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

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

Balanced Armature?

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

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

From Russia with love

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

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

Sitz und Sound

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

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

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

Fazit

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


I guess with everyone in this hobby there is one earphone that changed the way you perceived headphones, a reason why we end up dedicating a lot of time and money trying to figure out not only what is the best headphone but the best one for our personal tastes and the best set up to really make it sing. Well my first expensive buy in headphones was a pair of Beats Pros and they left such a sour taste in my mouth I am surprised I kept going but I was persistent and thought surely there had to be earphones that are really going to be a step up, a pair I can really tell the difference with. Well that first experience came in a pair or Fischer Audio DBA-02s that I still own to this day. Now I was in touch with Fischer Audio and for a long time they promised a new IEM flagship, something with 3 Balanced Armature drivers and after a long wait, it is finally upon us in the name of the TBA-04, standing for Triple Balanced Armature and the 04 is because it is the fourth in their balanced armature line (two singles and a double) and it is the most expensive IEM that Fischer have ever released coming in at around £200. What is quite interesting is what the 3 armature drivers are getting up to as they have gone for a similar method to what Sony employed and that is using one driver for the full range and then using the additional two drivers to overlap. Now Fischer have not said if there is two single units or a dual unit on top of the full range driver or what part of the frequency response they are helping out in but it is interesting none the less.

The design is cool, the housing have a ceramic look to them, something I find quite appealing although I do worry how long I will be able to keep the white housings squeaky clean. The only tiny niggle is that looking up close to them the seams are quite apparent and that takes a little bit of the expensive look away but oh well. As for the cable I have always found the braided cable really neat looking and it was one of the things the originally drew me to the DBA-02, yes I was that shallow! However the use of the braided cable, the same one as the DBA-02, leaves me very confused as it is a major issue with the DBA, a reason mine are pretty much broke and also the reason Fischer done a MK2 of the DBA with a new cable. I am not sure why they have reverted back to the old cable after all the positive impressions on the MK2 cable. This cable starts off all floppy and flexible and seems strong enough but over time it goes very brittle and then starts to crack exposing the inside of the wires. It also is just hard to use when the cable does not really bend and just snaps when you try and bend it any way. There is not really a true strain relief either which is a bit iffy leading onto the cable that concerns me already. The housings do seem strong enough though so that’s good and the strain reliefs on both the y-split and the straight jack are good and we do also have a cable cinch on these so there are some things to smile about.

In the little box you get with the TBA-04 they do no scamper with what you get, they give you all you will need get started with the earphones. First of all you get a nice round clamshell case to keep them nice and safe in. You also get a pair of ear guides and a shirt clip for better fit and then rest are pairs of tips, in which is fairly wide variety. You get some standard silicone tips in 3 sizes, some firmer silicone tips in two sizes, some more silicone tips that are like the one you get from Sony with the foam inside and then a pair of triple flange. So foam tips would have really finished of the package but I still don’t see anyone not getting an ideal seal with all of that!

The comfort is pretty much all you can ask for with these, they have no weight to them, fit nicely over your ear without any stupid memory wire and the design is ergonomic with it fitting snug in your ear, not sticking out and fitting at a comfortable depth in your ear. They are not as tiny as the DBA but they are still what I would categorize as a small earphone and I do not think the size with these or the overall comfort will be a problem for anyone.

Isolation is fairly good although these do not insert the deepest unless you using these with the triple flanges which obviously has a deeper seal and large isolation. I have been getting the best sound with some single flanges and while isolation has not been a problem with me having all the sound blocked out in some noisy environments, they are not at CIEM or Etymotic level.

The sound of this actually reminds me of the Tandem more than it does the DBA-02 with that you have a very mid centric, mellow and smooth sound. It certainly gets rid of that extreme analytical signature of the DBA and also does away with the cold that come with the sound and these is much more easy going as well as being tame on the ears. Now I am not quite sure too what extent it impresses me because while the DBA was not for everyone, it stupidly detailed sound really did impress if you liked it. Now this leaves the over detailed, clarity orientated sound and while this is still got a lot of detailing, it gets closed to a mainstream sound. The thing is if people didn’t get the original DBA, one of there biggest issues would have been a “lack of bass” because they were very neutral and the thing is, while these have more mid-bass, they still lack a solid sub-bass and the mid-bass is a bit lack luster in its impact. Fortunately the midrange is very luxurious and the treble is smooth and detailed if just a little early to roll of.

Going into more detail the bass is pleasant, it does not do anything to offend in anyway but it’s just a bit weak, doesn’t have any flare, doesn’t deliver when needed or have that detail that some better earphones have. It is fairly fast though and gets from one not to another quickly and as well as that does have some decay that does not make it seem anemic, it has a good balanced of the two things. It also does not interrupt with the midrange as you can imagine. The sub-bass both rolls of early, lacks details and feeling and generally can be worked on heavily. It just feels a bit empty, like you can sometimes be missing a bit of the music, especially when you switch on some of the bassier music in my collection. You know me, I am far from a bass head so when I have a desire for some more sub-bass I think it is worth noting.

The midrange is delicious in that it is detailed, very balanced, very smooth and easy to listen too. This all being said I do question them at times and do find them just a bit different. Now the reason for this is that they are very balanced in throughout the midrange instead of having the usual presence range boost that gives the effect of clarity, that extra lush-ness to female vocals and general airiness and height to vocals. Without that everything sounds just a bit flat I guess, especially female vocals that lack a bit of power and emotion. This being said the midrange as a whole is the front running of this earphone, is always very clear, details flow neatly and they instruments sound organic if a bit light.

The treble is as I have said smooth and easy. It does not have sibilance, it is not harsh, it does not have the crystal clear sound, which allows for every instrument to be so real you cannot almost see it, nor does it have extension way past your hearing is capable. IT just follows on from the smooth upper midrange and that’s how it stays. It is still detailed for sure, it just does not have the crystal qualities. It also lack just a little bit of sparkle to it, you do not get that easily audible snare drum or cymbal crash, you can hear them, they just do not pierce over the rest of the music.

The rolled off bass and not the most extended treble do come together with the forward midrange as a very tight cohesive package even if these are certainly an different listen and one that is not for everyone, I mean I can see a lot of people turning there noses up at these but then I no a fair few will also be over the moon. The presentation is well separated and has all right width but do not expect these to be any sort of soundstage kings. They are overall very fast and do not ever struggle with fast passages. Sometimes when I am listening to this I find them wonderful, they get the music, Lenny Kravitz “Heaven Help” was just amazing and so was Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good” but sometimes I just did not get the earphones, they didn’t synergies with the genre of music at all and just did not understand them. I mean “Cold Sweat” by Thin Lizzy was almost garbage for no apparent reason.

These earphones did really cause me to have mixed feeling towards them and with their price I am fooled again because I do listen to them like I would a much more expensive earphone most of the time and when they disappoint it may well be because they set the bar so high at over times. They do face fierce competition for sure though with the likes of the HiFiMAN RE-400 being close (and cheaper) and the FAD Heaven II not quite offering as much but being over 100 pound cheaper. That being said they do also show up a lot of the price competitors such as the NOCS NS800 and FAD Adagio V. I guess one people will be curious about if how they stand up too the very popular hybrids, the T-PEOS H-200 and the DUNU DN-1000 and they are completely different earphones. These are much clearer, do treble smoother and mids more detailed but they do not pack nowhere near as much bass so they are different earphones for sure.

Now do you like smooth music, do you mind a little less bass but want amazing clear midrange, smooth treble and accurate imaging and instrument separation in a confident physical package, then these may very well be just what your after.


Introduction:

Fischer Audio unveiled its new triple balanced armature IEM recently and the press’s went wild. FA has been known to be a great value audiophile company for a long time now. So many wondered if the TBA-04 was the same. Their full size studio line came out to glowing reviews, so is this the same? Today, Panda Tech Review, gives you a look at the Fischer Audio TBA-04. Let’s see how it is.

Notice- This is a unit provided to me by Fischer Audio.

Build (Driver / Cable / Termination):

The build is a bit disappointing on the TBA-04. It’s entire body is plastic. Not extremely hard plastic like the kind that is hard to tell from metal, and that is very heavy. It’s the lightweight, shiny kind. This of course plays into the need for a lightweight unit as the way it fits into the ear. But it is still a bit unacceptable looking at it. There are many other products today that use just the suction force of the IEM to keep the unit in place that still have better quality driver build than this $300 unit. The plastic actually looks almost like modeling pieces stiched together. The nozzle itself is also plastic, and what seems to be proprietary from the looks of it due to how small it is compared to most nozzles. (I believe). The wire termination, and cable strain relief is also quite mediocre. It’s a twist type of cable that has good flexibility and apparent well made, but I highly question its long term life. The cable, although of good flexibility, and of solid wiring, isn’t braided exactly with sleeves and fancy material. It is also quite thin. The wire is not removable and uses extremely thin wire strain reliefs on it. The termination plug(3.5mm plug that inserts into your device) itself is also very simplistic, and minimal. Not too much fancy design. Small, short plastic is what describes the termination. Not too glorious, you may think considering all I have said. And you are right, but its not all like that. We need a bit of analyzation to see the good side.

So there’s the bad, what’s the good with the build? Everything is in fact well done on the build. This means that the letters, the colors, and design is all accurate, and high quality. The fit is ergonomic for most ears and plays into how and where the cable should exit the unit. It’s a very smooth and somewhat wrap around driver fit in that the driver isn’t extremely horizontally outsticking like say a TF10. The wire’s flexibility, design, and wire termination although minimal and questionable, works extremely well with the style of the TBA-04 which is small, somewhat artistic and great sounding.  If you are wondering what this means, well imagine if the TBA04 had a very thick single nonbraided cable with a thick strain relief component. You probably are now thinking that it will probably be weird to with such a light and ergonomic driver, but with thick, full size class cabling. And that is exactly the type of analyzation that one may try to make as to why the build quality isn’t up to what they may feel about a $300 UIEM.

So there are the two sides. Panda Tech Review believes in presenting both sides of the arguments before offering its full opinion as a way to give its readers the full idea of what the unit is like.

Panda Tech Review’s opinion on the build of the unit is that while it is fitting for the unit, it is a bit lackluster for a unit of its cost and usable style(portable).  Portable units need to have a decent amount of build quality, every day use durability, and the ability to possibly be sat on, have a backpack on top of it, etc. With my inspection of the TBA 04, and its build qualities, this is unfulfilled. Unless the plastic and wire and its entire system uses has some incredible build technology or has some inner ‘exoskeleton’ I didn’t know about. I do not believe the quality of materials, and its build is a good representation of a $300 unit.

Unboxing Video

Extensive Review Video

(Don’t want to read and would rather ‘watch’ the entire review?)

 

Usability and Unit Fit:

The build largely plays a role into the unit fit. The arched, almost old style vacuum cleaner style of the TBA-04’s produces a cozy fit for most people. The wide assortement of tips onto its slightly more proprietary(believed) tips make it so that the tips fit on the nozzle quite well. Some IEM’s come with tips that don’t fit too well entirely. There are no included Comply’s, not that I think most Comply’s can fit on the very narrow and thin nozzle. I would love to have a foam mold tip, but the silicone that the unit already comes with is working extremely well. Driver suction doesn’t happen too often, and the fit is often good with me.

 

The thin cable, chin slider, and minimal plug termination all play a role in how well the TBA-04’s are on the go. The apparent durability(no sign of wear yet) as mentioned above is lacking, but this light construction does make the TBA’s extremely portable. You usually have a slight annoyance with the ‘thick’ IEM cables that have some weight. The TBA’s largely do not have this problem. The wire is like hair almost and is light to the point where some parts of the cable will actually keep it’s ‘bend’ naturally and won’t entirely fall down under the weight of gravity. The small plug also allows it to easily plug into many mobile devices. Especially mobile devices with bulky cases that have narrow 3.5mm insertion jacks.

Overall, the usability and fit capabilities of the TBA are very good. The light cable and how effortless it physically feels makes me want to use them a lot. Of course, this is offset by the durability and build.

 

Microphonics:

The light cable, over ear fit, and neck slider with the double braided cables make it so that there is close to no microphonics with the TBA 04’s. Microphonics for those new here are the noise that cables make when you move around.

 

Isolation and Leak:

The good fit and balanced armature drivers make it so. The isolation is very good with the TBA’s if you have a good fit. Good to the point that for me and my fit, I had some problems with some friends when they couldn’t contact me from my doorway when I had the TBA’s in. The leak is a bit more problematic. I believe the plastic thin construction has something to do with it. In a somewhat quiet room. At medium to loud volumes. You can hear the high freq squeak of the TBA’s. This is of course only if the room is very quiet and if you are listening at medium to loud volumes.

 

Amp Requirement and Driveability:

The TBA-04 does not need an amp for drivability or compatibility problems for most devices. There is no extra noise or other noticeable problems of impedance misbalance when used with an iPhone. The iPhone’s power is also overly adequate for the TBA’s. The sound of the TBA04 with the iPhone 4S(arguably the best sounding iPhone direct headphone out) is also quite good by itself already. But of course, amp enthusiasts and users go right ahead.

 

 Testing:

The Fischer Audio TBA-04 UIEM was tested with the custom Project-H unit, FiiO X3, iPod 2G and iPhone 4S. There are a plethora of other amps it could have been tested with. But I felt it fitting and enough to just rely on the Project-H  as that is my current baseline. And because this isn’t really an amp comparison review. Cirrus Logic Flagship DAC(CS4398) and Burr Brown high precision operation amplifiers(OPA 2134) were thus the main chips used in this review. The TBA’s were tested on pure settings with no EQ or any changes UNLESS noted in the review where I did apply some.

 

Sound Quality Section:

Highs:

The highs are presented when they are needed. They aren’t extremely sharp nor are they rolled off too much. This is the quality that one would usually want in music enjoyment equipment. It’s the studio headphones that generally give you the slightly harsher highs as a way to ‘hear’ and correct the instrument. Thankfully, the TBA is not like this. This gives it the chance to produce a pleasureable listening experience. I found that that the highs were there when the song required a high note to be hit, but otherwise, everything ‘high’ was relied upon in the upper mid frequencies with the guitars. With songs that usually produce a good high frequency response, the TBA’s were a bit disappointing to me in that the highs weren’t as present as I remembered them to be with equipment like an LCD 3. However, looking deeper into it, one can also say that there is no shame in a headphone being slightly different. For, this is just a quality of many different headphones. Some wish to present the frequencies better, while others wish to dilute it down and have it be a back player. And the highs on the TBA are exactly that, they are the cherry on top of the ice cream or the kid with the cymbals or triangle in a band. They aren’t always overly present in the song with the TBA, but when its needed. The TBA’s present them beautifully and with great detail and clarity. The texture isn’t as full as I wish it to be. For those that wish to know a bit more about texture, it can be explained as presence, how well the high itself is presented. In the sense that is the high note just a high frequency sonic production without any actual ‘human’ presence in it that a computer can make(think radio noise). Or does it actually have presence and sound like something a human produced with its extremely slight fluctuations and degree of sound. The TBA’s accomplish the detail and clarity in the slight fluctuation of sound in that it definitely sounds like something that was ‘produced’ or made. Instead of a computer program with instructions to produce a signal at 11KHz+.

Mid Instruments:

Mid instruments are probably one of my most favorite part of the TBA-04’s. The mid frequency range here is balanced quite well. It doesn’t have the upper mid spike that many IEM’s have. Many IEM’s use that spike to produce share cymbals and snares and to make instruments and vocals more exciting. This is often botched. The end result then is harsh and metallic presentation of instruments that hurt your ear after a period of time. If you have read any of my other reviews, you would note that I often talk of how I am sensitive to those upper mid spikes and harshness in general.

I can say now, that the TBA’s present instruments beautifully and naturally. Of course, a headphone doesn’t always need to present something naturally. Some present them in ways that appeal to people or as a way to mimic the natural sound differently. The TBA’s go for the slightly more uninteresting idea of what the mids should sound like as if you were listening to it in an auditorium. Where instrumental separation, clarity, and detail are key. This may not be as big of an attention getter as high raised snare hits are if the manufacturer was to give it a treble boost, but its much more enjoyable as an audiophile unit. Especially one in the price range that the TBA-04 sits at. The instruments are separated well from the vocals. They have their own space typically behind and to the left and right of the vocals. This increase in mid frequency based imaging is quite enjoyable for when you listen to live performances or opera’s.

Vocals:

The vocals of the TBA 04’s are a bit light, and lack the full presence that one would typically expect when you think of naturalism. The typical human voice is grittier, a bit deeper, and more full than what the TBA-04 gives. This more ‘light’ presentation of the vocals may go hand in hand with the TBA’s focus on instrumental quality in the mids. The full human vocal fidelity is not entirely captured by the TBA-04. Of course, I never expected it to, especially at only $300. This is something I would expect from the LCD-3(of which it does indeed delivers). The light, and energetic presentation of the vocals are already more than I can ask for. The clarity of the vocals are on quite a high level. They aren’t veiled and are forward and present. The detail however relates back to the lightness I described above, where the mid and lower vocal portions don’t have the full weight of what the human voice would sound like. The upper vocal representation and detail is quite amazing, but the mid and low vocal areas, do need a bit more help. I however have no qualms personally at the cost. It is just something noticed and noted in this review.

Bass:

You probably could already tell, but don’t expect any boom boom from the TBA-04 even with it’s triple balanced armature design. The mid bass presence and ability is extremely good however. Let me explain more, the mid bass thump has quite the ability to produce a detailed and ‘loud’ but not too impactful mid bass driving force. This is only in songs that have sections where there is an extreme mid bass note in them. As I have tested with EQ settings of the bass. The TBA’s respond very well to a bass EQ. You can get these to be more universal with genres by applying roughly a +5(or more) bass EQ. Some IEM’s don’t respond to EQ well, but the TBA’s were able to handle bass EQ’s with little to no distortion. The bass thump was a bit more muddy with some reverb rumble. But for the most part, it reacts well. However, going back to a no EQ sound. The sub bass and mid bass offer little to no help for most songs. Even if it has the ability to. Rap, hip hop, pop for the most part all fall on its back and sound bad because of the lack of bass. It’s almost nauseating. The mid bass does have potential even without the EQ, but this is extremely rare and only happens on sections of a song that have extreme mid bass notes written in like I mentioned above. I would not buy this IEM if you are a bass fan.

 

 Overall:

This is actually one of the most important sections of the review. We can say all we want about individual frequency presentation, but that doesn’t matter too too much right? It’s the overall picture.

The overall sound signature of the TBA-04 is that its light sounding with a focus on the mids. The highs and lows are tucked away but presented when need to be. The signature is airy, and open(but not too big of a soundstage or overall imaging) with a clean/clear air to it.

The genres that perform best with the TBA 04(probably the most important part) are musicals, operas, classical music, some forms of classic rock, some forms of country. The more bass heavy or ‘thick’ genres do not work very well with the TBA’s. Even with something like an EQ.

 

Specs:

Freq Range: 20 Hz to 19,000Hz

Sensitivity: 114dB

Impedance: 23 Ohms

Maximum power input: 60mW

Cable Length: 1.25m

Drivers: Triple Balanced Armature

Driver material: plastic

 

Ratings:

Build Quality: 6/10

Usability and Fit: 9/10

Isolation and Leak: 8.5/10 (some high freq leakage)

Microphonics: 9/10

Sound Quality: 8.5/10

Overall: 8/10

 


An excellent successor to the DBA-02 mk II

Pros: Mids, highs, accessories, build quality, comfort,
Cons: Worldwide availability, bass, straight 3.5mm jack, needs to be ideally driven with an amp

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

Purchase Date: 2013
Purchase Price: £185 / $300

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Earphones

First of all I would like to thank Serge from Fischer Audio for sending me out the TBA-04′s on their release. I took some time doing this review as I wanted to get a good amount of personal listening done, to the music I’m used to. More so, I wanted to get used to the Fischer Audio sound signature again, as I had a good impression of the different type of sound the FA earphones have to offer over other earphones.

In this review, I will refer to the TBA-04′s as the TBA and their younger brothers the DBA-02 mk II’s as the DBA’s. A full review of the DBA’s can be found here, a read of the review can serve as a useful reference for those who aren’t accustom to some of the traits of the DBA’s.

 

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

For my initial impressions and unboxing video of the TBA-04′s – Click here

Packaging:
The packaging of the TBA-04′s reminded me very much of the DBA-02′s, in fact it looked identical – by not only the looks, but also the contents within the packaging.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - BoxFischer Audio TBA-04 - Box details

Accessories:
The accessories were vast, as expected after my experiences with other FA earphones, especially the DBA-02 mk II. The accessories were in fact identical to what was found in the DBA-02′s, which had the following:
-Manual
-Earphones
-Pouch
-Ear guides
-Silicone tips (S,M,L)
-Silicone tips with inner foam ring (S,M,L)
-Clear tips x2
-Triple flange tips x1
-Shirt clip

As much as I loved the accessories, I was quite disappointed not to find anything different or additional in the TBA-04′s. For example, it would have been nice to get some foam tips included, dual flangue tips and possibly some more triple flangue tips.
Despite the above, the accessories are very much excellent, but it is just a shame that there was no distinction between the two earphones. Especially seeing as the TBA’s are £60 more expensive. With that said, it does still impress me and does the job very much better than a lot of other earphones that can be found in the market today.
I have and will always be a big fan of the included carrying pouch, that’s included with the DBA’s and there was no difference with the pouch included with the TBA’s.

Overall first impressions:
Overall, I was a little disappointed that Fischer Audio copy and pasted everything that they had in the DBA’s over to the TBA’s, but with that said, it is still a good array of things included within the package.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Package Contents

Build Quality

The build quality of the TBA-04′s is quite good, from top to bottom. However, I did find a few points of concern with the build quality which I was a little worried about.
First of all the wire – I quite like the fact the wire is braided however it does feel a little loose at times. With wear and tear, I’m not too sure about the choice of a braided cable by Fischer Audio. To add to the concern, the wire is terminated with a straight gold plated 3.5mm jack, rather than a right angled one. I feel that if users were to pull the earphones jack out by the cable, after a certain amount of time, it will come undone. Furthermore, the termination on the earphones themselves, where the wire has a small strain relief, I found to be a little worrying if it were to be yanked out of your ears suddenly, by pulling it against its natural direction it is intended to go.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Cable Management

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Splitter

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Jack
Other than that, the build quality is quite good. I especially like the lightweight nature of the earphones – which means that listening to them for an extended period of time isn’t fatiguing. I also like that on the earphones themselves there is a clear right and left indicator – this makes it very easy to see which side each earphone should go.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Left and right indicator

 

Overall, the build quality is very good, and does certainly shine through the product, but certain aspects of it left me slightly disappointed. I wish there was more attention to detail in that respect with the earphones, especially seeing as they are Fischer’s new top of the line earphones.
I should also point out that there was barely any microphonics as the earphones are worn over-the-ear. I did notice a very small amount of microphonics, but it was quite negligible.

Now the overall look, comfort and isolation

Look:
The looks can be taken in two ways – either you like the white colour, or you don’t. Unfortunately for me, I don’t like their bright white colour. This is extremely subjective and comes down to taste, but it would have been nice if Fischer had different colour shells to offer. A black coloured earphone for me would have been much more appealing or even a see-through shell would have been very cool indeed.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - In-ear look

Other than that the earphones are reasonably discrete and don’t stick out too much – thus meaning the looks and the design is still very good.
I should point out that the TBA’s nozzle is quite long, like the one found in the Shure range and the DBA’s.

Isolation:
The isolation of the earphones was good – especially with the provided inner foam ring ear tips, which give you a little better isolation over the normal silicone ear tips. They also didn’t leak any noise, due to the earphones not needing any sort of air to move the drivers, unlike dynamic driver earphones that often have a port located on the earphones.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - In-ear look

Finally the comfort:
The comfort was very much excellent. The earphones, as stated above were light on the ears and could be worn for long periods of time.

Sound Quality

The sound quality is what was the most intriguing for me when I opened the box – I couldn’t wait to hear them as the DBA’s really had impressed me a lot, despite having a few points that were concerning (ie the sibilance and the lack of bass).
The TBA’s I found were a natural successor of the DBA’s – Fisher must have taken the DBA’s as a benchmark and improved it. The highs were refined and thus no longer made the earphones sibilant, the lows were drastically improved and the mids kept their rich sound.
Thus, the TBA’s to my ears were an improved DBA set of earphones. Which, after having been extremely popular with the DBA’s I think Fisher made the right decision. If these had a bit more bass extension, I think these would hit the nail on the head, especially at their price point of £185.

Important note about the sound quality:
I should mention that the sound signature, in my opinion, changed a little since the DBA’s. The DBA’s used to be like a flipped V shaped signature. Mid centric, highs rolled off ever so slightly especially due to the sibilance making you reduce the volume you listen to your earphones at and lacking lows.
The TBA’s on the other hand have a more flat line frequency response – which makes them a much more favourable earphone for audiophiles out there.

Another important factor is that I found the TBA’s really benefited from an amp. When I paired them up with my ZO2 or my EHP-O2D, I found that the earphones came to life a little more.

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Nozzle

Lows:
The lows were improved over the DBA’s, however I did find that it did lack extension and thus didn’t really hit some of the low end frequencies. When compared to my PFE232′s, the PFE’s were able to deliver a better extension – thus making the PFE’s better in terms of extension and thus the quality of the bass tones. Despite being a dual BA driver itself, it was still able to provide excellent bass. The TBA’s on the other hand didn’t have much quantity of bass and their extension also lacked, however when paired with my DigiZoid ZO2 the bass quantity really increased and thus became a lot more present. This was nice to see as the DBA’s to my ears weren’t really capable of this, whereas the TBA’s with that extra driver could deliver in the bass department if called upon. So to summarise the lows, don’t expect to be blown away from the bass, but coming from the DBA’s I think you’ll be extremely satisfied and pleasantly surprised that the TBA’s don’t sacrifice an inch of mids quality and yet deliver a bigger blow than the DBA’s is able to do.

Mids/highs:
The mids and highs are simply perfect. I think they really shine through with an amp – but they share the mids that are present in the DBA’s, almost like they went unchanged, which is a great thing.
Mids are thus excellent – very precise, vocals that really shine through and overall an excellent sounding earphone for listening back to mid centric songs.
The highs are improved over the DBA’s – they only needed a little fine tuning and I think Fisher Audio nailed it. They reduced the sibilance of the earphones by reducing the peaks the DBA’s had and also extended them. Meaning there is no roll off of the high that I noted in my DBA review. This means the highs are more precise, better present and furthermore much more pleasant.

Soundstage:
The soundstage hasn’t improved over the DBA’s – It still sounds excellent – has great separation, but lacks depth and width, mainly due to its plastic and small construction.

Sound Quality Ratings
Lows: 7.5/10
Mids: 10/10
Highs: 10/10
Soundstage: 8/10

Fischer Audio TBA-04 - Design and Looks

Conclusions and final thoughts

In conclusion the TBA-04′s are an excellent successor to the DBA-02 mk II’s. I feel that a lot of the qualities have been ported over to the TBA’s and yet they have been improved with the inclusion of that extra BA driver. Turning it from a dual to a triple balanced armature driver.
Fischer really did a good job in this respect to keep previous customers happy with a similar sounding earphone, but also made it so that it offers something more.

Would I recommend this for £185 – definitely. It is one of the best all-rounded (yet slightly mid centric) earphones I’ve heard. Despite it not being quite to my tastes, as I prefer a more V shaped signature earphone, I do definitely think this is a lot of earphone for the money. If I was a DBA owner, and you feel you’re lacking extra bass extension and feel that you could do with listening to something that’s less sibilant and has a little more of a flat sound signature, then you should definitely consider investing in the TBA-04′s. With that said, with the extra price tag, £60 extra is quite a bit to pay for that little additional tweak in sound and refinement. It just all comes down to you evaluating your previous purchase or comparing it to other £180 earphones in the market.
What I loved about the DBA’s is the fact that they were so cheap for the amazing sound they produced. With the TBA’s being in a different price category, it makes them a little harder to recommend and jump upon, due to their similar sound to the DBA’s and lack of additional extras included.

Hope you enjoyed my review!


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.


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.