The flow of technology for the past few days has been nothing short of unstoppable – everything seems to be riding on the wireless tide and Bluetooth earbuds have been sprouting in every design and color imaginable have been sprouting like mushrooms here and there. However, if you’re into in-ear products, the choices may not be as numerous as that of regular headphones. You see, in-ears are more expensive because they are designed to sound better than a regular headphone or audio equipment. The FiiO FH5 is a perfect and dynamic example, dressed in all metal housings and with quad drivers setup, geared to give consumers the best audio experience possible.
Who Can Enjoy The FiiO FH5?
If you think you are one of the numerous consumers who seem to be hesitant in using in-ear monitors because you think they are too hybrid or complicated products, think again. FiiO FH5 can be enjoyed by the following:
Commuters: The FiiO FH5 is a great choice for commuters because this hybrid headphone has a durable and fantastic body and also comes with a hardshell travelling case. Plus, the overall sound quality is really amazing for its price point.
Anyone tired of charging: Bluetooth technology is undoubtedly great and convenient, but if you are one of those consumers who are already tired of charging a bunch of devices every now and then which offer sub-par to average sound quality, you might enjoy what the FiiO FH5 is offering.
Music Lovers:The FiiO FH5 is a great model for when you want to enjoy music, YouTube videos, TV series and podcasts with a product with a unique design and dynamic vocals. If you prefere Hi-Fi audio from the same brand, FiiO BTR3 is a good choice.
Fiio FH5 – What’s In The Box?
When you open the box of the FiiO FH5, the first thing you will see is the pair of in-ears. All the other accessories and equipment in the kit are packed underneath. Aside from the buds, there is a hardshell carrying case, four different kinds of ear tips, a cleaning brush and a zippered pouch in the box. The four different ear tips that come with the FiiO FH5 feature bass, vocals, balanced and memory foam for comfort and perfect fit.
FiiO FH5 Build and Design
It’s quite hard to put into words and details how the FiiO FH5 looks like but the bottom line is, this piece of equipment can be likened to supercars in the form of in-ears. Through the course of our research, we have confirmed that the manufacturer actually worked around this design language intentionally.
The casing of the FiiO FH5 is a CNC machined aluminum body that may seem to give an influence or impression that this is a heavy or bulky piece of equipment. However, in reality, the FiiO FH5 is surprisingly lightweight. The FH5 also offers a patented trishell design that ensures that the body and housing are fixed together with a powerful screw to reduce resonance and distortion.
At 41g, the FiiO FH5 perfectly fits right out of the box and users can simply swap the silicone ear tips to get a comfortable, molded fit that gives an impressive placement throughout the day.
Basically, the FiiO FH5 are not the typical headphones available in the market. If you desire headphones that give a more premium performance than those that come with your smartphone or iPhone, then this sign is as clear as lightning that you need to update and upgrade your hearing experience with the FiiO FH5.
The FH5 ad markets the product as a sleek and metallic beauty with its 90 degree 3.5mm connector. The wires are braided and wrapped in a high quality, transparent TPU sheath protection that makes it highly functional without sacrificing the overall feel and look. If you don’t want to face the annoying job of untangling annoying wires and cable, the FiiO FH5 is a perfect choice for you.
In terms of earbud durability, the connector is considered to be the weakest part of the earbuds, prone to damage and failure. However, this seems to be not a problem with FiiO FH5. Some of the popular materials used for high-end, durable ear equipment include titanium, copper, alloy and aluminum. With the FiiO FH5, it is designed with a tough aluminum metal combined with hard durable plastic for protection against fraying and regular wear and tear. The jack of the FiiO FH5 also provides an additional strong grip.
A little disclaimer here, while we said that the cable of the FiiO FH5 is made to be extra durable, it doesn’t mean that it is bionic and indestructible. If the cable happens to break, you don’t need to replace the entire thing because of the MMCX connectors. You simply pop the housings off so you can replace the damaged cable without worrying about the price of having to replace the whole thing.
If you’re in a dimly lit area, the FiiO FH5 has a lighted feature that puts blue and red markers to help users identify the left and right channels – red is for right, blue is for left.
FiiO FH5 Connection Issues
In terms of connectivity, one of the common issues that arises in the discussion is that the FiiO FH5 needs to connect with devices with a headphone jack. If you have a computer, TV, or subwoofer with a headphone jack, you won’t have any connection issues with the FiiO FH5. But if you have an iPhone, computer or a tablet that doesn’t have a headphone jack, you may have some problems in playing your favorite music or playlist using the FiiO FH5.
However, you can still use the FiiO FH5 even if your device doesn’t have a headphone jack by simply using an adapter. For example, if you have an iPhone 8 (which obviously doesn’t have a headphone jack), you can still enjoy the FiiO FH5 by using the Apple 3.5mm to lightning adapter.
FiiO FH5 Sound Performance
Imaging, design, aesthetics and price are cute and all that jazz – but how does the FiiO FH5 price to performance ratio fare? In terms of isolation, the FiiO FH5 works fairly well especially in a quiet cafe or on a long bus or tube ride. However, we cannot say the same for noisy environments.
In terms of sound frequencies, discerning audiophiles may hear some low end rumbles from a noisy environment that can creep through the in-ears but most of the highs and mids were significantly less loud and allow listeners to focus on what they are listening to even if the volume is not set too high. The frequencies and sound signature of the FiiO FH5 also depend on the kind of ear tips used.
If you’ve maintained your listening habits to Bluetooth devices, you would really experience a whole new level of listening with the FiiO FH5. With its powerful quad drivers in place, the FH5 provides a different driver for a specific frequency range – in short, this is a really effective tool in ensuring that the bass, mids and highs provide more than just a baseline audio experience.
Is The FiiO FH5 Worth Buying?
You don’t need to be a hacker to figure out that the FiiO FH5 is worth its price. If you are hesitant because you have no experience with in-ears, just think of it as Japanese trying out an authentic local dish in America – the experience will be curious, exciting but fulfilling.
The FiiO FH5 may not be the usual meal on your plate, but once you try it, you may even desire for seconds. If you are a bit bored or simply want to upgrade from the usual placement of traditional Bluetooth products, you might want to try and enter the magical world of in-ears.
Technically speaking, the FiiO FH5 has hybrid drivers where low frequencies provide excellent bass extension and mid and high frequencies are specifically tuned to give out maximum performance for an excellent audiophile experience. Plus, did you know the FiiO FH5 allocates a specific sound tube for high, mid and low frequencies? This is a sign that the manufacturer is really not kidding around when it likened its design language to a supercar in its aim to provide a phenomenal sound experience that spurs a great thread of discussion in CNET and other online review forums.
Of course, the asking price of the FiiO FH5 is no joke; for $249, is it worth it? If you were to ask us, the answer would be yes, especially if you value sound quality. However, if you are on a budget and you are content with just sub-par or average sound, you can set this one aside and just save for it or wait for sales and discounts.
So that concludes our review for the FiiO FH5. We hope that this article has given you ample information about the product and helped you in making an informed and wise purchase. If you’re looking for a great pair of in-ears that gives premium, high quality audio performance, you can rely on the FiiO FH5 to do its job. You can check out Amazon or FiiO’s official website if you’re on the lookout for sales and discounts direct from the store.