TECHNICAL SUCCESSION
The FiiO F9 has good clarity overall, together with good emphasis on bass and treble. Mids are also very nice, smooth, coherent and consistent with good naturalism in the spectrum. My complaint is that they’re just a little back in the stage but I prefer them to be closer than that. Otherwise, I can’t be negative.
Resolution is quite good, which is always crucial with any headphone/earphone. Micro details are great for this class of an IEM, which was the surprising part for me. They achieved a very good performance regarding the detail level. Separation is also very good and although I didn’t too much like the midbass response, it’s still very natural and smooth in terms of bass and it has good amount of body too.
Sound stage is another plus for the F9, containing good width and depth. The midbass focus gives it good deepness, rather than a super wide sound reproduction. But still you have very good width with a nice channel balance and good clarity altogether. That said, it sets the stage a little higher than I’m used to but that’s not a huge problem. Overall the sound stage is excellent for the money.
The background is good, helping you to single out the elements and enjoy a highly separated sound with good imaging capabilities. So the FiiO F9 gets good points regarding the imaging and 3D feeling.
There’s no need for an amp to drive the F9, any source should be enough to drive it well.
BALANCED
FiiO supplies a balanced cable with the FiiO F9. This is terminated with a 2.5mm jack. FiiO wants to standardize the balanced output with all of their products so the inclusion wasn’t a surprise.
To me the balanced cable is clearly better to the standard cable. You get better imaging and separation, better staging and better frequency response. If you have the F9, go straight to balanced and don’t look back. The balanced cable is much better in terms of build quality too! It’s more like an audiophile type of cable, which looks and feels much better than the standard cable with built-in mic. So I recommend getting this version and hook up the balanced cable.
COMPARISONS
FiiO F1: The F1 is quite generous for the price it goes for, but it’s of course no match for the F9 in terms of… well, everything.
FiiO F3: This one puts up a better fight but not for long. It’s similar because of also having a v-shape sound, but it’s even more v-shape to me than the F9. It’s not this good in terms of tonality and overall coherency. Also the F9 has better staging and imaging. The build qualities are from completely a different worlds too.
Shozy & AAW Hibiki: I haven’t published its review yet but the Hibiki IEM is also a wonderful piece of work for the price. It doesn’t have the lower treble peak like the F9 does, but it also doesn’t have the tonality in mids. Bass is better controlled and more airy on Hibiki and the sound stage dimensions are similar. But it has very thin mids which is the only thing for the “cons” of it. And of course it’s a 1 DD monitor, so it doesn’t have that clarity.
LZ-A4: The LZ is wonderful in terms of bass and with its open back design it’s really atmospheric and has great stage depth. Mids and trebles are better also, but depend on the filters being used. FiiO has much better fit and isolation, similar amount of treble succession and build quality is better.
SUMMARY
For 100$, you get a very solid IEM with a great fit and ergonomic design and also a great sound quality. The only big problem here is the lower treble, which I think FiiO could make better with more precise tuning. There will be a FiiO F9 Pro model soon, and James from FiiO says it has better control overall, so it looks like you don’t need to worry about the peak after getting that version.
To be honest with you, it’s very hard to find an IEM with this quality at this price. Somehow I really associated the F9 to the old Westone 3. Very similar shape and fit, and very similar sound. The Westone 3 had a midbass hump and upper mid-lower treble peak, as well as the recessed mids and good extending treble. It couldn’t have gotten more similar than this. But of course you should remember the price of the Westone 3 back then.
Try out the new FiiO F9, especially with the balanced cable. You will be pleased for this price level.
It’s FiiO’s best & prime IEM.
Brooko
“To me the balanced cable is clearly better to the standard cable. You get better imaging and separation, better staging and better frequency response. If you have the F9, go straight to balanced and don’t look back.”
Well unless you’re using a source with massive impedance difference, then there is no measurable change in frequency response. I know, I’ve measured them. There is also no change in imaging, staging or separation – if you volume match and blind test. I take it when you were comparing, you didn’t volume match? What was the source – and does it have a big difference in impedance between SE and Bal?
Berkhan
I’m not a total believer in measurements, and I don’t really like to approach the items completely in a technical way.
As soon as I’ve heard the balanced cable I was convinced that it sounded better. So I just trust what I hear and pass on that information in my reviews.
The sources were WM1A, Q1MK2 Amp and Shanling M3S.
Brooko
How can you not be a believer in measurements? they are more accurate than our ears – and they don’t have our brains to filter them. I checked your DAPs. The FiiO and Shanling both use the same circuits, so they shouldn’t sound any different balanced or single-ended. I have the FiiO and the F9 measures exactly the same frequency response on both balanced and single-ended. Sony don’t publish full specs, so can’t really comment on that one. Anyway – suggest you change the review – and take out the bit about frequency response, as it is simply not correct. Otherwise good review 🙂
Lieven
I am with Berkhan on this one regarding the balanced output
Brooko
Wish we were on the same continent Lieven – would love to set up a controlled volume matched blind test, and we could compare notes after that 😉
Lieven
One day, Paul ☺️
dale thorn
I wonder, if the audio difference were clear enough, whether measurements would confirm that exact difference? Some of these things are elusive. But I agree on volume matching, which would need to be closer than 1/2 db.
Brooko
Depends on the difference I guess Dale. If its in frequency response – yes definitely it will show up. Imaging, separation, and perceived sound-stage width/depth can have some things show up in frequency (generally if it’s brighter, or cooler tonally, we tend to perceive a bigger stage and better separation (makes sense when you consider the added clarity). But its not the whole story, and definitely when I volume match (to 0.1-0.2 db) and blind test (my wife and kids humour me with the switching), I can’t personally tell a difference. I also accept I have cloth ears 🙂 – but I know thats not the whole story either.
If we look at separation and staging – and then check against the specs (I’m using X7ii here for the example), between balanced and single ended:
SNR on SE is 116 dB and on balanced is 119 dB. Both are beyond what we can hear – so no difference. Both have THD measurements at 0.003% = beyond our hearing. You’ll get a magnitude more distortion from your earphones. Now the important one – crosstalk (channel separation). SE is 73 dB and balanced is 97 dB. That must make a big difference – right?
Well not really – The FCC minimum channel separation/crosstalk spec for FM Stereo used to be 29.7dB…yes, that’s right, 29.7. It had to do with how the signal was generated and handled, but 30 – 40dB wasn’t hard to achieve, and 50dB wasn’t uncommon.
The bulk of what is perceived as stereo separation happens above 20dB with decreasing detectable improvements above 30dB or so. It’s almost impossible to detect separation improvements above 40dB. Localization of a phantom image depends less on channel separation and much more on relative intensity and inter-aural time delay of the sound, and human hearing response at different angles
So….long answer…separation above 40dB doesn’t improve sound quality, below 40dB it slowly degrades, the final separation is equal to the device with the least separation in the system. Once degraded by a device, no device following it can restore separation.
As you can see, SE crosstalk at 73 dB and balanced at 97 dB actually means nothing – we can’t hear the difference.
So where are these magical differences? I agree that impedance can change frequency response – mostly with multi BA set-ups, and generally with crossovers involved. The F9 though doesn’t change – even with the X7ii’s impedance difference. So where are the perceived changes coming from. I have no doubt “Berkhan hears them” – my question though is are they actually real or expectation?
dale thorn
OK – I see where the lines get drawn now. Between the maximum detectable difference at ~40 db and 73 db is a huge dynamic. So the only conceivable thing that could enter the audible range (all other things like volume being equal) is if something reflected back into the audio or modulated the analog signal somehow. That would be a defect rather than a feature though. This is interesting. I’ve never used a balanced rig, so maybe I’ll try this at some point.
HUGO SILVA
Fiio F9 or Magaosi k3 Pro?
Berkhan
Never listened the k3
Bill Ruschmeyer
Sound is so subjective. For me i like transparency, accurate tonal bass and a little forward sound, that is what draws me in. The next person with the same iem’s and source could be completely different, and guess what the measurements don’t change. To me the only measurement that matters is my ears and no two are alike.
Armand
If sound is completely subjective, then why read or write reviews…
dale thorn
Different genres of music, and/or different eras of recordings, can make a much bigger difference in sound than just the difference between headphone A or B. There are so many factors, and you have to take them into consideration when reading reviews of things you want to purchase. Of course, when researching new amps and headphones, you can also explore those other genres of music that different reviewers are featuring in their reviews.
Yannick Khong
Thank you for this review. How does it compare to the Oriveti New Primacy as both share hybrid drivers?
Thanks
Berkhan
I haven’t experienced the New Primacy, sorry.
Shubham Garg
I think these headphone might offer some competition in the market.
Berkhan
Absolutely
ketan singh
How are they compared to similarly priced 1more triple drivers?
Moises Topete
These are actually better than 1MORE Triple Drivers, as you can see here. http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/fiio-f9.5045/
Serin
Good information, it helps a lot!!
Thank you!!
Berkhan
You’re welcome
Harpreet Singh
I’m using fiio products like fiio audio DAC for PC and I loved the build quality and performance is also superb and i hope fiio F9 also offers great value for money.
Dominic
How does this compare to the oriolus forestini especially towards the bass? Its priced quite in a similar price range in my area , just curious which would u recommend?
Berkhan
Forsteni has better bass quality and it’s much better in other areas too. But the F9 Pro is very nice you should wait for that review 🙂
Rahul Malhotra
I think its great choice for anyone looking for headphone over 4K-5K INR.
Rahul Kolkar
First of all Hats off for making such an amazing blog! I was in search of the best earphones and landed on this page,found all the relevant things!Nice content guys keep it up
Berkhan
Thanks a lot. Keep following us 🙂
Jesi
I think this is one of the best choice!!
Dailydrops
is this comfortable to wear
Berkhan
Yes it is.
tarique ghani
Does it fit into the ear?
Berkhan
Yes 🙂
Best Green AC
I never found one that provides best comfort and nice sound but it is looking good and I think it will be better than others……!
Berkhan
Go for Custom IEMs.
flexible packaging bags
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Rekonstrux
I feel very glad to read your blog because I get a lot of information from it… Thank you so much.
Carrier AC
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Sand Mandala
I always experience that wires are cheaper then headphones so I am looking for the material that doesn’t broken in the winters.
wool socks
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Rekonstrux
These are really amazing. Good to see something new in market. And price is very reasonable. Hoping these are comfortable to wear and expecting good sound. But informative blog. Thanks.
stuart garner norton
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stuart garner norton
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Umesh
I was looking for such deep review of fiio f9 since long time, thanks for explaining all the facts.
Akshay jagtap
Thanks for sharing this amazing and informative post. I enjoyed reading this information.
Disha Shengale
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APPSC Online Coaching
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guideadda
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Smruti ranjan
Thanks for your Amazing tips and deep information. It really helped me and I enjoyed the reading.
Alex
I really love this FioO F9 and it’s sleek and stylish design, and potentially a higher level of sound than their first couple of models. I will buy it definitely it’s worth of money.
Green Coast
Sound is so subjective. For me i like transparency, accurate tonal bass and a little forward sound, that is what draws me in.
Jenny
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mohini
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Juli kim
This review is great and FiiO F9 has 1 dynamic driver and 2 balanced armature drivers under the hood are the best choice. great one. Thanks for this informative post.
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Let Stack
I never found one that provides best comfort and nice sound but it is looking good and I think it will be better than others……!
disadvantages of solar
I think this is one of the best choice!!
Duttaji Technical
Very Good article
Ankit Varma
I have used it and its amazing
GetPetPortrait
Your blog is amazing. You had done hard work for this and it really reflects from this blog. Helpful review it is.
Riann Will
This is very cool but also very costly. At present I need to wait for this. Bring some thing for a common man.
Varun Rana
I think these headphone might offer some competition in the market
Ayurvedic clinic
i HAVE USED IT, AND IT’S SUPERPV
Hemang
I suppose it’s likely that these headphones offer some industry pressure.
Topbestsales
I suppose it’s likely that these headphones offer some price competition.
sushant thakur
It looks costly but effective.
AM Varghese
I am using this. Its main attraction is its superb design.
Digital Net99
I think these headphone might offer some competition in the market.
Rahul
its superv to use . Now some competition in the market.
Vijay
It seems these headphones gives some competition to others headphones in the market.
Simran
You write some amazing content. Thanks for sharing it.
James Mulller
Your articles are very useful. Thanks a lot for sharing this.
Varun Rana
Good information, it helps a lot!!
Varun Rana
Sound is so subjective. For me i like transparency, accurate tonal bass and a little forward sound, that is what draws me in. The next person with the same iem’s and source could be completely different, and guess what the measurements don’t change. To me the only measurement that matters is my ears and no two are alike.