reviews

Fischer Audio FA-011 10th Anniversary Edition (Limited Production)

Tuesday August 30th, 2016

When FA-011 was first launched in 2011, the Fischer Audio headphones became hugely acclaimed worldwide. This headphones was special to Fischer Audio for various reasons. First, it was the first headphones under the brand to successfully venture internationally. Secondly, it was the first model to be produced entirely in Russia where stringent controls on quality were enforced in every factor, especially the sound quality. Finally, the FA-011 was also revolutionary in the portable audio industry at that time. A frequency correction filter was used for the first time to allow our engineers to achieve high performance at a relatively low price. As such, Fischer Audio’s best-selling FA-011 was touted as one of the best valued headphones then.

3 years following the launch, we proudly released the Fischer Audio FA-011 Limited Edition Japan headphones. This model represented the essence of various comments from the public and professionals, as well as hugely improved choice of materials. The result is a beautifully crafted exotic wood headphones that would leave most audio connoisseurs in awe. However this model was born out of special demands in Japan, thus it was limited territorially.

In 2016, in conjunction with the 10th year since the founding of Fischer Audio, the FA-011 series will reached yet another landmark with the launch of the FA-011 10th Anniversary Edition headphones. This limited production model is all about honoring our Russian roots. All internal wiring are constructed exclusively with rare vintage litz cables made more than 40 years ago in the old USSR. These scarce supply of audio cables was specially designed for military demands. As such, only a limited quantity of this commemorative model will be produced. Every headphones will also be specially tagged with its own unique serial number and extended warranty.

FA-011 10th Anniversary Edition headphones are completely handcrafted by skilled craftsmen in Russia, from rare and valuable woods and finished traditionally with natural oils and beeswax (Cera Alba). In addition, the headphones comes with a replaceable cable made of high purity oxygen-free copper, Swiss-made mini-XLR connectors, and headband made of natural skin. Despite the various upgrades, Fischer Audio kept the sound signature of the FA-011 that has mesmerized audiences all over.

To ensure consistent and perfect quality in each piece, a specific craftsman is assigned to specially oversee the entire production from start to finish. Every single unit of FA-011 10th Anniversary Edition headphones would also have to undergo a thorough testing of no less than 72 hours before it can be certified to be in your hands.

With the FA-011 10th Anniversary Edition, we like to mark our decade in the audio industry not just with a masterpiece of audio perfection, but a reflection of the dedication of Fischer Audio and the soul of our heritage.

Limited production worldwide
All internal wiring are constructed exclusively with rare vintage USSR military-grade litz cables
Ear cups are handcrafted from rare and valuable woods and finished naturally with oil and bee wax
Detachable cable made of high purity oxygen-free copper
High quality Swiss-made mini-XLR connectors
Headband made of natural skin
Extended warranty and unique serial number

Dubliz Gunmetal

Friday November 6th, 2015

In-Ear: Die Ohrhörer im mittleren Preissegment sind äußerst robust und wirken recht schwer, was beim Tragen aber nicht negativ auffällt. Das 1,25 Meter lange Kabel besteht aus gedrehten, mit Kevlar-Fäden verstärkten Kupferdrähten und ist mit lastik überzogen. Eine Fernbedienung gibt es nur beim 20 Euro teureren Modell. Neben vier verschiedenen Ohrpassstücken wird eine Transporttasche mitgeliefert.
Die 8-mm Treiber mit Doppelmembran erzeugen ein umfängliches Klangbild mit ordentlich Bass, das für alle Musikstile geeignet ist. Im Test waren leider wegen der geriffelten Oberfläche Windgeräusche zu vernehmen. stm

Wertung

Hersteller: Fischer Audio
Preis: 99,90 Euro
Web: www.headsound.de

+ gutes Klangbild, satter Bass

– Windgeräusche, keine Fernbedienung

NOTE: 2.0

Fazit: Fischer Audio macht mit dem Dubliz unserem Favoriten, dem Momentum In-Ear von Sennheiser, Konkurrenz

FA-003 Ti with bog oak cups

Thursday September 17th, 2015

Gear Used:

Dell XPS15 > JDS Labs Element > FA-003ti

MSRP:

Cups: $196.00

Pads: $54

FA-003 ti

Packaging, Build quality, Comfort and Isolation:

Packaging is simple, the cups come in a small card box, with the type of wood written on the end, they also come with wood screws as the original ones for the plastic cups are not suitable, they come well protected and I have no problems with the packaging, as these are supplied as an accessory.

The leather pads came in a bag, not retail packaging so I cannot comment on the packaging.

Build quality, firstly I have been told this particular pair of cups are a prototype before they started making them under their sister company Kennerton. All the wooden cups are handmade and unique, the inner part of the cups is stepped and also has spikes to help absorb and reflect sound waves.

The cups are not varnished which gives them a much more natural feel and look, and they are superbly finished with only one slight blemish (to be expected for the prototype pair) right at the top of one of the cups (barely visible once installed).

FA-003 ti

These cups, being Bog Oak are very solid, but I would also take care of such a headphone, as they are a thing of beauty and wood is susceptible to scratches.

The pads are made from genuine lambskin leather and smell lovely (you cannot beat the smell of genuine leather). There are no physical blemishes on the pads, and they feel very well made and should hopefully last a long time with some care and maintenance.

FA-003 ti

Comfort wise, the wood cups add a little weight but nothing I found to be too uncomfortable for long listening sessions, the headband pad could be a little better padded for added comfort though. The pads are very spacious, my ears never touched the drivers and I found my ears could breathe better with these pads over the synthetic leather pads, compared to the velour pads, I find these compliment the sound better than the velour pads, and are just as comfortable.

Isolation is similar to stock and perfect for blocking out outside noise at home, you could use them for portable usage but the headphones are quite large and you would look a little odd, but if you want to show off your fancy wood, feel free.

FA-003 ti

Sound:

Well cups and pads can make quite a big difference, but the same essential sound is still there usually. The pads on their own didn’t change the sound very much compared to the synthetic leather pads, but are a lot more comfortable.

The main difference came with the change of cups, the stock sound is incredible for the price, but doesn’t have the widest of soundstage or airiest of sound. Stock they are balanced and have good definition and detail retrieval, with the Bog Oak cups I found the soundstage to widen substantially and to have a much more open and expansive sound.

This also lead to an increase in instrument separation and air, but I did find that the lows became a little uneven during certain tracks. This is not on all tracks though, however I did find the stock cups to have more controlled lows but not as articulate, in terms of presentation, not quantity.

The lows are better separated and bass guitar is very articulate, mids are spot on and where they should be with no substantial warming from the lows, nor sibilance up top.

I find the highs to be a little more crisp and to extend slightly better.

FA-003 ti

Overall the sound is very open and well separated with good detail retrieval, they sound great with most genres but to some people they might sound a tad thin. This is very track dependent though, as some tracks have plenty of body. For a closed back headphone, these probably have the largest soundstage I have heard in a closed back design, very spacious and airy.

I would not say these are the best for sitting back and relaxing as they are quite engaging and detailed, rather than smooth and sweet.

The sound takes a little time to get used to if you are used to the stock cups, but in my opinion they are improved with the wood cups, brings them on to a new level.

The pads are also very good, soft and comfortable with no big change in sound compared to the synthetic leather pads.

Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (well priced handmade accessories, that bring the FA-003ti up a level in terms of detail and space)

Posted by Oscar Stewart

DBA-02mk2, TBA-04 (German version)

Thursday February 12th, 2015

Fischer Audio – hört sich nach bester deutscher Wertarbeit an, oder? Ist es aber nicht. Also, zumindest keine deutsche, sondern (Überraschung!) russische Wertarbeit.

Die in St. Petersburg angesiedelte Firma Fischer Audio baut seit 2006 Kopfhörer, Headsets, Accessoires und In-Ear-Hörer, die den Vergleich mit der Weltspitze nicht scheuen müssen, und zwar weder in Bezug auf Verarbeitungsqualität noch auf den Klang. Wir fühlen den Topmodellen aus der Master Series, den DBA-02 MK2 und den TBA-04, auf den Zahn.

Balanced Armature?

Beide In-Ear-Hörer zeichnen sich durch elaborierte Technik in Form von Mehrwegesystemen aus. Im DBA-02 Mk2 arbeiten zwei Schallwandler, einer für den Bassbereich, einer für den Mittelhochton. Im Topmodell TBA-04 sind es sogar derer drei: Bass, Mitten und Hochton kommen in den Genuss gänzlich frequenzgetrennter Treiber und Beschaltung. Ein weiteres Highlight: Fischer Audio verwendet in beiden Modellen sogenannte Balanced- Armature-Treiber. Das Balanced-Armature-Schallwandler-Design (wörtlich: ausgewogener Anker) soll in erster Linie den elektrischen Wirkungsgrad durch den Wegfall der Belastung auf die Membran erhöhen, wie es charakteristisch für die meisten anderen andere Antriebsarten ist. Das Balanced- Armature-Prinzip besteht aus einem Permanentmagneten und einem genau in dessen Magnetfeld zentrierten, beweglich gelagerten Anker mit Spulenwicklungen. Im Zentrum des Magnetfelds gibt es keine resultierende Kraft auf den Anker, daher der Begriff „ausgewogen“. Wenn nun Strom durch die Spule des Ankers fließt, magnetisiert der Anker, so dass er leicht in die eine oder andere Richtung bewegt wird. Die Membran am Anker befestigt und erzeugt durch die Bewegung Schallwellen. BA-Treiber werden aufgrund ihrer geringen Größe und niedrigen Impedanz normalerweise in Ohrkanalhörern (In-Ear-Ohrhörern) und Hörgeräten verwendet. Nachteil: BA-Treiber spielen normalerweise nicht ganz so breitbandig.

Auch erfordern sie eine höhere Abdichtung nach außen als andere Treiberarten, um ihr volles Potenzial liefern zu können. High-End-Modelle wie die beiden Fischer-Audio-In- Ears können mehrere BA-Treiber verwenden, um das Klangspektrum besser darstellen zu können. Mithilfe von passiven Frequenzweichen werden diese zu einem Gesamt-Klangbild kombiniert.

From Russia with love

Die beiden Fischer-Audio-In-Ears sind in Anbetracht der verwendeten Technologie durchaus als noch günstig zu bezeichnen. 149 Euro ruft der deutsche Vertrieb Headsound Audio für das mittlere Modell aus der Master Series der St. Petersburger auf. Für den dritten Frequenzkanal, das aufwendigere Keramikgehäuse und die minimal bessere Ausstattung des Topmodells werden weitere 100 Euro fällig. Beide In-Ears sind sehr gut ausgestattet. 8 (DBA-02) beziehungsweise 9 Paar (TBA-04) verschiedener Ohrpassstücke liegen bei, ein Clip zum Befestigen des Kabels am Revers, je zwei Ohrbügel für festen Halt ohne Zug am Kabel, und eine stabile Transportbox finden sich in den äußerlich fast identischen Verpackungen. Im Gegensatz zum 130 cm langen Flachbandkabel des DBA-02 verwenden die TBA-04 ein 120 cm langes, verdrilltes Kabel. Letzteres ist leicht und bietet durch die Verdrillung bereits etwas Elastizität, und es gibt eine Art Puffer als weitere Zugentlastung im Kabel. Des Weiteren positiv hervorzuheben ist, dass linker und rechter Kanal bei beiden Modellen eindeutig und leicht erkennbar gekennzeichnet sind – im täglichen Umgang ist das eine echte Hilfe.

Dass weder DBA-02 noch TBA-04 über eine Headsetfunktion verfügen, ist angesichts des highfidelen Anspruchs verschmerzbar, führt aber zu Abzügen in der B-Note – schließlich wollen auch audiophile Businessmenschen gerne mal telefonieren, ohne die Ohrhörer herausnehmen zu müssen …

Sitz und Sound

Die breite Auswahl an Ohrpassstücken sollte jedem Besitzer perfekten Sitz der Ohrhörer im Gehörgang ermöglichen – nicht nur unterschiedliche Größen sind im Angebot, sondern auch Aufsätze in unterschiedlichen Formen sowie mit und ohne Schaumstofffüllung zur besseren Schallisolierung – vorbildlich! Als besonders angenehm empfinde ich die im Einsatz kaum spürbaren Ohrbügel, da sie ein fast schwereloses Tragegefühl der nicht gerade kleinen Buds ermöglichen. Die Schallkanäle beider Ohrhörer sind so abgewinkelt, dass sie optimal in den Gehörgang passen. Die TBA-04 sitzen hier für meinen Geschmack noch einen Tick sicherer und weniger spürbar im Ohr, beide Modelle fühlen sich jedoch recht sicher an. Nutzt man die beigelegten Ohrbügel nicht, empfiehlt es sich, dennoch die Kabel über die Ohren nach hinten zu führen, da die spezielle Formgebung beider Modelle das Kabel nach oben aus den Gehäusen herausführt. Die ersten Töne mit dem kleineren Schwesterchen, den DBA-02 Mk2, verblüffen: Selten habe ich eine derart hohe Auflösung und luftige Raumdarstellung mit einem In-Ear gehört. Percussion und der Hall von Stimmen und Instrumenten scheinen eindeutig von außerhalb meines Kopfes zu kommen, hier gibt es keine Spur von Im-Kopf-Lokalisation. Tonal bewegen sich die mittleren Master-Series-In-Ears definitiv auf der brillanten, schlanken Seite.

Der Bass ist zwar da und reicht auch tief hinab, doch fehlt es ihm gerade mit elektrischer Musik oder Heavy Metal an Druck, Fülle und Konsequenz. Mit Jazz und kleineren Besetzungen fällt das weniger auf, zumal die DBA-02 Mk2 Umgebungsgeräusche recht gut dämmen und so die Konzentration auf die Musik möglich machen. Am entgegengesetzten Ende der Frequenzskala dagegen üben sich die DBA-02 Mk2 nicht in Zurückhaltung. Mit stupender Attacke und Geschwindigkeit sowie beeindruckender Auflösung holt der Balanced- Armature-Treiber alles aus der Aufnahme, was drauf ist. Im Zusammenspiel mit dem betont schlanken Bass ergibt sich ein insgesamt eher helles, funkelnd-prickelndes Klangbild. Das ist ein Statement und eine Abstimmung mit Charakter statt absoluter Neutralität – prinzipiell ist das ja nichts Schlechtes (auch wenn die Sibilanten dem einen oder anderen Hörer zu scharf betont sein dürften), aber man muss darauf stehen und bei Elektro und Rock auch damit leben können. Einfacher macht das der geradezu als „erdendes Element“ fungierende Mitteltonbereich. Er ist das Sahnestück bei den Fischers, auch, so viel vorweg, beim TBA-04: Unglaublich offen, transparent, räumlich in der Darstellung – allein das Wort geschmeidig mag mir nicht so recht in den Sinn kommen, dazu sind (vielleicht ein Tribut an die insgesamt analytische Abstimmung der DBA-02) auch nach ca.

24 Stunden Einspielzeit noch zu viele Ecken und Kanten hörbar. Was uns zu den TBA-04 bringt. Denn die machen alles das, was die DBA-02 Mk2 so gut können, noch einen Tick besser, und lassen den kleinen Unstimmigkeiten des Schwestermodells gar nicht erst eine Chance. Ein wärmerer, vollerer Bass, im Vergleich leicht zurückgenommene Höhen ohne Betonung des S-Lautebereichs, und ein noch offenerer, stimmigerer und, ja, geschmeidigerer Mitteltonbereich zeigen, dass der dritte Kanal des Topmodells nicht nur mehr kostet, sondern auch tatsächlich ein Plus an Klangqualität bringt. Die Bassdrum auf Yellos „Fat Cry“ hat mehr Wucht und Druck, und so runden die TBA-04 das im Hochton noch natürlicher anmutende Klangbild um die fantastisch differenzierten Mitten herum kongenial ab. Ein Familienklang ist bei Fischers unbestreitbar vorhanden – auch wenn die TBA-04 eher in Richtung Neutralität tendieren als die DBA-02 Mk2, zeigen beide Modelle einen offenen, transparenten und schlackefreien Klang, der audiophile Hörer ziemlich anmachen, für Einsteiger und Technojünger aber eine Herausforderung sein dürfte.

Fazit

Die Empfehlung geht trotz des Aufpreises an den TBA- 04, der universeller, neutraler und angenehmer klingt und so die vorhandenen Talente des DBA-02 Mk2 vollends kultiviert.

FA-011 (German version)

Sunday January 18th, 2015

FA-011 – headphones reviews

(German version)

Neben den Traditionsherstellern aus Deutschland und Österreich kommen die Kopfhörer auf dem deutschen Markt größtenteils aus dem fernen Osten. Die Firma Headsound aus Berlin importiert mit den Kopfhörern von Fischer Audio zur Abwechslung russische Produkte.

Der Fischer FA-011 ist ein Kopfhörer für Liebhaber. Den meist perfekt maschinell gefertigten Fernost-Produkten setzt er russische Handarbeit entgegen. Das Ergebnis ist nicht immer perfekt, hat aber auf jeden Fall Charakter. Die Schalen der Ohrkapseln bestehen aus Holz, was bei unserem schwarzen Testmuster leider nicht so zur Geltung kommt. Die Gelenke und der Kopfbügel sind in erster Linie stabil, den Mechanismus mit dem sich automatisch anpassenden Kopfband kennt man von anderen Herstellern als zuverlässige Konstruktion. Insgesamt ist der FA-011 so richtig gute alte Schule. Was die Passform betrifft, ist daran nichts auszusetzen. Der FA-011 ist nicht der leichteste, doch das breite Kopfband und die weichen Ohrpolster lassen so schnell keine Ermüdungserscheinungen aufkommen. Auch der Klang hat einen nostalgischen Touch. So haben Kopfhörer vor dem aktuell vorherrschenden, durch Beats by Dr. Dre geprägten, Kopfhörer-Sound geklungen: solide und unaufgeregt. Der Bass des offenen Systems drängt sich nicht in den Vordergrund, die Mitten klingen entspannt und der Hochton wird nie aggressiv. Insgesamt ein schlüssiges, eingängiges Klangbild.

Fazit

Der Fischer FA-011 ist auf jeden Fall originell und punktet mit seinem nostalgischen Charme. Sicher kein Kopfhörer für jeden, doch er wird auf jeden Fall seine Liebhaber finden.

FA-003 Ti (German version)

Friday January 16th, 2015

Review headphones – FA-003Ti

(German version)

Die seltsamen Buchstaben der Überschrift sind übrigens kyrillische Buchstaben und das Ganze soll „Spitzentechnologie“ auf Russisch heißen. Warum? Nun, weil es hier um die Spitzenmodelle der russischen Firma Fischer Audio geht.

Ich muss gestehen: Tief im Westen der Republik aufgewachsen und sozialisiert, ist mein Russlandbild noch immer von der antirussischen Propaganda der Zeit des kalten Krieges geprägt. Und dazu gehört, dass Russland technologisches Entwicklungsland ist. Egal, ob die UdSSR mit dem Sputnik den ersten künstlichen Satelliten in eine Erdumlaufbahn geschossen hatte oder der Russe Juri Gagarin der erste Mensch im Weltraum war – immer wurde uns der Eindruck vermittelt, in Russland ginge man mit der Keule auf Bärenjagd in den Wald, während Neil Armstrong den Mond betrat. Angst vor russischer Militärtechnik durfte man damals trotzdem haben. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass Roskosmos den Taxiservice zur internationalen Raumstation ISS aufrecht erhält, weil die NASA ihre altersschwachen Spaceshuttles einmotten musste habe ich aufkommende Vorbehalte gegen russische Kopfhörer flugs beiseitegeschoben und mich auf den Fischer Audio FA-003Ti gestürzt. Spätestens als mein Blick auf das gar nicht verschämt auf die Packung gedruckte „Made in PRC“ fällt, ist mir klar, dass auch die russische Wirtschaft absolut up to date ist. Ob nun dahintersteckt, dass die russische Firma Fischer Audio in China fertigen lässt oder ob nicht umgekehrt Chinesen die russische Marke aufgekauft haben, kann ich nicht sagen.

Früher wurden Hintergründe aus Gründen der politischen Propaganda verschleiert, heute ist das Marketingstrategie.

Ausstattung

Auf jeden Fall kommt der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti als ziemliches Komplettpaket. In der Verpackung, die gleichzeitig die Transporttasche ist, liegt ein drei Meter langes, austauschbares Kabel mit 3,5-mm-Stereoklinge und aufgeschraubtem 6,3-mm-Adapter. Dazu gibt es ein Paar veloursbezogene Ohrpolster, die man gegen die montierten (Kunst-)Lederposter tauschen kann. In den tadellos gefertigten Gehäusen stecken 43-mm-Treiber mit titanbedampften Membranen. 64 Ohm Impedanz empfehlen den Kopfhörer für den stationären Einsatz und nicht gerade für den Anschluss ans Smartphone. Trotzdem lässt der Wirkungsgrad von 101 dB auch an einen Einsatz an einem kräftigeren mobilen Player oder Kopfhörerverstärker denken. Die Verarbeitung ist absolut einwandfrei.

Passform

Der recht große Kopfhörer bietet den Ohren viel Platz, auch der Verstellbereich des Kopfbügels ist wirklich üppig bemessen. Damit der geschlossene Kopfhörer am Kopf gut dichtet, ist der Anpressdruck etwas größer, was die weichen Polster bequem auffangen. Insgesamt sitzt der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti recht bequem und wird auch bei längeren Hörsessions nicht unangenehm.

Klang

Frisch aus der Verpackung angeschlossen drängen sich die oberen Mitten ziemlich in den Vordergrund und der Kopfhörer klingt recht „spitz“. In Anbetracht der Tatsache, dass mein Testexemplar fabrikneu ankam und auf dem Weg zu mir einige Klimazonen durchreist haben dürfte, gönne ich ihm erst einmal eine 24-stündige Einspielzeit. Und siehe da – danach gibt sich der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti wie verwandelt. Grundsätzlich spielt er sehr neutral ohne die aktuell moderne Bassbetonung. Selbst ohne dick aufzutragen reicht er hörbar tief in den Frequenzkeller hinunter. Die Mitten spielen schön offen, dynamisch und fein aufgelöst – so machen zum Beispiel Stimmen richtig Spaß. Auch die Höhen sind fein aufgelöst, nehmen sich vielleicht eine Nuance zurück, enthalten einem aber in keinster Weise Informationen vor. Wie die meisten geschlossenen Konstruktionen bildet der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti eher kompakt ab – um das Ganze besser gegenüber der eher luftigen Abbildung vieler offener Konstruktionen abzugrenzen könne man auch gut „erdig“ sagen. Ich gebe zu, dass ich es wissen wollte und habe gründlich verglichen. Mit dem Fazit, dass der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti absolut auf Augenhöhe mit deutlich teureren Mitbewerbern etablierter Hersteller spielt. Wettbewerbsmodelle der 300-Euro-Klasse musste ich schon aufbieten, um klanglich in Gefilde vorzudringen, in denen sich der FA-003Ti bewegt.

Dieses Ding ist wirklich Spitzentechnologie – egal, wo er herkommt.

Fazit

Es heißt ja, dass Russen gerne fluchen. Dann mal los: Der Fischer Audio FA-003Ti ist ein verdammt sauber gemachter und verflixt gut klingender Kopfhörer zu einem unverschämt günstigen Preis.

FA-005 Headphone Review

Monday November 17th, 2014

Review FA-005 Hi-Grade Monitoring DJ Headphones

Fischer Audio; Headphones Leader brand from Russia send the new headphones model to mobileasia.net with FA-005 headphones closed-ear design that will close your world to the world of entertainment & music.

Fischer Audio is a brand new in the recently launched into the market in early Q4 in our own past. By brand from Russia has been recognized on the international level before the US invasion of Thailand. Which their products range from headphones In-Ear typical chase to the level Ears tens of thousands of baht to ownership by the Fischer Audio FA-005 is a headphone of the Master Series of brands and out. Designed for use in a professional DJ, you can use it at 5,790 baht.

Fischer Audio FA-005 Technical Specifications.

Drivers 50 mm.

Frequency Range 10-20,000 Hz

Sensitivity 96 db

Impedance 24 Ohm

Maximum power input 3000 Mw

Cable length 1.0 m / 3.0 m.

Jack 3.5 mm.

The Headphone is available with 3 colors (brown – yellow, white – red and black – gray) to the device makes use of plastic. Combined with leather and velvet lining PU Fit to wear.

On Test

The ability to use it. We start by testing the wearer’s FA-005 is comfortable to wear and the material of each part to soften. And adjust the fit is very good. This section is going through If a longer It feels a little squeeze head

Sound as well as the FA-005 for several days, I have kept quiet about the noise around 90%, depending on the volume of users to listen to each. And I say good. The traveler Hearing the noise around “some” to make safety. Be careful, there is more to it.

The FA-005’s sound to sound more resonant. The noise is the sound isolation is quite good. Sound coming out loud and tight bass tone to the degree. Pronunciation high possibility Preet foods. There are several dimensions to listen to the fun. The Music Party style or genre electronica Electronics lot. To feel that it’s more fun to listen to music with headphones generally clear to the driver of a large 50 mm. The sensitivity level of 96 db. There is nothing to drive out.

Accessories with which we can connect to other audio devices. It is optional for the user who wants to try it. Good sound is coming from many of the elements that will be. Audio recording, headphones, and of course, the device comes with a sound that bad that our test is the test we can not do much of anything.

However, as the headset in general use Fischer Audio FA-005 headphones are worth the price. Music has many forms in much better quality than one version. In particular, I like the music, electronics industries. It’s not hard to cheer The machine can be a huge barrier to carry some. But the design is attractive and colorful package that came in full size. I believe many people would love to not be exact.

Anyone who would like to experience the real test of Fischer Audio FA-005 can be found at stores like Mankong Gadget / B-Trend / LOFT and leading department stores.

Can the Russians make a world-class headphone?

Wednesday November 12th, 2014

Headphones Review FA-011 Hi-Grade Monitoring

Steve Guttenberg/CNET

It seems like most of the world’s best headphones come from the US, Germany, and Japan, but after listening to the Fischer FA-011 I’m tempted to add Russia to the list. It’s hand-assembled there with a mix of Russian-and foreign-made parts. There’s a lot less plastic in the FA-011 than I usually see in affordably priced headphones like this one.

It’s a full-size, on-ear design, with a self-adjusting headband that ensures a super comfortable fit, the real beech wood ear cups look sharp, but the 40mm driver, and 160 Ohm impedance don’t hint at the greatness of the FA-011’s sound. The headband isn’t hinged, and the ear cups don’t fold flat, but the headphone comes with a sturdy, heavily padded carry case.

The coiled cable isn’t user-replaceable, and the headphone’s sensitivity is moderate, so even with myiPod Classic‘s volume turned up all the way the FA-011 didn’t get very loud. It was loud enough for me, but if you crave volume, you’ll need a separate headphone amp.

Bass, mids, and highs are smooth, distortion low, and the soundstage is wide open. Listening to Antonio Sanchez’ explosive drum solos on the “Birdman” soundtrack, the FA-011’s bass punch and low-end power blew me away. Dynamics were visceral, and the cymbal crashes’ sizzle were soft. I’m reviewing the latest version of the FA-011, older models had a much brighter sound than this sample.

My Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphone sounds brighter than the FA-011, so even ragged MP3s go down easy. When I stopped comparing and just listened for pleasure the sound wasn’t lacking in detail. One thing is certain: the M50x plays a lot louder at the same volume setting on my iPod, it’s a lot easier to drive than the FA-011.

My NAD Viso HP50 headphones also sounded more immediate, brighter, and played louder than the FA-011, but it sounded more open and spacious than the Viso HP50 and M50x.

Plugging the FA-011 into my Schiit Lyr 2 amplifier (review to come) tapped more of the headphone’s true potential. Dynamic oomph improved and bass definition firmed up, and overall clarity benefited from the change from portable to home amp.

So while I enjoyed the FA-011’s comfort, potent bass, and sweet, easygoing sound, I can’t recommend it to those who will use it with a phone and like high volume and crisp detail.

Eterna Review

Tuesday July 1st, 2014

Summary/Details:

Cost: RRP £89.99/’Street’ Price £60/Price at Purchase £37.94
Style: Over-the-ear
Cable Length: 1.25m L-Plug terminus
Driver: Dynamic
Impedance: 18 Ohm
Sensitivity: 110db
Freq. Range: 8-22KHz

First Impressions:

The Eterna comes in a package that is soft on the eye and yet visually attractive at the same time. It features a ‘window’ that allows you to view the IEMs without opening the box – a nice touch, but somewhat unnecessary in my opinion.

In terms of accessories provided, Fischer Audio ship the Eterna with a cloth pouch (branded with the Fischer Audio logo), some over-the-ear cable guides (not featured in the picture), and three sets of tips – two silicon single-flange tips and a set of silicon bi-flange tips – pretty basic and simplistic, especially compared to the offerings from other brands.

On removing them from the packaging I immediately noticed the build quality, the housing – whilst plastic – feels solid, the nozzles have metal filters, and there is more than enough cable relief. The cable itself is thick and feels durable, but does retain some memory properties – not enough to be irritating but certainly noticeable. The cable also features an in-line remote and microphone, housed in the same plastic.
In terms of comfort, the drivers are quite sizeable compared to other IEMs (such as the E10s/PL50s/CX-range/VSonics offerings) but are, assuming you do not possess smaller ears, very comfortable over long periods of time, with the angled nozzle aiding this.

Sound:

This is the area the Eterna’s excel in. They have a ‘fun’ sound signature, with plenty of bass presence. A quick look at the frequency response graph for the Eterna will confirm this – but it will also highlight the warm mids and slightly laidback treble. These headphones are by no means bass-monsters; the bass is there, and in good quantities, but overall the Eterna has a sound that is easy to listen to, so utterly non-fatiguing, and a real pleasure to listen to.
Its soundstage is forward, with good separation (a lot of IEMs can sound distinctly as if they are in your head, the Eternas are more like being 1-2 rows from the front of a gig). They possess good clarity and separation, and neither the bass nor the mid-bass get bogged down in fast flowing tracks, though in some heavily layered or very complex tracks there are moments when the clarity cant quite resolve the full picture.

Bass: Warm, forward and deeply extending. Very little bleed into the midrange.
Mids: Presence of a mild mid-bass hump warms the mids, they are engaging, smooth and sweet.
Treble: Slightly rolled towards the top frequency, which can be noticeable in some tracks and genres. The treble is smooth, however and entirely non-fatiguing.

Isolation is good, they are excellent transport or gym phones – although isolation can be improved by changing the ear tips out for Comply Foam Tips or Shure Olives – neither of these impact the sound to my ears.

These headphones are also easy to drive, I’ve had no issues powering them from a Moto G and they sound excellent through an mp3 player or DAP such as the Sansa Clip+. There isn’t much different at all under amping, you do see a slight increase in the power and clarity of the bass and sub-bass however.

Concluding Comments:

These headphones have become my go-to for portable use. They are light, compact, and comfortable for long periods of time. More importantly, they really do make music sound fun again. I have yet to hear a set of IEMs that can deliver such fun across the board. There really isn’t much more I can say about these without drooling over the keyboard, so I shall end it by quoting a few comments from ClieOS and ljokerl:

“What the Eterna does best is deliver the fun factor in a completely unadulterated form. The sound of the Eterna is big, smooth, and powerful…it doesn’t fatigue and never becomes boring.”

“Eterna is a pair of very musical sounding IEM – it is not about accuracy of the sonic reproduction, but the 110% dedication to fun and music enjoyment.”

Consonance V2 – An interesting revision to my favourite budget earphones

Sunday June 29th, 2014

Packaging & Accessories: 8/10
Build Quality: 9/10
Design & Look: 8/10
Microphonics (higher ratings means lower cable noise): 8/10
Isolation: 8/10
Comfort: 8/10
Audio Quality: 8/10
Value: 9.5/10
My final Rating: 9/10

Purchase Date: June 2014
Purchase Price: £60

First of all I would like to thank Sergey for sending me these out to review.
You can find out more information about the Consonance V2 and purchase it on Fischer’s website. These can be found on AmazonUSA.

I had previously reviewed the original FA Consonance, and when I saw the V2 announced I was very much intrigued to see how it sounded and performed. The biggest flaw of the original Consonance was its wire quality – which meant that there was an issue with longevity. With that said, I really do love the Consonance and thus why they made the IEM awards 2013. At their price range, the FA Consonance is and still is to my ears the best buy in its price category. I should note that I’ve used the original Consonance almost every other day playing football in the park, and they’ve still held up to quite a lot of abuse.

Packaging, accessories, box content, overall first impressions (look wise)

Packaging:
The packaging that is provided with the FA Consonance V2 is updated and for the better. It looks like a better product from the outside now and something that you could see on the shelves of high-street stores.

Accessories:
The contents of the package are decent, although not perfect. In the package you get the following:
-Earphones
-S, 2x M, L silicone tips
-3.5mm conductor adapter for older devices
-Soft carrying pouch

As you can see the accessories aren’t amazing, but I love the fact that Fischer Audio thought about the backward compatibility of these in-line mic enabled earphones with older devices.
This comes from the jack on newer devices being different from older devices. Essentially it means when you plug in these 4-conductor earphones in an old device or not-made for mic source, the sound will be at 50% and distorted.

To put into perspective: When I plug the Consonance V2 in a Samsung Galaxy S1, the sound isn’t full until I hold down the mic button and thus get the full range from the S1 – this is where the adapter comes in and helps with you not having you needing to press down the mic button at all times. With the Galaxy S3 on the other hand, I have no problems with the Consonance V2. As I said it is for older devices or have a different layout with their input 3.5mm jacks (like my Denon AVR-X500 AV receiver, which has the same problem as my Galaxy S1 with the Consonance V2).
So, top mark to Fischer Audio – I’ve not seen it on any full-size headphone let alone earphone; yet it is a fundamental aspect of any operations for any audio equipment.

I would have liked to see more tips included, especially some foam tips.

Overall first impressions:
Overall I was impressed by the initial package it comes in and furthermore the thought process of including the adapter with the earphones. Overall, a great initial impression.

Build Quality

Now the biggest concern for me on the older version of the Consonance was the overall build quality. The wire being the biggest concern.
I am pleased to say that the build quality of the Consonance V2 is vastly improved, top to bottom.

Starting fromt he jack, it is a right-angled 3.5mm gold plated jack. The jack itself also looks very good with the rest of the earphone (as the earphones can be found in 3 different colours: White, Black and Orange – my version being Orange) – the jack is thus coloured in Orange to fit the theme of the rest of the earphone. Then moving up the wire, we have well made and protected splitter – that yet again is also themed with the colour of the earphones.
As we move closer to the earphones themselves, on the right hand side, we have a microphone and a single button remote. The button controls play/pause and for Android when held down launches Google Voice. The mic works brilliantly and sounds good on the receiving end.

Now as mentioned earlier the wire is what was of concern to me and in the V2 model, I really love the wire that’s been provided. The wire itself feels durable and more so doesn’t get tangled, which is a problem that I found with the older version of the Consonance. The wire also has little microphonics, despite it still being present it is much better than it was before. When worn over the ear, just like the older version, the microphonics are completely eliminated. I can’t quite stress how much of an improvement the wire is for the earphones. It really makes a lot of difference for day-to-day usage.

The earphones themselves are also very well made, with a solid strain relief that allows the wire entering the earphones to be well protected. The earphones themselves have a metal enclosure with a plastic frame on the outside. This means that the earphones are very tough, however that does come at a price; the earphones are heavier than their old brothers. This isn’t something that is too concerning as it isn’t heavy enough to fall out of your ears, but it does mean that it isn’t as light in your ears, thus you do feel it in your ears and unlike the older Consonance isn’t as comfortable to wear with the wire straight down. You can’t have everything I guess so there must be some give and take.

Finally, one thing I noted about the build quality is the left and right indicators on the earphones are a little hard to see. They are written on the black strain relief, in black. This means in the dark it is almost impossible to see – your best indication of which is left and right is to see where the microphone is (right side). it is something that can be ignored due to the microphone, but I would have liked a better indication of the left and right side, either by a right and left indicator written on the earphones themselves or the current writing in orange (or the selected theme colour).

Overall the build quality is a huge improvement on the old version – I really like what Fischer Audio have done and give them top marks. It isn’t quite perfect but it is almost there.

Now the overall look, comfort and isolation

Look:
The looks to me is a huge improvement as well – the looks are very nice and can be seen as fashionable, especially with its striking orange colour.
As said in the build quality section it is nice to see the theme colour throughout the earphone – from top to bottom you can see the orange theme and it’s nice to see. I also should state that the wire really does look cool and gives it a high-end earphone look, that can be found on certain earphones.

Isolation:
The isolation of the earphones is decent, although not perfect. Due to its construction you get passive noise cancellation, but you won’t get that increased isolation that you’ll find on bigger structured earphones. Furthermore, at the back of the earphone there’s a hole (which I presume is used for the soundstage and lows to be a little more open and prominent) – this however affects the isolation of the earphones.

Finally the comfort:
The earphones are quite comfortable, but as noted before they are heavier than the old consonance and thus means that they aren’t as comfortable as the older version of the Consonance. I do find that the comfort levels are absolutely fine, but they could be better if the earphones were lighter. In other words they are above average and actually quite pleasant to wear for long periods of time, but sometimes when I’m playing football with them on, I find them slipping out of my ear due to their weight, whereas with the older consonance that wouldn’t ever happen.

Sound Quality

The sound quality is something I was worried about, as with the new construction of the housing and the new revision, I thought the sound would be greatly effected, which would make me not like them as much as the older version. There is a difference in the sound quality of the new revision and the older one, and unfortunately I have to say I prefer the older version quite a bit more, mainly due to its mids and highs being just that little more prominent. What I found about the V2 was that it sounded a little muffled and “restricted” – I had to also increase the volume more than I did on the older volume, which could suggest there is a more demanding driver inside now.

Lows:
The lows are very similar to the first version of the Consonance, but this time I felt that there was that little bit more emphasis on the mid-bass than there was before. The sub-bass is identical, where it doesn’t quite extend fully but does an amazing job, especially when pushed and EQ’ed. Thus I feel the mid-bass has become louder, and I’m not sure if that’s the best of things, as the older version had the amount and level just perfect for its price range.

Mids/highs:
The mids and highs have both decreased in quality in my honest opinion. I feel that the mids have become even more recessed than they were before and thus made the earphones sound more V shaped than they did before. The highs are still very good, but feel as if they roll off just that little bit earlier than before. It isn’t that noticeable at first, but after A/Bing them against each other, I could definitely hear a difference.

Soundstage:
The soundstage on the other hand has improved and I think that’s linked to the metal construction of the earphones. The V2 model has better decay and positioning to it.

Sound Quality Ratings
Lows: 8.5/10
Mids: 7/10
Highs: 7.5/10
Soundstage: 8.5/10

Conclusions and final thoughts

Overall, I’m yet again impressed by Fischer Audio and especially the FA Consonance, I really like what they’ve done with this model, however I was a little disappointed to find slight audio differences and unfortunately negatively effected my experiences. Despite the original model having wire annoyances, they were easy to get over. The audio on the other hand from the V2 is hard to get over as that can’t be “fixed” or “helped” – it’s what you get and you cannot changed that, even with an EQ. I thus feel that Fischer Audio did a good job improving the other aspects of the earphones, but also changed the quite-incredible sound that the previous model had. I wish they had not changed the sound characteristics and just improved the overall build quality.
With that said, when the V1 gets discontinued, the V2 will still be one of my top recommendations. They’re excellent earphones and I really do like them, just not as much sonically as the V1.

Hope you enjoyed my review!
–TotallydubbedHD