reviews

Double Down!! Genesis and Golden Wasp Written by Kiler

Sunday September 11th, 2011

Introduction

To start this, I would like to greet David from Frogbeats for making this review possible. A great customer service, 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. Today I will review two models from Fischer Audio: the Fischer Audio golden wasps and the Fischer Audio Genesis. Will any of these following alternatives be up to their predecessor?

As I said in my former reviews, my primary musical choices are electronic music, dance, drum and bass and some dubstep. I wanted very much to give a listen to the eternity as they are said to have a lot of bass without compromising much the rest. I love bass and I have it as a guilty pleasure, so bass-heavy headphones are never a problem for whenever I want to hear something more relaxed.

Description

“Fischer Audio Genesis

A fun sounding IEM with a massive bass response. Ergonomic fit and a strong textile cable make these some great and enjoyable earphones.”

“Fischer Audio Golden Wasp

No details have been missed to make this look like the name! A budget IEM from Fischer Audio that is punchy and fun sounding. It also looks absolutely brilliant! Bzzzz.”

Technical Data Genesis

Impedance 18 Ohm

Cable Lenght 1.2m

Sensitivity 104dB

Accessories 7 Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L), Storage Case, Warranty Card

Frequency response 5 – 20,000 Hz

Driver 9mm dynamic driver

Golden Wasp

Impedance 16 Ohm

Cable Length 1.2m

Sensitivity 98dB

Accessories 3 Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L), Storage Case, Warranty Card

Frequency Range 20 – 20,000 Hz

Driver 9mm dynamic driver

Packaging

Both packages display the same kind of approach when it comes to the design of the box. Both have a little window that allows to see the phones themselves and the carrying case. The window is stuck with some Velcro. Both packages have the same kind of design: one big vertical name display, along with the series name, the company logo and a picture of the IEM. On the side we also see the same kind of display when it comes to lettering: the name of the series, the name of the IEM and the company logo. On the back of the package we can find the specifications of both IEM. When the window is open, besides seeing the IEM, each side has a different print on each package. On the Genesis, we can see an image displaying the qualities of the IEM. On the Golden Wasp, we can see a definitively not naïve approach on the packaging, displaying a wasp and many “ZzZZZZzzZZZZZ”. Overall, both packages are very nicely concealed, displaying quality in their design.

Accessories

I’ll start by the accessories of the Audio Wasp, as they have less to say. As we open the box, we reveal a plastic tray, which contains the phones, the “carrying pouch” (which I’ve put in inverted commas because it really isn’t one, but more on that later) and 2 sets of tips along the ones already pre-installed. The carrying pouch isn’t really nothing, because I can’t really use it to storage the IEM, because it’s flat and the phones don’t fit in.

On the genesis packaging we can find 7 pairs of tips (5 pairs of which single flange, 1 pair of bi-flanges and 1 pair of tri-flanges), one carrying case and the phones themselves. The carrying case allows to storage the IEM along with 2 pairs of tips, cause you never know when you might want to change them. The case allows to wrap the cable around it, and the jack sits on the mid of the case between both casings.

Build Quality

On the Golden Wasp, the first thing I noticed is the plastic from which the housing is made of. It just doesn’t seem durable, being much like the plastic from really low end products, but of course we can’t expect any kind of perfect build quality for thecheap price of them. Going down, we can find very solid built stress reliefs on the housings, and a little lower we can find a sort of a braided cable, with a plastic feel to it. Nevertheless, it feels solid and a good cable that will take some abuse. On the Y-split, we can find a metal splitter with “wasp” printed on it. On the 90º angled jack we can find a very nicely conceived stress relief, alongside a gold plated plug.

On the Genesis, we can find chrome housings, along with some black plastic and the name Genesis printed on the housing. The cable is protected by cloth, which means it could handle some accidental pulls, while maintaining intact. Also this cable helps reducing the microphonics. On the back of the housing, we can find a “bass enhancing port”. On the y-splitter there’s a plastic slider, that allows to adjust the cable length. The splitter is made of plastic and has a nice stress relief. On the jack we can find an hockey stick shaped jack, also with a good stress relief, and a gold plated plug.

Overall I think that while the Genesis is well designed in what concerns to build quality, the Audio Wasp could have had a little bit more effort in the housings (at least they put a lot of effort in its stress reliefs). But of course, they’re different price range products, so it’s normal a little bit of differences.

Comfort/Isolation

On the comfort chapter, there isn’t much to be said about both. They are not the best performers in comfort due to their bulky size (specially the genesis), but they are not a problem either. Just make sure you got the right tips (for me on the genesis the included dual flange, and on the audio wasp, the large from SoundMAGIC), and you’re ready to go on a voyage with them. Unfortunately, neither of them is very comfortable while wearing over the ear (basically on the genesis you can’t), so you’ll probably end wearing them straight down. At least the genesis has an ergonomic fit for straight down use.

On isolation, neither of them provides a deep insertion, so the isolation you get from them is really average. But due to dual-flanges (in my case) and the ergonomic fit, the genesis wins in this chapter by a fair margin. The kind of sound signature of the genesis also helps in camouflaging the outside noise, but more on that later. With this being said we can resume that the Golden Wasps perform mediocrely on this chapter, and you should be looking somewhere else if looking for isolation. The Genesis perform very well in isolation and comfort, but you shouldn’t buy any of these if pure isolation and comfort is what you need. Also neither of them suffer much from microphonics, which is a relief as these are not the best to be worn over the ear (one of the ways to reduce microphonics).

Sound

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

Files Used – 256 to 320 kbps and FLAC

Both of these are IEM which I think gain a lot from burning them in. The Audio Wasp sounded “meh” and with not much detail, I thought Fischer had made a mistake. The Genesis sounded bloated, with bass jumping all over the place, and not so detailed highs.

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.

At first when you hear the Audio Wasp, you feel like “WTF? What is this? No musicality, no dinamics, no nothing”. The best word to describe them is “meh”. After burn-in they change dramatically. The bass gains punch, the mids become a little bit more forward, and the highs timidly appear.

On the lower end you can feel that these pack a punch, but nothing overwhelming. They manage to reproduce bass-lines quite well, just with the little bit lack of detail with more complex bass-lines (or some dubstep parts). The bass doesn’t bleed in to the midrange, and it does a competent job.

The mids are reproduced nicely, and are in the right place, where they should be. I think they are best suited to male voices rather than female, I feel that in certain songs, like the ones from Dido, where I think that the voice isn’t just the best, comparing to other IEM.

The highs are where these phones lack. The cymbals feel dry, not crispy, and with a lack of detail. Also they have a recessed present in comparison to the forwardness of the mids and bass.

Their soundstage is medium, the normal for an IEM, and the positional accuracy is fairly good as well. On an overall note, they feel right for the price, but they only compete within their price range, not like other budget IEM that managed to jump out of their price bracket.

Now to the pricier, but far more exciting (for me at least) genesis. When I first put these on, I tried the song from Flux Pavilion – “Bass Cannon”. My reaction was like “BASS,BASS,BASS, am I wearing full sized cans?”. The bass was completely overwhelming in comparison to other frequencies. So I let them burn…

After settling down, I have put them on again. Now I felt that they were tamed. The bass is now controlled and doesn’t bleed in all directions. The mids now come forward and the highs are crisp. But it is still a sound signature dominated by the lower end. Luckily to me, I like it that way.

The lower end, it’s not like it’s involved by a “blob” of bass. Instead the bass allows the overall sound to gain dynamic, to be felt. And also it’s not a boomy bass, where the bass has no definition. Here the bass has texture, and definition to it. It allows to involve the listener to an experience I though could be only achieved by headphones. I don’t know, as I don’t have listened to the Hippo VB, but from the reviews, I say it could be something like that.

As said before, the bass doesn’t bleed into mids, thus not altering it. The mids are nice and smooth sounding, with the voices blending into the “darkish” nature of the sound. Nothing really of much relevance, the voices sound like they should be, and with attention to detail. Of course these aren’t IEM focused on the mids, so you can’t appreciate them in all their greatness. But when they’re prompted to, they’re there, and this is always a plus, because this is where many bass-focused IEM fail.

On the higher end of the spectrum, the highs don’t let anyone down. The cymbals feel crisp, and are present when needed. They aren’t of course that much forward, but they’re not as recessed as the ones from the Audio Wasp. They feel right, and without that plasticky feel that many bass-focused IEM have.

Their soundstage is pretty good for a closed IEM and the positional accuracy is also fairly good aswell. Overall, they are my phones for when I feel that need to feel the bass. I should call them “my guilty pleasure IEM”. Of course, these aren’t for everyday listening (or are they?) if you feel fatigued from the bass, but if you need something that produces really good results from the bass department, here you have.

Conclusion

On what concerns to the Audio Wasp, I can’t really recommend them. I say, they’re still “meh” sounding, I mean they sound ok, natural with slight emphasis on bass, but I feel that is something that is lacking. And there is got to be something special with an IEM in this price range for it to be recommended, due to the abundance of exceptional price-to-performance products out there, like the ones from DUNU. So I’ll say, not really worth getting.

On the other hand the genesis… These headphones, as much as I like them, should be only acquired in 2 cases: for a first IEM to the bass-head or on the second case as a fun IEM to have along with others. I love them, but I think you can’t have only them, because you will almost certainly get fatigued of them. I mean, they have quality bass, good mids and highs, but still, they’re not for everyday use. They’re like that old cigar, that you keep stored for the perfect time. It pretty much resumes them. I love them and I keep them near me for whenever that bass feeling comes along, but I couldn’t keep it as a main. That being said, it’s a wonderful IEM for bass delivering what it promises: hard thrilling bass, it feels your ears with filth, and makes you like it. It’s on the top of my list for listening music with hard hitting bass. Of course you wouldn’t be hearing something delicate with these will you?

FA-002W Master Series High Edition Headphones

Tuesday August 30th, 2011

Put all of these qualities together and you have what we regard as one of the most compelling mid-priced headphones we have heard in a long time.

Technical specs:
Frequency Response: 11Hz – 27kHz
Sensitivity: 105dB (no reference power level specified)
Impedance: 200 Ohms
Weight: Not specified.
Warranty: One year, parts and labor.

We could probably cite dozens of examples to illustrate the sonic qualities we sketched above, but in hopes of being concise we’ll limit ourselves to just two. To hear both the subtlety and sheer power of the FA-002W on display at the same time, play “Tin Pan Alley” from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Couldn’t Stand The Weather [Sony Legacy]. On this track Vaughan’s famous backing band Double Trouble provides percussion work that is at once subtle and delicate, yet high in impact, plus rock-solid low-frequency bass guitar support. But most of all, you’ll hear the full range of both Stevie Ray Vaughan’s voice and his famous Fender Stratocaster guitar, which has perhaps never been captured more powerfully or eloquently than on this track.

Listen carefully to the way the Fischer’s handle the sound of the drum kit, and you’ll be floored by how distinctively they present (and effortlessly they differentiate) the voices of each individual drum and cymbal. Where some headphones leave you somewhat in the dark as to how players are managing the dynamics of their instruments, the FA-002W’s show you exactly what is going on. On the bass guitar, the Fischers reveal both the instrument’s sheer depth and weight, while also showing you bassist Tommy Shannon’s deft touch and timing on the fingerboard, which means the right supporting notes always appear at precisely the right moments and with just the right level of emphasis (or de-emphasis, as the situation warrants).

But it is Stevie Ray’s Stratocaster that steals the show, in part because the Fischers are able to show how the instrument can—in the master blues man’s hands—speak with soft, almost subliminal runs of notes and trills at one moment, and then turn on a dime to fairly explode with fierce outbursts of sound in the next moment. In it’s ability to capture stark dynamic contrasts like these, the FA-002W High Edition reminds more than a little of the sound of today’s superb planar magnetic headphones, which are real champs in this area. Sure, most headphones manage to get louder when electric guitars are cranked up, but they don’t always capture the explosive rise in energy and acoustic power as immediately or as effectively as the Fischers do. Given the veritable guitarist’s “master class” that Stevie Ray Vaughan put on in this track, its almost inevitable to fall under the Fischer’s’ spell, so that even if you plan to listen to “Tin Pan Alley” for just a few minutes, you may wind up listening to it from end to end, simply because the sound is addictive and compelling.

Next, let me reference another audiophile favorite that showcases many of the FA-002W’s strengths:

namely, the jazz standard “Bye Bye Blackbird” from Patricia Barber’s Nightclub[Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, SACD]. This is a track that, admittedly, tends to sound very good on most headphones, but what the Fischer’s made be realize all over again is how very intimate and realistic the MFSL/SACD version of this record really is. Literally everything about this recording is not merely good (or even very good), but downright great—as the FA-002W helps you realize. If you listen carefully, which the Fischers certainly invite you to do, you’ll hear distinct variations in touch as Barber’s fingers work across the piano keyboard, subtle variations in finger pressure, attack, and release as Marc Johnson works his magic over the fingerboard of his acoustic bass, and the sure, deft, precise and yet expressive feel that percussionist Adam Nussbaum supplies as he crafts the rhythms that drive the song forward. My point, here, is that you don’t just hear instruments at play, per se, but rather hear the ultra-subtle sonic cues that let you know these performers are listening intently to one another and responding accordingly—together creating a group sound that is greater than the sum of its parts. It takes a very fine headphone to let you hear this kind of group expression, craftsmanship and communication, and it is one of the things separates truly fine headphones from merely good ones.

Most of all, though, listen to the way the Fischers capture the intricacies of phrasing, articulation, enunciation, and tone that Barber brings to her vocal lines in this song. Like many writers, I suppose, I’ve sometimes used the words “smoky” or “sultry” to describe Barber’s voice, but the Fischer’s invite you to make finer distinctions than that—revealing delicate shades of tonality that show why, where, and how Barber shapes her vocals to convey those qualities of “smokiness” or “sultriness.” All of this is perhaps a roundabout way of saying that the Fischer ‘phones have sufficient resolving power and finesse to take you deep within the innermost recesses of recordings to see what really makes the music tick.

CONCLUSION

Consider this headphone if:

you want a mid-priced, high performance, closed-back headphone that combines the best sonic elements of both closed-back and open-back designs. Consider this headphone if you like the idea of a headphone that is for the most part accurate, yet never sterile-sounding or overly tightly constrained. This headphone offers extremely good resolution and fine-grained sound for the money, and is—or with the right amp can be—extremely dynamically expressive. In short, one of the best mid-priced high-end ‘phones we’ve heard in a long time.

Look further if:

you want a relatively light headphone; the FA-002W is comfortable, but a little too hefty for some tastes. Also look further if you aren’t prepared to match this headphone with an amp that can do it justice (the FA-002W tends to sound a bit thin, edgy and somewhat midrange-forward when driven by inadequate amps). Finally, look elsewhere if you prefer to stick with familiar and time-tested brands; Fischer is a comparatively “new kid on the block,” though one we think you’ll want to know better.

Ratings (relative to comparably priced headphones):
Tonal Balance: 9.5 (somewhat amplifier dependent)
Clarity: 9.5
Dynamics: 10
Comfort/Fit: 10
Sensitivity: 9.5 (but even so, the FA-002W is amplifier sensitive)
Noise Isolation: 9.5
Value: 9.5-10 (though only time will tell if Fischer products deliver the kind of unit-to-unit consistency and quality that are expected in this class)

BOTTOM LINE

The Fischer FA-002W is a wonderful debut product, and one that has immediately become one of our favorite dynamic driver-equipped designs in this price class. We hadn’t received the FA-002W at the time we prepared Playback’s recent Editors’ Choice listings for headphones, but if we had it would certainly have won a place on our “Headphones Priced Between $250-$699” list. They’re that good.

Read original version at AV Guide

FA-011 – OFF THE DEEP END!!

Wednesday June 15th, 2011

(EDIT- JUNE 15, 2011 – BE SURE TO LOOK AT THE END OF THE REVIEW FOR STUFF THAT MIGHT HELP YOU!!!!)

Fischer Audio is at it again! Before you discount these headphones as another Fischer Audio plot, please allow me to explain why you might absolutely love them. Be prepared…it’s a long review as I truly want to explain the sound on these as best as I can. Keep in mind that these are strictly my opinions and are based on many hours of listening. Always try to seek out the product yourself and try it before you buy it.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Design: open

Housing: nautural wood

Frequency range: 18-22000 Hz

Sensitivity: 98 dB

Impedance: 160 Om

Input power: 0.4 W

Plug: 3.5mm

Length of a cable: 2.5 M

Cable extension: 3.2 M

Color: athracite/black

Box: carton box

Set: cable extension: 3.2 M

THE PACKAGING/BUILD QUALITY:

The headphones came packaged in the usual cardboard Fischer Audio box. Nothing fancy except for what is inside. Unlike other times, this time the box came nearly destroyed – as if a soccer team got hold of my package and decided to play a game with it. Thankfully, the headphones were ok. This is a testament as to how good the simple box is at protecting the headphonesduring shipment. I know this is not Fischer Audio’s fault but it is worth mentioning. The box was in such bad shape, I couldn’t even salvage it for storage.

The headphones are another matter all together. Visually, they are stunning to behold. The cups are beautiful and the overall design is very aesthetic and very pleasing. The wife acceptance factor on these is easily rated a 10 out of 10. My wife saw them and for the first time since I have known her, she actually mentioned how beautiful they were. If any audiophile gear can get that kind of praise from my wife…I know it’s a thing of beauty and the FA-011’s certainly are just that…a thing of beauty.

Moreover, the FA-011’s are extremely comfortable…up there with the Sony R-10 or Sony CD-3000 but lighter and comfier. I believe I can wear these for hours upon hours with no fatigue whatsoever. They don’t heat your ears up, probably due to the open design, and they don’t cause any pain on your head due to the super light and comfy headband. I can honestly say that the FA-011’s are the most comfortable headphones I have in my possession at the moment.

EQUIPMENT USED IN REVIEW:

For the equipment used, please see my profile. I used the FA-011 with everything I own and even some stuff I don’t.

SOME NOTABLE MUSIC USED IN REVIEW:

“Graceland” by Paul Simon – NON-REMASTERED VERSION

“More Of Other Worlds, Other Sounds” by Esquivel

“Inception” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer

“Discoveries” by Gustavo Dudamel

“Moanin’” Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers (Analogue Productions SACD)

THE SOUND:

The sound quality straight out of the box is very good. As always, I decided to let these beauties burn in for at least 48 hours before I started my review. How much the sound changed I can’t really say as the initial listen was less than a minute long.

Now…I love the comfort…I love the looks but I am not truly in love with the sound. Why? Did Fischer Audio fail? NO! Were the headphones bad? NO…absolutely not! So why am I not in love with these beauties? Well…I love a neutral sound signature. That is what I look for in my gear. So let me point this out from the very beginning – THESE ARE NOT NEUTRAL SOUNDING!!! This just might be a godsend for many of you!

Is that bad? NO…. Do they sound bad? NO…absolutely not…

In some way, I feel Fischer Audio is responding carefully to the criticisms it has received from products like the FA-003 and the FA-004. If the FA-003/002W mated with the FA-004 and was raised by the Sony R-10, the result would be the FA-011. For the people who have complained that the FA-004 might be a bit too muddy, the FA-011 resolves that issue perfectly. For the people who feel the FA-003 has no bass impact, the FA-011 resolves that issue perfectly as well. The comfort level, as mentioned before, is up there with the R-10. In other words, the FA-011 sounds mostly like the FA-003 with the bottom end of the FA-004 but tighter and much more emphasized.

What does that mean? Well, for those of you who are familiar with the Senn HD-650 – take the sound of the HD-650 and remove the veil, remove the muddy bass and replace it with deep, tight bass and you have the FA-011. For those of you familiar with the FA-003 – take the sound of the FA-003 and add a subwoofer and a wee bit of high end and you have the FA-011. Grado fans, take your John Grado model of preference, refine every aspect of the sound, add supreme comfort and add more bass and you have the FA-011.

Despite the emphasized bass, the FA-011 does surprisingly well with most genres. It’s fantastic with rock, most classical pieces, most jazz, hip-hop/rap, electronic and vocals. The obvious characteristic that defines the FA-011 is the deep bass. However, the mids are typical Fischer Audio. Lush, life-like and vivid. Those of you who love the Fischer Audio house sound fear not for the critical mid range remains intact and beautiful as always. Also take note that the high end is tweaked a bit though. I found that the FA-011 sounded too bright at times with improperly mastered recordings and ever so slightly bright with well mastered ones. My guess is that the high end has been tweaked a slight bit to compensate for the huge amount of bass these things can put out.

Another promising feature of these headphones is the huge soundstage. I found that the soundstage is not 100% accurate but boy does it sound amazing. Imagine taking a 180 degree view of the soundstage and spacing it out proportionally to about to about 200-220 degrees. The FA-011 provides a huge soundstage that remains relatively accurate while providing good depth and even a sense of height. Binaural recordings truly shine with these headphones in a way they shine with few other headphones I have heard.

More Sound Specifics….

Classical:

I found the FA-011 aptly suited for most classical music – especially well mastered and well recorded albums. I played “Danzón No. 2” as played by the Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. This piece is very dynamic and it has some very light as well as some very heavy and dynamic parts. The opening theme is light and airy on the FA-011. At 1:14 the bass section comes in and the bottom end is clearly heard on the FA-011. I guess the best description I can find is that instead of being dead center, you have the entire orchestra dead center but the bass section is about 10 feet closer and to the right. For me, it’s not the most accurate presentation but the few people I played it for absolutely LOVED it. Orchestral pieces and chamber pieces were just as impressive. However, the homerun on these were pipe organ recordings. Playing some recordings by Virgil Fox were not just impressive – they were down right jaw dropping.

On the Inception soundtrack the notes were airy and the bass was DEEP. The low end on this soundtrack can really be appreciated with the FA-011’s. The drum hits on Mombasa were low and deep bringing along with them a sense of space and depth. Needless to say, it sounded very impressive. You haven’t heard the low notes on this soundtrack until you hear them with the FA-011!!

Pop:

The FA-011 is perfectly suited for this genre. Playing “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga was a true pleasure. For those seeking a hi-fi club sound, the FA-011 provides that in spades. Lady Gaga’s vocals just floated above the music as they should and the bass was thumping along making me bop my head while enjoying the song. Truly fun headphones for listening to this genre…be it Lady Gaga, Madonna or Michael Jackson.

Listening to Paul Simon’s “Graceland” is just amazing on the FA-003/FA-002W. With the FA-011, you appreciate another dimension. I kept telling myself “I know this isn’t accuarate…but man, does it sound good!”. From track to track, it just sounded so good – especially the parts that have a prominent bass part or parts where there are drum hits.

Jazz:

Due to the amazing mid-range, the FA-011 does well in jazz as well. Playing “Moanin’” was a delight. The bass was very prominent (a good thing) on the SACD while listening with the FA-011. This is good in this case because the bass is a little weak on this particular mastering of the recording and the FA-011 displayed the great bass playing proudly. Very enjoyable.

On “More Of Other Worlds, Other Sounds” the huge dynamic swings were very impressive and the FA-011 handled every dynamic jump with ease. If you guys need a recording with great sound quality and awesome dynamics, get this recording by Esquivel. On the second track, “Chant To The Night” there is a nice dynamic intro followed by some nice mellow trumpet playing on the left, piano in the middle and the percussion section and chorus on the right. The trumpet sounded very accurate and airy. The piano remained lifelike and the drums on the left exhibited a nice bit of heft which goes missing on most headphones. The bass, while much more prominent than other headphones, didn’t overpower anything and remained pleasant throughout.

Rock:

I played “Hotel California” from the DCC release mastered by Steve Hoffman. As with the rest, it was very enjoyable. The bass was very prominent but didn’t overshadow any other instrument. A very pleasurable listen.

Hip-Hop/Rap/Electronic:

One word: WOW! I haven’t heard bass thumping like this since I had the HD-650’s! The vocals and rest of the instrumentation on various tracks came across very well but the bass was thumping along better and clearer than at most local clubs. If this is a genre you love, you need to experience your favorite songs with the FA-011!

GAMING!!!!

While not a music genre, I thought I would mention the superb performance of the FA-011 while gaming. Explosions are intense, placement is accurate and the comfort level just makes this the ultimate gaming headphone. I played some Call of Duty for well over 2 hours and my ears didn’t get sweaty, my head wasn’t sore from the headband and the aural intensity of the experience just made it all that more fun! The FA-011, as is, is an awesome gaming headphone! If the FA-011 had an optional headsetmicrophone attachment for voice, I would not hesitate to recommend it as the ultimate gaming headphone. It’s that good!! Fischer Audio…take note. 😉

MORE NOTABLE NOTES….:
On most headphones my volume knob rarely goes past the 10 o’clock position. With some headphones, it can get to the 11 o’clock position. With the FA-011 the knob got to 4 o’clock!! The only other headphones to push the knob further were orthodynamic headphones.

Make no mistake, these babies require more power than your average headphone to drive them properly. The more juice you throw at them, the better the dynamics, impact and overall sound will be. If you are considering these for your next purchase and do not own a headphone amp, portable or home, you might want to consider ordering one to power these power hungry babies as listening to these without proper amplification should be a crime. They will still sound very nice but nowhere near the level of performance you will get with proper amplification.

CONCLUSION:
Here is where the rubber meets the road…

The FA-011 is a great headphone but it’s a headphone I can see many having a love/hate relationship with – especially if it’s your only headphone. The bass emphasis and ever so slight treble emphasis are what will cause this. Whenever you emphasize a particular frequency range you also emphasize many problems inherent in those frequencies. Due to bad monitoring and bad mastering, many, many recordings have problems in the bass region and in the high treble region (~10,000 Hz +). If your recordings have these problems, they will be greatly emphasized with the FA-011. The slight bump in the highs will also emphasize any and all signs of hiss in a recording as hiss tends to reign supreme right around 10,000 Hz and when you have a hissy recording that will become even more prominent – it’s no fun. A perfect example is the RVG version of “Moanin’”. The hiss is very prominent and every trumpet blow produced a thump which made the RVG simply unbearable to listen to. The Hoffman/Gray SACD of the same title, in contrast, was sublime on the FA-011.

This isn’t to say it’s the fault of the FA-011 for placing a bump on certain frequency ranges – quite the opposite. If producers had access to monitors of this quality they might notice the glaring problems in the crap they are making. These problems are noticeable on the FA-003 and FA-002W but they are much more noticeable on the FA-011. This isn’t to put down the FA-011 but you should all be aware that if your music has any problems in the low end or high end, it will show up with a vengeance on the FA-011.

On the other hand, on great recordings or great remasters, the FA-011, like all Fischer Audio headphones I have heard, shine in their own special way. Listening to XRCD’s, Hoffman/Gray SACD’s, Steve Hoffman DCC remasters, MFSL’s, Chesky recordings, Audio Fidelity remasters and my binaural recordings was a true pleasure….like taking a well cooked steak and seasoning it with some flavor.

The rule to follow with the FA-011 is this: CRAP IN – MAJOR CRAP OUT…QUALITY IN – MAJOR QUALITY OUT.

I think the FA-011 might just be the sweet spot in the Fischer Audio line up. I say this because the same people who heard the FA-003, FA-002W and FA-004 absolutely loved the FA-011 but didn’t quite love the others for one reason or another. The FA-011 seems to be pleasing to a wide range of people in my brief experience with them. If you are like an engineering friend of mine, and are a stickler for natural sound and neutrality, then stay away from the FA-011 as your ultimate purchase. If you are like me and can enjoy different types of sound signatures for different genres, the FA-011 should be on your must buy list.

In all honesty, I think that if you have a pair of FA-011’s and FA-003’s, you will have a listening tool for anything and everything in your audio arsenal. It’s no secret that I love the FA-003 and a natural and neutral sound signature. That’s the only reason I don’t absolutely love the FA-011…but hey…that’s what the FA-003 is for!!!

So, to conclude a lengthy review, this is what I honestly opine about these headphones:

I remain in love and married to my FA-003 and FA-002W due to their neutral and natural sound signature. However, the FA-011 makes a very nice mistress. Beautiful looks, amazingly supreme comfort, fantastic soundstage and a great “fun” sound…I can honestly say that I like these very, very, very much…why…you could say that it’s almost like being in love!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR BASS HEADS, GAMERS, LATE NIGHT MOVIE FANS AND MUSIC FANS WHO ENJOY DEEP, TIGHT BASS, LIQUID MIDS AND AIRY HIGHS. A wonderful mistress to the FA-003 and/or FA-002W!!!

EDIT: PICTURES ADDED BELOW!

DBA-02 MKII in Review – Bittersweet

Tuesday March 29th, 2011

Fischer Audio have updated their best-selling DBA-02. And what an update it is. The DBA-02 MKII is a delightful earphone replete with comfort and an accessory kit that is the envy of the earphone world. How about its sound, you ask? I’ll be singing praises soon enough.

First, let’s yabber about WOWs.

Package and accessories
The first WOW for me came when I picked up the chunky DBA box. It’s cardboard, not plastic, but it’s not run-of-the-mill cardboard. In Star Wars terms, it’s a Corellian cruiser, not Princess Leia’s transport; or better yet, it’s an imperial Star Destroyer, but without the two weak testicles at the top. Depending on how bony your bum is, you can sit on box without crushing it. The importance here is twofold. First: it’s a great place to keep the myriad accessories. Second, when the audiophile gear buying urge gets you bad enough, you can even hide away an amp or two from your wife. Third (and most important): it is a breeze to open. I feel that I’ve not been tough enough on certain manufacturers. Some still insist on sealing their goods with hard, finger-cutting plastics that necessitate scissors, a medical degree, and the application of pressure and hurried calls to 911. Yes, I’ve actually bled after opening certain earphone boxes. Not with the DBA-02MKII.

Inside the box, you get a wonderfully small (and therefore practical) zippered carrying case. (It is semi-hard, and will keep your DBA-02 MKII safe and snug with enough room left for a backup pair of ear pieces, and have room enough left over for an iPod shuffle or Nano.) Then, there are dozens of ear pieces for you to play with. There are three sets of hybrid pieces – though, I should admit that calling them hybrid is unjust to true hybrids as they are merely silicon flanges with a bit of foam on the inside. Nevertheless, they fit well and isolate well. Then, there are triple flanges, transparent flanges, and still more: there are loads to choose from, and each one is comfortable. Finally, there are two ear-guides and a shirt clip to keep the DBA-02 MKII put.

Let’s start with the shirt clip.

What it’s all about, I don’t know. Why do I say this? For starters, it’s a bugger to get on the cable. I really want to fasten cable after the y-split, but no can do. And even when I get the bugger into position before the y split, it does almost nothing to keep the cable next to my body nor touch noise down. And I’m no fool. I graduated from York University (the audience roars with laughter). With a degree in English literature (they gasp for air, hammering their sides).

It was an honours degree. (Someone in the second row falls over from cardiac arrest.)

I’ll preface the next section merely by saying: the shirt clip is the first strike against the DBA-02 MKII’s ergonomics. It isn’t the last.

Build quality and cable
The DBA-02 MKII is well made. It’s housing is tough, comfortable, and compact. It won’t unnecessarily weigh down the cable, or easily snag on loose clothing. The plug is nicely relieved. It is either melted to the cable or stuck there with adhesive, reinforcing internal contacts. It is not, however, L-shaped, meaning it will be under more stress, particularly if you use it with a portable player. L-shaped plugs withstand drops and pressure much better. That said, my CK10, which I consider the best-made earphone in the world, has straight cable. It is still going strong after years of combined usage. All that is to say: the DBA-02 MKII is well made, certainly in its price range.

But the cable is rectangular, not round.

Yay, so it doesn’t tangle as badly as some other designs. Yay, flat cables generally are stronger singular products than round or twisted cables. Yay. And, it’s in style. Hell, even Final Audio use flat cables on their excellent FI-BA-SB earphone. Yay Bob. Flat cables by nature stress their internal wires more because weight isn’t evenly distributed. Wires on the outside of cable tend to get stretched more than inside wires do. That leads to shorts. I’ve seen it with the a-Jays FOUR, and Monster Beats Tour.

That said, the DBA-02 MKII cable is better than those two. It is more snug, and better relieved than either. I expect it to last much longer, too, but I don’t think it belongs in a flagship product.

Fit
Praises ahoy. At least as far as comfort goes. The tiny size of the DBA-02 MKII is a wonder-worker for both small and large ears alike. It is supremely comfortable. The DBA will fit into any ear, you’ve got my York University Honours degree on it…

The ear pieces are excellent and come in so many sizes that at least one is bound to fit perfectly in your ears. Even so, I take advantage of the small sound tube to fitfitting SHURE Olive hybrid foams or Comply tips that I use on theWestone 4.

My opinion sours, however, as the cable fits into the equation. Square are buggers to use.

Let me illustrate. The logo on the DBA suggests it is meant to be worn with the cable over the ear. Great. Most good earphones are made to be worn in the same way because it keeps the earphones in the ear, relieving stress from the earphone and cable connection, and thus eliminating grand portions of touch noise. However, if you are to wear the cable over the ear, you necessarily need a cable cinch to keep the cables from flapping all over. The DBA lacks one. Big omission. The combination of ear guides and shirt clip are not enough. The ear guides do not work well if you have glasses, and even without, may not keep the earphones in your ears anyway. As stated earlier, the shirt clip requires a master’s degree to operate.

In the end, I gave up wearing the cable over the ear. Even twirling the cable around itself didn’t work to keep the earphones in. Good news, though, wearing the DBA down is easy, and comfortable. Thread the cable through your shirt and Bob’s your uncle. He’s a loud one though, as that cable transfers a lot of touch noise to the ears no matter how careful you are.

Sound
Here’s where we get back to the WOWs. In 2010, I called Earsonics’ SM3 a Star Child. It still is. The DBA-02 MKII may well be another one. Its overall voice is similar, though more tipped to the treble and upper mids. In a similar vein, it is smooth, mostly flat, and detailed. Some people find the DBA-02 MKII to be extremely detailed. I don’t. Any more detailed and the DBA would fall flatly into the categorical demon, “analytical”. It isn’t though, and instead, allows for a smoothly detailed high range that is open well into the mid range. Lovely.

One thing iPod and iPhone users will notice instantly is that they don’t need much volume to hit very loud listening levels. The DBA is quite sensitive even at its middling sensitivity rating of 108dB. If you are careful with your ears, old records need just a minor volume bump to a third on iPhone 4‘s volume slider. Volume war records of the last twenty years need much much less. Because of this, you may be able to pick out background noise even from very clean sources like Apple’s new iDevices and high end headphone amplifiers. Fischer balance this sensitivity with a relatively thick-skinned 43 ohms, which is great for most portable sources. It allows players with high output impedances to retain resolution even in passages where low can disappear.

And works it does.

As long as you are not a basshead, the DBA-02 MKII will bring a smile to your face. The signal certainly does reach low, but does so with prejudice. Marcus Schultz’ Mainstage won’t roar in the background as it does when powered by lower voiced earphones like the Victor FX500 or my personal favourite, theRadius, but its overall balance is better. Low notes are round, firm, and decay in perfect time. In my opinion, they trump my favourite CK10 by their more natural timbre.

With a good fit, I can listen to the DBA for hours with no fatigue. That isn’t to say that this earphone isn’t detailed. You will hear details like a Madeleine Peyroux’s tongue click against her palettes and though you won’t be able to sense the shape of the guitar player’s thumb, there are loads of moments that can only be described as pornographic. Fortunately, they are soft porn. If you expect Etymotic exactness, you needn’t look here.

To some, this will be a blessing, to others, it will be a curse. Earlier, I compared the DBA to the Earsonics SM3. I promise you, it wasn’t ingenuous. Fischer’s flagship earphone is cooler sounding than the SM3, emphasising upper mids more than bass, but it is equally as smooth within a different metric. That is, bass and mids flow together perfectly, better than almost any earphone I’ve heard at any price.

(The biggest audio quality caveat with the DBA, however, is fit. In order for midrange detail and clarity to be milky and sweet, perfect fit is imperative. I found that pushing the stock ear tips in too far caused the midrange to be harsh, tinny; long term listening became uncomfortable. For my ears, the DBA sounds better with a shallow fit, or with Shure Olive ear pieces. Your mileage may vary.)

Getting on, high frequencies: cymbals in particular, decay quickly, and shimmer just enough. High frequencies are less grating than those of direct competitors, again trumping my beloved CK10. I think the dime will fall to heads for some, and tails for others, as even this great balance will for some be too bright. Again, I fall into the category of worshippers of this sound.

You may or may not fall into that group. Remember, thought the low-mid frequency transition is extremely smooth, high mids to ultra high frequencies are aggressive. If you don’t like bright earphones, you probably won’t love the DBA-02 MKII. If you do, however, you will find lots to love. Lots.

Fischer claim that the DBA-02 MKII reaches 24.000kHz. I don’t doubt that it can reach that high, but not without a LOT of fall off well before that mark. Obviously my ears aren’t sensitive to those levels, but they do a good job of categorising various earphones. To these ears, there appears to be less overall sound pressure in the extreme high frequencies than some of my other favourites.

And that is a good thing.

In summary, the DBA-02 MKII is a smooth sounding earphone aimed at midrange detail. Lows and highs are plentiful, but neither forefront. With good fit, you can enjoy wonderful vocals, strings, and percussion with the DBA-02 MKII. For trance listeners, there is good enough space and soundstage to keep you thumping in that imaginary universe, but not enough to cause you to get lost. Rockers, the wonderful transition between bass and mids is wonderful, with the promise of fast, pleasant cymbal decay. I cannot really recommend the DBA-02 MKII for hip hop lovers, however, as bass simply isn’t duffy enough. There is no driver wobble; too much kilter, really.

Out and about
With a long cable and great carrying case, the DBA-02 MKII should be the perfect walking/trekking/commuting earphone. But unless you can quiet the cable down, I guarantee you will be annoyed by its energy and touch noise. Still, the overall combination is good, and with the right tips, you can really push background noise out of your music. Again, Shure Olives are great for this.

Conclusion
What more can I say? Fischer have upgraded an instant classic. They have nearly perfected an already wonderful earphone. For listeners who love details but shy away from the sometimes screechy Etymotic ER4 and CK10, this is the earphone for you. It is smoother and more natural in its transitions from bass all the way to highs than the almighty SM3. Wow. But this level of natural perfection doesn’t come without its own set of caveats. Nope. You’ll have to put up with a rectangular cable that only a mother, or, judging by the sudden onslaught of such cables, hip music lovers who’ve never had anything better, could love. For me, it’s a bittersweet romance, and one good enough for a warm grab, though honestly, I’m dying for a kiss.

Eterna (with Comparisons)

Thursday May 6th, 2010

Fischer Audio Eterna is a dynamic driver in-ear-monitor marketed by Fischer Audio, a Russian headphones and earphones manufacturer, which has been pretty much under the radar outside Russia until just recently. I have been hearing good impressions and reviews about the Eterna, so I jumped on the opportunity when I was able to get one. The Eterna used to be Fischer Audio’s top of the line IEM, but they have since come up with newer IEM designs with more advanced drivers, which we hope to get our hands on soon. You can buy the Eterna itself for $60-$70 from the authorized dealers listed on Fischer Audio’s website.

The Eterna comes with pretty basic accessories: a pair of ear hook, basic pouch, and a set of eartips. The ear hook is very useful to reduce microphonics but a little cumbersome to use. It will be nice if a simple shirt clip is also included for times when I don’t want to use the ear hooks. The included cloth pouch is also very basic, and doesn’t seem to provide much protection for the Eterna. This is a pity, since the Eterna doesn’t seem like a product that can take abuse.

During my 2 months ownership of the Eterna, I found that while the materials are very nice in general, there have been few issues with build quality. The metal grills covering the drivers are shoddily glued, and the left rubber enclosure where the cable connects to the earpieces had come off. I guess for $70, I can’t complain too much.

The eartips included with the Eterna are 2 pairs of silicon single-flange eartips and a pair of double-flange eartips. I tend to get the best seal and best sound with the double-flange tips, but they aren’t very comfortable, since to get a good seal with them, the big nozzle of the Eterna needs to be inserted quite deeply. For a much better comfort, I am using the modded Shure Black Foam Sleeves, also known as Shure Olives, which results in a slightly warmer sound. A friend has also tried the Eterna with the comply tips that comes with the Triple.fi, and they fit well. Note that the Eterna has to be worn over-the-ear like Westone IEMs or Shure SE530. A bit cumbersome, but I prefer the Eterna’s comfort over IEMs like Triple.fi and Etymotic ER4.