Jubilate Master Series Headphones

Packaged in the now familiar and highly durable stiffened nylon zip bag/box and in a ton of padding the Jubilate cuts a strident post with its wooden shine and 3D wing system headband which brandishes the already familiar Master Series headphones branding and logo. The cable is single entry this time instead of dual entry on the FA-002W and sports a 3.5mm type termination for locking into the left cup and a more regular quarter jack termination for slotting into the amp or source of your choice. On initial sight it reminded me a touch of the e-smooth headphones with a classy shell or ATH type wooden headphone such was the familiarity when you look at the cans out of the box.True to Fischer Audio’s mantra you can of course get varying types of wooden cups such as Jatoba, Paduak, Khaya and Tiama in more circular design than the more elongated FA-002W cups. At the time of writing the price for the Jubilate doesn’t seem to vary with the style of wood used unlike the FA-002W which can vary by up to $150-$200 depending on your taste. The rest of the headphone is more standard fare brown flexible plastic hosing 3-d wing system made popular by the likes of AKG and ATH and a softer leather band across for resting on the head. In truth it is quite a comfy little setup though I wouldn’t mind the leather being a tad thicker on the band for more robustness but since this is primarily an indoors headphone I cannot see that as being a major issue.

The cans also come with well crafted pleather and velour pads which are relatively easy to swap around without too much huff and puff. The color of the pleather is a nicer match than the blander velour pads so I ended up sticking with them for the review though I have some comments on the velour pads and their tonality. The pads could have maybe done with a tad more depth overall as my ear ended up touching the internal grills slightly. The main weight of the headphones are in the wooden cups themselves rather than the band so the main downward pressure is felt on the cups and ears which I would have preferred to have been more to the top of the headband itself but most 3-d wing systems I have used are generally like that – even the W3000ANV from ATH had this weight placement. It does hold fairly well in place though on your head and the sweet spot for placement is pretty easy to achieve. Isolation wise as a closed headphone is pretty decent though not earth shattering – once the music starts playing most background sounds fade away.

Technical Specifications

Frequency range: 10-22000 Hz
Sensitivity: 103 dB
Impedance: 165 Ohm
Input power: 300 mW
Set: 6.3 mm adapter, 3.0 m cable, replacement earpads, storage case

Sound impressions

Out of the box with velour the cans are thin, bright with grain and little or no bottom end. For some reason I had this in my mind to be another bass heavy headphone like the FA-002W. My bad, wrong expectation so after a while calming down and allowing a burn-in of a few hours I started to re-educate myself on what Fischer are trying to achieve here. This is a top down sonic presentation engineered for articulation, clarity and minute detail at a competitive price. On the velour this does not work as well as on the pleather as the pleather gives it a slightly, if much needed, darker tonality and a bit more meat on the bones in the lower end of the spectrum but not by a whole lot. The velour pads do away with the snap and give a slightly smoother response but also slim out the bass impact and emphasize the trebles a bit more than the pleathers giving it quite a bright signature. There is not a night and day difference between the two pad choices overall but my choice would be the pleathers for the added lower end depth.

The Jubilate’s main strengths are the mids and uppers and if you are a detail freak you might feel these headphones are more suitable for you. Certainly on slower delicate tracks with acoustics and lead vocals they do portray good competence and are quite listenable. Buika’s ‘Soledad’ off her 2009 El Ultimo Drago album which really doesn’t demand anything from the lower end are a great match for them though in saying that there a tendency for a touch of sibilance to slip in now and then. So take your pick – smoothness or detail. I can handle both but only when the mood takes me. There is a certain sharpness on the tonality also that can either work well or make your hair stand on end depending on the genre. For acoustics this came out reasonably well with solid, fast almost strident articulation and a decent amount of detail. However once you threw in a lot of guitar and cymbal work such as Def Leppard’s “Animal” off Hysteria (1987) it came across as thin and sharp. I did find the sound stage to be more pleasing than the FA-002W though with its wider more forward mids section allowing a bit more space for instrumentation and vocals to breath than the more recessed bassy FA-002W.

Final thoughts

This is a very genre specific headphone and not overly musical. That is not to be harsh but consider this headphone as more analytical tool in its nature than a rocking hipster. It will dissect rather than pound the music and as such any music designed to carry a lot of lower weight and plenty of layered action in the mids and uppers might come up short. If you are going to match this headphone to an amp get a dark amp, its easy enough to drive at 106db so most warm or dark amps will work well such as the FiiO E11 or the C&C X02. This headphone is a companion for slower moments of delicacy and detail, a headphone for more refined listening. If this is your scene, you like a touch of classy wood and your not going for top tier then you might like the Jubilate a lot actually.

FA-002W – The Master Series

FA-002W

We have come across Russian indie brand Fischer Audio before with their excellent value DBA-02 MK2 earphones so when the FA-002W was offered for review I jumped at the chance to see what these guys could come up with in the mid-tier level headphone category. I mean the wood cups are just really enticing if you are a woody fan and not just one wood selection but a whole bunch of tasty grains are on offer in a well put together if substantial padded nylon case. The design is not unique to Fischer Audio with similarities being shared with the Brainwavz HM5 headphone and of course the FA-003 with its more standard metal cups (note you can actually change the wood out for the metal cups) is really the FA-002 in design with the added wood. They do look unique and striking and to be honest you are not going to forget these in a hurry looks wise.

Sadly at the time of writing their website was down for redevelopment but what I can tell you from discussions with the team is that the FA-002w is part of their Master Series brand of headphones and they have a number of woody versions from Walnut, Ash, Mahogany, Wenge and plenty more though feedback suggest the sound signature stays much the same from version to version. The insides of the cups are stepped (5 in total) and its in these steps you get much of the core tonality. They retail in and around $300 to $400 depending on the wood in the cup being used and at that price your in with some stiff competition such as the Senns HD600 and HD650 and you are above the Amazon pricing for the AKG K701/2 series also.

Technical Specs

Design: closed
Frequency range: 10-26500 Hz
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Impedance: 64 Om
Input power: 120 mW
Plug: 3.5mm
Length of a cable: 3 M
Color: athracite/black
Box: soft case
Set: additional cushions, 6.3mm jack adapter

The FA-002W comes well packaged also with a nice cushioned soft nylon square zip bag much like the Beyer DT full size series bags and stuffed inside you get a spare set of velour pads, the detachable cables, the metal cups (in case you want to go FA-003) and some Russian/English pamphlets. There is a hint to late 40’s/50’s styling in the branding of the headphones but not as direct as their newer Jubilate line of headphones which we have a review of coming out shortly also. In all its a well thought out package that more than caters for what is undeniably beautiful looking headphone.

Comfort wise they are not the lightest given the large cup radius and the weight of the wood itself but they do sit pretty comfy on the head actually and being an over-ear there is not going to be any long term ear discomfort. You might want to wear in the pads just a touch so they soften up a bit for the extra bit of comfort. Out of the box they are still relatively stiff which press in against your head but nothing major. Being a closed headphone the seal is pretty good and isolation is above par once the music starts rocking. I didn’t go for the metal cups for this review instead staying with the wood for the burn in and beyond. The connectors are 3.5mm marked with red and blue and slot in pretty easy as a dual entry system housed at the bottom of the cups.

I mentioned burn in and whilst there are some who believe and some who do not I have to tell you these need it out of the box and second to that think hard about the matching amp because they can be a tad picky also. Out of the box this is one big u-shaped tonal monster with a ton of bass (oh joy say some) and shrill hot treble (oh boo say others) with rather thin and recessed mids. Testing this initially out of the FiiO E09k I moved it to the Burson HA-160, a Little Dot 1+ and the Hifiman EF5 and my initial judgement remains from these tests – they perform better out of a tube amp period or a very warm signature solid state. They are pretty darn good out of the Burson also but the Burson has a warm signature with great bass impact so that didn’t seem surprising. I settled on the Hifiman EF5 even though its a tad too powerful at times as having the smoothest delivery but the Little Dot 1+ was not too bad either but just looses out slightly to the big boys. The EF5 had the edge on maximizing the sound stage and generally gave the FA-002W a thicker more lush mid-range. I even decided to go full CD with the Meridian 506 through a Beresford DAC just for the sheer hell of it rather than a pure digital approach – 20-bit analog sounds about right. No excuses for the FA-002W now eh?

So back to pre-burn in tonality. If you like your bass thick with a big mid-bass hump and sparkling but hot treble then out of the box this is your headphone. After reading a few stories of more determined individuals give it a few more hours burn in time with some success I decided to go down the same route with some success but I must warn you this did not turn into some sort of HD600, the core tonality remains. This is a u-shaped headphone which works pretty darn well with dance, R&B, hip-hop and some more guttural rock and metal but mid’s guys this is the K550 anti-Christ so be warned. Moving them to the Hifiman EF5 amp gave some much need thickness back to the mid’s and this brings me back to amp matching – get a tube amp and they can sing, get the right genre and these can sing, get it wrong and they howl.

I have to mention the atmospherics on the FA-002w are excellent with above average sound stage reproduction and great image accuracy. Throwing in the tubes helps substantially with vocal reproduction without loosing any impact from the dominant bass signature. I should note the sound stage though above average is not open can wide but rather conveys a more cavernous sound stage that is deep but a tad narrow.

At the top end the initial hot edge and shrill reproduction dies down significantly with the Hifiman EF5 amp. Female vocals lose any harshness and sibilance and flow a lot more smoothly also and the mids come into the fore much better than on the FiiO and Little Dot. “Love is the Drug” by Carla Gugino and Oscar Issac (2011) is a great example of a nice accurate initial intro with the background bar room ambiance moving into an orchestral style Latino beat that is warm yet slightly thin and energetic. It excites and irritates in equal spades and octaves. When its on groove its a great little musical headphone with plenty going for it but throw in some fast cymbal crashing and fast paced guitar flowing and sometimes it can get a tad overexcited and go back to screeching.

Another good example of this is Testament’s seminal 1992 offering ‘Electric Clown” which is just about one of my favorite Bay Area Thrash anthems ever. Low down this headphone is rocking, I mean really musical and captures that driving beat immaculately. Speed wise it can cope and detail is very accurate with a deep but narrow sound stage that copes admirably well. Moving through the mids and highs the detail is still there and the articulation is spot on but the heat starts to build up and the cymbal crashes can be very hot indeed. It’s not a harsh headphone by any stretch of the imagination, just that u-shape house wont be for all. Throw in Deadmau’s 2009 “Bot” and the u-shape matches just a treat with snappy but deep bass and fast responsive trebles. I think I found where this headphone is going to appeal.

So who will love these and who will not? If you have a $300 in your back pocket and your a dance and bass heavy rock fan you are going to enjoy the FA-002W headphone – it’s musical, fun and beat centric in that respect with strong highs that paired with the right amp will give you a pretty darn good listening experience. If your into complex mid-centric music, indie rock, cymbal work and massive shredding this might not suit you so well. Cheap solid state amps might not do it justice also – go with tubes. If your going to buy a $300 headphone you may as well plug it into a decent amp also and the Hifiman EF5 does hit the spot pretty well. The Burson HA-160 a level up does an excellent job also with some added slam. I have heard mention of cable swapping but sadly at this time I can’t comment on that other than to suggest a bit of Denko on these might work wonders.

Final Words

I have to admit I am growing a bit partial to them after a week of solid listening to them on certain genres and they do look pretty darn good in wood over the more industrial FA-003 version. Try before you buy and see what you think yourself though – not everyone is going to have the right amp and this is going to be the big challenge. At $300 plus though this is not a casual purchase so I would expect those thinking of this have a decent headphone amp. Think carefully how you will match it and you will get a good return out of this, even more so if you give it about 50 hours plus burn in and throw into a nice tube setup. It’s in with the big guys at this price range but it’s a unique headphone, more striking then most and pretty well built. Interesting times for Fischer Audio I think.

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FA-004wh – For Those Treble Lovers on a Budget!

FA-004

Intro

Fischer Audio is a company that was my first true love in this community with the DBA-02. I loved the signature and although I have now heard many like it, I still think that it is the best of a category. I have now heard a few more of their products and some have been good while other have let down so with this I was hoping that the magic will be there. These are a relatively budget, closed, over the ear headphone that retails for roughly £40. I went in with no expectation because of the low price point so I was quite excited about what I was about to hear.

Set-up

The set-up I have used is no different to normal, as I have started using a new portable rig, which is the Hippo CriCri amplifier connected through a LOD to an iPod Nano 3G with Apple Lossless and MP3 on it. I also used my old set-ups of my iPhone 4, Cowon J3 (with FLAC) and my iMac with my Objective 2 amplifier. I preferred the velour pads for comfort!

Build Quality/Design

Now the design of these is extremely classy and slightly retro in my eyes. Perhaps you could say it is a bit 80’s but I was not alive then so I cannot comment on that. What I do love though is the colour scheme and the dark brown of the headband is so nicely complimented by the white cups. In a day were everything seems to have to be plastic and tacky with a huge logo to be cool, I think this just shows all of that how it should be done.

The build is good but I was unsure on the coiled cable. The jack is a straight ‘I’ gold plated plug with average size plastic housing and fairly flexible strain relief. The cable itself is not the strongest when straight but it compensates by going into a big coil but that is not great for portable use.

The cable only enters in to the left channel of the headphones and has a chunk of firm plastic around the part that enters the cups. It feels pretty well done. The cups are light and seem fairly thin which does not seem the best, especially as they are made completely out of plastic. The other sides of the cups when you take the pads on are also all plastic and when I changed pads I did get a bit worried of damaging the drivers which lay under a little piece of linen cloth.

The frame that the cups slide on is a thin metal that are actually really sturdy! The yokes are also plastic but a lot thicker and stronger than the cups. Finally we have the synthetic leather headband, which has a little padding, but I would not want to flex it too much like you can with the v-moda m-80 in case of breaking it.

All that being said all the its far from the strongest it has no outstanding parts that you will end up worrying about.

Accessories

I think the accessories included are specific to the white version so only expect all of this if getting this version. Overall what you get is a terrific package and oh so surprising that all of this is included in such a cheap headphone. It all comes packaged in a huge case which just great for storage as the outline of the headphone is cut into the foam layers in side so it is just a terrific storage method but obviously not portable. As these do not fold down you get a large plasticy pouch for them that fits the easily but again is still not the most portable and also does not do much to protect. It does look good though. As a little touch you get a ¼ inch adapter jack.

The second thing you get is a pack of two extra pairs of pads. Now the pads change the sound a tad and also effect comfort quite drastically. So the three types you get are the ones pre-installed which are a plastic leather pad which has lot of little holes which add to its amount of cushioning and is personally the second most comfortable and the brightest sounding. The second and my favorite pad is a velour pair and these are super soft and comfy and they also tame the brightness a bit and sound the most neutral. They do however not look as set to last as the other two pairs but we will see. The last pair is just a plastic par of normal pads.

Comfort

As I have mentioned above the pads to make a difference and for this section I am using the velour pads, which are the most comfy of all the pads. These headphones are of the circum aural variety that means they are made to go completely over you ear. However they do not easily go around you ears like my Sennheiser HD580 or Denon AH-D2000 do so if you have big ear lobes these may rest on your ears a little bit and have a claustrophobic fit compared to my other headphones. These also do have a bit of clamping force to them, it is not like the Beats by Dre Pro which give you a head ache in minutes but it does get annoying after a while in all honesty but a quick re-fit will do the job most of the time. Lastly the headband is actually rather soft and comfortable with its little it of padding.

Isolation

Even though these are closed headphones and do create a rather good seal I do not think the plastic is that good at blocking sound out as a fair bit of ambient noise did leak in. To test isolation on these I took the tube too Liverpool from Colchester (roughly 4 hours with all the transfers and a small trip on the underground) for the National School Swimming Championships and tested them in a number of locations including on board the train, in the station and by the pool. In the station and just walking around it was okay and they got rid of enough but when you was on the platform things could get a bit overwhelming and the same goes for on poolside. As for on the train it was mostly okay so depending on what you are going to be using these for is a factor on whether these are too suited for your needs, but then as portable headphones go they do not compete with IEMs for isolation.

Microphonics (Cable Noise)

The coil obviously is playing effect on the microphonics because there was absolutely zero, which was just great, and you will have no worries if cable noise is something that bothers you.

Burn-In

By what I am about to write I do not want to cause any upsets or arguments as this topic can be seen as a sour subject. These have had roughly 100 hours now of use and burn in combined. As burn in is not scientifically proven this all could be mental and happening in my head but in the case that it does happen I recommend burning them in as in my personal experience I have noted improvements which have a massive impact on my enjoyment factor, so dint make any irrational decisions after listening to them out the box.

Soundstage and instrument separation

Now the soundstage is not huge in width and height sense (even though it is out of your head easily), but a just huge depth with some beautiful work in presentation, which uses both channels, and also the depth to make immersive and true 3-D sound. The whole soundstage is also very airy and spread out. Because it is so airy all the instruments are extremely apart and the driver is actually surprisingly fast and handles most heavy textured stuff well.

Bass

For mid-bass of the FA 004, the quantity is very low, and when I say low I mean really low, this is something you expect from like a single BA driver a IEM or something along those lines. The quality is okay, because although its a pretty tight mid-bass, there is a lack of air moved and consequently impact. That is was the bass of this differs from well-regarded BA IEM such as Fischer Audios very own DBA-02 because while that still has the tight quality of the bass it also has a real nice punch to it.

Also I would like to add that when it says a low quantity of bass, I mean it has a real low quantity as it uses a dynamic driver do not expect any sort of even average amounts of bas because the quantity is definitely subpar and if you like base a lot in your music and listen to a lot of EDM or Hip hop then these may not be for you. The sub-bass extension is, sadly, disappointing and these roll of quickly with little to no rumble. As I have just said, these are no bass lovers headphones.

Midrange

The midrange is well balanced in the middle of everything and is very air and tonally fairly bright from the peaks in the treble. This consequently make women vocalists sound wonderful but can have a negative un-natural effect on some more ‘manly’ male vocalists. The texture of it is not the most built up and it is very thin but this also leads to it be transparent and a lot of details shine through fairly nicely, quite outstanding for the price. The mids are also very airy.

Treble

The treble is what these are all about and it is very bright with lots of sparkle and detail. The treble is extended and quite thin in texture. The sparkle can be a bit over whelming but if you like cymbal crashes loud then these will please you a lot.

Overall

For roughly £40 I cannot believe the package you get and with all the stuff you get I expected that they could not sound good as well. But the surprise and sound truly amazing, above their price for sure. What they also do is provide a budget analytical, top-heavy sound, which you do not really see often from experience. A quick way to describe them if you have heard Fischers DBA-02, imagine that sort of signature with less speed and details but still truly awesome for the price, that’s what we have here. These will be my recommendation for a headphone in this price range unless you like a bass heavy headphone.

Read original version at Head-Fi

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Fischer Audio DBA-02 MK2 – For detail lovers…

DBA-02mk2

Earphones have increasingly been the focus of audiophile attention especially since the switch to balanced armature and the detailed control advantage over the more bass and sound stage orientated dynamic drivers. While dynamic is still the majority player in the earphone market particularly at the volume or mass consumption level due to the simplicity for the roll out, balanced armature is increasingly seen as the precision tool for audio reproduction for the more discerning listener. Once the domain of custom companies such as Unique Melody and JH Harvey, BA (balance armature) is now creeping into the mainstream with Westone, Sony and now Russian upstarts, Fischer Audio who have been making waves for great sounding headphones and earphones recently at pretty competitive prices.

Fischer Audio initially caught my eye with their recent roll out last year of the ’00’ series headphones number 001 – 3 and the very attractive wood editions that came along with the standard edition also. But it is in the earphone market that Fischer Audio have been making waves with good value and excellent performing earphones. The original DBA-02 (MK1) was very well received indeed and compared favorably with higher priced similar BA earphones from other more established manufacturers, in most particular, if memory serves right, the Westone UM3.

The package itself is very well presented and a suitable size for earphones without being overkill. The foam is a bit complicated on the inside but once you pry out the earphones and accessories you pretty much receive an excellent kit which builds on the success of the DBA-2 MK1 with a superior build quality, flat cables, a little touch of branding flair and some excellent ear clips to go along with a wide assortment of tips of which you got to be of the oddest ear size if one of them does not fit your ear comfortably. My ears settled on the flanges but your mileage may vary.

The earphones themselves are much more subdued in appearance than the older MK1 version with a plain black shell and flat cables. Some might find this a tad underwhelming but the build quality is excellent and they look very durable. The carry case is functional in the shape of the classic pill box with some nice branding touches but can be a tad tight when you have the earclips attached to the earphones and you simply want to pack them away in the case. There are some instances of microphonics with the cables but nothing that would distract me from the overall listening quality of the DBA-2 MK2 and even more so with the ear clips.

Comfort and Fit

With a wide range of tips including foamed foams, hybrids, silicone and flange types I am pretty sure you will get the right fit. I found the flange to be the surest fit and very comfortable whilst providing the best isolation. The driver units themselves are pretty light and unobtrusive with no stress points putting pressure on your ear like some large models. The earclip provides excellent support and fit very comfortably around the ear.

Technical specs:

Impedance 43 Ohm
Cable Length 1.3 m
Sensitivity 108dB
Accessories Hard case, clip, earguides, 3 pairs (S/M/L) of foamed sony hybrid clones, 2 pairs of sony hybrid clones (M/L), 3 pairs of silicone tips (S/M/L)
Frequency Range 20 – 24000 Hz
Drivers Closed Dual balanced armature

Sound Quality

Just for testing info we primarily used the DBA-02 MK2’s out of a Cowon X7 and the FiiO E17/E9 combo and yes we cheated a touch now and then with the EQ bass options up to 4 on the E17 and BBE Headphones option on the Cowon X7. What can I say I like to tweak now and then!

Right off the dual balanced armature give a fantastic edge in detail and attack with a forceful mid-range that takes center stage as the DBA-2 MK2 main calling card. The 2004 King Arthur OST from the aforementioned movie shone with excellent clarity and pace with zero sibilance in the top end. The sound stage is very impressive with a nice wide open and airy presentation that allow most of my tracks to breathe. Instrument separation is good without being too detached or feeling artificially placed.

Tonality wise the DBA-2 MK2 err’s more to the neutral/bright and cold side than dark or warm. The center stage of the mids really dictate the tonality with them being slightly to the bright side of neutral but not in any way piercing or fatiguing. I would suggest for lovers of vocals they might not be the strongest but for those who love to squeeze lots of detail out of their tracks or those with complicated listening collections the DBA-2 MK2’s are going to be very hard to beat. Guitar virtuoso lovers in particular should enjoy the dexterity in the dual BA ability to convey complicated solo passages such as Stevie Vai’s “For the Love of God” (1990) which is crisp clear and very involving.

The upper mids and treble reproduction on the DBA-02 MK2 is wonderful for a mid-range earphone in my opinion. Very fast attack, very articulate and balanced without being boring. The treble to mid range is fantastically involving and as mentioned before really the star of the show for these phones. Eric Johnson’s seminal 1989’s “Ah Via Musicom” – a classic album of amazing guitar chops sounded majestic and as clean as the day it was recorded with a superb airy sound stage that really is perfect for this nimble and subtle album.

Bass is tight and punchy but doesn’t reach as deep as say a hybrid or a dynamic driver can achieve but then I didn’t expect that on a dual BA. Upping the EQ on your DAP will compensate but dont expect huge extension and retrieval from the lowest end of any any bass heavy tracks. This earphone is all about speed and articulation and not ‘phat beats’.

Note: Careful with the positioning of these earphones with the flanges though. On initial insertion I was about to ask where did the bass go but a subtle move down brought the bass back into play quick time.

Summary

The DBA-2 MK2 is an earphone for detail freaks. For those who love extracting layer upon layer of instrumental glory, for those who enjoy every drop of a pin in their recordings then you can;t put a foot wrong with these earphones. For those who err to the side of warm organic and husky and place lot of emphasis on soothing vocals then the DBA-02 MK2 might struggle to lead from the front and there are other earphones more suited to the challenge. Careful with your positioning of the tips to ensure you extract the maximum bass potential and sit back and enjoy fast articulate and accurate treble reproduction that is incredibly balanced.

Eterna: the basshead’s quality earphone

Eterna

 

When In Manila and you seek for an earphone to accompany you date to day with both sub-woofer like impactful and deep bass that does not sacrifice much of the highs and mids of your music, then the first earphone that I can recommend you is non other than theFischer Audio Eterna. Fischer Audio is an audio brand hailing from Russia and currently has a distributor in the Philippines under Bluefish gadgets. The Fischer Audio brand has been around some time and they began to be known because of the Fischer Audio Eterna‘s impactful and deep bass while keeping ample clarity and detail.

Build/Packaging:

The Fischer Audio Eterna comes in a simple carton box with 5 pairs of earphone tips and a set of ear hooks. The Fischer Audio Eterna are meant to be worn over the ear, so if the cable kind of annoys you, you can option to have the ear hooks on the cables to keep them in place. The Fischer Audio Eterna also comes with a pouch with “Eterna” designed on to them.

Pretty neat!

On the build of the Fischer Audio Eterna, it is made entirely of plastic and weighs average. They are quite big though, so people with small ears might have to adjust wearing them. They have big driver housings which makes me assume that they might have a larger than normal drivers to give that monstrous impactful and deep bass. With the Fischer Audio Eterna‘s cables, nothing special but they are built to last. The Y splitter at the middle of the cable is built like a high-end headphone’s because of how well restrained and built it is. Nearly impossible to break the cable from the middle split for sure. The 3.5mm jack is also well done since it the cable restrain is hard rubber and not just an easily bendable cable restrain, it is same with the cable restrains on the earphone housings as well, the cable restrains along the end of the earphone is of hard rubber.

Pretty neat!

Sound quality:

I had the chance to use the Fischer Audio Eterna with not just my iPhone, iPod and amps since I recently received the hisoundaudio RoCoo P which is an amazing portable player made specifically for hifi listening due to it’s clean and powerful A class internals. Plugging the Fischer Audio Eterna to the iPhone of course normally showed the very impactful and deep bass that it has. It is very punchy and goes down very deep! It does bleed into the midrange, but heck, this is just plain bass fun! Although running theFischer Audio Eterna on the iPhone and iPod somehow gave the mids a veil that sounded like there was a cloth covering the mids, there was still ample clarity. Having the Fischer Audio Eterna paired with the RoCoo P gave it much much more quality and bass resolve. It’s as if, veil and cloth covering the mids had lessened and the highs were more refined. The bass had more power and were extending more in a 3D way than just hitting from the back. The overall bass of the Fischer Audio Eterna is sheer raw power. It is very punchy and the sub-bass goes down really deep and does rumble, and yet retains quality and does not go too muddy or distorted sounding. So if you’re looking for an earphone that has powerful bass and yet has good clarity and presentation, the Fischer Audio Eterna certainly packs the needed punch.

Read original version at When in Manila

FA-011 Impressions – Let the lower end Rumble your skull!

FA-011

Hey, so I have been listening to these beauties for almost 2 months, so I think it would be a good time to post my impressions on them.

I’ll start with a little text teaser alongside some pics in post 2

Introduction

Fischer Audio is known for their great Audio Eterna IEM, which managed to deliver a “full” sound without compromising much the rest of the spectrum. This time, I’m going to review their open headphones, the FA-011. The Fa-011 have got quite a lot different versions, the ones I have are the light wood version. As I have reviewed the also very good and widely known FA-003, my expectation with these was quite high. Also I would like to find out if Fischer managed to make an open headphone with a broad soundstage, since the closed FA-003 had quite a good soundstage for a closed model. As I said in my former reviews, my primary musical choices are electronic music, dance, drum and bass and some dubstep. So, lets find out what these wooden babies are capable of!

Technical Data Fischer Audio FA-011

IMPEDANCE 160 Ohm
CABLE LENGTH 0.9 m
SENSITIVITY 98 dB
ACCCESSORIES 3.5mm to 6.3 converter, Storage Case, 3.5mm extension (3.0 M)
FREQUENCY RANGE 18 – 22000 Hz
DRIVER Open dynamic drivers

Packaging

The headphones were delivered inside the Fischer Audio transport case which had a paper “closing” it, that said the type of wood which theheadphones were made (European beech) and it’s color (natural). The paper also has the headphones specifications written in its back, alongside some mentions of them being hand made.

After you “get rid” of the paper, you can find the standard Fischer Audio headphone carrying case, and I think this is a very nice measure that other companies should start using, because by using the transport case as the packaging of the product, you can either save in the cost of packaging and add in an essential extra for any headphone. After you open the zip, you can find the headphones very well cushioned on foam.

All in all, great job in packaging as I had already gave my positive opinion on the review of the FA-003, about the carrying case serving as packaging.

Accessories

Opening the carrying case, which is itself an accessory, (in my opinion an essential one), we find out the headphones and some plastic bags. Inside the bags we can find a 3.5 to 6.3 mm adapter, which seems very sturdy, and a 3 meter extension cable 3.5mm to 3.5. Overall, quite a nice accessory pack for an headphone, having the essential and they succeed in their function, because they’re all very useful, especially the extension cable since 0.9 m is a really short cable. I don’t blame Fischer for not including additional earpads, since in the FA-003 the standard ones (Pleather) were much better than the backup pair (velour).

Build Quality

Being handmade, I had quite an high expectation for the build quality of these. Like with the FA-003 (which had a ridiculously low weight, allied to a great build quality), they are very well made. Being heavier, mainly due to the wood and metal mesh on the cups, they are still very comfortable due to the fitting system of them. As said before, the weight is concentrated on the cups, while the headband makes an excellent job in distributing the weight. One thing I’d like to stand out is the solidity of the cups, they simply seem that will last for ages (if they get taken care of, because we all know how’s wood). On the side of the mesh of the cups, you can see a metal which has engraved “Master Series” referring to the series theseheadphones belong to, and “FA-011”. You got to be careful though, because the metal will easily get scratches on it. Moving on to the headband, it is comfortable, but doesn’t have much padding, although it has a self-adjusting elastic, one feature that I find really good because I usually have to store the headphones and on the headphones that use the conventional step design, I usually forget the setting and even on those that have markers I usually never find the fit equal, it may be laziness though. The arches that are made above the elastic are made from what seems plastic, while the bridge that connect the cups to the headband is made from metal. Moving on to the cable, I’m sorry to see that Fischer didn’t got within the route of the FA-003, using detachable cables. I know that the FA-011 usually retail for a lower price, but it would be a great touch to have the ability to use your own custom cables, and it would give the set a really cool look, because an headphone with such a build quality, should have cables to match. Also, the included cable, while really good relatively to usual standards, being thick and supporting some stress, it still a bit not as solid as the one in the FA-003. The plug also suffers from the same issue. While having a really nice stress relief, from what I have seen from the FA-003, it would deserve a better 3.5 mm plug. The one included will definitively sustain some heaving pulling, but I think Fischer should have seen the Headphone as a whole, when thinking about build quality. It is not that is bad, maybe it’s just that the awesome set of cups got my stakes really high.

On an overall view of the set, I’d say that what amazes me the most is definitively the wooden cups, because they provide a really nice solid feel to the cans.

Comfort/Isolation

The FA-011 are provided with a what it seems, velour like, cloth

earpads, and these are definitively the best to use over extended periods of time, because they will heat up easily. While being useful in the winter, it may be a problem when summer comes. That being said, as I write this review, after 1 hour they start to itch my ears a bit, so I’d say about 2 hours would be the maximum. But now it’s beginning to get hot again, blame it on it. On what concerns to fit, they don’t have a very deep insertion of your ear inside the earpad, but they are circumaural, and I guess even those with big ears won’t have any problems with the fit. The clamping force, due to the elastic headband, doesn’t go on unnoticed, but I think it really helps the headphones to stay in your head well, so it’s a plus. Not the best comfort compared to the lightweight FA-003, but it doesn’t make you want rip of these off your ears. While these were designed for home use, you may need to take a few breaks every once in a while, and then, there should be no problem.

The isolation, these being open headphones, is actually good for the type of headphones and they also don’t leak a lot of noise for open headphones, but still not suitable for libraries at a normal listening volume, at least mine. As said above, these will be used mainly on your home, so having little to none isolation may be an advantage, except in cases like someone is vacuuming the house, for example. The isolation may be also helped by the somewhat higher clamping force.

Summing it up, comfort good, but it may make you take a break every once in a while and a good isolation for an open headphone, but its sound leakage still makes it not suitable for quiet study places.

Sound

Source – Rockboxed Sansa Fuze ,  laptop (LG R400), TMN A1 (Huawei Pulse)

Files Used –  256 to 320 kbps and FLAC

Burn-in may have given a better depth to the sound, but nothing worth mentioning (I should have around 100 hours on them), maybe the sound will improve later, but I’ll write with what I have not.

There’s one fact for why I haven’t written this review earlier, and that fact is I don’t have an amplifier. I was trying to postpone it as much as I could to see if I could get my hands on one, but unfortunately I couldn’t. And reviewing these impedance monsters without one will surely prejudice them. So, when I get one, mark my words, that I’ll update this review with the differences of them amped vs unamped.

So I guess, let’s get this started.

As said above, these are impedance monsters, so, to drive them to my normal listening levels, I have to max out the player on rockbox. On the computer, this isn’t an issue, driving them to normal listening levels, but the audio card isn’t the best.

Having come from the fairly neutral (perhaps with a slight lower end emphasis) FA-003, I was expecting the FA-011 to have at least a similar sound signature of it’s pricier, closed brother. But I was wrong, these aren’t nowhere as close to neutral as it’s brother. Let me start it this way, the lower end packs quite a nice rumble, much more than the FA-003. It it’s not a bloated lower end, it just hits you hard, but in songs where it is not requested, it doesn’t show up and ruins the song. It’s just perfect in bass heavy songs, like some liquid dubstep or some hard hitting electro. Also some kinds of rock, those with heavy bass-lines, work like a beauty with these. The lower end also reaches deeper than the FA-003, although the specifications may not say that, and with definition. It allows them to have a fun signature, but those who were looking for something neutral may have to look somewhere else. All in all the lower end of these makes them a head bobbin’ headphone but with quality, because it doesn’t cause a veil over the rest of the spectrum. On what concerns to definition, I think the FA-003 may be tighter, but that may be a consequence of the lack of amplification.

The vocals on these are superb, because in albums where the main focus is in the voices, there’s not much lower end rumbling, allowing the vocals to shine. They are not as present as in the FA-003, due to the more V shaped Sound signature, but when they are requested, they shine. Even on tracks with some bass action, like vocal trance, the voice is delivered faultless. They are pretty much suited for every genre, despite their emphasized bass, because they manage so separate really well the instruments and frequency range.

Now the high end… You can easily hear what Fischer has made in order to balance the headphone’s bass emphasis, especially on rap songs. The cymbals hit hard, perhaps harsh for some, in order to contrast with the lower end, but for me they never get harsh. The treble is definitively more prominent than the FA-003, and I think it extends more, but as said before it could be bothersome for those who don’t like such treble.

Overall, the sound of the set, is a very fun sound V shaped sound signature, with an immense feel of air to it, due to it being open back. Also they have a superb soundstage, that, alongside the rumbling lower end, make soundtracks and movie watching a beauty with these. Alongside the soundstage, you have a pretty nice instrument separation (as good as FA-003) and positional accuracy.

These are the kind of higher end headphones that a basshead should have a listen to witness that it’s really worth to spend a little bit more in order to get that extra quality. They won’t please neutral and analytical music listeners, but these were made for the listener to have fun. Thumping bass kind of fun that is, but even with these characteristics, they can adjust extremely well to every kind of music, despite their sonic characteristics. If you want me to try any specific song on them, feel free to post it below, and I’ll have all the pleasure to write my impressions on it. They are the perfect complementary set of a neutral headphone.

Music worth listening:

–       Anything produced by Dre – Hip hop really has a sweet touch with these, the bass alongside the “exaggerated” treble, really make hip hop a pleasure to listen

–       Money by Pink Floyd – Binaural recordings are great with these, and Pink Floyd is what we all know already. The quick transitions between sides are simply flawless and the vocals are great as well.

–       Doomsday by Nero – Dubstep on its epicness, one great track filled with bass and what it could be a soundtrack to some movie, the bass shakes your head, simply real good with these

These will handle without any kind of problems anything you throw at them.

Conclusion

I went into this review with the FA-003 as a point of comparison. And, from what I have learned from it, I can’t decide which one is superior, since both have pros and cons, and support different sound signatures. The FA-011 is a hit for those who are searching for an headphone with a very broad soundstage, alongside a fun sound (V shaped) that doesn’t compromise and does very well in every genre. Also they have a really solid build quality on the cups, so for the price asked, build quality is a plus.

They are extremely well suited for the genres I hear the most, giving me a more pleasing sound signature than the FA-003, but I think if there’s one thing you can take from this review is this: neither is better than the other, they just complement each other very well, since one is fairly neutral and the other just gives you the sound to relax. So if you want to get the best of both worlds, get the FA-003 and the FA-011.
Fischer managed to establish themselves in the 100-150 $ market with both these headphones, and I take my hat off to them by doing so, because they present us with quite good sets! They just might be betrayed by the limited availability of their products.

References

Fischer Audio FA-011

Price: Around 150 $

As known, YMMV, as these only reflect my opinion on these.

Also, any tips on how to improve my reviews are welcomed and don’t be afraid and post any doubts you may have on what concerns to the model, I will do my best to try and help you.

Old School RPM 33 1/3 Pics Neutral, portable, & Fun!?

Every bit as gorgeous as I expected. I love the ltd. edition wooden box & artwork. I certainly wouldn’t be ashamed setting it up on a bookshelf as a display ornament.. the font/artwork is, again, simply fantastic. Clean, stylish, & artistic without coming across as gaudy or flashy.

The phones/earcups are smaller than I expected (perhaps I should’ve assumed that since they are ‘portable’ after all). More importantly, they’re damn comfortable: perfect clamping force, the cups’ padding isn’t too soft & mushy but not stiff & painful either. In other words, simply perfect as for an on-ear phone. Artwork and craftsmanship on the wood cups is excellent, too. These are truly portable in their slim style & the way they fold up.. yet feel quite sturdy. Not built for a nuclear explosion but if that’s what you’re facing, you got bigger problems than preserving some headphones..lol.

I’ll comment on the sound more extensively as I let these burn in a bit.. but my initial feelings? I love what I’m hearing. One thing I did notice quite quickly was that these are revealing phones in terms of source file quality. Not quite as stark as the 011 but close, IMO. “Garbage In Garbage Out” is fully in effect with the 33/13. Feed them HQ, well recorded music and they will reward you with ear candy.

Given their technical ability & signature, they’d sit quite comfortably in FA’s premier ‘master series’ (alongside the FA-003/002w, 004, 006, 011 & DBA-02). They present a balanced sound that’s firmly on the neutral & natural side of things.. though they’re very musical & engaging. Excellent extension at both ends with every part of the spectrum possessing impressive body, weight, control, & depth. In terms of texture.. they’re not too smooth or too crisp. Not too thin or too thick.. balanced & natural (more than absolute neutrality) in practically every way is what the 33 1/3 seems to be about. Bass has very nice punch & thump but isn’t boosted or bloated. Treble is smooth & natural but possesses just the right sparkle. Those lovely FA mids are thankfully, preserved, too! The mix of neutrality & natural sound reminds me of a fine blend of the 003 & DBA actually.. particularly through the mids. What you don’t have to worry about is any lack of dynamics or note thinness (which the DBA can suffer from) or lack of bass impact (which the 003 can suffer from when unamped) from the 33 1/3.

Per FA, the special APC-02 filter these phones employ (a piece of technology they’ve incorporated into their most premier phones.. i.e. the 002w High Edition) allows the 33 1/3 to be driven easily from portable devices (despite the high impedance ratings). Briefly listening to them from my iPhone (unamped), I’d say FA has definitely delivered with this technology. I’ve got the volume pretty high (~90%) to get the desired listening level (very slightly above average).. but the thing that impressed me most is that they sound quality was damn good straight from my iPhone 4. I’ve listened to many portable-friendly phones that can be driven by DAPs but don’t necessarily sound all that great from them. Despite the iPhone 4 being one of the better, more robust DAPs out there, I often find myself reaching for the Arrow to get the full potential from my phones & IEMs.. With the 33 1/3, I don’t find myself scrambling for the Arrow like I would with some of my other phones (that boast better sensitivity specs, no less). So, kudos to FA for the APC filter.. I hope they continue to use it in their phones in the future. All that being said, these phones certainly benefit from (and take advantage of) a good DAC & amp. Running them through my Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11, the overall improvement & refinement is easily noticeable.

I’ll report back with more sound impressions in a few days.. but I can confidently say the 33 1/3 will (and should) put a legitimate scare in the On-Ear headphone market.. not only in style but in substance (don’t be surprised if Brainwavz ‘copies’ this soon, either.. lol). In terms of sound quality alone, it most definitely deserve to be among the best in the <200-$250 pricepoint.

By ziocomposite

– February, 15, 2012 Posted in: Head-Fi

I’ve been doing more listening with the RPM the last couple of weeks.. they’ve improved slightly (but noticeably) since my initial impressions. OOTB, they were a bit flat & lacking dynamics (at least compared ot how they sound now). At the moment, they’re livelier more open sounding.. music has better depth & clarity too.

I’ll have more to say about the phones in the next few days but it’s late now & I’m not in the mood to type.. I’ll leave you with this teaser, though:

To say I’m impressed with the RPM would be an understatement. These phones have become my among favorite Fischer Audio phones. I like these more than the DBA & 003/002w. They tie with the Silver Bullet & Tandem, in my book. A very impressive feat, IMO.

The RPM isn’t necessarily more technically capable (in some areas) than those other FA phones.. but in terms of sheer enjoyment & compatibility with my ideal sound preference, they hit all the right spots. The RPM’s ability to sound very neutral, natural, and musical at the same time is chief among the reason for my infatuation with them. Their sound signature & texturing reminds me of the UM Miracle in more than a few ways.

By ljokerl

– February, 15, 2012 Posted in: Head-Fi

Fischer Audio Oldskool rpm 33 1/3:

Striking portable woody placed above the Oldskool ’70 in Fischer’s lineup

Build Quality (6.5/10):

The 33 1/3 is a compact supraaural headphone with a flat-folding, collapsible structure. It is very similar in construction to MEElec’s HT-21, seemingly sharing all of the same external bits except for the cups. Like the HT-21, the Oldskool sacrifices some solidity for its light weight and extremely portable design. It features the same thicker-than-average, single-sided cable and 45-degree 3.5mm plug. Aside from the metal inner headband, the only non-plastic part is the wooden insert on the rectangular cups, which features an engraved winged ‘F’ and a stylized model name. The engraving quality is fantastic, which makes the plastic outer structure just a bit disappointing, but the rpm 33 1/3 does hold the honor of being one of the most lightweight headphones in its class as a result.

Comfort (9.5/10):

While the headband pad is identical to that of the HT-21, the earcup padding is of the flat (non-doughnut) variety a-la Sennheiser’s HD238. The pleather and stuffing are extremely soft and the light weight of the headphones makes the thin headband pad a non-issue. Clamping force is very low and the multi-axis folding system allows the 33 1/3 to conform to the wearer’s ears comfortably at all times. The only potential issue is the headband length, which might rule the 33 1/3 out for those with larger heads.

Isolation (5.5/10):

Being a small supraaural headphone, the rpm 33 1/3 is hardly noise-isolating despite the closed-back design. Much of the isolation is traded off for comfort with these. Leakage is still reduced significantly compared to most open sets but they are best used in low noise environments.

Sound (8.5/10):

While the original Fischer Audio Oldskool pursues a crisp and aggressive sound, the 33 1/3 is radically different, offering up a darker, smoother signature. For a tiny on-ear portable with a plasticky outer structure, it sounds remarkably mature and refined. The bass is good – clean and punchy, but not overly aggressive or dominant. The note presentation is on the soft side, resulting in full, rounded bass notes and a smooth, liquid sound. The low end is similar in depth and quantity to that of the AKG Q460, beating out the Phiaton MS300 and lagging just behind the V-Moda M-80. Compared to the Oldskool ’70, the rpm 33 1/3 sounds warmer and fuller, with better bass depth and more realistic note thickness. The Oldskool ’70 sounds a touch quicker and more crisp, but the rpm 33 1/3 is clearly the more natural-sounding of the two.

The midrange is neutral-to-warm, with good detail and a lush, full character. While the bass is punchy, the mids are not at all recessed and barely affected by the low end. The V-Moda M-80 does bleed a touch less but both sets have clean, smooth mids. Like the pricier M-80, the 33 1/3 manages to impress with its clarity and transparency without sacrificing note thickness, as Sennheiser’s HD428 and Superlux’s HD66B tend to do. It also doesn’t push the mids forward to create an illusion of greater detail and presence, again unlike the HD428 and AKG’s Q460. Compared to the Oldskool ’70, the mids of the rpm 33 1/3 are warmer and fuller, maintaining similar detail levels without sounding thin or aggressive and making the ’70 sound grainy and a touch cold in tone.

At the top end, the 33 1/3 is again smooth and refined. The treble is not at all peaky but at the same time doesn’t sound recessed when the headphones are properly driven, offering up a bit more sparkle and air compared to the V-Moda M-80. Treble clarity and detail are on-par with the brighter Oldskool ’70 and ahead of the Phiaton MS300 but the real strength is the realism of the top end, with the 33 1/3 beating all but the M-80 in timbre. The same can be said for the presentation – while the 33 1/3 lacks the imaging and layering of the M-80, it beats most of the competition handily. The sound is a bit laid-back, as expected, but far from overly distant. While the soundstage is not particularly big, it is very well-rounded, revealing just how poor the depth of the Oldskool ’70’s presentation is.

A note on powering the Fischers – despite the high rated impedance, high sensitivity allows them to be driven reasonably with portable players. However, they do scale up quite well and just don’t sound as impressive as they should at lower volumes, leaning towards a darker tonality and a duller, less detailed, and less dynamic sound. Driver by a Cowon J3, the 33 1/3 doesn’t come alive until around 50% of maximum output – quite high compared to most portables and about double that of its lower sibling, the ’70.

Value (8/10):

(MSRP: $129.00, Street Price: N/A) The Fischer Audio Oldskool 33 1/3 is a retro-styled on-ear headphone with a smooth and pleasant sound signature. Admittedly, it is not all things to all people – the 33 1/3 isn’t a rugged, highly isolating DJ headphone. It isn’t a good match for bass junkies or those looking for sparkly, emphasized treble. It isn’t aggressive or analytical. What it is, is an extremely compact and comfortable supraaural designed for casual listening. The sound is clean and detailed, with a slight tilt towards the bass and midrange, and scales well with proper equipment. Its design is unobtrusive and – even with the engravings – unassuming. Keeping in mind that it can sound a touch boring at lower listening volumes, the 33 1/3 is certainly one of the more capable performers in its weight and price class and a great example of what portable Hi-Fi is all about, making it easy to focus on the music and forget the headphones are even there.

Manufacturer Specs:

Frequency Response: 15 – 22,000 Hz
Impedance: 164 Ω
Sensitivity: 114 dB SPL/1mW
Cord: 4ft (1.2m), single-sided; 45º plug
Space-Saving Mechanism: Flat-folding, collapsible

Oldskool : casque vintage à la mode soviétique

Fischer Audio (à priori rien à voir avec certaines électroniques Hi-Fi d’un autre temps) est semble-t-il une marque russe basée à Saint Petersbourg. Alors qu’elle propose plus d’une centaine de modèles de casques et écouteurs audio, elle commence à peine à faire parler d’elle au niveau international.
Juste avant Noël, elle a lancé une série limitée à quelques centaines de pièces seulement de son casque Oldskool rpm 33 1/3. À travers ce modèle, le client d’œil vintage et au disque vinyle est évident mais avec un style très différent de son que l’on a l’habitude de voir dans les pays occidentaux.

oldskool-1-s

Les spécifications de l’Oldskool rpm 33 1/3

  • Réponse en fréquence : 15 Hz à 22 kHz
  • Sensibilité : 114 dB
  • Impédance : 164 ohms
  • Puissance admissible : 110 mW
  • Longueur du cordon : 1,25 m
  • Coques des oreillettes en bois de “padauk”

Le Fischer Oldskool est commercialisé en Russie à 3 990 roubles, soit l’équivalent de 100 €.

www.fischeraudio.com

oldskool-2-s

oldskool-5-s

oldskool-4-s

oldskool-3-s

FA-003 (new version) impressions

FA-003

Introduction

To start this, I would like to greet David from Frogbeats for making this review possible. They are the most known retailer for this Fischer Audio product, so be sure to check out their site.

Fischer Audio is known for their great Audio Eterna IEM, which managed to deliver a “full” sound without compromising much the rest of the spectrum. This time, I’m going to review a closed  circumaural headphone, the FA-003. These are the newer version, which received a facelift from the previous versions. The previous version had quite a high hype on head-fi, so I was really looking forward to hear those, and see if that hype was justified.

As I said in my former reviews, my primary musical choices are electronic music, dance, drum and bass and some dubstep. It is said that the FA-003 are excellent all-rounders due to their relatively flat response, so I’ll try to hear as many types of music as I can.

Technical Data Fischer Audio FA-003

Impedance: 64 Ohm

Cable Length: 2m

Sensitivity: 105dB

Accessories: 3.5mm to 6.3 converter, Replacement ear pads, Storage Case

Frequency Range: 10 – 26500 Hz

Drivers Closed: dynamic drivers

Packaging

Instead of using a separate packaging to ship the headphones, Fischer Audio chose to use the storage case as the packaging. It was a good idea though, because the headphones are tightly packaged and safe, and it also saves some money that would have gone into the packaging. In the case we can see the Fischer Audio logo in white, contrasting with the black color of the case. The case opens easily with a zip. Inside we can see the headphones neatly packaged with some sponge in order to protect them from some sort of damage throughout the shipping process.

Accessories 

Upon opening the carrying case (aka packaging), which is an accessory itself, inside we can find the headphones, a pair of replacement earpads made from what seems velour and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adapter that screws on the tip of the 3.5 connector. The mechanism to change the earpads consists of rotating clockwise the earpad and removing it from the driver. After that the earpad has some sort of locking mechanism that you have to remove from the original pad and transfer to the one you want to have. (Will post pics if requested). All in all, it’s quite a good accessory pack for an headphone, having replacement earpads, along with the usual adapter. The big plus here, goes to the carrying case, which is excellent, mainly due to the padding inside. Of course, it isn’t the most portable of the cases, but it’s not to the portable use these headphones are aimed for, so it is completely comprehensible the approach they took on the case. I prefer it that way, so that when travelling, my headphonesfeel comfy.

Build Quality

The first thing you can notice, whilst grabbing them is: “where did all the weight go?”. Judging by the size of the cups and of the materials that presents, I though these would be quite heavy. But no, surprisingly, Fischer Audio managed (or the OEM?) to maintain a quite high build quality, while keeping an acceptable (very acceptable indeed) weight. The cups are made from what it seems some sort of aluminum or metal, which has engraved the name of the series of the headphone, alongside the name, with a silver finish on it, surrounded by quality plastic that is soft to the touch.

The earpads, one pair made from what seems pleather and another from velour, are also well finished and comfortable, alongside the system that permits the use of the different types of earpads. The headband insides are made from metal, whilst the padding is there right on quantity.

Also one great touch is the detachable cables that make possible the use of your own cables, with the length you desire, being the jacks that go into the cups, mono’s. The included detachable cable is one of good quality, being a bit big and heavy, but very sturdy, built to last. The cable is suitable for home use, not portable one since it’s a little bit big. It would be good to see what improvement could be made from custom cables, since it’s not very difficult to change them. The jack on the included cable is 3.5mm, with the possibility of screwing in the 6.3mm jack. The plug is quite big and well finished, and the jack is gold plated.

Overall, I think Fischer Audio made quite a good product when it comes to build quality as the product managed to be well-built, while not having excessive weight, which makes them pleasant to use.

Comfort/Isolation

First thing to be said in this chapter is, they need to be wear down, because, when they’re out of the box, they have a somewhat excessive clamping force, that may be tiresome to the user. Luckily, with use, the clamping force fades away, but is always there, so if you don’t like phones with a somehow bit higher than average, clamping force, you might have to look somewhere else (or use velour padswhich help in the comfort).

Now, I found the comfort of these phones something remarkable, this due to their weight and their clamping force (yeah I don’t mind being forced, if it brings something beneficial to it). I can wear these for hours without feeling tired. As they’re light, the clamping force isn’t something that tires you down. Between the pleather and velour earpads, the comfort is better on the velour.

The isolation, this is where the clamping force comes in. Being closed headphones and circumaural, it would be expected that they blocked some sound, that would be normal, but due to their higher clamping force, they block a lot of sound just by simply putting them on your ears. With music, you may have to remove them in order to hear someone calling. That being said, it’s important to remember that these shouldn’t be used in situations where awareness is needed (or if used, with low volumes). I found the isolation to be superior on the pleather pads, than on the velour due to the deeper cup they form around your ear. Also I found the sound better from the pleather when comparing to velour.

Overall, comfort is great, if clamping force is not a worry and isolation is a dream. Moving on to what it matters, the sound of these!

Sound

Source – Rockboxed Sansa Clip +,  laptop (LG R400), TMN A1 (Huawei Pulse)

Files Used –  256 to 320 kbps and FLAC

When these arrived, I didn’t managed to put them right away on burning-in and gave them a listen. They come from factory with an already great sound, being the burn-in just a way to get the driver ready for some music listening, as I haven’t found any major sonic differences, before and after burn-in.

Burn-in

My burn-in consists in pink noise along with a playlist that is composed of the songs I usually hear on my daily basis.

I would like to start my analysis on the sound of these, by saying, probably, with an amp, they’ll become even better (my sansa clip is almost on max with them), perhaps Santa will be nice to me and bring an amp, so I could update the review. But now, no amp, direct from source, here we go.

I was expecting a closed headphone, darkish nature, recessed treble, not so much detail, small soundstage, the usual closed headphone sound. The moment I put these on, I was surprised by a huge soundstage (boy I have heard open headphones with less soundstage), a natural sound, bass with texture, great sounding vocals. They don’t deserve the name of closed headphones, because, when it comes to sound, they aren’t.

The lower end of the sound, packs texture and punch, being there when the producer meant, and not when “Oh hi, I’m bass, nice to meet you!” or so to say, there just because people like it. The bass line on the “Queen – Another one bites the dust”, sounds marvelous, progressing alongside the rest of the sound, because it fills the sound without removing something, it gives, but it doesn’t take away. On dubstep, the “wub,wub” parts, also feel great, with the headphones giving quite the rumble (not an excessive one), while not bleeding into the rest of the spectrum. Overall, very controlled bass, which packs texture and amount, while not bleeding into any other area of the sound spectrum.

The mids, also feel like they’re not coming from the normal closed headphone, usually recessed, but instead from an open one. You can hear the voices right where they should, nowhere recessed, and on one quick note, female voices feel absolutely right. For example, “Aurea – Okay, alright”, is one hell of a tune to hear in these. Her voice, along with the instrumental, it’s just so soothing and relaxing. Rock or metal are also very listenable in these, as the vocals from the lead singer, don’t get lost in the middle of the guitar riffs. Another band I found to be very listenable in these, is Linkin Park (I personally love “Faint”). Overall, it deals very well it both kind of vocals, male or female, while having the right amount of distance (if it was meant to be distant, it is).

The higher end sounds right on spot, with the cymbals being crispy, and having that tonality that gives you shrills. They are there, not recessed, not afraid to be heard. With some of that so called “dubstep” (those who know doctor P, know how many piercing highs, his music has), you can feel the highs going along the bass line, for example on doctor p’s – “Big boss” (although this should be called not dubstep, but irritating thing). Overall, the highs are there, and have a good resolution.

The overall sound signature of these, could be characterized as flat. This shouldn’t be a downer to much users though, because, while the sound response is flat, it doesn’t mean  that the sound isn’t musical. It is, and even bassheads, should give these a listen, because this could be a portal to a world where, although the bass is there, is doesn’t overwhelms the rest of the frequencies, and a good starter point for higher end Hi-Fi. The sonic differences between pleather pads and velour ones, is mainly the advantage of a fuller sound, at least on my point of view, on the pleather ones. Rather than that, it is mainly the difference of comfort and isolation.

On sonic qualities, I think these don’t have any disadvantages, and the only way they could be improved, would be an improved micro-detail throughout the spectrum (can only be obtained by far pricierheadphones I think). On their soundstage, it is relevant to say that it is quite large, and their positional accuracy is one of the best I’ve heard. Also the instrument separation is great, I could tell where and how far the instruments are, so this is also good for electro music, as it doesn’t feel like everything was clogged into one track.

Due to this and also for the fact that they isolate, I think these would be quite good for competitive purposes on gaming, due to their soundstage and positional accuracy. At least, on the gaming I’ve made, they were quite good on distinguishing where the footsteps came from. Add a clip-on mic and you have a pro headset.

Music worth listening:

–       Vangelis – Chariots of Fire

The beginning is so soothing that it makes me feel lightweight and relaxed, truly a delight to listen to, on these

–       Deadmau5 – Sofi Needs a Ladder

The perfect song to hear the synergy between female vocals, and hitting electro

–       Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

The song itself, it’s beautiful, but with the soundstage of these, along with the vocals these put out, you’ve got a sound that is capable of reproducing the true value of the song

These are just to mention a few songs, from different styles, to show how good all-rounders these could be. Of course, I could be all day referring songs, but I think they are enough to pass the message.

Conclusion

These have got all it takes to become a staple on entry Hi-Fi. Relatively flat sounding, adequate to multiple sound preferences, an affordable price, sound of an open headphone within all the advantages of a closed one (or disadvantages on what regards to isolation), detachable cables, carrying case, pair of replacement earpads, for a small price (in comparison to similar sounds).

These are perfect to get you started into higher-end or perhaps to make you truly enjoy your sound. They are perfect for you to step up from that old Sony, or Philips headphones you got at your local chain shop. These are what may turn you into an Hi-Fi addict, or simply someone who likes to hear his daily music with quality. For the price they sell, they’re a steal, and perhaps their success will only be stalled by limited distribution. But once you got the opportunity to get your hands (and ears) on one of those, you’ll probably never want to get back to consumer grade headphones, or something that is below the sonic standard of these.

Just remember one thing, these are not spectrum focused headphones, don’t search here for something with emphasis in some part of the spectrum. What you’ll find in this package is natural, musical sound with fine detail. You pay less than what you get and congratulations to Fischer Audio to be capable of presenting such a fine product.

FA-006 A Baby Brother Arrives!

FA-006

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SPEC’S:

› Frequency range: 10-22000 Hz

› Sensitivity: 106 dB

› Impedance: 32 Om

› Length of a cable: 2.0 M

› Color: Gold/Brown

› Etc: additional velour cushions, 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack adapter, storage case.

EQUIPMENT USED ON THIS REVIEW:

Please see my profile for a list of equipment.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

On opening the case you find the FA-006, the cable, warranty and some velour cushions. Kudos to Fischer Audio for that added generosity of different cushions!

The feel and look of the FA-006 surprised me. They look and feel a bit cheap but still feel well built. They are also surprisingly light. Just for prep work, I hooked up the FA-006’s on one of my rigs along with my custom test disc and let it be for 48 hours.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS

Where to start!? Fischer Audio just keeps knocking them out of the park!

The actual FA-006 comes in a case much like that of the FA-003, which, needless to say, is very cool. Kudos to Fischer Audio for deciding to keep this packaging as it is very attractive and functional. How else are you supposed to carry your headphones to Head-Fi meets?!

The actual sound of the FA-006 is very open and sounds like an open headphone design. The isolation is decent. How much isolation you get will depend on the fit. Many people have always wondered if the FA-006 was the closed version of the FA-011 since they look similar. Well, now I know that it is not. In fact, they are polar opposites! The FA-006 has a very balanced, neutral sound without ever being sibilant or much too boomy. If you own a FA-003 or have heard the FA-003, then you know what the FA-006 will sound like. The sound is a baby brother version of the FA-003 without the superior comfort of the FA-003.

The mids are beautifully positioned, front and center right where they should be. Positioning isn’t an issue either as it presents an accurate soundstage. Soundstage depth is very good as is soundstage width. This in turn makes the FA-006 a very holographic sounding headphone. The treble is smooth and moderately extended without being bright or sibilant. The bass is fairly well extended and articulate.

One good example that covers all of the basses above is the track “La Luna” from the binaural album “Up Close” by Ottmar Leibert with Luna Negra. This is one of my go-to test tracks because it has a lot of elements which are difficult to reproduce and only the bestheadphones will make this track shine in all areas. The track starts out with the musicians counting in. This is a true test for accurate midrange. On the FA-006, like on high quality headphones, the voices sound super realistic. You can literally point them out in the room and feel their presence. The next sounds you hear are hand claps followed by some hits on the cajon. The claps are a very tell-tell signal for highs. If they sound stringent or too bright or peaky, the headphones are NOT reproducing it right. The claps should sound realistic with no added hit of peaks or stringent, ear bleeding highs. No surprise here…the claps sounds super realistic and just as good as they sound on the FA-003. Now…the real test on this track in my opinion, is the cajon strikes. The way this was recorded, only the best, most high resolution headphones will display the cajon strikes with proper oomph and detail. There is a surprising amount of low level bass when the palm strikes the middle. The bass is not only deep, but it reverberates within the room and when properly reproduced, it’s jaw dropping good. The FA-006 was not able to reproduce the lowest level of bass, but what it did reproduce was awesome nonetheless. The bass remained punchy, the reverberation was very good and the detail was right up there with headphoneslike the HD-600.  Only a few high end dynamics, some orthodynamics and some electrostats are able to beat the level of the FA-006 with this demo track – however, they all need amps…the FA-006 did not.

The FA-006’s do not require an amp but I would highly recommend you listen to them with an amp. At a recent Southern California meet, some people felt the Heed CanAmp and the FA-006 were quite a synergistic combo. While the volume may be sufficient coming straight out of the Clip+ or an iPod, the authority and presence of the FA-006 only increase when an amp is added in the mix.  If you are a new member or if you don’t have an amp – don’t worry! Even straight out of a DAP like the Clip+, the FA-006 shines. This is one of the main reasons why this should be one of the first headphone purchases all new people here should consider. If you are looking for great neutral sound quality, the FA-006 should be your number 1 priority to try out.

No other headphone will provide this much sound quality in such a package for such an affordable entry level price without the need for an added amplifier or additional modifications to the headphones. Yes my friends, these are that good. These represent such value and such high sound quality that they will be my number one recommendation for entry level headphone purchases from now on. The sound quality is so good, they could also be used as studio monitoring headphones.

THE VERDICT:

Is it the end all, be all? No. However, in my humble opinion, the FA-006 should be THE headphone to buy if you only want to spend $100 or less. I have yet to hear a headphone under $100 that can match the sound quality, let alone exceed the quality of the FA-006 without modifications. If DIY isn’t your thing, then the FA-006 should be on your “must buy” priority list.

The killer, as always, is the price/performance value of the FA-006’s. MSRP is under $90! If someone told me they paid $200 for the FA-006, I wouldn’t have a single reason to doubt them – especially considering the sound quality.  These would make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for friends and family who feel high fidelity is too expensive. With the Fischer Audio FA-006, high fidelity is extremely affordable and with the sound quality these reproduce and the look of the packaging, they will think you spent upwards of $100 to introduce them to high fidelity sound.

If you are looking for a transportable/portable headphone that you can toss around, the FA-006 might just be the ticket as well. They are light enough to take anywhere and cheap enough that if you were to lose them, you wouldn’t be cursing your life away.

The only slightly negative thing I can comment on is the fit. The fit of the FA-006 is not nearly as comfortable as that of the FA-011 much less that of the FA-003. Moreover, if the fit isn’t perfect, sound will tend to leak and you will not get the deep bass the FA-006 can produce. However, for me, this was a minor quibble which was easily resolved by switching to the velour pads.

Overall, the FA-006 is a true value and a perfect example of sound over fashion – the antithesis to the Beats. While the looks might not please everyone and while the feel might not please everyone, the high quality sound is sure to please all who are looking at getting a real high fidelity headphone for a super affordable price. Everyone here should have a pair of these.

HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!