Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Sept 17, 2015 19:23:01 GMT
One on the way to me all the way from China. It's a Dunu Titan 1 in disguise, and looks decent for an iem. FiiO EX1 Dynamic IEM Earphones with Aerospace Nanotech Titanium Diaphragm. These are in ear monitors (IEMs) which utilise a top of the line dynamic transducer with nano class titanium diaphragm. Different from the typical dynamic transducer it is capable of perfect transient response while retaining a natural yet energetic sound - with clear and delicate layering thick and powerful bass response as well as amazing treble clarity. These outstanding attributes combine to recreate the impressive 'live' feeling of the music recording. The Aerospace Nanotech Titanium Diaphragm is the heart of sound production for FiiO EX1 in-ear monitor determining the sound quality to a great extent. Taking advantage of titanium, a material that is light weight with high sound conduction speed yet several times stiffer than steel FiiO have been able to design a full range dynamic driver around this material pushing breakup frequency above the audible range thus ensuring clear and smooth high frequency production. Duralumin and Stainless Steel Housing All components of the earphone housing are precision CNC milled with anodized duralumin for the back half and stainless steel for the front half. The unique beehive tuning ports are precisely sized and positioned to deliver the desired sound tuning properties. The metal body assembly is designed to suppress resonance preserving superior transient response for lifelike reproduction of live sound. The Nanotech Titanium Diaphragm Driver delivers even power response across all frequencies and a natural yet energetic sound the titanium diaphragm can handle high power without distortion while preserving exemplary transient response far superior to traditional dynamic driver diaphragms. FiiO have used Kevler Reinvorced Cable in the EX1 headphone cable consists of 42 strands of high purity OFC copper intertwined with 250D Kevlar fiber strands.That's what Fiio says about it. Reading reviews on the Dunu looks good and it goes out at a higher price as well. It's not closed, but semi-open, which apparently helps to create some semblance of a soundstage. Anyway, mine will get here eventually. Chinese items seem to take a long time to get here. It will be available on Amazon at the end of the month. www.amazon.co.uk/FiiO-EX1-Earphones-Aerospace-Diaphragm/dp/B014WDWB1G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442517306&sr=8-2&keywords=fiio+ex1
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Sept 24, 2015 12:10:44 GMT
Well, they only took 8 days to get here. Beats some spare parts for one of my helis that I ordered from China. The parts took 21 days, so I wasn't expecting g the iem's. I also had a big heli delivered which was nice .... Over two feet long. That'll be a bugger if it drops out of the sky!!
Back to the iem's. Build is brilliant really. Solid metal cups. Slightly rubbery feeling cable with no microphonics. Right angled, gold plated plug. Quite a nifty plastic carrying case. A really good choice of tips that are even colour co ordinated in some cases on the back so you can find the partner easily. The cable has a fixed 'tie up' as well. That's a bit fiddly but it does work.
They are actually semi-open so you can hear through them, but the buds seal. Fit is great. Looking at the metal cups and the size of them, you'd expect them to jut right out from your head. A quick look in the mirror and I could barely see them.
Very sensitive and the sound is really well balanced. Treble is ver clean sounding and seems quite extended. Not harsh top but not veiled either. It's actually pretty good up there TBH and they kind of sound like 'grown up' headphones.
Bass isn't raised, which really surprised me. Normally, iem's that seal into your ears give a big hump so that they sound impressive, but these don't. It also has a kick on the attacks, which again, makes you think that you're wearing a grown up headphone. A full sized one that is!! Bass is clearly defined and Are easily followed. Some might prefer more down there, but I find that they are pretty well balanced.
I don't know how these compare to the Dunu iem, but they look pretty much the same. I think Fiio sell this one for less. The deal that they offered on HF was really good considering the quality of these.
They give a real sense of clarity to your music and don't seem as much of a compromise as so many iem's seem to be. Definitely worth considering if you want an iem that actually has a nicely balanced sound rather than tinny and tizzy or fat and bloaty. These are really very good.
|
|
|
Post by drumdrym on Oct 18, 2015 15:09:33 GMT
Hi Ian, took the plunge with Fiio Ex1 must say these are the best IEM's I've ever encountered although never paid much more than a few quid before so perhaps that accounts for the big jump in sheer pleasure I'm now experiencing. They really make the output from my Samsung S4 phone so much more pleasurable. Listening to some Yellow at the moment....Takla Makan.... the detail in the recordings with these is first class. Now to load up the SD card with a good selection. Alan
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Oct 18, 2015 15:22:12 GMT
I use them now most times whem I'm out, Alan. These and the slightly weird MOE iem. They give a sense of space that is really rare in an iem.
Comparing directly with many others that I have, they are streets ahead. The rubber tips that they give you are ok, but if you have problems getting a seal, you are missing out on really deep bass. That seems the biggest criticism about them - lean in the bass. I think it's more to do with the seal and Joe at Fiio said the same to me.
I changed the tips to comply and suddenly, they sound absolutely huge. The comply tips are black memory foam. Some squish them up and let them expand inside their ears, but I find that I get a perfect seal just inserting them gently. Once they're warm, they fit the contours of your ears like a custom fit, and the ex 1 takes off. There are two types of Comply tips. Those with straight sides and those with rounded sides. I use the rounded ones and they seal perfectly for me.
I know that many don't like having iem's in their ears, but some of the newer ones are becoming really good sounding at a reasonable price. Iem's of old were quite nasty sounding, but the market is developing and they are starting to resemble full sized headphones in terms of sound.
Glad you like them. They're one of my favourites.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2015 9:22:28 GMT
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Nov 13, 2015 10:30:24 GMT
That's a good price, Mark. I found the Comply tips designed for Dunu to be the best ones with them.
They are really nice and I use them a lot.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2015 16:42:26 GMT
I thought so too. I'll likely move them on after I've tried them but at that price the depreciation should be too bad.
I'm mostly just curious to see if they're appreciably more open and airy sounding than my HA-FX850 which are also quite vented.
Are the Comply tips you mentioned designed especially for Fiio or are they the 'regular' 200 series tips Comply recommend for the Titan 1? I still have some TSX 200 kicking about and thinking I can use them.
How did you find the Inairs 1 tips on the EX1? I liked them better than the Comply tips on the Heaven V but suspect which is best will depend on the IEM a lot.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2015 18:25:12 GMT
Received my EX1 today and after a bit of tip rolling I settled on the TSX200 (round Comply w/ wax guard).
Having spent a good few hours with them I'm rather impressed and comfort is excellent. Perfectly good straight from my mobile but they also seem to respond well to some amping. tbh I'm surprised at just how close they are in terms of SQ to my Heir 4.Ai (quad BA drivers) and they originally retailed for about 4x the Fiio. The Fiio probably sneaks it in terms of how wide they sound.
The only thing I'd disagree with in Ian's write up is I do feel the bass is a bit elevated in comparison with the lower mids. May be my tips though as Complys can do that.
At the current £50-60 retail price I really don't imagine anyone being disappointed with these, isolation aside. Throw in good build quality, a sturdy case and a decent selection of tips and this is a very attractive offering from Fiio.
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Nov 25, 2015 18:46:22 GMT
The Complies do raise the bass quite a bit. With the standard tips, it recedes to a point where some find them thin.
To me, they're kind of Senn like with the Comply tips. I would also think that differences in shape of ear canals must make all iem's extremely variable. They're a great buy though imo.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2015 19:29:24 GMT
That's my experience with Complies. Haven't used the stock tips but did suspect they might lose some fullness and perhaps get a bit more shouty in the treble. I actually like the flavouring the Comply tips add so for me the low end elevation isn't a bad thing. I did try the Inears 1 and found they made the EX1 very bloated and boomy sounding so sorry if you bought some after I sang their praises Ian (they worked great with the Heaven V)
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Nov 25, 2015 20:26:57 GMT
I noticed that with the Inears and went back to Comply as well! I like the bass pushed up with the Complies. It makes them sound an awful lot bigger than they are. Built like a tank as well. I pulled in a pike this week on the river bank with them on. Had no time to take them off, but pulling in a big snapper like that is great with YELLO giving it some. I felt like a movie star!!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2015 10:24:36 GMT
Nice catch Ian! Whoever is compiling the soundtrack for the movie of your life has very good taste Took the EX1 out for a walk this morning which was a very pleasant experience. No cable microphonics to speak of and the bass bump I mentioned getting from the Complies tends to offset background noise well leaving quite a balanced sound. Although semi-vented they still manage to give you quite an 'at home' listening experience and outside noise isn't too intrusive but you have enough awareness when crossing roads or dodging cyclists who insist on using the pavement....grrr (I ued to cycle most days so not anti-cyclist....just anti-numpty). I'd imagine they'd be less well suited for use in a busy town centres but in a more suburban or rural setting they're fine. Another thing I like about semi-vented designs is that you can still hear birds singing and the sounds of the sea which make a nice accompaniment to your tunes....stick on Sigur Ros' Hoppípolla and you'll feel like you're participating in a BBC wildlife show The only thing about the EX1 that doesn't make sense to me is the rubber cable tidy. It's useless!
|
|
Rabbit
Administrator
Posts: 7,087
|
Post by Rabbit on Nov 26, 2015 12:35:53 GMT
I cut that off!! It's daft.
The pike was amazing ..... the river Eden here is very narrow and small, so you actually have to 'hunt' fish, or they see you and do a runner. I sometimes take walks down the river bank and a few times, I'd seen this pike hanging around, so I took a telescopic rod with me on a walk, rigged up with a little 'plug'. Crept up to the bank and slowly pulled the rod out when I saw it and cast way down river, bringing the plug towards it. It attacked and then did a runner downstream, so I had to try and pull it up against the current, but being a small river, it could only run up or down so I walked towards it in the end.
You wouldn't believe the size of the fish in such a small stream. This one bent my little rod in double. YELLO blasting away all through it. I couldn't let go of the rod to get them out of my ears.
There are some big chub in there as well, so they're next!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2015 14:42:59 GMT
Sounds like quite an experience. Pike are big and aggressive so I imagine he had plenty of fight in him.
I remember my Dad telling me he used to stick his hand under overhangs in river banks to try and tickle trout. Not sure what is strike rate was but I suspect not good. One day he thought he his luck was in only to realise he was tickling a rather ornery pike....needless to say he took up a different pastime after that!
I suspect the chub in the river Eden are starting to get a little worried about now....remember and leave a few!
|
|