Recently i put the JVC spiral dots++ on my FH7 and i’ve been really happy with the results. Its not a radical change by any means, but it opens up the upper region (and i guess because of this i feel like there is more soundstage).
it does not have to be JVC spiral dots, any tip with a wide bore(?) will give you the same difference in sound i fee like.
Still playing and messing with my 7’s but for most gene’s I listen to the vocal tips and high boost filter seem to fit my preferences best… it opens up the instrument separation in the mid/upper mid frequencies leaving it less congested and offering a more detailed and airy soundstage without effecting the highs too much (I like highs) and the bass is still ok for me… if it needs a kick then there’s always the iFi XBass 
Sadly, the left channel on my FH7’s has now stopped working completely.
When I first got them I was experiencing difficulty getting sound out of the left earphone, but thought it was just a matter of finding the right tips for me. Even after swapping cables I was having trouble. Sometimes no sound, sometimes lower volume than the right channel, and sometimes they seemed to be just fine.
I went for several weeks with everything running okay, until I tried switching to a new Hart Cable that I just received in the mail. Now nothing. No sound from the left channel. It’s not any of the cables I’ve used, as all work fine with my P1’s. Very frustrating.
Anyone else experienced this issue with their FH7’s?
That’s sad it’s the first QC issue with the 7’s i’ve heard of…saying that I don’t often remove cables from my iem’s, MMCX sockets do seem to suffer more problems than 2 pins.
Contact FiiO as their customer service is good
I’ll do that, thanks. I really like the FH7’s and when they’re running as they should I don’t feel a need to look for different IEM’s.
A confession… instead of dealing with returning my defective FH7’s to China for repair (during a global pandemic no less), I ordered a replacement set and returned the broken pair.
Now I’m back up and running with a proper pair of FH7’s and couldn’t be happier. If these in fact have a “w” shaped sound signature, then that’s the sound I prefer in my headphones and IEMs.
Do I feel guilty taking advantage of a certain behemoth online retailer’s return policy? Maybe, but then again it won’t take me long to get over my first-world problems.
Out of curiosity, what might be considered an “upgrade” from the FH7’s with all of the equivalent characteristics?
What filter and tips do you run?
I have not used any of the different filter options, and am using the stock balanced silicone tips.
I used Dekoni foam tips at first as those are what I prefer with my Tin P1’s, but found that the balanced silicone tips sounded better. I usually have a problem with some irritation from silicone tips, but the stock FiiO silicone tips do not bother me.
Cool I use the bass silicon tips on my P1’s which work well and run my FH7’s with the high boost filters which for me don’t ‘boost’ the highs but add more space to the mid/mid upper frequencies and the bass isn’t lost but sounds faster and cleaner…maybe worth a play?
I will give it a try. Thanks for the tip!
Tough question that as I love my 7’s I’m looking for a more detailed sound sig but if was to try and out the 7’s for what they do then maybe the 64 Audio Tia Trio all be it slightly V shaped 
The tia stuff was actually kinda w shaped to me, def nice though
Checked out the Tia Trio’s but definitely too expensive for me. I’d want to stay under 1k for an IEM.
Anything north of that I spend would be toward a tube amp to go with my Heresy III’s. 
I’m actually on this “upgrade from FH7” trajectory as we speak. The logical next step would definitely be the Solaris if you want a W signature. They’re very similar in performance, but add a 3D-like stage and that’s all you’re substantially upgrading IMO. I’m actually having issues with my Solaris’ to the point that I cannot recommend them (if you currently own FH7’s), BUT they do sound fantastic when you find your happy place.
The IEM that really impressed me during my search are my Noble Audio M3’s ($600). The best way I can describe them is that they’re essentially JVC HA-FD01 (unmodded) with sub-bass. They’re very much a v-shape, but the detail and clarity with the rumbly sub-bass just tickles me in all of the right places. Admittedly they can be a tad bright for some (as were the FD01’s), but you should be able to calm the 2k peak with cables and ear tips or EQ.
I know we normally classify Andros as Neutral/Bass-less/cold, however… they were a great step up for me. They provided a body for the mids that my highly regarded FH7s just couldn’t match. There was a bit of warmth that adds a bit of emotional excitement. Bass was much tighter than the 7s and the Andros actually have much more of a presence than I expected. And of course the highs are clearly defined. Frequency sep was great. I think the price is well worth it and it’s definitely a worthy step up
@BadgerRivFan Maybe check out the Moondrop line. They are all Harman tuned, so you get the bump in bass and treble with a drop in the lower mids. It’s not my personal favorite tuning, but it seems to be incredibly popular. I bought their S8s, but I think you can (and should) save money and look at the Blessing 2 or even lower priced with the Starfields. They won’t have the capabilities of the S8s, but they should sound similar at least. I’d probably recommend the Starfields. The price is great, and they look awesome to me. Its a relatively inexpensive way to see if you like that tuning before dropping more money on higher tiers, and seems to be the best value of the lineup. It seems like a good amount of people here have picked one up, so I would defer to them.
I’d also agree with @Kad998 regarding his Andromedas. People tend to dismiss them because its a 5x BA iem with no DD and assume they sound like other iems in the same style. They are wrong. The treble is really great, good detail and separation, and as @Kad998 mentioned, much better bass than you’d be led to believe. They are very sensitive though, so you may need to look at your source gear and possibly may need to invest in an iematch if it looks like you’re dealing with noise. With all the improvements in technology, there is a reason they still are as popular as they are despite being “outdated” as iems go.
Thanks for your post Onaha. You make some great points and the Starfields seem worthy of a try. This video just posted last night from Andrew confirms everything you stated. Aside from all the praise regarding the sound quality of the Starfields, the thing he talks about that sold me is the comfort.
I’ve found that my ears tend to be sensitive to many IEMS, especially a few of the wireless Bluetooth ear buds that I’ve tried. I find I need to use size small ear tips or I tend to have a lot of discomfort. Ironic really as I am 6’ 3” and 250 lbs. 
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Anyway, thanks to all for the suggestions. It’s fun to learn about all of the other choices out there…
I’ll take my Spring 1’s to the UK Canjam if it’s still going ahead? and try it against the Solaris
£100 v’s £1449.00
Stop it, I already bought the Thieaudio Legacy 3 and you’re making want to buy the Spring 1 as well. 
Reckon the L3’s are banging just wanted a diff sig for me…but fuck it get both 
