FiiO FH5 headphones
FiiO
FiiO designed some very respectable wired in-ear headphones over the previous few years, however this new one, the FH5, appears like a contemporary begin. Nice, however since most telephones not have headphone jacks and Bluetooth headphones now rule the transportable market, who’s nonetheless shopping for wired in-ear headphones? Audiophiles, for one, or anybody who desires to listen to music at its finest!
Maintain the FH5 in your arms and you will get a really feel for its construct high quality — it is downright luxurious. The very solid-feeling earpieces and user-replaceable and really versatile 47-inch (1.2-meter) silver-plated copper cables are top-notch. Every CNC-machined aluminum earpiece is fitted with three balanced armature drivers, plus a 10mm bass driver. Impedance is rated at an easy-to-drive 19 ohms.
The earpiece form and form-fitting, around-the-ear cable are designed to supply a safe match. I discovered the FH5 way more steady than any true wi-fi ‘bud, that is for positive.
Since correct ear-tip seal is crucial to maximise the efficiency of any in-ear ‘cellphone FiiO features a beneficiant assortment of sizes and varieties of suggestions. Reasonably than simply jumble them collectively in a plastic bag the FH5 has them neatly specified by a sturdy compartment.
The FH5 sells for $260 on Amazon within the US, £230 within the UK and AU$380 in Australia.
Listening to the FH5
I listened the FH5 on my desktop first with a JDS Labs Atom headphone amp ($99), subsequent with an previous Astell & Kern JR transportable music participant, which has a three.5mm headphone jack. I additionally listened with my iPhone eight with an Apple three.5mm-to-Lightning adapter.
The FiiO FH5’s ear tip choice
Steve Guttenberg/CNET
Consolation ranges had been good — it is a straightforward headphone to put on for hours at a time. On the New York Metropolis subway the FH5’s noise-isolation was about common for such a headphone.
Texas band Khruangbin’s meaty funk grooves had loads of excessive affect slam, taut definition, and the drums transients had been crisp and clear. Cymbals shimmered and sparkled, element was excellent. There was a tactile high quality to the feel of the sound, with out it ever turning harsh.
The Jesus & Mary Chain’s Stoned & Dethroned album’s sprawling reverberation virtually made me overlook I used to be listening over headphones, the sound was that massive. The FH5 is a really open-sounding headphone; the sound is not caught between your ears with good recordings.
I subsequent listened over a set of Etymotic ER4XR headphones ($349), and whereas the sound was clear, it lacked the FH5’s weighty affect and extra pure sound with vocals. The ER4XR’s dynamics punch was nowhere as satisfying because the FH5’s, and its stereo imaging was much less three-dimensional than the FH5’s. Frankly, it was no contest, the FH5 completely clobbered the ER4XR.
The FiiO FH5 is a unprecedented headphone for the cash. With effectively above-average consolation, construct, and sound high quality, it comes extremely really useful!
