ish tonality.
Honestly, between FD5 and FH7 if I were you i would choose FH7, because it is tuned similarly to FH3 and as far as I am concerned hybrid FIIOs are more competitive that FIIOās single dynamics. Besides that there is the whole form factor thing. Of course it does not have to be a case, but single dynamic driver IEM like FD5 might be less comfortable in ear than a pseudo-custom FH7.
And as others already said in this thread, FIIO is definitely not the best performance-for-price in that price range. However, all in all the only thing that matters is whether you enjoy music with your gear. And music enjoyment might be influenced by these unmeasurable things like having favourite brand. If it is important to you, go for FIIO. Otherwise I highly recommend ranking lists by Crinacle and Precogvision.
Thanks for the list suggestions! I was consulting HeadConcert.comās IEM list too. Bookmarked your suggestions.
Itās less about loyalty and more about finding another set that will wow me, plus complement the FH3 (which are pleasing for my sense of sound + made a good impression being my first serious IEM). Watched Currawongās review of FH7, among others, and the way he in particular described the FH7 strengths (especially instrument separation, placement/imaging) sounded appealing.
Love the Timeless, listen to a bit of everything but more on the edm/hip hop side. My Sundara just collects dust since I go it.
In what aspect?
Youāve forced me to revisit some timeless reviews. Haha. Noticed itās on sale right now too.
Whatās your amp/dac or dap setup for the timeless and do you run āem single ended or balanced?
Tempotec Sonata HD Pro single ended. I got the Fiio Ka3 to run balanced but I didnāt notice a significant difference in sound and I had issues with that amp so switched back.
Expanded search.
Now considering: Blessing 2, Blessing 2: Dusk, 7hz Timeless, KATO, FD5, FH7, Thieaudio Legacy 4, Raptgo Hook-X
Stretches: Sennheiser IE 600, Moondrop Variations
i think all thats legt is asking what do you like out of the FH3, heavy bass, the V signature, the clarity (because Iāve used them before and they are bassy but clear), or is it an extra factor like soundstage
Itās really the quality of the sub bass rumble while managing the clarity of, letās say, a plucked guitar that got me with the FH3. The stage is a fun bonus when a certain track places a sound further outside my head.
I could be getting this wrong, but I think I like a bassy neutral, or mild V that doesnāt recess/veil the mids/vocals.
So hereās my experience and recā¦
I found FD3 Pro inferior to FH3, and found both of them limited/problematic. FD5 absolutely blew my mind for how much further beyond its technical abilities are compared to anything else below $300(especially for FPS gaming)ā¦ but the treble is just too sharp for general use, even with a copper cable, so I canāt rec it unless youāre a hardcore FPS gamer.
FD7, this thing is a BEAST. BIG bass. Not as expansive, airy, or sharp as FD5, but all together thereās still plenty of air and space, lending to a certainly better sound. But itās $599, too, so thereās thatā¦
Today I opened up my Hook-X, and I really like these things. The treble resolution/detail is outstanding, and Iām hearing new details in music. Coming from Timeless(which I liked a lot before), Hook-X is a more pleasant sound, with no excessive treble issues. The treble and details are significantly better and quite accurate. Itās definitely bright, but doesnāt cross the line for me. Quite revealing, and addictive, treble. Bass levels are moderate/OK. Thereās decent impact/kick, though I wish it had a little more meat. Depth and imaging are great. I think this is a super interesting, engaging, clear sound actually worth buying(for everyone), that lets you deeply explore more of the treble side of the Universe (you may not have known existed), while still offering moderate levels of bass, a good balance, and a modular cable, at only $240. Itās a more engaging, enjoyable sound than Oracle, and has way more detail and clarity than the Kanas Brothers and Starfield flavored IEMs.
B2 wasnāt for me, for sound or fit. L4 had a good, standard sound, but thatās all I got out of it. I like L3 more.
Thank you for the suggestion. I dig the unique driver configuration and modular cable on these. I didnāt know about the Hook X at all.
I guess my only hesitation would be some reports about QC issues. They sound like a winner otherwise, based on what others, including the guy I bought my FH3 from have said to date.
Think Iām leaning toward complementing my FH3 with either these or the Timeless.
Timeless v2 is rumoured to be released next month btw, Iād probably wait for that.
I think that stuff is all way overblown. I never worry about the QC talk. You have a warranty, and probably return policy. Ignore it. In all the IEMs Iāve had so far, the only QC issue was a dead channel on my FH3 cable, and I would never actually use that cheap cable anyway.
I am SUPER excited to see what 7Hz does next, ever since I got my Timeless! So hopefully that will be a reality soon : D I certainly prefer the warmer, bassier balance of Timeless over the cooler, more detailed Hook-X, but that detail is unbelievably goodā¦ Hook-X even has more detail than FD7, but as a whole FD7 is some levels above both of them, with great bass, balance and detail.
Also to note, I tried FHE, and Iām kind of like, āwhere is all of that huge bassā¦??ā.
Wanted to check in here to tip my hat to you. Got the Hook-X, and like most, I am HOOKED. You got the ball rolling on my deep research for this set.
Iāve forgotten about other IEMs I was considering buying, though HBB did argue the 7hz Dioko (Timeless V2) would complement the Hook-X, if someone owned both.
The only thing I had to do to unleash the Hook-X was switch to a tip that had a deeper insertion. The stock tips were too shallow. Once I switched tips, ran the Hook-X 4.4mm into my trusty hip dac, I rode off into the sunset.
I suspect some people who are underwhelmed by the Hook-X may need a deeper tip.
