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Fischer Audio FA-999 Review
Thanks to Advanced Headphones www.advancedheadphones.co.uk for the samples
First Impressions: Whoa! How much do these look like the MEElectronics M9? So similar I had to go fish out the M9 and when you see them side by side they are different, the 999 is a longer but they are still freakishly similar. Sticking them in my ears doesn’t change my thoughts from their this is just like the M9 tack. However I don’t recall the M9 being so arsey with the fit. Hmm.
Source 1G iPod Shuffle with a 75 ohm adapter added
Lows: The lows are what these IEM’s are all about and they do it pretty well too. They do once you get the fit right that is. This isn’t the first Fischer Audio IEM that I’ve had fit trouble with and it really makes a massive difference, no seal means not bass or what’s worse good fit on one side and crap on the other. Oh yes I cannot get the right side to sound quite right without holding it there. That aside the bass is pretty good stuff, big abundance that I’m sure many will love and has good smack to it. Comparing it directly to the M9 it bests for impact noticeably and I suspect it may be due to the 999 requiring far more oomf to get it moving. Not that the little shuffle has any trouble powering these to louder than I could ever want but I know some find these things to be a problem. The quantity, while many will be happy with it I find it too much, even more so than the M9 and it never really goes away when its supposed to. I’m fast tiring of its vociferous and pounding nature. For the basshead market I’m sure this will be a contender but I’m not loving it. For what it sells for it is pretty good though.
Mids: In a land far, far away. They are well behind the mountainous bass that’s here. They do still come through quite cleanly but I can’t say that they really are wowing me in any sense. They are here, they are rather thickish and warmed. They are really pretty close to what the M9 had going on which is to say you’re buying neither for their glorious vocal performances. The differentiator is that comparatively the mids are much more forward on the M9. The bass is so huge on the 999 that it’s fast becoming unpleasant to hear and even though the mids are not terribly loud I’m not turning them up. In fact I still want them turned down. The mids while fair really don’t matter here.
Highs: Actually for the money are not bad, they are still well behind that bass but nowhere near so much as the mids are, making these quite V shaped in sound. However like the mids you aren’t buying these for the highs but if it matters they have good edge to them without it being too much. Still what I can make out is certainly on the better side of things for an el cheapo.
Soundstage: Meh, it’s a bit on the lesser side, being so thick they have little sense of air about them.
Comfort: Fine.
Fit: It sucks frankly, for some reason I cannot make the right side sit properly and get the air pressure just right. I don’t have this trouble with the M9 but I have had it repeatedly with Fischer Audio stuff. I’ve said it before and ill say it again. Vent things properly!
Cable: Pretty nice actually.
Microphonics: Wearing these down, oh hell you get plenty. The shape of them means you can’t really wear them up either but they do have a slide and shirt clip you can use to mostly cure the issue.
Amped/Unamped: Who cares, these are never going to see an amp in the wild and they don’t deserve one either. Yes, should you do so they improve a bit but no huge differences.
Isolation: Really rather a lot for a dynamic.
Build Quality: They are actually pretty solid to look at up close and to feel in your hand.
Value: If you want huge bass then these will serve you well and may be of value to you but I am at present finding them so overwhelmingly bassy. Unless that’s your aim I see no reason why anyone should take these over the M9.
Conclusion: These are bass monsters pure and simple. If you want that, then yey for you but I found these to be hugely tiring on the ear. Usually as I write a review I listen to it all the way through while I write but I’ve now removed these. I don’t like them. I don’t their irritatingly fussy fit and I can’t stand the quantity of bass these are subjecting me to. It’s just vast and so powerful; punch you in the face kinda powerful. I know some will like the gargantuan bass these spit out but I cannot stand it. It’s so huge, so domineering, so crushing. Even the CX300 didn’t make me feel so oppressed by an IEM’s bass. However if you’re a total bass junkie in search of your latest fix then you might want to give these a bash.
Thanks to Advanced Headphones www.advancedheadphones.co.uk for the samples
First Impressions: Whoa! How much do these look like the MEElectronics M9? So similar I had to go fish out the M9 and when you see them side by side they are different, the 999 is a longer but they are still freakishly similar. Sticking them in my ears doesn’t change my thoughts from their this is just like the M9 tack. However I don’t recall the M9 being so arsey with the fit. Hmm.
Source 1G iPod Shuffle with a 75 ohm adapter added
Lows: The lows are what these IEM’s are all about and they do it pretty well too. They do once you get the fit right that is. This isn’t the first Fischer Audio IEM that I’ve had fit trouble with and it really makes a massive difference, no seal means not bass or what’s worse good fit on one side and crap on the other. Oh yes I cannot get the right side to sound quite right without holding it there. That aside the bass is pretty good stuff, big abundance that I’m sure many will love and has good smack to it. Comparing it directly to the M9 it bests for impact noticeably and I suspect it may be due to the 999 requiring far more oomf to get it moving. Not that the little shuffle has any trouble powering these to louder than I could ever want but I know some find these things to be a problem. The quantity, while many will be happy with it I find it too much, even more so than the M9 and it never really goes away when its supposed to. I’m fast tiring of its vociferous and pounding nature. For the basshead market I’m sure this will be a contender but I’m not loving it. For what it sells for it is pretty good though.
Mids: In a land far, far away. They are well behind the mountainous bass that’s here. They do still come through quite cleanly but I can’t say that they really are wowing me in any sense. They are here, they are rather thickish and warmed. They are really pretty close to what the M9 had going on which is to say you’re buying neither for their glorious vocal performances. The differentiator is that comparatively the mids are much more forward on the M9. The bass is so huge on the 999 that it’s fast becoming unpleasant to hear and even though the mids are not terribly loud I’m not turning them up. In fact I still want them turned down. The mids while fair really don’t matter here.
Highs: Actually for the money are not bad, they are still well behind that bass but nowhere near so much as the mids are, making these quite V shaped in sound. However like the mids you aren’t buying these for the highs but if it matters they have good edge to them without it being too much. Still what I can make out is certainly on the better side of things for an el cheapo.
Soundstage: Meh, it’s a bit on the lesser side, being so thick they have little sense of air about them.
Comfort: Fine.
Fit: It sucks frankly, for some reason I cannot make the right side sit properly and get the air pressure just right. I don’t have this trouble with the M9 but I have had it repeatedly with Fischer Audio stuff. I’ve said it before and ill say it again. Vent things properly!
Cable: Pretty nice actually.
Microphonics: Wearing these down, oh hell you get plenty. The shape of them means you can’t really wear them up either but they do have a slide and shirt clip you can use to mostly cure the issue.
Amped/Unamped: Who cares, these are never going to see an amp in the wild and they don’t deserve one either. Yes, should you do so they improve a bit but no huge differences.
Isolation: Really rather a lot for a dynamic.
Build Quality: They are actually pretty solid to look at up close and to feel in your hand.
Value: If you want huge bass then these will serve you well and may be of value to you but I am at present finding them so overwhelmingly bassy. Unless that’s your aim I see no reason why anyone should take these over the M9.
Conclusion: These are bass monsters pure and simple. If you want that, then yey for you but I found these to be hugely tiring on the ear. Usually as I write a review I listen to it all the way through while I write but I’ve now removed these. I don’t like them. I don’t their irritatingly fussy fit and I can’t stand the quantity of bass these are subjecting me to. It’s just vast and so powerful; punch you in the face kinda powerful. I know some will like the gargantuan bass these spit out but I cannot stand it. It’s so huge, so domineering, so crushing. Even the CX300 didn’t make me feel so oppressed by an IEM’s bass. However if you’re a total bass junkie in search of your latest fix then you might want to give these a bash.
