Greetings Head-fi!
 
Today we are going to checking out an exciting new entry to FiiO's expanding earphone lineup, the F1.
 
FiiO really needs no introduction given that their audio equipment has grown synonymous with quality portable audio over the years. Last year they took a serious step into the headphone market with a couple fantastic bang-for-your-buck products in the form of the EM3 earbuds and EX1, which was more-or-less a lightly revised Dunu Titan 1. The new F1 continues FiiO's push into the entry level market, this time targeting sub-20 USD in-ears.
 
Disclaimer:
 
The F1 was provided free of charge by FiiO, but not necessarily for the purposes of a review. I was selected as one of a number of Head-fi'ers in a giveaway. As part of the description for their giveaway they noted that they would appreciate reviews, but they were not required. All comments and views within this review are my opinions and do not represent those of FiiO or any other entity.
 
The F1 sells for 14.99 USD. You can check it out here on FiiO's official site; http://www.fiio.net/en/products/63
 
 

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Packaging and Accessories:
 
The F1's packaging takes the basic concept laid out by the EM3 and both refines and expands upon it in a way that I personally find quite appealing. The shock-white background highlights the images of the F1's earpieces, name, and FiiO branding on the front. The sides give you a nice glimpse of the in-line remote/mic and the Dunu-esque 90 degree angled jack. On the rear you are provided lists of specifications, accessories, features, and a handy diagram showing off the remote's various functions.
 
Sliding out the inner cardboard tray reveals the F1's earpieces and remote on display under a lightly frosted sheet of plastic. Lift that off and you find the foam the F1 is set within is coated with an almost felt-like finish. It's a nice touch. Lift a flap in the bottom half of the tray and you are treated to a spacious clam shell carrying case with a carbon fiber-like texture. Inside are the extra silicone tips. All-in-all the following accessories are included;
 
- 4 sets of silicone eartips in s/m(x2)/l sizes
- hard clam shell carrying case
- permanently attached cable tie
 
While you're not provided a silly number of accessories or anything out of the ordinary, everything oozes a level of quality rarely experienced at this price.
 

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Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
 
The feeling of getting a quality product for you buck carries on once you get the F1 unpacked and in your hands. The squared off polycarbonate plastic housings are certainly interesting to examine with the angling and shape of the stem bringing to mind the 2015 Reddot award winning, 3rd generation Xiaomi Piston. I like that they left the plastic translucent, giving you a glimpse at the inner workings of the earphone.
 
The F1's polyurethane cable is the real star of the show. It's thick and reinforced with threads that snake their way throughout. Strain relief is well-done at the beefy Dunu-inspired jack but absent at the y-split and leading into the housings. While I do consider this an issue, the cable feels durable enough for it to be merely a minor concern. FiiO advertises it's tangle resistance, and for good reason; this cable rarely crosses up. The built in cable strap, which you might recognize from Dunu earphones (noticing a pattern here?), helps significantly as well. Microphonics are a bit of an issue though. When worn cable-down I found the noise of the cable bumping and sliding against my jacket overly intrusive. While the F1 has a very nice chin cinch built in, it's effectiveness is restricted by the placement of the inline remote on the right side cable. Wear them cable up and the excellent chin cinch can slide to an effective position, drastically reducing cable noise.
 
The F1 nails ergonomics and as a result is very comfortable despite the squared design. The nozzle exits at a logical angle, any edges are rounded off preventing uncomfortable hotspots, and weight is minimal. There's really nothing awkward or unusual in FiiO's design to highlight. It's simply a nice earphone to wear.
 
Isolation is acceptable, on par with what you would expect from a dynamic driver earphone. A bit of outside noise bleeds in when walking around outside, but not enough to ruin the experience. If using them alongside your computer you can hear the keys clacking away in the background while typing. Voices are dulled to a murmur.
 
The F1 is a well-designed earphone made from quality materials. Fit and finish is top notch, the cable is much better than pretty much anything you'll find at this price, microphonics notwithstanding, and comfort is also a strong point. Well done FiiO.
 

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Mic Performance:
 
This section really only makes an appearance in my reviews if there is something particularly noteworthy. I found the F1's inline remote to be exceptionally well constructed and quite premium feeling, experiencing none of the rattling issues others noted. I had no issues selecting the right button, and ergonomics once again felt spot on.
 
While call quality alone was fine for those on the receiving end, there was a not-so-minor problem that made the F1 less than desirable for phone usage. For whatever reason it picked up and magnified the sound of the cable touching my cheek, making it near impossible for callers to hear anything else unless I held the cable away from my face.
 
I was speaking with my wife while driving and she questioned what I was doing that was so noisy. That was a pretty confusing question considering I was sitting still, driving down a straight, flat, smooth stretch of road; which is what I told her. She said she thought I was outside scraping ice off the window of my car. Huh.
 
Hopefully this is a one-off problem confined to my particular F1. Still worth noting though.
 
Specifications:
 
Driver: 9.2mm dynamic
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20KHz
Sensitivity: 97dB
Impedance: 16 ohms
 
I found the F1 easy enough to drive from any source, however, given their reliance on high volume for the best performance a more powerful source is recommended.
 

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Sound:
 
I am thankful to have access to a variety of earphones spanning a wide range of price, quality, and signature. Despite this, I find myself spending most of my time listening to hyper-budget gear that competes directly with the F1 which simply comes across as decent sounding. Not good, not bad, just decent.
 
I found the F1 characterized by a somewhat dry mid-focused, presentation that's a touch mid-bassy with recessed treble. It rarely comes across as musical or inviting, until you crank the volume which for low-volume listeners like myself is a pretty disappointing characteristic. At low volumes the listening experience is quite dull. Treble has little presence and no sparkle to speak off. Their mid-range is thick and muffled. Bass extension lacks reach and speed, with limited texture.
 
When using them outside of the house and in noisy environments where you must raise the volume to drown out exterior noise, the F1 makes a stronger case for itself. While still recessed and touch on the dull side, it's treble shows a hint of shimmer. It's midrange loses some of the muffled presentation. Detail is still smoothed over too much for my preferences though. Bass sees the most improvement developing a nice low end rumble that keeps up with the mid-bass punch. Decay comes across sluggish for quicker tracks regardless of volume, leading to the F1 getting crossed up on more complicated tracks.
 
Despite them lacking air in the upper ranges, the F1 maintains a fairly open presentation behind the forward mid-range that avoids coming across congested. This really benefits them on tracks like Run For You Life from Big Grams. Skylar Grey from Phantogram mostly sounds amazing on this track.
 
For the most part I found the F1 to an underwhelming listen that really only excels at volumes I'm not comfortable listening to for any length of time. The smoothed over detail and relaxed treble presentation means that regardless of volume they are quite non-fatiguing, a nice quality to have when listening to music on the move.
 
 
Select Comparisons:
 
FiiO EM3 (9.95 USD): The EM3 is a pretty awesome little earbud and a fitting comparison to the F1 as they share a similar signature. That said, the EM3 comes across to me as the better sounding product, though you give up isolation, build quality, and accessories to get it.
 
The EM3's treble is more forward and contains the sparkle missing with the F1. It's mid-range is pulled back in comparison, but is clearer and more detailed. Bass lack the extension of that found on the F1, but is similar overall in punch and texture.
 
Xiaomi Piston 3 (14.99 USD): Xiaomi's 3rd generation of the Piston series built on the success of the iconic Piston 2 with a more ergonomic design and balanced signature. They sell for the same price as the F1, they share design elements, and they offer a similar feature set. It's only natural to pit these two against each other.
 
When it comes to the build of each respective earphones housings, Xiaomi's combination of gunmetal aluminum and black plastic looks and feels more premium than FiiO's monochromatic housings. Fit and finish is much better on the Piston as well with each part fitting together flushly without any gaps or edges. It's pretty impressive actually. Both cables are microphonic, but FiiO's exudes a level of quality and durability sorely missing from the Piston's braided/rubber combo.
 
Where the F1's sound quality is simply acceptable, suffering from the previously outlined issues, the Piston's sound quality is excellent. It's smoother and more refined and there is some sparkle to it's treble at any volume, though not enough to be fatiguing. I found the Piston just as easy to listen to over long periods. While the Piston's mid-range isn't as forward it's lacks the stuffiness heard in the F1. Bass on the Piston as has a better balance of mid- and sub-bass, with greater extension and control. Detail retrieval and separation on the F1 falls well short of what the Piston is capable of presenting.
 
MEMT X5 (~20.00 USD): The MEMT X5 seems to be a popular pick at the moment. While slightly more expensive than the F1, that money is well spent if sound quality is of primary concern though I'd still take the Piston's similarly detailed but more balanced sound.
 
Build on the two is on par, with the X5's cable being even more annoyingly microphonic while also adding in some additional stiffness. The lack of a chin cinch really hurts when compared to the F1. The jack is similar to the F1's, but more compact and with a metal sheath to add some style and potential durability. The X5's inline mic has only one button vs. the three found on the F1, but it doesn't pick up noise to the same extent and works well on phone calls. Fit and finish on both earphones is just okay. You can clearly see and feel each individual piece that composes each respective earphone's ear pieces. Neither is put together with the level of detail and tolerance of the Piston.
 
While the X5 has a more generic and consumer friendly v-shaped signature, it's clarity and detail is a notable step up from the F1. The level of detail present in the X5 really highlights the F1's muddiness. it sounds significantly more open, on par with the Piston. If forward mids are your thing though, the F1 would still be the better choice. I found the X5's mid-range recessed a little too much, and as a result vocals have a tendency to be overshadowed by mid-bass. Speaking of bass, the X5's is monstrous compared to the F1, and extension is much better. It can be a little overpowering, but for the most part is better controlled and significantly more punchy than what the F1 outputs.
 

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Final Thoughts:
 
If you're looking for an earphone to run with you during your everyday life tasks, the F1 is near perfect. They are inexpensive, very comfortable and their build quality far exceeds what you expect to see at their low cost. The cable in particular is outstanding if you can look past the microphonics. It's well relieved and the strong tangle resistance and lack of memory works wonders in keeping them neat in your pocket should you opt not to use the included case. On top of that, the built in cable wrap pretty much guarantees you'll never have to worry about a tangled cable.
 
If strong audio performance is priority on your list of desirable features, other options should be up for consideration. The F1's dry, mid-forward signature lacks musicality and unfortunately makes for a somewhat dull and uninviting experience. It's works very well with podcasts and speech-focused media though.
 
In the end, the F1 has been a mix of highs and lows for me. While their sound quality fails to impress, pretty much everything else is top notch which in itself makes them worth a look. However, if you don't need the isolation and want to stay within the FiiO family, the EM3 earbud is a respectable choice. Toss the F1's cable setup on those and you've got yourself one heck of a budget product *hint hint, nudge nudge, FiiO*.
 
Thanks for reading!
 
- B9Scrambler
 
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
 
Test Songs:
 
Aesop Rock - Saturn Missles
BT - The Antikythera Mechanism
Big Grams - Fell in the Sun
Big Grams - Run For Your Life
Daft Punk - Touch
Gramatik - Bluestep (Album Version)
Incubus - 2nd/3rd/4th Movements of the Odyssey
Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed
Infected Mushroom - The Legend of the Black Shawarma
Jessie J - Bang Bang
Kiesza - Hideaway
Killer Mike - "Reagan"
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black
Pink Floyd - Money
Skindred - Death to all Spies
Supertramp - Rudy
The Prodigy - Get Your Fight On
Witcher 2 Official Soundtrack

INTRODUCTION

Every so often as a reviewer you get a surprise – something not quite expected. Sometimes its disappointment – when a much hyped new product simply doesn't live up to its billing. Other times its quiet wonder and amazement – especially when something arrives that you thought would be just another product – and it turns out to be something quite special. When Sunny approached me about reviewing their F1 and F3 IEMs, my initial reaction was “OK its FiiO but I really don't have time to do an in-depth on another budget offering”. I'm glad it was FiiO because I would have been tempted to say no (my external work-load has been very heavy lately) to another company. But FiiO have supported my reviewing since day 1. I simply don't turn them away. This is one of those times when the voyage of discovery was also one of delight.

ABOUT FiiO
By now, most Head-Fi members should know about the FiiO Electronics Company. If you don’t, here’s a very short summary.

FiiO was first founded in 2007. Their first offerings were some extremely low cost portable amplifiers – which were sometimes critiqued by some seasoned Head-Fiers as being low budget “toys”. But FiiO spent a lot of time with the community here, and continued to listen to their potential buyers, adopted our ideas, and grew their product range. That product range now includes some extremely proficient DAPs, DACs, amps, and recently some earphones and IEMs.

FiiO’s products have followed a very simple formula since 2007 – affordable, stylish, well built, functional, measuring well, and most importantly sounding good.

DISCLAIMER
The F1 IEM was provided to me free of charge or obligation as a review sample. I thank FiiO for their generosity. I own and have paid for the E7, E9, E11, E11K, X1, and X5 in the past. I am not otherwise affiliated with FiiO in any way, nor do I make any financial gain from my contributions, and this is my subjective opinion of the FiiO F1 IEM.

PREAMBLE - 'ABOUT ME'. (or a base-line for interpreting my thoughts and bias)
For this review – I've used the FiiO F1 out of most sources I have around me – from the higher end X5iii and X7 to the more budget X1ii. For the majority of the review though, I've simply used the X1ii and my iPhone SE, as its likely to be the common smart-phone and lower end DAPs which are paired with the F1. I haven't used extra amping – as during my testing (we'll cover that later), I didn't find they needed or even benefited from additional amping. In the time I have spent with the F1, I have noticed no change to the overall sonic presentation (burn-in), but am aware that I am becoming more used to the signature as I use them more often (brain burn-in).

This is a purely subjective review - my gear, my ears, and my experience. Please take it all with a grain of salt - especially if it does not match your own experience.

THE REVIEW

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES
The FiiO F1 arrived in a compact white retail box measuring 97 x 168 x 42mm. The box is a simple but elegant white, with a picture of the F1 on the front cover, and specifications and features on the rear.

Opening the box reveals a pull out tab, and this slides out the inner box, protected by a frosted plastic cover. Under this, nestled in a foam cut-out is the FiiO F1. Adjacent to the foam holder is an internal box which reveals a really nice carry case (containing the tip selection). Also included is a warranty document.

The carry case is small, zippered, and semi-hard covered. It measures approx 75 x 85 x 35mm and is an ideal size for portable use. The outside shell is quite rigid and has an attractive carbon fibre pattern on top and bottom. Inside is a simply cloth internal covering with a mesh pocket. The quality and protection though is extremely good – I wish I had a dozen of these!

The tip selection is simple, but remember we are talking about an IEM I've already seen on line priced between $15-$20. You get 4 pairs of silicone tips, and that’s pretty much it – but at this price point I really wouldn't expect anything else – especially considering the quality of the case.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
(From FiiO)



FREQUENCY GRAPH
The graphs below are generated using the Vibro Veritas coupler and ARTA software. Ken Ball (ALO/Campfire) graciously provided me with measurement data which I have used to recalibrate my Veritas so that it mimics an IEC 711 measurement standard (Ken uses two separate BK ear simulators, we measured the same set of IEMs, and I built my calibration curve from shared data). I do not claim that this data is 100% accurate, but it is very consistent, and is as close as I can get to the IEC 711 standard on my budget.

The graphs are provided merely as a point of discussion, and later in the review I've included comparisons to other IEMs for similar reference.


What I’m hearing from the FiiO F1:

1. Reasonably natural sounding mid-bass with a slight hump, and pretty good extension (some natural roll-off into sub-bass). Sub-bass is reasonably robust, but still balanced with the rest of the overall signature
2. Relatively flattish lower mid-range, maybe the slightest recession or distance in vocals, but it is minor, and adds to the impression of staging size
3. Upper mid-range has a rise in the presence area (2 kHz) and gives a clear and clean vocal presence. It is around 10dB above the fundamental range at 1 kHz.
4. Lower treble is present but subdued compared to upper mid-range. Lower treble rolls off early and there is not a lot of presence from about 7 kHz onward.
5. Upper treble is quite rolled off
6. Overall it is a very slightly V shaped monitor with shallow peaks in the sub-bass and upper mid-range areas. It does feel more balanced than anything though – and the overall impression is quite vocal / mid-range oriented, and very smooth.

One thing to note is the extremely good matching of left and right channels. This is amazing from a $20 monitor! Well done FiiO.

BUILD QUALITY / DESIGN
External

The FiiO F1 body is two piece industrial grade polycarbonate (very hard plastic) which is squarish in shape with rounded corners. The plastic is very slightly translucent. The body is pretty small too – just 13mm across at it's widest point with a depth of about 12mm.. it looks kind of blockish, but is surprisingly comfortable to wear. The internal surfaces are pretty well rounded. If worn cable down, the nozzle extends slightly forward. It is approx 6-7mm in length with a generous lip (great for tips) and approx 5mm in diameter. There is a small dynamic driver vent adjacent to the nozzle exit. There is an approx 10mm arm which runs perpendicular to the IEM body – and houses the cable exit. This is capped with a rubber strain relief. There are L/R markings on the strain relief – but they are very difficult to see. The easiest way to remember left from right is that the control unit sits on the right hand side of the cable.

The cable
The cable is permanently fixed to the FiiO F1. It is OFC with a Polyurethane outer coating. The cable is an attractive black with very thin red highlighting. It is also very smooth, very supple, and exhibits reasonably low microphonics. FiiO chose the coating because it is lightweight, durable, and highly elastic. As soon as I saw the cable – my immediate thought was “Dunu” - more on this in a second.

The cable has an in-line microphone and control unit extending from the right ear-piece approx 125mm from the cable exit. This unit hangs just under my jaw when worn over ear (so ideal height for the mic for me). The three button control unit has a central button for track controls (allowing play/pause (one push), next track (two pushes), and previous track (three pushes). The other two buttons are volume control buttons. Unfortunately they do not work with my iPhone, but they do work perfectly with my wife's Android Galaxy (S3 – she's an old fashioned girl) – and also with FiiO's newer DAPs – the X1ii and X5iii (they surprisingly won't on the X7). The microphone is surprisingly good quality – I had no issues with phone calls or activating Siri when using my iPhone.

The Y split is located around half way down my chest, and just above this is the small cinch. Its really good for FiiO to include this – but they've gone with one which is permanently fixed on one side, but detachable on the other. It's not a bad design – allowing you to cinch above or below the mic/control unit. But because of the detachable side, it doesn't stay attached – the slightest pull and it releases. The first thing I do following the end of the review is going to be fixing it permanently to the other side of the cable as well. There is no strain relief on the y-split, but given the quality of the cable, the cost of the IEMs and the fact that the y-split is a semi-rigid rubber, I think omitting relief isn't a deal breaker.

The cable terminates at a 4 pole right angled gold plated 3.5mm jack with very good strain relief. The jack casing is relatively smart-phone case friendly (for my case anyway). Just above the jack – and able to be slid up or down the cable is a very familiar rubber cable tie. When not in use it sits unobtrusively close to the plug (I never notice it). When you’ve finished listening to the F1, simply carefully coil the cable and use the tie. Simple, elegant, brilliant.

So lets address the “elephant in the room”. The cable, the jack and especially the cable tie are all extremely familiar to me. Why? Because they are based on Dunu's designs – so I'd suggest they've had a big hand in the overall design of the F1 (which is a good thing).

Internals
FiiO makes special mention of this in their documentation, so I thought I should too. The driver utilises an ultra-lightweight polyester diaphragm – which FiiO chose because of its “relaxed tonality” which they've observed “works well with modern pop music”. Paired with this is a copper clad aluminium voice coil which has very good detail retrieval. Combined, the two are supposed to deliver a detailed, but fatigue free listening experience.


FIT / COMFORT / ISOLATION
I have one ear canal slightly different to the other one (my right is very slightly smaller) - so I tend to find that usually single silicon flanges don't fit overly well. I initially tried the included large silicone tips, and I was unable to maintain a constant seal (my difficult ears). I then switched to my after-market tips.

The FiiO F1 easily fits most standard tip choices including Ostry tuning tips, Spin-fits, Spiral Dots, Comply foams and Sony Isolation / Trinity Kombi tips. I have a specially stretched pair of Shure Olives which tend to fit most earphones I'm reviewing, give me excellent comfort and seal – so I used them for the review.

I think FiiO probably designed these to be worn cable down (hence the 45 degree forward angled nozzle), but I was able to successfully wear them “cable over ear”, and the comfort was still pretty good with the Shure Olives. There was one slightly hard edge – but with a little management (fiddling) this soon disappeared. The Fi is one of those IEMs which because of its size tends to disappear when worn. They sit well within my outer ear and are easy to sleep in.


Isolation with the F1 is about average for me and do a good job of passive isolation. However I wouldn't be using these for long haul transport.

SOUND QUALITY
The following is what I hear from the FiiO F1. YMMV – and probably will – as my tastes are likely different to yours (read the preamble I gave earlier for a baseline). Most of the testing at this point (unless otherwise stated) was done with my FiiO X3ii + E17K as source, and my Shure Olive tips. The reason I chose to go with the X3ii and E17K is simply because I know the combo so well.

For the record – on most tracks, the volume level on the X1ii was around 20 which was giving me an average SPL around 65-70 dB. Tracks used were across a variety of genres – and can be viewed in this list http://www.head-fi.org/a/brookos-test-tracks.

Relativities

1. Sub-bass – generally reasonably well extended, with normal minor roll-off associated with most dynamic drivers. The sub-bass is a little more emphasised than mid-bass and the curve peaks around the 50Hz mark. Relative to the rest of the freq range, sub-bass is elevated above mid-bass and lower mid-range, and has roughly equal SPL as upper mid-range. There is sufficient rumble present to represent lower notes well – but it doesn’t feel overly muddy or too bassy.
2. Mid-bass – still has a mild hump (necessary to sound natural) but is slightly recessed against sub-bass, and slightly elevated compared to lower mid-range. It is in effect a very gentle mid-bass bump, but also nicely distributed. The result is a very natural sounding bass response – and there is no noticeable bleed into the mid-range. Both mid and sub-bass are elevated compared to lower mid-range.
3. Lower mid-range – recessed compared to bass and upper mid-range. There is a slight sense of distance with male vocals – more-so than with female vocals. I have found myself upping the volume slightly – particularly with male dominated rock tracks. Pearl Jam actually sounded pretty good – although Eddie’s vocals could have used just a little more richness or fullness.
4. Upper mid-range – elevated compared to lower mid-range, and there is a reasonably significant rise from lower mid-range to the peak at about 2 kHz. The result is a clean and clear vocal range, with good presence to lend a very good sense of euphony to female vocals. The upper mid-range on the F1 is one of the best qualities of this IEM for my particular tastes. Even though the rise at 2kHz is about 10dB above the fundamental lower mid-range, it does not sound too strident – mainly due to the comparatively recessed lower treble.
5. Lower treble – present through to about 6-7 kHz and then drops away quite dramatically. This leaves a quite mid-forward but smooth overall signature. The only issue I have with the F1 for my tastes is that they are quite subdued, and could use a little bump (IMO) at around 6-7 kHz. Cymbals are still present – but subdued, and there is not a lot of air, or great sense of decay.
6. Upper treble – not really present .

Resolution / Detail / Clarity

1. Reasonable with micro detail, and still has ability to resolve many finer details well, but they are often subdued.
2. Cymbal hits have reasonable initial presence, but decay is somewhat lost due to the recession of the upper treble (especially around the 7 kHz mark).
3. A relative clean and clear monitor with average resolution but overall portrayal is decidedly on the smooth and warm side (mainly through lack of lower treble than over-done bass).

Sound-stage, Imaging

1. Directional queues are decent, and presentation of stage is just on the periphery of my head space with binaural tracks – so good sense of width and depth.
2. Spherically presented sound-stage with above average impression of overall depth
3. Absolutely compelling sense of immersion with the applause section of “Dante's Prayer” – and sounded very natural. “Let it Rain” was next up and because of the lack of lower treble emphasis, there was no sense of sibilance. I thoroughly enjoyed the F1 with Amanda Marshall’s album – and it was the smooth easy-going signature which really ticked my boxes here.

Strengths

1. Good overall bass response and the sub-bass is tastefully done without dominating. I think FiiO’s target range (younger generation modern music lovers) will love the default tuning.
2. Decent (if a little distant) with male vocals, better with female vocals, lending a slight air of euphony and sweetness.
3. Overall smooth and effortless with good vocal presence. Will suit those who like their music presentation with a warm, rich and smooth overall presentation.
4. People who like to listen a little louder may find the F1 ideal – without raising too much listening fatigue.

Weaknesses

1. Lower treble is under-done a little, and anyone looking for a very detailed listening experience may need to look elsewhere. Cymbals in particular lose their natural decay.
2. Vocal fundamentals can tend to sound a little recessed – mainly with some male / lower mid-range oriented music
3. Not the best at low volumes – detail tends to get a little lost.

AMPLIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
The FiiO F1 with its relatively low impedance and higher sensitivity is extremely easy to run straight out of your average source. With the FiiO X1ii I tended to stay around 20-25/100 depending on the track recording quality. With my iPhone SE – this translated to 25-30% volume.

I tried the F1 with the E17K, and there was no increase in dynamic presentation or elevation of detail to my older and somewhat insensitive ears. Even using DAPs with a lot more power (X7, X5iii, Cayin i5) didn’t really make a huge noticeable difference. So I think I’m pretty safe in saying that the F1 doesn’t need, nor benefits from, any additional amplification.

EQUALISATION
You've may have guessed at what I think could change on the FiiO F1 (at least for my tastes). Yep – elevation in the lower and upper treble. No sense in being too shy with this one, so using the EQ on the X1ii, I raised both the 8k and 16k sliders by 6dB and for my preferences this was an improvement overall. After that it was a matter of simply tweaking the 400k, 1k and 3k sliders by small degrees to get the overall vocal presentation to my liking. The good news is that there is definitely enough lower treble presence to coax some extra life via EQ.

COMPARISONS
This is not a price point I've really got a lot of experience with, so please excuse my lack of popular comparative IEMs. I have to work with what I have though – so for this comparison it is FiiO's own F3, RockJaw's Arcana 2 and Brainwavz's Jive and XF200.

As always, I first volume matched with a 1 kHz test tone and SPL meter. I had a fast switch set-up in place with a splitter and volume attenuator for the volume matching. This section is very subjective, as it is sighted, the change between IEMs took about 5 seconds, and I knew exactly which one I was listening to. But it is my honest thoughts on where the F1 sits for my own personal tastes. Source used was the E17K / X3ii combo – with no EQ (simply because it is still the source I know best).

FiiO F1 ($15) vs FiiO F3 ($25)

Both have similar builds, fit, and accessories – with the main difference being the changeable face-plates and inclusion of the ear-hooks. For me the F3 fits a little better because of the slightly smoother internal face.

Sonically both are on the slightly V shaped side of neutral with warmish sounding bass which is more centred toward sun-bass than mid-bass. The F1 has more of an upper mid-range peak which really helps vocals stand out. But after that it drops off pretty sharply. The F3 has less mid-range dominance, and more lower treble presence. Both are really good earphones for the price. For my personal preference the F3 is worth the extra outlay.

FiiO F1 ($15) vs Brainwavz Jive ($28)

The Jive wins on overall build quality – but I like the cable on the F1 a lot more. Accessories are about even. Fit is good on both – but the Jive's diminutive size makes them slightly more comfortable.

Sonically the Jive is very V shaped comparatively – with a lot more sub-bass, a lot more treble extension, but also a quite comparatively recessed lower mid-range. If you were looking at the strengths of each, you'd be saying fun and lively vs clear and smooth. Personally I preferred the more balanced approach of the F1.

FiiO F1 ($15) vs Brainwavz XF200 ($25)

The XF200 is technically more of a sports earphone – but they sit close to the same price range (so why not). The build, fit and ergonomics are all subjectively better on the F1. The XF200 can appear slightly blocky (I like the naturally formed ear-loops though). The F1 just feels sturdier though, and once again the FiiO (Dunu) cable is an improvement.

Sonically the XF200 is quite similar to the Jive. More of a V shape with extra sub-bass, comparatively recessed mid-range, and more emphasis on the upper mids and lower treble. The F1 is again smoother and more balanced – its just a bit shy on the lower treble. Again my preference here would be the FiiO.

FiiO F1 ($15) vs RockJaw Arcana V2 ($40)

I chose this one simply because the Arcana V2 impressed me when I first heard it. Like the FiiO it was a warm and smooth sounding earphone – but with a good sense of lower treble detail.

Build and fit are pretty good on both – but again the FiiO/Dunu cable stands apart. Overall on build, I'd give the slight nod to the F1. Accessories go to the Rockjaw (tips) but to the F1 for its case.

The Arcana still is a warm and lively earphone, and although I don't usually gravitate to this type of signature, there is something about the mid-range which can still captivate. That sub-bass is still a bit over the top though and I think that is where FiiO got it right with the F1. The bass has enough oomph to satisfy, without over-doing it, and then having to over compensate. Once again the F1 is my preference (but I wish they had just a little more presence around 6-7 kHz)

FiiO F1 - SUMMARY

Its not often I get to review something in this price range, and when I do it can sometimes be a pleasant surprise at how good audio quality can get for the price of a decent cup of coffee and a fresh baked snack.

The F1 has its good points and its not so good. Build is primarily plastic, but they are light-weight, and appear to be reasonably sturdy. The cable is the stand-out – good overall quality, and when you pair that with the case, there is more on the positive side of the slate than the negative. Fit is pretty good. Because of the angle of the nozzles (I suspect they are more for wearing cable down), it's not 100% comfortable – but good enough over-ear for causal use.

Sonically the F1 has good channel matching, is relatively well balanced, very clear through the vocals, and has nice cohesion between lower and upper mid-range. Its weakness is the roll-off in both lower and upper treble. This is clearly intentional and results in a smooth but clear IEM which will no doubt appeal to many people.

If I was going purely on build and sound, then the F1 would be a nice 3/5 in the budget stakes. But when you factor in the low price of $15 (how do they do it?), it becomes a 100% easy recommendation. I really enjoyed it. Well done FiiO. Recommended as a budget option.

Once again thanks to FiiO for sending me an evaluation sample.

REVIEW: F3
 
For full review on F1 & F3 read here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/834924/review-fiio-f1-f3-new-budget-fi-iems
 

 
Website: LINK
 
Product link: LINK
 
 
 
Specifications:
 
 
F1
 
Driver Type: Dynamic 9.2mm
Frequency response: 20Hz ~ 20kHz
Sensitivity: 97dB
Impedance: 16Ω
Plug: 3.5mm L-shaped gold-plated stereo jack (CTIA standard)
Cable length: 1.2m
Weight: 19.8g
 
 
 
 
Price (MSRP): U$D 15
 
 
 
Accessories
 

1. 3 pairs of eartips (S/M/L)
2. 1 case
3. 1 pair of earguides (F3 only)
4. 3 pairs of replaceable covers in red, blue and black (F3 only)

 

 
 
 
 
Design
 
Design on both F1 and F3 is practically the same for shell material, cable and plug. They only differ in their shape, being the F1 meant for cable down fit and F3 for over-ear. Build quality is very solid for the low price and the design is well thought. The housings are made of semi-translucent polycarbonate plastic type material with looks solid enough and is also very lightweight. The finish is very smooth and very well rounded as well. Nozzle is of standard length and width. Strain relief at the shells is lacking a bit.
As an extra, the F3 features replaceable cover in 3 colors; a cool feature, and makes it easier to differentiate between R and L sides.
The cable is one of the advantages on both F1 and F3 models. It is thick, but not too much, and very soft and easy to handle. You can see the results of the Dunu & Fiio partnership from the previous EX1 model in these two new ones, having a very good cable quality and obviously including the once “Dunu patented” attached cable wrap. The plug is similar (if not identical) to the Fiio EX1 and the Dunu Titan and other series, very sturdy and well relieved. The 3-button in-line control is placed on the right side, made of aluminum alloy. The only part that might be missing should be the y-split, which is a bit small and lacks a proper relief, nothing to complain about for the low budget price though.
 
Fit is very easy on both F1 and F3. The shells on the F1 adopts a 45º angled design and while it’s meant for cable down wear it can be easily used over-ear by switching the sides. On the other hand, while the F3 is larger and more rounded, it’s meant for over-ear configuration, but can also be used in a cable-down fit. Both are quite comfortable with a decent level of isolation with the included eartips, however I’ve the F3 model to be the more ergonomic and comfortable one for daily use. The F1 fit is a bit tighter despite having smaller housings.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
The Sound
 
 
F1
 
For a low budget IEM, the F1 has a more unique tuning. The F1 is very warm, a bit sweet and very relaxing without being too laid-back or boring. Forward in its presentation and a bit more mid-focused.
 
Bass has decent impact and speed but it is small quantity-wise and soft in character, gently rolling off passed down the mid-bass region. Punchy but not particularly tight, average in resolution, although well controlled and not muddy thanks to the less mid-bass focus. Depth is average but fairly smooth and well-rounded for most genres, just not for bassheads by any means.
 
Mids are slightly sweet and very smooth with good texture on the vocal part being a little more forward. Still shows good sense of space and balances well with the low end that gives a fuller and warmer overall tone. The F1 does give up a bit in terms of detail and clarity for a more relaxed and laid-back midrange presentation.
 
The treble is pleasant, and again very smooth and non-offensive at all. More laid back in comparison to the rest of the frequencies and free of any hint of sibilance in expense of sounding a bit dark and off and also lacks energy and crunch for upper instruments. Detail is about average and the lack of air contributes in making the F1 to sound more congested and closed. The limited extension and forward midrange also give a more narrow stage effect. For the $15 price it’s still hard to dislike especially for its more relaxed and easygoing presentation.
 
 
 
Value
 
There’s not much to add about these new Fiio earphones. They’re both solid options for their price with a solid construction, friendly design and easy going sound presentation. For more accuracy and control there are some more expensive products going around, and a few hidden gems that can still triumph over the F1 and F3 in pure sound quality, however, taken as a whole package they both have some advantages.
 
Thanks again to Fiio for providing both F1 and F3 models for the review.