Beware Fiio F9 IEMs.

[Al ears]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

 

[dalethorn]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

 

[Al ears]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

 

[dalethorn]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

 

[Al ears]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

So is this a definitive response to the view that the F9s are rubbish, in my opinion? Perhaps I should buy a few more pairs from different sources to make an enforced decision. These are new kids on the block and not something someone is likely to want to make a mint on by copying, they are cheap after all.

 

[dalethorn]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

So is this a definitive response to the view that the F9s are rubbish, in my opinion? Perhaps I should buy a few more pairs from different sources to make an enforced decision. These are new kids on the block and not something someone is likely to want to make a mint on by copying, they are cheap after all.

There was a famous guy who founded the Baskin-Robbins icecream business, who said that most people look for a bargain and are willing to take a chance for the savings.

I like a bargain, but don't often find one. The FiiO amps I've had have been good - very good in fact, but their earbuds and earphones aren't so good. There are some good IEMs at a reasonable price - some of the Xiaomi's, the Thinksounds, the First Harmonic....

 

[Al ears]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

So is this a definitive response to the view that the F9s are rubbish, in my opinion? Perhaps I should buy a few more pairs from different sources to make an enforced decision. These are new kids on the block and not something someone is likely to want to make a mint on by copying, they are cheap after all.

There was a famous guy who founded the Baskin-Robbins icecream business, who said that most people look for a bargain and are willing to take a chance for the savings.

I like a bargain, but don't often find one. The FiiO amps I've had have been good - very good in fact, but their earbuds and earphones aren't so good. There are some good IEMs at a reasonable price - some of the Xiaomi's, the Thinksounds, the First Harmonic....

Thanks Dalethorn. I was looking for something under £200 that come with a balanced cable so I can utilise thw 2.5mm balanced connection on my Onkyo DAP so those with a normal wired 3.5mm connection are out as I already have a very good pair with that unbalanced connection.

Funnily I have just read a review of the F9s in HiFi World mag and they really rate them.... maybe their is a fault with my pair....

 

[dalethorn]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

So is this a definitive response to the view that the F9s are rubbish, in my opinion? Perhaps I should buy a few more pairs from different sources to make an enforced decision. These are new kids on the block and not something someone is likely to want to make a mint on by copying, they are cheap after all.

There was a famous guy who founded the Baskin-Robbins icecream business, who said that most people look for a bargain and are willing to take a chance for the savings.

I like a bargain, but don't often find one. The FiiO amps I've had have been good - very good in fact, but their earbuds and earphones aren't so good. There are some good IEMs at a reasonable price - some of the Xiaomi's, the Thinksounds, the First Harmonic....

Thanks Dalethorn. I was looking for something under £200 that come with a balanced cable so I can utilise thw 2.5mm balanced connection on my Onkyo DAP so those with a normal wired 3.5mm connection are out as I already have a very good pair with that unbalanced connection.

Funnily I have just read a review of the F9s in HiFi World mag and they really rate them.... maybe their is a fault with my pair....

I think the best reviewers of IEMs are at Headfonia and Headfonics. These are guys who know the options, and their sites aren't chatty, so you can usually read the comments quickly.

 

[Al ears]

Whilst I loved the idea of cheap IEMs with a balanced connection cable my purchase of the F9s has been pretty much a disaster. I didn't audition, fatal mistake, but bought on review an d the fact there's no alternative. Although these were half the price of my current 1More quad driver IEMs I expected them to be good. They weren't. Lovely midrange I will admit but absolutely no bass.

I may have a duff pair but how do you know?

You could order 3 of the same FiiO and see differences in all 3. I think part of the problem is they're heavily bootlegged, right from the source factory even. Then to add to that, some of the "big box sellers" that I won't name will carry the different "versions" under the same product number.

Thanks Dale, if you are saying these are copies they have done an excellent job with the packaging. ;-)

I don't think so and unless Fiio are going to send me a kosher pair to compare with then I doubt we will ever know. Having said that I did buy from one of their acredited dealers.

Most people think of bootlegs as poor copies of the original done by someone far removed from legitimate production. Not true at all. A couple decades ago we had a TV show in the U.S. that explained how a great deal of bootlegging is done right out the back door of the legitimate factories, with the managers and owners looking the other way, because it brings in lots of tax-free money that's kept offshore. That's just one reason.

People who still live in the illusion that laws against these practices are rigidly enforced are out of touch. I worked in one such capacity back in the 1980's, and we made good money. Really good.

So is this a definitive response to the view that the F9s are rubbish, in my opinion? Perhaps I should buy a few more pairs from different sources to make an enforced decision. These are new kids on the block and not something someone is likely to want to make a mint on by copying, they are cheap after all.

There was a famous guy who founded the Baskin-Robbins icecream business, who said that most people look for a bargain and are willing to take a chance for the savings.

I like a bargain, but don't often find one. The FiiO amps I've had have been good - very good in fact, but their earbuds and earphones aren't so good. There are some good IEMs at a reasonable price - some of the Xiaomi's, the Thinksounds, the First Harmonic....

Thanks Dalethorn. I was looking for something under £200 that come with a balanced cable so I can utilise thw 2.5mm balanced connection on my Onkyo DAP so those with a normal wired 3.5mm connection are out as I already have a very good pair with that unbalanced connection.

Funnily I have just read a review of the F9s in HiFi World mag and they really rate them.... maybe their is a fault with my pair....

I think the best reviewers of IEMs are at Headfonia and Headfonics. These are guys who know the options, and their sites aren't chatty, so you can usually read the comments quickly.

Cheers. I'll have a look at those.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154658502539468]

Hey AI,

I'm close to purchasing these: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-plus-universal-iems

Works out to around £250 with the balanced cable not sure about tax ontop. Could be all marketing spill as there not really out yet but there staking their reputation on them by being their first in house design. Also annoyingly they won't ship till February

 

[Al ears]

Hey AI,

I'm close to purchasing these: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-plus-universal-iems

Works out to around £250 with the balanced cable not sure about tax ontop. Could be all marketing spill as there not really out yet but there staking their reputation on them by being their first in house design. Also annoyingly they won't ship till February

Thanks Elliot, I will look into it as don't know anything about this company and am reluctant to spend too much on something that doesn't even have a review yet let alone a 'track-record'.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10154658502539468]

Yer it's a big risk. It's why I haven't pressed the button yet

Also another balanced in that price range is the RHA cl1 just need to add a mini XLR to 2.5mm. different RHA's ive tried in the past have been fun but perhaps too bassy, but great build quality and have a great warranty if there's any issues